Method of making a fibrous headliner by compression molding

Abstract

A fibrous headliner for a motor vehicle passenger compartment is formed with a nonwoven high loft batting of thermoplastic fibers having a low percentage of binder fibers that are activated with heat to establish and hold the desired appearance side contour of the headliner. The batting is needled on both sides to form integral fibrous skin layers wherein the roof side layer is substantially thicker and more dense than the passenger compartment side skin layer. The high density skin layer is then coated with a thermoset resin after the batting has been heated to activate the binder fibers. The hot batting with its resinated high density skin layer is then sandwiched by a blank of scrim stock on this side and a blank of adhesive coated cover stock on the appearance side. This assembly is then placed in a heated form mold wherein the mold surfaces are heated to different temperatures to facilitate the curing of the thermoset resin and bonding of the scrim thereto, and setting of the cover at the passenger compartment side skin layer. The resin coated fibrous skin layer with the scrim bonded thereto forms a strong, elastic frame at the back side of the headliner from which the fibers are suspended to absorb the sounds transmitted through the cover and adjoining low density fibrous layer.