Twin-sheet thermoforming process
First Claim
1. A thermoform process comprising the steps of:
- placing a first sheet in a first frame and transferring the first sheet into an oven, wherein said first sheet is a low pressure, thermoformable, thermoplastic composite comprised of polypropylene and long chopped glass fibers;
heating the first sheet in the oven to a temperature;
placing a second sheet in a second frame and transferring the second sheet into the oven or an alternate oven, wherein said second sheet is a low pressure, thermoformable, thermoplastic composite comprised of polypropylene and long chopped glass fibers;
heating the second sheet in the oven to a temperature;
transferring the heated first sheet to a thermoforming mold having matched mold halves;
transferring a cover-stock material to the thermoforming mold having matched mold halves;
compressing and fusing the cover-stock material to the first sheet forming a compression molded covered first headliner part;
repeating the process until a sufficient number of compression molded covered first headliner parts are formed;
removing the matched mold halves and setting up the mold for vacuum thermoforming with a lower half mold and an opposing half mold;
transferring the compression molded covered first headliner part to the lower half mold of a vacuum thermoforming mold;
transferring the second sheet onto the opposing half mold of the vacuum thermoforming mold;
vacuum molding the second sheet forming a vacuum molded second headliner part;
positioning wiring, duct work or reinforcing components into what will become the interior compartment;
compressing the half molds of the thermoforming mold fusing regions of the compression molded covered first headliner part to the vacuum molded second headliner part, thereby forming a covered unified part comprised of said compression molded covered first headliner part and said vacuum molded second headliner part, where said covered unified part has at least one interior compartment with head impact cushioning; and
ejecting the covered unified part.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A twin-sheet thermoforming process for the manufacture of vehicle headliners. In the process a first sheet and second sheet of SuperLite material are mounted onto respective frames. The frames transfer the sheets into an oven, where they are heated to a desired temperature using IR. The first sheet is combined with a cover-stock material using compression molding forming a covered first headliner part. The covered first headliner part is then transferred to a second mold station. The second sheet is heated and then transferred from the oven to the second mold station where it is vacuum-formed on the upper half mold, forming a second headliner part. The upper and lower mold halves are pressed together fusing and sealing the first and second headliner parts into a unified part. The unified part is then unloaded and trimmed as necessary forming a headliner. The SuperLite material used to form the headliner is a sheet of low pressure, thermoformable, thermoplastic composite comprised of polypropylene and long chopped glass fibers.
98 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A thermoform process comprising the steps of:
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placing a first sheet in a first frame and transferring the first sheet into an oven, wherein said first sheet is a low pressure, thermoformable, thermoplastic composite comprised of polypropylene and long chopped glass fibers; heating the first sheet in the oven to a temperature; placing a second sheet in a second frame and transferring the second sheet into the oven or an alternate oven, wherein said second sheet is a low pressure, thermoformable, thermoplastic composite comprised of polypropylene and long chopped glass fibers; heating the second sheet in the oven to a temperature; transferring the heated first sheet to a thermoforming mold having matched mold halves; transferring a cover-stock material to the thermoforming mold having matched mold halves; compressing and fusing the cover-stock material to the first sheet forming a compression molded covered first headliner part; repeating the process until a sufficient number of compression molded covered first headliner parts are formed; removing the matched mold halves and setting up the mold for vacuum thermoforming with a lower half mold and an opposing half mold; transferring the compression molded covered first headliner part to the lower half mold of a vacuum thermoforming mold; transferring the second sheet onto the opposing half mold of the vacuum thermoforming mold; vacuum molding the second sheet forming a vacuum molded second headliner part; positioning wiring, duct work or reinforcing components into what will become the interior compartment; compressing the half molds of the thermoforming mold fusing regions of the compression molded covered first headliner part to the vacuum molded second headliner part, thereby forming a covered unified part comprised of said compression molded covered first headliner part and said vacuum molded second headliner part, where said covered unified part has at least one interior compartment with head impact cushioning; and ejecting the covered unified part. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A thermoform process comprising the steps of:
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placing a first sheet in a first frame and transferring the first sheet into an oven; heating the first sheet in the oven to a temperature; placing a second sheet in a second frame and transferring the second sheet into the oven or an alternate oven; heating the second sheet in the oven to a temperature; transferring the heated first sheet to a thermoforming mold having matched mold halves; transferring a cover-stock material to the thermoforming mold having matched mold halves; compressing and fusing the cover stock material to the first sheet forming a compression molded covered first headliner part; transferring the heated second sheet to a thermoforming mold having matched mold halves; transferring a reinforcing scrim material to the thermoforming mold having matched mold halves; compressing and fusing the reinforcing scrim material to the second sheet forming a compression molded scrim reinforced second headliner part; repeating the process until a sufficient number of compression molded covered first headliner parts and compression molded scrim reinforced second headliner parts are formed; removing the matched mold halves and setting up the mold for vacuum thermoforming with a lower half mold and an opposing half mold; transferring the compression molded covered first headliner part to the lower half mold of a vacuum thermoforming mold; transferring and positioning the compression molded scrim reinforced second headliner part onto the opposing half mold of the vacuum thermoforming mold; vacuum molding the scrim reinforced second headliner part to form a vacuum molded scrim reinforced second headliner part; positioning wiring, duct work or reinforcing components into what will become the interior compartment; compressing the half molds of the thermoforming mold fusing regions of the compression molded covered first headliner part to the vacuum molded scrim reinforced second headliner part, thereby forming a reinforced covered unified part comprised of said compression molded covered first headliner part and said vacuum molded scrim reinforce second headliner part, where said reinforced covered unified part ha at least one interior compartment with head impact cushioning; and ejecting the reinforced covered unified part. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification