Granted Patent B2

US 6,929,711 · App. 10/426,362 · Granted Aug 16, 2005

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. A method of making a vehicle interior trim part, the method comprising:

forming an air-permeable substrate into a desired shape;

positioning the formed substrate and a cover material on a vacuum mold such that the substrate extends between the cover material and the mold; and

vacuum forming the cover material over the substrate such that the cover material wraps around the edge of the substrate;

wherein the substrate is configured to allow air to pass uniformly therethrough during the vacuum forming step, and wherein the vacuum forming step is performed such that air is drawn through the edge of the substrate to thereby draw the cover material toward front, side and back portions of the edge.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming step comprises compression molding the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises fiberglass and plastic.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises reinforcing fibers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises plastic.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising positioning an adhesive layer between the substrate and the cover material prior to the vacuum forming step.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising positioning a foam layer between the substrate and the cover material prior to the vacuum forming step.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming step is performed such that the shape of the substrate corresponds to a desired final shape of the interior trim part.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming step results in the substrate having a non-planar configuration.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein no additional shaping of the substrate occurs during the vacuum forming step.

11. A method of making a vehicle door panel, the method comprising:

compression molding a porous substrate comprising fiberglass and polypropylene, such that the substrate has a non-planar configuration;

positioning the molded substrate and a cover material on a vacuum mold such that the substrate extends between the cover material and the mold; and

vacuum forming the cover material over the substrate such that the cover material wraps around an edge of the substrate;

wherein the vacuum forming step is performed such that air is drawn through the edge of the substrate to thereby draw the cover material toward front, side and back portions of the edge.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a porous, fibrous material.

13. A method of making a vehicle interior trim part, the method comprising:

positioning a substrate comprising a porous air-permeable material in a compression mold;

compression molding the substrate into a desired shape;

positioning the molded substrate and a cover material on a vacuum mold such that the substrate extends between the cover material and the mold; and

vacuum forming the cover material over the substrate, by drawing air through the substrate, to draw the cover material toward the substrate such that the cover material wraps around an edge of the substrate;

wherein the substrate is configured to allow air to pass uniformly therethrough during the vacuum forming step and wherein the vacuum forming step is performed such that air is drawn through the edge of the substrate to thereby draw the cover material toward front, side and back portions of the edge.

14. A method of making a vehicle interior trim part, the method comprising:

forming an air-permeable substrate into a desired shape;

positioning the formed substrate and a cover material on a vacuum mold such that the substrate extends between the cover material and the mold; and

vacuum forming the cover material over the substrate such that the cover material wraps around an edge of the substrate;

wherein the vacuum forming step is performed such that air is drawn through the edge of the substrate to thereby draw the cover material toward front, side and back portions of the edge.

Assignments (9)