Interior wall panel for a motor vehicle
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A panel for a vehicle interior, the panel comprising:
- a relatively non-deformable support defining a first portion of a vehicle interior side of the panel that is to be visible from the vehicle interior side, the support being preformed with at least one shaped recess portion that defines a footprint, the shaped recess portion including a recess at least at one edge region of the shaped recess portion; and
a relatively deformable inlay pad defining a second portion of the vehicle interior side of the panel, other than the first portion, and that is constructed separately from the support and that has a size and shape that correspond to the footprint such that the inlay pad itself substantially occupies the footprint of the shaped recess portion, the inlay pad including a foam pad, a decoration layer and an offset, the decoration layer overlying a first surface of the foam pad to be visible from the vehicle interior side, the offset being located below a second surface of the foam pad opposite the first surface, the recess accommodating the offset.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Aspects of the invention relate to a panel for a vehicle interior. The panel includes a relatively non-deformable support having at least one shaped portion, and a relatively deformable inlay pad that can be mounted in the shaped portion. The inlay pad may be formed as a foam pad, as an air cushion and/or as a gel cushion. Aspects of the invention also relate to a method for forming a panel for a vehicle interior.
-
Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A panel for a vehicle interior, the panel comprising:
-
a relatively non-deformable support defining a first portion of a vehicle interior side of the panel that is to be visible from the vehicle interior side, the support being preformed with at least one shaped recess portion that defines a footprint, the shaped recess portion including a recess at least at one edge region of the shaped recess portion; and a relatively deformable inlay pad defining a second portion of the vehicle interior side of the panel, other than the first portion, and that is constructed separately from the support and that has a size and shape that correspond to the footprint such that the inlay pad itself substantially occupies the footprint of the shaped recess portion, the inlay pad including a foam pad, a decoration layer and an offset, the decoration layer overlying a first surface of the foam pad to be visible from the vehicle interior side, the offset being located below a second surface of the foam pad opposite the first surface, the recess accommodating the offset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 25, 26)
-
-
17. A method for forming a panel for a vehicle interior, the method comprising:
-
providing a relatively non-deformable support defining a first portion of a vehicle interior side of the panel, the support being preformed with a shaped recess portion defining a footprint, the shaped recess portion including a recess at least at one edge region of the shaped recess portion; forming a relatively deformable inlay pad into a shape and size that correspond to the footprint of the shaped recess portion, the inlay pad defining a second portion of the vehicle interior side of the panel, other than the first portion, the inlay pad including a foam pad, a decoration layer and an offset, the decoration layer overlying a first surface of the foam pad and the offset being located below a second surface of the foam pad opposite the first surface; and
thenmounting the deformable inlay pad into the shaped recess portion to substantially occupy the shaped recess portion with the deformable inlay pad itself to form the panel and with the first and second portions of the panel visible from the vehicle interior side, the recess accommodating the offset. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 27, 28)
-
-
22. A panel for a vehicle interior, the panel comprising:
-
a non-deformable support, the support defining a first portion of a vehicle interior side of the panel and a recessed pad mounting surface defining a footprint, the recessed pad mounting surface being preformed with a recess at least at one edge region of the footprint; and a pad, that is deformable relative to the support, defining a second portion of a vehicle interior side of the panel, other than the first portion, and that is fully formed prior to being mounted to the pad mounting surface, the pad itself having a size and shape that conform substantially to the footprint such that the recessed pad mounting surface is substantially occupied by the pad, the first portion of the panel visible from the vehicle interior side and the second portion of the panel visible from the vehicle interior side, the pad including a foam pad, a decoration layer and an offset, the decoration layer overlying a first layer of the foam pad to be visible from the vehicle interior side, the offset being located below a second surface of the foam pad opposite the first surface, the second surface being mounted to the recessed pad mounting surface with the recess accommodating the offset. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
-
Specification