ACOUSTIC FRONT STORAGE COMPARTMENT FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract

A moulded front storage compartment for a vehicle, comprising a structural layer wherein the structural layer is shaped as a three-dimensional storage cavity for holding luggage or goods wherein the structural layer comprises at least one porous fibrous layer and wherein the at least one porous fibrous layer is consisting essentially of thermoplastic core-sheath bicomponent endless filaments wherein the core consists of a first polymer and the sheath consists of a second polymer.

Claims

1. A moulded front storage compartment (2) for a vehicle, comprising: a structural layer wherein the structural layer is shaped as a three-dimensional storage cavity for holding luggage or goods characterised in that the structural layer comprises at least one porous fibrous layer; and wherein the at least one porous fibrous layer is consisting essentially of thermoplastic core-sheath bicomponent endless filaments wherein the core consists of a first polymer and the sheath consists of a second polymer.

2. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one porous fibrous layer has a flexural modulus of between 70 and 1300 MPa measured according to ISO 178.

3. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one porous fibrous layer has a thickness between 0.5 and 7 mm.

4. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the first polymer is polyester, preferably polyethylene-terephthalate (PET), or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

5. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the second polymer is a copolymer of polyester, a copolymer of polybutylene terephthalate (coPBT), or polypropylene.

6. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the second polymer, in weight percentage of the at least one porous fibrous layer is between 10 and 50%.

7. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one porous fibrous layer has an area weight between 500 and 2500 g/m2.

8. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one porous fibrous layer has an air flow resistance between 100 to 8000 Ns/m3 measured according to current ISO 9053, using the direct airflow method, method A.

9. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 1, further comprising a rim for mounting the front storage compartment in the vehicle, wherein the rim comprises a porous textile material which is made of the same material as the at least one porous fibrous layer, the rim is covering an area up to the complete area covered by the vehicles front hood.

10. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one porous fibrous layer comprises stiffening corrugations and or ribs.

11. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 1, further comprising a scrim, film or foil, being perforated or not perforated and or at least one absorbing layer situated on the outer surface of the moulded front storage compartment.

12. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 1, further comprising a decorative layer on the inside of the storage compartment, such as a carpet, non-woven layer, textile knit layer rubber layer or flocked layer.

13. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the structural layer further comprises a polyester foam layer.

14. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 13, wherein the structural layer further comprises a second porous fibrous layer, wherein the polyester foam layer is situated in-between the two porous fibrous layers.

15. The moulded front storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one porous fibrous layer is made of a web of random laid melt spun polyester bicomponent endless filaments, wherein the filaments are cross-lapped and needled to form a nonwoven mat.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0062] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a car with a moulded front storage compartment according to the invention.

[0063] FIG. 2 is a schematic picture of the front of a car with a moulded front storage compartment according to the invention.

[0064] FIG. 3 is a schematic picture of the front of a car with a moulded front storage compartment according to the invention, with extended rim.

[0065] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a car (1) with a moulded front storage compartment (2) according to the invention, with the structural porous fibrous layer (3) shaped as a three-dimensional storage cavity (4). The moulded front storage compartment (2) is located in the front of the vehicle and the rim (5) of the storage compartment (2) is resting on structural beams (6) of the car body where the storage compartment is also attached to the body by for example clips. The rim is made of the at least one porous fibrous layer.

[0066] FIG. 2 shows a schematic picture of the front of a car (1) with a moulded front storage compartment (2) according to the invention, with the structural fibrous layer shaped as a three-dimensional storage cavity (4). The rim (5) of the moulded front storage compartment (2) rests on the car body where the storage compartment is also attached to the body by, for example, clips (not shown in the figure).

[0067] FIG. 3 shows a schematic picture of the front of a car (1) with a moulded front storage compartment (2) according to the invention, with the structural fibrous layer shaped as a three-dimensional storage cavity (4). The rim (7) of the moulded front storage compartment (2) extends in essentially horizontal direction covering an area up to the complete area covered by the hood (the hood is not shown in the figure). In this way the font area under the hood is not only better protected but also due to the increased area of the at least one porous fibrous layer also the absorption is increased.

[0068] The rim (5, 7) in FIGS. 2 and 3 is preferably made of the same material as the at least one porous fibrous layer.