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US 6,660,201 B1Granted
Method of making a combination speaker grill and automotive trim panel
AssigneeMeridian Automotive Systems, Inc.
InventorDick van Manen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing a rear shelf trim and speaker grill panel (12) for an automotive vehicle (10) includes steps of punching a substrate layer (16) of a polypropylene and flax material with a punch set (46) to form a grill section (60) and placing a decorative carpet layer (18) over the substrate layer (16) and molding the two layers into a combined speaker grill and rear shelf trim panel (12).
Claims9
A process for forming an automotive interior trim panel, having apertures formed in a substrate layer, characterized by the steps of:
- providing a substrate layer comprising thermoplastic material over a first mold die;
- punching a plurality of apertures in said substrate layer using at least one punch set;
- raising said at least one punch set;
- raising one or more sets of pins aligned with said at least one punch set through said first mold die into said apertures in said substrate after said apertures are formed;
- providing a decorative layer onto said substrate;
- providing a second mold die that complements said first mold die and closing said first and second mold dies;
- molding said panel into shape with said pins extending through said first mold die and remaining in said apertures in said substrate during said molding of said panel;
- removing said substrate from said pins such that said molded panel has said decorative layer spanning over said apertures in said substrate.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.