Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an interior trim panel assembly having integrated trim panel components. The method of manufacture includes providing a die including a pair of die halves cooperating to define a mold cavity to form a interior trim panel where at least one of said die halves includes a surface defining an A-surface and the mold cavity includes a plurality of recesses. The method further includes placing a trim panel component into a recess and closing the die halves to form a rigid substrate within the mold cavity by injecting a molten thermoplastic material into the mold cavity mold cavity. The method further includes bonding the molten thermoplastic material to a trim panel component within the mold cavity while the rigid substrate is formed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates, generally, to molded trim panels for automotive vehicle interiors. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vehicle interior trim panel assembly having a plurality of components and in-mold method of manufacturing same.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Automotive interiors commonly include several trim panels that are used to cover the mechanics of the vehicle from the vehicle interior, thereby creating an aesthetically pleasing vehicle interior. Trim panels found in a vehicle interior include door trim panels, dashboard trim panels, instrument cluster trim panels, glove box trim panels and door pillar trim panels, among others. Each of these trim panels provide an aesthetic surface to create a visually pleasing vehicle interior. A door trim panel, in particular, conceals the internal mechanics within a door panel, such as a window motor, sound dampening material and electrical wiring. Like all trim panels, a door trim panel includes a side visible from the vehicle interior. This side is commonly referred to as the “A-side.” The side of the trim panel located opposite the A-side is commonly referred to as the “B-side.” The B-side is not visible from the vehicle interior when the door trim panel is mounted to the vehicle door.  
         [0005]     In addition, door trim panels typically include functional components such as a map pocket, bolster, pull handle, door latch handle, door lock control, side mirror controls, window controls, and speaker grill, among other components. These components are manufactured separate from the door trim panel, per se, and later assembled to the panel. The components to the door trim panel are generally mounted using sonic welding methods or the use of a heat-stacking machine, but may be accomplished though several other known methods such as riveting or screwing. In any event, the door trim panel per se and the assembled components must undergo additional handling and assembly to produce a complete door trim panel. The additional handling and assembly generates an increase in the tools, machines and labor necessary to fully assemble a complete door trim panel. This correlates into increased cost associated with the door trim panel assembly process.  
         [0006]     Attempts have been made to reduce handling and assembly of the door trim panel and its components to streamline production and lower costs of a complete door trim panel. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,409 issued to Kornylo on Mar. 14, 1995, discloses a method for molding a vehicle door panel by placing a heated sheet of laminate material into a first mold component to vacuum form the upper section of the A-side of a door panel, including an integrated bolster area. The lower section of the A-side and the entire B-side of the door trim panel are then formed by a foamable material applied to the remaining mold components. The method disclosed in the &#39;409 patent utilizes a complex mold having a vacuum component and a non-vacuum component within the same mold half Further, the method disclosed in the &#39;409 patent manufactures a door panel having a plurality of B-side layers along the upper section which may give rise to assembly issues resulting from panel thickness when mounting the door trim pane to a vehicle door or when installing remaining door trim panel components.  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,355 issued to Kornylo on Nov. 5, 1996 discloses a method of making a door panel with an integrated bolster. The method disclosed in the &#39;355 patent includes forming a door trim panel substrate in a first mold and placing a heated sheet of vinyl into a second mold having two vacuum sources to form the A-side of a door trim panel including an integrated bolster. The door trim panel substrate is then placed in the second mold and bonded to the vacuum formed A-side to form a door trim panel. The method disclosed in the &#39;355 patent pre-forms the substrate and the A-side coverstock in separate molds which may create fitting issues and/or require an additional step in assembly to trim excess material. Further, the method disclosed in the &#39;355 patent requires additional assembly steps to mount other door panel components prior to assembling the door panel onto a vehicle door.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,455 issued to Springer et al. on Feb. 9, 1999 discloses a vehicle door panel having an integrated handle and method of manufacturing same. The method disclosed in the &#39;455 patent includes providing a contoured substrate including an elongated reinforcement, placing a flexible cover material over the A-side of the contoured substrate and RF welding the flexible cover material along the elongated reinforcement to provide the A-side of the door trim panel with an integrated handle. The vehicle door panel disclosed in the &#39;455 patent may include a one-piece or a two piece a rigid substrate. In either event, the rigid substrate includes two stands and an elongated reinforcement disposed therebetween. A single sheet of flexible material is employed to cover the rigid substrate, thus defining the A-side of the door trim panel. Use of a two-piece rigid substrate where each piece is pre-formed may give rise to fitting issues and/or require an additional step in assembly to trim excess material. Further, use of a pre-formed single piece rigid substrate which subsequently covered by a flexible material to define the A-side of a door trim panel may require an additional step in manufacturing to trim the excess flexible material along the A-side prior to mounting the door trim panel to a vehicle door. Further, the method disclosed in the &#39;455 patent requires additional assembly steps to include other door panel components prior to mounting the door panel onto a vehicle door.  
         [0009]     While vehicle interior trim panels integrating a component of the type known in the related art have generally worked for their intended purposes there remains a need to reduce costs by reducing the number of steps required to manufacture a vehicle interior trim panel assembly incorporating the panel components. In addition, there remains a need for a vehicle interior trim panel having integrated panel components. Finally, there remains a need in the art for a vehicle interior trim panel assembly that provides a quality, desirable, class-A surface that is aesthetically pleasing.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The present invention overcomes the disadvantages in the related art in interior trim panels for vehicles and generally fulfills a need in the art for a method of manufacturing an interior trim panel assembly having integrated trim panel components that reduce the cost of manufacture and assembly as well as improves the aesthetic and ergonomic trim component quality. To this end, the method of the present invention includes providing a die including a pair of die halves cooperating to define a mold cavity to form a interior trim panel where at least one of the die halves includes a surface defining an A-surface within the mold cavity and the mold cavity includes a plurality of recesses having a predetermined shape. The method further includes placing at least one trim panel component into the corresponding recess within the mold cavity and closing the die halves. Next, the method includes forming a rigid substrate having an A-side surface visible to the interior of a vehicle when secured to a vehicle door by injecting a molten thermoplastic material having a predetermined pressure less than the maximum clamp pressure of the die into the mold cavity so as to fill the mold cavity. The method of the present invention further includes bonding the molten thermoplastic material to a trim panel component within the mold cavity while the rigid substrate is formed.  
         [0011]     Accordingly, one advantage of the present invention is that it provides a vehicle interior trim panel assembly having integrated components that may be manufactured using reduced steps when compared to trim panels known in the related art.  
         [0012]     Another advantage of the method of the of the present invention is that it that eliminates quality issues relating to positive alignment during later assembly of the trim panel components to the trim panel per se.  
         [0013]     Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it molds a monolithic trim panel while simultaneously bonding the trim panel components thereto in the mold to increase the bond strength between the trim panel and the trim panel components.  
         [0014]     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  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is an environmental view of a vehicle including a vehicle interior trim panel assembly having integrated trim panel components in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the mold including suspended vehicle interior trim panel components in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is an in-mold cross-sectional view of a vehicle interior trim panel assembly having integrated trim panel components in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the mold including a suspended vehicle interior trim panel assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]     A vehicle interior trim panel assembly having an integrated trim panel component of the present invention is generally indicated at  10  in the figures, where like numbers are used to designate like structure throughout the figures. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the trim panel assembly  10  is employed within a vehicle, generally indicated at  12 . Specifically, the trim panel assembly  10  is shown in mounted to a driver&#39;s side door  14  within a vehicle interior  16 . However, while the trim panel assembly  10  of the present invention is shown for use in connection with a vehicle door  14 , those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that it may be employed anywhere within a vehicle interior  16  where a trim panel assembly having an integrated trim panel component is desired. By way of example, the present invention may be a trim assembly for a dashboard  18 , a center console (not shown), a glove box (not shown), etc. The vehicle trim panel assembly  10  may also be molded to any predetermined shape to accommodate adjacent components of the vehicle  12 . By way of example, the vehicle trim panel assembly  10  shown in  FIG. 1  includes predetermined contours  20  and  22  that are adapted to cooperatively engage a window track  24  for receiving a window  26  and a side mirror panel  28  for covering the side mirror mounts (not shown) of a vehicle door  14 .  
         [0020]     As illustrated in the Figures, the trim panel assembly  10  includes a plurality of trim panel components generally indicated at  30 . The trim panel components  30  include at least one surface  32  visible from the vehicle interior  16 . Specifically, the trim panel assembly  10  includes a door latch assembly  34  that is adapted to facilitate ingress and egress to and from the vehicle interior  16  and a bolster  36  that is adapted to provide a soft-touch area within the door trim panel assembly  10 . The bolster  36  may include a rigid substrate backing and an intermediate foam layer concealed by a flexible coverstock material  38 . The coverstock  38  may be constructed from a fabric, leather, a polymer skin formed from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or thermoplastic olefin (TPO), or other material that provides a soft-touch aesthetic feature visible from the vehicle interior  16 . Other trim panel components  30  within the trim panel assembly  10  include a speaker cover  40  to protect the speaker and a map pocket  42  to retain various articles such as maps, compact discs and other articles.  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIGS. 2-3 , the trim panel components  30  are adapted to be placed in a mold cavity  44 . Each trim panel component  30  includes a contact surface  46  which may be a lip or plurality of protrusions disposed about the perimeter of the trim panel component  30 . In either event, the contact surface  46  facilitates engagement between the trim panel component  30  and the trim panel substrate, to be described in greater detail below. The contact surface  46  may include an A-side  48  that is visible from the vehicle interior  16  when the trim panel assembly  10  is installed onto a vehicle door  14  as well as a B-side  50  located opposite the A-side  48 . In the preferred embodiment, the contact surface  46  is constructed from a polymer material. However, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the contact surface  46  may be constructed from any material and may include several other elements such as barbs or apertures to facilitate engagement between the trim panel component  30  and the trim panel substrate.  
         [0022]     As noted above, the trim panel assembly  10  includes a substrate, generally indicated at  52 . The substrate  52  includes a first side defining an A-side surface  54  that is visible from the interior  16  of a vehicle  12  when installed to a vehicle door  14  as well as a second side defining a B-side surface  56  that is concealed from the vehicle interior  16 . The A-side surface  54  may incorporate a pattern or texture, often simulating the grain of leather imposed thereon by the surface of the mold cavity  44  from which the substrate  52  was formed. The substrate  52  has a predetermined shape and thickness which also corresponds to the form of the mold cavity  44  from which it originated and may be manufactured from several polymer or composite materials commonly known in the art. By way of example, the molded substrate  52  may be manufactured nylon, polypropylene, TPO or PVC or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or other rigid forming polymer.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , the substrate  52  is injection molded and is the form by which all of the trim panel components  30  are joined to create the trim panel assembly  10  of the present invention. According to the present invention, the trim panel components  30  are joined to the substrate  52  in-situ during the substrate molding process. This method described in greater detail below, reduces the costs associated with manufacturing a trim panel assembly  10  by eliminating the need for secondary handling and subsequent assembly of the trim panel components  30  to the substrate  52  which involves substantial labor efforts and machine time. Specifically, this method of in-situ bonding eliminates the need for heat stacking, sonic welding, or other secondary methods to bond the trim panel components  30  to the trim panel substrate  52 .  
         [0024]     With continuing reference to  FIGS. 2-4 , the trim panel components  30  are placed within a mold cavity  44  defined by a mold  58  having two die halves  60 ,  62  that are supported for movement relative to each other by guide rods  64 . Specifically, the trim panel components  30  are placed into recesses  66  within the mold cavity  44  wherein the surface  32  of the trim panel component  30  visible from the vehicle interior  16  corresponds to the A-side surface  54  of the substrate  52  when formed. Molten thermoplastic material is injected into the mold cavity  44  from a source  68  once the mold  58  is closed so as to permit the contact surface  46  of the trim panel component  30  to operatively engage the molten thermoplastic, which substantially surrounds the trim panel components  30 . In order to provide a sufficient bond without compromising the integrity of the contact surface  46 , the molten thermoplastic is injected at a temperature no greater than the melting point of the contact surface  46 .  
         [0025]     When left to cool, the molten thermoplastic material forms the trim panel substrate  52  having a terminal edge  70  adjacent the trim panel component  30 . Specifically, the A-side  48  of the contact surface  46  may remain visible from the vehicle interior  16  while the B-side  50  of the contact surface  46  is bonded to the trim panel substrate  52 . As shown in FIG. ( 3 ), the contact surface  46  is bonded to the A-side surface  54  of the trim panel substrate  52 . However, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that when bonding the trim panel component  30  to the trim panel substrate  52 , the terminal edge  70  of the trim panel substrate  52  may overlap the contact surface  46  of the trim panel component  30 . Further, those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the manner by which the each trim panel component  30  bonds to a particular trim panel substrate  52  may not be uniform. Accordingly, some of the trim panel components  30  may bond to a trim panel substrate  52  where the contact surface  46  bonds to the B-side surface  56  of the trim panel substrate  52 , while other trim panel components  30  may bond to the trim panel substrate  52  such that the A-side  48  of the contact surface  46  remains visible from the vehicle interior  16 . In either event, the bond area between the trim panel component  30  and the trim panel substrate  52  is not visible along the A-side  72  of the trim panel assembly  10 , thereby maintaining an aesthetically pleasing A-side  72  trim panel assembly  10 .  
         [0026]     The present invention provides a vehicle interior trim panel assembly  10  having integrated components  30  bonded to a trim panel substrate  52  while the substrate  52  is formed in a mold  58 . Accordingly, the present invention reduces steps in manufacturing, thereby reducing the costs associating with manufacturing a trim panel assembly  10 . Further, the in-situ method of manufacturing a trim panel assembly  10  having integrated trim panel components  30  according to the present invention eliminates quality issues relating to positive alignment during later assembly of the trim panel components  30  to the trim panel substrate  52 . Still further, the in-situ method of manufacturing a trim panel assembly  10  having integrated trim panel components  30  provides a monolithic trim panel  52  substrate simultaneously bonded to trim panel components  30  to increase the bond strength between the trim panel substrate  52  and the trim panel components  30 .  
         [0027]     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.