Assembly including a compression-molded composite component having a sandwich structure and a unitarily connected second component

A vehicle interior structural assembly comprising:

• a first component having lower and side surfaces which define a plateau-receiving aperture having a size, a shape and a depth;
• and
• a compression-molded, composite second component having a sandwich structure, the second component including a first outer layer, a second outer layer, and a core positioned between the outer layers and having a plurality of cavities wherein the outer layers are bonded to the core by a press molding, wherein a portion of the second component including the first layer and the core defines a raised plateau having upper and side surfaces, the plateau having a size and shape corresponding to the size and shape of the plateau-receiving aperture and wherein a height of the plateau corresponds to the depth of the plateau-receiving aperture and wherein the plateau is inserted into the plateau-receiving aperture so that corresponding surfaces of the plateau and the plateau-receiving aperture are in abutting engagement to unitarily connect the components and form the assembly.

A vehicle load floor assembly comprising:

• a first component having lower and side surfaces which defines a plateau-receiving aperture having a size, a shape and a depth;
• and
• a compression-molded, composite second component having a sandwich structure, the second component including a first outer layer, a second outer layer, and a core positioned between the outer layers and having a plurality of cavities wherein the outer layers are bonded to the core by a press molding, wherein a portion of the second component including the first layer and the core defines a raised plateau having upper and side surfaces, the plateau having a size and shape corresponding to the size and shape of the plateau-receiving aperture and wherein height of the plateau corresponds to the depth of the plateau-receiving aperture and wherein the plateau is inserted into the plateau-receiving aperture so that corresponding surfaces of the plateau and the plateau-receiving aperture are in abutting engagement to unitarily connect the components and form the assembly.