Patent Application
20060038320
This invention generally relates to boot and tonneau covers for automotive vehicles and, more particularly, to methods of making boots and tonneau covers for covering convertible roof stowage compartments in automotive vehicles.
Most traditional convertible roof vehicles, either hardtop or soft-top, stow the convertible roof in a boot well or stowage compartment that is located aft of a passenger compartment in the vehicle. A boot or tonneau cover is then used to cover a portion or an entirety of the stowage compartment and conceal a portion or an entirety of a convertible roof from view and/or protect the stowed roof from the environment.
A boot is a generally semi-rigid cover that has some flexibility to allow it to be deformed and/or distorted when inserting and removing the boot over the stowage compartment. For example, a typical boot will have clips or other appendages that fit with complementary recesses or features around the stowage compartment to allow the boot to remain in place during operation of the automotive vehicle. Additionally, the boot may also have hinges (i.e., living hinges and fabric hinges) or be capable of being folded upon itself for convenient storage when the convertible roof is in a raised position. In contrast, a tonneau cover is a substantially rigid structure that is not deformed and/or distorted during opening and closing to allow extension and retraction of the convertible roof. Additionally, the tonneau cover is also not folded upon itself.
A typical compression molded boot is made from a laminate structure having an intermediate foam material layer impregnated with a resin, an outer or exterior material layer and, optionally, an inner or interior material layer. The laminate structure is placed in a closed mold, pressed together and heated for a prescribed period of time. The resin hardens and binds the various layers of the laminate structure together. The mold is then opened and the boot formed therein is removed. The resin that is used to harden and bind the various layers of the boot together is expensive. Thus, if the use of the expensive resin material can be avoided, a lower cost and more economical boot can be formed.
A typical tonneau cover is made by molding a rigid substrate into a desired form or shape in a closed mold. For example, the rigid structure that forms a tonneau can be injection molded or compression molded. After forming the rigid substrate a finish layer or decorative layer can be applied to the rigid substrate to provide a desired finish. The finish layer is applied by the use of an adhesive. The adhesive is sprayed on or mechanically applied to the panel and the finish material is then positioned on the panel in contact with the adhesive layer to bind the finish material to the rigid substrate. The application of the adhesive to the panel, however, is an extra processing step that can increase the time required to manufacture a finished tonneau cover. Additionally, the adhesive may not be uniformly applied and/or experience uniform contact with the finish material so that the two become unbonded or separated at a later time. Thus, if the separate step of applying an adhesive layer to the substrate can be avoided, a reduction in the manufacturing time may be possible.
Additionally, because the boot and tonneau cover are typically made in a closed mold, the mold includes multiple parts that must be manufactured to provide the desired shape. These mold parts, however, are expensive to produce. Thus, if a boot and/or tonneau cover could be formed in an open mold wherein only one molding surface is utilized, a less expensive and more economical boot and/or tonneau cover can be manufactured. Additionally, the use of an open mold provides additional molding capabilities such as undercutting that is not possible in a closed mold. Thus, an open mold can be more economical and provide additional flexibility in the manufacturing of a desired shape and form for a boot and/or tonneau cover.
In accordance with the present invention, a tonneau cover is created by forming a substantially rigid substrate into a desired shape in a mold and attaching a material layer having an adhesive thereon to the formed substrate with the adhesive. The rigid substrate can be formed in an open mold and, optionally, the same mold can be used to position the material layer in a desired position in the rigid substrate. The present invention for manufacturing a tonneau cover is advantageous over the manufacture of traditional tonneau covers in that the tonneau cover can be manufactured without utilizing the additional step of applying an adhesive layer to the rigid substrate.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a boot is manufactured by forming a semi-rigid substrate into a desired shape in a mold and attaching a material layer to one side of the formed substrate with an adhesive. In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the boot is formed by positioning a sheet of substrate material between mold components, positioning a finish material adjacent the substrate material and forming a boot from the sheet of substrate material and the finish material into a desired shape in the mold.
The methods of forming the boot are advantageous over traditional manufacturing techniques in that the boots so formed do not rely upon expensive resins to form the semi-rigid structure. By using substrate material that can be formed into a rigid shape, the cost of producing such boots is reduced. Additionally, the boot can be formed in an open or closed mold thereby providing the opportunity of producing the boot with a less expensive mold and allowing for an undercut of the boot to be formed. Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description of the preferred embodiment is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
The present invention provide for methods of manufacturing boots and tonneau covers for use in covering a convertible roof stowage compartment of an automotive vehicle 18, such as shown in
Optionally, boot 20 can have one or more tabs 36 that extend along a periphery of boot 20. Tabs 36 are designed to facilitate the retaining of boot 20 in a desired position covering the stowage compartment of an automotive vehicle. Additionally, depending on the level of adhesion of exterior material layer 28 to semi-rigid substrate 26, and also depending upon the desired appearance, exterior material layer can be folded over along the edge of semi-rigid substrate 26 and bound thereto with stitching, such as stitches 38.
A boot 20 so formed with a semi-rigid substrate 26 is capable of being deformed and/or distorted during the installation and removal process from vehicle 18 and, due to its resilient nature, returns to its desired shape. Additionally, boot 20 may have hinges, such as living hinges or fabric hinges (not shown), that facilitate the folding of boot 20 upon itself for convenient storage when the convertible roof is in an upright position and/or the boot 20 is not needed or desired to be used to cover the stowage compartment. The process of manufacturing boot 20 is described in more detail below.
Referring now to
Tonneau cover 60 is used to cover a portion (partial or entirety) of a stowage compartment of automotive vehicle 18. Tonneau cover 60 is designed to be moved between an open position allowing retraction and extension of a convertible roof into/out of the stowage compartment, and a closed position covering at least a portion (partial or entirety) of the stowage compartment. The operation of tonneau cover 60 from a closed to an open position can be a manual operation or an automatic operation. For example, the tonneau cover can be attached to a mechanism, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,534, entitled “Hard-top Convertible Roof System” which issued to Willard on Dec. 9, 2003, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, which automatically enables tonneau cover 60 to be moved between the open and closed positions. As stated above, tonneau cover 60 is a rigid structure, due to rigid substrate 66, that allows a limited amount of deformation when moving between the open and closed positions. Tonneau cover 60 is not deigned to be folded upon itself nor to undergo substantial deformation during its operation. The manufacturing process, according to the principles of the present invention by which tonneau cover 60 is made is described below.
Referring now to
Open mold 74 can be used to form the substrate material into the desired shape prior to applying material layer(s) thereto and/or to apply the material layer(s) to a pre-formed substrate in a 2-step molding process discussed below. Alternatively, open mold 74 can be used to form the substrate material and material layer(s) into a desired shape and bond the material layer(s) thereto in a 1-step molding process discussed below. Open mold 74 can also include a UV radiation source 78 to apply UV radiation to the material layer(s) and substrate material to activate a UV radiation activated adhesive, as discussed in more detail below.
To use open mold 74, a vacuum is applied to the substrate and material layer(s) via openings 76. When open mold 74 is used to form a single piece of material into the desired shape, such as semi-rigid substrate 26 or rigid substrate 66, the material used does not need to be vacuum permeable. Rather, the material needs to be vacuum impermeable so that the vacuum applied by open mold 74 causes the material to be sucked or pulled down against the contour of mold plate 75. When more than one layer are to be pulled against mold plate 75, however, only the outermost layer on the mold plate 75 can be vacuum impermeable while the other layers must allow a vacuum to be pulled therethrough (vacuum permeable). In other words, when making a three layer boot and/or tonneau cover within open mold 74, as shown in
Referring now to
Closed mold 80 can be used to form semi-rigid and/or rigid substrates 26, 66 for use in the 2-step molding process discussed below. Closed mold 80 can also be used to compress the material layer(s) and formed substrate together in the 2-step molding process discussed below. Furthermore, closed mold 80 can also be used to simultaneously form a substrate material into the desired shape and bind the desired material layer(s) together in the 1-step molding process discussed below.
To use closed mold 80, the desired substrate material either individually or in conjunction with material layer(s) can be positioned between mold components 81 and 82. Mold components 81 and 82 are then moved to a closed position and compress the substrate material and material layer(s) together therein to impart the shape of the mold cavity onto the substrate material and material layer(s). Once the substrate material has been formed into the desired shape and/or the material layer(s) have been bonded to the substrate material, closed mold 80 is then opened by moving upper and lower mold components 81, 82 apart and the formed substrate and/or formed boot 20 and/or tonneau cover 60 can be removed therefrom.
The present invention discloses the manufacturing of a boot 20 and/or tonneau cover 60 in both a 2-step molding process, such as that shown in
Referring now to
The forming of the substrate in the mold can be done by a variety of different molding methods. For example, as indicated in block 98, a substrate can be formed by injection molding the substrate material in an injection molding assembly (not shown). Additionally, the substrate can be vacuum formed, as indicated in block 100, in an open mold such as that shown in
The second step of the 2-step molding process 90, is the addition of material layer(s) (exterior and/or interior) to the formed substrate, as indicated in block 106. To add the material layer(s), adhesive is applied to the material layer(s) and/or the formed substrate, as indicated in block 108. The necessity of applying an adhesive to the- material layer(s) and/or the formed substrate will depend upon whether the material layer(s) already has an adhesive therein or thereon and whether it is desired to have the adhesive on the material layer(s) or the formed substrate. If the material layer(s) already has an adhesive thereon or therein, the step indicated at block 108 is skipped. However, if an adhesive layer is needed, the adhesive can be applied to one or more of the material layer(s) and/or to the surface of the formed substrate to which the material layer is to be attached. The next step is to position the material layer(s) on the formed substrate and/or between the formed substrate and a mold component, as indicated in block 110. The exact position of the material layer(s) relative to the formed substrate will vary depending upon whether the material layer(s) is to be an exterior material layer or an interior material layer. In either case, the material layer(s) is positioned in the appropriate location relative to the formed substrate and relative to the mold that is to be used.
When an open mold, such as that shown in
With the substrate and material layer(s) snug against one another via the vacuum, depending upon the type of adhesive that is used, different activating steps will occur to activate the adhesive. For example, if the adhesive is a heat activated adhesive, heat is added to the material layer(s) and substrate, as indicated in block 114. Heat can be added to the material and substrate by heating the open mold or applying an external source of heat to the substrate and material layer(s) on the open mold, as indicated in block 114. Alternatively, if the adhesive is activated by ultraviolet radiation, ultraviolet radiation is applied to the adhesive through the material layer(s) and/or formed substrate, as indicated in block 116. A UV radiation activated adhesive, however, can only be used where UV radiation can reach the adhesive layer. For example, when a material layer(s) that is UV translucent is used, a UV activated adhesive can be used and the UV radiation transmitted through the material layer(s) to activate the adhesive layer. Thus, the material layer(s) and substrate are now attached together via the adhesive layer. With the substrate and material layer(s) attached together, the vacuum applied to the substrate and material layer(s) by the open mold can then be removed, as indicated in block 118. The formed boot/tonneau cover can then be removed from the open mold, as indicated in block 120.
When a closed mold is used instead of the open mold, the material layer(s) and formed substrate are positioned in the closed mold and compressed together by closing the mold, as indicated in block 122. Heat can then be added to the substrate and material layer(s), when a heat activated adhesive is used, to activate the adhesive and bond the material layers and formed substrate together, as indicated in block 124. When the material layer(s) and formed substrate are securely affixed to one another, the mold is opened, as indicated in block 128 and the formed boot/tonneau cover is then removed, as indicated in block 120.
With the formed boot/tonneau cover removed from the mold, the finishing operations to the formed boot/tonneau cover can then occur, as indicated in block 130. The finishing operations include such things as cutting or trimming excess material layer(s) and/or the formed substrate to the finalized dimensions, wrapping the edge of the material layer(s) around the edge of the substrate and sewing the edge to provide a desired appearance.
Thus, a boot and/or tonneau cover can-be formed using the 2-step molding process 90 avoiding the use of expensive resins in forming the substrate. The avoidance of these expensive resins reduces the cost of producing the boot and/or tonneau cover. The 2-step molding process also provides an efficient way to manufacture a boot 20 and/or tonneau cover 60. Additionally, by having the adhesive in the material layer(s), the time required to apply an adhesive can be avoided.
In an alternate embodiment, a 1-step molding process is used to form the boot 20 and/or tonneau cover 60. The 1-step molding process, generally indicated as 120, is illustrated in
When an open mold is used, such as that shown in
When a closed mold is used, such as the closed mold shown in
With the formed boot/tonneau cover removed from the mold, the finishing operations are then performed, as indicated in block 144. As stated above with reference to the 2-step molding process 90, the finishing operations include trimming the substrate material and/or material layer(s) to have a desired shape. Additionally, the finishing operations may included the wrapping of the material layer(s) over the edge of the substrate material and stitching along the periphery to provide a desired appearance. A boot 20 and/or tonneau cover 60 formed using the 1-step molding process 120 provides for the efficient manufacture of the boot/tonneau cover in a single molding operation. Additionally, the use of expensive resins to provide a desired rigidity to the substrate material is avoided. A boot 20 and/or tonneau cover 60 can thereby be economically formed by use of the 1-step molding process 120.
While the methods of the present invention have been disclosed and discussed with the use of specific materials to form a substrate, it should be appreciated that the materials disclosed are merely exemplary and that other materials exhibiting similar properties can also be used with the methods disclosed. Thus, the description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.
