초록 ▼

A method for forming a vehicle headliner comprises providing at least one layer of formable material and a cover member; heating the layer and the cover member; providing a mold having a pair of mold halves and a compressible seal disposed between the mold halves, at least one of the mold halves hav

A method for forming a vehicle headliner comprises providing at least one layer of formable material and a cover member; heating the layer and the cover member; providing a mold having a pair of mold halves and a compressible seal disposed between the mold halves, at least one of the mold halves having an aperture and a channel in communication with the aperture; positioning the layer and the cover member between the mold halves; bringing the mold halves toward each other to effect a sealed relationship; and applying a vacuum pressure to the aperture to sufficiently draw the mold halves together and compress the seal, thereby compressing the at least one layer and the cover member together to form the headliner.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method for thermoforming an article, the method comprising:providing at least one layer of formable plastic material;heating the at least one layer of formable plastic material;inserting the at least one layer of formable plastic material into a mold having first and se

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method for thermoforming an article, the method comprising:providing at least one layer of formable plastic material;heating the at least one layer of formable plastic material;inserting the at least one layer of formable plastic material into a mold having first and second thin mold halves, each thin mold half having a non-planar configuration, one thin mold half having at least one aperture in fluid communication with a vacuum source;moving one of the thin mold halves toward the other thin mold half to effect a sealed relationship between the thin mold halves by compressing a compressible seal disposed about a periphery of one of the thin mold halves; andapplying a vacuum pressure to the at least one aperture by the vacuum source to reduce air pressure within the mold to thereby cause ambient air pressure to forcefully bias the thin mold halves sufficiently together so as to further compress the seal and form the at least one layer of formable plastic material to a contour corresponding to the non-planar configurations of the thin mold halves;wherein each thin mold half is sufficiently rigid such that the thin mold halves do not substantially flex when the thin mold halves are forcefully biased together, thereby accurately forming the at least one layer of formable plastic material to the contour.