Method of making an interior trim panel with entrapped fasteners
AssigneeCadillac Products, Inc.
InventorDouglas H. Turner
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Abstract
A multi-layer laminated trim panel having a first sheet of high density cross-linked polyethylene foam, a second sheet of low density cross-linked polyethylene foam, a plurality of fasteners wherein the fastener heads are entrapped between the first and second sheets of cross-linked polyethylene foam, and an external cover sheet of cloth or vinyl. Additional sheets or pieces of cross-linked polyethylene foam can be incorporated between the first and second sheets of cross-linked polyethylene foam. Various methods of manufacturing the trim panels of the present invention are also disclosed.
Claims27
A method of constructing a multi-layer laminated trim panel for attachment to vehicles, comprising the steps of:
- (a) inserting fastening means having a head and an extending shaft through a first sheet of high density polymeric foam defined by first and second surfaces such that the head of said fastening means abuts the first surface of said first sheet and the leading end of the shaft extends beyond the second surface of said first sheet;
- (b) heating a second sheet of low density polymeric foam in an oven;
- and
- (c) compressing said first and second sheets together in the absence of a separate reinforcing layer disposed between said first and second sheets to bond said first and second sheets, thereby entrapping the head of said fastening means between said first and second sheets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.