Fender liner and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

This fender liner is placed in a curved shape along the outer circumference of a tyre of a vehicle. The fender liner comprises a non-woven fabric, and a foam which, having been foamed outside of the non-woven fabric, is overlaid on the non-woven fabric.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to fender liners and methods of manufacturing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] The automotive interior / exterior material described in Patent Document 1 includes a base material formed in a predetermined shape, and a foam formed in a predetermined shape by insert molding using a foaming resin at a predetermined location on one surface of the base material that faces the vehicle body so as to be integrated with the base material. The base material is made of nonwoven fabric or the like. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2013 / 077003 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The foam described in Patent Document 1 is integrated with a nonwoven fabric by insert molding using a foaming resin. Because the nonwoven fabric and the foam are integrated, it is difficult to separate the nonwoven fabric and the foam, making it difficult to recycle the nonwoven fabric.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a technique for improving the separability between a nonwoven fabric and a foam that constitute a fender liner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A fender liner according to one aspect of the present disclosure is positioned in a curved shape along the outer periphery of a vehicle tire. The fender liner includes a nonwoven fabric and a foam that is foamed outside the nonwoven fabric and then layered on the nonwoven fabric. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, by using a foam that is foamed outside the nonwoven fabric and then layered on the nonwoven fabric, it is possible to improve the separability between the nonwoven fabric and the foam. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the undercarriage of a vehicle equipped with a fender liner according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the undercarriage of the vehicle before the fender liner of FIG. 1 is installed. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the fender liner of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a fender liner according to a modified example. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a fender liner according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6(A) is a cross-sectional view showing the test piece of Example 1, FIG. 6(B) is a cross-sectional view showing the test piece of Example 2, and FIG. 6(C) is a cross-sectional view showing the test piece of Example 3. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the sound absorption characteristics of the test pieces of Examples 1 to 3. As shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted. Furthermore, in the specification, a numerical range indicated by "to" means that the numerical values ​​before and after the range are included as the lower and upper limits.

[0010] Nonwoven fabric is defined in the Japanese Industrial Standard JIS L 0222:2001 as follows: A fiber sheet, web, or batt in which the fibers are oriented in one direction or randomly and are bonded by entanglement and / or fusion and / or adhesion, excluding paper, woven fabric, knitted fabric, tufted fabric, and full felt.

[0011] First, a fender liner 1 according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. In Figures 1 and 2, the outline arrow indicates the direction of travel of the vehicle, with the left side being the front of the vehicle and the right side being the rear of the vehicle.

[0012] The fender liner 1 is disposed inside a tire well 31. The tire well 31 is a space that houses a tire 2 of a vehicle body 3. The fender liner 1 is disposed in a curved shape along the outer periphery of the tire 2. The fender liner 1 forms a gap of a certain size between itself and the tire 2 so as not to come into contact with the tire 2.

[0013] Fender liner 1 prevents foreign objects, such as pebbles, kicked up while the vehicle is running from colliding with vehicle body 3. Fender liner 1 also absorbs vehicle running noise and the sound of foreign objects colliding with the vehicle. Fender liner 1 is attached to vehicle body 3 with fasteners 4. Fasteners 4 include, for example, pins.

[0014] As shown in Figure 3, the fender liner 1 includes a nonwoven fabric 11 and a foam 12. The foam 12 is foamed outside the nonwoven fabric 11 and then layered on top of the nonwoven fabric 11. Therefore, there is no integrated layer between the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12. Instead of an integrated layer, there is a separation surface that separates the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12. The nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12 can be freely separated at the separation surface.

[0015] The integrated layer is obtained by placing a nonwoven fabric in a portion of the internal space of the mold, injecting a resin composition into the internal space of the mold, impregnating the nonwoven fabric with the resin composition, and foaming the resin composition inside the nonwoven fabric. If an integrated layer is present, even if an attempt is made to separate nonwoven fabric 11 and foam 12, part of foam 12 will stick to nonwoven fabric 11.

[0016] As described above, the foam 12 of this embodiment is foamed outside the nonwoven fabric 11 and then superimposed on the nonwoven fabric 11. Therefore, there is no integrated layer between the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12, which integrates the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12. Instead of the integrated layer, there is a cutting surface that separates the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12. The nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12 can be freely separated at the cutting surface. Therefore, the separability of the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12 can be improved, and the recycling rate of the nonwoven fabric 11 can be improved.

[0017] The nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12 are adjacent to each other, and no adhesive layer exists between the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12. Without an adhesive layer bonding the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12 together, the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12 can be easily separated, further improving the recycling rate of the nonwoven fabric 11. Furthermore, without an adhesive layer, reflection of sound waves by the adhesive layer can be prevented.

[0018] In this embodiment, the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12 are adjacent to each other, and no adhesive layer is present between the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12; however, an adhesive layer may be present. The adhesive layer may be provided only on a portion of the interface between the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12. The adhesive layer may be provided in a checkerboard pattern, a striped pattern, or a frame-like pattern on only the periphery. If an adhesive layer is provided only on a portion of the interface between the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12, the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12 can be easily separated, and reflection of sound waves by the adhesive layer can be suppressed.

[0019] The nonwoven fabric 11 has a curved shape that follows the outer periphery of the tire 2. The foam 12 is provided on a surface 111 of the nonwoven fabric 11 opposite the tire 2. By positioning the high-strength nonwoven fabric 11 closer to the tire 2 than the low-strength foam 12, damage to the fender liner 1 can be suppressed. One cause of such damage is the peeling off of an ice film, for example.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1 , the foam 12 is provided, for example, on only a portion of the surface 111 of the nonwoven fabric 11 opposite the tire 2. In this case, the foam 12 is fitted between a plurality of mounting portions 32 of the vehicle body 3, and the nonwoven fabric 11 can be fixed to each mounting portion 32 with the fasteners 4 in a state where the nonwoven fabric 11 is in contact with each mounting portion 32. Therefore, even if the foam 12 is simply placed on the nonwoven fabric 11 without being fixed to the nonwoven fabric 11, it is possible to prevent the foam 12 from shifting relative to the vehicle body 3. Furthermore, because the foam 12 is simply placed on the nonwoven fabric 11, the foam 12 and the nonwoven fabric 11 can be easily separated.

[0021] The foam 12 may be provided on the entire surface 111 of the nonwoven fabric 11 opposite the tire 2. In this case, the foam 12 covers the entire nonwoven fabric 11, thereby improving the sound absorption coefficient over the entire fender liner 1.

[0022] 1, the foam 12 may include a first foam layer 121 provided on at least a portion of a surface 111 of the nonwoven fabric 11 opposite the tire 2, and a second foam layer 122 provided on at least a portion of the surface of the first foam layer 121 opposite the tire 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, if the first foam layer 121 is provided only on a portion of the surface 111 of the nonwoven fabric 11 opposite the tire 2 and the second foam layer 122 is provided only on a portion of the surface of the first foam layer 121 opposite the tire 2, then by fitting the second foam layer 122 into a recess 33 of the vehicle body 3, it is possible to further suppress displacement of the foam 12 relative to the vehicle body 3.

[0023] The first foam layer 121 and the second foam layer 122 have, for example, the same composition and are foamed simultaneously inside the same mold. In other words, the first foam layer 121 and the second foam layer 122 are integrated. By integrating the first foam layer 121 and the second foam layer 122, the handleability of the foam 12 can be improved.

[0024] The first foam layer 121 and the second foam layer 122 may have different compositions and may have different sound absorption characteristics (for example, different sound absorption peak frequencies). This allows the noise level to be reduced over a wide frequency band. The first foam layer 121 and the second foam layer 122 may be molded separately in different molds.

[0025] When the first foam layer 121 and the second foam layer 122 have different compositions, the second foam layer 122 may be provided on the entire surface of the first foam layer 121 on the side opposite to the tire 2. In this case, for example, the first foam layer 121 and the second foam layer 122 have different densities, which can improve the sound absorption coefficient of the foam 12.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 4 , the foam 12 may include a first foam layer 121 provided on the entire surface 111 of the nonwoven fabric 11 opposite the tire 2, and a second foam layer 122 formed on at least a portion of the surface of the first foam layer 121 opposite the tire 2. In this case, the second foam layer 122 can be fitted between a plurality of mounting portions 32 of the vehicle body 3, and the nonwoven fabric 11 can be fixed to each mounting portion 32 with the fasteners 4 with the first foam layer 121 in contact with each mounting portion 32. Therefore, even if the foam 12 is simply placed on the nonwoven fabric 11 without being fixed to the nonwoven fabric 11, it is possible to prevent the foam 12 from shifting relative to the vehicle body 3. Furthermore, because the foam 12 is simply placed on the nonwoven fabric 11, the foam 12 and the nonwoven fabric 11 can be easily separated.

[0027] The foam 12 may further include a third foam layer 123 provided on at least a part of the surface of the second foam layer 122 opposite to the tire 2. In this case, by fitting the third foam layer 123 into the recess 33 of the vehicle body 3, it is possible to further suppress displacement of the foam 12 relative to the vehicle body 3.

[0028] 4, the foam 12 may include a first foam layer 121 provided on the entire surface 111 of the nonwoven fabric 11 opposite the tire 2, a second foam layer 122 provided on only a portion of the surface of the first foam layer 121 opposite the tire 2, and a third foam layer 123 provided on only a portion of the surface of the second foam layer 122 opposite the tire 2. In this case, by fitting the third foam layer 123 into a recess 33 of the vehicle body 3, it is possible to further suppress displacement of the foam 12 relative to the vehicle body 3.

[0029] The first foam layer 121, the second foam layer 122, and the third foam layer 123 have, for example, the same composition and are foamed simultaneously inside the same mold. In other words, the first foam layer 121, the second foam layer 122, and the third foam layer 123 are integrated. By integrating the first foam layer 121, the second foam layer 122, and the third foam layer 123, the handleability of the foam 12 can be improved.

[0030] The first and second foam layers 121 and 122 may have different compositions and may have different sound absorption characteristics (for example, different sound absorption peak frequencies) from the third foam layer 123. This allows the noise level to be reduced over a wide frequency band. The first and second foam layers 121 and 122 may be molded separately from the third foam layer 123 in different molds.

[0031] Here, when the second foam layer 122 and the third foam layer 123 have different compositions, the third foam layer 123 may be provided on the entire surface of the second foam layer 122 on the side opposite to the tire 2. In this case, for example, the second foam layer 122 and the third foam layer 123 have different densities, which can improve the sound absorption coefficient of the foam 12.

[0032] The nonwoven fabric 11 is an aggregate of polyester (PEs) fibers, polyethylene (PE) fibers, polypropylene (PP) fibers, etc. The nonwoven fabric 11 may contain multiple types of fibers, for example, polyester fibers and rayon fibers. A specific example of polyester fibers is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers.

[0033] The thickness of the nonwoven fabric 11 is, for example, 0.10 mm to 10 mm. The density of the nonwoven fabric 11 is, for example, 5.0 kg / m 3 ~250kg / m 3 The density of the nonwoven fabric 11 is the so-called bulk density, and is measured in accordance with JIS K7222:2005 "Foamed plastics and rubber - Determination of apparent density." The density of the nonwoven fabric 11 is preferably 25 kg / m 3 ~220kg / m 3 , more preferably 50 kg / m 3 ~200kg / m 3 and more preferably 100 kg / m 3 ~180kg / m 3 is.

[0034] The sound absorption coefficient of the nonwoven fabric 11 is, for example, 0.1 to 0.5. The sound absorption coefficient of the nonwoven fabric 11 is measured by cutting out a test piece with a thickness of 10 mm, applying a 1000 Hz sound wave perpendicularly to the test piece, and following JIS A1405-2:2007 "Measurement of sound absorption coefficient and impedance using an acoustic tube." The sound absorption coefficient of the nonwoven fabric 11 is preferably 0.2 to 0.4. A sound absorption coefficient of 1.0 means that no sound is reflected at all.

[0035] Unlike the nonwoven fabric 11, the foam 12 has a three-dimensional network structure. The foam 12 has many air bubbles inside. The many air bubbles are interconnected, and sound waves propagate through them. At that time, the air inside the foam 12 vibrates. Friction occurs between the three-dimensional network structure of the foam 12 and the air, and the energy of the sound waves is converted into heat energy. As a result, sound is absorbed. The noise level outside the vehicle and the noise level inside the vehicle can be reduced.

[0036] While nonwoven fabric 11 contains two-dimensionally oriented fibers, foam 12 has a three-dimensionally laid out network skeleton. Therefore, foam 12 can improve the sound absorption coefficient compared to nonwoven fabric 11. Furthermore, foam 12 has a three-dimensionally laid out network skeleton that is continuously connected, which can improve shape retention.

[0037] The foam 12 is, for example, a polyurethane foam. The polyurethane foam is a so-called polyurethane foam, and is obtained by foaming and solidifying a resin composition containing polyisocyanate, polyol, a catalyst, and a blowing agent. The blowing agent contains water. The blowing agent may also contain chlorine. Details of the resin composition will be described later.

[0038] In this embodiment, the foam 12 is a polyurethane foam, but it may be a polyacrylic, melamine, rubber, polyolefin, or polyimide foam. These materials, including polyurethane, are lightweight and have excellent shape retention.

[0039] From the viewpoint of achieving both light weight and sound absorption properties, the thickness of the foam 12 is, for example, 3 mm to 30 mm, preferably 4 mm to 25 mm, and more preferably 5 mm to 20 mm.

[0040] The density of the foam 12 is set to, for example, 20 kg / m from the viewpoint of achieving both light weight and sound absorption properties. 3 ~140kg / m 3 The density of the foam 12 is the so-called bulk density, and is measured in accordance with JIS K7222:2005 "Foamed plastics and rubber - Determination of apparent density". The density of the foam 12 is preferably 30 kg / m 3 ~130kg / m 3 , more preferably 55 kg / m 3 ~120kg / m 3 is.

[0041] The sound absorption coefficient of the foam 12 is, for example, 0.4 to 1.0. The sound absorption coefficient of the foam 12 is measured by cutting out a test piece with a thickness of 10 mm, applying a 1000 Hz sound wave perpendicularly to the test piece, and following JIS A1405-2:2007 "Measurement of sound absorption coefficient and impedance using an acoustic tube." The sound absorption coefficient of the foam 12 is preferably 0.4 to 1.0. A sound absorption coefficient of 1.0 means that no sound is reflected at all.

[0042] Next, a method for manufacturing a fender liner according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The method for manufacturing the fender liner 1 includes, for example, steps S101 to S104 shown in Fig. 5.

[0043] First, in step S101, a resin composition is injected into the internal space of a molding die. The molding die is a metal mold from the viewpoint of temperature controllability. The molding die may be a sand mold, a wooden mold, or a resin mold. The temperature of the molding die is adjusted to 50°C to 70°C.

[0044] If the mold temperature is 50°C or higher, the polymerization reaction and foaming reaction can proceed. If the mold temperature is 70°C or lower, the reaction rates can be moderately suppressed, preventing the resin from solidifying before it has permeated the entire interior space of the mold, and preventing the occurrence of incomplete filling, or so-called short circuits.

[0045] The temperature distribution in the mold may be uniform or non-uniform, in which case the polymerization reaction and foaming reaction of the resin composition can be controlled by the temperature difference.

[0046] The molding die is divided into, for example, a lower die and an upper die, and is configured so that the internal space can be opened and closed. The resin composition is injected in a state in which the internal space is closed by the lower die and the upper die.

[0047] Next, in step S102, the resin composition is foamed in the internal space of the molding die to form a foam 12. The foam 12 is molded to have the same shape and dimensions as the internal space of the molding die. Therefore, foams 12 having the same shape and dimensions can be mass-produced. Furthermore, because the shape and dimensions of the internal space of the molding die determine the shape and dimensions of the foam 12, it is possible to impart a fine structure, and post-processing such as cutting or pressing is not required.

[0048] Next, in step S103, foam 12 is removed from the mold. Foam 12 is removed, for example, with the inner space between the lower mold and the upper mold open.

[0049] Next, in step S104, foam 12 is removed from the mold and placed on nonwoven fabric 11. This completes fender liner 1. Fender liner 1 is attached to vehicle body 3 with fasteners 4.

[0050] The method may also include a step of forming a water-repellent layer (not shown) on the surface of the fender liner 1 that faces the tire 2. The water-repellent layer is formed, for example, on the surface of the nonwoven fabric 11 that faces the tire 2. The timing for forming the water-repellent layer on the nonwoven fabric 11 may be before or after overlapping the nonwoven fabric 11 and the foam 12. Note that when the foam 12 is positioned closer to the tire 2 than the nonwoven fabric 11, the water-repellent layer is formed on the surface of the foam 12 that faces the tire 2.

[0051] The water-repellent layer makes it easier for water droplets scattered by the tire 2 to slide. This prevents water droplets from remaining on the surface, and prevents ice from forming. If ice does not form, damage caused by the ice peeling off will not occur. The water-repellent layer is formed from a coating agent, such as a fluorine-based, silicone-based, or low-polarity hydrocarbon-based coating agent such as polyethylene or polypropylene.

[0052] The water-repellent layer may be breathable. Compared to a water-repellent layer that is not breathable, sound waves such as the running noise of the tire 2 can easily penetrate into the fender liner 1. This can suppress the reflection of sound waves. A breathable water-repellent layer can be formed by, for example, a needle punch method or a spray coating method.

[0053] Next, the resin composition that is the raw material of the foam 12 will be described. When the foam is a polyurethane foam, the resin composition contains a polyisocyanate, a polyol, a catalyst, and a blowing agent. The resin composition may further contain additives. The resin composition is usually prepared by mixing a system liquid containing raw materials other than the polyisocyanate with the polyisocyanate.

[0054] Examples of polyisocyanates include, but are not limited to, toluene diisocyanate (TDI), diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate (commonly known as crude MDI), xylylene diisocyanate (XDI), isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI), as well as prepolymer-modified, isocyanurate-modified, urea-modified, and carbodiimide-modified versions of these polyisocyanates. TDI may be either 2,4-TDI or 2,6-TDI, or a mixture thereof. MDI may be any of 2,2'-MDI, 2,4'-MDI, and 4,4'-MDI, or a mixture of two or three of these.

[0055] Examples of the polyol include polyoxyalkylene polyol and polyester polyol.

[0056] Water can be used as a blowing agent, but is not limited to this. A blowing agent other than water is preferably an inert compound with a low boiling point. Examples of such inert compounds include inert gases and saturated hydrocarbons with a boiling point of 70°C or less, a carbon number of 8 or less, and in which hydrogen atoms bonded to carbon atoms may be substituted with halogen atoms. The halogen atoms are, for example, chlorine atoms or fluorine atoms. Examples of saturated hydrocarbons include but are not limited to butane, pentane, hexane, dichloromethane (methylene chloride), trichloroethane, and various fluorocarbon compounds. Furthermore, one type of blowing agent may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination.

[0057] The catalyst is at least one selected from the group consisting of amine catalysts and tin catalysts. One catalyst may be used alone, or two or more catalysts may be used in combination. Examples of the amine catalyst include, but are not limited to, triethylenediamine, bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl)ether, N,N,N',N'-tetramethylhexamethylenediamine, N,N-dimethylaminoethoxyethoxyethanol, N,N-dimethylamino-6-hexanol, N,N-dimethylaminoethoxyethanol, a compound in which two moles of ethylene oxide are added to N,N-dimethylaminoethoxyethanol, and 5-(N,N-dimethyl)amino-3-methyl-1-pentanol. Examples of the tin-based catalyst include, but are not limited to, tin 2-ethylhexanoate, di-n-butyltin oxide, di-n-butyltin dilaurate, di-n-butyltin diacetate, di-n-octyltin oxide, di-n-octyltin dilaurate, monobutyltin trichloride, di-n-butyltin dialkyl mercaptan, and di-n-octyltin dialkyl mercaptan.

[0058] The additive may contain a foam stabilizer. Examples of the foam stabilizer include, but are not limited to, silicone-based foam stabilizers and fluorine-containing compound-based foam stabilizers. One type of foam stabilizer may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination.

[0059] A crosslinking agent may be included as an additive. The crosslinking agent may be a compound having two or more active hydrogen-containing groups selected from a hydroxyl group, a primary amino group, and a secondary amino group. Examples of crosslinking agents include ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, neopentyl glycol, 1,6-hexanediol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, glycerin, trimethylolpropane, pentaerythritol, diglycerin, monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, bisphenol A, ethylenediamine, 3,5-diethyl-2,4-diaminotoluene, 3,5-diethyl-2,6-diaminotoluene, 2-chloro-p-phenylenediamine, 3, Examples of crosslinking agents include, but are not limited to, 5-bis(methylthio)-2,4-diaminotoluene, 3,5-bis(methylthio)-2,6-diaminotoluene, 1-trifluoromethyl-3,5-diaminobenzene, 1-trifluoromethyl-4-chloro-3,5-diaminobenzene, 2,4-toluenediamine, 2,6-toluenediamine, bis(3,5-dimethyl-4-aminophenyl)methane, 4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane, m-xylylenediamine, 1,4-diaminohexane, 1,3-bis(aminomethyl)cyclohexane, and isophoronediamine. Furthermore, the above-mentioned polyoxyalkylene polyols having a molecular weight / hydroxyl group number of less than 500 can also be used as crosslinking agents. One type of crosslinking agent may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination.

[0060] Examples of additives other than those mentioned above include emulsifiers, antioxidants, anti-aging agents such as ultraviolet absorbers, fillers such as calcium carbonate or barium sulfate, plasticizers, colorants, flame retardants, anti-fungal agents, and foam breakers, and various other known additives and auxiliaries. However, the present invention is not limited to these, and additives conventionally used in polyurethane foams can also be used. [Example]

[0061] Experimental data will be explained below. Example 1 below is an embodiment, and Examples 2 to 3 are comparative examples. In Examples 1 to 3, the same resin composition was used as the foam material. The resin composition was prepared by placing 109.3 parts by mass of the system liquid and 39.3 parts by mass of polyisocyanate (a mixture of TDI and MDI, manufactured by Tosoh Corporation, product name: Coronate 1021) in a container and mixing them in a high-speed mixer at room temperature. The system liquid contained 60 parts by mass of polyoxyalkylene polyol 1 (manufactured by AGC, trade name: EXCENOL 820), 40 parts by mass of polyoxyalkylene polyol 2 (manufactured by AGC, trade name: EXCENOL 923), 3 parts by mass of water as a blowing agent, 0.3 parts by mass of catalyst 1 (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation, trade name: TEDA L-33), 0.05 parts by mass of catalyst 2 (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation, trade name: TOYOCAT-ET), 3 parts by mass of foam stabilizer 1 (manufactured by Evonik, trade name: Tegostab B8737LF2), 3 parts by mass of colorant (manufactured by Dainichiseika Color & Chemicals Mfg. Co., Ltd., trade name: FTR5570), and 3 parts by mass of crosslinker 1 (manufactured by AGC, trade name: EXCENOL 555).

[0062] In Example 1, the resin composition was injected into the internal space of a mold and foamed in the internal space of the mold to obtain foam 52 shown in Fig. 6(A). This foam 52 was overlapped with nonwoven fabric 51 having a thickness of 1.3 mm, which was obtained by pressing and compressing Ambic's SN50B (PET fiber) at 170°C and a pressure of 1.6 MPa for 3 minutes using a miniTESTPRESS10 type heating press (manufactured by Toyo Seiki Co., Ltd.), to produce test piece 5. The thickness of nonwoven fabric 51 was 1.3 mm, the thickness of foam 52 was 8.7 mm, and the thickness of test piece 5 was 10 mm.

[0063] In Example 2, a nonwoven fabric (2.7 mm thick) made of Ambic SN50B (PET fiber) was placed in a portion of the mold's interior space. The fabric was compressed at 100°C and 0.3 MPa for 3 minutes using a miniTESTPRESS10 heating press (Toyo Seiki Seisaku-sho, Ltd.). The resin composition was then injected into the mold's interior space, allowing the nonwoven fabric to be impregnated and foamed. As a result, as shown in Figure 6(B), test piece 6 was obtained, which had an integrated layer 63 between nonwoven fabric 61 and foam 62, where the nonwoven fabric and foam were integrated. The nonwoven fabric 61 was 0.2 mm thick, the foam 62 was 7.3 mm thick, and the integrated layer 63 was 2.5 mm thick. The test piece 6 thus had a thickness of 10 mm.

[0064] In Example 3, as shown in Fig. 6(C), a test piece 7 consisting of only a nonwoven fabric 71 was produced. The thickness of the test piece 7 was 10 mm. The nonwoven fabric used was two layers of SN50B (PET fiber) manufactured by Ambic Co., Ltd., stacked without being compressed by press.

[0065] Fig. 7 shows the sound absorption characteristics of test pieces 5 to 7 of Examples 1 to 3. The frequency dependence of the normal incidence sound absorption coefficient was measured to determine the sound absorption characteristics of test pieces 5 to 7. For the measurements, WinZacMTX manufactured by Nihon Onkyo Engineering Co., Ltd. was used. In measuring the sound absorption characteristics, sound waves were irradiated normal to nonwoven fabrics 51, 61, and 71, as shown by the white arrows in Fig. 6.

[0066] As is clear from Fig. 7, Examples 1 and 2 had higher sound absorption coefficients around 1000 Hz, which is a typical frequency of vehicle running noise, compared to Example 3. This is presumably because the test specimens in Examples 1 and 2, unlike Example 3, contained foam. Furthermore, Example 1 had a higher sound absorption coefficient in the frequency band above 1000 Hz, compared to Example 2. This is presumably because the test specimen in Example 1, unlike Example 2, did not contain an integrated layer.

[0067] While the embodiments of the fender liner and manufacturing method thereof according to the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes, modifications, substitutions, additions, deletions, and combinations are possible within the scope of the claims. These changes also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0068] This application claims priority based on Patent Application No. 2021-009713 filed with the Japan Patent Office on January 25, 2021, and the entire contents of Patent Application No. 2021-009713 are incorporated herein by reference. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1 fender liner 11 Nonwoven fabric 12 Foam 121 First foam layer 122 Second foam layer 2 tires

Claims

1. A fender liner that is curved and arranged along the outer periphery of a vehicle tire, Nonwoven fabric and a foam that is foamed outside the nonwoven fabric and then superimposed on the nonwoven fabric; Equipped with the nonwoven fabric has a curved shape along the outer periphery of the tire, The foam is provided on only a portion of the surface of the nonwoven fabric opposite the tire.

2. 2. The fender liner of claim 1, wherein there is no integral, integrated layer of said nonwoven fabric and said foam between said nonwoven fabric and said foam.

3. The fender liner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the nonwoven fabric and the foam are adjacent to each other.

4. 3. The fender liner according to claim 1, further comprising an adhesive layer between the nonwoven fabric and the foam body, the adhesive layer bonding the nonwoven fabric and the foam body.

5. 5. The fender liner according to claim 1, wherein the foam includes a first foam layer provided on at least a portion of a surface of the nonwoven fabric opposite to the tire, and a second foam layer provided on at least a portion of a surface of the first foam layer opposite to the tire.

6. 6. The fender liner according to claim 5, wherein the foam further includes a third foam layer provided on at least a portion of a surface of the second foam layer opposite the tire.

7. The fender liner according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a water-repellent layer on a surface facing the tire.

8. The fender liner according to claim 7 , wherein the water-repellent layer is breathable.

9. The fender liner according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the foam comprises polyurethane, polyacrylic, melamine, rubber, polyolefin, or polyimide.

10. The fender liner according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the nonwoven fabric contains polyester fibers, polyethylene fibers, or polypropylene fibers.

11. A method for manufacturing a fender liner according to claim 1, Injecting a resin composition into an internal space of a molding die; foaming the resin composition in the internal space of the molding die to form a foam; removing the foam from the mold; superposing the removed foam on a nonwoven fabric; A method for manufacturing a fender liner, comprising:

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