Soft Vehicle Door Switch Trim with Transparent Skin
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle door switch devices embedded in hard substrates damage the transparent skin and do not allow drivers to easily check lock and unlock symbols from outside the vehicle, leading to an unsatisfactory user experience and potential price drops due to post-processing issues.
Innovation Solution
A soft upper trim for vehicle doors is manufactured by injection-molding an upper substrate with communicating recessed grooves, assembling a light guide plate, applying adhesive, vacuum-pressing transflective mesh foam, printing symbols on the foam, and attaching a transparent skin, ensuring the switch module is inserted and symbols are visible from both inside and outside the vehicle without damaging the skin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a switch device is embedded in a hard substrate, then the switch structure is stable and easy to manufacture, but the transparent skin may be damaged and the symbol visibility from outside is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the hard substrate with a soft upper trim consisting of a foam layer and a flexible transparent skin. The soft trim avoids damaging the transparent skin while maintaining switch functionality through the flexible material structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of embedding the switch in a hard substrate and then covering with transparent skin, the patent inverts the approach by making the transparent skin itself the outer layer of a soft trim structure, with the switch integrated into the foam layer beneath.
2Ease of manufacture
If holes are formed in the transparent skin for switch insertion, then the switch can be mounted, but the finishing treatment is postprocessed and may not be attractive
Solution Approach 1:
The switch mounting structure is integrated into the foam layer before the transparent skin is applied. The recessed groove and protruding portion are formed in advance in the foam, allowing the switch to be mounted before the skin is stretched over, eliminating the need for post-processing holes in the skin.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the switch mounting structure with the foam layer itself, merging the switch housing function into the soft trim material. This integration allows the transparent skin to remain continuous and undamaged while still accommodating the switch.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the switch is embedded in the substrate, then the switch is fixed securely, but drivers cannot check symbols through the window from outside the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible transparent skin allows light to pass through while maintaining switch security. The skin's flexibility enables it to conform to the foam structure while its transparency allows drivers to see the illuminated symbols from outside the vehicle.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent skin acts as an intermediary between the switch symbols and the external environment. It allows light from the symbols to pass through to visible symbols on the transparent skin, enabling external viewing while keeping the switch integrated in the soft trim.
4Loss of information
If a soft trim with transparent skin is used, then symbol visibility from outside is improved, but air may fill between the skin and foam during molding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses vacuum pressure during the molding process to remove air between the transparent skin and foam layer. The vacuum molding process draws the skin tightly against the foam, eliminating air pockets and ensuring proper adhesion.
Solution Approach 2:
The molding process utilizes pressure and vacuum phase transitions to control air removal. By applying vacuum pressure, the air between the layers is evacuated, allowing the skin to conform to the foam structure without trapped air pockets.
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
This method maintains the transparency and hidden property of the switch module, provides clear symbol visibility, and prevents air from filling between the skin and foam during molding, enhancing the external appearance and user experience while ensuring the switch module is securely fixed.
Implementation Method 1
vacuum-pressing a transflective mesh foam on the upper surfaces of the upper substrate and the light guide plate in a vacuum mold
Implementation Method 2
vacuum-pressing a transparent skin on the upper surface of the transflective mesh foam in an in-mold grain mold, wherein the transparent skin has a lower surface applied with an adhesive
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a soft upper trim of a vehicle door, in which an upper substrate, a foam, and a transparent skin are laminated, and particularly, to a soft upper trim for switch assembly of a vehicle door, in which a switch, which is configured to preserve continuity of a transparent skin and display lock and unlock symbols on the transparent skin, is easily assembled to an upper substrate, and a method of manufacturing the same.