Multi-Component Interior Trim With Soft Light Guide Noise Decoupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle interior trim parts with integrated lighting often produce undesirable creaking noises due to relative movements, which negatively impact passenger experience and product value.
Innovation Solution
A trim part designed as an injection-molded multi-component component with a hard and soft plastic combination, where the soft component forms a light guide receptacle and decouples noise from the hard component, eliminating the need for additional light guide holders and ensuring noise-free operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If fiber optic cables and lighting components are integrated into the trim part, then the trim part can be illuminated or backlit, but the lighting components and fiber optic routing can generate unwanted noise during relative movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a soft component as an intermediary element between the hard carrier part and the fiber optic receptacle. This soft component acts as a mediator that absorbs mechanical stresses and prevents direct contact between rigid parts, thereby eliminating creaking noise while allowing the fiber optic lighting system to function properly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a multi-component structure combining hard plastic (carrier part) and soft plastic (damping component) materials. This composite construction allows the hard part to provide structural support for lighting while the soft part suppresses noise, resolving the contradiction between illumination functionality and noise generation.
2Reliability
If additional light guide holders and assembly components are added to secure fiber optic cables, then the lighting system can be properly assembled, but the device complexity and number of assembly steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light guide holder function directly into the soft component that is already part of the multi-component injection molding process. By combining the noise-damping function and the light guide securing function into a single integrated element, the patent eliminates the need for separate light guide holders and reduces assembly complexity while maintaining reliable assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The soft component serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a noise-damping element, a structural support for the fiber optic receptacle, and a light guide holder. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of components needed while ensuring proper assembly and reliability.
3Strength
If a hard component structure is used for the carrier part to provide structural support, then the trim part can be properly fastened in the vehicle interior, but direct contact between hard components causes creaking noises during relative movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using hard plastic only where structural support is needed (carrier part for fastening) and soft plastic where noise suppression is required (contact areas and light guide receptacle). This localized material assignment allows the structure to be strong where needed while preventing noise at critical contact points.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-component construction combines hard and soft plastics in a single integrated carrier part. The hard component provides overall structural strength for vehicle interior mounting, while the soft component specifically addresses noise issues at interfaces, resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and noise prevention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively decouples noise from the light guide receptacle, preventing unwanted sounds during vehicle movement and ensuring even illumination through a soft component-based light guide system, enhancing passenger comfort and product value.
Implementation Method 1
The soft component serves as a physical decoupling element, acting as a type of damping element between adjacent plastic components that could otherwise cause undesirable creaking noises during relative movement
Implementation Method 2
The required light is guided to the illuminated areas via fiber optic cables
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a trim part (1) designed for a vehicle interior and configured to be backlit or backlit, wherein the trim part (1) comprises a carrier part (3) designed for fastening the trim part (1) in the vehicle interior, which carrier part (3) is formed as an injection-molded multi-component component made of at least two different plastics, wherein a first plastic as a hard component and a second plastic as a soft component are joined together in injection molding, and wherein the trim part (1) has at least one light guide receptacle (2) for fastening and decoupled from the carrier part (3) receiving at least one light guide (5), and the light guide receptacle (2) is formed from the soft component of the carrier part (3).