Abstract:
A trim component is provided herein, the trim component having: a first extruded TPO layer having a first show surface and a second backing surface; a second extruded TPO layer applied to the second backing surface of the first extruded TPO layer after the first extruded TPO layer is formed by an extrusion process, wherein a portion of the second extruded TPO layer is visible at the first show surface through a pattern cut in the first extruded TPO layer.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Applications 61/540,269 filed Sep. 28, 2011 and 61/540,846 filed Sep. 29, 2011, the contents each of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    This invention relates to an interior structure for a vehicle interior. More particularly, the invention relates to an interior trim component. 
         [0003]    Currently, an interior show surface of a vehicle component is formed from a material (e.g., leather, vinyl, thermoplastic olefin (TPO), cloth, etc.) that is cut or formed in a pattern and secured to a component such as a seat cushion, head rest, arm rest, console lid, instrument panel substrate, etc. 
         [0004]    Recently, automotive manufactures have shown an interest in applying more detail to interior vehicle surfaces over a wider range of price classes. To make a decorative interior trim piece, there are several process options. One of them being cut, sew, and wrap. This process involves cutting material by hand, sewing pieces together, and wrapping the part. This can be cumbersome and involves a significant amount of manual labor. Insert molding a decorative piece of material onto a part involves a few different process steps. In order to bond material to a part, adhesive is required. Bonding “unlike” materials can be problematic. Painting a decorative design on a part involves an extra step and also has potential issues in bonding to the material 
         [0005]    Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved interior component surface and method of making the same with additional decorative features. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In one embodiment, a trim component is provided herein, the trim component having: a first extruded TPO layer having a first show surface and a second backing surface; a second extruded TPO layer applied to the second backing surface of the first extruded TPO layer after the first extruded TPO layer is formed by an extrusion process, wherein a portion of the second extruded TPO layer is visible at the first show surface through a pattern cut in the first extruded TPO layer. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, a method for forming a trim component is provided, the method including the steps of: extruding a first extruded TPO layer having a first show surface and a second backing surface; cutting a pattern in the first TPO layer; extruding a second TPO layer; applying the second TPO layer the second backing surface of the first TPO layer, wherein a portion of the second extruded TPO layer is visible at the first show surface through the pattern cut in the first extruded TPO layer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Other features, advantages and details appear, by way of example only, in the following description of embodiments, the description referring to the drawings in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates apparatus and method for forming an extruded TPO sheet in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the extruded TPO sheet formed in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates apparatus and method for cutting a pattern into the extruded TPO sheet; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the TPO sheet formed in  FIG. 3  containing a cutout pattern; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  illustrates apparatus and method for forming and adding a second extruded TPO sheet to the first extruded sheet in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the multi-layer TPO sheet formed in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  illustrates a multi-color trim component formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is an exploded cross-sectional view of the component illustrated in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  illustrates an illuminated multi-color trim component formed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is an exploded cross-sectional view of the component illustrated in  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    In one embodiment, the invention described herein relates to an apparatus and method for producing an extruded thermoplastic olefin (TPO) sheet with a multicolor pattern design and grain implemented on-line onto one sheet. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments are directed to multicolor extruded TPO sheets. Various embodiments of the present invention can be used on decorative trim parts for example, automotive interior inserts, boating trim, etc. 
         [0020]    Referring now to the FIGS. and in particular  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a first step involves extruding a first thin sheet  10  of TPO at a desired color with a desired grain is provided. During this first step, a plurality of pellets  12  are loaded into a hopper  14  and plasticated in an extruder  16  in accordance with known technologies. The molten polymer then exits an extrusion die  18  and passes through a series of rollers  20  which spread the polymer to a desired thickness as well as impart a grain on the top surface, as desired. The resulting extruded sheet  10  is then cooled and coiled into a roll  22  for further processing. Extruded sheet  10  will have a first show surface and a second backing surface. 
         [0021]    In a next step a die press  24  is used to cut or blank a pattern  26  (shown as “Inteva”) into the first extruded sheet  10  produced in first step to produce a pattern sheet  30  (e.g., extruded sheet  10  with pattern  26 ). In one embodiment, the pattern  26  is formed using, a steel rule die, a gerber cutter, a clicker die, or laser etc. The pattern being visually perceivable on the first show surface. As shown, the extruded sheet  10  is fed from the roll  22  through the die press  24  wherein a steel rule die  28  blanks the pattern  26  into the sheet upon press closure at periodic intervals by moving downwardly in the direction of arrow  27  and back as the sheet roll  22  is being fed through the press  24 . Of course, alternative methods for forming the pattern are considered to be within exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0022]    In a third or final step, the pattern sheet  30  is then fed into an extrusion line and added as a top sheet  32  to another material or a back layer  34  being currently extruded in a similar fashion to the first sheet to form a produced TPO sheet  38 . In accordance with one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the extruded back layer  34  is typically a different color than the first extruded sheet  10  and is applied to the second backing surface of the first extruded sheet  10 . In addition, the extruded backlayer  34  can have a different grain or one similar to that of the first extruded sheet  10 , which is formed by grain rollers  20 . In addition, the produced TPO sheet  38  can be at any desired thickness with or without a foam backing  40 , which is shown as being applied during the third or final step when the second layer of material  34  is being extruded. It is contemplated that the foam backing  40  provides a cushioning support material and may be of any number of different constructions such as cross linked polypropylene (XLPP) or any other material capable of being applied via a roll or in a sheet or any other process. Furthermore, and in order to vary the thickness of the produced TPO sheet the thickness of the backing layer  34  can also be varied. 
         [0023]      FIG. 6  illustrates the back layer  34  being extruded and fed into grain rollers  20  while the top layer roll material  30  from steps  1  and  2  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is fed between the rollers concurrently from the top. Also, the foam layer  40  is fed concurrently between the grain roller  20  from bottom. Thereafter, all three layers laminated together upon exiting the grain rollers  20  and the back layer material  34  presents itself or is visually perceived at cutout areas of top layer  20  that form the pattern  26 . Still further the backing layer  34  can be received into the pattern  26  such that it is flush with the show surface. Alternatively, the backing layer can be positioned behind the openings of pattern  26  or any combinations of the aforementioned processes are contemplated. 
         [0024]    The finished product results in a TPO sheet that is capable of being multicolored as well as multi-grained (e.g., a different grain on the first extruded sheet  10  versus extruded sheet  34 ) along with a designed pattern  26  implemented onto the sheet  10 . Accordingly, an all-in-one sheet design is provided wherein extra processing steps are eliminated. These extra processes that are eliminated include, but are not limited to, insert molding, adhesive bonding, cut/sew/wrap, etc. 
         [0025]    In another alternative embodiment, it is possible that the backside layer  34  can be extruded in multiple colors, depending on the product requirements. For example, multiple backside layer colors can be accomplished by adding independent extruders and corresponding extrusion dies for each of the colors to be fed in parallel to the roll stack entrance and proximate to the desired location with respect to the pattern  26 . 
         [0026]    Alternatively, the backside layer  34  can be extruded in multiple colors using one split die receiving the melt from multiple independent extruders. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate one non-limiting example of a produced TPO sheet  38  wherein the patterns  26  are clearly visible due to the incorporation of the second extruded back layer  34 . In addition, the produced TPO sheet  38  can also be configured to have a substrate layer  44 , which can be separately formed from a plastic injection molding process or any other equivalent method. Substrate layer  44  can be constructed out of any dimensionally stable plastic or other suitable material located below the foam backing layer  40 . 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , it is also possible to illuminate the patterned feature  26  of the produced TPO sheet  38 . As shown in  FIG. 10  a source of illumination  46  (e.g., light bulb, LED or other source of light) can be placed behind the pattern to provide an illumination effect. The light source can be directed through the topsheet, backlayer, foam layer, and substrate as shown in  FIG. 10  or a cutout  48  can be produced in the substrate to allow light to pass only through the top extruded sheet  10 , the back layer  34  foam layer  40  to provide greater illumination. If necessary, foam layer  40  may also be cutout to allow the source of illumination  46  to directly illuminate back layer  34 . Still further and in addition to or in conjunction with the aforementioned configuration, the substrate  44  and the foam layer  40  as well as back layer  34  (if necessary) can be formed from a translucent material to provide the required effect when illuminated so that pattern  26  is illuminated. 
         [0029]    Various embodiments of the present invention eliminate extra steps by placing the decorative design directly into the material before the part is made or formed. Still further, the processes disclosed herein allows the TPO skin to be recycled easily due to the fact that the material is all the same. There is no combination of various materials involved. This is in contrast to other process options, wherein the ability to reuse or recycle the material is difficult and not cost effective. 
         [0030]    While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the present application.