Vehicle interior panel with non-uniform hardness
AssigneeFaurecia Interior Systems, Inc.
InventorsAurelien Francois, Thomas Bianco, Xavier Toneu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle interior panel includes a substrate with non-uniform hardness, providing cushioned portions of the panel without the need for a distinct cushioning layer. The substrate is made from a mat of natural and synthetic fibers that is heated and pressed so that the pressed mat has thick and thin portions. The thin portions are rigid and structural, and the thick portions are soft. Application of a decorative layer can be incorporated into the process, as can back-injection molding (BIM) for additional structure.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing a vehicle interior panel, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) pressing a fiber mat comprising natural fibers and thermoplastic fibers between heated first and second tool portions to form a hot mat having a first portion with a first thickness and a second portion with a second thickness that is less than the first thickness;
- and
- (b) pressing the hot mat between cooled first and second tool portions to form a compression-formed panel, wherein a spacing between the cooled first and second tool portions is greater at the first portion of the hot mat than at the second portion of the hot mat,
- the method further comprising the step of overmolding a rib structure onto the compression-formed panel via injection molding,
- whereby the compression-formed panel has a soft portion corresponding to the first portion of the hot mat and a hard portion corresponding to the second portion of the hot mat,
- wherein, before step (a), the fiber mat is flat and has a uniform initial thickness.
A method of manufacturing a vehicle interior panel, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) pressing a fiber mat comprising natural fibers and thermoplastic fibers between heated first and second tool portions to form a hot mat having a first portion with a first thickness and a second portion with a second thickness that is less than the first thickness;
- and
- (b) pressing the hot mat between cooled first and second tool portions to form a compression-formed panel, wherein a spacing between the cooled first and second tool portions is greater at the first portion of the hot mat than at the second portion of the hot mat,
- whereby the compression-formed panel has a soft portion corresponding to the first portion of the hot mat and a hard portion corresponding to the second portion of the hot mat,
- the method further comprising the step of overmolding a rib structure onto the compression-formed panel via injection molding.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.