Patent ID: 6582639
Filing Date: 2003-06-24
Classification: B29C,B29K,B29L

Abstract:
A process of making a vehicle headliner having a panel formed of a compressed and molded thermoplastic polymeric fiber batt wherein the fibers are thermally bonded together at a multiplicity of locations to impart to the panel a self-supporting rigidity to allow the headliner to retain its shape while also rendering the panel highly deformable and resilient to allow the panel to be bent during installation and thereafter resiliently recover its original shape, and wherein the batt exhibits high fiber loft retention during heating, comprising:forming a batt comprised of thermoplastic fibers, at least a portion of the polymeric fibers of the batt being potentially adhesive binder fibers; heating the batt at a temperature that is from about 20Â° C. below the melting temperature of the adhesive binder fibers to about 20Â° C. above the melting temperature of the adhesive binder fibers; and molding the batt into a desired contoured vehicle headliner configuration.