Door trim panel assembly having integrated soft-touch aesthetic feature and method of manufacturing same

• US 20050140168A1
• Filed: 12/30/2003
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Emerling, David M.
• Application Number:
  US10/749,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20050140168A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/146.700
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1635 using displaceable mould parts, e.g. retractable partition between adjacent mould cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1676 using a soft material and a rigid material, e.g. making articles with a sealing part
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3014 Door linings
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0243 Doors

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a door trim panel assembly having an integrated soft-touch area including actuating a core within a mold cavity so as to partition at least one area of the mold cavity, to prevent a first molten thermoplastic material from completely filling the mold cavity. A first molten thermoplastic material having a predetermined density is then injected into a mold cavity so as to fill the mold cavity thereby forming a structural element. The core is then retracted within the mold cavity to provide at least one secondary void within the mold cavity. A second molten thermoplastic material having a density less than the predetermined density of the first molten thermoplastic material is then injected into said secondary void of the mold cavity to form at least one soft-touch area bonded to and adjacent at least a portion of the structural element.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a component of a door trim panel assembly for the interior of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

actuating a core within a mold cavity so as to partition at least one area of said mold cavity to prevent a first molten thermoplastic material from completely filling said mold cavity;

injecting the first molten thermoplastic material having a predetermined density into a mold cavity so as to fill said mold cavity thereby forming a structural element;

retracting the core within the mold cavity to provide at least one secondary void within said mold cavity; and

injecting a second molten thermoplastic material having a density less than the predetermined density of said first molten thermoplastic material into said secondary void of said mold cavity to form at least one soft-touch area bonded to and adjacent at least a portion of said structural element.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of retracting the core within the mold cavity further includes the step of permitting a predetermined lapse of time prior to permit said structural element to partially cure prior to retracting said retractable core.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of injecting a first thermoplastic material further includes the step of defining a substrate having a plurality of sidewalls that serve as the structural element for an armrest, said second thermoplastic material bonded to and adjacent at least a portion of at least one of said sidewalls to define a soft-touch area on said armrest.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of injecting a first thermoplastic material further includes the step of defining a substrate that serves as the structural element for a bolster area, said second thermoplastic material bonded to and adjacent at least a portion of said bolster area to define a soft-touch area on said substrate.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of injecting a second molten thermoplastic material further includes injecting a thermoplastic material having different color than the color of said first molten thermoplastic material.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of injecting a second molten thermoplastic material further includes injecting a thermoplastic material having different color than the color of said first molten thermoplastic material.

6. A method of manufacturing a component of a door trim panel assembly for the interior of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a mold having first and second die halves and a core moveably supported relative to said die halves and disposed therebetween to define a first and second mold cavity between said moveable core and said first and second die halves;

injecting said first molten thermoplastic material having a predetermined density into said first mold cavity so as to fill said first mold cavity thereby forming a structural element;

moving a core relative to said first and second die halves to define said second mold cavity; and

injecting a second molten thermoplastic material having a density less than the predetermined density of said first molten thermoplastic material into said second mold cavity thereby forming at least one soft-touch area bonded to and adjacent at least a portion of said structural element of said component.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the step of moving said core to define said second mold cavity further includes the step of permitting a predetermined lapse of time prior injecting a second molten thermoplastic material to permit said structural element to partially cure.

8. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said step of injecting a first thermoplastic material further includes the step of defining a substrate having a plurality of sidewalls that serve as the structural element for an armrest, said second thermoplastic material bonded to and adjacent at least a portion of at least one of said sidewalls to define a soft-touch area on said armrest.

9. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said step of injecting a first thermoplastic material further includes the step of defining a substrate that serves as the structural element for a bolster area, said second thermoplastic material bonded to and adjacent at least a portion of said bolster area to define a soft-touch area on said substrate.

11. A component of a door trim panel assembly for the interior of a vehicle, said component comprising:

a structural element formed from the injection of a first molten thermoplastic material having a predetermined density into a mold cavity; and

a soft touch area bonded to and adjacent at least a portion of said structural element, said soft-touch area formed from the injecting a second molten thermoplastic material having a density less than the predetermined density of the first molten thermoplastic material into a secondary void of the mold cavity.

12. The component of a door trim panel assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said structural element defines a substrate having a plurality of sidewalls that defines an armrest of said door trim panel assembly.

13. The component of a door trim panel assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said soft-touch area is bonded to and formed adjacent at least a portion of at least one of said sidewalls to define a soft-touch area on said armrest.

14. The component of a door trim panel assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said structural element defines a substrate having a bolster area.

15. The component of a door trim panel assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said soft-touch area is bonded to and formed adjacent at least a portion of said bolster area that is visible from the interior of a vehicle.

16. The component of a door trim panel assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said soft-touch area includes a different color than said structural element.