Soft Upper Trim for Vehicle Door Switch Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle door switch devices embedded in hard substrates damage the transparent skin and require post-processing, which is costly and may not maintain the luxurious appearance, and drivers cannot easily check lock/unlock symbols from outside the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A soft upper trim for vehicle doors with a vertically injection-molded substrate and integrated transparent skin and foam, featuring an inclined surface and a light guide plate with symbols, allowing for clear symbol visibility without damaging the skin, and a method involving vacuum-pressing and hole formation to insert the light guide plate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a switch device is embedded in a hard substrate, then the switch can be mounted, but the transparent skin is damaged and requires costly post-processing
Solution Approach 1:
A foam layer is introduced as an intermediary material between the hard substrate and the transparent skin. The foam absorbs the mechanical stress and prevents direct contact between the switch mounting process and the transparent skin, thereby avoiding damage to the skin while enabling switch installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The door trim is constructed as a composite structure consisting of a hard substrate, a foam layer, and a transparent skin. This multi-material construction allows each layer to fulfill its specific function: the hard substrate provides structural support, the foam provides cushioning and protection, and the transparent skin provides the luxurious appearance without being damaged during assembly.
2Ease of manufacture
If a switch device is embedded in a hard substrate, then the switch can be mounted, but post-processing is required which increases cost and reduces appearance quality
Solution Approach 1:
The foam layer is pre-installed on the hard substrate before the transparent skin is applied. This preliminary action ensures that the switch mounting surface is already prepared and protected, eliminating the need for post-processing steps such as hole filling or surface repair after the skin is in place.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam acts as a mediator that absorbs mounting stresses and prevents damage to the transparent skin during switch installation, thereby eliminating the need for costly post-processing treatments to repair skin damage.
3Loss of information
If the switch is embedded in the substrate, then the symbol can be displayed, but drivers cannot check the symbol from outside the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The symbol on the light guide plate changes color or becomes visible through the transparent skin when illuminated by the LED. This optical effect allows the symbol to be displayed clearly for drivers to check from outside the vehicle while maintaining the embedded switch structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent skin serves as an intermediary that allows light to pass through while displaying the symbol. It enables external visibility of the symbol without compromising the embedded structure of the switch in the substrate.
4Ease of manufacture
If holes are formed in the transparent skin and foam for switch insertion, then the switch can be mounted, but the transparent skin continuity is disrupted and appearance is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The foam layer serves as an intermediary mounting surface that allows switch installation without requiring holes to be drilled through the transparent skin. The switch is mounted in the foam, which already has appropriate openings, thereby maintaining the continuity and appearance of the transparent skin.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam is pre-formed with openings for switch insertion before the transparent skin is applied. This preliminary preparation of the mounting surface eliminates the need to create holes through the skin during assembly, preserving the skin's continuous appearance.
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 maintains the transparency and luxurious feel of the skin, provides wide viewing angles for symbols, and allows drivers to check lock/unlock status from outside, enhancing the external appearance and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
vacuum-pressing an integrated product on the upper surface of the upper substrate
Implementation Method 2
inserting a light guide plate from a lower portion to an upper portion of the through-hole, wherein the light guide plate has an upper surface engraved with a symbol
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.