Decoma International Corporation

Co-ex-tec Industries

Shueh-Mo Lee

Earlby E Wakefield

Gerhard F Hirmer

Tadeusz Borys

A process for manufacture of an automotive trim piece having a polymeric skin fastened to substrate. The polymer, for example, polyvinyl chloride has the property that upon cooling to a relatively rigid state the polymer shrinks. The process includes a step of molding the polymeric skin separately from the substrate such that the skin has a rear face for abutment with an obverse face of the substrate and a pair of lips extending from ends of the rear face. The lips are configured for engaging corresponding edges of the substrate. The skin is cooled to a relatively elastic state, and the skin and substrate are assembled while the skin is in the relatively elastic state. On further cooling, shrinkage forces of the skin and the skin lips in abutment with the corresponding edges of the substrate produce a snug fit from edge to edge of the skin to the substrate and the skin becomes relatively rigid.

Process for manufacturing an automotive trim piece having a polymeric

A metal substrate having a first thermosetting elastomer layer and a second thermoplastic layer, both layers being chemically bonded to the substrate, and a method of manufacture therefor. Preferably, the first layer is extruded EPDM which is bonded to the substrate by with a heat-activable polyisocyanate adhesive and the second layer is extruded PVC which is bonded to the substrate by a heat-activable modified acrylic adhesive. Flock may be chemically bonded to a portion of the EPDM. An automotive trim product is disclosed. The preferred method of manufacture is a continuous process involving the steps of applying EPDM adhesive to the substrate; heat activating the adhesive; extruding the EPDM onto the substrate; applying PVC adhesive to the substrate; heating the partially coated substrate to concomitantly activate the PVC adhesive and cure the EPDM; and then extruding the PVC onto the substrate.

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Downsview, Canada

Shueh-Mo Lee