Method of fabricating an interior trim foam product

• US 4,839,118 A
• Filed: 08/10/1988
• Issued: 06/13/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc. (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc. (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Labrie, Craig B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Silbaugh, Jan H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kuhns, Allan R.
• Application Number:
  US07/230,572
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 264/46.5, 264/46.6, 264/46.7, 264/249
• US Class Current: 264/46.5
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/30 Mounting, exchanging or centering moulds, mould parts or cores; B29C33/485 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1228 Joining preformed parts by the expanding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1257 Joining a preformed part and a lining, e.g. around the edges
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/14 the preformed part being a lining B29C44/1209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/568 using a swaging operation, i.e. totally deforming the edge or the rim of a first part to be joined to clamp a second part to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/545 one hollow-preform being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/727 being porous, e.g. foam
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81415 being bevelled
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81427 comprising a single ridge, e.g. for making a weakening line; comprising a single tooth
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81431 comprising a single cavity, e.g. a groove
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/30 Vehicles, e.g. ships or aircraft, or body parts thereof vanes or blades B29L2031/08, air bags B29L2022/027

Abstract

A vehicle interior part such as a glove box door or console door and its method of manufacture includes an outer shell backed by foam material which is bonded to a mold insert that reinforces the part and defines an exposed back. The insert includes a peripheral edge spaced with respect to a continuously formed raw peripheral edge of the shell and further includes a flange portion that is post formed so as to be bonded to and located in a net out relationship with the raw edge to define a finished surface appearance. The door is formed by a process that includes the steps of providing a composite plastic structure having a molded shell and foam component with an insert located in spaced relationship with respect to the shell to define a foamed cavity with a raw edge of foam and shell around the periphery of the composite member; providing a post formed flange on the insert and loading the shell, foam and insert components into a female nest; and heat die post forming of the flange to upset it into net out overlying relationship with both the raw edge of the shell and the exposed edge of foam formed in the composite part so as to produce a finished exterior surface on the composite part.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a vehicle interior trim component having a flexible outer shell and an insert which forms an integral back on the trim component comprising the steps of:

providing a mold cavity part having a support surface thereon;

providing a mold cover and tool insert means operatively associated to close the mold cavity part;

providing an shell of flexible material having a raw peripheral edge thereon and supporting the shell by positioning the outer surface thereof on the support surface of the mold cavity part while spacing the raw peripheral edge from the mold cavity part to form a foam space;

providing a multisided, generally planar insert with a continuous peripheral edge, an inner and outer surface, and an integral flange directed perpendicularly to the outer surface and formed in spaced parallelism inside the peripheral edge around the perimeter thereof to define side flanges and end flanges on the insert having lengths corresponding to that of the raw peripheral edge;

locating the insert within the foam space to form a gap between the raw peripheral edge and the outer surface of the insert while locating the integral flange outside of the foam space and inboard of the raw peripheral edge;

directing foam precursors into the foam space and the gap and reacting them therein so as to form a foam core in the foam space and the gap and to bond the inner surface of the insert and the shell to the core;

providing a post forming die;

removing the foamed shell and insert from the mold cavity part and supporting the outer surface of the shell against the post forming die to locate the integral flange in an upwardly facing direction;

thereafter applying a force against the integral flange to cause it to bend about ninety degrees to overlie the raw peripheral edge for holding the raw edge in place while covering both the raw peripheral edge and the gap formed between the raw peripheral edge and the insert.

2. In the method of claim 1, providing a source of hot air and roller means, impinging the hot air against the flange to apply heat thereon, and applying pressure thereon by the roller means to cause the flange to post form into overlapping relationship with the raw edge of the shell.

3. In the method of claim 1, locating the insert with respect to the shell by preloading the insert into the mold cavity part.

4. In the method of claim 1, providing a heated die, and utilizing the heated die to apply a compression force on the flange to cause it to post form into overlapping relationship with the raw edge of the shell.