초록 ▼

Thin walled B-pillar covers for an automotive vehicle comprise a thin sheet of thermoplastic material of generally uniform thickness vacuum molded about a continuous body molding surface of a molding horn to provide a main body portion having a U-shaped marginal edge along one elongated peripheral e

Thin walled B-pillar covers for an automotive vehicle comprise a thin sheet of thermoplastic material of generally uniform thickness vacuum molded about a continuous body molding surface of a molding horn to provide a main body portion having a U-shaped marginal edge along one elongated peripheral extent thereof of a shape to snugly receive therein the sheet metal marginal edge of a vehicle part and an inturned flange along an opposed elongated peripheral extent thereof of a shape to be presented to the inturned surface of the vehicle part. By vacuum molding the thin theremoplastic material about a body molding surface of a molding horn, a cover having a substantially dimple-free, smooth class A exterir surface.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A cover for a vehicle pillar part having an exterior surface configuration defined along an elongated peripheral extent thereof by a thin sheet metal marginal edge and along an opposed elongated peripheral extent thereof by an inturned surface, said cover comprising:a thi

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A cover for a vehicle pillar part having an exterior surface configuration defined along an elongated peripheral extent thereof by a thin sheet metal marginal edge and along an opposed elongated peripheral extent thereof by an inturned surface, said cover comprising:a thin sheet of thermoplastic material of generally uniform thickness including a main body portion defined by an upper edge, a lower edge, a first elongated peripheral extent extending between said upper and lower edges, and a second elongated peripheral extent generally opposed to said first elongated peripheral extent, said first elongated peripheral extent including a first vacuum formed transverse bend in the thin sheet of thermoplastic material having a first integral vacuum formed strip extending transversely therefrom in generally parallel coextensive relation to a margin of said main body portion extending along the first peripheral extent thereof, said first transverse bend and strip defining with said margin a marginal edge of U-shaped cross-sectional configuration, said second elongated peripheral extent including a second vacuum formed transverse bend in the thin sheet of thermoplastic material having a second integral vacuum formed strip extending therefrom to form an inturned flange, said first and second bends extending in the same general transverse direction with respect to said main body portion,said thin sheet of thermoplastic material having an interior surface shaped (1) along the U-shaped marginal edge thereof to snugly receive therein the sheet metal marginal edge of the vehicle pillar part (2) along the main body portion thereof to be presented to the exterior surface configuration of the vehicle pillar part, and (3) along the inturned flange thereof to be presented to the inturned surface of the vehicle pillar part,wherein said main body portion has applied to the interior surface thereof one surface of an adhesive layer of a composite tape including a non-adhesive release layer adhered to an opposite surface of said adhesive layer.