Recticel Automobilsysteme Gmbh

Recticel

Recticel N.v.

Jan Willems

Hugo De Winter

Bart Broeckaert

Yvan Vanluchene

Berthold Esders

Kristiaan Bracke

Ralf Böbel

André Braeckman

Guy Malfliet

Gert Stalpaert

Nele Bosman

Martin Sabelus

Sven De Vis

Andre Braeckman

For producing a polyurethane layer by spraying a polyurethane reaction mixture, this mixture is supplied under pressure to a spray nozzle, within the nozzle the reaction mixture is accelerated by passing it through one or more channels having a reduced cross-sectional area, and the accelerated reaction mixture is sprayed, with a predetermined amount of kinetic energy, through a spray opening out of the spray nozzle onto a surface. The channels wherein the reaction mixture is accelerated have a total minimum cross-sectional area of S mm, S being a value smaller than 1.0, the reaction mixture is sprayed out of the nozzle at a flow rate of between 10&#xd7;S and 80&#xd7;S g/sec, and, per gram reaction mixture, an amount of 0.05 to 2.5 mmol of a pressurized gas is sprayed together with the reaction mixture through said spray opening out of the nozzle to increase the kinetic energy of the reaction mixture which is sprayed out of the nozzle. By the addition of a pressurized gas to the reaction mixture, a same or even a better spray pattern can be achieved and the reaction mixture can be sprayed at a smaller flow rate.

Method for producing a moulded article comprising a sprayed polyurethane layer

The panel-like laminate comprises a flexible skin (), a rigid substrate () and an intermediate layer (). The flexible skin () comprises a main part () which forms the front side of the laminate and at least one flange () which extends from the main part () of the skin towards the substrate () to form at least a portion of the lateral side of the laminate. In order to avoid foam leakage when molding the intermediate layer () between the skin () and the substrate (), the flange () is extended by a border part () which comprises a flexible lip (). The flexible lip is pressed against the rigid substrate () so that the flexible lip () forms a seal between the skin and the substrate. To prevent deformation of the skin, the border part () of the skin further comprises at least one continuous or discontinuous ridge () which extends along the flange () of the skin () and which prevents a sliding of this border part when closing the mold.

Panel-like laminate and a skin for manufacturing such laminate

The method according to the invention is a moulding method wherein a first layer (), having a first colour, is produced against a first portion of a mould surface () and wherein, in a next step, a second layer (), having a second colour, is produced against a second portion of the mould surface () and at least partially against the back of the first layer (). The method is intended to obtain a qualitative transition between the colours of the two layers () without having to hide the actual colour transition in a groove from view. This object is achieved by applying the material forming the first layer () in such a manner on the mould surface () that the edge () of the first layer (), which will be situated on the mould surface underneath the second layer (), is visually sharp and is produced without a mask.

Method for manufacturing at least a surface layer of multilayered trim part

An electric switch module has one or more electric switches arranged on a substrate () of which at least one is designed as a push-pull rocker switch () having an actuator () formed by a projection () that is asymmetrical to its tilting axis (). The module is characterized in that the top side of the substrate (), together with the actuators () of its switches (), is covered by a flexible outer skin () that also covers the projection () that forms the actuator () of the at least one rocker switch ().

Electric switch module

For manufacturing a moulded article comprising at least an elastomeric polyurethane skin () and optionally a structural backing layer () and an intermediate foam layer () a mould is used having at least a first mould part () comprising at least two mutually movable mould sections (-). The skin () is moulded with its front against a surface () of the first mould part () by applying at least one reactive polyurethane mixture to this mould surface. In order to prevent the seam between the mutually movable mould sections (-) of the first mould part to leave traces on the front of the moulded skin (), the first mould part () further comprises a removable, flexible liner () which is positioned onto these mould sections to cover at least partially the seam therebetween. Since the first mould part () comprises mutually movable mould sections (-), the design freedom is increased and it is not required to transfer the skin to another mould for providing relatively rigid backing layers to the back of this skin.

Method and mould for manufacturing a moulded article comprising at least an elastomeric polyurethane skin

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Wetteren, Belgium

Jan Willems