IP Library Granted Patent US 10,246,032
Granted Patent B2
US 10,246,032 · App. 15/363,465 · Granted Apr 2, 2019

Trim for a motor vehicle

Inventors: Ralf Gerndorf (Finnentrop, DE); Jochen Schulze Zur Wiesche (Köln, DE); Norfried Bittner (Witten, DE); Axel Nüsken (Altena, DE); Martin Schulte (Balve, DE)
Assignee: DURA AUTOMOTIVE HOLDINGS, U.K., LTD.
B60R13/04B60R11/0235B60R13/02B60R13/025B60R13/0243B60R25/01B60R25/23B60R25/24B60R25/252B62D25/04B60R2011/0047B60R2011/0071B60R2013/0287
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,246,032
App. No.
15/363,465
Granted
Apr 2, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A trim made of plastics for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprises a first component ( 7 ) made of plastics and a second component ( 8 ) made of plastics. To improve such trim, the first component ( 7 ) is at least partly transparent or semi-transparent. The second component ( 8 ) includes one or more recesses ( 10, 11, 12 ) for a display element and/or for an input element (FIG. 2 ).

Claims (27)

1. A vehicle trim for supporting an illuminable electronic element, the vehicle trim comprising:

a first component formed of an at least semitransparent first material, the first component having an outer surface defining a portion of an exterior of the vehicle trim; and

a second component formed of a second material less transparent than the first material, the second component disposed on the first component and defining an inner surface of the vehicle trim, the second component defining a recess that is free from the second material and having a frame protruding from a rear portion of the second component proximal to the recess, and wherein the first component is disposed overtop the recess; and wherein the recess is configured to receive the illuminable electronic element.

2. The vehicle trim of claim 1 wherein the second component is formed directly on the first component and the second material substantially covers the rear portion of the first component.

3. The vehicle trim of claim 1 wherein the frame includes edges that define the recess.

4. The vehicle trim of claim 1 wherein the frame extends entirely circumferentially around the recess.

5. The vehicle trim of claim 1 wherein the frame has a U-shaped configuration surrounding a substantial portion of the recess.

6. The vehicle trim of claim 1 wherein the frame extends substantially perpendicular to the rear portion of the second component.

7. The vehicle trim of claim 1 further comprising a housing connected to the second component for attaching the illuminable electronic element to the second component.

8. The vehicle trim of claim 7 wherein the housing covers the recess and locates the illuminable electronic element in the recess.

9. The vehicle trim of claim 7 wherein housing locates the illuminable electronic element directly adjacent to a rear surface of the first component in the recess of the second component.

10. The vehicle trim of claim 7 wherein the housing completely conceals the recess when viewed from the rear surface of the vehicle trim.

11. The vehicle trim of claim 7 wherein the housing further comprises a circumferentially-extending edge arranged to enclose the frame.

12. The vehicle trim of claim 11 further comprising a circumferential seal disposed between the circumferentially-extending edge and the frame.

13. The vehicle trim of claim 7 wherein the housing includes a circumferential groove and the frame is disposed within the circumferential groove.

14. The vehicle trim of claim 1 further comprising a hook spaced apart from an edge of the second component that defines recess, the hook molded to the second plastic component layer and protruding from the second plastic component layer to attach to the illuminable electronic device.

15. A vehicle trim comprising:

a first component formed of an at least semitransparent first material, the first component having an outer surface defining a portion of an exterior of the vehicle trim, wherein the outer surface is continuous and uninterrupted by openings; and

a second component formed of a second material less transparent than the first material, the second component formed directly on the first component and the second material substantially covering an inner surface of the first component and extending to substantially an entirety of a periphery of the first component, and the second component defining a recess that is free from the second material, wherein the recess is configured to receive an illuminable electronic element, and wherein the illuminable electronic element is in contact with the first component when disposed in the recess.

16. The vehicle trim of claim 15 wherein the second material completely covers the inner surface of the first component except within the recesses defined by the second component.

17. The vehicle trim of claim 15 wherein the illuminable electronic element is visible through the first component when in an illuminated condition.

18. The vehicle trim of claim 15 wherein the illuminable electronic element fills the recess.

19. The vehicle trim of claim 15 wherein the illumination of the illuminable electronic element is activated by a sensor.

20. The vehicle trim of claim 15 wherein the electronic element is visible through the first component only upon illumination of the illuminable electronic element.

21. The vehicle trim of claim 15 wherein the illuminable electronic element includes an input element which is actuated through the first component.

22. The vehicle trim of claim 15 wherein the illuminable electronic element is a display element for displaying information optically through the first component.

23. The vehicle trim of claim 15 further comprising a frame extending from a rear portion of the second component and a housing disposed overtop the frame, the housing configured to support the illuminable electronic element within the recess.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2022
From: DUS OPERATING INC.
To: PLASMAN US HOLDCO LLC
Reel/Frame 061255/0571 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2022
From: DUS OPERATING INC.; DURA AUTOMOTIVE HOLDINGS U.K. LTD; DURA AUTOMOTIVE BODY & GLASS SYSTEMS GMBH
To: PLASMAN US HOLDCO LLC
Reel/Frame 061476/0893 →
RELEASE OF PATENT AND TRADEMARK SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 10, 2022
From: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC
To: DURA AUTOMOTIVE HOLDINGS U.K., LTD; DURA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GMBH; DUS OPERATING, INC.
Reel/Frame 058671/0253 →
PATENT AND TRADEMARK SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 5, 2021
From: DURA AUTOMOTIVE HOLDINGS U.K., LTD; DURA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GMBH; DUS OPERATING INC.
To: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055224/0756 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14636333 · Mar 3, 2015
Continuation 13263195
Related Publication 20170072871A1 · Mar 16, 2017