Method for manufacturing an interior component, such an interior component and a vehicle

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an interior component (10) for a vehicle is proposed. The method comprises the following steps: • (S1) Provide a support structure (12), • (S2) Applying a bio-based binder mixture (14) at least section by section to a surface of the support structure (12), • (S3) Pre-assembling a cover plate (16) on the surface of the support structure (12) and • (S4) Joining the cover plate (16) to the support structure (12) to form the interior component (10) by hardening the bio-based binder mixture (14). To harden the bio-based binder mixture (14), the bio-based binder mixture (14) is heated by means of an electromagnetic field. The support structure (12) and / or the cover plate (16) are at least predominantly transparent to an electromagnetic field.

Description

[0001] The invention relates generally to the field of automotive interior components. Specifically, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing an interior component for a vehicle, such an interior component, and a vehicle.

[0002] The materials currently used in vehicle interiors are predominantly synthetic. Interior components are typically manufactured by welding or bonding individual parts together. Welding processes such as high-efficiency (HE) or infrared (IR) welding are disadvantageous due to their high energy consumption. However, the use of conventional adhesives for joining interior components makes recycling more difficult.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to at least partially overcome the disadvantages described above. In particular, the invention aims to provide a method for manufacturing an interior component for a vehicle that makes it possible to at least partially meet the ever-increasing demands on the recycling rate of individual vehicle components. The invention also aims to provide a method that enables the efficient production of an improved, sustainable interior component for a vehicle.

[0004] The invention is defined in the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims and the following description.

[0005] A first aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing an interior component for a vehicle. The method comprises the following steps: • Providing a support structure, • Applying a bio-based binder mixture, at least in sections, to a surface of the support structure, • Pre-assembling a cover plate onto the surface of the support structure and • Joining the cover plate to the support structure to form the interior component by hardening the bio-based binder mixture.

[0006] To harden the bio-based binder mixture, it is heated using an electromagnetic field. The support structure and / or the cover plate are at least predominantly transparent to an electromagnetic field.

[0007] A method for manufacturing an interior component for a vehicle is proposed, in which a bio-based binder mixture can be used as an adhesive. The support structure can be joined to the cover plate using the bio-based binder mixture. The bio-based binder mixture can be applied to the entire surface of the support structure or to specific sections thereof. Subsequently, the cover plate can be pre-assembled onto the surface of the support structure coated with the binder mixture. The bio-based binder mixture can then cure, thereby acquiring its bonding effect. To cure the bio-based binder mixture, it can be irradiated with an electromagnetic field. Irradiation of the bio-based binder mixture with an electromagnetic field causes it to heat up, triggering a curing reaction.The cured bio-based binder mixture can act as a natural adhesive for joining the support structure to the cover plate.

[0008] While the bio-based binder mixture is irradiated with an electromagnetic field, the cover plate and the support structure can be held together, for example, in a plastic device, in particular by a form-fitting connection.

[0009] It should be noted that when the bio-based binder mixture is heated, the support structure and the cover plate may also be exposed to the electromagnetic field or electromagnetic waves. Therefore, the support structure and / or the cover plate are preferably predominantly transparent to electromagnetic waves. This means that the support structure and the cover plate preferably comprise materials that do not shield electromagnetic waves or only do so to a minimal extent. Such a material can be described as transparent or permeable. Some examples of such materials are: glass, dry cork, many plastics, dry wood, textiles, and ceramics. By using such materials for the support structure and / or the cover plate, the support structure and / or the cover plate can remain predominantly cold or unheated when the bio-based binder mixture is heated by an electromagnetic field.Under the influence of an electromagnetic field, the support structure and the cover plate can therefore remain largely unchanged.

[0010] The bio-based binder mixture can, in principle, be any bio-based mixture comprising a binder that reacts to electromagnetic waves in such a way as to heat up and harden. In the context of this disclosure, a material can be described as bio-based if it can be produced wholly or partly from renewable (alternatively biogenic) raw materials. In particular, a bio-based material in the context of this disclosure consists of more than 80% biogenic raw materials, preferably 100% biogenic raw materials.

[0011] Such a process can advantageously be used to manufacture an environmentally friendly interior component for a vehicle. Furthermore, such a process allows for the rapid and energy-efficient production of an interior component. In addition, the process according to the invention simplifies the reuse and recycling of the materials of the vehicle's interior component at the end of its service life.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the bio-based binder mixture is heated using radio waves or microwaves to harden it. The wavelength of the electromagnetic waves can be related to the selection of the bio-based binder mixture. Using radio waves or microwaves allows the bio-based binder mixture to be heated and thus hardened quickly. Rapid hardening can lead to advantageously short cycle times in the mass production of interior components. Radio waves or microwaves have proven particularly advantageous for a bio-based binder mixture that includes furfuryl alcohol as a binder.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the support structure is made of cork. Alternatively or additionally, the top panel is made of wood. Joining these two materials, cork and wood, can be challenging due to their differing properties and usually requires several joining steps. By using a bio-based binder mixture, both materials can be advantageously joined in a single step. Furthermore, both cork and wood are easily recyclable materials and can therefore be beneficial for an environmentally friendly interior component.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the bio-based binder mixture is applied to the surface of the support structure in a layer thickness of 0.5 mm to 5 mm, particularly 1 mm to 3 mm. The layer thickness can be related to the composition of the bio-based binder mixture. The layer of bio-based binder mixture should preferably be thick enough to ensure the binding effect, but at the same time thin enough to keep the curing time as short as possible. A layer thickness of 0.5 mm to 5 mm, particularly 1 mm to 3 mm, can be advantageous with regard to both the curing time and the binding effect.

[0015] According to one embodiment, to join the cover plate to the support structure to form the interior component, the support structure together with the cover plate is placed in an electromagnetic wave generation system. The electromagnetic field can be generated, for example, between two metal plates.

[0016] According to one embodiment, during the pre-assembly of the cover plate onto the support structure, the cover plate is pressed onto the support structure with a predefined pressure. This allows, for example, the bio-based binder mixture to be evenly distributed between the cover plate and the surface of the support structure. Pressing the cover plate onto the support structure also allows the thickness of the bio-based binder mixture layer to be fixed or adjusted.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the binder mixture comprises cork dust and a binder system. Furthermore, the cork dust has a bulk density between 50 g / l and 300 g / l, in particular between 80 g / l and 160 g / l.

[0018] The binder system can be thickened with cork dust. A bio-based binder system can consist of a bio-based binder (also referred to as a bio-based resin or bio-based adhesive) and an inorganic or bio-based hardener. The bio-based binder can be a natural polymer. The hardener can act as a reactant in the curing reaction of the binder system, potentially acting as a catalytic agent. Optionally, the binder system can also contain additives.

[0019] The binder comprises, for example, components and / or elements selected from the following groups: polysaccharides, such as dextrins and starch; epoxidized vegetable oils; phenols; bio-based polyurethanes or epoxides; furan resins, such as polyfurfuryl alcohol; and combinations thereof. Additives may include plasticizers, such as citrate-based plasticizers; epoxidized vegetable oils; glycerol esters; cardanol; nanocellulose; odor inhibitors, such as zinc ricinoleate or cyclodextrins; isosorbide; or polyvinyl acetate.

[0020] The binder preferably comprises furfuryl alcohol, which hardens to polyfurfuryl alcohol (PFA). PFA can also be used as a matrix to hold the cork particles together. Some binders, such as furfuryl alcohol, can foam during hardening, which enables gap-bridging and thus can contribute to tolerance compensation.

[0021] A second aspect of the present disclosure relates to an interior component for a vehicle. The interior component comprises a support structure, a cover plate, and an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer consists of a bio-based binder mixture. The adhesive layer is positioned between the support structure and the cover plate and bonds the cover plate to the support structure. The bio-based binder mixture is preferably a mixture that can be produced from 100% biomass. The interior component preferably consists solely of bio-based materials. Therefore, the adhesive layer preferably consists solely of a bio-based binder mixture. The cover plate can, for example, be made of plywood. The support structure can be cork-based. The cover plate can generally be an outer layer of the interior component, such as a laminate layer.

[0022] The interior component could be, for example, an instrument panel, a door panel, a center console or a rear seat system.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the interior component, the interior component is manufactured according to a method as described above and / or below. Such an interior component is environmentally friendly and can be manufactured quickly and energy-efficiently.

[0024] A third aspect of the present disclosure relates to a vehicle comprising an interior component as described above and / or below. The vehicle preferably comprises several interior components which are manufactured according to a method as described above and / or below.

[0025] All benefits, revelations and / or explanations described above and / or below in relation to one aspect of the present revelation apply equally to all other aspects of the present revelation.

[0026] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description can each be essential to the invention individually or in any combination.

[0027] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the figures. The figures show: Fig. 1 an interior component according to an exemplary embodiment; Fig. 2 a flowchart of a process according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0028] Similar, similar-looking, identical, or equivalent elements are identified in the figures by the same reference symbols. The figures are shown schematically and not to scale.

[0029] Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows an interior component 10 according to an exemplary embodiment. The interior component 10 of the Fig. 1 is an interior component of a vehicle. Interior component 10 of the Fig. 1 was produced according to a process according to the invention (see Fig. 2) The interior component 10 has a support structure 12 and a cover plate 16. A cured bio-based binder mixture 14 is arranged, at least in sections, between the support structure 12 and the cover plate 16, bonding the cover plate 16 to the support structure 12. The cured bio-based binder mixture 14 acts as a natural adhesive for bonding the cover plate 16 to the support structure 12. The cured bio-based binder mixture 14 forms in Fig. 1. An adhesive layer. The adhesive layer preferably has a thickness between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.

[0030] It should be noted that the interior component 10 can have several cover plates 14. One cover plate 16 can be connected to the support structure 12 by means of the cured bio-based binder mixture, while another cover plate 16 can be joined to the support structure 12 in a different way.

[0031] The support structure 12 has ribs 18 and grooves. The ribs 18 can be designed to absorb energy, such as that resulting from an impact. Furthermore, the ribs 18 can serve to save material, such as cork. The ribs 18 can be designed to simplify the joining of the support structure 12 with other components of an interior component 10. For this purpose, the ribs 18 can have a shape or contour that interlocks with a surface of a cover plate 16. The interior component 10 also has one or more cavities 17. The cavities 17 can be formed by grooves in the support structure 12. The cavities 17 can serve to accommodate cables and / or form ventilation ducts.

[0032] In Fig. Figure 1 shows an exemplary instrument panel as an interior component 10 of a vehicle. The instrument panel has two cover plates 16, which are made of wood, for example. One cover plate 16 can, in particular, be made of laminated wood. Preferably, the interior component 10 consists solely of bio-based materials. The cover plates 16 can be positively engaged with the ribs 18 of the support structure 12. The cover plates 16 can be connected to the support structure 12 by means of the cured bio-based binder mixture 14 and / or screws.

[0033] Fig. Figure 2 shows a flowchart of a process for manufacturing an interior component 10 for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment. In a first process step S1, a support structure 12 is provided. The support structure 12 can, for example, comprise a cork-binder mixture. In a second process step S2, a bio-based binder mixture 14 is applied, at least section by section, to the surface of the support structure 12. The bio-based binder mixture 14 can be in a liquid state, in particular in a viscous state. The liquid bio-based binder mixture 14 is applied, for example, to the surface of the ribs 18 of the support structure 12 (see Figure 2). Fig.1) In a third process step S3, the cover plate 16 is pre-assembled onto the surface of the support structure 12. After the application of the bio-based binder mixture 14, the two components, i.e., the support structure 12 and the cover plate 16, can be held together. A device can be used that encloses the two components and, if necessary, presses them together. In a fourth process step S4, the cover plate 16 is joined to the support structure 12. In this fourth process step S4, the bio-based binder mixture 14 is heated by irradiation using an electromagnetic field. As the temperature increases, the bio-based binder mixture 14 hardens. Through this hardening, the bio-based binder mixture 14 acquires an adhesive effect, allowing the two components, i.e., the cover plate 16 and the support structure 12, to be joined together.The cover plate 16 and the support structure 12 are at least predominantly transparent to an electromagnetic field. This means that the cover plate 16 and the support structure 12 preferably exhibit very low shielding effect against electromagnetic waves.

[0034] In one embodiment, the bio-based binder mixture 14 contains furfuryl alcohol, which cures to form PFA. During the fourth process step S4, the liquid furfuryl alcohol can be heated significantly, while the cover plate 16, for example made of wood, and the support structure remain almost cold. This allows for particularly rapid and energy-efficient curing of the bio-based binder mixture 14. Furthermore, the PFA foams during curing, which ensures gap-bridging capability and thus tolerance compensation between the two components, i.e., between the cover plate 16 and the support structure 12.

[0035] It should be further noted that the terms "comprising" and "comprising" do not exclude other elements, and the indefinite articles "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality. It should also be noted that features and steps described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features and steps of other embodiments described above. Reference numerals in the claims are not to be considered limitations. Reference symbol list 10 Interior component 12 Support structure 14 Binder mixture 16 Cover plate 17 Cavity 18th rib S1 first process step S2 second procedure step S3 third process step S4 fourth process step

Claims

[1] Method for manufacturing an interior component (10) for a vehicle, comprising the following steps: • (S1) Provide a support structure (12), • (S2) Applying a bio-based binder mixture (14) at least section by section to the surface of the support structure (12), • (S3) Pre-assembling a cover plate (16) onto a surface of the support structure (12) and • (S4) Joining the cover plate (16) to the support structure (12) to form the interior component (10) by curing the bio-based binder mixture (14), wherein the bio-based binder mixture (14) is heated by means of an electromagnetic field for the purpose of curing the bio-based binder mixture (14) and the support structure (12) and / or the cover plate (16) are at least predominantly transparent to an electromagnetic field. [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the bio-based binder mixture (14) is heated by means of radio or microwaves to harden the bio-based binder mixture (14). [3] Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the support structure (12) comprises cork and / or the cover plate (16) comprises wood. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bio-based binder mixture (14) is applied to the surface of the support structure with a layer thickness of 0.5 mm to 5 mm, in particular 1 mm to 3 mm. [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, in order to join the cover plate (16) to the support structure (12) to form the interior component (10), the support structure (12) together with the cover plate (16) is placed in an electromagnetic wave generation system. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, during pre-assembly of the cover plate (16) on the support structure (14), the cover plate is pressed onto the support structure with a predefined pressure. [7] Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the binder mixture comprises cork dust and a binder system, and the cork dust has a bulk density between 50 g / l and 300 g / l, in particular between 80 g / l and 160 g / l. [8] Interior component (10) for a vehicle, comprising a support structure (12), a cover plate (16) and an adhesive layer comprising a bio-based binder mixture (14), wherein the adhesive layer is arranged between the support structure (12) and the cover plate (16) and connects the cover plate (16) to the support structure (12). [9] Interior component (10) according to claim 8, wherein the interior component (10) is manufactured according to a method according to any one of claims 1 to 7. [10] Vehicle comprising an interior component according to one of claims 8 and 9.

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