Ceiling material for vehicles and production process thereof

Abstract: A ceiling material (10) for vehicles, comprises: a core material (12) composed of a resin foamed article; a protective layer (11) comprising a thermoplastic resin blended with fibers in a range of not less than 40 % and not more than 80 % in volume content; said protective layer (11) being provided on at least one surface of the core material (12); and a thin sheet-shaped surface material (13) provided on the surface of the protective layer. A process of producing ceiling materials (10) for vehicles comprises the steps of: a material sheet of a protective layer (11) comprising a thermoplastic resin blended with fibers in a range of not less than 40 % and not more than 80 % in volume content being heated to not less than a glass transition point of the thermoplastic resin; said material sheet being overlaid with a core material sheet (12) composed of a resin foamed article; a surface material (13) being on the core material sheet; and pressuring and shaping said protective layer, said core material sheet (12), and said surface material (13) which have been overlaid using a molding mold.

Description: The present invention relates to ceiling panels for vehicles, and their production process. The ceiling panels for vehicles include those exclusively used for interior decoration, and those which constitute sunshades. In recent years, improvement in comfort of various vehicles represented by automobiles has become an important problem, and reduction in their fuel consumption cost and recycling of vehicle parts upon disuse of vehicles have also become important. Thus, the interior decoration materials are also required to be of a light weight and to contribute to improvement in comfort, safety and economy. The interior decoration materials widely used in the prior art include those in which sawdust or glass fibers are solidified with a thermosetting resin, and those in which a resin foamed article, corrugated board or the like is used as a core material, and a surface material for dressing is glued onto the surface of the core material. However, for example, those which include sawdust solidified with the thermosetting resin are heavy and inconvenient, while corrugated board has a light weight, but it has a problem on molding, as well as it easily suffers breakage, and those which include glass fibers or the like solidified with the thermosetting resin and those which include the resin foamed article used as the core material do not have sufficient strength and require reinforcement materials, so that they have had a disadvantage that production steps become complicated. In addition, a cloth or resin sheet is sometimes directly affixed to the ceiling with a packing inserted between the ceiling and the resin sheet. However, in this method a lot of human hands are required, and quality control becomes insufficient. A sunshade has been often used recently in order to improve comfort of transport vehicles. One used in the prior art is obtained by molding a thermosetting resin composite material using a high pressure press and gluing a surface material thereto, which is extremely heavy, and requires a large amount of raw materials. It has also been proposed that a core material is assembled with an aluminium alloy to which a surface material is affixed. However, this has also problems in that production steps are complicated, and the cost is expensive. The ceiling materials for vehicles known in the prior art have been difficult to recycle when vehicles became disused. The present invention has been made to ameliorate the aforesaid problems. In one embodiment the invention may provide a ceiling panel for vehicles which is lighter and stronger than those in the prior art and in which small amounts of raw materials are used, and the rigidity is large. In preferred embodiments products having high qualities can be supplied inexpensively in a large amount, corrosion resistance and weatherability are excellent, and recycling is possible. EP-A-0 186 649 discloses a thermoformable headliner panel for connection to a vehicle roof. The panel has a thermoplastic foam core (e.g. a laminate of polyurethane and polystyrene foam sheets), and a polymer-impregnated cloth adhered to at least one side thereof. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a ceiling panel for vehicles which is formed so that a protective layer comprising a thermoplastic resin blended with fibers in a range of not less than 40 % and not more than 80 % in volume content is laminated onto at least one surface of a core material composed of a resin foamed article, and a thin sheet-shaped surface material for dressing is affixed onto the surface of the protective layer. The protective layer comprises at least one layer of thermoplastic resin in which the fibers are unidirectional. The protective layer is provided on any one or both of the front and back faces of the core material, and the surface material is provided in the same manner. The ceiling material for vehicles may be utilized not only as a ceiling material for interior decoration but also as a sunshade. A polypropylene type resin is preferable as the resin for constituting the core material and the protective layer in either case, while glass fiber is recommended as the fiber to be blended into the protective layer, and it is desirable to use a prepreg in which the fibers are arranged in one direction. Embodiments of the present invention will be explained in detail hereinafter by way of example and with reference to drawings, of which: Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are perspective views showing examples of ceiling panels for vehicles according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a side view showing a ceiling panel for vehicles, both ends of which are folded; Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 are explanatory views showing a process for making ceiling panels for vehicles according to the present invention; Fig. 6 shows one example of the present invention, which is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the constitution of a ceiling panel for vehicles formed by using a core material having a non-foamed resin layer at one face; Fig. 7 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the constitution of a ceiling panel for vehicles formed by using a core material having no non-foamed resin layer as another example of the present invention; Fig. 8 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the detailed constitution of the material of the panel shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the constitution of a sunshade having a surface material at one face; Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the constitution of a sunshade having surface materials at both faces; Fig. 11 is a side view showing a sunshade in which both ends are folded; and Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing a test device for testing of strength. A ceiling panel 10 for vehicles shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2is formed by laminating a core material 12 comprising a resin foamed article, a protective layer 11 and a surface material 13 for decoration, so as to make integral joining and molding. In such a state, the core material 12 and the protective layer 11 are exposed at end portions, so that an unattractive appearance is given. However, this can be avoided as shown for the panel 20 in Fig. 3, if end portions 20a and 20b are folded over onto the core material side. As shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the ceiling panel 10 shown in Fig. 1 is produced by overlaying and inserting the core material 12, the protective layer 11 and the surface material 13 between molding molds 15 and 16, and performing heating and pressing. More specifically the material sheet of the protective layer 11 composed of fiber and a thermoplastic resin is heated to not less than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic resin, and is overlaid onto the core material sheet 12 composed of a resin foamed article at a high temperature, and the surface material 13 is further overlaid thereon, resulting multilayers 11, 12, 13 being interposed between the press molding molds 15, 16, followed by pressing, shaping and if necessary applying a treatment to circumferential edge portions, whereby a product can be obtained. At this time, when the protective layer sheet at a high temperature contacts the surface of the core material composed of the resin foamed article, the surface of the core material is melted, and its melted portion serves as an adhesive to integrally join the core material 12 and the surface material 13 to the protective layer 11. The thermoplastic resin heated to not less than the melting temperature generally comes to be in a state capable of melting and fluidizing. However, in the case of a composite material containing not less than 40 % of fibers in volume ratio, the resin is held in the lattice of fibers in a state incapable of free fluidization, and thus when a pressure for shaping is applied, the whole shape is maintained in a stable form using the fibers as a framework, so that a molded article having high accuracy is obtained. Detailed constitutions of ceiling panels 10 for vehicles are shown in Fig. 6 to Fig. 8. A ceiling panel shown in Fig. 6 has a core material 12 which is composed of a foamed portion 12a and a non-foamed portion 12b. By constituting in such a manner, the ceiling material has its smooth back face, which becomes strong having wear resistance and rigidity. A ceiling panel shown in Fig. 7 includes the core material 12 which is entirely composed of a foamed article. This has a weight lighter than that of one shown in Fig. 6, which is suitable for use at places there is nothing contacting with the back face. When the materials of the core material 12 and the surface material 13 are those which are melted by heat of the protective layer 11, parts of them are also melted to be integrated with the resin of the protective layer 11, and as shown in Fig. 7, uniform adhesive layers 17 and 18 are formed. On the other hand, when the materials of the core material 12 and the surface material 13 are those which are not melted by heat, as shown in Fig. 8, the both are strongly joined to the protective layer 11 owing to an anchor effect by means of irregularity on their surfaces. Next, materials and the like for each of constitution elements will be explained. There is no special limitation for the thermoplastic resins for constituting the core material 12, the surface material 13 and the protective layer 11, and for example, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethersulfone, polysulfone, polyetherimide (trade mark: ULTEM), polyether etherketone, polyphenylene sulfide and the like can be used, however, from viewpoints of strength, wear resistance, price, easiness of recycling when they become a waste matter and the like, polypropylene type resins are recommended as the most desirable resin. It is desirable that the material resins of the core material 12, the surface material 13 and the protective layer 11 are a resin of the same type. In addition, the expansion ratio of the core material 12 is preferably not less than 5-fold and not more than 60-fold, desirably not less than 10-fold and not more than 50-fold. If a material having an expansion ratio of less than 5-fold is used, the amount of use of the raw materials increases, and the panels are heavy. If the expansion ratio is more than 60-fold, rigidity and wear resistance necessary for products are not obtained. The fiber to be blended into the material of the protective layer 11 can be exemplified by synthetic resin fibers such as aramid fiber (registered trade mark "Kevlar" and the like) and the like, natural organic fibers, metallic fibers such as titanium, boron, stainless steel and the like, and inorganic fibers such as glass, carbon, silicon carbide and the like. However, there is necessarily no limitation thereto, and any one which has sufficient strength and can be obtained inexpensively in a large amount may be utilized. With respect to the blending ratio of the fibers, if it becomes less than 40 % in volume, it becomes difficult to shape the laminated article 10 because the fluidity of the resin is increased at a high temperature, as well as necessary rigidity and wear resistance can not be obtained, and breakage is often caused during operation, while on the contrary, if it exceeds 80 %, the toughness decreases, as well as the molding processing becomes difficult, so that the blending ratio of the fibers should be not less than 40 % and not more than 80 %, and desirably not less than 45 % and not more than 60 %. In addition, it is recommended that the fiber is aligned in a direction in which bending stress will act during use. In addition, the fiber-blended layer may be a composite article including a layer in which the fibers are arranged in the lateral width direction and a layer in which the fibers are arranged in the longitudinal direction. A prepreg is preferable as a material for the protective layer 11. In addition, the material for constituting the surface material 14 may be exemplified by foamed or non-foamed sheets of polypropylene, polystyrene and the like, thermoplastic resin products such as polyvinyl chloride sheets and the like, as well as those with fibers protruding at the surface e.g. woven cloth and nonwoven cloth comprising various fibers and the like. Next, sunshades shown in Fig. 9 to Fig. 11 will be explained. The sunshade is a ceiling panel which also serves as a flap door for shading a sun roof window provided in a ceiling of a vehicle. Therefore, the sunshade is different from a mere ceiling panel used exclusively for interior decoration, for both of the inner and outer faces must be smooth and beautiful, while the wear resistance is also required for both faces. Bending strength, tensile strength, shock resistance, weatherability and rigidity superior to those of the interior decoration material are required. Thus, protective layers are required at both front and back face of the core material, and the protective layers are joined to the both faces of the core material, thereby a member is obtained which is stronger than the ceiling panels as explained above. Namely, a sunshade 30 shown in Fig. 9 is formed such that protective layers 31, 32 are provided at both front and back faces of a core material 33, and a surface material 34 is affixed to the surface of one protective layer 32. Fig. 10 shows a sunshade 40 having a five-layered structure with protective layers 41, 42 at both front and back faces of a core material 43, and surface materials 44, 45 affixed to surfaces of the protective layers 41, 42. These core materials, protective layers and surface materials are exactly the same as those of the above-mentioned ceiling panels, and their production process is also the same. Such sunshades 30, 40 may have the form of the sunshade 50 shown in Fig. 11, having their end portions or edge sides of the entire circumference folded over. These sunshades are light in weight and strong, and have both faces which are beautiful and smooth, being excellent in weatherability, corrosion resistance and wear resistance, having high accuracy as parts and hence being easy to be attached, being capable of lightly opening and closing for a long period. In addition, these sunshades can be made using small amounts of raw materials and are economic, so they can be supplied inexpensively in a large amount with high qualities. When vehicles to which these are attached become disused, their resin materials can be easily recycled. The preferred ceiling panel for vehicles according to the present invention is lighter and easier to handle and requires only a small amount of raw materials to be used as compared with those in the prior art because the core material is formed by the resin foamed article. Further, it may have extremely high rigidity and shock resistance as a whole, and may be excellent in corrosion resistance and weatherability, can be supplied inexpensively in a large amount and may be capable of being recycled because the core material desirably has high compressive strength, and is provided with the protective layer composed of the fiber-reinforced synthetic resins preferably having extremely large rigidity and tensile resistance on at least one face thereof, so that when the present invention is carried out, it is useful for improvement in fuel consumption of vehicles and improvement in safety and economy. The present invention will be further explained in detail in accordance with concrete examples. [Production of prepreg] A prepreg having a width of 200 mm was produced by means of a method disclosed in an official gazette of Japanese Patent Publication No. 02-042168. The surface of glass fibers having a thickness of 13 µm was treated with γ-methacryloxy-propyltrimethoxysilane. 1800 fibers were bundled to provide a yarn having no twisting, 80 pieces of the yarn were aligned in one direction with stretching by uniform tensile force, a resin was twined around the yarn and impregnated into the yarn while stroking with a hot roll to produce the prepreg. The prepreg thus produced contains 45 % of resin by volume and has a thickness of 0.23 mm. The prepreg thus produced is excellent in the close contact property between the fiber and the thermoplastic resin, in which the fiber content can be also changed from 30 to 90 % by weight depending on demands, and the thickness of 0.1 to 1.0 mm may be achieved for production. However, it is desirable to use in a range in which the glass content is 40 to 80 % by volume, and the thickness is 0.1 to 0.6 mm. If the volume content of the fiber is not more than 40 % by volume, the strength is low because the amount of fibers is small, while if it is not less than 80 % by volume, the amount of resin is small with respect to the fiber, the close contact property between the fiber and the resin lowers, and the strength decreases, which is not preferable. A sheet molding compound (SMC) in which unsaturated polyester was combined with glass fiber was produced as follows. To a resin solution containing 100 parts by weight of unsaturated polyester, Ester ML 1805 made by Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc. was added 1 part by weight of t-butylperoxybenzoate, 130 parts by weight of calcium carbonate, 2 parts by weight of zinc stearate and 1 part by weight of magnesium oxide. This was impregnated into glass fiber roving cut into 25 mm by means of an ordinary method using a sheet molding compound production machine. It was adjusted to have a glass fiber content of 30 % by weight, and aged for 24 hours in an atmosphere at 40°C. In Fig. 1 are shown constitutions of prepregs and SMC produced to use in Examples and Comparative Examples of the present invention. Symbol of prepreg Type of reinforced fiber Type of resin Fiber content volume % Sheet thickness mm A unidirectional glass fiber polypropylene 45 0.09 B unidirectional glass fiber polypropylene 48 0.22 C unidirectional glass fiber polystyrene 45 0.09 D unidirectional glass fiber polystyrene 48 0.23 SMC random orientation glass fiber unsaturated polyester 18 3.00 [Example 1] Using the prepreg A as having the fiber direction of 0 degree, two sets of laminated articles were prepared in which two layers were overlaid in such a manner that the first layer forms 0 degree and the second layer forms 90 degrees. The laminated article had a size of a square of 1000 mm. Nonwoven cloth made of tricot as a surface material, and polypropylene of expansion ratio of 30 having a thickness of 6 mm as a core material were prepared, having the same size as the laminated article. The two sets of prepregs were heated for 2 minutes in a furnace using far infrared radiation at 220°C as a heating source, and the polypropylene resin of the prepregs was melted. Next, as shown in Fig. 4, the surface material 13 made of tricot was inserted into molds heated to 60°C , then one heated set of the prepregs 11 was placed on the surface material 13 so as to allow the layer of 0 degree to contact with the surface material. The foamed article of 6 mm heated to 80°C as the core material 12 was immediately placed on the prepreg laminated article, then another set of the prepreg laminated articles was placed on the foamed article so as to allow the layer of 90 degrees to contact with the foamed article. The molds 15, 16 were closed, and pressed for 1 minute at a low pressure of 0.5 kg/cm 2 per surface area of molded article, and a ceiling panel was molded. The operation to introduce the materials into the molds was performed within 30 seconds in which the prepregs were in a melting state. The thickness and the weight of this panel were measured. Next, a plate having a length of 600 mm and a width of 400 mm was cut out from a central portion of this ceiling panel. It was supported using a span of 500 mm as shown in Fig. 12, and a load of 20 kg was applied to a central portion through one load carrying plate made of wood having a diameter of 160 mm, and the deflection amount at the plate central portion was measured. In addition, a strip-shaped test piece having a length of 200 mm and a width of 20 mm was cut out, and the thermal expansion coefficient was measured between 20 °C and 150°C. Measurement results are shown in Table 2. [Example 2] Using the prepreg C, a ceiling panel was produced in the same manner as Example 1 except that polystyrene having an expansion ratio of 30-fold was used, and the thickness, weight, deflection amount and thermal expansion coefficient were measured. Measurement results are shown in Table 2. [Example 3] Using the prepreg B, a sunshade shown in Fig. 9 was produced in the same manner as Example 1 except that polypropylene of 15-fold foaming having a thickness of 10 mm was used. A test plate was cut out in the same manner as Example 1, and the thickness, weight and deflection amount were measured. Measurement results are shown in Table 2. [Example 4] Using the prepreg D, a sunshade shown in Fig. 9 was produced in the same manner as Example 1 except that polystyrene of 15-fold foaming having a thickness of 10 mm was used. A test plate was cut out in the same manner as Example 1, and the thickness, weight and deflection amount were measured. Measurement results are shown in Table 2. [Comparative Example 1] A conventional type ceiling panel was produced as follows. To 100 parts by weight of fiber dust was added 30 parts by weight of a phenol resin. The resulting material was heated and pressed at 200 °C to obtain a plate material to which an epoxy type resin adhesive was applied and nonwoven cloth made of tricot was affixed as a surface material. A test plate was produced in the same manner as Example 1, and the thickness, weight, deflection amount and thermal expansion coefficient were measured. Measurement results are shown in Table 2. [Comparative Example 2] A conventional type ceiling material was produced as follows. An epoxy type resin adhesive was applied onto a corrugated board, and nonwoven cloth made of tricot was affixed as a surface material. A test plate was produced in the same manner as Example 1, and the thickness, weight, deflection amount and thermal expansion coefficient were measured. Measurement results are shown in Table 2. [Comparative Example 3] A conventional type ceiling material was produced as follows. A water emulsion type adhesive was applied onto a 30-fold foaming maleic acid modified polystyrene foamed article having a thickness of 10 mm, and nonwoven cloth made of tricot was affixed as a surface material. A test plate was produced in the same manner as Example 1, and the thickness, weight, deflection amount and thermal expansion coefficient were measured. Measurement results are shown in Table 2. [Comparative Example 4] A sunshade substrate was molded in such a manner that SMC was introduced into molds heated to 150 °C, and pressurized for 5 minutes under a pressure of 100 kg/cm 2 . A conventional type ceiling material was produced as follows. An epoxy type resin adhesive was applied onto the SMC substrate, and nonwoven cloth made of tricot was affixed as a surface material. A test plate was produced in the same manner as Example 1, and the thickness, weight and deflection amount were measured. Measurement results are shown in Table 2. Thickness mm Weight kg/cm 2 Deflection amount mm Linear expansion coefficient 10 -6 /degree Example 1 5 630 10 5 Example 2 5 640 8 5 Example 3 9 1250 5 ― Example 4 9 1280 3.5 ― Comparative Example 1 5 2000 15 10 Comparative Example 2 5 1200 30 3 Comparative Example 3 9 450 50 30 Comparative Example 4 5 2700 8 ―

Claims: A ceiling panel (10) for vehicles, said ceiling panel comprising: a core material (12) composed of a resin foamed article; a protective layer (11) comprising a thermoplastic resin blended with fibers; said protective layer (11) being provided on at least one surface of the core material (12); and a thin sheet-shaped surface material (13) provided on the surface of the protective layer (11); characterised in that said fibers in said protective layer (11) are present in a range of not less than 40% and not more than 80% in volume content; and in that said protective layer (11) comprises at least one layer of thermoplastic resin in which said fibers are aligned in one direction. A ceiling panel according to claim 1 wherein said protective layer (11) is a composite including a first layer in which the fibers are arranged in the lateral width direction and a second layer in which the fibers are arranged in the longitudinal direction. A ceiling panel for vehicles according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the protective layers (41,42) are provided on both front and back faces of the core material (43), and the surface materials (44,45) are provided on the surfaces of each of the protective layers. A ceiling panel for vehicles according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the protective layers (11) are provided on both front and back faces of the core material (12), and the surface material (13) is provided on the surface of one protective layer (11) only. A ceiling panel for vehicles according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the protective layer (11) is provided on only one face of the core material (12), and the surface material (13) is provided on said one face of the protective layer. A ceiling panel for vehicles according to claim 1 or 2 wherein it is a ceiling panel for interior decoration. A ceiling panel for vehicles according to claim 1 or 2 wherein it is a sunshade. A ceiling panel for vehicles according to claim 1 or 2 wherein both of the thermoplastic resins for forming the core material and the or each protective layer provided at the front and/or the back are polypropylene type resin. A ceiling panel for vehicles according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the core material has an expansion ratio of not less than 5-fold and not more than 60-fold. A ceiling panel for vehicles according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the fibers blended into the protective layers are glass fibers. A ceiling panel for vehicles according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the protective layers are prepregs. A ceiling panel (10) for vehicles according to claim 1 wherein the surface material is a sheet comprising a polypropylene type resin. A ceiling panel (10) for vehicles according to claim 1 wherein the surface of the surface material has been subjected to emboss processing. A process of producing ceiling panels (10) for vehicles according to any preceding claim which comprises the steps of: heating a material sheet of a protective layer (11) comprising a thermoplastic resin blended with fibers which are aligned in one direction, and are in a range of not less than 40 % and not more than 80 % in volume content, said heating being to not less than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic resin; overlaying said material sheet (11) being overlaid with a core material sheet (12) composed of a resin foamed article; there being a surface material (13) being on the surface of the protective layer; and pressing and shaping said protective layer (11), said core material sheet (12), and said surface material (13) which have been overlaid using a molding mold (15, 16).

Inventors: KISHI SATORU, MORITA KATSUYUKI, MOTAI KOJIRO, SAKAI HIDEO, TANABE HIROSHI, KISHI, SATORU, MORITA, KATSUYUKI, MOTAI, KOJIRO, SAKAI, HIDEO, TANABE, HIROSHI
Applicants: MITSUI CHEMICALS INC, MITSUI CHEMICALS, INC.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B60R13
IPC codes: B60R13, B32B27, B29C51