CONSTRUCTION OF A VEHICLE FLOOR GARNISH

A floor garnish for a vehicle includes a composite sheet, a core on the composite sheet, a board layer on the core, and an upper film on the board layer.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle floor covering, and more particularly to a laminate floor garnish material that resists delamination.

Generally, vehicles are trimmed in a mixture of fabrics, vinyl, leather, and wood. Floor materials are generally fabric mats or vinyl coverings, which are permanently installed using plastic rivets, weather stripping, and metal brackets, such as a frame of a car seat.

These floor materials are generally permanently fixed to an interior of the vehicle. For example, floor materials may be held in place by a mixture of weather stripping, clips, and vehicle seats. Removal and/or replacement of the floor materials can be complicated by the need to remove various additional components, such as the vehicle seats, which may be bolted in place.

There is a need in the art for floor coving materials with improved construction, for example, to improve durability and avoid costly repairs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed to improvements in vehicle flooring. In one aspect, a vehicle floor system includes a center floor and perimeter floor garnishes. In some aspects, the center floor is a laminate structure with an improved construction that resists delamination.

In one or more aspects, a floor garnish for a vehicle comprises a composite sheet, a core on the composite sheet, a board layer on the core, and an upper film on the board layer.

In one or more aspects, a vehicle floor system comprises a floor garnish in a cabin of a vehicle and having a first peripheral edge, and a center floor garnish in the cabin of the vehicle, the center floor garnish comprising a second peripheral edge having a vertical radius, wherein the second peripheral edge overlaps the first peripheral edge, and the center floor garnish comprises a core, an upper film on the core and that extends over the vertical radius at the second peripheral edge of the floor garnish, and a co-polyamide layer adhering the upper film to the core.

In one or more aspects, a floor garnish for a vehicle comprises a first composite sheet, a core on the first composite sheet, a second composite sheet on the core, a web adhesive layer on the second composite sheet, and an upper film on the second composite sheet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

There is a need in the art for floor coving materials with an improved construction, for example, to improve durability of floor garnishes and to avoid costly repairs. In at least some aspects, a construction of a floor garnish resists delamination of component layers. In at least some aspects, a construction of a floor garnish resists delamination of component layers at or near a vertical radius at a perimeter edge of the floor garnish.

FIG.1illustrates an embodiment of a vehicle floor assembly100according to some embodiments. According to some embodiments, the vehicle floor assembly100includes a center floor garnish101. The center floor garnish101may be a floor covering exposed to an interior of the vehicle, where a passenger may walk on the center floor garnish101and/or place packages or bags on the center floor garnish101. An area covered by the center floor garnish101may be in a cabin area of a vehicle.

In some examples, the center floor garnish101may be a laminate material or a composite material. The center floor garnish101is a generally stiff and durable material selected for passenger accommodation. For example, the vehicle may be a public transportation vehicle or a ride-sharing vehicle having high levels of passenger traffic.

A plurality of perimeter floor garnishes may complete a floor of the vehicle. The plurality of perimeter floor garnishes may include lateral garnishes. The lateral garnishes may include a rear area garnish102, a front area garnish103, a left garnish104, and a right garnish105. The rear area garnish102may be disposed below a rear passenger seat (not shown) in the cabin area of the vehicle. The front area garnish103may be disposed below a front passenger seat in the cabin area of the vehicle.

The plurality of perimeter floor garnishes may further include corner area garnishes. The corner area garnishes may include a rear-left garnish106, a rear-right garnish107, a front-left garnish108, and a front-right garnish109. The corner area garnishes may fill areas between the lateral garnishes.

In some examples, the perimeter floor garnishes may be made of a plastic material. The perimeter floor garnishes are not limited to plastic materials, and other materials may be used. For example, the perimeter floor garnishes may be made of a same or a different material as the center floor garnish101.

In one example, the rear passenger seat and the front passenger seat may face one another, such that the center floor garnish101extends between a front passenger seat area110and a rear passenger seat area111, and the center floor garnish101is the flooring of a passenger area of the vehicle. In some aspects, at least one of the left garnish104and the right garnish105is disposed in an area adjacent to a door of the vehicle.

According to some aspects, a top surface of the center floor garnish101is flush with an upper surface of the rear area garnish102and an upper surface of the front area garnish103. Flush joints in the vehicle floor assembly100may help a passenger to easily slide packages or bags under a seat. In some aspects, the center floor overlaps portions of perimeter floor garnishes, such that joints between the center floor and the perimeter floor garnishes have no gap exposing an underlying structure of the vehicle.

FIG.2illustrates an embodiment of a center floor and a perimeter floor garnishes according to some embodiments. The center floor garnish101and at least a portion of the rear area garnish102are disposed over the structure201of the vehicle. An upper peripheral edge202of the center floor garnish101is disposed on a lower peripheral edge203of the rear area garnish102. Accordingly, a half-lap joint is formed between the upper peripheral edge202of the center floor garnish101and the lower peripheral edge203of the rear area garnish102, such that there is no gap between the center floor garnish101and the rear area garnish102. The center floor garnish101and the front area garnish103may be similarly arranged having a half-lap joint.

The rear area garnish102includes an upper, generally planar, upper surface204, and an intermediate surface205extending downward from the upper surface204to the lower peripheral edge203of the rear area garnish102. The intermediate surface205may be substantially vertical in orientation. The front area garnish103may be similarly arranged, having an upper, generally planar, surface, and a joint surface extending downward to a peripheral edge of a perimeter garnish as illustrated inFIG.2.

Similarly, the rear-left garnish106, the rear-right garnish107, the front-left garnish108, and the front-right garnish109may be similarly arranged, having an upper, generally planar, surface, and a joint surface extending downward to a peripheral edge of a perimeter garnish as illustrated inFIG.2. That is, the upper peripheral edge202of the center floor garnish101is disposed above a peripheral edge of each of the corner area garnishes.

According to some aspects, the upper peripheral edge202of the center floor garnish101is disposed above the lower peripheral edge203of the rear area garnish102. The upper peripheral edge202of the center floor garnish101may include a vertical radius206, which connects an edge portion207to a top surface208of the center floor garnish101. According to some implementations, the edge portion207has an angle of about 10-30 degrees, and more particularly 15 degrees, from the vertical. The vertical radius206may be about 3-8 millimeters round, and more particularly 5 millimeters round.

Referring toFIG.3, the center floor garnish101may have a first laminate construction300. The first laminate construction300may include a film301, a web adhesive layer302, a first composite sheet303, a core307, and a second composite sheet308.

According to some aspects, the film301may be a decorative layer. For example, the film301may have a photographic image of wood, metal, or carbon fiber printed on an upper surface313thereof. An abrasion layer (not shown) may be added on the upper surface313of the film301. According to some aspects, the film301has a primer312on one side facing the web adhesive layer302. The primer312may be a PUR (Poly Urethane Reactive) primer, for example, for improving a connection to the web adhesive layer302.

The web adhesive layer302may be a polyester hot melt web adhesive. The web adhesive layer302bonds adjacent layers of the first laminate construction300. That is, the web adhesive layer302bonds the film301to the first composite sheet303of the first laminate construction300. The web adhesive layer302may have a weight between about 15 to 100 grams per square meter (GSM), and more particularly 40 GSM.

Referring again to the first composite sheet303, this layer may include a first scrim304, a first material layer305, and a slit film306. In some embodiments, the first scrim304, the first material layer305, and the slit film306form a polypropylene (PP) and glass fiber (GF) composite. The PP+GF composite provides strength, structural rigidity, and dimensional stability to the first laminate construction300.

According to some aspects, the first scrim304is a reinforcing component improving a strength and a stability of the first composite sheet303. For example, the first scrim304may be a polyester scrim. The first scrim304may be, for example, a rectangular-shaped weave.

Examples of the first material layer305may include a thermoformable composite panel, such as a thermoplastic material including, for example, a polypropylene (PP), a polyetherimide (PEI), or a polyphenylenesulphide (PPS), reinforced with a fiber, such as a GF. In some aspects, the first material layer305is a polyamide material. Examples of the polyamide material may include polyamide 6 (also known as nylon 6), and polyphthalamide (PPA).

According to some aspects, the slit film306of the first composite sheet303is an adhesive layer. That is, the slit film306is an adhesive, which adheres the first composite sheet303to the core307.

The core307of the first laminate construction300may be a paper core, for example. Other materials are contemplated, for example, the core307may be a thermoplastic material. The core307may have a geometric internal structure including an array of cells formed between vertical walls. That is, the core307may have a honeycomb construction. In other aspects, the core307may be a solid material.

The second composite sheet308may have a similar construction as the first composite sheet303. For example, the second composite sheet308may include a second slit film309, a second material layer310, and a second scrim311. Similar to the first composite sheet303, the second slit film309of the second composite sheet308is an adhesive, which adheres the second composite sheet308to the core307. Moreover, the second material layer310may be a thermoformable composite panel or a polyamide material, for example.

According to some implementations, in the first composite sheet303and the second composite sheet308, the scrims have a weight of about 20 GSM, the material layers have a weight of about 900 GSM, and the slit films have a weight of about 60 GSM.

Referring toFIG.4, the center floor garnish101may have a second laminate construction400. The second laminate construction400may include an upper film401, a board layer402, the core307, and the second composite sheet308.

According to some aspects, the upper film401of the second laminate construction400may be a decorative layer. For example, the upper film401may have a photographic image of wood, metal, or carbon fiber printed on an upper surface406thereof. An abrasion layer (not shown) may be added on the upper surface313of the upper film401. According to some aspects, a primer may be omitted from a lower surface of the upper film401.

According to some aspects, the board layer402is a double-sided adhesive board. For example, the board layer402may include a material layer404between two slit films, including an upper slit film403and a lower slit film405. That is, the board layer402may be a double-sided adhesive layer. For example, the board layer402may be a co-polyamide (CoPA) layer. Examples of the material layer404include polyamide materials such as polyamide 6 (also known as nylon 6), and polyphthalamide (PPA), and thermoplastic materials including, for example, a polypropylene (PP), a polyetherimide (PEI), or a polyphenylenesulphide (PPS), reinforced with a fiber, such as a GF.

According to some aspects, the upper slit film403and the lower slit film405are adhesive layers. Thus, the upper slit film403may bond the upper film401to the material layer404, and the lower slit film405may bond the material layer404to the core307. The upper slit film403and the lower slit film405may each have a weight of about 60 GSM, for example.

In the example of the second laminate construction400, the core307may be a paper core. Other materials may be used for the core307. For example, the core307may be a thermoplastic material. The core307may have a geometric internal structure including an array of cells formed between vertical walls. For example, the core307may have a honeycomb construction.

As discussed with reference toFIG.3, the second composite sheet308may include a second slit film309, a second material layer310, and a second scrim311. Similar to the first composite sheet303, the second slit film309of the second composite sheet308may be an adhesive, which adheres the second composite sheet308to the core307. According to some implementations, the second scrim311has a weight of about 20 GSM, the second material layer310has a weight of about 900 GSM, and the second slit film309has a weight of about 60 GSM.

According to some aspects, the board layer402exhibits superior resistance to delamination of the upper film401from the core307, for example, as compared to the film301of the first laminate construction300illustrated inFIG.3. Further still, the board layer402exhibits superior resistance to delamination of the upper film401from the core307at the upper peripheral edge202of the center floor garnish101, where the upper film401is laminated over the vertical radius206and toward the edge portion207. That is, in some example embodiments, the board layer402has sufficient adhesion to prevent delamination of the upper film401from the core307at a portion of the upper film401at the edge portion207of the center floor garnish101.

The foregoing disclosure of the preferred embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. Many variations and modifications of the embodiments described herein will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the above disclosure.