DE3722873A1 - Process and device for producing a trim part - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a process and a device for producing a trim part, in particular a panelling part or an interior trim or cover part for vehicles with at least one thin-walled support layer, a soft and elastic intermediate layer made of a plastic foam, and a decorative layer. The main feature of the invention consists in the support or the support layer being heated at least on its surface of one of its sides to the melting point of the plastic foam, in then bringing the support or the support layer into surface, heat-conducting contact with a thermoplastic foam layer serving as intermediate layer and pressing the support or the support layer and the foam layer together in such a manner that the surface of the foam layer fuses and in cooling the support or the support layer and the foam layer. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device to manufacture a piece of equipment, in particular a cladding part or an interior cladding or cover part for vehicles with at least one thin-walled carrier layer, a soft elastic intermediate layer of a plastic foam and a decorative layer.

Laminates or laminates of the type mentioned are in the various embodiments known. As a carrier paper, cardboard, cellulose, wood veneers, Glass fiber tissue gas plates, but also sheets on which different materials, e.g. soft elastic work fabrics and finally decorative fabrics with the help of a bandage average, i.e. with the help of phenolic or melamine resins or epoxy resins can be applied. The binders or adhesives contain harmful substances, those free when heating or establishing the connection  become and are undesirable.

The invention therefore lies based on the task of measures to produce a to provide multi-layer equipment, whereby on the use of harmful binders or adhesives can be dispensed with and no un desired gases and vapors are released.

To achieve this object, the invention provides that the carrier layer at least on the surface of it one side to the melting temperature of the plastic Foam is heated that the carrier layer then in flat, heat-conducting contact with a not he warmed, cold, flexible and thermoplastic Brought foam layer and the backing layer and the foam layer is pressed together in this way be that the surface of the foam layer melts and that the backing and the foam layer can be cooled.

The production of the multilayer equipment he follows completely without binder and alone due to the adhesive properties of the enamel temperature heated plastic foam. The release of gases and vapors is controlled precisely the temperature or heating of the carrier material or the carrier layer avoided. The backing will only heated to the melting temperature of the plastic foam, in the case of gases and vapors not yet worth mentioning start to emerge. It is therefore essential that a hot or heated carrier layer with a cold foam layer  is bound, the carrier layer being selected in this way will be that regarding material and material thickness has sufficient heat capacity so that only the surface of the foam layer melts.

If the backing layer is covered on both sides with an art warmth is to be coated with foam adjust capacity accordingly.

It is also advantageous if the foam layer even before pressing with the carrier layer a decorative layer is provided, this in known Way e.g. can be done by flame lamination.

A suitable foam layer is e.g. a soft elastic polyethylene foam. Serves as a carrier material expediently sheet metal or a polypropylene ent Retaining nonwoven fabric, which previously according to the invention Melting temperature is baked together. This fiber fleece can preferably be recycled material.

Further features of the invention emerge from the Be writing and the claims in connection with the Drawing.

The invention is based on execution examples that are shown in the drawing described. Show:  

Figure 1 is a flat equipment part in a schematic and perspective view.

Figure 2 shows a cradle in schematic and perspective view.

Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a heating device for the cradle;

Figure 4 is a pressing device for connecting the curved carrier with a foam layer.

Figure 5 is a partial sectional view of a modified piece of equipment.

Fig. 6 schematically shows a view of a heating device for a carrier made of recycling material before the heating and pressing process;

Fig. 7 is a schematic view as in Fig. 6 of the heating and pressing device during the heating and pressing process;

Fig. 8 in section and in the open state, the two mold halves for connecting the heated carrier layer with a cold foam layer for producing the equipment part according to Fig. 5 and

Fig. 9 in section, the two mold halves according to FIG. 8 in the closed state.

A trim member 1 of FIG. 1 or multilayer body 1 consists of at least one each of a thin-walled, preferably dimensionally stable support layer 2, a soft-elastic intermediate layer 3 and the foam layer 3 and a decorative layer 4. The intermediate layer 3 or foam layer 3 is a thermoplastic plastic foam. Preferably, a flexible plastic foam layer (PE) is used as the intermediate layer 3 .

As FIG. 1 also shows with the dashed lines, soft-elastic polyethylene foam layers 3 with a decorative layer 4 can also be arranged on both sides of the carrier layer 2 . Furthermore, as is also shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1, one and / or the other foam layer 3 can be compressed or tapered in the region of one and / or the other edge 5 , so that a pronounced, thin-walled edge 5 is produced.

A flat equipment part 1 according to FIG. 1 or a three-dimensionally curved, thin-walled equipment part 6 according to FIG. 5 is produced in accordance with the production method described below.

Figs. 2-4 show in Fig. 2 a as a carrier layer serving arcuately curved carrier 7, which may consist of sheet metal, such as steel sheet, aluminum sheet or other metal or glass, glass fiber material, etc., and a basically sufficient heat capacity , Temperature resistance or material strength must have. Figs. 2-4 show only the single procedural steps, starting from an already curved, inherently stable carrier 7 is a layer in the results with a foam layer and a decorative clad part is formed.

According to the manufacturing process, the curved carrier 7 is heated in a suitable heating device 8 at least on one surface 9 to the melting temperature of the thermoplastic foam or the poly ethylene foam layer 3 , with which the carrier 7 is then connected in a pressing device 10 according to FIG. 4. According to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the heating device 8 consists of a lower heating element 11 and an upper heating element 12 , which heat the arched carrier 7 to the desired temperature by means of contact or radiant heat. The radiators 11 and 12 are only shown schematically in FIG. 3. After reaching the required temperature, the carrier 7 is placed on a lower mold 13 of the pressing device 10 , whereupon the foam layer serving as the intermediate layer 3 is arranged over the carrier 7 with the aid of a suitable gripping device 14 (robot). The intermediate layer 3 expediently already has a decorative layer 4 laminated on in a customary manner and is then either placed directly on the heated carrier 7 with the aid of the gripping device 14 or this takes place while an upper mold 15 of the pressing device 10 is activated at the same time. Due to the immediate contact of the heated to the melting temperature of the plastic foam surface 16 of the carrier 7 , the plastic foam serving as an intermediate layer 3 melts in the region of its surface 17 facing the carrier 7 . Furthermore, the carrier 7 and the intermediate layer 3 together with the decorative layer 4 which may be located thereon in the pressing device 10 between the lower mold 13 and the upper mold 15 are put under pressure, so that the melted upper surface 17 of the intermediate layer 3 is firmly attached to the surface 16 of the Carrier 7 sticks.

The heat required for the melting process of the surface 17 of the intermediate layer 3 ultimately comes from the previously heated carrier 7 , which cools down when the heat is released to the surface 17 of the intermediate layer 3 and which also cools down in that the lower mold 13 is cold or ent is cooled according to the circumstances of the individual case. It is essential that the foam layer 3 to be laminated onto the carrier 7 is processed cold, that is to say is not itself heated by a special heat source, but rather the heat required for laminating it on as carrier layer 2 according to FIG. 1 or as carrier 7 according to FIG. 2 serving body receives.

It is also important that the carrier layer 2 or the carrier 7 receives a sufficient amount of heat in the heating device 8 so that the surface 17 of the intermediate layer 3 melts. On the other hand, the amount of heat absorbed by the backing layer 2 or the backing 7 must not be too large, since otherwise the intermediate layer 3 not only melts on its surface 17 , but possibly burns and the decorative layer 4 already on it is destroyed. The heat capacity of the backing layer 2 or the backing 7 must therefore be adjusted by a suitable choice of the material for the backing layer 2 or the backing 7 and by a suitable selection of the material thickness to the melting temperature and thermal properties of the intermediate layer 3 . This means, for example, that if an iron sheet is used for a support 7, it must not be too thick and, on the other hand, an extremely thin metal foil is not suitable as the support layer 2 .

Fig. 5 shows in side view and in section a three-dimensionally shaped equipment part 6 , the backing layer 2 contains thermoplastic components and is first in a combined heating and pressing device 18 shown in FIGS . 6 and 7 Herge. The backing layer 2 for the outfit in part 6 is brought in the heating and pressing device 18 to the required melting temperature for the intermediate layer 3, and then in the press device 19 of FIGS. 8 and 9 in the same way with the intermediate layer 3 and the foam layer 3 connected, as has been explained in the first described Ausführungsbei game with reference to FIG. 4.

It is, however, essential in the embodiment of FIGS. 5-9 that a non-woven fabric 20 containing polypropylene is used as the carrier layer 2 , which can be, for example, recycling material. This nonwoven fabric 20 predominantly contains polypropylene and other fibers with a basis weight of, for example, 1600 g per square meter and, for example, also has a starting material thickness of 25 mm. In the heating and pressing device 18 , the nonwoven fabric 20 is held by a gripping device 21 and between an upper heating press plate 22 and a lower heating press plate 23 on the melting temperature of the polypropylene fibers (for example 230 °) heated on both sides and by the pressure on a material thickness of e.g. 4 mm compressed.

The heating plates 22 and 23 are heated electrically, for example, and are covered with a non-woven fabric 20 in the contact area with the aid of a Teflon film 24 , so that the plastic components thereof do not stick when heated.

The FIG. 7 heated and compressed or caked nonwoven fabric 20 is then as still hot, not intrinsically stable thin layer 20 a between the upper mold 25 and brought the lower mold 26 of the press device 19, and this both for serving as an intermediate layer 3 foam layer applies, which can already be provided with a decorative layer 4 . When moving together of the press device 19, the surface 17 passes the group consisting of a thermoplastic plastic foam, soft elastic intermediate layer 3 in contact with the surface 27 of the manufactured non-woven fabric 20 layer 20 a. The surface 17 of the foam material layer 3 heats up in such a way that it also melts. The pressure of the press device 19 is also serving as the intermediate layer 3 layer 20 deforms a in the upper mold 25 and the lower mold 26, whereby to the same serving as the intermediate layer 3, soft elastic foam layer in the area of its surface 17 is intimately mixed with the non-woven fabric 20 manufactured layer 20 a connects and takes the same shape and contour.

Insofar as, due to the shape of the upper mold 25 or the lower mold 26 , for example through defined projections 28 and associated depressions 29 in the upper mold 25 or the lower mold 26, an increased pressure is exerted on the foam layer serving as the intermediate layer 3 and thereby there is more heat from he heated layer 20 a flows into the foam layer 3, this also leads to a permanent change Formver the foam layer 3 and the intermediate layer 3, so that if necessary, the intermediate layer 3 is partially permanently compress or swage can.

Both the pressing device 10 and the Preßvor direction 19 are assigned in a suitable and basically known manner cutting and punching tools so that the edges of the equipment part 1 and 6 can be trimmed. These tools are not shown in the figures.

Also in the illustrated exemplary implementation in Figs. 5-9 is off, the soft elastic intermediate layer 3 or foam layer 3 processing operation during Ver cold, as well as for the upper mold 25 and the lower mold 26 applies. During the pressing process, therefore, not only a heat transfer from the layer 20 a to the foam layer 3 , a melting of the surface 17 of the foam layer 3 and a deformation of the layer 20 a and the foam layer 3 , but also a subsequent cooling of the interconnected parts , The layer 20 a is firm and dimensionally stable, so that it can serve as a three-dimensionally deformed carrier layer 2 for the equipment part 6 . The upper mold 25 and the lower mold 26 withdraw due to their mass and their heat capacity or ge if necessary by partially or temporarily cooling the layer 20 a so much heat that the equipment part 6 can be removed as a finished product from the mold 19 .

For the intermediate layer 3 is preferably an air-impermeable, non-open-cell polyethylene foam. The carrier material for the carrier layer 2 is preferably an initially air-permeable material when using a material with thermoplastic constituents, such as the fiber fleece mentioned above, and is first baked in the heating and pressing device 18 . Only when pressed does the nonwoven material become largely impermeable to air.

Glass fiber material can also be used as carrier layer 2 . The use of glass fiber material is in particular also partially possible as reinforcement, such supports or support layers of various types and shapes and also recesses being able to be seated.

Equipment parts 1 and 6 produced according to the invention can be used in a wide variety of fields, ie not only as covering or covering parts in vehicles, but also in the furniture sector or as independent products which can be used, for example, as a sun visor with a centrally arranged carrier layer 2 , arranged on both sides of this, soft-elastic intermediate layers 3 and outside on these decorative layers 4 according to the Dar position in Fig. 1a can be formed.

In particular, the invention can be varied in many ways with regard to the device used for production and is not restricted to the features specifically described in the figures. For example, it is also possible to cool the lower mold 13 and the upper mold 15 of the pressing device 10 or the upper mold 25 and the lower mold 26 of the pressing device 19 with water or with air and to work with a vacuum in order to provide a desired temperature profile as a function of to achieve the heat transfer and the pressing time.

Claims (16)

1. A method for producing an equipment part ( 1 , 6 ), in particular a trim part or an interior trim or cover part for vehicles, each with at least one thin-walled carrier layer ( 2 ) or one thin-walled carrier ( 7 ), a soft-elastic intermediate layer ( 3 ) a plastic foam and a decorative layer ( 4 ), characterized in that

• a) the carrier ( 7 ) or the carrier layer ( 2 ) is heated at least on its surface ( 16 ) on one side to the melting temperature of the plastic foam,
• b) that the carrier (7) or the carrier layer (2) then in planar heat conducting contact with a serving as the intermediate layer (3), thermoplastic foam layer (3) introduced and ge
• c) the carrier ( 7 ) or the carrier layer ( 2 ) and the foam layer ( 3 ) are pressed together in such a way,
• d) that the surface ( 17 ) of the foam layer ( 3 ) melts and
• e) that the carrier ( 7 ) or the carrier layer ( 2 ) and the foam layer ( 3 ) are cooled.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the carrier ( 7 ) or the carrier layer ( 2 ) are selected such that they have sufficient heat capacity for melting the surface ( 17 ) of the foam layer ( 3 ) with respect to material and material. exhibit. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the foam layer ( 3 ) is partially compressed by elevated pressure and partially deformed by heat and pressure. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the foam layer ( 3 ) is already laminated to the backing layer ( 2 ) or the backing ( 7 ) with a decorative layer ( 4 ) before (flame lamination). 5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that is a foam layer (3) made of polyethylene (PE) applies ver as flexible intermediate layer (3). 6. The method according to claim 1, characterized by the use of a sheet as a carrier layer ( 2 ) or as a carrier ( 7 ). 7. The method according to claim 1, characterized by the use of a thermoplastic component parts material as the carrier layer ( 2 ). 8. The method according to claim 1, characterized by the use of a polypropylene-containing nonwoven fabric ( 20 ) as the starting material for the carrier layer ( 2 ). 9. The method according to claim 1 and 8, characterized in that the nonwoven fabric ( 20 ) is a recycling material. 10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one soft elastic intermediate layer ( 3 ) with or without decorative layer ( 4 ) on both sides of the carrier layer ( 2 ) or the carrier ( 7 ) is arranged. 11. The method according to claim 1, characterized by the use of polypropylene-containing glass fiber material as the carrier layer ( 2 ). 12. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that that the glass fiber material is used as reinforcement. 13. The method according to claim 1-12, characterized by the use in the manufacture of chairs, Furniture or the like. 14. A device for performing the method according to claim 1, characterized in that a heating device ( 8 ) or a heating and pressing device ( 18 ) for heating the carrier ( 7 ) or for heating and producing the carrier layer ( 2 ) and a pressing device ( 10, 19 ) for connecting the carrier ( 7 ) or the carrier layer ( 2 ) to a cold foam layer ( 3 ) is provided. 15. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the heating and pressing device ( 18 ) for heating and pre-pressing a nonwoven fabric ( 20 ) comprises a flat, upper heating press plate ( 22 ) and a lower, flat heating press plate ( 23 ). 16. The apparatus according to claim 14 and 15, characterized in that the heating and pressing device ( 18 ) comprises a gripping device ( 21 ) for the nonwoven fabric ( 20 ) and that Teflon foils ( 24 ) between the heating press plate ( 22 ), ( 23 ) and the nonwoven fabric ( 20 ) are arranged.