Patent ID: 9149961
Filing Date: 2015-10-06
Classification: B29C,B29K,B29L,B32B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of manufacturing a vehicle trim component, comprising: heating a fiber panel, wherein the fiber panel comprises a plurality of structural fibers and a thermoplastic resin, and heating the fiber panel comprises heating the fiber panel to a temperature sufficient to liquefy the thermoplastic resin; disposing the fiber panel onto a first surface of a mold cavity after the fiber panel is heated; compressing the fiber panel between the first surface and a second surface of the mold cavity as the fiber panel cools and the thermoplastic resin solidifies to form the fiber panel into a compression formed component having a desired shape, wherein the desired shape corresponds to a first contour of the first surface and a second contour of the second surface, and the desired shape is different than an original shape of the fiber panel; and injecting resin into the mold cavity after the compression formed component is formed to fill at least one void between the first surface and the second surface adjacent to the compression formed component, wherein the first and second surfaces are not in contact with one another at the at least one void, and neither the first surface nor the second surface is in contact with the compression formed component at the at least one void.