Method for manufacturing a paneling member

Abstract

A method for producing a panelling component for a motor vehicle. The method includes press-forming a fiber-reinforced load-bearing composite component; forming a film having a class-A surface; and joining the load-bearing composite component as a first layer and the film as a second layer via an adhesive as an interposed third layer.

Claims

1. A method for producing a paneling component for a motor vehicle, the method comprising: forming a fiber-reinforced load-bearing composite component; pressing the load-bearing composite component in a double-sided mould into a first shape; forming a film having a class-A surface; thermoforming the film, but not the load-bearing composite component, using a single-sided mould while an entire surface of the film is free of direct contact with the single-sided mould so that the film is shaped into a second shape corresponding to the first shape; and after the pressing of the load-bearing composite component and the thermoforming of the film, joining the load-bearing composite component, that has the first shape, as a first layer, and the film, that has the second shape, as a second layer via an adhesive as an interposed third layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, before the joining, the film has already set and/or cooled, and/or already has a structure of the paneling component when the paneling component is finished.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the film comprises a single ply and/or is a co-extrudate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the film is connected to the load-bearing composite component over a full surface area thereof via the adhesive.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the load-bearing composite component is formed by pressing or extruding.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the load-bearing composite component is produced by pressing organosheets reinforced with continuous fibers into a desired shape under heat.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the load-bearing composite component and the film are each produced from a thermoplastic.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is applied having a thickness sufficient to ensure accommodation of component tolerances.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein leads or cables are integrated into the load-bearing composite component and/or the adhesive.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein sensors and/or lighting systems are integrated into the adhesive.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming at least one aperture in the load-bearing composite component and the adhesive; and arranging a lighting system in the at least one aperture.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a region of the film is at an end of the at least one aperture and is transparent, and an end of the lighting system is arranged directly adjacent to the region so that the end of the lighting system faces the region.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the entire surface of the film that is free of direct contact with the single-sided mould is the class-A surface.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressing occurs at a temperature range of between 240 to 300 degrees Celsius, and the thermoforming occurs at a temperature range of between 175 to 190 degrees Celsius.

15. A method for producing a paneling component for a motor vehicle, the method comprising: forming a fiber-reinforced load-bearing composite component; pressing the load-bearing composite component in a double-sided mould into a first shape; forming a film having a class-A surface; thermoforming the film, but not the load-bearing composite component, in a single-sided mould so that the film is shaped into a second shape corresponding to the first shape; after the pressing of the load-bearing composite component and the thermoforming of the film, joining the load-bearing composite component as a first layer, and the film as a second layer via an adhesive as an interposed third layer; and before the joining, the film already has a finished shape corresponding to a shape of the paneling component when the paneling component is finished.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments will be illustrated by way of example in the drawings and explained in the description below.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a panelling component, in accordance with embodiments.

(3) FIGS. 2a to 2c illustrate side views of a method for producing a panelling component, in accordance with embodiments.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates illustrate a side view of a method for producing a panelling component, in accordance with embodiments.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of a panelling component, in accordance with embodiments.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of a panelling component, in accordance with embodiments.

DESCRIPTION

(7) In accordance with embodiments, a panelling component for a motor vehicle is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1, and comprises a press-formed, fibre-reinforced, load-bearing composite component 1 as a first layer, a pre-formed film 2 as a second layer having a class-A surface, and an adhesive 3 is applied as a third layer arranged between the load-bearing composite component 1 and the film 2.

(8) The load-bearing composite component 1 may be composed of a plastic reinforced with continuous fibres, e.g., Tepex GF made by Bond Laminates. The load-bearing composite component 1 may be a pressed component comprising a thermoplastic and a fibre reinforcement, e.g., short fibres, long fibres and/or randomly oriented fibres. In accordance with embodiments, the load-bearing composite component 1 predominantly determines the properties of the panelling component, such as the thermal expansion, elasticity modulus thereof etc.

(9) The pre-formed film 2 may be a film composed of ABS/PC or PC, e.g. Senotop made by Senoplast. The film 2 may be transparent or printed on one side or both sides. It is thermoformed using a single-sided mould.

(10) The adhesive 3 forms a joint between the composite component 1 and the film 2. The adhesive 3 is used to impart properties, in particular, the shape of the composite component 1, to the film 2. The adhesive 3 may be applied over the full area, thus avoiding air inclusions between the composite component 1 and the film 2. The adhesive 3 may also be used to compensate for tolerances and differences in the radii of the components.

(11) As illustrated in FIGS. 2a to 2c, the manufacturing or process steps of a method for producing a panelling component, in accordance with embodiments.

(12) As illustrated in FIG. 2a, a film 2, to serve as the subsequent surface of the panelling component, is thermoformed on one side in a mould.

(13) As illustrated in FIG. 2b, In parallel therewith, simultaneously or with a time delay, the composite component 1 is pressed in a different mould.

(14) As illustrated in FIG. 2c, on the far left, an adhesive 3 is then applied to the composite component 1, e.g., by spraying. After this, the composite component 1 and the film 2 are pressed together lightly (second image from the left). After this, the joined component is trimmed (third image from the left). The finished panelling component (fourth image from the left) may be removed from the mould after being formed and provided with a class-A surface.

(15) As illustrated in FIG. 3, a variant of a method of producing a panelling component, in accordance with embodiments, in which the load-bearing composite component 1 is formed in a thermoforming plant from a material reinforced with continuous fibres and having a thermoplastic matrix.

(16) As illustrated on the extreme left in FIG. 3, the composite component 1 is placed in a thermoforming plant as a semi-finished product, and is heated on both sides by radiant heaters 4. The radiant heaters 4 are arranged between an upper mould half 5 and a lower mould half 6 of the thermoforming plant.

(17) In the central illustration in FIG. 3, the radiant heaters 4 are moved back and the two mould halves 5, 6 are then closed. The hold down device 7 of the mould allows additional material to flow in.

(18) On the extreme right in FIG. 3, a finished composite component 1 suitable for joining to a film 2 may be removed from the mould.

(19) FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate that other functions may also be integrated into a panelling component, in accordance with embodiments.

(20) As illustrated in FIG. 4, a first plurality of electric leads 8 are arranged in the composite component 1, and a second plurality of electric leads 8 are arranged in the adhesive 2.

(21) As illustrated in FIG. 5, the load-bearing composite component 1 and the adhesive 3 have an aperture to receive a lighting system 9, such as, for example, a light cluster. The film 2 may then be of transparent design, at least in a region directly over the lighting system 9. In regions outside the lighting system 9, the film 2 may have an external imprint 10 and/or an internal imprint 11.

(22) The term coupled or connected may be used herein to refer to any type of relationship, direct or indirect, between the components in question, and may apply to electrical, mechanical, fluid, optical, electromagnetic, electromechanical or other connections. In addition, the terms first, second, etc. are used herein only to facilitate discussion, and carry no particular temporal or chronological significance unless otherwise indicated.

(23) This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the preferred embodiments, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of embodiments is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims. Aspects from the various embodiments described, as well as other known equivalents for each such aspects, may be mixed and matched by one of ordinary skill in the art to construct additional embodiments and techniques in accordance with principles of this application.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(24) 1 load-bearing composite component 2 film 3 adhesive 4 radiant heater 5 upper mould half 6 lower mould half 7 hold down device 8 electric leads 9 lighting system 10 external imprint 11 internal imprint