Construction unit for trays and similar items

Abstract: A unit to make trays or similar items, for instance, used in the automobile industry, which are produced based on two fibre mats bonded by independent resins. Each of the mats is moulded independently so that one of its two sides adjusts to the shape of the final tray. These two mats (1,1'), once covered with moquette on their outer sides, are placed in a press, connected by their inner sides, the bonding of the unit is carried out and any excess material is removed. This system enables greater strength and rigidity to be given to the final tray, while at the same time it can make the unit more economical to produce.

Description: This invention relates to a construction unit for trays or similar items, which can be applied, among other fields, to the automobile industry in order to produce rear trays for vehicles, for example, all without discarding several other uses, which will be described later. In the usual known techniques, these trays are produced starting from a mat, which is subdivided into another two mats, between which a set of metal inserts are introduced, so that the units joined in this way can be moulded under pressure and heat. Following this, the casing is placed on a press and a coating is situated on the two sides of the tray by means of an adhesive process. Finally, any surplus material is cut away from the textile or the casing, and the tray is then packed. The most frequent disadvantages of this kind of procedure in producing the type of trays described lie in the fact that as the two sides of the tray are equal and correspond to each other, as well as having the metal insert, they become to heavy, with limited rigidity and also limited performance as regards the desired acoustic attenuation of these units. Also known through GB-A- 551,733 is a method of obtaining a structural material based on two leaves or sheets, each of which is moulded forming a number of open cavities in one of its surfaces. The two leaves are joined together by the edges of these cavities, using adhesive, so as to form sealed air cells, evenly distributed and with corresponding geometry. This structural material does not anticipate covering of its exterior surfaces with moquette and, moreover, these two surfaces have identical exterior surfaces to each other. The internal cells created by this technique are foreseen exclusively to receive air in their interior and do not contemplate the inclusion of auxiliary functional items. The object of this invention is a procedure for producing trays that provides units totally free of metal inserts and with a considerably reduced weight. Another object of the invention is a procedure for manufcturing trays that achieves a greater acoustic attenuation of these units, while preventing heat transmissions. Another object of the invention is a procedure for manufacturing trays that carries out the dressing and the trimming of excess material in the same operation. Another object of the invention is a tray that is provided with hollow internal areas or gaps that make the trays more rigid. Another object of the invention is to provide rear trays for automobiles that are substantially lighter than conventional ones and that enable different auxiliary items, such as loudspeakers, sunblinds, etc. to the fitted. In order to implement these objectives, the invention claims a procedure that starts with two mats, which in turn can be subdivided into several. Each of these two mats is moulded independently of the other, so that one of the mats takes the shape of the upper part of the tray, whereas the other mat takes the lower shape of the tray, so that in these two moulding operations, where the necessary rigidity is obtained, the casingsare also cut to the measurements desired. Following this, the two moulded parts and the two outer coating layers are placed in a press in order to coat the part, which is based, obviously, on one coating on the visible side of the upper part and another coating on the non-visible side of the lower part. The pressing together takes place and the excess material from the moquette coating fibre is cut off in the press itself. Given that the upper and lower shapes or geometries of the tray are different, the joining and consolidation of its two constituent parts creates intermediate hollows or gaps caused by the lack of correspondence between the two shapes. Obviously, both portions have areas that are stuck together, through which the final consolidation of the tray is carried out. All these and other details of the invention will be understood with greater clarity with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which the following are represented, for guidance purposes only: Figure 1 is a plan view of a tray for automobiles, in accordance with the invention. Figure 2 is a vertical cross section of the tray, showing its upper and lower sides in diagram form. Looking now at Figure 1, we can observe a tray with its upper side (1) provided with several recesses and projections, as well as reinforcing ribs (2, 3, 4) that provide the appropriate shape. The positions (5, 6) represent the vertical and horizontal cross sections, respectively, of the tray. On this upper side (1), as on the lower side, which is not shown here, the tray is produced based on a separately moulded mat with the specific shape of the upper part of the tray and also cut to the exact size. Later, as mentioned previously, once that the two component parts of the tray have been produced, the moquette coatings are placed over the outer sides and all this is housed in a press which apart from carrying out and bonding the assembly, also cuts off any surplus moquette. According to Figure 2, we can appreciate a cross section of the tray, showing the upper side (1) and the lower side (1'). It can be seen that there are portions (A) where the sides are joined together and other portions (C) by way of reinforcing ribs, as well as gaps that provide empty spaces or recesses that can be used for different purposes, as mentioned previously. The different exterior geometry of the two bodies (1, 1') can be observed here, in order to procure two different external surfaces, once the two bodies have been cut during moulding to their exact size and the excess of moquette and adhesive material has been eliminated during the pressing process. Obviously, the moquette that coves the exterior surfaces of both bodies (1, 1') has not been represented in this Figure 2. Moreover, it must also be made clear that different materials can be used in the production process for the trays, such as, for example, the following: a) Assemblies of textile fibres with resins epoxi, phenolic, polyester,... b) Assemblies of wood fibres with resins. c) Assemblies of natural fibres, for instance, linen, jute, ... and mixtures of these with resins. d) Assemblies of synthetic polypropylene, polyester fibres and resins. e) Assemblies of all the materials indicated in the sections above that can be moulded and that produce a rigid casing. f) Any injected plastic or injected polyurethane material that can be joined together with two sides, providing empty spaces between them in such a way that greater rigidity of the final layer is obtained.

Claims: Procedure for producing trays and similar items, based on porous mats of different materials impregnated with resins, moulded with the final shapes and thicknesses of the unit to be achieved and then covered with adhesive moquette on both outer sides and finally subjected to pressing for its final joining together by the activation of the adhesive, which is characterized by the following steps: moulding one of the said mats, obtaining rigidity by curing or setting, so that it provides an exterior side that it is adapted to one of the exterior sides (1) of the tray to be produced, while at the same time being cut to the exact size, moulding and cutting the other mat in the same way, so that it provides an exterior side that it is adapted to the other exterior side (1') of the tray to be produced, coating the exterior sides of the mats, with adhesive moquette, joining together the two rigid casings, with the moquette coating already fitted, by the sides without moquette, and applying adhesive in the common connection areas, subjecting the assembly to the action of a press, which is responsible for securing both together, by joining together the said assembly and at the same time removing the surplus outer moquette. Procedure for producing trays and similar items, in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the fibres of the two mats are textile fibres bonded together with epoxy, phenolic and polyester resins. Procedure for producing trays and similar items, in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the fibres of the two mats are wooden fibres bonded together with resins. Procedure for producing trays and similar items, in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the fibres of the two mats are natural and/or synthetic fibres bonded together with resins. Procedure for producing trays and similar items, in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the two mats are made of injected plastic material.

Inventors: MORALES GALLO FRANCISCO, QUILES DIAZ RAFAEL, SOTO LOSADA PABLO, MORALES GALLO, FRANCISCO, QUILES DIAZ, RAFAEL, SOTO LOSADA, PABLO
Applicants: ANTOLIN GRUPO ING SA, GRUPO ANTOLIN-INGENIERIA, S.A.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B29D24
IPC codes: B29C65, B29D24