1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a structural element that is provided on the backside or B-surface of a motor vehicle trim panel.
2. Related Art
Trim panels are typically used in the occupant compartment of a motor vehicle to cover the metal frame (which is referred to as the body in white, or BIW) of the vehicle. For example, garnish trim panels are used to cover the A, B, C and/or D pillars that extend between the vehicle' body and its roof. Conventionally, the garnish trim panels are formed by injection molding a plastic material. In less expensive vehicles, the show or A-surface of the injection-molded garnish trim panel is painted and/or provided with a grain pattern. In more expensive vehicles, the show or A-surface is formed by providing a fabric covering on the injection-molded garnish trim panel. The injection-molded portion of the garnish trim panel provides the desired stiffness and rigidity to the garnish trim panel, provides attachment structures that allow the garnish trim panel to be attached to the underlying metal pillar, provides energy-absorbing structures for impact protection and/or provides locations where acoustic materials can be provided to reduce sound from entering the occupant compartment from the vehicle body.
However, injection-molded garnish trim panels also have a number of disadvantages. Because they are typically formed of plastic material that is rigid at room temperatures, BSR (buzz, squeak, rattle) noise can occur when vibration or contact occurs between the metal pillar and the rigid injection-molded garnish trim panel. To prevent this BSR noise, the injection-molded garnish trim panel may be tightly connected to the vehicle's pillar and/or a layer of material, such as felt, is attached to the injection-molded garnish trim panel at locations where BSR noise could occur.
For aesthetic reasons, the injection-molded garnish trim panels also typically extend over the edge of the headliner where the top edges of the injection-molded garnish trim panels meet the lower edge of the headliner. However, in vehicles with roof-mounted side air bags, it is typically necessary for the headliner to separate from the injection-molded garnish trim panels to allow the roof-mounted side air bags to deploy. Due to the force at which air bags deploy and the rigidity of injection-molded garnish trim panels, this can often cause the injection-molded garnish trim panels to detach from the vehicle's pillars if conventional low-force fasteners, such as bird-beak fasteners, are used to attach the injection-molded garnish trim panel to the pillar.
Moreover, it should be appreciated that the plastic materials used to form the injection-molded garnish trim panels become brittle at low temperatures. Thus, if the roof-mounted side air bags deploy when the temperature of the vehicle, and thus an injection-molded garnish trim panel, is low, as might occur during winter, the injection-molded garnish trim panel, rather than merely detaching from the pillar, may shatter as well. To prevent this from occurring, conventional injection-molded garnish trim panel are often bolted to the pillar, and a fabric backing material is provided at the top edge of the injection-molded garnish trim panel to secure any portions of the injection-molded garnish trim panels that might break away as the roof-mounted side air bags deploy. Because this bolt must be installed from the A-surface side of the roof-mounted side air bags deploy, a covering badge, button or the like is typically required. Of course, adding the fabric backing, the cover, the attachment structure for the bolt adds cost and weight to the injection-molded garnish trim panel, and requires more labor to make and to install injection-molded garnish trim panel.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a trim panel that does not use an injection-molded portion. It would separately be advantageous to provide a fabric-covered trim panel that is lighter, less expensive to produce, less expensive to install and/or that reduces or avoids one or more of the disadvantages of an injection-molded material. It would separately be advantageous to accomplish one of more of these advantages without sacrificing one or more of the advantages of an injection-molded material.
This invention relates to a trim panel comprising a flexible first element providing a show or A surface and a second flexible element provided behind and attached to the first element and providing attachment structures usable to attach the trim panel to a vehicle body.
This invention also relates to a trim panel comprising a first compression-formed element providing a show or A surface and a second compression-formed element provided behind and attached to the first element and providing attachment structures usable to attach the trim panel to a vehicle body.
This invention also relates to a trim panel comprising a flexible first element providing a show or A surface and a second flexible element provided behind and attached to the first element and that is usable to absorbs sound emitted from a vehicle body towards an occupant compartment of the vehicle.
This invention also relates to a trim panel comprising a flexible first element providing a show or A surface and a second flexible element provided behind and attached to the first element and that is usable to absorb energy due to an impact between a vehicle body and occupant of the vehicle.
This invention also relates to a trim panel comprising a flexible first element providing a show or A surface and a second flexible element provided behind and attached to the first element and that allows a roof-mounted air bag to deploy without detaching or breaking apart the trim panel.
These and other features and advantages of various embodiments of systems and methods according to this invention are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed descriptions of various exemplary embodiments of various devices, structures, and/or methods according to this invention.
Various exemplary embodiments of trim panels according to this disclosure will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein:
This invention relates to trim panels for vehicle interiors. More particularly, this invention relates to trim panels that have a flexible first element providing a show or A surface and a second flexible element provided behind and attached to the first element. The second flexible element can provide attachment structures usable to attach the trim panel to a vehicle body, can be usable to absorbs sound emitted from a vehicle body towards an occupant compartment of the vehicle, or sounds occuring within the occupant compartment from reflecting from the trim panel, can be usable to absorb energy due to an impact between a vehicle body an occupant of the vehicle, and/or can allow a roof-mounted air bag to deploy without detaching or breaking apart the trim panel. The flexible second element can be a compression-formed element provided behind, and attached to, the first element and providing attachment structures usable to attach the trim panel to a vehicle body.
For purposes of this disclosure, a trim panel is a covering usable to cover any interior surface or component. Such trim panels may be formed by compression molding. Trim panels may include, but are not limited to, garnish trim panels, headliners, door panels and the like. Although the following disclosure focuses on garnish trim panels, features according to this invention may be incorporated into any other known or later-developed trim panel.
As discussed above, trim panels are typically used in the occupant compartment of a motor vehicle to cover the metal frame of the vehicle. For example, garnish trim panels are used to cover the A pillar 2, as shown in
As shown in
As further shown in
As discussed above, for aesthetic reasons, garnish trim panels also typically extend over the edge of the headliner 50. In particular, the top portion 20 of the conventional garnish trim panel 10, including both the fabric covering 12 and the injection-molded substrate 14, extends over the lower edge of the headliner 50. However, in vehicles with roof-mounted side air bags, it is typically necessary for the headliner 50 to be able to separate from the injection-molded substrate 14 to allow the roof-mounted side air bag to deploy. Due to the force at which air bags deploy and the rigidity of the injection-molded substrate 14, this would typically cause at least the top portion 20 of the conventional garnish trim panel 10 to detach from the A pillar 2 if the conventional low-force bird-beak fastener 15 were used to attach the top portion 20 of the conventional garnish trim panel 10 to the A pillar 2.
To prevent this from occurring, the second attachment structures 22 and the bolts 26 of the conventional garnish trim panel 10 are used to securely bolt the top portion 20 of the conventional garnish trim panel 10 to the A pillar 2. Because the bolt 26 must be installed from the A-surface side of the conventional garnish trim panel 10, it is necessary to have a through-hole in the fabric covering 12 as well. To avoid having the end of the bolt 26 exposed to the occupants, a covering badge, button or the like is typically placed into the second attachment structure 22 from the A-surface side of the conventional garnish trim panel 10.
Moreover, it should be appreciated that the plastic materials used to form the injection-molded substrate 14 of the conventional garnish trim panel 10 becomes brittle at low temperatures. Thus, if the roof-mounted side air bags deploy when the temperature of the vehicle, and thus the injection-molded substrate 14, is low, as might occur during winter, the injection-molded substrate 14, rather than merely detaching from the A pillar 2 if a bird beak fastener 18 is used to secure the top portion 20, may shatter. This is especially likely to happen if the top portion 20 is secured by the bolt 26, as the top portion 20 must still deflect enough to allow the headliner 50 to come out from behind the conventional garnish trim panel 10. To prevent this from occurring, the conventional garnish trim panel 10 makes use of the fabric layer 24 to securely retain any pieces of the top portion 20 of the injection-molded substrate 14 that may break away. Of course, adding the fabric layer 24, the cover button or badge, the second attachment structures 22 and the bolt 26 adds cost and weight to the conventional garnish trim panel 10, and requires more labor to make and to install the conventional garnish trim panel 10.
It should also be appreciated that, as shown in
As further shown in
It should be appreciated that either or both of the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 can be formed by compression forming a compression-formable thermoplastic or thermosetting substrate. In various exemplary embodiments, both of the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 are formed by compression forming. It should be appreciated that the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 can be formed using the same compression-formable material. Alternatively, the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 can be formed using two different compression-formable materials. It should also be appreciated that, even if the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 are formed using the same compression-formable material, the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 do not need to undergo the same amount of compression. For example, the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 can be formed from the same sheet of compression-formable material. However, the cavities in the compression-forming molds used for the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 do not need to be the same height.
In particular, many compression-formable materials, such as those commonly used when compression-forming headliners, become relatively less stiff, i.e., more flexible, the more they are compressed. At the same time, those materials generally become tougher the more they are compressed. Thus, in various exemplary embodiments, the cover element 110 is compressed to a greater degree than the attachment element 120. As a result, in such exemplary embodiments, the cover element 110 is relatively tougher than the attachment element 120, while the attachment element 120 is relatively stiffer than the cover element 110. Similarly, the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120, when made using two different compression-formable materials, can be made using two different area-weight versions of the same material, two different thickness versions of the same material and/or the like.
As indicated above, to complete the garnish trim panel 100 according to this invention, the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 are securely attached to each other. In various exemplary embodiments, the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 are formed as separate pieces in the same or in different sheets of compression-formable material. Each of the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 are removed from the corresponding sheet(s) of compression-formable material using any appropriate known or later-developed technique, such as, for example, water-jetting. Alternatively, one or more edges of one or both of the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 can be severed from the corresponding sheet of compression-formable material using the pinch seal technique disclosed in International Application PCT/US2008/085020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. For example, a pinch-sealed edge can be provided on an exposed edge of the cover element 110, such as the edge adjacent to the windshield of the vehicle. It should also be appreciated that the pinch seal technique can also be applied to any edge in the interior of the cover element 110, such as a cut-out opening for a mating part, such as a seat belt adjuster.
It should further be appreciated that, if the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 are formed from the same sheet of compression-formable material, they can be formed as a single piece, with a living hinge formed between the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120. The cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 can then be rotated towards each other around the living hinge so that their free edges are placed adjacent to each other. It should be appreciated that the living hinge can be formed using any appropriate known or later-developed technique, such as, for example, any one of the techniques disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/935,413, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. It should be appreciated that having the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 joined at the living hinge tends to make aligning the two parts easier, and thus reduces the time and cost for assembling the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120.
It should be appreciated that, regardless of whether the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 are formed as separate pieces or as a single piece joined at a living hinge, any appropriate known or later-developed technique or material can be used to connect the cover element 110 to the attachment element 120. For example, the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 could be attached using an adhesive, such as, for example, hot melt glue and/or a thermally activated adhesive film. Alternatively, the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 could be attached by physically melding them together, such as, for example, by using sonic welding or the like. Additionally, the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 could be mechanically connected, such as, for example, by using heat stakes or the like.
As discussed above, the garnish trim panel 100 provides additional sound absorption, beyond the amount of sound absorption that can be provided by the acoustic absorbing layers 30 in the conventional garnish trim panel 10. That is, when the garnish trim panel 100 is formed using compression-formable materials, those materials typically provide substantial acoustic absorption. In addition, in contrast to the acoustic absorbing layers 30 in the conventional garnish trim panel 10, which are provided only over a limited portion of the surface of the conventional garnish trim panel 10, both of the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 absorb sound over their entire lengths.
It should also be appreciated that the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 not only absorb sound emanating toward the occupant compartment from the A pillar 2, they also absorb sound that occurs within the occupant compartment. In contrast, in the conventional garnish trim panel 10, the injection-molded substrate 14 tends to reflect any sounds that occur within the occupant compartment back into the occupant compartment. Furthermore, the space between the cover element 110 and the attachment element 120 provides a dead space that is capable of trapping sound energy so that it does not radiate from this dead space back into the occupant compartment.
While the attachment element 120 is not shown in
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5-7, the attachment structures 122 can take a variety of different shapes. Likewise, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5-7, the stiffening ribs 124 can also take a variety of different shapes. Moreover, as shown in
Moreover, because the top portion 144 of the attachment element ends short of the overlapped portion 56, and because it is not made of a rigid, injection-molded plastic material, there is no danger of the attachment element breaking or tearing. As a result, the bolt 26 used to secure the conventional injection-molded garnish trim panel 10, the heavy second attachment structures 22 and the fabric layer 24 can be omitted. At the same time, because the attachment element 120 itself is relatively soft and flexible, the fabric layer 24 is not need to prevent any BSR noise.
For garnish trim panels according to this invention that are adjacent to another garnish trim panel or to another type of trim panel, the bottom portion 154 can be formed so that it too extends beyond the bottom portion 152. Like the headliner 50 relative to the top portion 140, the adjacent trim panel will be overlapped by, and will extend between, the bottom portions 152 and 154, thus pre-loading the bottom portion 152 of the cover element 110 against that trim panel, creating an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
While the conventional injection-molded garnish trim panel 10 shown in
In various exemplary embodiments, the pinch-sealed edge may be formed on less than all edges of the finished trim panel. For example, a garnish may have only one edge that is generally visible after installation. This edge may be pinch-sealed, as described above, while other edges may be formed or cut by other methods (e.g., waterjet cutting or die trimming). Thus, it is not necessary for a trim panel to be formed with a pinch-sealed finish on all edges.
After they are finished, the trim panels are stacked for shipment to a vehicle manufacturing plant. Trim panels using conventional folded edges have roughly double the thickness at the edge compared to the pinch-sealed edges of trim panels. Because of this difference, it is possible to increase the pack density of trim panels reducing the space required compared to conventional folded edge trim panels. This significantly reduces transportation costs associated with supplying the trim panels to a vehicle manufacturing plant.
It should be noted that references to relative positions (e.g., “top” and “bottom”, or “upper” and “lower”) in this description are merely used to identify various elements as are oriented in the figures. It should be recognized that the orientation of particular components may vary greatly depending on the application in which they are used.
The construction and arrangement of the elements of the trim panels, as shown in the various exemplary embodiments, is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, it should be appreciated that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited herein. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, including any of a wide variety of moldable plastic materials in any of a wide variety of colors, textures and combinations, other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments.
The present application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/168,126 (filed Apr. 9, 2009) and the entirety of the contents of this application being hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/US2010/030369 | 4/8/2010 | WO | 00 | 1/18/2012 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61168126 | Apr 2009 | US |