Lear Corporation

Lear Automotive Dearborn, Inc.

Albert Wojewnik

James D Dowd

Ronald K Reich

Jay Allan Murdock

A vehicle trim panel including a structural frame portion having an inner surface for facing a vehicle body and an outer surface opposite the inner surface and a plurality of flexible projections extending from the inner surface of the structural frame portion and configured to contact the vehicle body to thereby reduce buzz, squeak, and rattle (BSR) between the trim panel and the vehicle body.

Vehicle trim panel and method of reducing BSR

A method of forming an electrical circuit on a surface of a substrate includes providing a substrate having a surface with at least one groove formed therein, the groove having a bottom textured surface, and applying an electrically conductive material onto the bottom textured surface of the groove.

Method of forming an electrical circuit on a substrate

The present invention involves a self-aligning connector assembly adapted for connecting first and second electrical conductors. The invention may be incorporated within a door panel assembly of a vehicle. The self-aligning connector assembly provides for self-aligning assembly techniques of vehicle panels to sheet metal structures. The connector assembly comprises a male connector, a female connector receiving the male connector, and a conductive member disposed on the female connector. The male connector has a base portion and a head portion. Head portion tapers from the base portion to form an arcuate top. The base portion has a conductive area disposed thereon and adapted to connect to the first electrical conductor, such as electrical wires. The female connector has a body portion defining an opening and has inner and outer surfaces. The inner surface of the female connector receives the male connector and is formed to complement the shape of the male connector and is cooperable with the arcuate top of the male connector to facilitate the self-alignment of the male and female connectors. The outer surface of the female connector has a slot formed thereon. The conductive member is accessible by way of the slot of the female connector wherein the conductive member has a contact area and a wire area. The wire area is adapted to connect the second electrical conductor, such as electrical wires. The contact area engages the conductive area of the male connector when the male and female connectors are self-aligned and the male connector is received in the female connector.

Self-aligning connector assembly

A vehicle trim panel of electrically non-conductive material is mounted to the interior of a vehicle door assembly. An exterior surface of the panel includes a decorative trim and an interior surface includes at least a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector. The interior surface also includes grooves interconnecting the first and second electrical connectors. A fluent polymer and an electrically conductive metallic powder are integrally deposited and adhered to the grooves of the trim panel to define electrical circuit for electrically connecting the first electrical connector to the second electrical connector. The electrical circuit preferably includes a number of spaced apart circuit traces which feed electrical current between the electrical connectors to a number of electrical components.

Trim panel having grooves with integrally formed electrical circuits

A vehicle trim panel assembly includes a trim panel of electrically non-conductive material that has an interior and an exterior surface. The exterior surface includes decorative trim mounted on it such as vinyl, leather, or cloth, for example, which makes that exposed surface visually appealing. An electrical circuit is deposited upon and adhered to the interior surface. First and second electrical connectors project from the electrical circuit. The connectors are formed as an integral part of the trim panel with the circuit material. Electrical components then may be attached to the first and second connectors. A vehicle wire harness is attached to the first connector while components such as a window regulator and rear view mirror control are attached to any number of second connectors.

Trim panel with integrally formed electrical connectors

The present invention comprises a printed circuit having a three-dimensional surface capable of conforming to a contoured surface of a vehicle trim panel. Printed circuit comprises a plurality of electrical conductors and connectors secured to a polymeric substrate. A convoluted region of the printed circuit permits formation of the three-dimensional surface in the printed circuit. The present invention further comprises a method a producing three-dimensional surface and the printed circuit by either thermoforming the printed circuit or mechanically stretching the printed circuit to produce the three-dimensional surface.

Growing community of inventors

Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Albert Wojewnik