Extruded automotive trim and method of making same
AssigneeGuardian Automotive Trim, Inc.
InventorsHenry H. Smith, John Sienkiewicz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automotive trim product is made as follows. A single or multiple layer sheet is extruded so as to include at least one color pigmented and/or metallized layer therein. The sheet is then thermoformed into a three-dimensionally shaped preform via vacuum forming or the like. The preform is placed into a cavity of an injection molding apparatus and heated semi-molten material is injected thereinto. The semi-molten material bonds to the preform in the cavity. After cycling, the molding apparatus ejects a final automotive trim part. Optionally, some processing (e.g. trimming) may be performed following ejection.
Claims7
A method of making a colored automotive trim product, the method comprising:
- extruding an approximately planar sheet including at least (i) a colored layer including color pigment and metallizing material, (ii) a substantially transparent clear coat layer comprising a thermoplastic fluorinated polymer, and (iii) at least one tie layer located between the colored layer and the clear coat layer;
- positioning the approximately planar sheet in a vacuum forming apparatus;
- vacuum forming the sheet into a three dimensionally shaped preform;
- and
- utilizing the three dimensionally shaped preform as at least a portion of an exterior trim product for a vehicle.
A method of making a colored automotive trim part comprising the steps of:
- providing an at least partially extruded sheet including at least 1) an extruded color layer including color pigment and metallized particles, 2) a first tie layer, 3) a second tie layer, and 4) a substantially transparent layer, wherein the color layer is located between the first and second tie layers;
- providing the sheet in a cavity of an injection molding apparatus;
- injecting semi-molten material into the cavity of the injection molding apparatus so that the semi-molten material bonds to the sheet to form a three dimensionally shaped article;
- and
- using the shaped article as, or in the manufacture of, an exterior trim part for a vehicle.
A method of making a colored automotive trim product, the method comprising:
- extruding an approximately planar sheet including a colored layer including color pigment material and metallizing material;
- providing a substantially transparent clear coat layer comprising a thermoplastic fluorinated polymer over the colored layer;
- providing at least one tie layer located between the colored layer and the substantially transparent clear coat layer;
- positioning the substantially transparent clear coat layer together with the colored layer in a vacuum forming apparatus;
- vacuum forming the substantially transparent clear coat layer together with the colored layer into a three dimensionally shaped preform;
- and
- utilizing the three dimensionally shaped preform as at least a portion of an exterior trim product for a vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.