Support member of vehicle decoration member and vehicle decoration member

Abstract

The utility model provides a supporting component of a vehicle decoration component and the vehicle decoration component. The support member (2) comprises a body (6), a tab (8) protruding from the body (6), the tab (8) comprising a through opening (12). The support member (2) comprises a protective member (10) integral with the tab (8) and connected to said tab (8) by a hinge connection. The protective member (10) comprises a reversible fastening member (18). The protective member (10) is movable relative to the tab (8) about the hinge connection between an open position, in which the protective member (10) allows access to the through-opening (12) of the tab (8), and a closed position, in which the protective member (10) covers the through-opening (12). A reversible fastening member (18) cooperates with the tab (8) to retain the protective member (10) on the through opening (12).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to a supporting component of a decorative component of a vehicle, comprising:

[0002] -main body,

[0003] - At least one tab protruding from the body, the tab comprising at least one through opening.

[0004] The utility model also relates to a vehicle decoration component comprising the supporting component and a method for producing the decoration component. Background Art

[0005] Trim components such as door panels, instrument panels, and the like that cover the interior of a vehicle provide functionality to the vehicle's occupants and enhance the appearance of the vehicle's passenger compartment.

[0006] Vehicle trim components generally include a support component on which a covering layer is disposed, the covering layer generally including a skin layer and sometimes a foam layer disposed between an outer surface of the support component and the skin layer.

[0007] The trim element is produced, for example, by a hot coating step, during which a covering layer is applied to the support element.

[0008] This thermal coating method comprises, for example, arranging several support members on a covering layer and coating them by sucking the covering layer onto the support members, during which the covering layer adheres to the support members. This step is followed by a step of cutting the covering layer around each support member so that each support member can thus be processed individually.

[0009] Typically, each supporting member comprises a tab. The tab comprises a through opening, enabling the decorative member to be attached to other components of the vehicle. During the sheathing step, the tab is covered with a covering layer, which then closes the through opening of the tab. The covering layer must then be removed from each of the tabs in order to freely access the through opening. This step is performed by an operator using a cutting instrument. It therefore has the disadvantage of being time-consuming, being a safety hazard for the operator, and not always allowing tabs to be obtained without all the covering layers. Utility Model Content

[0010] One purpose of the invention is to reversibly and temporarily protect the tab upstream of the step of applying the covering and at the end of the application step in order to obtain a decorative element comprising a functional tab.

[0011] To this end, the utility model relates to a support member for a vehicle decorative member, wherein the support member includes at least one protective member, which is integral with a tab and connected to the tab by a hinge connection, and the protective member includes at least one reversible fastening member, and the protective member is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the tab around the hinge connection, in the open position, the protective member allows access to a through opening of the tab, and in the closed position, the protective member covers the through opening and the reversible connecting member cooperates with the tab to hold the protective member on the through opening.

[0012] Thus, when the cover is placed on the support member, the protective member in the closed position protects the through opening of the tab, the covering member covering the protective member and not penetrating into the through opening. Once this covering step has been performed, the protective member can be removed together with the covering portion extending thereover, so as to make the through opening of the tab accessible and functional.

[0013] According to other advantageous aspects of the present invention, the supporting member of the vehicle decoration member includes one or more of the following features, which are used alone or in any technically feasible combination:

[0014] - the protective member, the hinge connection and the tab are integral;

[0015] - the hinge connection between the protective member and the tab is formed by a joining strip having a thickness less than the thickness of the tab and the thickness of the protective member;

[0016] - the hinge connection between the protective member and the tab is breakable;

[0017] - the protective member, the hinge connection, the tab and the body are made by injection molding of plastic material;

[0018] According to another aspect, the utility model also relates to a decorative component, comprising:

[0019] - a support member as described above, said support member comprising a body defining an outer surface and at least one tab protruding from the body, the protective member being separate from the support,

[0020] - at least one covering layer extending over at least a portion of the outer surface of the body of the support member, the tab being free of the covering layer.

[0021] The decorative component according to the present invention may include the following features:

[0022] The covering layer comprises at least one skin layer and a foam layer, the foam layer extending between the outer surface of the supporting member body and the skin layer.

[0023] According to another aspect, the utility model relates to a method for producing a decorative component as described above, comprising the following steps:

[0024] - manufacturing a support member as described above, with the protective member in the open position,

[0025] - moving the protective member into the closed position,

[0026] - applying a covering layer over the entire support member, the covering layer extending over the protective member of the tab of the support member in the closed position,

[0027] - at least partially cutting the covering layer at the junction between the body of the support member and the tab,

[0028] - moving the protective member to an open position, wherein the cover layer portion extends over said protective member,

[0029] - Separating the protective member from the tab.

[0030] Advantageously, the production method comprises one or more of the following features, taken alone or in any technically feasible combination:

[0031] - The coating is applied to the support member by a thermal coating method.

[0032] - The production method as described above comprises the additional step of cutting the covering layer around the supporting member.

[0033] The invention will be better understood by reading the following description given only by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a support member according to the utility model;

[0035] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of a portion of a support member of FIG. 1 showing a protective member in an open position;

[0036] Figure 3 is in closed position Figure 2 A front view of a protective member;

[0037] Figure 4 Top view of a component that is part of a trim element according to the invention during a step of a method for producing the trim element. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Figure 12 shows a supporting member 2 of a vehicle decoration member 4 according to the present invention. The supporting member 2 is made of, for example, a thermoplastic material. The supporting member 2 is, for example, the main body of the decoration member 4, such as an instrument panel, a door panel, a center console, and the like.

[0039] The support member 2 comprises a main body 6, a tab 8 protruding from the main body 6 and a protective member 10 integral with the tab 8. The tab 8 is connected to the main body 6 via a joining portion 7. The support member 2 is, for example, made of a single piece, i.e., all its constituent members are integral with each other. In a particular embodiment, the main body 6, the tab 8 and the protective member 10 are made by injection molding, preferably during the same injection step.

[0040] The body 6 defines an outer surface 6a. In the following, the terms "outer" and "exterior" refer to the portion facing the passenger compartment when the trim member is installed in a vehicle. The terms "inner" and "interior" refer to the portion facing the vehicle component to which the trim member is installed.

[0041] Advantageously, if Figure 1 As shown, the support member comprises a number of tabs 8, each tab 8 comprising a protective member 10. As all tabs 8 are substantially identical, a single tab 8 will now be described.

[0042] Figure 2 An example of the tab 8 including the protective member 10 is shown in FIG.

[0043] The tab 8 comprises a through opening 12 for passing a fastening member, for example, to enable the trim member 4 to be attached to its environment in the vehicle or to a member of the trim member 4. "Through" means that the through opening 12 extends from the outer surface 8a to the inner surface 8b of the tab 8 and opens onto these surfaces. In other words, the through opening 12 passes through the entire thickness of the tab 8. The tab 8 has, for example, a substantially parallelepiped shape, and the through opening 12 extends, for example, substantially to the center of the outer surface 8a and the inner surface 8b of the tab 8.

[0044] The protection member 10 is integral with the tab 8 and is connected to the tab 8 at one of its free edges by a hinge connection 14. More specifically, the hinge connection 14 is integral with one of the free edges of the outer surface 8a of the tab 8, for example.

[0045] In this example, the tab 8, the protective member 10 and the hinge connection 14 are advantageously integral, as described above. The support member 2 is manufactured as a single component, for example by plastic injection molding.

[0046] The hinge connection 14 is formed, for example, by a joint strip (also called a living hinge), thereby connecting the tab 8 and the protective member 10. The thickness of the joint strip is smaller than the thickness of the tab 8 and the thickness of the protective member 10. As described above, the thickness corresponds to the dimension of the tab 8 in the direction from the outer surface 8a to the inner surface 8b.

[0047] Advantageously, the thickness of the joining strip is selected so that the hinge connection 14 can be broken manually. Thus, the hinge connection 14 has a thickness of, for example, substantially between 0.3 mm and 0.5 mm.

[0048] The protective member 10 is rotatable relative to the tab 8 about the hinge connection 14. The protective member 10 is intended to be positioned in an open position or a closed position, as will be described in more detail later.

[0049] The protective member 10 includes a protective portion 16 and a reversible fastening member 18 protruding from the protective portion 16. The reversible fastening member 18 is located at the end of the protective portion 16 opposite to the hinge connection 14. The protective portion 16 forms a face of the protective member 10 that is substantially parallel to the outer surface 8a of the tab 8 in the open position and the closed position. According to one embodiment, the protective portion 16 has a shape and size that is substantially the same as the shape and size of the outer surface 8a of the tab 8.

[0050] In such Figure 2 In the open position shown, the protective member 10 extends in continuity with the tab 8 and the hinge connection 14, thereby forming a substantially 180 degree angle between the tab 8 and the protective member 10. More specifically, the protective portion 16 extends in continuity with the outer surface 8a of the tab 8. The reversible fastening member 18 is oriented outwardly relative to the protective portion 16.

[0051] In such Figure 3 In the closed position shown, the protective portion 16 of the protective member 10 covers at least a portion of the outer surface 8a of the tab 8, which portion includes the through opening 12. In other words, the protective portion 16 extends at least over the through opening 12 so as to close the through opening in the closed position. According to one embodiment, the protective portion 16 covers the entire outer surface 8a of the tab 8. The reversible fastening member 18 cooperates with the tab 8 to hold the protective member 10 on the through opening 12.

[0052] The reversible fastening member 18 comprises a shoulder 20 defining a support surface 20a. When the protective member 10 is placed in the closed position, the support surface 20a is in contact with the inner surface 8b of the tab 8 so as to retain the protective member 10 on the through opening 12.

[0053] The shoulder 20 is partially recessed on a portion opposite the support surface 20a to allow an operator to more easily manipulate the reversible latching member 18 to move the protective member 10 from the closed position to the open position. Thus, the reversible fastening member 18 forms a clamp for reversibly attaching the protective member 10 to the tab 8 in the closed position.

[0054] The vehicle trim member 4 comprising the support member 2 as described above and at least one covering layer 22 covering at least a portion of the outer surface 6a of the body of the support member 2 is formed during its production method. Figure 4 Thus, the covering layer 22 forms at least a part of the outer and visible surface of the decorative element 4.

[0055] The covering layer 22 comprises at least one skin layer, for example made of a thermoplastic material. According to one embodiment, the covering layer 22 also comprises at least one foam layer extending over the inner surface of the skin layer, so that when the covering layer 22 is applied to the support member, the foam layer extends between the outer surface of the body 6 of the support member 2 and the skin layer. The skin layer then forms at least a part of the outer and visible surface of the decorative member 4, so as to give the decorative member 4 its appearance, while the foam layer gives the decorative member 4 a soft touch. The support member 2, for its part, gives its rigidity and its overall shape to the decorative member 4, the covering layer 22 conforming to the shape of at least a part of the outer surface 6a of the support member 6, as described in more detail later.

[0056] Advantageously, several trim elements 4 are produced simultaneously, as will now be described.

[0057] Now the method for manufacturing the decorative member 4 is described. Consider the support member 2 as described above, which is produced, for example, by injection molding of a plastic material. The protective member 10 of the support member 2 is in an open position. The protective member 10 is moved from the open position to the closed position by rotating around the hinge connection 14. This step is performed manually, for example, by an operator.

[0058] The protective portion 16 of the protective member 10 then covers at least the through opening 12 of each tab 8. The reversible fastening member 18 bears on the surface 20a on the lower surface 8b of the tab 8. The closed position of each protective member 10 is then maintained. The outer surface 10a of the protective member opposite the protective portion 16 is then turned towards the outside of the support member 2, while the through opening 12 is inaccessible from the outside of the support member.

[0059] The inner surface of the covering layer 22 is applied to at least a portion of the outer surface 2a of the support member 2 so that the covering layer 22 conforms to the shape of the portion of the outer surface 2a. According to one embodiment, the covering layer 22 is applied to the entire outer surface 2a of the support member 2. During the application of the covering layer 22, the covering layer 22 extends over the outer surface 6a of the body 6 of the support member 2 and over the outer surface 10a of the protective member 10 of at least one of the tabs 8 of the support member 2. According to one embodiment, the covering layer 22 is applied to the outer surfaces 10a of all protective members 10 that cover all tabs 8 of the support member 2 in the closed position.

[0060] Advantageously, the covering layer 22 is applied to the support member 2 by a thermal coating method. The covering layer 22 is then coated onto the support member 2 by suction and adheres to the support member 2 during the coating process. In this method, several support members 2 are arranged, for example, on the inner surface of a large-sized covering layer 22, and the covering layer 22 is sucked so as to cover these support members 2 simultaneously. The heat applied in the coating tool causes the covering layer 22 to adhere to all support members 2 simultaneously. According to one embodiment, the covering tool comprises one or more sensors making it possible to verify that the protective members 10 of all support members 2 are in the closed position before the covering layer 22 is sucked onto the support members 2.

[0061] A portion of the covering layer 22 forms a margin 24 extending beyond the contour of the support member 2. The margin 24 of the covering layer 22 is cut so as to leave a peripheral band of the covering layer 22 advantageously along the contour of the support member 2, such as Figure 4 26 in FIG. The peripheral band of the covering layer 22 is intended to be folded along the inner surface of the support member 2 to allow the decorative member 4 to be bonded and thus improve its appearance. When several decorative members 4 are produced simultaneously, as described above, the covering layer 22 is cut around all the support members 2 by a cutting tool provided in the coating tool, which cut leaves the above-mentioned margin 24.

[0062] According to one embodiment not shown, the excess 24 of the covering layer 22 is cut as close as possible to the contour of the supporting member 2 .

[0063] Advantageously, if Figure 4 As shown, the joint between the tab 8 and the joint portion 7 is partially cut, in a partially cut manner, for example Figure 4 As shown in dashed lines by line 28 in FIG. 1 , or over its entire length, a portion 25 of the covering layer 22 covers the outer surface 10a of the protective member 10. The purpose is to facilitate the separation of the portion of the covering layer 22 covering the outer surface 6a of the body of the support member 2 (which is desired to be retained) from the portion 25 of the covering layer 22 covering the outer surface 10a of the protective member 10 (which is to be removed).

[0064] The or each protective member 10 is then moved from the closed position to the open position. To do this, the support surface 20a of the reversible fastening member 18 is moved away from the tab 8.

[0065] Advantageously, this operation is performed manually by an operator.

[0066] When the protective member 10 is in the open position, the through-opening 12 of the tab 8 is accessible, is not covered by the covering layer 22 , and the covering layer 22 does not penetrate into the through-opening 12 .

[0067] Advantageously, the entire upper surface 8 a of the tab 8 covered by the protective portion 16 is free of the covering layer 22 .

[0068] The or each protective element 10 is then separated from the tab 8 by cutting the hinge connection 14. The cutting of the hinge connection 14 is for example done manually by an operator. As a variant, the hinge connection 14 is cut in an automated manner in a punching tool arranged to recut the trim element 4, for example in order to integrate a through opening therein. Such a punching tool comprises for example one or more sensors to verify that all protective elements 10 have been changed to the open position before the punching operation.

[0069] The method for producing the trim element 4 also comprises a cutting step during which the excess 24 of the covering layer 22 is folded around the tab 8 onto the inner surface of the body of the support element 2 .

[0070] A vehicle trim member 4 is obtained, comprising a support member 2, the body 6 of which is covered on its outer surface 6a by a covering layer 22, and the tab 8 of which is free of the covering layer 22 and is therefore functional. The protective member 10 in particular makes it possible to avoid any cumbersome scraping operation of the tab 8 in order to remove the covering layer 22 therefrom, which operation could also damage the through opening 12. With the support member 2 according to the invention, the through opening 12 remains intact, which facilitates the subsequent attachment of the trim member 4 or attachment on the trim member.

Claims

1. A supporting member (2) of a vehicle decoration member (4), comprising: - main body (6), - at least one tab (8) protruding from the body (6), the tab (8) comprising at least one through opening (12), Characterized in that the support member (2) includes at least one protective member (10), which is integral with the tab (8) and connected to the tab (8) by a hinge connection (14), and the protective member (10) includes at least one reversible fastening member (18), the protective member (10) being movable relative to the tab (8) around the hinge connection (14) between an open position and a closed position, in which the protective member (10) allows access to the through opening (12) of the tab (8), and in which the protective member (10) covers the through opening (12) and the reversible fastening member (18) cooperates with the tab (8) to retain the protective member (10) on the through opening (12).

2. The support member according to claim 1, characterized in that The protective member (10), the hinge connection (14) and the tab (8) are integral.

3. The support member according to claim 2, characterized in that The hinge connection (14) between the protective member (10) and the tab (8) is formed by a joint strip having a thickness less than the thickness of the tab (8) and the thickness of the protective member (10).

4. The support member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that The hinge connection (14) between the protective member (10) and the tab (8) is breakable.

5. The support member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The protective member (10), the hinge connection (14), the tab (8) and the main body (6) are produced by injection molding of plastic material.

6. A vehicle decoration component (4), characterized in that: include: - A support member (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a body (6) defining an outer surface (6a) and at least one tab (8) protruding from the body (6), the protective member (10) being separate from the support member (2), - at least one covering layer (22) extending over at least a portion of the outer surface (6a) of the body (6) of the support member (2), the tab (8) being free of covering layer (22).

7. The vehicle decoration component according to claim 6, characterized in that: The covering layer (22) includes at least one skin layer and a foam layer, the foam layer extending between the outer surface (6a) of the body (6) of the support member (2) and the skin layer.

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