Paneling member for the interior of automotive vehicles, especially a dashboard

• US 4,663,210 A
• Filed: 10/10/1984
• Issued: 05/05/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Ostle, Arnold-William, Loebert, Heinz, Schreiber, Reinhold, Maier, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Van Balen, William J.
• Application Number:
  US06/659,420
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 180/90, 296/70, 264/321, 428/309.9, 428/316.6, 428/318.4, 428/319.3, 428/319.7, 428/159, 428/160, 428/63, 428/319.1, 280/751, 280/752, 280/732, 280/743
• US Class Current: 428/160
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/00 Dashboards as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/20 Patched hole or depression
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24512 Polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24996 With internal element bridging layers, nonplanar interface between layers, or intermediate layer of commingled adjacent foam layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249981 Plural void-containing components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249987 With nonvoid component of specified composition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24999 Inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249992 Linear or thermoplastic

Abstract

A paneling member for the interior of automotive vehicles, especially a dashboard, is constructed of at least two covered polyurethane foam portions which are provided with a stiffening support element embedded in the foam. The foam body portions have different weights per unit volume and compressive strengths and, accordingly, different degrees of hardness. A relatively firm foam body with an ABS or PVC sheet covering is used for the upper portion of the paneling member. A softer foam body with a covering selected from one of a variety of materials is used to form the lower portion of the paneling member.

Claims

1. A paneling member for the interior of automotive vehicles, comprising:

a first arcuate foam body portion extending upwardly from a generally horiaontal plane and having a first covering on an outer surface thereof;

a second arcuate foam body portion extending downwardly from said plane and having a second covering on an outer surface thereof; and

a support element embedded in said first and second foam body portions, said support element extending continuously from an upper marginal section of said first foam body portion to a lower maginal section of said second foam body portion;

wherein said first foam body portion is formed of a relatively hard-grade semihard polyurethane foam and is covered on said outer surface by said first covering; and

wherein said second foam body portion is formed of a relatively soft-grade semihard polyurethane foam and is covered on said outer surface by said second covering.

2. A paneling member according to claim 1, wherein said first foam body is formed of a foam which has a weight per unit volume of 120±

30 kg/m³ and a compressive strength of 120-180 kPa.

3. A paneling member according to claim 1, wherein said covering for said first foam body is formed from a deep-drawn sheet material.

4. A paneling member according to claim 3, wherein said second covering is one an ABS sheet material and a PVC sheet material.

5. A paneling member according to claim 1, wherein said second foam body is formed of a foam which has a weight per unit volume of 100±

30 kg/m³ and a compressive strength of 25-35 kPa.

6. A paneling member according to claim 1, wherein said covering for said second foam body is formed of one of a foam sheet, a synthetic leather-like material, a leather, and a textile fabric.

7. A paneling member according to claim 1, wherein said first and second body portions form a joint at an upright wall of the paneling member and wherein said joint is covered by a strip.

8. A paneling member according to claim 7, wherein the paneling member has a recess formed therein for receiving the strip.

9. A paneling member for the interior of a vehicle, comprising:

arcuate supporting element means having upper and lower sections,

a first polyurethane foam body portion surrounding said upper section, said first body portion comprising a relatively hard-grade semihard polyurethane foam,

a second polyurethane foam body portion surrounding said lower section, said second foam body portion comprising a relatively soft-grade semihard polyurethane foam,

first covering means for covering said first foam body portion comprising sheet material selected from the group consisting of ABS and PVC, and

second covering means for covering said second foam body portion comprising materials selected from the group consisting of foam sheet, synthetic leather-like material, leather, and textile fabric,

wherein said support element means extends continuously from said upper section to said lower section.

10. A paneling member according to claim 9, wherein said first foam body is formed of a foam which has a weight per unit volume of 120 ±

30 kg/m³ and a compressive strength of 120-180 kPa.

11. A paneling member according to claim 9, wherein said second foam body is formed of a foam which has a weight per unit volume of 100 ±

30 kg/m³ and a compressive strength of 25-35 kPa.

12. A paneling member according to claim 9, wherein said first and second body portions form a joint at an upright wall of the paneling member and wherein said joint is covered by a strip.

13. A paneling member according to claim 12, wherein the paneling member has a recess formed therein for receiving the strip.