Patent Publication Number: US-2005140157-A1

Title: Center console assembly having integrated soft-touch aesthetic feature and method of manufacturing same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates, generally, to a center console assembly for automotive vehicle interiors. More specifically, the present invention relates to a center console assembly having an integrated soft-touch feature and method of manufacturing same.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Interior trim components for automobiles commonly include a center console assembly disposed between the seats. Typically, a center console assembly includes a cover or lid that provide access to an internal compartment within the center console assembly where passengers may stow objects such as coins, maps, sunglasses, compact discs, etc. The cover or lid is most often a padded or “soft-touch” component of the center console. The soft-touch areas of the center console assembly often serve as an armrest for seat occupants.  
      The soft-touch area of a center console assembly includes components manufactured independent from the center console per se and subsequently assembled thereto. Traditionally, these components include a plurality of pre-formed components such as a rigid substrate, foam intermediate layer and coverstock among others. The rigid substrate is often constructed from a polymer and manufactured via an injection molding process. In this case, a mold cavity must be tooled to conform to the predetermined dimensions of the soft-touch area. The intermediate layer is typically a pre-formed flexible-foam or elastomeric pad of varying thickness. The intermediate layer may be purchased in sheet form and subsequently trimmed to correspond to the shape of the rigid substrate. While neither of these pre-formed components is visible from the vehicle interior, they still require assembly, manufacture, and handling separate from actually assembling the soft-touch area, resulting in a significant cost factor associated with this effort.  
      The top surface of the soft-touch area is commonly referred to as, “coverstock” which includes a “class-A” surface that is visible from the vehicle interior when installed and a “class-B” surface that contacts the foam intermediate layer. The coverstock may be constructed from any number of materials to provide a durable yet aesthetic surface layer for the soft-touch area. By way of example, coverstock materials such as leather, cloth, or high-grade polymers, which often impart a textured class-A surface simulating the grain of leather, may be employed to cover the soft-touch area. Because the coverstock must be durable and provide an aesthetically pleasing class-A surface, the coverstock is often the most costly component of the center console when compared to the rigid substrate and foam intermediate layer. Further, the coverstock requires secondary handling to trim the material to correspond to the predetermined shape of the soft-touch area.  
      In addition to the cost associated with manufacturing the pre-formed components of the soft-touch area of a center console, there are additional cost factors associated with assembling these pre-formed components. More specifically, the lid often requires extensive labor to stretch the coverstock, sew and/or glue the components together. The additional handling and assembly efforts required to assemble a center console lid having a soft-touch area may also give rise to defective or substandard assembly, resulting from improper fitting of the three components or misalignment during the sewing and/or gluing process. In any event, the secondary handling and assembly as well as the production of substandard products result in increased costs to produce the a center console assembly with a soft-touch area.  
      There are several different known processes that may be employed to manufacture a center console assembly having an integrated soft-touch aesthetic feature such as a center console lid and/or armrest. By way of example, processes involving low pressure molding, structural reaction injection molding, and vacuum forming have all been employed to reduces the costs associated with assembling the substrate, intermediate foam layer and coverstock to produce a center console assembly having an integrated soft-touch aesthetic feature. These processes involve securing the coverstock to the substrate and subsequently placing a foam intermediate layer therebetween.  
      However, each of the above-identified processes require assembly of the coverstock, intermediate layer, and substrate which also requires additional, secondary handling. More importantly, each of the above-identified processes employ a coverstock which is associated with the higher part cost, and increased assembly and secondary handling to manufacture a center console having a lid or an armrest with an integrated soft-touch aesthetic feature. Furthermore, each of the above-identified processes may result in the production of a center console having and irregular/misshapen soft-touch area.  
      While the center consoles having an integrated soft-touch area of the type known in the related art have generally worked for their intended purposes, there remains a need in the related art to reduce the number of steps required to manufacture a vehicle center console assembly incorporating a soft-touch area. Further, there remains a need in the art to reduce the costs associated with manufacturing a vehicle center console assembly incorporating a soft-touch area. In addition, there remains a need for a vehicle center console assembly that includes an integrated soft-touch area having improved quality. Finally, there remains a need in the art for a vehicle center console assembly that provides a consistent, desirable, class-A surface that is aesthetically pleasing.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention overcomes the disadvantages in the related art in center consoles for vehicles and generally fulfills a need in the art for a method of manufacturing a component of a center console assembly having an integrated soft-touch area for improved aesthetic and ergonomic center console quality. To this end, the method of the present invention includes actuating a core within a mold cavity so as to partition at least one area of the mold cavity to prevent a first molten thermoplastic material from completely filling the mold cavity. A first molten thermoplastic material having a predetermined density is then injected into a mold cavity so as to fill the mold cavity thereby forming a structural element. The core is then retracted from within the mold cavity to provide at least one secondary void within the mold cavity. A second molten thermoplastic material having a density less than the predetermined density of the first molten thermoplastic material is then injected into the secondary void of the mold cavity to form at least one soft-touch area bonded to and adjacent at least a portion of the structural element.  
      Accordingly, one advantage of the present invention is that it provides an integrated soft-touch area on a structural component of the center console where the component is formed in a mold to reduce the steps necessary to manufacture the vehicle center console assembly.  
      Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides an integrated soft-touch area during manufacture of the center console assembly that eliminates quality issues relating to positive alignment during later assembly of a soft-touch area.  
      Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a monolithic soft-touch area to reduce cushion variation within the soft-touch area for improved aesthetic quality of the vehicle interior.  
      Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an environmental view of a partial interior of a vehicle including a center console assembly having an integrated soft-touch aesthetic feature of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a component of a center console having an integrated soft-touch aesthetic feature of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3A  is a perspective view illustrating the molding process employed to manufacture a center console assembly having an integrated soft-touch feature of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of the mold with the center console assembly receiving an integrated soft-touch feature of the present invention shown in phantom; and  
       FIG. 3C  is a perspective view of the mold and center console assembly having an integrated soft-touch feature of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      A vehicle interior that employs the center console assembly of the present invention is generally indicated at  10  in  FIG. 1 , where like numbers are used to designate like structure throughout the figures. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the interior  10  of a vehicle, generally indicated at  12 , is defined by a plurality of trim components, namely a door trim panel  14 , door pillar  16 , and a dashboard  18  to provide ergonomic and/or aesthetic features to the interior  10  of a vehicle  12 . By way of example, the door trim panel  14  includes a bolster  20  and an armrest  22  to provide comfort to a vehicle occupant while the dashboard  18  includes an instrument panel  24  and on-board display  26  to provide vehicle information to the vehicle occupant. The dashboard  18  further includes other features such as a storage deck  28  and a vent  30  for the vehicle&#39;s heating ventilation and air conditioning system. The vehicle interior  10  is further defined by a steering wheel  32  adjacent the instrument panel  24 , a vehicle floor  34  and plurality of seats, generally indicated at  36  and  38  mounted to the vehicle floor  34 .  FIG. 1  includes a passenger seat  38  having a seat bottom  40 , seat back  42  and headrest  44 , while the driver seat  36  is shown in cut-away form to further reveal a center console assembly of the present invention generally indicated at  48 . However, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the driver seat  36  includes features similar to that of the passenger seat  38 . Further, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the interior  10  of a vehicle  12  may be further defined by rear seats, rear doors, etc. as dictated by the style of a vehicle, as is commonly known in the art.  
      As noted above, the center console assembly  48  is shown for use within the interior  10  of a vehicle  12 . Specifically, the center console assembly  48  is mounted to a vehicle floor  34  and disposed between the driver and passenger seats  36 ,  38 . While the center console assembly  48  of the present invention is shown mounted between the seats  36 ,  38 , those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that it may be employed anywhere within a vehicle interior  10  where a center console assembly  48  is desired. By way of example, the present invention may be employed in the rearward interior  10  of a vehicle  12  such as a van or employed as a foldable center console in connection with a bench-style seat. Further, the center console assembly  48  is shown in  FIG. 1  having an elongated form and including a gearshift handle  50  extending therefrom. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the center console assembly  48  of the present invention may include any form that corresponds to the interior styling of a vehicle  12  and may or may not be adapted to accommodate components within the interior  10  of a vehicle  12  such as a gearshift handle  48 , cup holder, ashtray, etc. By way of example the center console assembly  48  may be employed in connection with a bench-style seat and includes a more compact and box-like form.  
      As illustrated in the figures, the center console assembly  48  includes a plurality of structural elements, generally indicated at  49 . For example, the center console assembly  48  includes a housing generally indicated at  52 , and a lid, generally indicated at  54 , that is hingedly supported relative to the housing  52 . The housing  52  is defined by a plurality of sidewalls  56 ,  58 ,  60 ,  62 ,  64  having a predetermined shape that corresponds to the designated style and area of a particular vehicle interior location that is adapted to receive a center console assembly  48 . Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the sidewalls  56 ,  58 ,  60 ,  62 ,  64  may include any predetermined shape to compliment the aesthetic features within the interior  10  of a vehicle  12 . By way of example, the sidewall  58  shown in  FIG. 1  includes beveled edges  66 ,  68  and a predetermined contour that corresponds to the transition between the seat back and seat bottom of the driver and passenger seats  36 ,  38  for improved aesthetic and ergonomic quality of the interior  10  of a vehicle  12 .  
      The sidewalls  56 ,  58 ,  60 ,  62 ,  64  also cooperate to define an interior compartment, shown in phantom at  70 , within the housing component  52  of the center console assembly  48  as generally known in the related art. The interior compartment  70  provides an area in which various articles such as maps, compact discs, and other articles may be stowed. Further, the interior compartment  70  may include molded areas adapted to retain specific articles such as sunglasses or coins and may also include a removable bin for portable storage of the stowed articles and otherwise improve the aesthetic and ergonomic quality of the interior of a vehicle. The sidewalls  56 ,  58 ,  60 ,  62 ,  64  further include at least a portion that is visible from the interior  10  of a vehicle  12  and presents a class-A surface  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80 . The class-A surface  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80  may include a texture or grain to further improve the aesthetic quality of the vehicle interior  10 .  
      Further, the housing component  52  and the lid  54  may also include a soft-touch area, generally indicated at  82 , bonded to and formed adjacent at least a portion of an underlying structural element  49 . A generic representation of a soft-touch area  82  bonded to and formed adjacent at least a portion of the structural element  49  is shown in  FIG. 2 . Specifically, the soft-touch area  82  is bonded to and formed adjacent the structural element  49  of either the sidewall  56 ,  58 ,  60 ,  62 ,  64  or the lid  54  while the housing component  52  or lid  54  is at least partially formed in a mold, generally indicated at  84  having a mold cavity  86  to reduce the costs associated with manufacturing a component  52 ,  54  of the center console assembly. The soft-touch area  82  of the center console assembly  48  includes a class-A surface  88  that not only eliminates the need for a coverstock material, but also eliminates the need for an intermediate layer as well, thereby reducing the likelihood of deformation or an otherwise irregular cushion-like feel as a result of a substandard intermediate layer and thereby improve the aesthetic quality of the vehicle interior  10 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , a soft-touch area  82  is bonded to at least one sidewall  60  disposed adjacent the gearshift handle  50  as well as on the lid  54  of the console  48 . However, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the soft-touch area  82  may be employed anywhere along the sidewalls  56 ,  58 ,  60 ,  62 ,  64  so as to be visible from the interior of a vehicle  12  and may present any color or pattern. Further, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the soft-touch area  82  of the lid component  54  as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  3 C may also serve as an armrest to not only improve the aesthetic quality of the vehicle interior  10 , but the ergonomic quality as well.  
      As noted above, housing and lid components  52 ,  54  of the center console assembly  48  of the present invention are formed via an injection molding process. The components  52 ,  54  of the center console assembly  48  having the soft-touch area  82  are formed via a two-shot injection mold system. In this way, the structural elements  49  of the components  52 ,  54  are essentially co-molded with the soft forming elements of the soft-touch area  82 . The method of the present invention includes the steps of injecting a first molten thermoplastic material having a predetermined density into a mold cavity having an actuated core. When actuated, the core partitions a portion of the mold cavity so as to prevent the first thermoplastic material from completely filling the mold cavity. The first thermoplastic material may include any rigid forming material suitable for use in an injection mold. By way of example the material employed may include nylon, polypropylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or thermoplastic olefin (TPO) or other rigid forming material.  
      The first molten thermoplastic material forms a structural element  49  in the mold cavity, defining a component  52 ,  54  of the center console assembly  48 . This structural element  49  may correspond either to the housing component  52  or the lid component  54 . In either event, upon the lapse of a predetermined amount of time that is specific to the material and mold process conditions, the core is retracted to define a secondary void within the mold cavity. A second molten thermoplastic material is then injected into the secondary void of the mold cavity while the structural element remains tacky. The second molten thermoplastic material includes a density less than that of the first molten thermoplastic material and is bonded to the structural element within the mold cavity. Thus, the second molten thermoplastic material has a softer, more tactile and comfortable feel once it has solidified and cooled than that of the first molten thermoplastic material. Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any material adapted for use in an injection mold that provides the desired soft-touch feel may be employed. Specifically, the second thermoplastic material imparts a soft-touch area  82  that is bonded to and adjacent at least a portion of the structural element  49 . Where the structural element  49  is the lid component  54 , the soft-touch area  82  may substantially cover one surface as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Generally speaking, the manner in which the structural element  49  receives the soft-touch area  82  streamlines the manufacturing of a center console assembly  48  by eliminating the need for a coverstock and intermediate cushion layer, as well as other secondary handling processes.  
      Another method employing the two shot injection mold system to manufacture a component of the center console assembly  48  is illustrated in  FIGS. 3A-3C . This method involves providing a mold  84  having a first and second die halves  88 ,  90  and a core, generally indicated at  92 , moveably supported relative to the die halves  88 ,  90 , while maintaining the same co-molded methodology as above-identified. The core  92  is disposed between the first and second die halves  88 ,  90  to define a first and second mold cavity  86 ,  94 . A first molten thermoplastic material having a predetermined density is injected into the first mold cavity  86 , thereby forming a structural element  49 . Again, the structural element  49  formed in the first mold cavity  86  may define either the housing component  52  or the lid component  54  and the first molten thermoplastic material includes the same considerations as defined above.  
      Following a predetermined lapse of time to permit the structural element  49  to partially cure within the first mold cavity  86 , the core  92  is moved relative to the first and second die halves  88 ,  90  to define a second mold cavity  94 . In the preferred embodiment illustrated here, the core is moved in a rotating manner to form the second mold cavity  94  and a second molten thermoplastic material, having a density less that the predetermined density of the first thermoplastic material, is injected into the second mold cavity  94  from a source (S). As noted above, the second molten thermoplastic material has a softer, more tactile and comfortable feel once it has solidified and cooled than that of the first molten thermoplastic material. The second injected molten thermoplastic material forms at least one soft-touch area  82  bonded to and adjacent at least a portion of the structural element  49  of the formed component.  
      As illustrated in  FIGS. 3A-3C , the core  92  includes a first surface  94  and a second surface  96  opposite the first surface  94 . The first and second surfaces  94 ,  96  of the core  92  are the virtually identical to provide efficient manufacture of center console components  52 ,  54 . Specifically, while the second molten thermoplastic material is injected into the second mold cavity  94 , the opposed core surface receives the injection of a first molten thermoplastic material in the first mold cavity  86 . However, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the core  92  need not include two surfaces to employ the above-described method.  
      The center console assembly  48  of the present invention reduces the steps necessary to manufacture a vehicle center console assembly  48  having a soft-touch area  82  by eliminating the need for a coverstock. Further, the center console assembly  48  of the present invention bonds the soft-touch area  82  to the center console component while in a mold cavity to eliminate quality issues relating to positive alignment during later assembly of a soft-touch area  82 . Still further, the soft-touch area  82  is injected onto the center console component to provide a uniform feel, thereby reducing cushion variation within the soft-touch area  82  and eliminates the need for an intermediate foam layer to impart a soft-touch area  82 .  
      The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology that has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.