Method for making a surface mounted trim piece
AssigneeChivas Products Limited
InventorRonald D. Moore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A trim piece for mounting to an interior panel of an automobile having a relatively rigid support member, foam padding, and an outer cover of vinyl or cloth. The cover and the foam padding are dielectrically bonded to the relatively rigid support member contiguous the edges of the trim member without enveloping the edges of the support member to provide a trim piece which mates with the surface of the interior panel. The method for making the trim piece involves using a dielectric die which defines an acute angle between an upper and lower die half, the acute angle being contiguous with the edge of the trim piece and being oblique with respect to the movement of the die halves. The lower die half mates with the support member and the upper die half mates with the vinyl cover at the points of dielectric bonding.
Claims8
A method for making a trim piece assembly for attachment to a vehicle surface comprising a contoured support member having a contoured shape including a central portion and side portions extending to said vehicle surface at an acute angle and terminating at an edge, a pad, and a flexible covering, comprising the steps of:
- selecting a die having upper and lower die halves;
- placing said pad and said cover upon said support member and between the die halves so that said pad is disposed intermediate said cover and said support member and so that said cover extends at least slightly outwardly of said edge;
- compressing, between the upper and lower die halves, said assembly of said support member, pad, and cover at said side portions adjacent said edge;
- applying heat energy to the face of said side portions adjacent said edge for effecting a bond between said cover and said face side of said side portions contiguous to said edge but leaving a portion of the cover extending at least slightly outwardly of said edge with such outwardly extending portion of said cover not being bonded to said support member;
- the die selecting step being carried out by selecting a die in which said lower die half has a first formed die portion which closely mates with said side portions of said contoured support member and said upper die half has a second formed die portion defining an acute angle with the first formed die portion so the second formed die portion only contacts said cover adjacent the edge of the support member where said bond is effected;
- and
- trimming said cover contiguous and slightly beyond said edge without enveloping said edge so that, upon attachment of said trim piece to said surface, said outwardly extending unbonded portion of said cover engages said surface substantially at the termination of said cover.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.