Abstract:
A molded product has a main body formed of a monolithic sheet of thermoplastic. The thermoplastic sheet has side and back sections extending horizontally at substantially right angles to one another and define an upright orientation of the molded product. The side and back sections are connected to a central vertical spine between the side and back sections. An intermediate angled section interrupts the vertical spine and located between the side and back sections. Front and rear major surfaces cover the main body. A plurality of apertures through the intermediate angled section connecting the front and rear major surfaces and serve as an integral speaker grill.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to molded interior panels for vehicle passenger cabins and more particularly relates to a monolithic panel and speaker grill cover for cabin pillars. 
     2. Description of the Problem 
     Vehicle interior panels have been conventionally formed from composite molded products, in which skin and base members are molded integrally, or from monolithic thermoplastic materials, which can be given a textured surface of pleasing appearance. Vehicle cabin comfort and ambiance has been further enhanced by providing advanced sound systems using speakers of differing frequency response characteristics distributed around the cabin. Conventionally, the speakers are located behind the panels, and the panels have been adapted to accommodate the speakers by forming openings for the speakers, and then covering the speakers with a separate grill. Forming grills and panels separately poses problems in color matching and in assuring a good fit between the different components. It also requires separate molds for the panel and the grill. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention there is provided a molded product having a main body formed of a monolithic sheet of thermoplastic. The thermoplastic sheet has side and back sections extending horizontally at substantially right angles to one another and define an upright orientation of the molded product. The side and back sections are connected to a central vertical spine between the side and back sections. An intermediate angled section interrupts the vertical spine and is located between the side and back sections. Front and rear major surfaces cover the main body. A plurality of apertures through the intermediate angled section connecting the front and rear major surfaces and serve as an integral speaker grill. 
     Additional effects, features and advantages will be apparent in the written description that follows. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a truck including an operator cab in partial cutaway to show details of the cab interior; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rear wall of the operator cab illustrating positioning of a monolithic panel and of a speaker along the “B” pillars of the cab; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the interior face of the monolithic panel of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is an elevation of the rear subsurface of the monolithic panel; 
     FIG. 5 is an elevation of the side subsurface of the monolithic panel; and 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along section line  6  in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a truck  10  includes a cab  40 , disposed on a chassis  12 . Cab  40  forms an enclosure defining an operator&#39;s compartment  42 . Compartment  42  includes a driver&#39;s seat  44 , a steering wheel  46  and an instrument panel  48 , which may include components and controls for a vehicle stereo system. Cab  40  is provided with a windshield  50 , a left side access door  52  and a right side access door  54 . 
     The details of the construction of cab  40  may vary, but will include sidewalls including a front wall  60 , parallel sidewalls  62  and  64  and a rear wall  66 . Rear wall  66  is broken by a large backlight  69 . Cab  40  may be constructed conventionally from steel framing elements and inner and outer sheet metal, fiberglass or reinforced plastic skin elements. Inner panels such as a monolithic corner panel element  14  are used to line the interior of operator&#39;s compartment  42 . These panels can provide sound and thermal insulation, cover sharp or protruding objects, and in general provide occupants of compartment  42  with a more relaxing setting than bare metal walls would. Monolithic corner panel element  14  has an inward facing surface contoured to fit into a corner of compartment  42  an includes an area located over a speaker which is pierced by a plurality of speaker holes  16  to allow sound to pass unfettered from the speaker. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rear cab section  18  of cab  40 , illustrating a monolithic corner panel  14  nestled into a corner area defined within rear cab section  18  by metal framing and sheet metal shell  20 . Monolithic corner panel  14  is a multifaceted molding, with its front major surface  17  broken into a plurality of subsidiary faces oriented to line the interior walls of operator&#39;s compartment  42 . These include a back face  28 , a side face  30 , a roofing surface  26 , a intermediate face  27  and an angled face  22 . All of these faces have parallel counterparts on an opposed major surface which faces shell  20  and correspond to sections of the panel. It is through angled face  22  that speaker holes  16  are located. Angled face  22 , and its parallel counterpart, interrupt the faces of the intermediate face  27  and do not conform to the shape of the underlying shell  20  and thereby, with the shell, define a void in which a speaker may be located between the monolithic corner panel and shell  20 . This void is described in reference to FIG. 6, which is a cross-sectional view taken along section line  6 — 6  of FIG.  2 . Monolithic corner panel  14  has a perimeter edge  31  which is shaped to avoid interfering with major cut outs from shell  20  such as doorways, the rear backlight and an area around the base of the B pillar  19 , where a safety belt may be anchored. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates in greater detail the front major surface  17  of monolithic corner panel  14 . As discussed above, surface  17  is broken up into a plurality of sub-surfaces, each having a corresponding subsurface on a back major surface, illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Panel  14  provides a plurality of attachments points  29 , which are openings through which screws or other appropriate fasteners may be introduced to attach the panel to shell  20 , or fastener connection points placed in or on shell  20 . Two projecting brace points  35  extend from side panel  30 . Perimeter  31  is broken by two notch sections  33  and  39 , accommodating the backlight and opening an area at the base of the B pillar, respectively. Back face  28  and side face  30  extend at approximately right angles with respect to one another, forming the inner faces of an “L”. Angled face  22  lies intermediate to back side  28  and side face  30 , connecting the faces and extending partway from the bottom to the top of the monolithic corner panel  14 . Angled face  22  extends at approximately a  45  degree angle from the back and side faces  28  and  30 , and may be bordered by a sloped ring  121  between the angled face and the front major surface  17 . 
     Monolithic corner panel  14  is molded from a single piece of thermoplastic. Front major surface  17  may be textured in the mold to give the surface a pleasant feel and appearance. The numerous borders between various surfaces help strengthen the panel. A plurality of speakers may be arrayed vertically along an interior rear corner of operator&#39;s cab  42  and each readily covered by a plurality of angled sections akin to section  222  and the provision of additional sets of apertures or holes  16 . In a preferred embodiment holes  16  are drilled. 
     FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a rear major surface  117  of the monolithic control panel  14  in elevation viewed from a rear back face  128 , which parallels back face  28  on a back section  228 . A rear angled face  122  is parallel to angled face  22  on an angled section  222 , which is pierced by holes  16 . A rear side face  130  is provided parallel to side face  30  on a vertically oriented side section  230  extending perpendicular to rear back face  128 . An rear intermediate face  127  may be disposed between faces  128  and  130  extending vertically along the corner between faces  128  and  130  parallel to intermediate face  27 . Intermediate face  27  provides a common vertex or spine to the back and side sections  228  and  230 , which each depend from the spine along one edge. While only one set of holes  16  is shown, panel  14  may be readily modified to provide additional sets of holes for a plurality of speakers spaced vertically on the B pillar. A rear roof face  126  to the roof section  226  is similarly provided. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line  6 — 6  in FIG. 2, and illustrating a void  84  between a substantially right angled corner  300  defined by shell  20  and monolithic corner panel  14  adjacent rear angled face  122 . Void  84  is provided by angled section  222  cutting across corner  300  and thereby leaving a gap between pane  14  and shell  20 . This gap or void  84  provides space for a speaker  86  to be positioned opposite holes  16  through panel  14 . Speaker  86  is mounted on brackets  88  and faces on an angle perpendicular to rear angled face  122  and inwardly into cabin  42  through holes  16 . 
     The invention provides a vehicle interior panel of one piece molded construction, which simplifies vehicle assembly and enhances vehicle comfort by providing an integral speaker grill. Problems in color matching and in assuring a good fit between the different components are eliminated. The requirement for separate molds for the panel and the grill is also eliminated. 
     While the invention is shown in only one of its forms, it is not thus limited but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.