Automotive instrument panel pad

An automotive instrument panel pad covering the instrument panel except for an opening formed therein, the pad being provided with a stepped portion which extends along the entire inner periphery of the pad and is interposed, adjacent to the margin of the opening, between the instrument panel and an outfit such as, for example, cluster lid mounted in such a manner as to cover the opening. With this construction, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of noise which would otherwise result from interference between the instrument panel and the cluter lid. It is also possible to realize an improved outward appearance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to an automotive instrument panel pad, and more 
particularly it pertains to such a pad fabricated by a molding technique 
called integral skinned foam process. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Integral skinned foam, which has been employed to form instrument panel 
pads, seats or the like, is produced by means of a process comprising the 
steps of mixing liquids of polyol, diisocyanate, catalyst and so forth in 
predetermined proportions, and immediately injecting and foaming the 
resultant liquid mixture in a mold. 
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a conventional automotive instrument 
panel pad formed of integral skinned foam, shown at 4, which is fabricated 
by inserting an instrument panel 2 in a core mold 1, placing a cavity mold 
3 on the core mold 1, injecting a liquid mixture of the aforementioned 
type in the cavity mold 3, and causing the thus injected liquid mixture to 
be foamed and solidified. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a meter assembly 6 is 
mounted in an opening 5 formed in the instrument panel 2. An outfit such 
as, for example, a cluster lid 7 is attached in such a manner as to cover 
the meter assembly 6, and supported, at its end portions 7a and 7b, on a 
marginal portion 8 of the instrument panel 2 which is exposed out of the 
instrment panel pad 4, so that the instrument panel 2 can be united with 
the cluster lid 7. 
However, the foregoing conventional arrangement is disadvantageous in that 
the exposed instrument panel pad 4, since it is formed of integral skinned 
foam as mentioned above, is of a low light resisting property and tends to 
be subjected to color change due to aging. 
To cope with this, it has heretofore been proposed to apply an oil paint 
onto the surface of the instrument panel pad 4 by previously spraying the 
oil paint onto a mold release applied to the cavity mold 3. 
Disadvantageously, however, a delicate positional deviation or 
misregistration on the order of microns tends to occur between the cavity 
mold 3 and the core mold 1 because of the applied oil paint film existing 
therebetween. As a result, a thin film 9, which consists of a liquid 
mixture substantially the same as the one forming the pad 4, is formed 
between the abutting surfaces B-B' of the molds 1 and 3 in such a manner 
as to cover the aforementioned opening 5 of the instrument panel 2, as 
shown in FIG. 4. 
At a later working step, the film 9 is removed; more specifically, that 
portion of the film 9 which exists between the circumferential line A-A' 
of the opening 5 as viewed in FIG. 4, is cut out while that portion of the 
film 9 which exists on the marginal portion 8, i.e., between A and B and 
between A' and B' as viewed in FIG. 4, is left as it is, for the purpose 
of avoiding the occurrence of noise which tends to result from contact 
between the meter assembly 6 and the instrument panel 2, while at the same 
time preventing the instrument panel 2 from being viewed through gap 10 
between the instrument panel pad 4 and the cluster lid 7. 
In the case of the foregoing conventional instrument panel pad, for the 
purpose of sharply defining the position corresponding to the 
circumferential line A-A' of the opening 5, the removal of the film 9 
should be effected either manually, using a manual cutter, or by resorting 
to a specially prepared trimming mold. Disadvantageously, however, the 
former alternative can achieve only a limited productivity and is 
dangerous, while the latter alternative increases the production cost by 
the cost of preparing the trimming mold. Moreover, the film 9 tends to be 
cut out as far as the abutting surfaces B-B' in the case where the 
adhesion of the film 9 to the instrument panel 2 is weak, since 
irregularilities are usually present in the adhesion; as a result, the 
marginal portion 8 becomes exposed. Obviously, this makes the 
aforementioned attempt to leave the film on the marginal portion 8 as 
shown by A-B and A'-B' meaningless. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel 
and improved automotive instrument panel pad adapted to eliminate the 
aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art. 
Briefly, the automotive instrument panel pad according to the present 
invention is provided, at the entire inner periphery thereof, with a 
stepped portion which extends along the marginal portion of an opening 
formed in the instrument panel and adjacent to the ends of a cluster lid. 
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become 
apparent from the ensuing description taken in conjunction with the 
accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown the automotive instrument panel pad 
according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein parts 
corresponding to those of FIGS. 1 to 4 are indicated by like reference 
numerals, and further description thereof will be omitted. 
In FIG. 5, the automotive instrument panel pad according to this embodiment 
is shown at 11. It is to be particularly noted that the pad 11 is 
provided, at the entire inner periphery thereof, with a stepped portion 12 
which extends along marginal portion 8 of an opening 5 formed in an 
instrument panel 2 and adjacent to ends 7a, 7b of an outfit such as 
cluster lid 7. 
With the above construction according to the present invention, even if it 
happens that when the film 9 such as shown in FIG. 5 is cut out at the 
opening 5, that portion of the film 9 which is disposed on the marginal 
portion 8 is torn off so that the instrument panel is exposed, such 
tearing-off of the film 9 can be prevented from proceeding beyond that 
base portion, shown at B, of the stepped portion 12 which is located 
inside of the cluster lid 7, thus having no adverse effect upon the 
outward appearance of the instrument panel assembly. Another advantage is 
such that by virtue of the fact that the pad 11 and film 9 consist of 
substantially the same type of material, the film 9 is prevented from 
further peeling off, so that the film cutting-out procedure can be carried 
out manually and with ease. 
As will be appreciated from the above discussion, according to the present 
invention, even if the film covering the opening of the instrument panel 
is torn off carelessly, such tearing-off of the film is limited not to 
proceed beyond the base of the stepped portion so that the pad per se is 
not adversely influenced thereby. Furthermore, the torn-off portion of the 
film is restricted inside of the cluster lid, so that any deterioration in 
the outward appearance of the instrument panel assembly, which would 
otherwise be caused, can be avoided. Another important advantage is such 
that the aforementioned stepped portion serves to prevent interference of 
the cluster lid end portion with the instrument panel, thus precluding the 
possibility that noise due to such interference is generated. 
While the present invention has been described and illustrated with respect 
to a specific embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the present 
invention is by no means limited thereto but covers all changes and 
modifications which will become possible within the scope of the appended 
claims.