Intertec Systems

Johnson Controls Technology LLC

Gregg Stoutenburg Evans

Andrew L Dargavell

Scott Allen Hansen

Ronald Anthony Bozio

Matthew Gabriel

Matt Gabriel

Chun Yi Yeo

A vehicle trim panel is illuminated from behind to create an illuminated design (e.g., logo and/or lettering) includes a transparent layer and an opaque layer with an opening(s) in the shape of the design. An opaque or partially opaque design piece may be placed over the opening(s) in the opaque layer and be lit around its edges. The vehicle trim panel may be formed by forming a panel with a transparent layer and an opaque layer. An opening in the opaque layer may be formed by removing opaque material (e.g., by machining or laser etching) or by masking (the mask is placed between the opaque layer and transparent layer and removed taking a portion of the opaque layer with it). A design piece may be placed over the location of the opening in the opaque layer.

Illuminated trim panels

A method of manufacturing an automotive instrument panel for eliminating distortion in an area of vibration welded air bags comprises: providing a weld fixture including at least one pre-stressor protrusion; placing the at least one pre-stressor protrusion against an instrument panel; generating a force to press the weld fixture against the instrument panel to create compression in a first surface of the instrument panel where the weld fixture contacts the instrument panel and to create tension in a second surface of the instrument panel, the second surface opposite to the first surface; and vibration welding an air bag chute to the instrument panel such that a weld bar of the air bag chute is welded to the second surface of the instrument panel.

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

An injection molded plastic instrument panel P.S.I.R. hidden door milling method including applying a stiff tape, having a hardness greater than a hardness of the plastic instrument panel, to a plastic instrument panel surface to be milled to prevent flexing of the surface during milling. The method may further include milling the surface along a generally width-wise central location of the tape, and removing the tape upon completion of the milling, with the method thereby minimizing burrs along edges of the milled surface. The invention also provides an injection molded plastic instrument panel P.S.I.R. hidden door, and a plastic automotive panel made by method described herein.

Automotive P.S.I.R. milling burr control tape

An automotive Passenger Side Inflatable Restraint (PSIR) hidden door system contained in an automotive instrument panel and a method of scoring the PSIR door system. The system includes forward and rearward doors hingedly connected at first and second hinges, respectively, to a PSIR airbag chute. The system further includes a common tear line of reduced material thickness integrally joining the forward and rearward doors. The common tear line has a substantially non-linear shape with first and second linear ends.

Automotive milled PSIR scoring with interlaced interfaces

An automotive PSIR hidden chute assembly contained behind an automotive instrument panel. The PSIR may include chute forward and rearward doors, first and second chute flanges, and an instrument panel, each constructed of a first hard material, and first and second chute hinges, first and second chute sidewalls and a chute end wall, each constructed of a second tough ductile material, such that the first material and the second material have different thermal expansion properties and different elastic modulus properties.

Two shot automotive PSIR chute

The invention provides for an apparatus and method for attaching a Passenger Side Inflatable Restraint (PSIR) chute. In one embodiment an automotive interior component comprises an automotive instrument panel having an outer surface and an inner surface. The automotive interior component further comprises an automotive PSIR hidden chute assembly contained behind the automotive instrument panel, wherein the PSIR hidden chute assembly has a chute and at least one PSIR door. The chute is connected to the inner surface of the automotive instrument panel. The automotive interior component further comprises a tuning clip connected to the chute and configured to engage the PSIR door. Engagement of the tuning clip to the PSIR door reduces deflection of the automotive instrument panel visible on the outer surface by biasing the PSIR door upward.

Apparatus and method for attaching passenger side inflatable restraint chute

A method of producing tight bezel fits between automotive interior panels and their mating subcomponents. The method includes forming at laminate preform, injection molding a substrate layer behind the laminate preform to form a molded automotive interior panel, and forming an opening in the molded automotive interior panel. The method further includes post embossing the molded automotive interior panel adjacent a perimeter of the opening to produce an embossed interface between the molded automotive interior panel and a mating subcomponent installed in the opening, thereby producing a tight bezel fit between the molded automotive interior panel and the mating subcomponent installed in the opening. Alternatively, the method includes utilizing a vacuum wrapped automotive interior panel with the embossing step described above. The invention also provides for an automotive interior panel including a tight bezel fit between the panel and mating subcomponents, formed by the aforementioned methods.

Method of producing tight bezel fits between automotive interior panels and their mating subcomponents

This invention relates to the field of airbag covers such as are used in the interior of vehicles, and more specifically to an airbag cover having a novel tear seam. The tear seam is adapted to be located over a pair of deployment doors which are located behind the airbag cover. According to one embodiment, the tear seam includes a transverse segment having a width adapted to extend beyond the perimeter of the underlying deployment door. The tear seem also includes a first end segment and a second end segment. The transverse segment extends between and intersects each of the first end segment and the second end segment at locations distal from the perimeter of the underlying airbag door. The first end segment and second end segment each include at least one convex segment proximal the intersection of the first end segment with the transverse segment. Each convex segment is further adapted to be substantially perpendicular to a deployment induced stress pattern in the airbag cover.

Airbag cover and tear seam

A method of molding a composite structure of a polymeric preformed skin with tightly radiused features and a polymeric foam body is provided. The method includes providing a mold cavity having a first edge; placing the preformed skin in the mold cavity with a preformed first edge of the preformed skin adjacent to the first edge of the mold cavity; heating the preformed skin adjacent the first edge; exposing the first edge to a vacuum to reform the preformed skin first edge to be adjacent the mold cavity first edge and injecting a foam polymeric material into the mold.

Composite structure tightly radiused molding method

A multi element moving vacuum chamber (MEMVC) for rotational casting includes a mold having a predefined shape and an axis of rotation, and a box containing casting material. The MEMVC further includes a first vacuum element mounted to an outer mold surface and a second vacuum element mounted to an outer box surface. The mold and the box are detachably engageable with each other to define an engaged configuration in which air present in an enclosed area defined by the outer mold surface and an inner surface of the first vacuum element, by an inner mold surface and an inner box surface, and by the outer box surface and an inner surface of the second vacuum element, is removed to create a vacuum. Alternatively, the mold and/or the box may be constructed with vacuum loading capability, thereby eliminating the need for the first and/or the second vacuum elements.

Growing community of inventors

Windsor, CA, United States of America

Gregg Stoutenburg Evans