초록 ▼

A trim panel for use in automotive trim applications is made from a laminate of a thermoformable support layer and an A-side layer made of vinyl or cloth or similar material. The laminate is thermoformed to impart permanently the contour of a rigid substrate to which the panel will be attached. The

A trim panel for use in automotive trim applications is made from a laminate of a thermoformable support layer and an A-side layer made of vinyl or cloth or similar material. The laminate is thermoformed to impart permanently the contour of a rigid substrate to which the panel will be attached. The support layer retains the desired contour without the use of other materials. The support layer is made of an intermediate layer and a bottom layer of thermoformable foam. The foam layers have different densities to allow selection of the hand or touch of the A-side layer.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A panel for covering a substantially rigid substrate having a non-flat contour, the panel comprising an A-side layer and a thermoformable support layer attached to the A-side layer, the support layer comprising an intermediate foam layer having a density of less than 1.0 pound per

[ We claim:] [1.] A panel for covering a substantially rigid substrate having a non-flat contour, the panel comprising an A-side layer and a thermoformable support layer attached to the A-side layer, the support layer comprising an intermediate foam layer having a density of less than 1.0 pound per cubic foot attached to the A-side layer and a bottom foam layer having a density of about 2.7 to about 4.0 pounds per cubic foot attached to the intermediate foam layer, the A-side layer by itself having insufficient stiffness to retain a particular shape, the support layer having sufficient stiffness to impart to the panel a permanent, non-flat contour generally matching that of the substrate.