Patent Application
20200061894
This document relates generally to the motor vehicle equipment field and, more particularly, to a novel method for making a new and improved headliner.
State of the art processes for producing vehicle headliners or overhead systems rely upon many different types of materials, tools and processes from various supplier companies. Those supplier companies may be located near and far from the original equipment manufacturer and a complex network of shipping logistics is required to ensure production schedules are met. In addition, many types of tools, equipment, processes, materials and people are required to assemble the various parts into the vehicle headliner or overhead system.
This document relates to a new and improved production process specifically adapted for producing motor vehicle headliners or overhead systems in a more cost effective and efficient manner. In order to achieve this goal, the processes of thermoforming the polypropylene glass matte technology (PP/GMT) into a headliner substrate and injection molding a secondary component onto the headliner substrate have been combined into a new hybrid process that culminates in a subsequent step of laminating a surface covering onto the headliner substrate. By simultaneously molding the secondary components to the headliner substrate as the headliner substrate is being formed, engineering/design time, part cost and tooling efficiencies are improved by reducing many of the component tools, processes and logistics that are required to make the motor vehicle headliner or overhead system.
In accordance with the purposes and benefits as described herein, a new and improved method is provided for producing a headliner having a unitary body. That method comprises the steps of thermoforming a blank into a headliner substrate, simultaneously injection molding a secondary component onto the headliner substrate and subsequently laminating a surface covering to the headliner substrate.
More particularly, the method includes heating the blank prior to the thermoforming in an oven or by other means. The preheated blank is then loaded into a combined thermoforming and injection molding apparatus for the simultaneous thermoforming and injecting molding steps.
The method further includes the step of curing the headliner substrate following the thermoforming and injection molding steps. The method also includes trimming the headliner substrate following the thermoforming and injection molding steps and before laminating. That trimming may be completed during the curing. Further, the trimming may include cutting any necessary holes in the headliner substrate.
Still further, the method includes the step of transferring the headliner substrate from the combined thermoforming and injection molding apparatus into a laminating press for the completion of the laminating step.
More specifically describing the method, the injection molding of the secondary component is performed on a B surface of the headliner substrate. In contrast, the laminating of the surface covering is to an A surface of the headliner substrate.
It should also be appreciated that the method disclosed herein may be adapted to other applications than the production of a headliner with a unitary body. Accordingly, a method is provided of producing a component with a unitary body comprising the steps of thermoforming a blank into a component substrate, simultaneously injection molding a secondary feature onto the component substrate and laminating a surface covering to the component substrate.
That method may also include the step of heating the blank prior to the thermoforming and injection molding and then loading the blank into a combined thermoforming and injection molding apparatus following heating. Still further, the method may include trimming the component substrate following injection molding and before laminating. In addition, the method may include the step of transferring the component substrate from the combined thermoforming and injection molding apparatus into a laminating press for the laminating of the surface covering to the component substrate.
In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the method. As it should be realized, the method is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the method as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the method and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the method, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.
As noted above, this document relates to a method of producing a headliner 10 having a unitary body 12. As illustrated in
More particularly, as will be described in greater detail below, the substrate 14 may be formed from a polypropylene glass matte technology (PP/GMT) blank. The secondary component 20 may be made from any appropriate plastic composite material suitable for injection molding and adapted for fusing with the PP/GMT material used to form the substrate. For purposes of this document it should be understood that the terminology “unitary body” means produced as a single integral component not requiring assembly from separate parts or components.
In the embodiment of the headliner 10 illustrated in
In the embodiment of the headliner 10 illustrated in
Any of the headliners 10 illustrated in
This is then followed by the step of thermoforming the blank 48 into a headliner substrate 14 (note box 58) and simultaneously injection molding the secondary component 20 onto the B surface 18 of the headliner substrate (note box 60). Toward this end, the combined thermoforming and injection molding apparatus 100 of the illustrated embodiment includes a stationary platen 102 and a cooperating displaceable platen 104 to complete the thermoforming and compression molding of the blank 48 into the substrate 14. A clamping cylinder 106 displaces the displaceable platen 104 in the desired manner.
The combined thermoforming and injection molding apparatus 100 also includes an injection molding section having a feed hopper 108, for receiving plastic material in the form of pellets or the like, a feed screw or auger 110 for delivering the plastic material 112 toward the injection molding nozzle 114, a drive motor 116 for turning the feed screw and a cylinder 118 for reciprocating the feed screw through the barrel 120.
The secondary component 20 injection molded to the B surface 18 of the headliner substrate 14 may be selected from a group of secondary components consisting of the side air curtain deployment feature illustrated in
The method also includes the step of curing the headliner substrate 14 following thermoforming and injection molding and before laminating (note box 62) as well as the step of trimming the headliner substrate following thermoforming and injection molding and before laminating (note box 64). The trimming may be performed during the curing. Further, it should be appreciated that the trimming may include cutting any necessary holes in the headliner substrate 14 as required for the particular motor vehicle application for which the headliner is to be used.
As further illustrated, the method also includes the step of transferring the headliner substrate 14 from the combined thermoforming and injection molding apparatus 100 to a laminating press 200 (note box 68). This is then followed by the step of laminating the surface covering 22 to the A surface 16 of the headliner substrate 14 (note box 70).
That surface covering may comprise any appropriate material suited for the intended purpose including, for example, cloth, felt, alcantara or other appropriate material. The embodiment of the method illustrated in
More particularly, the broader method may include heating the blank prior to the thermoforming and injection molding and then loading the preheated blank into a combined thermoforming and injection molding apparatus following heating. Further, the method may include trimming the component substrate following the thermoforming and injection molding and before laminating. In addition, the method may include transferring the component substrate from the combined thermoforming and injection molding apparatus into a laminating press for the laminating process.
Numerous benefits and advantages result from the method of producing a headliner 10 with a unitary body 12 as described herein. The new method allows for the reduction of engineering and design inefficiencies. The method reduces component part proliferation by providing an integral unitary body thereby reducing both the piece cost and mass of the headliner 10 or overhead system.
Significantly, the method allows for a reduction in component tooling, assembly tooling and assembly capital equipment investment. Further, the method allows for directing indirect labor reduction while also eliminating the need for many different adhesives and mechanical fasteners thereby simplifying assembly processes. The method also results in reduced shipping requirements thereby eliminating any fuel and shipping container expenses. The above should be considered to be an exemplary list of the benefits and advantages provided by the method rather than an exhaustive recitation of those benefits and advantages.
The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.
