A method of producing a component for a vehicle interior may comprise placing a liner in a forming tool, placing a heater element on the liner, applying a foam material, and forming the heater element on a substrate. Adhesive may be applied to the heater element and liner. The liner may comprise a tool liner configured to facilitate removal of the component from the forming tool. The tool liner may remain in the forming tool when the component is removed from the forming tool. The tool liner may be re-usable. The adhesive/tape may comprise a pressure-sensitive adhesive with suitable adhesion for the heater element/mat without requiring activation; the adhesive/tape may comprise a side with lower adhesion to the mold liner (temporary adhesion) and with higher adhesion to the body of the heater element/mat (permanent adhesion). A pre-fix tool may be used.

An automotive armrest includes an elastic core defining a patterned array of channels extending therethrough such that the elastic core exhibits a predetermined target vertical stiffness and a predetermined target lateral stiffness different than the predetermined target vertical stiffness. The automotive armrest also includes a skin arranged with the elastic core.

Provided are a polymeric article and a composite article capable of obtaining favorable texture with a high resilience by using thermoplastic elastomer. A composite article includes: a first member; and a second member having a plate-shaped portion and a plurality of protrusions protruding from the back surface of the plate-shaped portion and having protruding ends contacting the first member, and cushioning properties are imparted to the composite article by elastic deformation of the second member. The plate-shaped portion and the plurality of protrusions are integrally made of solid thermoplastic elastomer or slightly-foamed thermoplastic elastomer with an expansion ratio of 1.1 or less, the thermoplastic elastomer having an impact resilience modulus of 30 to 90% at 23 C. measured in accordance with JIS K6255, and a hysteresis loss rate measured at 23 C. by compressing and depressurizing the composite article at a speed of 60 mm/min is 28% or less.

An arm rest frame (1) includes at least one frame component (7, 8, 9, 11). The at least one frame component (7, 8, 9, 11) is made from a organosheet. An arm rest and a method for producing an arm rest frame (1) are also provided.

An armrest for a captain's chair of a vehicle includes an outer layer and an inner layer including a foaming agent and defining a hollow core. At least one of the inner layer and the outer layer may include a reinforcing material and/or may be varied in thickness along its length. The armrest may include a third layer defining the hollow core. A related method includes heating a parison having a first and second layers, mixing a foaming agent into the second layer prior to heating, feeding the heated parison between mold halves, clamping the heated parison by moving the mold halves together, and pushing the layers of the heated parison outward, using blown air, such that the first layer is adjacent the mold and the second layer forms a hollow core of the armrest, the hollow core being partially filled by expansion of the second layer during cooling.

Process and station (99) for forming a thermoplastic material, the process comprising: making a semi-finished product (10) in the thermoplastic material, the semi-finished product (10) being air permeable; closing a mould (90) with the semifinished product (10) interposed between the conformation surfaces (3, 4) for compressing the semifinished product (10) between the conformation surfaces (3, 4); heating the mould (90) for heating the semi-finished product (10), subsequentlyopening the mould (90); with the semi-finished product (10) coupled to a second half-mould (2) of the mould (90), contacting a free surface of the semi-finished product (10) with a coupling surface (80) of a catching device (71); generating an air flow (200) which passes through the coupling surface (80) in a distributed way, the air flow being directed from the semi-finished product (10) to the coupling surface (80), for constraining the semi-finished product (10) to the catching device (71); while keeping the airflow (200), removing the semi-finished product (10) from the mould (90) by movement of the catching device (71); interrupting the air flow (200) for releasing the semi-finished product (10) from the catching device (71) and obtaining a finished article.

An armrest assembly includes a support substrate, a fabric layer stretching across a receiver of the support substrate and a matrix interface connecting the fabric layer to the support substrate. A cushion overlies the fabric layer and the receiver and a coverstock conceals the cushion and the fabric layer while closing the receiver. A method of producing the armrest assembly is also disclosed.

A component for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle includes a rigid supporting body, made of plastic material, an outer upholstery skin, made of plastic material, and a padding body made of foamed plastic material, which is set between the rigid body and the outer upholstery skin. The rigid body and the outer skin have portions formed by a polymeric material with carbon-based nanofillers, which have respective inner surfaces facing the padding body, which include one or more paths where said polymeric material with carbon-based nanofillers has been rendered electrically conductive by laser irradiation to define one or more electrical circuits, and one or more piezoresistive areas where the polymeric material has been rendered piezoresistive by laser irradiation to define one or more electrical switches, which can be activated by exerting a localized pressure on the outer upholstery skin.

This disclosure includes armrests having one or more laminates and methods and kits for making the same. Some armrests include an elongated beam extending between a first end and a second end, the elongated beam having one or more laminates configured to be disposed along the elongated beam, each including a plurality of fibers dispersed within a matrix material, and a reinforcing structure having a plurality of ribs, the reinforcing structure configured to be coupled to the one or more laminates, where the first end of the elongated beam is configured to be pivotally coupled to a mount. In some armrests, the one or more laminates are configured to be disposed along the elongated beam such that the one or more laminates define a channel and/or an arch extending between the first and second ends.

An integral skin foam molded article includes: a skin formed by sewing a plurality of skin pieces in a bag shape; and a resin foam which is molded inside the skin integrally with the skin, wherein: at least one skin piece among the plurality of skin pieces has a surface material made of a natural leather, and includes a wadding material stacked on a back side of the surface material in a non-surface joined state and a lining material stacked on the wadding material; and in a shrinkage rate with respect to an in-plane compression load, a shrinkage rate of the lining material is smaller than a shrinkage rate of the wadding material.