Laminated Sheet Material for 3D Surface Forming Without Whitening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for adhering leather or fibrous materials to three-dimensional base materials in vehicle interiors result in surface whitening, nap collapse, and exposure of the base due to low stretchability and high rigidity, leading to increased manufacturing time and cost.
Innovation Solution
A sheet material with a laminated structure of a skin material and a stretchable material, featuring grippable areas and cut portions, is used, allowing uniform stretching and adherence to a three-dimensional base without applying a large load to the skin material, maintaining aesthetic appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vacuum forming is used to adhere suede material to base material, then adhesion to three-dimensional shape is achieved, but surface whitening and nap collapse occur due to rubbing and excessive clearance narrowing
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite sheet material consisting of a skin material layer (suede, leather, or fibrous material) laminated on a thermoplastic resin layer. The thermoplastic resin layer has higher stretchability and acts as a cushioning layer that absorbs deformation during vacuum forming, preventing direct rubbing between the die surface and the skin material, thereby avoiding surface whitening and nap collapse while maintaining adhesion quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the sheet material by selecting a thermoplastic resin with specific properties (stretch ratio of 1.05 or more, melting point 80-120°C) to laminate with the skin material. This parameter optimization allows the material to undergo controlled deformation during vacuum forming without damaging the skin material surface, resolving the contradiction between adhesion and appearance quality.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual operation is used to adhere leather or fibrous material to base material, then aesthetic appearance is maintained, but manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the thermal and mechanical parameters of the sheet material by selecting a thermoplastic resin with specific melting point (80-120°C) and stretch ratio (1.05 or more). These parameter changes enable the material to be easily formed using automated vacuum forming processes while maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the skin material, thus improving productivity without sacrificing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces manual mechanical adhesion operations with automated vacuum forming processes. The thermoplastic resin layer facilitates this automation by providing controlled deformability and adhesion properties that allow the skin material to be conformally adhered to three-dimensional bases using vacuum pressure, significantly improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining aesthetic quality.
3Reliability
If clearance between die surface and suede material is narrowed to secure airtightness, then vacuum forming effectiveness is improved, but collapse of nap-raising occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure with thermoplastic resin layer provides a compliant interface between the die surface and skin material. This layer deforms easily under vacuum pressure to ensure airtight contact with the die surface for effective vacuum forming, while simultaneously protecting the skin material's nap structure from collapse by distributing the contact pressure.
4Stability of the object's composition
If skin material with low stretchability is used, then material integrity is maintained, but exposure of base material occurs in significantly stretched portions
Solution Approach 1:
The thermoplastic resin layer has higher stretchability than the skin material, allowing it to undergo significant deformation and stretching during vacuum forming to cover complex three-dimensional surfaces completely. The skin material layer maintains its integrity and aesthetic properties while the resin layer accommodates the stretching, preventing base material exposure.
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 sheet material effectively adheres to three-dimensional base materials while preserving the aesthetic appearance of the skin material, preventing exposure of the base and ensuring uniform stretching without excessive strain.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit configured to heat the sheet material
Implementation Method 2
a stretching unit configured to stretch the sheet material heated by the heating unit
Implementation Method 3
using vacuum forming to adhere a base material of the interior panel to the sheet material
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a sheet material in which a skin material can be adhered to a base material. A sheet material 2 for forming a design surface of a product by being adhered to base materials 68a, 68b includes a sheet-like skin material 20, and a sheet-like stretchable material 25 laminated on a rear surface side of the skin material 20 and having higher stretchability than the skin material 20. The stretchable material 25 has a rectangular shape in plan view, and include grippable areas 27a, 27b, 27c, 27d on which the skin material 20 is not laminated and which are respectively provided in portions including four edge sides 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d facing each other in plan view. In the skin material 20, five linear cut portions 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d, 24e are formed in a non-design area 23 other than the design areas 22a, 22b.