Vehicle Headliner Composite Structure for Lightweight Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional formed ceiling materials for vehicles face challenges in achieving improved strength and rigidity while minimizing weight, and maintaining formability without increasing cost or weight, particularly due to issues with fiber-reinforced layers made from glass mats or paper, which can lead to breaks and wrinkles during shape modification.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular formed ceiling material is designed with a substrate layer of rigid urethane foam, a first fiber-reinforced layer from a glass or basalt mat, and a second fiber-reinforced layer from glass or basalt paper, where the paper material provides greater resistance and is layered with a second mat material to enhance strength and rigidity without increasing weight, and the second adhesive is applied from the paper material side for improved bonding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the thickness of the fiber-reinforced layers is increased to enhance strength and rigidity, then the strength and rigidity of the formed ceiling material are improved, but the weight of the entire formed ceiling material significantly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure combining glass mat and glass paper in the fiber-reinforced layers. The glass mat provides baseline reinforcement while the glass paper enhances strength and rigidity more efficiently per unit weight, achieving the required mechanical properties without proportionally increasing weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different materials (glass mat versus glass paper) to different layers based on their specific functional requirements. The glass paper is used in configurations where maximum strength-to-weight ratio is needed, while glass mat provides adequate reinforcement in other areas, optimizing the overall weight-strength balance.
2Strength
If glass mat is used for fiber-reinforced layers, then the material provides strength and rigidity, but the glass filaments cannot stretch or deform causing reduced basis weight in regions where shape is significantly modified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from glass mat alone to a combination of glass mat and glass paper. The glass paper has different physical properties that allow it to maintain basis weight uniformity during forming operations, compensating for the limitations of glass mat in regions of significant shape modification.
3Weight of stationary object
If glass paper is used instead of glass mat to reduce weight, then the weight is reduced and rigidity is improved, but breaks and wrinkles occur in the fiber-reinforced layer during shape modification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite fiber-reinforced layer using both glass mat and glass paper. The glass mat provides flexibility and resistance to breaking during forming, while the glass paper contributes weight reduction and rigidity enhancement, achieving a balance that prevents breaks and wrinkles.
Solution Approach 2:
The glass mat layer acts as a cushioning layer that protects the more brittle glass paper from excessive stress during forming operations, preventing breaks and wrinkles before they can occur in the final product.
4Shape
If a film layer is added to retain shape during forming, then the shape retention is improved, but the cost and weight of the formed ceiling material increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition and structure of the fiber-reinforced layers themselves to provide inherent shape retention capability. By optimizing the glass mat and glass paper configuration, the layers maintain the required shape during forming without needing an additional film layer, thus avoiding the associated weight and cost increases.
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 configuration improves formability and reduces breaks in the fiber-reinforced layer while maintaining strength and rigidity, eliminating the need for a film layer to retain shape, thus reducing costs and weight, and allowing for the production of a lightweight, high-performance ceiling material.
Implementation Method 1
a substrate layer formed from rigid urethane foam
Implementation Method 2
a first adhesive applied to a first fiber-reinforced layer; a second adhesive applied to a second fiber-reinforced layer
Data Source
AI summary
A ceiling material body (1a) includes a substrate layer (2) formed from rigid urethane foam; a first fiber-reinforced layer (3) provided on an in-cabin side of the substrate layer (2); a second fiber-reinforced layer (4) provided on an out-cabin side of the substrate layer (2); a surface layer (5) provided on an in-cabin side of the first fiber-reinforced layer (3); and a back layer (6) provided on an out-cabin side of the second fiber-reinforced layer (4). The second fiber-reinforced layer (4) includes a glass paper (7) overlaying the substrate layer (2) and a glass mat (8) overlaying an opposite side of the glass paper (7) from the substrate layer (2).