Foam in place composite one-piece hard/soft panel
AssigneeLear Corporation
InventorsGlenn Cowelchuk, Richard Morabito, Joseph Donatti, Todd DePue
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In at least one embodiment, the present invention takes the form of a panel comprising a substrate, a cover layer, and foam disposed between at least a portion of the substrate and the cover layer. At least one of the cover layer or the substrate being is provided with an integrally formed member for sealing the cover layer to the substrate. The present invention also relates to a method for forming the panel.
Claims20
The method of making a panel for use in a vehicle interior, the method comprising:
- providing a cover layer;
- providing a substrate spaced apart from the cover layer to form a cavity between the cover layer and the substrate;
- and
- providing foaming material into the cavity, which upon curing, forms foam between at least a portion of the substrate and the cover layer, wherein the cover layer comprises a perimeter portion having at least one preformed notch at its distal end.
The method of making a panel for use in a vehicle interior, the method comprising:
- providing a cover layer having a main body portion and a perimeter portion, the perimeter portion having a distal end having a preformed notch;
- providing a substrate spaced apart from the cover layer to form a cavity between the cover layer and the substrate, the substrate having a main body substrate portion and a perimeter substrate portion;
- and
- providing foaming material into the cavity, which upon curing, forms foam between at least a portion of the substrate and the cover layer, wherein the notch allows the distal end of the cover layer to pivot towards the remainder of the cover layer and exert pressure against the substrate to seal the cover layer against the substrate.
The method of making a panel for use in a vehicle interior, the method comprising:
- providing a cover layer having a perimeter portion having a notch;
- providing a substrate spaced apart from the cover layer to form a cavity between the cover layer and the substrate;
- and
- providing foaming material into the cavity, which upon curing, forms foam between at least a portion of the substrate and the cover layer, wherein the notch is closeable to allow the perimeter portion to exert pressure against the substrate to seal the cover layer against the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.