Adhesive precoated headliner materials
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a method of making a headliner for use in an automobile interior. The method of the invention comprises applying an adhesive on a first fiber mat and a second fiber mat to form a first adhesive-containing fiber mat and a second adhesive-containing fiber mat. The first adhesive-containing fiber mat and the second adhesive-containing fiber mat are optionally dried. A multilayered structure is then assembled by positioning the first adhesive-containing fiber mat between a first fabric layer and a padding layer and the second adhesive-containing fiber mat between the padding layer and a second fabric. Finally, the multilayered structure is pressed at a sufficiently high temperature to adhere the component layers of the headliner together. The invention also provides a variation in which the fiber mats are formed using the adhesive as a binder. Finally, the invention also provide a headliner made by the method of the invention.
1. A method of making a headliner for motor vehicle interiors, the method comprising:
a) applying an adhesive to a first fiber mat and a second fiber mat to form a first adhesive-containing fiber mat and a second adhesive-containing fiber mat wherein the adhesive has protected reactive groups and the first adhesive-containing fiber mat and the second adhesive-containing fiber mat each independently comprise fibers, a binder, and the adhesive;
b) heating the first adhesive-containing fiber mat and the second adhesive-containing fiber mat;
c) assembling a multilayered structure that has the first adhesive-containing fiber mat positioned between a first fabric layer and a padding layer, and the second adhesive-containing fiber mat positioned between the padding layer and a second fabric layer wherein;
the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer each independently include a fabric selected from woven fabrics or non-woven fabrics;
the first adhesive-containing fiber mat is disposed over the first fabric layer;
the padding layer is disposed over the first adhesive-containing fiber mat;
the second adhesive-containing fiber mat is disposed over the padding layer; and
the second fabric layer is disposed over the second adhesive-containing fiber mat; and
d) pressing and heating the multilayered structure at a sufficient temperature to adhere the first fabric layer, the first adhesive-containing fiber mat, the padding layer, the second adhesive-containing fiber mat, and the second fabric layer together, wherein step b) is performed before step c and step d).
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer each independently include a non-woven fabric.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein one or both of the first fabric layer or second fabric layer are coated with a polyethylene film.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the padding layer is a foam polyurethane layer.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the fiber mat is a glass fiber mat.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the adhesive is applied to each side of the fiber mat in an amount from about 50 g per square meter of mat to about 100 g per square meter of mat.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first adhesive-containing fiber mat and the second adhesive-containing fiber mat are heated in step b to a temperature of about 50° C. to about 80° C.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the adhesive comprises a self cross-linking polyurethane or a reactive epoxy adhesive.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the adhesive comprises a self cross-linking single component polyurethane-dispersion adhesive with a surface deactivated isocyanate hardener enclosed.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the adhesive comprises a self cross-linking single component polyurethane hot melt adhesive with an encapsulated isocyanate hardener.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of pressing is performed at a temperature of at least 100° C.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of pressing is done at a temperature from about 110° C. to about 150° C.
13. A method of making a headliner for motor vehicle interiors, the method comprising:
a) forming both a first glass fiber-containing mat and a second glass fiber-containing mat by combining glass fibers with an adhesive having protected reactive groups;
b) heating the first adhesive-containing glass fiber mat and the second adhesive-containing glass fiber mat;
c) assembling a multilayered structure that has the first adhesive-containing glass fiber mat positioned between a first non-woven polyester layer and a foam polyurethane layer, and the second adhesive-containing glass fiber mat positioned between the foam polyurethane layer and a second non-woven polyester layer wherein:
the first adhesive-containing glass fiber mat is disposed over the first non-woven polyester layer;
the foam polyurethane layer is disposed over the first adhesive-containing glass fiber mat;
the second adhesive-containing glass fiber mat is disposed over the foam polyurethane layer; and
the second non-woven polyester layer is disposed over the second adhesive-containing glass fiber mat; and
d) heating the multilayered structure at a sufficient temperature to adhere the first non-woven polyester layer, the first adhesive-containing glass fiber mat, the foam polyurethane layer, the second adhesive-containing glass fiber, and the second non-woven polyester layer together, wherein step b) is performed before step c and step d).
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the one or both of the first non-woven polyester layer or second non-woven polyester layer are coated with a polyethylene film.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the adhesive is present in an amount from about 100 g per square meter of mat to about 200 g per square meter of mat.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein the first adhesive-containing glass fiber mat and the second adhesive-containing glass fiber mat are dried by heating.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein the adhesive comprises a self cross-linking polyurethane or a reactive epoxy adhesive.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the adhesive comprises a self cross-linking single component polyurethane-dispersion adhesive with a surface deactivated isocyanate hardener enclosed or a self cross-linking single component polyurethane hot melt adhesive with an encapsulated isocyanate hardener.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of pressing is performed at a temperature of at least 100° C.
20. A method of making a headliner for motor vehicle interiors, the method comprising:
a) applying an adhesive to a first fiber mat and a second fiber mat to form a first adhesive-containing fiber mat and a second adhesive-containing fiber mat wherein the adhesive has protected reactive groups and the first adhesive-containing fiber mat and the second adhesive-containing fiber mat each independently comprise fibers, a binder, and the adhesive;
b) heating the first adhesive-containing fiber mat and the second adhesive-containing fiber mat;
c) assembling a multilayered structure consisting of the first adhesive-containing fiber mat positioned between a first fabric layer and a padding layer such that the first adhesive-containing fiber mat contacts the first fabric layer and the padding layer, and the second adhesive-containing fiber mat positioned between the padding layer and a second fabric layer such that the second adhesive-containing fiber mat contacts the second fabric layer and the padding layer wherein;
the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer each independently include a fabric selected from woven fabrics or non-woven fabrics;
the first adhesive-containing fiber mat is disposed over the first fabric layer;
the padding layer is disposed over the first adhesive-containing fiber mat;
the second adhesive-containing fiber mat is disposed over the padding layer; and
the second fabric layer is disposed over the second adhesive-containing fiber mat; and
d) pressing and heating the multilayered structure at a sufficient temperature to adhere the first fabric layer, the first adhesive-containing fiber mat, the padding layer, the second adhesive-containing fiber mat, and the second fabric layer together, wherein step b) is performed before step c and step d).