JP2011130920A - Vehicular interior trim and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular armrest configured to accurately position an upholstery to a core material, and to eliminate or considerably reduce the use of an adhesive. <P>SOLUTION: The upholstery 3 is formed with first to fourth bag portions 5A-5D. First to fourth corner parts 4A-4D of the core material 2 are inserted into the first to fourth bag portions 5A-5D. The distance between the first and second bag portions 5A and 5B is smaller than that between the first and second bag portions 4A and 4B so that a tensile force for elastically deforming the part may act on a part positioned between the first and second bag portions 5A and 5B of the upholstery 3. Similarly, the distance between the third and fourth bag portions 5C and 5D is slightly smaller than that between the third and fourth corner parts 4C and 4D. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle interior such as an armrest attached to an inner surface of a door facing the inside of the vehicle and a method for manufacturing the same.

  In general, a vehicle armrest includes a core member attached to a door frame and a skin member attached to the core member. The skin material covers the entire surface of the core material facing the vehicle, covers the peripheral edge of the back surface of the core material, and is fixed to the core material.

  As a method for fixing the skin material to the core material, there are a method by adhesion and an ultrasonic fusion method as described in Patent Document 1 below.

JP 2006-110950 A

In the case of the former adhesion, there is a problem that the working environment is deteriorated because the adhesive is vaporized. In addition, there are problems that alignment is difficult for an unfamiliar worker, and wrinkles approach a part of the skin material. In particular, when there is a corner at the end of the core material, the peripheral portions of the skin material folded back on the back surface of the core material must be bonded in an overlapped state, so that the difficulty of bonding itself is reduced. There is a problem that the skin material in the vicinity of the corner portion is loosened, and it is difficult to manufacture an interior product having sharp corner portions.
On the other hand, in the case of fusion, it is sufficient that the core material has a flat plate shape. However, if the core material has a curved or bent cross-sectional shape, the ultrasonic fusion method itself can be used. There is a problem that it is difficult. For this reason, it is hardly employed in interior parts for vehicles having a non-flat shape such as an armrest.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a first aspect of the present invention includes a core material in which first and second corners are respectively formed at one end and the other end, In a vehicle interior comprising a skin material covering a surface of the core material and having a peripheral edge portion folded back at the peripheral edge portion of the core material covering a back surface of the peripheral edge portion of the core material, the first of the skin material The first and second bag portions are formed in the portions corresponding to the second corner portions, respectively, and the tensile force is applied to the portion located between the first and second bag portions of the skin material. The first and second corner portions are inserted into the first and second bag portions, respectively.
In this case, third and fourth corners are respectively formed on one side and the other side of the core member in a direction intersecting the direction connecting the first corner and the second corner, and the skin Third and fourth bag portions are formed at portions corresponding to the third and fourth corner portions of the material, respectively, and a tensile force is applied to a portion located between the third and fourth bag portions of the skin material. In the state, it is desirable that the third and fourth corner portions are inserted into the third and fourth bag portions, respectively.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a core material having first and second corners formed at one end and the other end, respectively, covers the surface of the core material, and is folded at the peripheral edge of the core material. When manufacturing an interior product for a vehicle provided with a skin material whose outer peripheral part covers the back surface of the peripheral part of the core material, the first and second portions corresponding to the first and second corners of the skin material are provided. Two bag portions are formed, and the first and second corners are applied to the first and second bag portions in a state where a tensile force is applied to a portion located between the first and second bag portions of the skin material. It is characterized by inserting each part.
In this case, the third and fourth corners are respectively formed on one side and the other side of the core material in a direction intersecting the direction connecting the first corner and the second corner, Third and fourth bag portions are formed in portions corresponding to the third and fourth corner portions of the skin material, respectively, and a tensile force is applied to a portion located between the third and fourth bag portions of the skin material. It is desirable to insert the third and fourth corner portions into the third and fourth bag portions in the acted state, respectively.

According to the present invention having the above-described characteristic configuration, the first and second corner portions of the core material are inserted into the first and second bag portions of the outer skin material, so that the outer skin material is fixed to the core material. The adhesive for bonding the skin material to the core material can be eliminated or greatly reduced. Therefore, the working environment can be improved. In addition, since an operation for positioning the skin material with respect to the core material is unnecessary, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the skin material is displaced from the core material even by an unskilled worker. Furthermore, since the first and second bag portions are previously formed in a shape corresponding to the first and second corner portions, the portions corresponding to the first and second corner portions of the skin material are not slackened. An interior product having sharp corners can be manufactured.
Moreover, since the position of the skin material relative to the core material is fixed by inserting the first and second corner portions into the first and second bag portions, the skin material is temporarily fixed to the core material by the ultrasonic fusion method. Anyway, the number of fixing points can be reduced. Therefore, the ultrasonic fusion method can be adopted without any problem even for an interior part having a curved or bent cross section such as an armrest.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same embodiment. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the same embodiment. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line YY of FIG. FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line ZZ in FIG. FIG. 7 is a front view of the core material used in the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the concentric material. FIG. 9 is a rear view of the concentric material. FIG. 10 is a rear view showing the skin material used in the embodiment in a developed state. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. FIG. 12 is an enlarged view showing a portion where the first bag portion of the skin material of the embodiment is formed in a state before the first bag portion is formed.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
1 to 12 show an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to an armrest 1 which is an example of a vehicle interior product. The armrest 1 is attached to the inner surface of a door (not shown) facing the inside of the vehicle, and has a core material 2 and a skin material 3 as shown in FIGS.

  The core material 2 is made of a relatively hard resin such as polypropylene, and is molded by an injection molding method, other molding methods, or the like. As shown in FIGS. 4-9, the core material 2 has the front board part 2a, the upper board part 2b, and the lower board part 2c.

The front plate portion 2a is arranged with the longitudinal direction thereof directed in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIGS. 1 to 3) and the width direction directed in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the front surface of the front plate portion 2 a, that is, the surface facing the inside of the vehicle, bulges in the vehicle inner side with respect to both ends in the same direction as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6. Furthermore, the center part of the up-down direction is comprised by the convex curved surface so that it may bulge to the vehicle inside with respect to the both ends of the same direction.

  The upper plate portion 2b is continuously provided in a state bent substantially at a right angle to the front plate portion 2a so as to protrude toward the vehicle outer side from the upper end of the front plate portion 2a. The length in the front-rear direction of the upper plate portion 2b is set to about 2/3 of the total length of the front plate portion 2a, and the rear end (the left end in FIGS. 7 to 9) is the front plate portion. 2a is located at the same position in the front-rear direction as the rear end. Therefore, the upper plate portion 2b is connected to the front plate portion 2a in a range extending from the rear end of the front plate portion 2a to the front and extending approximately 2/3 of the entire length thereof. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the upper surface of the upper plate 2b facing the inside of the vehicle is such that the center in the front-rear direction and the width direction (left-right direction) bulges slightly upward with respect to both end portions in both directions. It is constituted by a convex curved surface having a very large radius of curvature. The upper surface of the upper plate portion 2b may be a substantially horizontal plane.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the lower plate portion 2c is connected to the lower end portion of the front plate portion 2a via a curved portion 2d, and protrudes from the front plate portion 2a toward the vehicle exterior side. The length in the front-rear direction of the lower plate portion 2c is set to about 2/3 of the total length of the front plate portion 2a, and the front end of the lower plate portion 2c is positioned at the same position as the front end of the front plate portion 2a. ing. Accordingly, the lower plate portion 2c is connected to the front plate portion 2a in a range extending from the front end of the front plate portion 2a to the rear and extending approximately 2/3 of the entire length thereof. Therefore, substantially half of the upper plate portion 2b and the lower plate portion 2c located on the center side of the front plate portion 2a face each other in the vertical direction.

  In particular, as shown in FIG. 9, locking protrusions 2e are formed on the back surface of the front plate portion 2a constituting the back surface of the core member 2, the lower surface of the upper plate portion 2b, and the upper surface of the lower plate portion 2c. Each locking projection 2e is disposed close to the outer edge of each surface on which it is formed, and is erected so as to be substantially orthogonal to each surface of the formed position.

  A first corner 4 </ b> A is formed at the front end of the core member 2. The first corner portion 4A is configured as an intersecting portion where the front surface, the back surface, the upper surface, and the lower surface of the front plate portion 2a intersect. Therefore, 4 A of 1st corner | angular parts are a kind of protrusion part with respect to each surface of the front surface of the front board part 2a, a back surface, an upper surface, and a lower surface. The front end portion of the first corner portion 4A is formed by a convex curved surface. However, the tip end portion of the first corner portion 4A does not necessarily have to be formed by a convex curved surface, and may be formed in a dot or line shape by intersecting two or more surfaces.

  A second corner 4 </ b> B is formed at the rear end of the core material 2. This 2nd corner | angular part 4B is comprised when the front surface of the front board part 2a, a back surface, a rear-end surface, and the upper surface, lower surface, and rear-end surface of the upper board part 2b cross | intersect. Therefore, the 2nd corner | angular part 4B is a kind of protrusion part with respect to each surface which comprises it. The front end portion (rear end portion in FIG. 7) of the second corner portion 4B is configured by a convex curved surface, but may be configured as a dot or a line like the first corner portion 4A.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the upper plate portion 2b is formed with a notch 2f in a portion extending from a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction to the front end. The third corner 4C is formed in the upper plate 2b by intersecting the side surface located behind the notch 2f with the upper surface, lower surface and side surface of the upper plate 2b. This 3rd corner | angular part 4C is a kind of protrusion part with respect to each surface which comprises it. Although the tip end portion of the third corner portion 4C is a straight line extending vertically, it may be formed by a convex curved surface in the same manner as the first and second corner portions 4A and 4B.

  A fourth corner portion 4D is formed at the rear end portion of the lower plate portion 2c. The fourth corner portion 4D is configured by the lower surface, upper surface, side surface, and rear end surface of the lower plate portion 2c intersecting each other. Therefore, it is a kind of projecting portion with respect to the fourth corner portion 24D and each surface constituting it. The tip end portion of the fourth corner portion 4D is a straight line extending up and down like the third corner portion 4C, but may be constituted by a convex curved surface.

As for the 3rd and 4th corner parts 4C and 4D, the former is arranged in the upper part of core material 2, and the latter is arranged in the lower part of core material 2, but both are arranged in the same position in the direction of order. Has been. Therefore, the line connecting the third and fourth corners 4C and 4D intersects the line connecting the first and second corners.

  Next, the skin material 3 will be described. The skin material 3 is composed of a skin and a foam layer (both not shown). The surface of the skin is exposed in the vehicle as the surface of the armrest 1, and is made of a resin such as a thermoplastic plastic olefin (TPO) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or a fabric or tricot. On the other hand, the foam layer is for imparting a soft tactile sensation to the skin material 3, and a resin such as polyurethane (PU), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) or the like is used to give appropriate cushioning properties. It is formed by foaming. The foam layer is adhered to the back surface of the skin by adhesion or other means. The skin material 3 thus configured has a flexible film shape as a whole. The skin material 3 may be composed of only the skin without the foam layer.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the skin material 3 is a surface facing the inside of the core material 2, that is, the front surface of the front plate portion 2 a of the core material 2, the upper surface of the upper plate portion 2 b, the lower surface of the lower plate portion 2 c, and the curved portion 2 e. It has a shape and a size that can cover the entire surface of the core material 2 and can be folded back at the peripheral edge portion of the core material 2 to cover the back surface of the peripheral edge portion of the core material 2.

  First to fourth bag portions 5 </ b> A to 5 </ b> D are formed on the skin material 3. The first to fourth bag portions 5A and 5D have shapes and dimensions that allow the first to fourth corner portions 4A to 4D of the core material 2 to be fitted almost exactly, and are skin materials. When 3 is correctly aligned with respect to the core material 2, it arrange | positions so that 1st corner | angular part 4A-4D can be inserted, respectively. However, the distance between the first and second bag portions 5A and 5B is set slightly shorter than the distance between the first and second corner portions 4A and 4B. Therefore, when the first and second corner portions 4A and 4B are inserted into the first and second bag portions 5A and 5B, respectively, a tensile force is applied to the portion of the skin material 3 located between the first and second bag portions 5A and 5B. (Tensile force in the front-rear direction) acts. Of course, this pulling force is large enough to elastically deform the skin material 3 in the front-rear direction, and the operator resists the pulling force and pushes the first and second corners 4A, 4B into the first and second bags. The size is such that it can be easily inserted into the portions 5A and 5B. Similarly, the distance between the third and fourth bag portions is set shorter than the distance between the third and fourth corner portions 4A, 4B by a predetermined distance. Therefore, when the third and fourth corner portions 4C and 4D are inserted into the third and fourth bag portions 5C and 5D, respectively, the portion of the skin material 3 located between the third and fourth bag portions 5C and 5D A tensile force acts. This pulling force is as large as the pulling force acting between the first and second bag portions 5A and 5B.

  The first bag portion 5A can be formed, for example, as shown in FIG. That is, the notch 3a is formed at the end of the skin material 3 facing the first corner 4A. The notch 3a is preferably formed so as to be slightly separated from the first corner portion 4A of the core member 2. And the edge part of the skin material 3 is bend | folded along broken line L1, L2, and the two side surfaces 3b and 3c of the notch 3a are mutually surface-contacted. While maintaining this state, the portions adjacent to the side surfaces 3b and 3c are sewn together. Thus, the first bag portion 5A can be formed. When the first corner portion 4A of the core material 2 is inserted into the first bag portion 5A to the proper position, the side surfaces 3b and 3c, which are the remnants of the notch 3a, are located on the back side of the core material 2, and the front side ( Cannot be seen from inside the car). This is because the notch 3a is formed slightly apart from the first corner 4A of the core member 2. The first bag portion 5A can also be formed by adhering the side surfaces 3b and 3c together by bonding or other means. The second to fourth bag portions 5B to 5D can be formed in the same manner as the first bag portion 5A.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the peripheral edge of the skin material 3, that is, when the skin material 3 is correctly aligned with the core material 2, The same number of engagement holes 3d are formed. Each engagement hole 3d is arranged so as to be positioned at substantially the same position as each locking projection 2e except that it is positioned slightly outside the corresponding locking projection 2e. Therefore, the portion of the skin material 3 where the engagement hole 3d is formed is pulled in the direction toward the inside of the core material 2 to align the engagement hole 3a with the engagement protrusion 2e, thereby locking the engagement hole 3d. The protrusion 2e can be inserted. In the inserted state, a pulling force acts on the skin material 3 positioned within the range of the line that sequentially connects all the engagement holes 3a. The pulling force is almost the same as the pulling force acting between the first and second bag portions 5A and 5B and the pulling force acting between the third and fourth bag portions 5C and 5D.

  The first to fourth corner portions 4A to 4D are respectively inserted into the first to fourth bag portions 5A to 5D, and the engaging projections 2e are inserted into the respective engagement holes 3d, whereby the skin material 3 is formed. The core material 2 is correctly aligned, and the entire surface of the core material 2 and the peripheral edge of the back surface are covered with the skin material 3. Moreover, since a tensile force acts on the skin material 3, at least a portion constituting the surface of the armrest 1 of the skin material 3 does not wrinkle even though it is not bonded to the core material 2. Contact is made over the entire surface of the core material 2. Of the peripheral edge portion of the skin material 3, that is, the peripheral edge portion facing the back surface of the core material 2, a portion positioned between the first to fourth bag portions 5A to 5D and the engagement hole 3d and the two engagement holes 3d , 3d may be fixed to the back surface of the core material 2 by bonding or other means if necessary.

  The distal end portion of the locking projection 2 e is crushed while melting, and the crushed portion is in contact with the skin material 3. This prevents the locking protrusion 2e from coming out of the engagement hole 3d, and thus prevents the skin material 3 from falling off the core material 2. The locking protrusion 2e does not necessarily need to be crushed. For example, a locking claw (not shown) whose height increases from the distal end side to the proximal end side of the locking projection 2e is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the locking projection 2e. Thus, the locking protrusion 2e may be prevented from coming out of the engaging hole 3d, and consequently, the skin material 3 may be prevented from falling off the core material 2. In addition, when there is no possibility that the skin material 3 is detached from the core material 2, the locking protrusion 2e may be simply inserted into the engagement hole 3d.

  When manufacturing the armrest 1 of the said structure, the core material 2 and the skin material 3 are formed previously. First, the first to fourth corner portions 4A to 4D of the core material 2 are inserted into the first to fourth bag portions 5A to 5D of the skin material 3, respectively. Then, the core material 2 and the skin material 3 are automatically correctly aligned. Next, the peripheral edge portion of the skin material 3 is folded back, and each locking projection 2e is inserted into each engagement hole 3d. Thereafter, the tip of the locking projection 2e penetrating the engaging hole 3d is crushed while melting. Thereby, the armrest 1 can be manufactured. About the peripheral part of the skin material 3, you may adhere the part to the back surface of the core material 2 by adhesion | attachment means, such as adhesion | attachment and ultrasonic fusion, as needed.

  According to the armrest 1 having the above-described configuration, only the adhesive is used as necessary, and the use of the adhesive is eliminated or the amount used compared to the case where the skin material 3 is bonded over the entire surface of the core material 2. Can be greatly reduced. Therefore, the working environment at the manufacturing site of the armrest 1 can be improved. Moreover, since the position alignment with the core material 2 and the skin material 3 is automatically performed by inserting the 1st-4th corner | angular parts 4A-4D in the 1st-4th bag parts 5A-5D, those It is possible to eliminate the labor required for alignment and always perform correct alignment. Furthermore, since the 1st-4th bag parts 5A-5D are formed in the part corresponding to the 1st-4th corner | angular part 4A-4D of the skin material 3, the part corresponding to each corner | angular part 4A-4D is mutually connected. There is no need to overlap. And since each corner | angular part (corner | corner part corresponding to the 1st-4th corner | angular part 4A-4D of the core material 2) is comprised previously by the 1st-4th bag part 5A-5D, the armrest 1 A wrinkle does not approach the skin material 3 which comprises a corner | angular part, and the said corner | angular part can be made into a sharp shape.

  Further, an ultrasonic fusion method is used as necessary, but the ultrasonic fusion method is only used for partial fusion of the skin material 3. Therefore, the use of the ultrasonic fusion method can be limited to only the places where the shape of the core material 2 is suitable for the ultrasonic fusion. By doing so, the shape of the core material 2 does not become a problem.

  The present invention can be used for interior parts for vehicles having a large number of corners such as armrests, and the corners can be finished neatly.

1 Armrest (vehicle interior)
2 Core material 3 Skin material 4A 1st corner part 4B 2nd corner part 4C 3rd corner part 4D 4th corner part 5A 1st bag part 5B 2nd bag part 5C 3rd bag part 5D 4th bag part

Claims (4)

A core material having first and second corners formed at one end and the other end, respectively, and a peripheral part that is folded back at the peripheral part of the core material is the peripheral edge of the core material In vehicle interior parts provided with a skin material covering the back of the part,
First and second bag portions are formed at portions corresponding to the first and second corner portions of the skin material, respectively, and a tensile force is applied to a portion located between the first and second bag portions of the skin material. An interior product for a vehicle, wherein the first and second corner portions are inserted into the first and second bag portions in an acted state, respectively.   Third and fourth corner portions are respectively formed on one side portion and the other side portion of the core material in a direction intersecting with the direction connecting the first corner portion and the second corner portion. In the state where the third and fourth bag portions are formed in the portions corresponding to the third and fourth corner portions, respectively, and a tensile force is applied to the portion located between the third and fourth bag portions of the skin material, 2. The vehicle interior product according to claim 1, wherein the third and fourth corner portions are inserted into the third and fourth bag portions, respectively. A core material having first and second corners formed at one end and the other end, respectively, and a peripheral part that is folded back at the peripheral part of the core material is the peripheral edge of the core material When manufacturing a vehicle interior with a skin covering the back of the part,
First and second bag portions are formed in portions corresponding to the first and second corner portions of the skin material, respectively, and a tensile force is applied to a portion located between the first and second bag portions of the skin material. A method of manufacturing an interior product for a vehicle, wherein the first and second corner portions are inserted into the first and second bag portions, respectively, in an acted state. Third and fourth corners are respectively formed on one side and the other side of the core material in a direction intersecting the direction connecting the first corner and the second corner, and the skin material A state in which the third and fourth bag portions are formed in the portions corresponding to the third and fourth corner portions, respectively, and a tensile force is applied to the portion of the skin material located between the third and fourth bag portions. The method for manufacturing a vehicular interior part according to claim 3, wherein the third and fourth corner portions are inserted into the third and fourth bag portions, respectively.

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