Intertec Systems

Inoac Usa, Inc.

Other

Johnson Controls Technology Company

Gregg S Evans

Glenn A Cowelchuk

Jeff A Sawyer

Shin Mizusaki

A method for manufacturing an automotive interior component may include providing a cover, a substrate, a chute connected to the substrate, heating the cover, forming the cover via a negative vacuum forming tool, and supporting the substrate and chute via a buck. The method may include moving at least of the negative vacuum forming tool and the buck toward the other of the negative vacuum forming tool and the buck such that the cover and the substrate may be in contact with each other. The method may include bonding the substrate with the cover via providing pressurized fluid to a chamber of the buck to force the substrate toward the cover. The chamber may be defined by the buck and the substrate.

IMGL of instrument panels with PSIR chutes using pressure bonding

An apparatus for manufacturing an automotive interior component and a method for manufacture thereof are provided. The method includes providing a first and second layer of the automotive interior component. The method includes providing an apparatus comprising a first press component and a second press component, the first press component including a pressure chamber configured to receive a protrusion of the first layer. The method includes inserting the first layer into the first press component, such that the protrusion is received by the pressure chamber of the first press component. The method includes coupling the first layer and the second layer, wherein coupling comprises moving at least one of the first press component and second press component toward the other and introducing a first fluid into the pressure chamber of the first press component such that the fluid applies a fluid pressure to the first layer.

Apparatus for pressure bonding of a covering on an automotive interior component and a method for pressure bonding thereof

A stitching system is configured to stitch through decorative skins with a molded seam recess representing a seam and includes a sewing machine, an image acquisition mechanism, a controller, and a rotation mechanism. The sewing machine is rotatable with respect to a support table, and includes a sewing head to receive a sewing needle and a sewing foot to selectively engage the skin. The image acquisition mechanism produces an image of the seam recess with respect to the sewing head/needle(s). The controller determines the difference between the actual recess location and a predetermined desired recess location. Based on this difference, the controller determines a sewing machine rotation angle and orientation to reduce the difference to zero, and then produces a corresponding adjustment signal that drives the rotation mechanism. A robot can move either the sewing machine or the workpiece, and still use the herein-described real time steering control.

Stitching system with real-time steering control

An automotive interior component including an airbag chute having at least one weld bar, and a pre-stressed instrument panel having a substrate layer for bonding to the weld bar. The pre-stressing provides tensile stress at weld bar bonding areas to reduce any deformation visible on an exposed surface of the instrument panel.

Prestressing fixture to eliminate automotive P.S.I.R. door-chute vibration weld visibility

A vehicle interior assembly includes a class A visible surface material having a first layer formed from a thermal plastic olefin and a second layer formed from a foam. The vehicle interior assembly also includes a substrate supporting the class A visible surface material. The substrate defines an opening for receiving a drop-in chute having an outer surface. In addition, the vehicle interior assembly includes a retention mechanism for securing the outer surface of the drop-in chute to the substrate.

Vehicle interior assembly

A method of manufacturing an automotive interior component includes the steps of: providing a mold apparatus comprising a first mold component and a second mold component; providing a substrate; applying a first layer of a soft-touch material to the substrate; applying a second layer of a fabric to one of the first mold component and the second mold component of the mold apparatus; forming a self-skinning foam layer, wherein a first surface of the self-skinning foam layer is configured for bonding to the first layer and a second surface of the self-skinning foam layer is configured for bonding to the second layer; and fastening the substrate, the first layer, the second layer together. Additional methods of manufacturing automotive interior components and automotive interior components are also provided.

Growing community of inventors

Stratford, Canada

Gregg S Evans