Fabrication method for making an equipment device for an automotive vehicle and associated equipment device for an automotive vehicle comprising a composite body

• US 9,950,679 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2015
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Industrie (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Automotive Industrie (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Jeunesse, Steve, Bathelier, Xavier
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US14/966,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20160167597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 296 391, 296 393
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/004 Textile or other fibrous material made from plastics fibres combined with plastic layers B29C51/145; compression moulding of reinforced plastic articles in matched moulds B29C70/46; using pressure difference B29C70/44
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/02 Combined thermoforming and manufacture of the preform
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/145 having at least one layer of textile or fibrous material combined with at least one plastics layer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/086 and with one or more layers of pure plastics material, e.g. foam layers applying a non-preformed coating, e.g. a gel-coat, B29C37/0025; with foam blocks B29C70/86
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/465 and impregnating by melting a solid material, e.g. sheets, powders of fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/003 PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0097 Glues or adhesives, e.g. hot melts or thermofusible adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0809 Fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/253 Preform
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2267/003 PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2309/02 Ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2313/00 Use of textile products or fabrics as reinforcement B29K2105/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2627/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2667/003 PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0002 insulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3005 Body finishings
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3014 Door linings
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0238 Vinyl halide, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0284 Polyethylene terephthalate [PET] or polybutylene terephthalate [PBT]
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 : Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/105 : Ceramic fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/12 : Conjugate fibres, e.g. core/sheath or side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/14 : Mixture of at least two fibres made of different materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/30 : having particular thermal properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/704 : Crystalline
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/738 : Thermoformability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/02 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/04 : Time
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 : Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/003 : Interior finishings
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 : next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/304 : comprising vinyl halide (co)polymers, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/34 : comprising polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 : comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/26 : characterised by a particular shape of the outline of the cross-section of a continuous layer; characterised by a layer with cavities or internal voids foam layer B32B5/18; layer of synthetic resin characterised by fillers that create voids or cavities B32B27/205; characterised by an apertured layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/04 : characterised by the partial melting of at least one layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0012 : Mechanical treatment, e.g. roughening, deforming, stretching
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0036 : Heat treatment for heating or cooling of layers during lamination B32B37/06, B32B37/08
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/12 : Deep-drawing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 : Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 : Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/08 : the fibres or filaments of a layer being of different substances , e.g. conjugate fibres, mixture of different fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 : another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 : using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/011 : for internal load compartments, e.g. car trunks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/083 : for fire walls or floors

Abstract

A fabrication method for fabricating an equipment part for an automotive vehicle. The method includes the following steps. Supplying a sheet comprising ceramic fibers and thermofusible polymer fibers, the melting temperature of the thermofusible polymer being higher than 200° C. Heating the sheet, at a temperature higher than 200° C., so as to melt the thermofusible polymer. Applying a fabric on the sheet, the fabric comprising filament yarns having a core made of polymer presenting a softening point temperature that is higher than or equal to 200° C. And then thermoforming of the fabric and the sheet in a conforming mold.

Claims

1. A fabrication method for fabricating an automotive vehicle equipment part, comprising the following steps:

supplying a sheet comprising ceramic fibers and thermofusible polymer fibers, the melting temperature of the thermofusible polymer being higher than 200°

C.;

melting of the thermofusible polymer by heating the sheet at a temperature higher than 200°

C.;

applying a fabric on the sheet, the fabric comprising filament yarns having a core made of polymer presenting a softening point temperature that is higher than or equal to 200°

C.;

thermoforming the fabric and the sheet in a conforming mold.

2. A fabrication method according to claim 1, comprising a step of thermal transfer between the sheet and the fabric after the heating of the sheet, the thermal transfer thereby enabling the heating of the fabric to a temperature that is higher than or equal to the softening point temperature of the core.

3. A fabrication method according to claim 1, wherein the thermofusible polymer is polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

4. A fabrication method according to claim 1, wherein the filament yarns of the fabric have a core made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

5. A fabrication method according to claim 1, wherein the filament yarns of the fabric have a sheath comprising polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

6. A fabrication method according to claim 1, wherein the conforming mold is maintained at a temperature between 100°

C. and 200°

C., advantageously at 140°

C.

7. A fabrication method according to claim 1, wherein the fabric and the sheet are maintained in the conforming mold for less than one minute.

8. A fabrication method according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps:

application of a bonding film over the sheet, prior to the application of the fabric;

the fabric being applied over the bonding film prior to the thermoforming.

9. A fabrication method according to claim 1, wherein the sheet presents a top surface and an opposite-facing surface, the fabric being attached on to the top surface of the sheet, with the method comprising the following step:

application of a non-woven material on the opposite-facing surface of the sheet.

10. An automotive vehicle equipment part comprising:

a composite body comprising a polymer matrix and ceramic fibers embedded in the matrix;

a fabric, the fabric comprising a top surface intended to be oriented towards a passenger compartment of the vehicle and an opposite-facing surface attached to the composite body, the fabric being form-fitted to take the shape of the composite body;

wherein the composite body and fabric are molded and wherein the fabric comprises filament yarns having a polymer core with a softening point temperature that is higher than or equal to 200°

C.

11. An equipment part according to claim 10, in which the matrix of the composite body comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

12. An equipment part according to claim 10, wherein the fabric comprises filament yarns having a core made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and a sheath comprising polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

13. An equipment part according to claim 10, comprising a bonding film between the composite body and the fabric.

14. An equipment part according to claim 13, wherein the bonding film comprises polyamide (PA).

15. An equipment part according to claim 10, wherein the fabric presents a thickness of less than 2 mm.

16. An equipment part according to claim 10, wherein the composite body presents a top surface and an opposite-facing surface, with the fabric being attached on the top surface of the composite body, the equipment part comprising a non-woven material attached to the opposite-facing surface of the composite body.