United Technologies Automotive Inc.

Lear Automotive Dearborn, Inc.

Ut Automotive Dearborn, Inc.

Mark J Brow

Philip L Guthrie

Edward G Curtindale

Stuart G Boyd

Ronald P Pitsch

David S Perry

Tushar M Patel

A mirror assembly includes a mirror bracket formed integrally on the interior surface of the mirror shell utilizing gas assist to eliminate sink marks on the outer surface of the shell. The mirror bracket preferably comprises a wall extending from the interior surface of the mirror shell. The wall includes a base portion of increased thickness. A channel is formed by gas assist in the base portion, thereby creating a pair of spaced walls in the base portion of the wall of the mirror bracket.

Integral mirror bracket using gas assist

An improved headliner material is formed of two layers formed from two types of polyester fibers. The polyester layers include both binder and non-binder fibers. The binder fibers are provided by an adhesive sheath that melts to secure the binder and non-binder fibers together. The layers are provided with different percentages of binder fibers. One layer is provided with 20% to 30% of binder fibers, with the remainder being non-binder fibers. This layer is less rigid, and provides loft and sound absorption to the headliner material. The other layer is provided with a greater percentage of binder fibers, and preferably, 40% to 60% binder fibers. This layer provides structure and rigidity to the headliner material.

Vehicle headliner formed of polyester fibers

A unique material is disclosed for use in trim panels, such as headliners. The unique material includes a central polyester honeycomb core, and outer polyester layers providing an I-beam construction. In a most preferred embodiment of this invention, the layers are all formed of polyester such that portions trimmed away from the panel are easily recycled. In addition, since the honeycomb core is formed of a thermoplastic, it is easily molded to desired shapes. The honeycomb core provide good strength to weight characteristics and also good acoustic characteristics.

Recyclable headliner material

A fibrous resinated panel is provided which when used in a closed environment releases relatively minor amounts of trimethylamines, aldehydes and phenolic compounds into the closed environment. The panel is formed by compressing a fibrous mat impregnated with a thermosetting resin system in a mold cavity defined between an upper and a lower inner mold surface at a temperature between 400.degree. to 600.degree. for 45 to 90 seconds whereby the thermosetting resin is substantially cured and the mat is shaped to conform to a desired contour prior to removing the mat from the mold cavity. The thermosetting resin system used to impregnate the mat includes an essentially aqueous A-stage form resole-melamine composition containing residues of free melamine(s) to free aldehyde(s) to free phenolic compound(s) in a molar equivalent ratio ranging from about 0.2:1.5:1 to about 0.8:3.5:1.

Method of making resin impregnated fibrous panels

The console for a motor vehicle has a wall structure defining a compartment and a door for closing said compartment wherein the console has a latch mechanism engageable by the door for selectively maintaining the door in a closed position and the latch mechanism is releasable by movement of the door from a normal closed position to an over-closed position. The latch mechanism is provided with a spring which biases the door towards an open position only when the door is moved into an over-closed position, thereby preventing unintentional opening of the door by forces exerted upon the vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

Allen Park, MI, United States of America

Mark J Brow