Vehicle interior panel and method to manufacture

• US 8,387,257 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2010
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Li, Chi, Singer, Jeffrey, Igoe, Denis Patrick, Gardner, Cornel Lewis
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walters, Ryan J
• Application Number:
  US12/873,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20120051073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 298/972, 294/64, 294/60, 362/487, 362/488, 362/489, 362/490, 362/492, 362/493
• US Class Current: 29/897.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/51 for mounting lighting devices onto vehicle interior, e.g. onto ceiling or floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/54 Lighting devices embedded in interior trim, e.g. in roof liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0212 Roof or head liners movable head-liners B60J7/0007
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0287 integrating other functions or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49895 Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"]

Abstract

A vehicle interior panel is provided that includes an interior panel substrate defining an aperture for a light source to extend through the interior panel substrate, a lens attached to the interior panel substrate, wherein the lens extends over at least a portion of the aperture for the light source, an at least partially transparent material that extends over the lens, and a plurality of positioning holes defined by the interior panel substrate, such that at least a portion of the plurality of positioning holes are configured to correspond to a plurality of positioning pins of an interior panel mold.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a vehicle interior panel, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of positioning pins on an interior panel mold;

cutting an interior panel substrate to define a plurality of positioning holes;

cutting said interior panel substrate to define an aperture for a light source to extend through said interior panel substrate;

attaching a lens to said interior panel substrate, wherein said lens extends over at least a portion of said aperture for said light source;

placing said interior panel substrate in said interior panel mold, such that at least a portion of said plurality of positioning holes correspond to said plurality of positioning pins and performing a step of modeling to form the interior panel.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

cutting said interior panel substrate to define an indicator light hole adapted for an indicator light to extend there-through.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of:

attaching a framing structure to said interior panel substrate.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

attaching a circuit board to said framing structure.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

attaching an at least partially transparent material to said interior panel substrate.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of:

attaching at least one light source to said circuit board, wherein said at least one light source is configured to emit light that propagates through said at least partially transparent material.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said at least partially transparent material is a headliner fabric.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one light source is a hidden dome lamp.

9. A method of manufacturing an interior panel having a hidden dome lamp comprising:

cutting positioning holes in a substrate;

cutting an aperture for a light source in said substrate;

attaching a lens that extends over said aperture;

placing said substrate in a mold comprising positioning pins that correspond with said positioning holes;

molding a headliner; and

attaching an at least partially transparent headliner fabric over said lens.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

cutting said substrate to define an indicator light hole adapted for an indicator light to extend there-through.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

attaching a framing structure to said substrate.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

attaching a circuit board to said framing structure; and

attaching at least one light source to said circuit board, wherein said at least one light source is configured to emit light that propagates through said transparent headliner fabric.