IP Library Granted Patent US 9,114,761
Granted Patent B2
US 9,114,761 · App. 13/901,235 · Granted Aug 25, 2015

Interior lining for a motor vehicle, which comprises a roof liner and a stiffening frame, and method for the production of same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,114,761
App. No.
13/901,235
Granted
Aug 25, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to an interior lining for a motor vehicle, with a sliding or panoramic roof, which comprises a roof liner and a stiffening frame which is attached to the roof liner, and an opening in the roof liner, which delimits, frames and stabilizes the sliding or panoramic window. The roof liner is constructed in several layers, which comprise at least one core layer and one cover layer. The stiffening frame is produced from a fiber-reinforced composite material, which contains organic synthetic polymer fibers, carbon fibers or natural fibers, or mixtures of these fibers, and a binder made from a duroplastic or thermoplastic material. The surface weight and the bending stiffness of the stiffening frame are greater than those of the roof liner structure, preferably by at least 50%.

Claims (37)

1. An interior lining for a motor vehicle with a sliding or panoramic roof, comprising:

a roof liner and a first stiffening frame which is attached to the roof liner, and an opening in the roof liner, which delimits, frames and stabilizes the sliding or panoramic window,

wherein the roof liner has a weight of 500-1,000 g/m 2 and is constructed in several layers, which comprise at least one core layer and one cover layer, and

wherein the first stiffening frame has a weight of 800-1,800 g/m 2 and is produced from a fiber-reinforced composite material which contains natural fibers, and a binder of acrylate, and

a second stiffening frame attached to the roof liner, the second stiffening frame connected to the first stiffening frame, and the second stiffening frame for a front console, and

wherein a surface weight and a bending stiffness of the first stiffening frame are greater than those of the roof liner structure.

2. Interior lining according to claim 1 , wherein the first stiffening frame is produced by molding the fiber-reinforced composite material in the form of a compact component.

3. Interior lining according to claim 2 , wherein the first stiffening frame is composed of several frame pieces which are melted together during the molding.

4. Interior lining according to claim 3 , wherein the first stiffening frame is composed of four frame pieces, which form the four sides of the frame and which are melted together at the corners of the first stiffening frame.

5. Interior lining according to claim 1 , wherein the core layer of the roof liner is produced from a duroplastic or thermoplastic material, in particular in the form of a foam layer, more specifically a PU foam layer, and a fiber-reinforced cover layer, in particular a cover layer that has been reinforced with natural fiber, is applied onto one or both sides of the core layer.

6. Interior lining according to claim 1 , wherein the roof liner is a light-weight construction roof liner with a surface weight on the order of magnitude of 500-700 g/m 2 , and the first stiffening frame has a surface weight that is at least twice as large.

7. Interior lining according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber-reinforced composite material contains carbon fibers.

8. Interior lining according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber-reinforced composite material has a mixing ratio of fibers to binder from approximately 60:40 to approximately 80:20.

9. Interior lining according to claim 1 , wherein

the natural fibers are in a form of a natural fiber matte, made from hemp, kenaf, flax, sisal, jute, wood or mixtures thereof, and

the acrylate binder is applied or introduced in liquid form or powder form onto and/or into the fiber matte.

10. Interior lining according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber-reinforced composite material contains

at least one of synthetic polymer fibers and carbon fibers, wherein the synthetic polymer fibers are at least one of polyester fibers and aramid fibers.

11. Interior lining according to claim 1 , wherein the first stiffening frame comprises inserts, made from the same fiber-reinforced composite material.

12. Interior lining according to claim 1 , wherein fastening elements are molded on the first stiffening frame.

13. Interior lining according to claim 1 , wherein the first stiffening frame is molded or glued on the roof liner.

14. Interior lining according to claim 1 , wherein the first stiffening frame and the roof liner are produced from the same materials.

15. A method for producing an interior lining for a motor vehicle with a sliding or panoramic roof, comprising:

forming a roof liner, wherein the roof liner includes an opening which delimits, frames and stabilizes a sliding or panoramic window, the roof liner having the weight of 500-1,000 g/m 2 and constructed in several layers, which comprise at least one core layer and one cover layer,

blank cutting a composite material matte for the formation of frame pieces which form portions of a stiffening frame, wherein the composite material matte contains natural fibers and an acrylate binder, wherein the binder is introduced before or after the blank cutting into the composite material matte,

inserting the frame pieces into a pressing tool, so that the frame pieces overlap,

molding the frame pieces such that the stiffening frame is formed with a predetermined shape and the frame pieces are melted together, and

connecting the stiffening frame to the roof liner, wherein a surface weight and a bending stiffness of the stiffening frame are greater than those of the roof liner, and the stiffening frame has a weight of 800-1,800 g/m 2 .

16. Method according to claim 15 , wherein heat is added to the frame pieces before and/or during the molding.

17. Method according to claim 15 , wherein the shaped first stiffening frame and a roof liner blank are introduced into a second pressing tool, and the roof liner is shaped to a predetermined shape by molding, wherein, during the pressing process, by which the roof liner is shaped, the stiffening frame is molded on the roof liner.

18. Method according to claim 15 , wherein the frame pieces of the stiffening frame are introduced together with a roof liner blank into the pressing tool, and the roof liner is shaped to a predetermined shape by molding, wherein, during the pressing process, by which the roof liner is formed, the frame pieces are melted together, and the stiffening frame is molded on the roof liner.

19. An interior lining for a motor vehicle with a sliding or panoramic roof, comprising:

a roof liner and a first stiffening frame which is attached to the roof liner, and an opening in the roof liner, which delimits, frames and stabilizes the sliding or panoramic window,

wherein the roof liner has a weight of 500-1,000 g/m 2 and is constructed in several layers, which comprise at least one core layer and one cover layer, and

wherein the stiffening frame has a weight of 800-1,800 g/m 2 and is produced from a fiber-reinforced composite material which contains natural fibers, and a binder of acrylate, and

wherein a surface weight and a bending stiffness of the first stiffening frame are greater than those of the roof liner structure, and

wherein the roof liner and the stiffening frame exhibit compatible thermal expansion coefficients such that roof liner and stiffening frame do not undergo permanent deformation.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 063121/0799. Recorded Jun 6, 2025
From: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC
To: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP NORTH AMERICA, INC.; INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 071494/0928 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 067006/0846. Recorded Jun 6, 2025
From: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC
To: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP NORTH AMERICA, INC.; INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 071494/0946 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 057569/0893. Recorded Jun 6, 2025
From: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC
To: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP NORTH AMERICA, INC.; INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 071494/0829 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 12, 2025
From: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP GMBH
To: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 070188/0332 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2024
From: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP GMBH
To: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 069688/0910 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 20, 2023
From: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP GMBH
To: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 063121/0799 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2014
From: SCHWEINDL, FRITZ; BEHNKE, MICHAEL
To: INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 033579/0045 →