Patent Application
20210094207
The present disclosure relates to an interior trim panel for a vehicle and method for forming the interior trim panel.
This introduction generally presents the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this introduction, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against this disclosure.
Vehicle interior trim panels may form a part of a vehicle interior such as, for example, an instrument panel, a door panel, a glove box door, an armrest, a headrest, a knee bolster and the like. These vehicle interior trim panels may have a leather surface layer which may be aesthetically pleasing to vehicle occupants. Conventionally, vehicle interior trim panels having a leather surface layer are formed by applying a leather layer to an underlying supporting substrate. The supporting substrate may incorporate a decorative surface that, when covered by a leather surface layer, provides a desirable aesthetic appearance. The leather surface layer is hand laid over the supporting substrate and then pushed, pulled, tucked and pinched into the decorative contour of the underlying supporting substrate. The leather surface layer may then be secured to the underlying supporting substrate using adhesives and/or mechanical fastening systems. The cost of producing these vehicle interior trim panels having a leather surface layer is expensive and time consuming. Further, there are significant limitations on the ability of these conventional processes to provide a vehicle interior trim panel with a leather surface layer that defines a feature having a radius of less than 5 millimeters. It is desirable to provide a vehicle interior trim panel having a leather surface layer with a decorative surface that includes a feature with a radius of less than 5 millimeters. Preferably, it is desirable to provide a vehicle interior trim panel having a leather surface layer with a decorative surface that includes a feature with a radius of less than 3 millimeters and it is even more desirable to provide a vehicle interior trim panel having a leather surface layer with a decorative surface that includes a feature with a radius of less than 1 millimeters.
In an exemplary aspect, an interior trim panel for a vehicle includes a polymer/leather layer having leather particles each having a diameter of less than 5000 micrometers dispersed within a polymer, and a backing layer adhered to the leather layer and providing a support structure for the polymer/leather layer.
In another exemplary aspect, the polymer/leather layer defines a feature having a radius of less than 5 millimeters.
In another exemplary aspect, the leather particles each have a diameter of between about 20 to 3000 micrometers.
In another exemplary aspect, the leather particles each have a diameter of between about 40 to 2000 micrometers.
In another exemplary aspect, the leather particles each have a diameter of between about 70 to 1000 micrometers.
In another exemplary aspect, a method of forming an interior trim panel for a vehicle includes dispersing leather particles each having a diameter of less than 5000 micrometers within a polymer, positioning the polymer with dispersed leather particles within a mold that defines a feature having a radius of less than 5 millimeters, molding the polymer with dispersed leather particles within the mold, and removing the polymer with dispersed leather particles from the mold.
Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description provided below. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.
The above features and advantages, and other features and advantages, of the present invention are readily apparent from the detailed description, including the claims, and exemplary embodiments when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Reference will now be made in detail to several examples of the disclosure that are illustrated in accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms such as top, bottom, left, right, up, over, above, below, beneath, rear, and front, may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms are not to be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure in any manner.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers correspond to like or similar components throughout the several figures,
Next, the extrude charge 112 is positioned within a compression mold 114 having a first compression molding die 116 and a second compression molding die 118. Each of the first compression molding die 116 and the second compression molding die 118 define complementary surfaces 120 and 122, respectively. Additionally, the complementary surfaces 120 and 122 define a feature 124 having a radius of less than 5 millimeters. Next, the first and second compression molding dies 116 and 118 are brought together placing the extrude charge 112 under compression between them. In response, the extrude charge 112 having leather particles each having a diameter of less than 5000 micrometers dispersed within a polymer may substantially liquefy and flow within the compression mold 114 to, thereby, conform to the complementary surfaces 120 and 122.
Next, the compression mold 114 is opened and the vehicle interior trim panel 102 which is a polymer/leather layer having a feature 126 with a radius of less than 5 millimeters is removed from the compression mold 114. In this manner, the inventive process forms a feature 126 having a radius of less than 5 millimeters which may then be positioned in a vehicle as a vehicle interior trim panel.
Alternatively, rather than molding in a compression mold, it is to be understood that other forms of molding may be used with the present invention without limitation. For example, the leather particles each having a diameter of less than 5000 micrometers dispersed within a polymer may also be molded using roto-mold, slurry mold method and the like. Optionally, the polymer may be in a liquid state for mixing with the leather particles each having a diameter of less than 5000 micrometers prior to molding.
An exemplary material for the polymer 106 may include, for example, thermoplastic polymers chosen from the group of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, polystyrene, acrylonitrile-styrene polymer, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin, polyacrylate resin, polymethacrylate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide (PA46, PA6, PA66, PA11, PA12, PA610), fully or partially aromatic polyamide resins, polyacetal resin, polybenzimidazole, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenyl ethers, polyphenylene oxides, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethersulfones, polyetherether ketones, polyether ketones, polyetherimides, polylactides, polyoxymethylenes, thermoplastic polyurethanes, or any combination or copolymer of these resins without limitation. One or more of these polymers may be formed into a backing layer and heated above their respective melting point and then co-molded together with the leather article. Alternatively, a thermoset polymer may be provided as the polymer 106 such as, for example: benzoxazine, a bis-maleimide (BMI), a cyanate ester, an epoxy, a phenolic (PF), a polyacrylate (acrylic), a polyimide (PI), an unsaturated polyester, a polyurethane (PUR), a vinyl ester, a siloxane, or any combination or copolymer of these resins without limitation.
Optionally, a backing layer (not shown) may be provided which assists the shaped polymer/leather layer in maintaining the shape that was established during the compression molding operation. A backing layer may be provided to the polymer/leather layer before, during, or after the compression molding operation. If the backing layer is provided during the compression molding operation an exemplary material forming the backing layer may include a polymer such as, for example, thermoplastic polymers chosen from the group of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, polystyrene, acrylonitrile-styrene polymer, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin, polyacrylate resin, polymethacrylate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide (PA46, PA6, PA66, PA11, PA12, PA610), fully or partially aromatic polyamide resins, polyacetal resin, polybenzimidazole, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyphenyl ethers, polyphenylene oxides, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethersulfones, polyetherether ketones, polyether ketones, polyetherimides, polylactides, polyoxymethylenes, thermoplastic polyurethanes, or any combination or copolymer of these resins without limitation. One or more of these polymers may be formed into a backing layer and heated above their respective melting point and then co-molded together with the leather article.
Alternatively, a backing material may also be provided as an uncured or b-staged sheet which is clamped into the frame along with the polymer/leather layer. These materials would then be formed and cured during the compression molding operation. Exemplary thermoset material that may be useful as a backing layer includes, for example, may include: benzoxazine, a bis-maleimide (BMI), a cyanate ester, an epoxy, a phenolic (PF), a polyacrylate (acrylic), a polyimide (PI), an unsaturated polyester, a polyurethane (PUR), a vinyl ester, a siloxane, or any combination or copolymer of these resins without limitation.
This description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims.
