Lear Corporation

International Automotive Components Group North America, Inc.

Nelson E Williams, Jr

Glenn A Cowelchuk

Robert J Adams

Kenneth W Shaner

John David Youngs

Randy S Reed

Joseph T Donatti

David M Nagi

Jerome J Sroka

An interior trim panel for a vehicle door is provided according to alternative methods. The interior trim panel includes a bolster to which a polyurethane skin is molded by a spraying operation. Expanded polyurethane foam is sprayed over the polyurethane skin and a backing panel is either integrally formed or assembled to the polyurethane foam layer.

Method of making an interior panel for a door and an article made thereby

Aspects of the present invention include interior vehicle trim panel having a sprayed expanded polyurethane layer and method of making same. In at least one embodiment, the method of making the vehicle interior trim panel comprises providing a skin layer on a spray tool, spraying expandable polyurethane reactive components onto the skin layer to form a resilient layer, and securing a rigid substrate on the resilient layer, such that the resilient layer extends between and connects the skin layer with the substrate to form the vehicle interior trim panel.

Interior vehicle trim panel having a sprayed expanded polyurethane layer and method and system of making same

A method of making an integrated inner trim panel for a vehicle door and an inner trim panel made thereby are disclosed. The method includes sequentially spraying a skin layer, a padding layer, and applying a structural layer in an open mold that defines the facing surface of the inner panel of a door. The integrated inner trim panel may be provided with areas of greater and lesser padding. The skin layer may be formed from a reactant mixture of polyurethane. The padding layer may be a foam polyurethane composition. The structural layer may be a glass-reinforced polyurethane reactant mixture. The inner door panel is an integrated layered structure including a skin layer, a padding layer, and a structural layer. The padding layer may be varied in thickness to provide selectively variable padding in predetermined areas.

Method of making an integrated door inner panel and an article made thereby

A masking system is provided that includes a supply roll of masking material, supported by a first roll support. The supply roll is rotatable on the first roll support, which allows the masking material to be dispensed. A take-up roll is provided to receive masking material after it has been used. A masking arm is positioned on an inside surface of the masking material, and contacts a portion of a mold to capture the masking material between the masking arm and the mold, thereby sealing off a portion of the mold during a coating process. After the coating process, the take-up roll is rotated, thereby dispensing new masking material from the supply roll.

System and method for providing a renewable masking surface

A method of making a vehicle part includes spraying material proximate a surface of a tool to form a skin layer, and spraying material onto the skin layer to form a resilient layer. The method further includes removing the skin layer and the resilient layer from the tool and positioning the layers in a mold. Next, the method involves applying material onto the resilient layer to form a rigid substrate on the resilient layer.

Growing community of inventors

Saline, MI, United States of America

Nelson E Williams, Jr