Manufacturing method of instrument panel body

Abstract

To reduce labor required for manufacturing an instrument panel body provided with a pad.SOLUTION: A substrate (10) in which an inlet part (13) is arranged inside an opening (35) for attaching a speaker (SP)is prepared, and a masking sheet (50) is stuck to an exposure-planned portion (11) of the substrate (10). Next, mold-closing is carried out by setting the substrate and a skin material (21) to a molding die (100). Subsequently, a foamed resin layer (25) is molded by injecting a resin raw material (R) from the inlet part into a cavity (C) formed between the substrate and the skin material, and foaming it. Then, a pad (20) made of the skin material and the foamed resin layer is cut at an outer periphery of the exposure-planned portion (11), and a connection part (17) for connecting the inlet part (13) and a peripheral edge portion of the opening is cut. Then, a portion provided at the exposure-planned portion of the pad, the masking sheet, and the inlet part are removed therefrom.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an instrument panel body. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a padded instrument panel body has been known as an instrument panel body for an automobile, in which a pad consisting of a skin material and a urethane foam layer is laminated integrally on a substrate with the urethane foam layer facing the substrate. As disclosed in Patent Document 1, the padded instrument panel body has a component attachment portion formed in the center of the pad where a speaker is attached. The component attachment portion is constituted by a substrate exposed portion surrounded by a pad.

[0003] In the method for manufacturing an instrument panel body disclosed in Patent Document 1, the above-mentioned part mounting portion located in the center of the pad is used as a raw material injection port in order to efficiently inject resin raw material into the entire pad. The procedure for the method for manufacturing the instrument panel body is as follows: the skin and base material are set in a mold, a masking plate having a raw material injection port is placed between the skin and base material in a closed state, the part mounting portion of the base material is covered with the masking plate to seal the part mounting portion, the raw material injection port is connected to an attachment hole of the part mounting portion, a cavity is formed between the base material and masking sheet, and the skin material, and urethane raw material is injected into the cavity from the raw material injection port to integrally form a urethane foam layer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-000929 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the method for manufacturing an instrument panel body as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a masking plate that is separate from the base material of the instrument panel body is used to provide a raw material injection port, so when forming the pad, it is necessary to attach the masking plate to the portion of the base material of the instrument panel body where the component mounting portion is to be formed. In addition, in order to reuse the masking plate, the pad must be removed from the masking plate. For these reasons, manufacturing an instrument panel body with a pad is time-consuming.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to reduce the labor required for manufacturing a padded instrument panel body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, when forming a foamed resin layer of the pad, an injection port for injecting a resin raw material into a cavity is provided within an opening of the substrate exposed portion with respect to the substrate.

[0008] Specifically, the present invention is directed to a method for manufacturing an instrument panel body in which a pad consisting of a skin material and a foamed resin layer provided on the back side of the skin material is provided on a base material, the pad is surrounded on at least three sides by the pad and has a base material exposed portion where the base material is exposed, and an opening for attaching an accessory part is formed in the base material exposed portion, and the following solutions are provided.

[0009] The first invention includes a preparation step of preparing a base material having an injection port disposed within the opening and integrally connected to a peripheral portion of the opening by a bridge-shaped connecting portion, attaching a masking sheet to a portion of the base material to be exposed that constitutes the base material exposed portion, and closing the opening except for the injection port with the masking sheet, a setting step of setting the base material to which the masking sheet has been attached and the skin material in a molding die such that the skin material corresponds to a pad forming portion including the portion to be exposed, and a sealing step of sealing the base material and the skin material at the outer periphery of the pad forming portion by closing the molding die. the masking sheet and the injection port portion to form a cavity between the substrate and the skin material; a pad forming process in which a resin raw material is injected into the cavity through the injection port portion and foamed to form the foamed resin layer, thereby forming the pad in the pad forming portion; a trimming process in which the pad is cut at the outer periphery of the intended exposure portion and the connecting portion is cut; and a removal process in which the portion of the pad provided in the intended exposure portion, the masking sheet, and the injection port portion are removed to expose the substrate at the substrate exposed portion.

[0010] A second invention is a method for manufacturing an instrument panel body according to the first invention, in which the molding dies include a first die in which the skin material is set and a second die in which the base material is set, and the molding dies have a protrusion at a position corresponding to the injection port of the first die. In the mold closing step, the injection port is pressed against the second die by the protrusion via the skin material.

[0011] A third invention is a method for manufacturing an instrument panel body according to the first or second invention, in which a first mold in which the skin material is set has a first trim blade and a second trim blade that can advance and retreat into the cavity. In the trimming step, with the mold closed, the first trim blade is advanced to cut the pad at the outer periphery of the portion to be exposed with the first trim blade, and the second trim blade is advanced to cut the connecting portion with the second trim blade.

[0012] A fourth invention is a method for manufacturing an instrument panel body according to the third invention, wherein the substrate exposed portion has an open edge on one side that is open from the pad. A protrusion is provided in a portion of the substrate including the open edge to seal with the skin material in the mold closing step. A weak portion that is easier to cut into than other portions of the protrusion is provided in portions of the protrusion located on both ends of the open edge. In the trimming step, the first trim blade cuts into the weak portion, and the pad is cut at a portion of the outer periphery of the portion to be exposed excluding the open edge.

[0013] A fifth invention is a method for manufacturing an instrument panel body according to the fourth invention, in which a skin material having an extension portion on the open edge side that extends outward beyond the protrusion portion when the mold is closed is used as the skin material. In the removing step, the extension portion is gripped and pulled in a direction away from the base material, thereby peeling off the portion of the pad provided on the portion to be exposed, the masking sheet, and the injection port portion from the base material. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the first invention, the foamed resin layer is formed by injecting the resin material into the cavity through the injection port integrally provided on the base material, so there is no need to attach a separate part such as a masking plate for providing an injection port to the instrument panel body when forming the pad. Also, there is no need to reuse the injection port as an injection port. This reduces the effort required to manufacture the instrument panel body with the pad.

[0015] According to the second invention, when the molding dies are closed, the injection port is pressed against the second die by the protrusion provided on the first die, so that a predetermined thickness can be ensured at the portion of the cavity corresponding to the injection port, which is advantageous for favorable flow of the resin material in the cavity.

[0016] According to the third aspect of the present invention, the pad is cut by the first trimming blade provided on the molding die, and the connecting portion is cut by the second trimming blade, so that the pad and the connecting portion can be cut continuously after the pad is formed in the molding die, thereby making it possible to efficiently perform the trimming process.

[0017] According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the protrusions are cut when the pad is cut in the trimming process. The part of the protrusions that is cut in this process is a weak part that is more easily cut than other parts. This prevents the protrusions from interfering with the cutting of the pad in the trimming process, and allows the pad to be cut appropriately.

[0018] According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the part of the pad, the masking sheet and the injection port can be removed by simply gripping the extension provided on the covering material and pulling it in a predetermined direction, which makes the removal process efficient. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a top view showing a base material exposed portion of the instrument panel main body. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a top view illustrating a base material exposed portion of the instrument panel body and its surroundings. FIG. [Diagram 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate exposed portion and its periphery taken along line VV in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 9 is a plan view illustrating a part of a protrusion portion in a portion surrounded by VI in FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view of the protrusion portion taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 1 is a top view illustrating a base material exposed portion of the instrument panel body prepared in a preparation step in the manufacture of the instrument panel body; FIG. [Figure 9]1 is a plan view illustrating a masking sheet used in the manufacture of an instrument panel body. FIG. [Figure 10] 1 is a top view illustrating a state in which a masking sheet is attached to a portion of a base material to be exposed in a preparation process in the manufacture of an instrument panel body. FIG. [Figure 11] 11 is a cross-sectional view of a portion corresponding to line XI-XI in FIG. 10, which diagrammatically illustrates a state in which a base material and a skin material are set in a mold in a setting step in the manufacture of an instrument panel body. [Figure 12] 12 is a cross-sectional view of a portion corresponding to FIG. 11 , illustrating a state in which the molding die is closed in a mold closing step in the manufacture of the instrument panel body. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a cross-sectional view of a portion corresponding to line XIII-XIII in FIG. 15, illustrating a state in which the molding die is closed in a mold closing step in the manufacture of the instrument panel body. [Figure 14] 12 is a cross-sectional view of a portion corresponding to FIG. 11, which illustrates a state in which a resin raw material is injected into a cavity in a pad forming step in the manufacture of an instrument panel body. FIG. [Figure 15] 10 is a top view illustrating an example of an exposed portion of a base material on which a pad is formed in a pad forming step in the manufacture of an instrument panel body. FIG. [Figure 16] 12 is a cross-sectional view of a portion corresponding to FIG. 11, illustrating a state in which a pad and a connecting portion are cut off in a trimming step in the manufacture of an instrument panel body. FIG. [Figure 17] 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a direction in which an extension portion of a skin material is pulled in a removal step in the manufacture of an instrument panel body. FIG. [Figure 18] 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic view of a state in which a part of the pad, the masking sheet, and the injection port portion have been removed in a removal step in the manufacture of the instrument panel body. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, for convenience of explanation, the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction will be referred to as the "front" and the rear side will be referred to as the "rear", the left side in the vehicle width direction facing the front of the vehicle will be referred to as the "left" and the right side will be referred to as the "right", and the upper side in the vehicle height direction will be referred to as the "upper" and the lower side will be referred to as the "lower".

[0021] -Outline of instrument panel configuration- 1 and 2 is a resin instrument panel including a portion for mounting various instruments such as an engine tachometer and a speedometer, and is disposed at the front of the vehicle interior. This instrument panel 1 is supported by an instrument panel reinforcement (not shown) extending in the vehicle width direction and attached to the vehicle body, and is installed on the rear side (vehicle interior side) of the dash panel that separates the engine room from the vehicle interior.

[0022] The instrument panel 1 has an instrument panel main body 2 which forms the main body of the instrument panel. The instrument panel main body 2 constitutes an upper panel facing upward from the instrument panel 1. One side (the left side in this example) in the left-right direction of the instrument panel main body 2 corresponds to the driver's seat, and the other side (the right side in this example) corresponds to the passenger seat. A meter hood 3 is provided behind the part of the instrument panel main body 2 which corresponds to the driver's seat. Inside the meter hood 3, a meter panel 4 including instruments such as a speedometer is mounted.

[0023] A center panel 5 is attached to the center of the instrument panel main body 2 in the vehicle width direction as a panel component of a center cluster that groups together switches for audio equipment and air conditioning equipment. A left lower panel 6 is attached to the left side adjacent to the center panel 5, and a right lower panel 7 is attached to the right side adjacent to the center panel 5, of the instrument panel main body 2. A glove box 8 is attached to the lower panel (right lower panel 7 in this example) located on the passenger seat side of the left lower panel 6 or the right lower panel 7.

[0024] <Instrument panel body> The instrument panel main body 2 is a padded instrument panel main body 2. It has a base material 10 and a pad 20 provided on the base material 10. The base material 10 is a plate-like object that serves as the base of the instrument panel main body 2. The pad 20 has cushioning properties and gives the surface of the instrument panel main body 2 a soft feel.

[0025] The base material 10 is a resin molded body formed by, for example, injection molding. The base material 10 is made of, for example, polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin (ABS resin), Noryl resin, etc. The front portion of the instrument panel main body 2 is a single-layer region 2a (a region not hatched in Figs. 1 to 3) where the base material 10 is exposed. In the single-layer region 2a, a long and narrow front defroster air outlet 9a extending in the vehicle width direction is formed.

[0026] The pad 20 is composed of a skin 21 and a foamed resin layer 25 provided on the back side of the skin 21 (see FIG. 5). The skin 21 is made of, for example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic urethane (TPU), thermoplastic olefin (TPO), or the like. The foamed resin layer 25 is provided between the base material 10 and the skin 21. The foamed resin layer 25 is made of, for example, polyurethane foam. The pad 20 is laminated integrally with the foamed resin layer 25 facing the base material 10.

[0027] The portion of the instrument panel main body 2 rearward of the single-layer region 2a is a pad region 2b (region hatched with dots in Figs. 1 to 3) in which a pad 20 is provided. Side vent air outlets 9b are formed in portions near the left and right ends of this pad region 2b. As shown in Fig. 3, a component mounting portion 9c is formed in the center portion in the left-right direction of the pad region 2b. The component mounting portion 9c has a substrate exposed portion 30 where the substrate 10 is exposed. As shown in Fig. 2, a speaker SP is attached to the substrate exposed portion 30 as an accessory component. The substrate exposed portion 30 is covered with a speaker grill GR.

[0028] The substrate exposed portion 30 is surrounded on three sides by the pad 20, and has an open side 31 that is open from the pad 20 on one side. In this example, the open side 31 of the substrate exposed portion 30 is located on the rear side. A display device DP is installed as an accessory on the rear side of the substrate exposed portion 30 in the component mounting portion 9c. The speaker SP is disposed on the back side of the display device DP. The display device DP is located on the upper side of the center panel 5. The speaker SP and the display device DP are used for car navigation systems, audio, etc.

[0029] 4, the substrate exposed portion 30 is provided with a positioning protrusion 33. The positioning protrusion 33 is a protrusion for positioning a masking sheet 50 used in manufacturing the instrument panel main body 2. In this example, the positioning protrusions 33 are provided on both the left and right sides of the front edge opposite the open edge 31 of the substrate exposed portion 30. The substrate exposed portion 30 further has a first opening 35 for attaching a speaker SP and a plurality of second openings 37 formed therein.

[0030] The first opening 35 opens relatively large in the central portion of the base material exposed portion 30. The second openings 37 each open relatively small outside the periphery of the first opening 35. The second openings 37 include a clip hole 37a for attaching a speaker grill GR, a hole 37b for fastening a harness clip, a fastening hole 37c for attaching a display device DP, and a clip hole 37d for attaching an audio bezel.

[0031] A protrusion 40 is provided in a portion of the substrate 10 including the open edge 31 of the substrate exposed portion 30 to seal with the skin material 21 when the foamed resin layer 25 is molded (in a mold closing process described below) during the manufacturing process of the instrument panel body 2. The protrusion 40 extends in the left-right direction along the open edge 31 of the substrate exposed portion 30, and is formed from the open edge 31 to the inside of the pad region 2b on both the left and right sides. The substrate exposed portion 30 is provided by cutting and removing the pad 20.

[0032] The trimming line TL1 along which the pad 20 is cut intersects with the protruding portion 40 (see FIG. 8). The protruding portion 40 is a protrusion formed with a triangular cross section tapering toward the protruding tip. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the protruding portion 40 has weak portions 41 at portions located on both ends of the open side 31. The weak portions 41 are formed thinner than the general portions 43 which are the other portions of the protruding portion 40. This makes it easier to make cuts in the weak portions 41 than in the general portions 43.

[0033] A gradually changing portion 45 is provided between the weak portion 41 and the general portion 43. The thickness of the gradually changing portion 45 gradually decreases from the general portion 43 toward the weak portion 41. The thickness T2 of the general portion 43 is, for example, about 3.0 mm to 3.4 mm. In contrast, the thickness T1 of the weak portion 41 is, for example, about 1.8 mm to 2.2 mm. The height H of the protrusion 40 is common to the weak portion 41, the general portion 43, and the gradually changing portion 45, and is, for example, about 2.0 mm to 2.5 mm.

[0034] The length L of the fragile portion 41 is set in consideration of the rigidity required for sealing and the variation in the position of the trim blade relative to the trimming line TL1 in the trimming process, and is, for example, about 4 mm to 6 mm. The trimming line TL1 for cutting the pad 20 is set in the middle of the fragile portion 41. That is, a slit 42 is formed in the middle of the fragile portion 41 when the pad 20 is cut. With this slit 42 as a boundary, one side of the protruding portion 40 is provided on the open side 31 of the substrate exposed portion 30, and the other side is provided in the pad region 2b and is covered by the pad 20.

[0035] -Manufacturing method for instrument panel body- Next, there will be described a method for manufacturing the instrument panel body 2. The method for manufacturing the instrument panel body 2 includes a preparation step, a setting step, a mold closing step, a pad forming step, a trimming step, and a removal step.

[0036] <Preparation process> In the preparation step, the preformed substrate 10 and skin material 21, and the masking sheet 50 are prepared. As shown in Fig. 8, the to-be-exposed portion 11 of the substrate 10 prepared at this time is integrally provided with an injection port portion 13. Here, the to-be-exposed portion 11 of the substrate 10 is a portion that forms the substrate exposed portion 30 in the instrument panel main body 2. The injection port portion 13 has an injection port 14 for injecting the resin raw material R when forming the foamed resin layer 25.

[0037] The injection port 13 has a recess 15 recessed toward the back side of the substrate 10, and a flange portion 16 provided on the periphery of the opening of the recess 15. The injection port 14 is formed on the bottom surface of the recess 15. The injection port 13 is disposed within the first opening 35. A pair of bridge-shaped connecting portions 17 are provided on the left and right sides, above and below the flange portion 16. The injection port 13 is integrally connected to the periphery of the first opening 35 by these connecting portions 17.

[0038] The skin 21 has an extension 23 that extends outward beyond the protrusion 40 on the open side 31 side of the exposed base material 30 when the molding die 100 described below is closed (see FIG. 12). This extension 23 is provided over the entire portion that constitutes one side of the skin 21. The skin 21 is formed into a predetermined shape in advance. The skin 21 is provided with a positioning portion 24 that is recessed on the back side and protrudes to the front side (see FIGS. 13 and 15).

[0039] The masking sheet 50 is a cover material that covers the first opening 35 and the second opening 37 of the substrate exposed portion 30. As shown in Fig. 9, the masking sheet 50 is formed in a shape corresponding to the substrate exposed portion 30. An opening 51 is formed in the center of the masking sheet 50 in a shape corresponding to the recess 15 of the injection inlet portion 13. Positioning notches 53 are formed on both the left and right sides of the upper edge of the masking sheet 50.

[0040] The masking sheet 50 is made of a PVC material having a thickness of, for example, about 0.12 mm. An adhesive that allows easy peeling is applied to the surface of the masking sheet 50 that is to be attached to the base material 10. The adhesive strength of the adhesive is set to be weaker than the adhesive strength with the foamed resin layer 25 that is integrally formed on the masking sheet 50, so that the skin material 21, the foamed resin layer 25, and the masking sheet 50 can be peeled off together from the base material 10 in a removal process that will be described later.

[0041] 10, in the preparation step, a masking sheet 50 is attached to the to-be-exposed portion 11 of the base material 10. At this time, the lower edge of the masking sheet 50 is aligned with the protruding portion 40, and each notch 53 is engaged with the corresponding positioning protrusion 33, thereby positioning the masking sheet 50 on the to-be-exposed portion 11. Then, the opening 51 of the masking sheet 50 is made to correspond to the opening of the recess 15, and the openings (first opening 35, second opening 37) of the base material exposed portion 30 except for the injection inlet portion 13 are blocked by the masking sheet 50.

[0042] In the process of molding the foamed resin layer 25 between the substrate 10 and the skin material 21, a molding die 100 as shown in Fig. 11 is used. The molding die 100 includes a first die 110 which is a fixed die, and a second die 120 which is a movable die arranged so as to be able to approach and move away from the first die 110.

[0043] The first mold 110 has a setting surface 111 on which the skin material 21 is set. A plurality of positioning protrusions 113 (see FIG. 13, only one is shown in FIG. 13) are provided on this setting surface 111. A plurality of these protrusions 113 are provided at intervals from each other at a position corresponding to the injection inlet portion 13 of the substrate 10 set in the second mold 120 and on the outside of the first opening 35 in the portion to be exposed 11.

[0044] The multiple protrusions 113 are arranged radially from the injection port 14 in a plan view. Each protrusion 113 is formed in an elliptical cylindrical shape (a shape corresponding to the positioning portion 24 shown in FIG. 15). The major axis of each protrusion 113 faces the injection port 14 side. Such protrusions 113 do not easily impede the flow of the resin raw material R in the cavity C for forming the foamed resin layer 25.

[0045] The first die 110 is provided with a slide block 130 that slides in a direction approaching the second die 120 by being driven by a motor, hydraulic cylinder, or the like (not shown). The slide block 130 has a first trim blade 131 and a second trim blade 133 that can advance and retreat relative to the second die 120 when the molding die 100 is in a closed state. The first trim blade 131 and the second trim blade 133 are each housed in a housing hole 115 formed in the first die 110, and appear and disappear from the housing hole 115 in response to the advance and retreat of the slide block 130.

[0046] The first trimming blade 131 is a means for cutting the pad 20. The first trimming blade 131 is provided in a U-shape to face a trimming line TL1 (see FIG. 15) for cutting the pad 20. The second trimming blade 133 is a means for cutting a pair of connecting portions 17. The second trimming blades 133 are provided in a pair to face each trimming line TL2 (see FIG. 15) for cutting each connecting portion 17 on both the upper and lower sides of the substrate 10 set in the second mold 120.

[0047] When the slide block 130 is in the retracted position, the first trim blade 131 and the second trim blade 133 are retracted into the accommodation hole 115 (see FIG. 14). When the slide block 130 is in the advanced position, the first trim blade 131 and the second trim blade 133 are advanced from the accommodation hole 115 toward the second die 120 (see FIG. 16). When the first trim blade 131 and the second trim blade 133 are advanced from the accommodation hole 115, the advanced length of the second trim blade 133 is longer than the advanced length of the first trim blade 131.

[0048] The second die 120 has a setting surface 121 on which the substrate 10 is set. A pair of grooves 123 for receiving the second trim blades 133 are formed on this setting surface 121. The second die 120 is also provided with an injection nozzle 140 connected to an injection machine (not shown). The injection nozzle 140 is disposed within an opening 124 formed on the setting surface 121. The injection nozzle 140 is a tool for injecting the resin raw material R into the molding die 100 (cavity C) in the closed state.

[0049] <Setting process> 11, the substrate 10 with the masking sheet 50 attached thereto is set on the set surface 121 of the second mold 120 so that the masking sheet 50 faces away from the set surface 121. When the substrate 10 is set on the second mold 120, the injection port 14 of the injection port portion 13 is connected to the injection nozzle 140 via an opening 124 formed on the set surface 121 of the second mold 120. Then, each connecting portion 17 of the substrate 10 and a gap between the periphery of the first opening 35 and the injection port portion 13 in its periphery correspond to the groove portion 123 of the second mold 120.

[0050] In the setting step, the skin 21 is set on the setting surface 111 of the first die 110 so as to correspond to the pad forming portion 18 including the to-be-exposed portion 11 of the base material 10. The pad forming portion 18 is a portion combining the portion corresponding to the pad region 2b of the base material 10 and the to-be-exposed portion 11. At this time, the skin 21 is positioned by covering each of the preformed positioning portions 24 with the positioning protrusions 113 of the first die 110 (see FIG. 13). The slide block 130 waits in the retreated position. When the skin 21 is set in the first die 110, each of the accommodation holes 115 is covered with the skin 21.

[0051] <Mold closing process> In the next mold closing step, the second mold 120 is moved so as to approach the first mold 110, thereby closing the molding die 100 as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. As a result, a cavity C is formed between the substrate 10 and the skin material 21 in the closed molding die 100. At this time, the protrusion 40 of the substrate 10 is pressed against the set surface 111 of the first mold 110 via the skin material 21, so that the substrate 10 and the skin material 21 are sealed at the outer periphery of the pad forming portion 18. Then, the extension portion 23 of the skin material 21 extends outside the substrate 10 beyond the protrusion 40. In addition, in the mold closing step, the molding die 100 is closed, so that the injection port portion 13 is pressed against the second mold 120 via the skin material 21 by the protrusions 113 of the first mold 110.

[0052] <Pad Forming Process> In the pad forming process that follows, as shown in Fig. 14, the injector is operated to inject and foam a resin raw material R such as a urethane raw material into the cavity C through the inlet portion 13 connected to the injection nozzle 140. This forms a foamed resin layer 25 between the substrate 10 and the skin material 21, and a pad 20 consisting of the foamed resin layer 25 and the skin material 21 is formed in the pad forming portion 18. At this stage, the to-be-exposed portion 11 of the substrate 10 is included in the pad forming portion 18 and is therefore covered by the pad 20. As shown in Fig. 15, recesses 27 that are traces of the positioning portions 24 are formed in the portions of the foamed resin layer 25 formed in the to-be-exposed portion 11 of the substrate 10 that correspond to the protrusions 113.

[0053] <Trim process> In the next trimming step, as shown in FIG. 16, with the mold 100 closed, the slide block 130 is slid in the direction of advancement so as to approach the second mold 120. This advances the first trim blade 131 from the accommodation hole 115 toward the second mold 120, and the first trim blade 131 cuts the pad 20 at the outer periphery of the to-be-exposed portion 11 of the base material 10. In this example, the first trim blade 131 cuts into the fragile portion 41 of the protruding portion 40, and cuts the pad 20 at the portion excluding the open edge 31 at the outer periphery of the to-be-exposed portion 11 of the base material 10. The fragile portion 41 of the protruding portion 40 is thinner than the general portion 43, so that it is easy to make a cut. Therefore, the cutting of the pad 20 by the first trim blade 131 is less likely to be hindered by the protruding portion 40.

[0054] In the trimming process, the slide block 130 is slid in the travel direction to advance each of the second trim blades 133 from the accommodation hole 115 toward the first die 110, and each of the second trim blades 133 cuts off the pair of connecting portions 17. The tip of each of the second trim blades 133 is received in the groove portion 123 provided in the first die 110 after cutting off the pair of connecting portions 17. Meanwhile, the tip of the first trim blade 131 is abutted against the surface of the base material 10 at the outer periphery of the masking sheet 50 after cutting the pad 20. The tip of the first trim blade 131 may abut against the outer edge portion of the masking sheet 50.

[0055] After the pad 20 and each connecting portion 17 have been cut in this manner, the mold 100 is opened, and the instrument panel main body 2 with the pad 20 formed thereon is removed from the mold 100. At this stage of the instrument panel main body 2, the pad 20 and the injection port portion 13 remain in the to-be-exposed portion 11 of the base material 10.

[0056] <Removal process> In the subsequent removal process, the portion of the pad 20 provided in the portion to be exposed 11, the masking sheet 50, and the injection port 13 are removed, and the substrate 10 is exposed at the substrate exposed portion 30. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, the extension portion 23 of the skin material 21 is grasped and pulled in a direction away from the substrate 10 (the direction of the white arrow in FIG. 17). As a result, as shown in FIG. 18, the portion of the pad 20 inside the trimming line TL1, that is, the portion provided in the portion to be exposed 11, the masking sheet 50, and the injection port 13 are peeled off from the substrate 10. The peeled injection port 13 can be used as a recycled material by removing the masking sheet 50.

[0057] -Features of the embodiment- According to the manufacturing method of the instrument panel main body 2 of this embodiment, the resin raw material R is injected into the cavity C from the injection port 13 integrally provided in the base material 10 to form the foamed resin layer 25, so there is no need to attach a separate part such as a masking plate for providing the injection port 14 to the instrument panel main body 2 when forming the pad 20. Also, there is no need to reuse the injection port 13 as an injection port. Therefore, the labor required for manufacturing the instrument panel main body 2 with the pad 20 can be reduced.

[0058] According to the manufacturing method of the instrument panel body 2 of this embodiment, when the molding die 100 is closed, the injection port 13 is pressed against the second die 120 by the protrusion 113 provided on the first die 110, so that a predetermined thickness can be ensured at the portion of the cavity C that corresponds to the injection port 13. This is advantageous for allowing the resin raw material to flow suitably in the cavity C.

[0059] According to the method for manufacturing the instrument panel body 2 of this embodiment, the pad 20 is cut by the first trim blade 131 provided on the molding die 100, and each connecting portion 17 is cut by the second trim blade 133, so that the pad 20 and each connecting portion 17 can be cut continuously after the pad 20 is formed in the molding die 100. This makes it possible to efficiently perform the trimming process.

[0060] According to the manufacturing method of the instrument panel body 2 of this embodiment, the protrusions 40 are cut when the pad 20 is cut in the trimming process. The part of the protrusions 40 that is cut in this process is the fragile part 41 that is easier to cut than other parts. This prevents the cutting of the pad 20 in the trimming process from being hindered by the protrusions 40, and allows the pad 20 to be cut appropriately.

[0061] According to the manufacturing method of the instrument panel body 2 of this embodiment, in order to remove a part of the pad 20, the masking sheet 50, and the injection port portion 13, it is sufficient to grasp the extension portion 23 provided on the skin material 21 and pull it in a predetermined direction. This makes it possible to efficiently perform the removal process.

[0062] According to the manufacturing method of the instrument panel main body 2 of this embodiment, since the open edge 31 that opens backward is formed in the substrate exposed portion 30, the pad 20 is not provided between the substrate 10 and the display device DP that is attached to the open edge 31 side of the substrate exposed portion 30. This increases the degree of freedom in the assembling direction of the display device DP. Also, the pad 20 does not get in the way when mounting the display device DP to the instrument panel main body 2.

[0063] As described above, a preferred embodiment has been described as an example of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which appropriate changes, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various further modifications are possible in the above embodiment, and that such modifications also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0064] For example, in the above embodiment, the pad 20 and each connecting portion 17 are cut inside the mold 100 in the trimming step, but this is not limited to the above. After the instrument panel main body 2, in which the pad 20 is also formed on the to-be-exposed portion 11 of the base material 10, is removed from the mold 100, the pad 20 and each connecting portion 17 may be cut outside the mold 100. Also, in the trimming step, the pad 20 and the connecting portion 17 may be cut at different times.

[0065] In the above embodiment, in the trimming process, the pad (20) is cut in a portion excluding the open edge 31 on the outer periphery of the to-be-exposed portion 11 of the base material 10, but this is not limited thereto. In the trimming process, the pad 20 may be cut into a frame shape around the entire periphery of the to-be-exposed portion 11 of the base material. The instrument panel body 2 manufactured in this case has the base material exposed portion 30 surrounded on all four sides by the pad 20.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the extension portion 23 of the skin material 21 is provided over the entire portion constituting one side of the skin material 21, but this is not limited thereto. The extension portion 23 may be provided in a tongue-like shape protruding from the portion constituting one side of the skin material 21.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the speaker SP is attached to the substrate exposed portion 30 of the instrument panel main body 2, but this is not limiting. The speaker SP is merely one example of an accessory part that is attached to the substrate exposed portion 30 of the instrument panel main body 2, and such an accessory part may be other parts such as a display, a HUD (Head Up Display), a heater controller, a defroster duct opening panel, etc. [Industrial Applicability]

[0068] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the present invention is useful for a method for manufacturing a padded instrument panel body. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] C Cavity SP speaker (accessory) 2. Instrument panel body 10 Base material 11 Exposed area 13 Inlet section 17 Connecting part 18 Pad forming section 20 Pads 21 Skin material 23 Extension 25 Foamed resin layer 30 Base material exposed part 31 Open Side 35 First opening (opening) 37 Second opening (opening) 40 Projection part 41 Weakened part 43 General Section (Other Sections) 50 Masking Sheet 100 molds 110 Type 1 113 Protrusion 120 Type 2 131 First trimming blade 133 2nd trim blade

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an instrument panel body (2) in which a pad (20) is provided on a base material (10), the pad (20) being made of a skin material (21) and a foamed resin layer (25) provided on a back side of the skin material (21), the pad (20) is surrounded on at least three sides by the pad (20) and has a base material exposed portion (30) where the base material (10) is exposed, and an opening (35) for attaching an accessory part (SP) is formed in the base material exposed portion (30), a preparation step of preparing a base material (10) having an injection port portion (13) disposed within the opening (35) and integrally connected to a peripheral portion of the opening (35) by a bridge-shaped connecting portion (17), and attaching a masking sheet (50) to a portion to be exposed (11) constituting the base material exposed portion (30) of the base material (10) to cover the openings (35, 37) excluding the injection port portion (13) with the masking sheet (50); a setting step of setting the base material (10) to which the masking sheet (50) is attached and the skin material (21) in a molding die (100) so that the skin material (21) corresponds to a pad forming portion (18) including the portion to be exposed (11); a mold closing step of closing the mold (100) to seal the base material (10) and the skin material (21) at the outer periphery of the pad forming portion (18) to form a cavity (C) between the base material (10) and the skin material (21); a pad forming step of injecting a resin raw material (R) into the cavity (C) through the injection port (13) and foaming the resin raw material (R) to form the foamed resin layer (25) and form the pad (20) in the pad forming portion (18); a trimming step of cutting the pad (20) at an outer periphery of the portion to be exposed (11) and cutting the connecting portion (17); a removing step of removing a portion of the pad (20) provided in the intended exposure portion (11), the masking sheet (50), and the injection port portion (13) to expose the substrate (10) at the substrate exposure portion (11). A method for manufacturing an instrument panel body comprising the steps of:

2. The method for manufacturing an instrument panel body according to claim 1, The molding die (100) includes a first die (110) in which the skin material (21) is set and a second die (120) in which the base material (10) is set, and the molding die (100) is provided with a protrusion (113) at a position corresponding to the injection port portion (13) of the first die (110), In the mold closing step, the injection port portion (13) is pressed against the second mold (120) via the skin material (21) by the projection (113). A method for manufacturing an instrument panel body comprising the steps of:

3. The method for manufacturing an instrument panel body according to claim 1 or 2, As the molding die (100), a first die (110) in which the skin material (21) is set is used, the first die (110) having a first trimming blade (131) and a second trimming blade (133) capable of moving forward and backward with respect to the cavity (C), In the trimming step, while the molding die (100) is closed, the first trimming blade (131) is advanced to cut the pad (20) at the outer periphery of the portion to be exposed (11) by the first trimming blade (131), and the second trimming blade (133) is advanced to cut the connecting portion (17) by the second trimming blade (133). A method for manufacturing an instrument panel body comprising the steps of:

4. The method for manufacturing an instrument panel body according to claim 3, the substrate exposed portion (30) has an open side (31) open from the pad (20) on one side, a protrusion (40) that seals the surface material (21) in the mold closing step is provided on a portion of the base material (10) including the open side (31); The protrusions (40) each have a weak portion (41) at each end of the open side (31) that is easier to cut than the other portions (43) of the protrusions (40); In the trimming step, the first trimming blade (131) cuts into the weak portion (41) and cuts off the pad (20) at a portion of the outer periphery of the portion to be exposed (11) excluding the open side (31). A method for manufacturing an instrument panel body comprising the steps of:

5. The method for manufacturing an instrument panel body according to claim 4, As the skin material (21), a skin material (21) having an extension portion (23) on the open side (31) side that extends outward beyond the protrusion portion (40) when the molding die (100) is closed is used, In the removing step, the extension portion (23) is gripped and pulled in a direction away from the base material (10), thereby peeling off the portion of the pad (20) provided on the intended exposure portion (11), the masking sheet (50), and the injection port portion (13) from the base material (10). A method for manufacturing an instrument panel body comprising the steps of:

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