An instrument panel structure includes: a base material that has both end portions in the longitudinal direction bent toward the lower face side to form a side face portion; a foamed material that covers a surface of the base material; and a skin that covers a surface of the foamed material. The instrument panel structure also includes a sealing rib that protrudes outward in the longitudinal direction from the side face portion in an arrangement position spaced apart by a predetermined gap toward the lower face side from a bent position of the base material, and to which an end portion of the skin is joined. The instrument panel structure also includes a widening rib that protrudes outward in the longitudinal direction from the side face portion on an upper face side of the arrangement position of the sealing rib on the side face portion, and is covered with the foamed material.

A method and apparatus includes a substrate, a foam that is applied to the substrate to form a least a portion of an interior trim part, at least one holder fixed to the substrate, and at least one reinforcement member supported by the at least one holder such that, when the foam is applied, the at least one reinforcement member is suspended within the foam.

A method for selectively producing a first or a second variant of a multi-layer plastic component, where both variants have a substrate part, a decorative layer, and a foam layer between the substrate part and the decorative layer, includes producing the foam layer in a foaming mold which has a first mold half, into which the substrate part is inserted before the foaming process. To produce the first variant, the decorative layer is inserted into a second mold half of the foaming mold before the foaming process. To produce the second variant, a spacer layer is inserted into the second mold half before the foaming process where, after the foaming process, the spacer layer is removed from the foam layer and the decorative layer is applied to the foam layer. The foam layer includes at least one first portion having a higher contour stability than a second portion.

An assembly of joined injection molded parts and a method for joining injection molded parts is disclosed herein. The assembly includes, but is not limited to, a first injection molded part having a first bonding area. The first bonding area has a plurality of first fingers extending from a surface of the first bonding area. The assembly further includes a second injection molded part having a second bonding area. The second bonding area corresponds in shape to the first bonding area and has a plurality of second fingers that extend from a surface of the second bonding area. The assembly includes an adhesive tape arranged between the plurality of first fingers and the plurality of second fingers. The adhesive tape is configured to bond the first injection molded part to the second injection molded part.

A vehicle interior panel and method of manufacturing a vehicle interior panel for use over an airbag. The vehicle interior panel includes a substrate having an airbag door with one or more t-shaped stiffening ribs embedded in the airbag door. The t-shaped stiffening ribs help increase the rigidity of the airbag door, which can help improve deployment performance of the airbag. The t-shaped stiffening ribs may be co-molded or insert molded with the substrate.

Provided is a sheet-type molded body that is formed by sewing a sheet, wherein thread is used for at least part of said sewing, the thread being composed of a resin composition for thread containing resin for thread, the thread having a melting point of no more than 200 C., and a laminate comprising: the sheet-type molded body; and a polyurethane foam formed body, the sheet-type molded body, and the laminate comprising: the sheet-type molded body; and a polyurethane foam layer being able to be produced by a simple method at low cost without damaging design qualities over time, and making it possible to prevent leakage of raw material etc. from sewed portions when backed with the polyurethane foam layer.

An expansion-molded article that can be firmly heat-fused with another member is provided. The expansion-molded article is one that may be heat-fused with another member, where the expansion-molded article includes at least one protrusion which is formed on at least one surface of the expansion-molded article including at least one surface is to be heat-fused with the another member. The at least one protrusion comprises at least two surfaces as viewed from above, and a boundary line between the at least two surfaces, where the at least one boundary line intersects a direction from an outside of the at least one protrusion toward a center of an apex of the at least one protrusion.

A vehicle crossmember is made from continuous fiber-reinforced polymeric material without the need for metallic structural reinforcements. The crossmember includes more than one fiber-reinforced material composition, including different amounts and/or types of fiber reinforcements along different lengthwise portions of a crossbar of the crossmember. Attachment points and stiffening ribs can be overmolded onto surfaces of the crossbar before assembling two halves of the crossbar together to form the crossmember.

Injection molded articles having improved scratch resistance and reduced gloss change after heat and UV aging are disclosed. The article is formed from a molding composition having a melt flow index of 50-350 g/10 (230 C., 2.16 kg) as measured by ASTM D1238-04, the composition consisting essentially of: a) 15-80 wt. % of a hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer having a melt index of at least 12 grams/10 minutes according to ASTM D1238 at 230 C. and 2.16 kg weight; b) 10-60 wt. % of a polypropylene having a melt flow index greater than 300 g/10 min, measured under 230 C./2.16 kg according to ISO 1133-1; and c) 5-25 wt. % of a thermoplastic vulcanizate having a Shore A hardness from 60-90 (15 sec, 23 C.) as measured according to ISO 868. The article has a gloss increase after 10 days of aging at 120 C. of less than 100%, relative to an initial gloss, as determined by PSA D47 1850.

An instrument panel unit (2) includes an instrument panel (3) and a decorative sheet (4). The instrument panel (3) includes a sticking portion (3a) and an exposed portion (3b). A plurality of insertion grooves 3c and insertion holes 3d are formed alternately at an end on a rear side of the sticking portion (3a), into which bent pieces (4a) formed at a rear end of the decorative sheet (4) are inserted. A groove front-surface (3g) forming the insertion groove (3c) of the instrument panel (3) is formed in a tapered shape such that a width between the groove front-surface and an opposing groove rear-surface (3h) gradually increases upwardly. The bent piece (4a) is formed to be thinner than the groove width at the upper part serving as the entrance part of the insertion groove (3c) and to be thicker than the groove width of a groove bottom-surface (3i).