Method of manufacturing an interior automotive component and components made therefrom

Abstract

An automotive interior component, such as a headrest or armrest, including a U-shaped tubular support frame for supporting the interior component. A blow molded or injection molded bun is molded directly onto a portion of the frame structure. A resilient urethane foam pad is secured to a surface of a fabric, vinyl or leather trim cover and the molded bun is enveloped by the trim cover and foam pad. Alternatively, the molded pad is formed by first and second half shell with the frame structure received and secured between the half shells. The half shells and interconnected with the frame structure there between and enveloped by the trim cover and foam pad. A method of manufacturing the interior component includes placing the frame structure in a mold, molding the rigid bun about a portion of the frame structure to form the contoured shape of the interior component, removing the rigid bun and frame structure from the mold, securing a resilient foam pad onto a surface of a trim cover, and enveloping the rigid bun in the trim cover and foam pad.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.