DE3722873C2 - Method and device for manufacturing an equipment part - Google Patents

Description

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

A process of the type of interest here Features for performing this procedure are off DE-OS 20 49 978 known. The manufactured according to this procedure Laminates are for example used as door closers  clothing or as upholstery for upholstered furniture or as Leather replacement also in connection with shoe upper material turns, the backing layer, for example made of textile, Leather or the like exists and with at least one Foam layer made of polyurethane and with at least one Cover layer is connected. The connection of the foam layer with the carrier layer takes place after the be knew processes by flame lamination and / or by Point gluing, the foam layer by An applying pressure to a fraction of their initial thickness is compressed.

Furthermore, from DE-OS 21 09 653 a method for con Continuous coating of a heat-meltable foam known film, initially resinous material in one Extruder heated or melted and then under pressure on a continuously advancing foam sheet is brought. The temperature of which the extrusion mold read Send polymers should be so high that the material stays hot long enough to apply a thin layer of polysty rol foam sheet to melt and thereby stick to enable at this. The resulting product nis can then be in the form of sheets or panels in buildings, in caravans or as packaging material or for Manufacture of refrigerators, freezers or Toys are used.

Furthermore, US 4,327,049 describes the production a product consisting of several layers, whereby each but the blank in the form of a sandwich package as a whole is heated and then pressed.  

The processing of cross-linked polyethylene foam for Example of laminates that are also used in motor vehicles can be placed in the prospectus Bayer "Ver netting polyethylene foam ", Issue 1.10.1973 described ben. After that, cross-linked polyethylene foam can pass through Hot lamination (welding) or gluing with others Materials are connected. The hot lamination is in this context as particularly interesting because called quick and easy method because on the way by simply heating up and then ver press the cross-linked polyethylene foam with polyolefin foils, foams or metal sheets or metal foils ver can be bound. Gas burners or Serve infrared heaters.

Finally, the publication "Plastver workers ", 29th year, 1978, No. 3, pages 129-132 ver Different ways to make foam from cross-linked Use polyethylene and with different Ver to combine bundle materials. As a procedure here with also primarily flame lamination processes and Infrared radiator laminating process called, so it is referred to as advisable for many cases, both ver drive to combine with each other. It is important which ches material is heated. While usually the poly ethylene foam should be heated, such as in PE film or textile lamination, be it with metals advisable to close the metal surface depending on the material thickness heat. Otherwise the laminating heat would come into contact with the foam too quickly from the metal due to the gu heat conduction removed, from which the liability suffers.

The invention has for its object a multi-layer Equipment part in the form of a multilayer body in particularly environmentally friendly and energy-saving way produce, this multilayer body from at least a thin-walled carrier and a soft elastic Intermediate layer or from a plastic foam as well there is a decorative layer.

To achieve this object, the invention provides that a Non-woven fabric containing polypropylene as material for the Carrier is used and initially on melting temperature the polypropylene is heated and then compressed and that this carrier then flat with that as an intermediate layer serving plastic foam and connected to it under pressure, the upper surface of the connecting side of the intermediate layer melts and glued to the surface of the carrier and that finally the arrangement of carrier and intermediate layer is cooled.

The nonwoven fabric used as the starting material is first warmed and compressed, making it a hot carrier layer that then forms with the still cold foam layer is connected. The temperature becomes further controlled in such a way that the heat capacity is just sufficient thus only the surface of the foam layer for ver bind melts. As a rule, the nonwoven, the can preferably be recycling material, first at Baked melting temperature and solidifies after the Connect with the plastic foam that it is in front of  is preferably polyethylene, to a sufficient intrinsically stable carrier.

Taking into account the shape and shape of the zuzu product will be the heated and compressed Carrier and the intermediate layer connected to it if necessary, also in the respective spatially deformed.

The device for performing this method comprises according to the invention a heating and pressing device for manufacture made of heated and compressed fiber fleece existing carrier and a pressing device for connecting of the carrier with the cold foam layer. The Erwär Men and pre-pressing of the nonwoven also takes place preferably between a flat, upper heating press plate and a flat, lower heating press plate.

Further features of the invention result from subclaims forth.

The invention is based on an embodiment example, which is shown in the drawing, closer described. Show:

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

Fig. 2, partly in section, a view of a modified, spatially shaped piece of equipment;

Fig. 3 schematically shows a view of the heating and Preßvor direction for producing the carrier before the heating and pressing process;

Fig. 4 is a view as in Figure 3 of the heating and pressing device during the heating and pressing process.

Fig. 5 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. 2;

Fig. 6 also in section, the two mold halves according to FIG. 5 in the closed state.

A multi-layer body or a piece of equipment 1 according to Fig. 1 consists of at least a respective thin-walled, before preferably dimensionally stable support 2, a soft-elastic intermediate layer 3 made of a plastic foam and a De korschicht. 4 The intermediate layer 3 is a thermoplastic plastic foam and preferably a soft-elastic polyethylene foam layer.

As shown in Fig. 1 also shows by means of broken lines, soft elastic intermediate layers 3 may be arranged with a decorative layer 4 and both sides of the thin-walled Trä gers 2 respectively. Further, the one and / or the other intermediate layer 3 may be in the range of one and / or be compressed the other edge 5 or tapered so that a distinct, thin-walled edge 5 is present.

A fiber fleece containing polypropylene is used as the starting material for the thin-walled carrier 2 , which is first heated to the melting temperature of the polypropylene and then compressed. Subsequently, the support 2 heated in this way is brought into contact with the plastic foam serving as the intermediate layer 3 and under. Pressure set so that the surface of the intermediate layer 3 melts on the connection side and glued to the surface of the carrier 2 . The arrangement of carrier 2 , intermediate layer 3 and decorative layer 4 is then cooled.

The intermediate layer 3 of the required heat for the melting process at the surface comes exclusively from the previously heated carrier 2 that already cools in the heat delivery to the surface of the intermediate layer 3 is somewhat. It is therefore essential that the intermediate layer 3 to be laminated onto the thin-walled carrier 2 is processed cold, that is to say it is not itself heated to the melting temperature by a special heat source. It is therefore important that the thin-walled carrier 2 receives a sufficient amount of heat in the heating device so that the upper surface of the intermediate layer 3 then melts. On the other hand, the amount of heat absorbed by the carrier 2 must also not be too large, since otherwise the intermediate layer 3 not only melts on its surface, but possibly burns ver and also the decorative layer 4 which may already be on it is destroyed. The heat capacity of the carrier 2 must therefore be turned off by appropriate selection of the material thickness on the melting temperature and the heat properties of the intermediate layer 3 .

Fig. 2 shows in side view and in section a three-dimensionally shaped equipment part 6 , whose thin-walled carrier 2 is initially in a combined heating and pressing device 18 shown in FIGS . 3 and 4 Herge. A fiber fleece 20 is used as the starting material for the thin-walled carrier 2 , which can be, for example, recycling material. This fiber fleece 20 contains predominantly polypropylene and, if appropriate, other fibers with a weight per unit area of, for example, 1600 gr / sqm and also has, for example, a starting material thickness of 25 mm. In the heating and pressing device 18 , the nonwoven fabric 20 is held by a Greifvor device 21 and between an upper Heizpreß plate 22 and a lower Heizpreßplatte 23 to the melting temperature of the polypropylene fibers (so for example 230 degrees) heated on both sides and by the pressure on a material thickness of 4 mm, for example, seals.

The heating plates 22 and 23 are, for example, electrically heated 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 heated and compressed or baked together according to FIG. 4 non-woven fabric 20 is then brought as a hot, not inherently stable, thin layer 20 a between the upper mold 25 and the lower mold 26 of a pressing device 19 . Also serving as the intermediate layer 3 foam layer, which can already be seen with a decorative layer 4 ver, arranged between the upper mold 25 and the lower mold 26 . When the pressing device 19 is closed , the surface 17 of the soft-elastic intermediate layer 3 consisting of the thermoplastic plastic foam comes into contact with the surface 27 of the layer 20 a made from the servlies 20 . The surface 17 of the intermediate layer 3 heats up in such a way that it melts. The pressure of the press device 19 is also serving as the intermediate layer 3 of plastic deformed foam and the same applies to the hot, soft, non-intrinsically stable, prepared in the first stage non-woven fabric 20 layer 20 a between the upper mold 25 and the lower mold 26 with at the same time serving as the intermediate layer 3, soft elastic foam layer in the area of its surface 17 connects intimately mixed with the produced non-woven fabric 20 layer 20 a and assume 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 in 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 the heated layer 20 a flows into the foam layer 3 , this leads to a ble-changing shape of the foam layer or inter mediate layer 3 , so that if necessary, the intermediate layer 3 can be partially compressed or compressed permanently.

Both the combined heating and pressing device 18 and the pressing device 19 are arranged in a suitable and fundamentally 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.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS . 2 to 6, the soft elastic intermediate layer 3 is cold during the machining process, as is the case for the upper mold 25 and for the lower mold 26 . During the pressing process, therefore, not only a heat transfer from the layer 20 a to the intermediate layer 3 , a melting of the surface 17 of the intermediate layer 3 consisting of plastic foam and a deformation of the layer 20 a and the intermediate layer 3 , but also a subsequent cooling the interconnected parts, the layer 20 a becomes 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, 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 permeable, non-porous polyethylene foam. The backing material for the backing layer or the thin-walled backing 2 (polypropylene-containing nonwoven fabric 20 ) is an initially air-permeable material at the start of the manufacturing process and is therefore first baked together in the heating and pressing device 18 . Only in the compressed state does the intermediate layer 3 consisting of the fiber fleece become largely impermeable to air.

The thin-walled carrier 2 can also hold glass fiber material. The use of glass fiber material is particularly useful in particular as a reinforcement, such supports or support layers having the most varied of shapes and forms and also having recesses.

The equipment parts 1 and 6 are - as already mentioned above - used in a wide variety of industries and for a variety of purposes. It is also possible to design parts manufactured in the manner described as independently usable products, such as sun visors with a centrally arranged, thin-walled carrier 2 and on both sides of this angeord Neten, soft-elastic intermediate layers 3 and the outside on these decorative layers 4th approximately according to the Dar position in Fig. 1. The invention is therefore not limited to features specifically shown and described in the figures.

Claims (12)

1. A method for producing an equipment part ( 1 , 6 ), in particular a cladding, interior trim or cover part for vehicles or an equipment part for furniture, each with at least one thin-walled carrier ( 2 ), a flexible intermediate layer ( 3 ) made of a plastic foam and a decorative layer ( 4 ) in which

• a) a polypropylene-containing nonwoven fabric ( 20 ) is used as the material for the carrier ( 2 ) and
• b) first heated to the melting temperature of the polypropylene
• c) then compressed and
• d) finally brought into connection with the plastic foam serving as an intermediate layer ( 3 ) and
• e) is connected under pressure, whereby
• f) the surface of the connecting side of the intermediate layer ( 3 ) melts and sticks to the surface of the carrier ( 2 ) and
• g) that finally the arrangement of carrier ( 2 ) and intermediate layer ( 3 ) is cooled.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a soft elastic intermediate layer ( 3 ) made of foamed polyethylene is used. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a recycling material is used as the material for the nonwoven fabric ( 20 ). 4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the intermediate layer (3) layer with the decorative already prior to bonding to the carrier (2) is laminated (4). 5. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that glass fiber material is additionally used as reinforcement in the support ( 2 ). 6. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the intermediate layer ( 3 ) is partially compressed by increased pressure and partially deformed by heat and pressure. 7. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier ( 2 ) is heated with the aid of contact heat and / or radiant heat. 8. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that both sides of the carrier ( 2 ) are connected in the same way with at least one soft elastic intermediate layer ( 3 ) with or without de cor layer ( 4 ). 9. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heated and compressed support ( 2 ) and the verbun with him intermediate layer ( 3 ) are spatially deformed before cooling. 10. A device for performing the method according to claim 1, characterized in that a heating and pressing device ( 18 ) for heating and manufacturing the thin-walled carrier ( 2 ) and that a pressing device ( 19 ) for connecting the thin-walled carrier ( 2 ) with a cold intermediate layer ( 3 ) made of plastic foam is provided. 11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the heating and pressing device ( 18 ) for heating and pressing a serving as a carrier ( 2 ) serving non-woven fabric ( 20 ) a flat, upper heating plate ( 22 ) and a lower, flat heating plate ( 23rd ) includes. 12. The apparatus of claim 10 and 11, characterized in that the heating and pressing device ( 18 ) comprises a gripping device ( 21 ) for the nonwoven fabric ( 20 ) and that Teflon foils ( 24 ) the heating press plates ( 22 , 23 ) and are assigned to the nonwoven fabric ( 20 ).