Interior trim element for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an interior trim element (1) for a motor vehicle, the element comprising a complex (2) having an upper coating layer (3) based on thermoplastic material and a lower support layer (4) associated with the coating layer, the support layer having a basis weight of at least 400g / m² and being based on either a fibrous porous material or a leak-tight flexible plastic material provided with a mineral filler representing at least 50% by weight of the support layer, the coating layer comprising at least 85% by weight of thermoplastic vulcanisates (TPV) and having a basis weight of less than 600 g / m².

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Title: Interior trim element of a motor vehicle

[0003] The invention relates to an interior trim element for a motor vehicle.

[0004] It is known to produce an interior trim element for a motor vehicle - such as a carpet or a door trim panel -, said element comprising a multi-layer complex, said complex comprising:

[0005] • a top coating layer based on thermoplastic material,

[0006] • a lower support layer associated with said coating layer, said support layer having a minimum surface mass of 400g / m 2 and being based on: o porous fibrous material, o or waterproof flexible plastic material provided with a mineral filler representing at least 50% by mass of said support layer.

[0007] Usually, a support layer based on a waterproof plastic material, as mentioned above, is arranged on a layer of elastically compressible spring so that the element provides acoustic insulation based on a "mass / spring" principle.

[0008] A number of requirements must be considered in order to produce a packing element as described above.

[0009] In particular, the coating layer must have:

[0010] • a minimized mass, said layer often being based on expensive material,

[0011] • minimized shine, in order to give it an attractive appearance, • significant polarity (high surface tension), so as to adhere strongly to the support layer,

[0012] • possibly an extrusion capability, with a view to its deposition by extrusion followed by calendering on the support layer,

[0013] • possibly the possibility of being based on recycled material, in order to minimize the cost and environmental impact.

[0014] The aim of the invention is to propose a filling element taking these various constraints into account.

[0015] To this end, and according to a first aspect, the invention proposes an interior trim element for a motor vehicle, said element comprising a multilayer complex, said complex comprising:

[0016] • a top coating layer based on thermoplastic material,

[0017] • a lower support layer associated with said coating layer, said support layer having a minimum surface mass of 400g / m 2 and being based on: o porous fibrous material, o or waterproof flexible plastic material provided with a mineral filler representing at least 50% by mass of said support layer, said coating layer:

[0018] • comprising at least 85% by mass of vulcanized thermoplastic (TPV),

[0019] • having a surface mass of less than 600 g / m 2 .

[0020] In this description, the terms of positioning in space (upper, lower, below, etc.) are taken in reference to the trim element installed in the vehicle. It is recalled here that vulcanized thermoplastics (TPV) are two-phase olefinic materials (alloys) comprising:

[0021] • a rigid polypropylene phase (homopolymer and / or copolymer),

[0022] • and a flexible crosslinked phase of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM).

[0023] With the proposed arrangement, the presence of TPV in the coating layer allows:

[0024] • to minimize its mass, due to the very high abrasion resistance of TPV which allows the said layer to be produced in a very thin thickness,

[0025] • to minimize its shine, the TPV being matte in nature,

[0026] • to maximize its polarity, TPV being a highly polar material,

[0027] • to give it good extrusion properties, particularly in thin thicknesses, the TPV itself having good extrusion properties,

[0028] • the use of recycled materials, the POS itself being able to come from such a sector.

[0029] Other features and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, given with reference to the attached figures, in which: [Fig.1] is a schematic view in partial section of an element according to one embodiment,

[0030] [Fig. 2] is a schematic cross-sectional view of a bi-component bonding fiber.

[0031] With reference to the figures, an element 1 of interior trim for a motor vehicle - such as a carpet or a door trim panel - is described, said element comprising a multilayer complex 2, said complex comprising:

[0032] • a top coating layer 3 based on thermoplastic material,

[0033] • a lower support layer 4 associated with said coating layer, said support layer having a minimum surface mass of 400g / m 2and being based on: o porous fibrous material - for example based on needle felt -, o or flexible plastic material - for example an elastomer (for example ethylene propylene diene monomer, ...), a plastomer, ethylene vinyl acetate mixed with polyethylene, ... - waterproof provided with a mineral filler representing at least 50% - in particular at least 75% - by mass of said support layer, said coating layer:

[0034] • comprising at least 85% by mass of vulcanized thermoplastic (TPV),

[0035] • having a surface mass of less than 600 g / m 2 .

[0036] According to one embodiment, the coating layer 3 further comprises less than 15% by mass of dispersed filler (for example calcium carbonate), so as to reduce its cost while maintaining good resistance of said layer to abrasion.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the coating layer 3:

[0038] • has a surface mass of between 300 and 400 g / m 2 , so as to minimize the use of vulcanized thermoplastic (TPV),

[0039] • comes from extrusion followed by calendering on the support layer 4.

[0040] Minimizing the use of POS is motivated in particular by economic considerations, as POS is an expensive product.

[0041] In order to further minimize the economic impact of using such a product and to promote an environmental approach, it is advantageous to use recycled TPV.

[0042] It should be noted that TPV has good hot adhesion, its surface tension at room temperature being already greater than 45 dyn according to ISO 8296:2003. As a result, TPV has a very good ability to be laminated onto a support layer 4 to which it adheres strongly.

[0043] Furthermore, the very good abrasion resistance of the TPV makes it possible to provide for the deposition of the coating layer 3 in a very thin layer on the support layer 4, said support layer allowing the shape of said coating layer to be maintained despite its thinness.

[0044] According to various embodiments, the coating layer 3 can be grained on its appearance face, either before or after its association with the support layer 4.

[0045] According to the embodiment shown in figure 1, the support layer 4 is based on a waterproof flexible plastic material provided with a mineral filler representing at least 50% by mass of said layer, the element 1 further comprising an elastically compressible spring layer 5 arranged below said support layer, so that said element forms a “mass / spring” type acoustic insulation system, the mass layer of said system being formed by the complex 2.

[0046] Spring layer 5 is notably based on:

[0047] • elastically compressible foam, in particular polyurethane, having in particular a density of between 50 and 100 g / m 3 ,

[0048] • or porous fibrous material, for example in the form of needle felt,

[0049] • or a mixture of elastically compressible foam flakes (for example polyurethane) bonded together by two-component bonding fibers 6, said bonding fibers comprising a core 7 with a high melting point (for example polyester) and a sheath 8 with a lower melting point (for example modified polyester), the melting of said sheath ensuring the bonding of said flakes together.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. Interior trim element (1) of a motor vehicle, said element comprising a multilayer complex (2), said complex comprising: • a top coating layer (3) based on thermoplastic material, • a lower support layer (4) associated with said coating layer, said support layer having a minimum surface mass of 400g / m² 2 and being optionally based on: o porous fibrous material, o or waterproof flexible plastic material having a mineral filler representing at least 50% by mass of said support layer, said element being characterized in that said coating layer: • comprises at least 85% by mass of vulcanized thermoplastic (TPV), • has a surface mass of less than 600 g / m² 2 .

2. Element according to claim 1, characterized in that the coating layer (3) further comprises less than 15% by mass of dispersed filler, so as to retain good resistance to abrasion.

3. Element according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coating layer (3): • has a surface mass between 300 and 400 g / m² 2 in order to minimize the use of vulcanized thermoplastic (TPV), • comes from an extrusion followed by calendering on the support layer (4).

4. Element according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, when the support layer (4) is based on a waterproof flexible plastic material having a mineral filler representing at least 50% in mass of said layer, said element further comprises an elastically compressible spring layer (5) disposed below said support layer, so that said element forms a "mass / spring" type sound insulation system, the mass layer of said system being formed by the complex (2).

5. Element according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the spring layer (5) is based on: • elastically compressible foam, • or porous fibrous material, • or a mixture of elastically compressible foam flakes linked together by bi-component bonding fibers (6), said bonding fibers comprising a core (7) with a high melting point and a sheath (8) with a lower melting point, the melting of said sheath ensuring the bonding of said flakes together.

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