Vehicle Interior Edge Chamfering via Inclined Heat Block
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing interior parts for vehicles, such as plastic corrugated boards with fabric skins, often have sharp edges that cause an unpleasant tactile experience for users due to their sharp edges.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a chamfer treatment is applied to the edges of a vehicle interior part, where a body member with protrusions and depressions is combined with two plastic members, and the edges are heated and pressed onto an inclined heat block at 45° to 65° to form an inclined portion, reducing the sharpness and enhancing user comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the edges are sealed by melting with a heat block, then the edges are sealed, but sharp edges are formed causing unpleasant tactile feeling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the heat block from a conventional flat surface to an inclined surface with a specific angle range (30°-60°). This parameter change transforms the edge morphology from sharp to inclined, eliminating the harmful tactile effect while preserving the sealing function. The inclined surface causes the molten plastic to flow and form a rounded, comfortable edge profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The inclined surface of the heat block induces curvature in the edge profile during the sealing process. Instead of forming a sharp angular edge, the molten plastic flows along the inclined surface to create a rounded, curved edge geometry that is comfortable to touch. This curvature transformation directly addresses the tactile discomfort issue.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a chamfer treatment is applied to form an inclined portion, then user comfort is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The heat block is segmented into distinct functional zones: an inclined surface for chamfer formation, a sealing surface for edge sealing, and support structures. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally while keeping the overall design manageable. The inclined portion is created as a distinct geometric feature rather than a complex multi-step process.
3Manufacturing precision
If the inclined angle is set to 45° to 65°, then the chamfer treatment is effective, but the heat block design becomes more specific
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies a precise parameter range for the inclined angle (30°-60°, with 45°-65° being optimal) to achieve the desired chamfer effect. This parameter optimization ensures consistent manufacturing precision for the edge profile while maintaining practical manufacturability of the heat block. The angle range balances the need for effective chamfer formation with the ease of manufacturing the heat block itself.
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 chamfer treatment effectively reduces the sharpness of the edges, minimizing the unpleasant feeling when touched and preventing issues like weld flashes and delamination, while maintaining a balanced appearance and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
heating a heat block provided with an inclined face whose inclined angle is set to 45° to 65° to 160° C. to 190° C.
Implementation Method 2
The edges of the first member, the body member and the second member are processed by a chamfer treatment to form an inclined portion
Data Source
AI summary
An interior part for a vehicle includes a body member including protrusions and depressions, a first member having a flat sheet shape and attached to one side of the body member, and a second member having a flat sheet shape and attached to another side of the body member. An edge of the side end of the first member is fixed with an edge of the side end of the second member in a convex manner via an edge of a side end of the body member. The edges of the first member, the body member and the second member are processed by a chamfer treatment to form an inclined portion outwardly inclined from the second member toward the first member. According to the interior part, unpleasant feeling to be brought to a user when touching the inclined portion is drastically restricted.