Method and Device for fabricating interior member of the Car

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an automotive interior material is disclosed. The method for manufacturing an automotive interior material comprises the steps of: arranging a fabric on a base such that its inner surface is exposed; dispensing a molten hot-melt adhesive onto the inner surface of the fabric; bonding the hot-melt adhesive on the base to the fabric; cutting the fabric into a size suitable for wrapping a core; hot-forming the cut fabric into the shape of a core; and contacting the hot-melt adhesive with the outer surface of the core and applying cold pressure to wrap the core with the fabric.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing an eco-friendly automotive interior material using a hot melt adhesive web. Background Technology

[0002] A conventional method for manufacturing automotive interior materials, such as door trims, includes the steps of applying an organic solvent adhesive to the front surface of a substrate, drying and preheating it, applying an organic solvent adhesive to the back surface of the substrate, drying and preheating it, wrapping a core by hand, and removing contaminants by hand.

[0003] As such, conventional core wrapping using organic solvent adhesives requires two coatings on the front and back surfaces of the substrate, as well as two drying and preheating steps. Furthermore, due to the use of organic solvent adhesives, a separate decontamination process is required after the wrapping process to reduce air pollution inside the vehicle. This decontamination process leads to increased labor and processing costs, contributing to higher manufacturing costs.

[0004] Furthermore, even if contaminants are reduced below standard levels through decontamination processes, residual traces of organic solvent adhesive components may still have an adverse effect on the health of vehicle users. In particular, the manual wrapping process can cause adverse health effects on workers due to direct exposure to organic solvent adhesives.

[0005] To address the problems associated with these organic solvents, hot melt adhesives are being used. Hot melt adhesives can be used for bonding by melting while interposed between a substrate and a core in the form of a thin film. However, conventional hot melt adhesive films have a problem in that their adhesion to the core decreases because they remelt upon cooling. The problem to be solved

[0006] The objective of the present invention is to solve conventional problems and to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing eco-friendly automotive interior materials capable of reducing air pollution inside an automobile.

[0007] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing an eco-friendly automotive interior material that has excellent adhesive properties and a simple manufacturing process, resulting in excellent economic efficiency. means of solving the problem

[0008] A method for manufacturing an automotive interior material according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided to achieve the above-described objective. The method for manufacturing an automotive interior material comprises the steps of: arranging a fabric on a base such that its inner surface is exposed; dispensing a molten hot-melt adhesive onto the inner surface of the fabric; adhering the hot-melt adhesive on the base to the fabric; cutting the fabric into a size suitable for wrapping a core; hot-forming the cut fabric into the shape of a core; and cold-pressing the hot-melt adhesive to contact the outer surface of the core to wrap the core with the fabric. .

[0009] The above hot melt adhesive may include polyethylene-based, polyamide-based, polyester-based, or acrylic-based adhesives. .

[0010] The above method may further include a step of heating the base to maintain a predetermined temperature. .

[0011] The above method may further include a step of delaying the supply of the fabric for the time required for cutting between the adhesive step and the cutting step.

[0012] An apparatus for manufacturing an automobile interior material according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided. The apparatus for manufacturing an automobile interior material comprises a base positioned so as to expose the inner surface of a fabric, a hot melt adhesive spinning unit for dispensing molten hot melt adhesive onto the inner surface of the fabric, a pressure roller for adhering the hot melt adhesive on the base to the fabric, a fabric supply delay unit for delaying the supply of the fabric to which the hot melt adhesive is attached, a cutting unit for cutting the fabric to which the hot melt adhesive is attached into a size suitable for wrapping a core, a hot forming unit for hot forming the cut fabric into the shape of a core, and a cold bonding unit for contacting the hot melt adhesive with the outer surface of the core and applying cold pressure to wrap the core with the fabric. Effects of the invention

[0013] The method for manufacturing an automobile interior material according to an embodiment of the present invention can achieve the following effects.

[0014] First, the working environment can be improved through the operation of an eco-friendly manufacturing process by reducing organic chemicals generated during the manufacturing process of automotive door trim parts.

[0015] Second, compared to conventional solvent-based adhesives, it offers improved adhesive performance and excellent characteristics such as discoloration resistance and durability. It is economical due to high productivity resulting from the ability to perform high-speed bonding and automate production lines, and it has the advantage of being eco-friendly as it does not use solvents.

[0016] Third, by applying the hot melt adhesive extruded by the melt blown method directly to the fabric and continuously performing cutting and hot forming without cooling, the degradation of the adhesive strength of the hot melt adhesive can be prevented, and productivity can be improved through inline automation. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0017] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the structure of an automobile interior material according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a manufacturing apparatus for automobile interior materials according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing an automobile interior material according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0018] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the invention includes various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives to the embodiments of the present invention. In relation to the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar components. Identical reference numerals or symbols in the drawings refer to components that perform substantially the same function, and the size of each component in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of explanation. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of known technology or configurations related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present invention, such detailed description will be omitted.

[0019] In this document, expressions such as "have," "can have," "include," or "can include" refer to the existence of the relevant feature (e.g., numerical values, functions, actions, or components, etc.) and do not exclude the existence of additional features.

[0020] In this document, expressions such as “A or B,” “at least one of A or / and B,” or “one or more of A or / and B” may include all possible combinations of items listed together. For example, “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” or “at least one of A or B” may refer to cases including (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) both at least one A and at least one B.

[0021] In embodiments of the present invention, terms including ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another, and singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0022] In addition, in the embodiments of the present invention, terms such as 'upper', 'lower', 'left', 'right', 'inner', 'outer', 'inner surface', 'outer surface', 'front', and 'rear' are defined based on the drawings, and the shape or position of each component is not limited by this.

[0023] As used in this document, the expression "configured to" may be replaced, depending on the context, with, for example, "suitable for," "having the capacity to," "designed to," "adapted to," "made to," or "capable of." The term "configured to" does not necessarily mean "specifically designed to" in hardware. Instead, in some situations, the expression "device configured to" may mean that the device is "capable of" in conjunction with other devices or components.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the structure of an automobile interior material (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The automobile interior material (10) includes a car seat, door trim, headliner, console, etc.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, the automotive interior material (10) may include a fabric (11), a core (12) wrapped in the fabric (11), and a hot melt adhesive (13) that bonds the fabric (11) to the core (12).

[0026] The fabric (11) may include an outer layer (11A), a cushion (11B), and a back cloth (11C) that form the exterior. The outer layer (11A), the cushion (11B), and the back cloth (11C) can be joined by partially melting both sides of the cushion (11B) in an environment with a surface temperature of 50 to 150°C, and then fusing the outer layer (11A) and the back cloth (11C) to both sides.

[0027] The outer shell (11A) can be made of natural leather or artificial leather, such as TPO (Thermoplastic Polyolefin), TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane), PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), etc.

[0028] The cushion (11B) is soft and has a good touch, and is intended for shock absorption or sound insulation, and can be made of, for example, urethane.

[0029] The back cross (11C) is intended to improve adhesion with the core (12) and can be made of, for example, non-woven fabric.

[0030] The core (12) can be manufactured by injection molding of plastic, such as PA (PolyAmide), ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), PP (Poly Propylene), etc.

[0031] The hot melt adhesive (13) is an eco-friendly binder fiber adhesive material that does not require a solvent, which is a harmful substance, and can be made of an adhesive resin that melts at a low temperature of 100°C to 200°C.

[0032] The hot melt adhesive (13) has excellent ability to maintain a consistent shape, allowing for the application of various processing methods. The hot melt adhesive (13) enables the implementation of an efficient manufacturing process by introducing an automated process to replace manual labor and producing products of consistent quality regardless of various materials and shapes.

[0033] The hot melt adhesive (13) can be extruded by melt spinning to form an adhesive web in the form of a nonwoven fabric.

[0034] For example, the hot melt adhesive (13) may be a polyethylene resin such as PE, EVA, EEA, a polyamide resin, a polyester resin, or an acrylic resin.

[0035] The hot melt adhesive (13) according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied directly to the back cross (11C) of the fabric (11) by a melt spinning method.

[0036] The fabric (11) coated with hot melt adhesive (13) is hot-formed before it is cooled and completely solidified, and then wrapping onto the core (12) by cold bonding can be performed. As a result, the hot melt adhesive (13) can be melted with less energy during hot-forming.

[0037] While conventional hot melt adhesives are prepared in a solidified film form in advance and then melted for use during hot forming, the hot melt adhesive (13) according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied by dispensing it into the inner surface of the fabric (11) in a molten polymer state, and then performing hot forming before solidification by complete cooling, thereby preventing a decrease in the adhesive strength of the hot melt adhesive.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a manufacturing apparatus (1) for an automobile interior material (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 2, the manufacturing device (1) for the automotive interior material (10) may include a spinning section (20), a collector (30), a fabric supply delay section (40), a cutting section (50), a hot forming section (60), and a cold bonding section (70).

[0040] The spinning unit (20) can spin molten polymer at high temperature and high pressure. The spinning unit (20) may include an extruder (21), a filter (22), a pump (23), a mixer (24), a spinning platform (25), and a compressor (26).

[0041] Polymer in the form of beads, pellets, and chips, along with stabilizers, color masterbatches, blooming agents, and other additives, are fed into the extruder (21). The extruder (21) melts the polymer at a temperature of 100 to 200°C or higher and sends it to the filter (22).

[0042] The filter (22) filters out foreign substances from the molten polymer and supplies them to the pump (23).

[0043] The pump (23) delivers the filtered molten polymer to the spinneret (25) at high pressure.

[0044] The radiation unit (25) includes a nozzle (252) that discharges molten polymer at high pressure. The nozzle (252) discharges the molten polymer toward a base (36) described later.

[0045] The compressor (26) generates and supplies high-temperature, high-pressure air to discharge high-temperature, high-pressure air with the high-pressure molten polymer discharged from the nozzle (252) in between.

[0046] In this way, the molten polymer discharged with high-temperature and high-pressure air forms a stream and is applied to the fabric (11) on the base (36) in the form of a nonwoven fabric as a hot melt adhesive (13). At this time, the hot melt adhesive (13) can penetrate into the structure of the back cross (11C) of the fabric (11) in a molten state, so that it can be firmly and stably adhered to the fabric (11). In addition, the subsequent process can be performed on the hot melt adhesive (13) applied to the back cross (11C) of the fabric (11) before it is completely cooled.

[0047] The collector (30) includes a base (36) positioned so that the inner surface (back cross (11C)) of the fabric (11) is exposed. The fabric (11) is transferred from a wound fabric roll (32) through a fabric support (34) to the base (36).

[0048] The base (36) may include a conveyor belt with openings. The conveyor belt can move the placed fabric (11) at a predetermined speed. The base (36) may include a rotating drum instead of a conveyor belt.

[0049] The collector (30) may include a blower or suction pump (37) for adsorbing the fabric (11) placed on the base (36) through the opening. That is, the conveyor belt can be moved while adsorbing the fabric (11).

[0050] The thickness of the hot melt adhesive (13) applied to the fabric (11) can be determined according to the moving speed of the conveyor belt and the discharge pressure of the molten polymer.

[0051] The hot melt adhesive (13) applied to the fabric (11) is applied irregularly to the fabric (11), so it can be passed between a pair of pressure rollers (38) to be adhered to the fabric (11) in a regular shape.

[0052] One of the pair of pressure rollers (38) may have a plurality of embossings on its outer surface so that embossings may be formed on the surface of the hot melt adhesive (13).

[0053] A pair of pressure rollers (38) can be heated so that the hot melt adhesive (13) is not cooled and maintains a predetermined temperature.

[0054] The fabric supply delay unit (40) can maintain a constant tension on the fabric (11) between the cutting unit (50) at the rear end and the pressure roller (38). The fabric supply delay unit (40) may include a lifting / lowering roller (42) that can be variably raised and lowered according to the tension of the fabric (11). The lifting and lowering range of the lifting / lowering roller (42) can be set by taking into account the time required for the cutting operation at the cutting unit (50), the amount of molten polymer discharged from the spinning unit (20), and the movement speed of the fabric (11).

[0055] The fabric supply delay section (40) is intended to ensure that the fabric (11) on the base (36) continues to move at a constant speed even if the fabric is temporarily stopped at the cutting section (50) at the rear end. This prevents the quality of the hot melt adhesive (13) applied to the fabric (11) from deteriorating by allowing the discharge operation of the molten polymer of the spinning section (20) to continue without interruption.

[0056] The cutting section (50) can cut the fabric (11) to a size corresponding to the part of the wrapped core (12).

[0057] The hot forming unit (60) can hot form the cut fabric (11, 13) into the shape of a core (12). At this time, the forming of the fabric can be performed in a temperature atmosphere of 100 to 200°C so that the hot melt adhesive (13) can be melted. The hot melt adhesive (13) according to the embodiment of the present invention can be melted quickly without being completely cooled, thereby reducing time and energy consumption.

[0058] The cold bonding section (70) can perform wrapping by applying pressure so that the molded fabric (10A) is bonded to the core (12). Wrapping can be performed in a temperature atmosphere below room temperature so that the molten hot melt adhesive (13) can solidify. Since the temperature atmosphere of the cold bonding section (70) is different, it can be performed in a location spatially separated from the hot molding section (60).

[0059] A primer or a water-based adhesive may be pre-applied to the surface of the core (12) to improve the adhesion of the hot melt adhesive (13). For example, when bonding the core (12) with a polyester-based hot melt adhesive (13), the primer may be used by mixing polyester, melamine as a curing agent, and TritonX-705 as a dispersant with water or a solvent. Of course, if the hot melt adhesive (13) is polyethylene-based, polyamide-based, or acrylic-based, the primer may be used by mixing polyethylene, polyamide, or acrylic resins, respectively.

[0060] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing an automobile interior material (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] In step S1, the fabric (11) is placed on the base (36) so that its inner surface is exposed. The fabric (11) can be moved at a predetermined speed by the conveyor belt of the base (36).

[0062] In step S2, a molten polymer is discharged onto the inner surface of the fabric (11), and a hot melt adhesive (13) is applied to the back cross (11C) of the fabric (11).

[0063] In step S3, in order to uniformly and firmly compress the hot melt adhesive (13) applied to the fabric (11), the fabric (11) with the hot melt adhesive (13) applied is passed between a pair of pressure rollers (38).

[0064] In step S4, the fabric (11) coated with hot melt adhesive (13) is cut to a size suitable for wrapping the core (12).

[0065] In step S5, the hot melt adhesive (13) applied to the fabric (11) is hot-molded into the shape of the core (12) in a temperature atmosphere where it can be melted.

[0066] In step S6, the hot melt adhesive (13) applied to the fabric (11) is melted, and the molded fabric is placed over the core (12) to bond the hot melt adhesive (13) to the core (12) and pressed in a temperature atmosphere below room temperature.

[0067] As described above, the method for manufacturing an automotive interior material (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention can improve productivity and prevent a decrease in the adhesiveness of the hot melt adhesive (13) by applying the hot melt adhesive (13) to the fabric (11) in a molten polymer state and then continuously performing cutting, hot forming, and cold bonding in-line.

[0068] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. It is understood that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essence of the invention as claimed in the claims, and such modified embodiments should not be understood individually from the technical spirit or perspective of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0069] 1: Manufacturing device for automobile interior materials 10: Automotive Interior Materials 11: Fabric 12: Core 13: Hot Melt Adhesive 20: Radiation part 30: Collector 40: Fabric supply delay section 50: Cutting section 60: Hot forming section 70: Cold bond

Claims

Claim 1 A method for manufacturing automotive interior materials comprises the steps of: arranging a fabric on a base so that its inner surface is exposed; dispensing a molten hot-melt adhesive onto the inner surface of the fabric; pressing the hot-melt adhesive irregularly applied to the fabric into a regular shape; cutting the fabric into a size suitable for wrapping a core; and hot-forming the cut fabric into the shape of a core. A method for manufacturing automotive interior materials, comprising the step of contacting the hot melt adhesive with the outer surface of the core and applying cold pressure to wrap the core with the fabric, wherein the steps of placement, discharge, compression, cutting, hot forming, and wrapping are performed continuously in line, and the step of discharging the hot melt adhesive comprises melting a polymer in the form of beads, pellets, or chips at a temperature of 100 to 200°C or higher and filtering it, and discharging the filtered molten polymer onto the inner surface of the fabric at high pressure, wherein high-temperature, high-pressure air is discharged with the discharged molten polymer in between so that the molten polymer forms a stream and is applied as a non-woven adhesive web on the inner surface of the fabric, and wherein the hot forming step is performed before the molten polymer discharged and applied onto the inner surface of the fabric solidifies by complete cooling. . Claim 2 In claim 1, the method for manufacturing an automotive interior material comprises a hot melt adhesive including a polyethylene-based, polyamide-based, polyester-based, or acrylic-based adhesive. . Claim 3 A method for manufacturing an automobile interior material according to claim 1, further comprising the step of heating the base to maintain a predetermined temperature. . Claim 4 A method for manufacturing an automobile interior material according to claim 1, further comprising a step of delaying the supply of the fabric for the time required for cutting between the pressing step and the cutting step. . Claim 5 A manufacturing apparatus for automotive interior materials comprises: a base positioned so that the inner surface of a fabric is exposed; a hot melt adhesive spinning unit that discharges molten hot melt adhesive onto the inner surface of the fabric; a pressure roller that compresses the hot melt adhesive irregularly applied to the fabric into a regular shape; a fabric supply delay unit that delays the supply of the fabric to which the hot melt adhesive is attached; a cutting unit that cuts the fabric to which the hot melt adhesive is attached into a size suitable for wrapping a core; a hot forming unit that hot-forms the cut fabric into the shape of a core; and a cold bonding unit that contacts the hot melt adhesive with the outer surface of the core and cold-presses it to wrap the core with the fabric, wherein the base, the spinning unit, the pressure roller, the fabric supply delay unit, the cutting unit, the hot forming unit, and the cold bonding unit are arranged continuously in line, and the spinning unit comprises an extruder that melts a polymer in the form of beads, pellets, or chips at a temperature of 100 to 200°C or higher. A manufacturing apparatus for automotive interior materials comprising: a filter for filtering foreign substances from a molten polymer; a nozzle for discharging the filtered molten polymer onto the inner surface of the fabric at high temperature and high pressure; and a compressor for discharging high temperature and high pressure air with the molten polymer discharged from the nozzle in between so that the molten polymer forms a stream and is applied onto the inner surface of the fabric as an adhesive web in the form of a nonwoven fabric, wherein the hot forming unit hot-forms the molten polymer discharged and applied onto the inner surface of the fabric before solidification by complete cooling.

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