Vehicle microphone assembly in trim panel

• US 8,477,980 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2011
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Li, Chi, Veyo, Sara E., Healy, Justin Lee, Hellar, Adam W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ensey, Brian
• Application Number:
  US13/033,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20120213399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 381/359, 381/365, 455/569.1
• US Class Current: 381/359
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/086 Protective screens, e.g. all weather or wind screens
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle trim and microphone assembly includes a headliner having a substrate, a foam layer, and a surface cover covering the substrate and foam layer. The substrate has a hole that is covered by the surface cover. A bracket is secured to the substrate and a microphone installed in the bracket so that acoustic sound waves pass through the surface cover within the hole to be detected by the microphone.

Claims

1. A vehicle trim panel and microphone assembly comprising:

a supportive substrate having a hole extending therethrough;

a surface cover covering a surface of the substrate and the hole;

a bracket connected to the substrate; and

a microphone assembled to the bracket to detect sound waves passing through the surface cover within the hole, wherein the microphone does not extend beyond the surface of the substrate surface and is covered by the surface cover.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the trim panel comprises a headliner.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the bracket is adhered to the substrate.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein surface cover comprises a non-woven fabric.

5. The assembly of claim 4 further comprising a foam core layer disposed between the substrate and the surface cover.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the foam core layer comprises an open cell foam.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises polyurethane.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises GMT.

9. A vehicle headliner and microphone assembly comprising:

a supportive substrate having a hole extending therethrough;

a surface cover covering a surface of the substrate and the hole;

a bracket connected to the substrate; and

a microphone assembled to the bracket to detect sound waves passing through the surface cover within the hole, wherein the microphone does not extend beyond the substrate surface and is covered by the surface cover.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the bracket is adhered to the substrate.

11. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the surface cover comprises a non-woven fabric.

12. The assembly of claim 11 further comprising a foam core layer disposed between the substrate and the surface cover.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the foam core layer comprises an open cell foam.

14. A method of assembling a microphone in a vehicle trim panel comprising:

providing a trim panel having a supportive substrate and a surface cover which covers a surface of the substrate;

forming a hole in the substrate such that the hole is covered by the surface cover;

connecting a bracket to the substrate proximate to the hole; and

assembling a microphone to the bracket so that the microphone detects sound waves passing through the surface cover, wherein the microphone does not extend beyond the surface of the substrate and is covered by the surface cover.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the trim panel comprises a headliner.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of adhering the bracket to the substrate.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of assembling the microphone comprises attaching the microphone to the bracket via a clip.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of forming the hole comprises milling the hole with a router bit.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the router bit has a rounded tip at one end and one or more cutting edges on a side.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of vacuuming particulate proximate the hole following or during the step of forming the hole.