Interior trim component with a three-dimensional shape for a motor vehicle and device and method for producing such an interior trim component
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing interior trim components for motor vehicles require separate components for different surface properties, leading to complex manufacturing and assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
An interior trim component composed of a single nonwoven material with sections having different hardness and surface properties, produced using a calibration tool to preform a blank into a three-dimensional shape, followed by a pressing tool to finalize the component.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate components are used for different surface properties (soft arm support and hard technical surfaces), then each surface can have optimized properties, but manufacturing and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple components with different surface properties into a single interior trim component made from nonwoven material. The soft arm support surface and hard technical surfaces are integrated into one component, eliminating the need for separate components and simplifying both manufacturing and assembly processes while maintaining differentiated surface properties in respective sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating different surface properties in different sections of the same component. The arm support area is made soft and coarse for comfort, while technical surfaces are made hard and smooth for functionality. This is achieved through localized treatment of the nonwoven material during manufacturing, allowing each section to have optimized properties without requiring separate components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components are assembled to achieve different surface properties, then functional requirements are met, but production time and assembly steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional sections into a single monolithic component made from nonwoven material. By integrating the arm support surface and technical surfaces into one component, the manufacturing process is streamlined into a single production step, eliminating multiple assembly operations and significantly improving manufacturing efficiency and productivity.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single nonwoven material is used for the entire trim component, then manufacturing is simplified, but different surface properties cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent overcomes the limitation of uniform material properties by applying local quality treatment to different sections of the nonwoven material. Through localized compression, coating, or heat treatment during manufacturing, the same base material can exhibit different surface properties - soft and coarse in the arm support area, hard and smooth in technical sections - thus achieving surface property variation while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the nonwoven material during the manufacturing process to create different surface properties. By varying parameters such as compression force, temperature, or chemical treatment in different sections, the same base material can be transformed to have different hardness, texture, and surface characteristics, enabling surface property variation without changing the base material.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an interior trim component with a three-dimensional shape, wherein the interior trim component is produced from a single nonwoven material and includes a first surface and a second surface. At least one region that forms the first surface, and at least one first section and at least one second section, each of which forming a part of the second surface, wherein the first section has a first section hardness, H1 and the second section has a second section hardness, H2, and the first section hardness H1 and the second section hardness H2 are different.