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EP0361740A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Vehicle inner panel

Assignee: Bridgestone Australia Ltd
•
Filing: 1989-09-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-09-14
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Abstract

Abstract A substrate (11) is initially moulded from a cross-linked polymeric material (22) reinforced with glass fibres (21), the substrate is subsequently placed in a die (32/33) in which a facing layer (12) is first moulded, and on that layer (12) are injected the ingredients (35) for a foam padding material which adhere the substrate (11) to the facing layer (12). The facing layer (12) is desirably polyurethane, although use can be made of flexible acrylic, polyvinylchloride, and some other polymeric materials.

Inventors

  • 👤 Milo Leslie Rohrlach
  • 👤 William James Hall

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 19:05
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C67/00; B29C67/20; B60; B60R; B60R13/00; B60R13/02; B29C44/00; B29C44/02; B29C44/12; B29C44/1257; B29C44/14; B29C44/16; B29C70/00; B29C70/68; B29C70/74; B60R13/0237; B60R13/0243; B29K; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/04; B29K2313/00; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/30; B29L2031/3005; B29L2031/3014; B60R2013/0281; B60R2013/0287; B60R2013/0293

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 154 words
A method of manufacture of a motor vehicle inner panel, comprising the following steps: (a) locating reinforcing fibres on one die part of a first two-part die set, applying mouldable plastics material on that die part, (b) closing the die set and retaining it closed during a moulding process of the plastics material, (c) opening the die set, and removing a moulded substrate comprising the plastics material reinforced by the fibres, (d) spraying an elastomer into one die part of a second two-part die set, curing the elastomer to form a facing layer of the panel, applying mouldable foam-­forming plastics material over at least part of the facing layer, positioning the moulded substrate into the second die set, closing the second die set and retaining closed during a foaming and moulding process of the facing layer, and (e) removing the panel from the second two-part die set, and trimming superfluous material from the panel
Claim 2
Independent Claim 154 words
A method of manufacture of a motor vehicle inner panel, comprising the following steps: (a) locating reinforcing fibres on one die part of a first two-part die set, applying mouldable plastics material on that die part, (b) closing the die set and retaining it closed during a moulding process of the plastics material, (c) opening the die set, and removing a moulded substrate comprising the plastics material reinforced by the fibres, (d) spraying an elastomer into one die part of a second two-part die set, curing the elastomer to form a facing layer of the panel, applying mouldable foam-­forming plastics material over at least part of the facing layer, positioning the moulded substrate into the second die set, closing the second die set and retaining closed during a foaming and moulding process of the facing layer, and (e) removing the panel from the second two-part die set, and trimming superfluous material from the panel
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 56 words
A method of manufacturing a door inner panel according to claim 1 further comprising retaining a pocket-forming plug to a part of the first two-part die set but spacing the plug from that die part, inserting further reinforcing fibres between the plug and die part, and causing the mouldable plastics to partly envelop the pocket-forming plug.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
A method of manufacturing a door inner panel according to claim 2 comprising retaining the pocket-forming plug to its said one die part by engaging over pins projecting from that die part.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 33 words
A method of manufacturing a door inner panel according to claim 2 or claim 3 comprising removing said plug from a pocket formed thereby in the substrate after step (e) of claim 1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 28 words
A method according to any preceding claim further comprising adhering a fabric panel to portion of the substrate after step (c) but before step (d) of claim 1.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 48 words
A method according to claim 5 further comprising forming portion of said elastomeric facing layer in a plane displaced from the substrate over the fabric panel, thereby forming an outstanding blister of facing layer, and removing that blister when trimming superfluous material during step (e) of claim 1.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
A method according to claim 5 further comprising urging the fabric panel towards the substrate with peripheral blades bearing against the fabric panel near its edges during step (d) of claim 1.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to any preceding claim further comprising adhering a panel of carpet to portion of the facing layer after step (e) of claim 1.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 38 words
A method according to any preceding claim further comprising spraying a colour film into said one die part of the second two-part die set before said spraying of the elastomer in accordance with step (d) of claim 1.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 60 words
A method of manufacturing a door inner panel according to any preceding claim further comprising locating a metal strip in said first two-part die set before step (b) of claim 1, and moulding the substrate over portion only of the metal strip, leaving sufficient of the metal strip projecting from the substrate to provide attachment means for a belt line.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 12 words
A door inner panel produced by the method of any preceding claim.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 73 words
A door inner panel comprising a moulded substrate of rigid foam polyurethane reinforced with glass fibres, an elastomeric facing layer, a soft resilient polyurethane foam between the facing layer and the substrate extending over at least part of the panel and adhering the facing layer to the substrate, an area of fabric adhered to the substrate and not covered by the facing layer, and an area of carpet adhered to the facing layer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 73 words
A door inner panel comprising a moulded substrate of rigid foam polyurethane reinforced with glass fibres, an elastomeric facing layer, a soft resilient polyurethane foam between the facing layer and the substrate extending over at least part of the panel and adhering the facing layer to the substrate, an area of fabric adhered to the substrate and not covered by the facing layer, and an area of carpet adhered to the facing layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 39 words
A door inner panel according to claim 11 wherein said substrate comprises a backing wall and a pocket wall defining a pocket with the backing wall, said elastomeric facing layer extending over an outer surface of the pocket wall.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 24 words
A method of manufacture of a motor vehicle inner panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 24 words
A method of manufacture of a motor vehicle inner panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 18 words
A door inner panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 18 words
A door inner panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

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