Method of manufacturing a trim panel having a styling line
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a trim panel having a soft cushion and a styling line combined with the soft cushion comprising the steps of:
- providing a facing layer of soft trim material adjacent a backing layer of open cell flexible foam that has a gap,providing a heat sensitive adhesive barrier film adjacent the backing layer so that the gap exposes a back surface of the facing layer to the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film,laying the facing layer, the backing layer and the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film on a support surface in a mold, andinjecting a urethane precursor mixture into the mold to generate a structural substrate for the trim panel, the generation of the structural substrate creating sufficient pressure to crush the backing layer so that the substrate is in intimate contact with the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film and the facing layer, and the generation of the structural substrate creating sufficient heat to activate the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film to bond the structural substrate to the back surface of the facing layer that is exposed by the gap of the backing layer to create a styling line in the facing layer.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automotive door panel that has styling lines is made by laying a facing layer of soft trim material on a support surface of a mold part. The facing layer has a backing layer of open cell flexible foam that has gaps that expose strips on the back surface of the facing layer. A heat-sensitive adhesive barrier film is behind the flexible foam backing layer. The mold is closed by a mating mold part and a urethane precursor mixture is injected into the closed mold which is heated to generate a structural substrate. The generating substrate crushes the backing layer and activates the adhesive film to bond the structural substrate to the exposed back surface strips of the facing layer to provide the styling lines. These styling lines are enhanced when the foam backing layer recovers upon removal from the mold.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a trim panel having a soft cushion and a styling line combined with the soft cushion comprising the steps of:
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providing a facing layer of soft trim material adjacent a backing layer of open cell flexible foam that has a gap, providing a heat sensitive adhesive barrier film adjacent the backing layer so that the gap exposes a back surface of the facing layer to the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film, laying the facing layer, the backing layer and the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film on a support surface in a mold, and injecting a urethane precursor mixture into the mold to generate a structural substrate for the trim panel, the generation of the structural substrate creating sufficient pressure to crush the backing layer so that the substrate is in intimate contact with the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film and the facing layer, and the generation of the structural substrate creating sufficient heat to activate the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film to bond the structural substrate to the back surface of the facing layer that is exposed by the gap of the backing layer to create a styling line in the facing layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of manufacturing a trim panel having a soft cushion and a styling line combined with the soft cushion comprising the steps of:
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providing a facing layer of soft trim material adjacent a backing layer of flexible foam that has a gap, providing a heat sensitive adhesive barrier film adjacent the backing layer so that the gap exposes a back surface of the facing layer to the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film, laying the facing layer, the backing layer and the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film on a support surface in a mold, and injecting a foam precursor mixture into the mold to generate a structural substrate for the trim panel, the generation of the structural substrate creating sufficient pressure to crush the backing layer so that the substrate is in intimate contact with the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film and the facing layer, and creating sufficient heat to activate the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film to bond the structural substrate to the back surface of the facing layer that is exposed by the gap of the backing layer to create a styling line in the facing layer. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of manufacturing a trim panel having a soft cushion and a styling line combined with the soft cushion comprising the steps of:
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providing a facing layer of soft trim material adjacent a backing layer of flexible foam that has a gap, providing a heat sensitive adhesive barrier film adjacent the backing layer so that the gap exposes a back surface of the facing layer to the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film, laying the facing layer, the backing layer and the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film on a support surface in a mold, and injecting a structural plastic into the mold to generate a structural substrate for the trim panel and crush the backing layer so that the substrate is in intimate contact with the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film and the facing layer, and creating sufficient heat to activate the heat sensitive adhesive barrier film to bond the structural substrate to the back surface of the facing layer that is exposed by the gap of the backing layer to create a styling line in the facing layer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A method of manufacturing a trim panel having a soft cushion and a styling line combined with the soft cushion comprising the steps of:
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providing a facing layer of soft trim material, providing a backing layer of flexible foam adjacent only a portion of the facing layer, the backing layer having a gap, providing a heat-sensitive adhesive barrier film adjacent the backing layer so that the gap exposes a back surface of the facing layer to the heat-sensitive adhesive barrier film, laying the facing layer, the backing layer and the heat-sensitive adhesive barrier film on a support surface in a mold, injecting a structural plastic into the mold to generate a structural substrate for the trim panel and crush the backing layer so that the substrate is in intimate contact with the heat-sensitive adhesive barrier film and the facing layer, and creating sufficient heat to activate the heat-sensitive adhesive barrier film to bond the structural substrate to the back surface of the facing layer that is exposed by the gap of the backing layer to create a styling line in the facing layer. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification