Molded Spreading Interior Trim Material for Automobile

• US 20070202302A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hayashi Engineering Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hayashi Engineering Inc.
• Inventors: Imamura, Masahito, Matsuura, Akihiro, Nakamura, Toshiyuki, Iwata, Syuzo, Kuno, Kouji
• Application Number:
  US10/599,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20070202302A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/174
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/03 3 layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2274/00 Thermoplastic elastomer material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/554 Wear resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/003 Interior finishings
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/085 spaced apart pieces on the surface of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/048 characterised by their structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/083 for fire walls or floors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24628 Nonplanar uniform thickness material

Abstract

Molded interior trim installation material (10) includes the laminate of air permeable design layer (11), porous adhesive layer (12), and shape-retaining felt layer (13). The laminate is three-dimensionally formed into a shape that matches the shape of a portion of the automobile where the molded interior trim installation material is installed. Air permeable design layer (11) faces the interior of the automobile, and its flow resistance value is less than 500 Nsm⁻³. Shape-retaining felt layer (13) can maintain its molded shape and its flow resistance is less than 500 Nsm⁻³. Porous adhesive layer (12) serves to adhere air permeable design layer (11) and shape-retaining felt layer (13), and forms opening (15) therein.

Claims

1. A molded interior trim installation material for an automobile, comprising:

an air permeable design layer that faces an interior surface of the automobile and that has a flow resistance value of less than 500 Nsm<sup>−

3</sup>;

a shape-retaining felt layer that can maintain its molded shape and that has a flow resistance value of less than 500 Nsm<sup>−

3</sup>; and

an porous adhesive layer that serves to adhere said air permeable design layer and said shape-retaining felt layer and that forms openings therein;

wherein said air permeable design layer, said shape-retaining felt layer, and said porous adhesive layer are laminated and are three-dimensionally formed into a shape that matches a shape of a portion of the automobile where the molded interior trim installation material is installed.

2. The molded interior trim installation material for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein a flow resistance value of a laminate of said air permeable design layer, said shape-retaining felt layer, and said porous adhesive layer is within a range from 500 to 4000 Nsm⁻

3.

3. The molded interior trim installation material for an automobile according to claim 1, comprising:

a flat molded portion that extends along a flat portion of the interior surface of the automobile; and

a vertical wall molded portion that extends upwardly from said flat molded portion;

wherein a flow resistance value of a laminate of said air permeable design layer, said shape-retaining felt layer, and said porous adhesive layer in said vertical wall molded portion are relatively smaller than that in said flat molded portion.

4. The molded interior trim installation material for an automobile according to claim 1, comprising:

a flat molded portion that extends along a flat portion of the interior surface of the automobile; and

a vertical wall molded portion that extends upwardly from said flat molded portion;

wherein a flow resistance value of a laminate of said air permeable design layer, said shape-retaining felt layer, and said porous adhesive layer in said vertical wall molded portion at a front side of the automobile are relatively smaller than that in said flat molded portion.

5. The molded interior trim installation material for an automobile according to claim 1, further comprising:

a flat molded portion that extends along a flat portion of the interior of the automobile; and

a vertical wall molded portion that extends upwardly from said flat molded portion;

wherein a flow resistance value of a laminate of said air permeable design layer, said shape-retaining felt layer, and said porous adhesive layer in said vertical wall molded portion of a luggage compartment of the automobile are relatively smaller than that in said flat molded portion.

6. The molded interior trim installation material for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein a flow resistance value of said porous adhesive layer is within a range from 300 to 3500 Nsm⁻

3.

7. The molded interior trim installation material for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of each of said openings in said porous adhesive layer is in a range from 0.5 to 3.0 mm, and the number of said openings is in a range from 40 to 500/100 cm².

8. The molded interior trim installation material for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein openings are formed halfway through said air permeable design layer or said shape-retaining felt layer at positions that face said openings in said porous adhesive layer.

9. The molded interior trim installation material for an automobile according to claim 8, wherein said opening formed halfway through said air permeable design layer or said shape-retaining felt layer is shaped into a cone that is relatively broad at an entrance side and relatively narrow at a deep side.

10. The molded interior trim installation material for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein a spit fiber formed by extruding different kinds of resins from the same base is included in said air permeable design layer and/or said shape-retaining felt layer.

11. A method of manufacturing a molded interior trim installation material for an automobile, comprising the steps of:

forming an air permeable design layer that faces an interior surface of the automobile and that has a flow resistance value of less than 500 Nsm<sup>−

3</sup>;

forming a shape-retaining felt layer that can maintain its molded shape and that has a flow resistance value of less than 500 Nsm<sup>−

3</sup>;

forming openings in a thermoplastic resin film by using a heat needle;

laminating said air permeable design layer and said shape-retaining felt layer through said thermoplastic resin film that is formed with said openings and that is heated and molten; and

thermally forming a laminate of said air permeable design layer, said thermoplastic resin film, and said shape-retaining felt layer to provide a three-dimensional shape that matches a shape of a portion of the automobile where the molded interior trim installation material is installed.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, while said thermoplastic resin film is overlaid on one surface of said air permeable design layer or said shape-retaining felt layer, by using a machine for forming an opening with many heat needles implanted on a circumference, said openings are formed from said thermoplastic resin film side to said air permeable design layer side or from said thermoplastic resin film side to said shape-retaining felt layer side so as to pass through said thermoplastic resin film and so as to pass halfway through said air permeable design layer or said shape-retaining felt layer.

13. A spreading interior trim material molded to be fitted to an automobile at a spreading position, comprising a laminate having a flow resistance value of 500 to 4000 Nsm⁻

3 comprising;

an air permeable design layer which is an outermost layer having a flow resistance value of less than 500 Nsm<sup>−

3</sup>;

a shape-retaining felt layer capable of maintaining its molded shape and having a flow resistance value of less than 500 Nsm<sup>−

3</sup>; and

a porous adhesive layer bonding the air permeable design layer and the shape-retaining felt layer and having a flow resistance value of 300 to 3500 Nsm<sup>−

3</sup>, said porous adhesive layer having 40-500 throughholes per 100 cm² each having a diameter of 0.5 to 3.0 mm, said throughholes being uprightly formed between the air permeable design layer and the shape-retaining felt layer.

14. The spreading interior trim material according to claim 13, wherein the laminate is comprised of:

a horizontal molded portion; and

an upward wall molded portion that extends upwardly from the horizontal molded portion,

wherein the upward wall molded portion has a flow resistance value smaller than that of the horizontal molded portion.

15. The spreading interior trim material according to claim 13, wherein the shape-retaining felt layer has a thickness of 2-5 mm and a density of 50-300 kg/m³.

16. The spreading interior trim material according to claim 13, wherein the shape-retaining felt layer is made of a synthetic fiber felt including 5-30% by weight of a thermoplastic resin fiber having a melting point of 100 to 200°

C.

17. The spreading interior trim material according to claim 13, wherein the porous adhesive layer is made of a thermoplastic resin having a melting point of 100-300°

C.

18. The spreading interior trim material according to claim 17, wherein the thermoplastic resin is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, and modified polyester resin.