Multi-layered vehicle body part and method of manufacture

• US 20030155792A1
• Filed: 02/18/2003
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ArvinMeritor GmbH (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ArvinMeritor GmbH (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Grimm, Rainer, Bohm, Horst
• Granted Patent: US 6,869,133 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/191
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/043 Superstructures B62D25/161 takes precedence

Abstract

A mountable vehicle body part has a visible outer surface and includes a outer plastic sheet, an inner fiber-reinforced layer made of plastic, and a protective layer disposed between the plastic sheet and the fiber-reinforced layer. The protective layer is made of plastic and prevents direct contact between the fibers fiber-reinforced layer and the plastic sheet. The protective layer prevents the fibers from marring the outer surface of the plastic sheet.

Claims

1. A mountable vehicle body part, comprising:

a plastic sheet having a outer surface that is visible when the vehicle body part forms part of a vehicle body, wherein the plastic sheet has at least one dyed portion;

a fiber-reinforced layer having a base material and a plurality of reinforcing fibers disposed in the base material; and

a protective layer disposed between the plastic sheet and the fiber-reinforced layer to prevent contact between the reinforcing fibers and the plastic sheet.

2. The vehicle body part of claim 1, wherein the vehicle body part is one selected from the group consisting of a roof module and a vehicle closure.

3. The vehicle body part of claim 1, wherein said plastic sheet comprises:

a carrier layer; and

a covering layer disposed on the carrier layer, wherein the covering layer forms the outer surface.

4. The vehicle body part of claim 3, wherein the carrier layer and the covering layer together form a double-layered co-extruded sheet.

5. The vehicle body part of claim 3, wherein the carrier layer and the covering layer are both penetration-dyed.

6. The vehicle body part of claim 3, wherein the carrier layer is penetration-dyed and the covering layer is clear.

7. The vehicle body part of claim 1, wherein the base material in the fiber-reinforced layer is a foamed plastic, and wherein the plurality of reinforcing fibers are glass fibers.

8. The vehicle body part of claim 1, wherein the base material in the fiber-reinforced layer is a polyurethane foam.

9. The vehicle body part of claim 1, wherein the base material in the fiber-reinforced layer penetrates the protective layer and bonds to an inner surface of the plastic sheet.

10. The vehicle body part of claim 1, wherein the fiber-reinforced layer is applied to the protective layer as a foamed backing layer.

11. The vehicle body part of claim 1, wherein the protective layer is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of foam, soft plastic, and lacquer.

12. The vehicle body part of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the plastic sheet has a class A surface finish.

13. A method of manufacturing a mountable vehicle body part, comprising:

applying a protective layer to an inner surface of a plastic sheet to form an intermediate product;

applying a backing layer of base material to the intermediate product; and

adding a plurality of reinforcing fibers to the base material to form a fiber-reinforced layer, wherein the protective layer prevents contact between the reinforcing fibers and the plastic sheet.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of adding the reinforcing fibers is conducted via a long fiber injection (LFI) process.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of applying the protective layer to the plastic sheet is conducted with a method selected from the group consisting of co-extrusion, lamination, lining or foaming.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the base material penetrates the protective layer and contacts the inner surface of the plastic sheet.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising deep-drawing the plastic sheet before applying the protective layer to form the vehicle part.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising deep-drawing the intermediate product to form the vehicle part.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said plastic sheet comprises a covering layer and a carrier layer, and wherein the method comprises co-extruding the covering layer and the carrier layer.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising deep-drawing the covering layer and the carrier layer to form the vehicle part.