Automotive map pocket having an electroluminescent lamp and method of making the same
AssigneeLear Corporation
InventorsRadu Bogdan, Alan G Dry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automotive interior trim assembly having a map pocket with an electroluminescent lamp. The trim assembly comprises a trim panel and a housing that forms at least a portion of the map pocket. The housing is coupled to the trim panel to define a cavity having an opening for accessing the cavity. An electroluminescent lamp is integrally molded to the housing to illuminate the cavity. An injection molding process may be used to form the housing with the electroluminescent lamp as an insert in the mold cavity. The housing is then coupled to the trim panel to form a map pocket in the trim assembly. The housing may be configured as a map pocket closeout or a map pocket insert.
Claims16
An automotive interior trim assembly, comprising:
- a trim panel;
- a housing that forms at least a portion of a map pocket coupled to said trim panel to define a cavity having an opening, said cavity adapted to store one or more items therein;
- and
- an electroluminescent lamp integrally molded with said housing and adapted to illuminate said cavity.
A method of forming an automotive interior trim assembly having a trim panel, comprising:
- inserting an electroluminescent lamp into a mold;
- forming a mold chamber about at least a portion of the electroluminescent lamp;
- molding a housing by injecting into the mold chamber a molten polymer resin to thereby also mold the housing to the electroluminescent lamp;
- and
- coupling the housing to the trim panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.