FR2905301A1 - Structuring sheet for inner lining of an automobile, comprises a first layer of thermoformable non-woven, an intermediate layer having a recycled material originating from shredded waste, and a second layer of thermoformable non-woven - Google Patents

Abstract

The structuring sheet for inner lining of an automobile, comprises a first layer (16) of thermoformable non-woven, 20-50 wt.% of intermediate layer (26) having a recycled material originating from shredded waste, and a second layer (32) of thermoformable non-woven. An independent claim is included for a process for continuous fabrication of structuring sheet for inner trim of an automobile.

Description

The present invention relates to a structuring web for packing

  automobile interior, and its manufacturing process. Many automotive interior trim parts are made from nonwovens. These garnis-sage pieces must have a greater or lesser mechanical strength, and appearance characteristics adapted to the style of the particular automobile. As these pieces of packing constitute an important part of the passenger compartment, it is sought to reduce the cost, while maintaining sufficient mechanical properties. So we tried to use recycled materials. In fact, automotive interior parts manufacturing workshops create significant amounts of waste, only a small part of which is recycled: it is therefore desirable to increase the quantity of recycled materials on the one hand to reduce purchases of materials needed to manufacture parts and secondly to avoid the cost of discharging waste materials.

  So we have already tried to use recycled materials to reduce the cost of these parts lining. The document EP-1 031 403 thus describes the production of packing parts containing recycled materials. According to this document, these recycled materials are previously subjected to molding and compression operations, before being incorporated into molding pieces by molding between layers of other materials. The method described is discontinuous and gives parts that are substantially complete, but expensive because of their one-to-one manufacture.

  Document FR-2,860,450 describes a method in which a lining piece is obtained with a sandwich structure in which the core consists of a material recycled by grinding pieces. It is also a process in which the parts are made by molding, the edges of the outer layers being connected around a core of the recycled material. This process is also discontinuous and gives expensive parts.

WO 03 076 232 discloses multilayer webs for substantially forming automotive bottom coatings, comprising a nonwoven and a closed cell polyolefin foam layer. In some embodiments, it is indicated that a fibrous material placed between a nonwoven and the foam layer may be made of recycled material. The invention relates to a structuring web for automotive upholstery which does not include a layer of foam, because its essential function is to obtain good mechanical properties. According to the invention, an intermediate layer of recycled material, obtained by grinding of parts formed at least partly of polypropylene, is incorporated between two layers of nonwoven which can undergo a subsequent thermoforming. The structuring web according to the invention has excellent mechanical properties; it can be cut into blanks which are then thermoformed, possibly with addition of an appearance layer, and allow the manufacture of inexpensive automotive interior trim parts. More specifically, the invention relates to a structuring mat for automotive trim parts, which comprises a first layer of a thermoformed nonwoven, an intermediate layer of a recycled material formed at least partially of polypropylene. and a second layer of a nonwoven which can be thermoformed. Preferably, the first layer contains polypropylene, a polyester and optionally a fibrous material. Preferably, the first layer contains, by weight, one third to two thirds of polypropylene. Preferably, the amount of polyester of the first layer is between one quarter and one half of the weight of this layer.

Preferably, the fibrous material optionally used contains fibers selected from cotton fibers and acrylic fibers.

Preferably, the intermediate layer forms from 20 to 50% of the total weight of the structuring web. The invention also relates to a process for the continuous production of a structuring web for automobile interior lining, of the type which comprises the continuous manufacture of a first layer from a fibrous material, the application of an intermediate layer on the first continuously moving layer, applying a second layer to the passing interlayer, and associating the three layers; according to the invention, the application of an intermediate layer on the first layer which passes comprises the shredding of waste formed at least partly of polypropylene, and the topping of shredded pieces of waste on at least part of the width of the first layer. Preferably, the combination of the three layers is performed by an operation selected from calendering preceded by heating, and needling. Preferably, the heating is of the infrared type.

In a first variant, the manufacture of the first layer comprises the opening of the fibrous material, the gravity bonding of the fibers open over at least a portion of the width of a conveyor, and the combination of the fibers.

In a second variant, the manufacture of at least one of the first and second layers comprises the opening of the fibrous material, the carding and then the laying of the open fibers on a conveyor, and the combination of the fibers.

Preferably, the combination of the fibers of at least one of the first and second layers is made by needling. Preferably, the manufacture of the first layer comprises opening the fibrous material, topping the open fibers over at least a portion of the width of a conveyor, and combining the fibers. Preferably, the shredding of waste formed at least partly of polypropylene is made by grinding.

In one embodiment, the method further comprises cutting blanks in the structuring web, and thermoforming the blanks with an appearance layer in a mold. Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 represents the schematic arrangement of a production line of a tablecloth structuring device according to the invention; FIG. 2 represents another production line implementing a variant of the method according to the invention; and - Figure 3 is a diagram of operations performed in a variant of the method according to the invention.

In the various figures, like references designate like elements. First, a particular example is described. Reference numeral 10 denotes a fiber feed assembly which may be, for example, polypropylene, polyester, cotton, acrylic, etc. The fibers are transmitted to a fiber opening machine 12 which transmits the open fibers to a feed member 14 which regularly distributes (topping) the fibers in the form of a first regular layer 16 on a conveyor 18, for example conveyor belt. The web thus formed passes, in this example, to a needling station 20 which gives some cohesion to the web. The resulting web continues to scroll and passes under a gravity webbing device 22 of recycled material 24 taken from waste materials that have been shredded, for example finely ground. An intermediate layer 26 is thus formed on the first layer 16, and passes to a heating station 28, for example an infrared heater, which creates a certain bond in the recycled material at least. Then, a second layer 32 of nonwoven material, coming for example from a roll 30, is placed on the intermediate layer and the assembly passes into a shell 34.

The product obtained at the outlet of the calender comprises a layer of material recycled between two layers of nonwoven material. Blanks may then be cut from the resulting web and subjected in a mold to a thermoforming operation. During this operation, an appearance layer may optionally be added, so that, at the outlet of the mold, the inner lining piece is completed. In the variant of FIG. 2, the opening is made by a machine 12 and a fine opening machine. The fibrous material then passes into a carding machine 36, then into a device 38 for forming a ply before needling at the station 20. In this variant, the intermediate layer of recycled material is not heated. The combination of the three layers is not carried out by calendering, but by needling at a station 40, to give a sheet which can form rollers 42. In the variant of FIG. 3, the recycled material undergoes several phases. grinding at a station 44 to give a recycled material 46 composed of waste of small dimensions and intended to be deposited on the first layer. In this variant, the two layers are prepared in parallel, starting from the fiber supply assembly 10 and the opening machine 12. The fibrous material then passes into carding machines 36, then into devices 38 of FIG. formation of the layers before needling prior to the stations 20 which give the two layers 16 and 32. The combination of the three layers is carried out by a calender 34 which gives a sandwich assembly 50 which undergoes a needling at a station 40. The resulting web can Although it has been indicated that the second layer is formed of a nonwoven, it is sufficient that it be formed of a material which can be suitably bonded to the intermediate layer.

Thus, according to the invention, the intermediate layer is a layer of recycled material whose binder is made of polypropylene.

In one example, the first layer contains 40% of polypropylene, 25% of polyester and 35% of fibrous materials, for example based on cotton or acrylic fibers, for example having a weight of 0.2 to 1 kg / m2.

The intermediate layer formed from the polypropylene binder recycled material is advantageously 20 to 50% by weight of the finished web. In another example, the first layer consists of a felt containing, in substantially equal amounts, either polyolefin fibers and glass fibers, or polypropylene fibers and polyester fibers. The advantage of the method according to the invention is that it allows the continuous manufacture of a structuring web 15 in which blanks can be cut, then directly thermoformed for the manufacture of garnis-wise pieces completed. Since recycled materials constitute up to 50% and even more of the weight of the packing pieces, these can have a reduced cost.

Examples of lining pieces which can thus be made are the cabin mats and trunks, and the lining of tailgates and wheel arches of automobiles.

Claims (10)

  1. structuring web for automotive upholstery, characterized in that it comprises a first layer (16) of a nonwoven which can be thermoformed, an intermediate layer (26) made of recycled material from shredded waste. formed at least partially of polypropylene, and a second layer (32) of a nonwoven which can be thermoformed.   2. structuring web according to claim 1, carac-10 terérised in that the first layer (16) contains polypropylene and a polyester.   3. structuring web according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the first layer (16) contains, by weight, one third to two thirds of polypropylene, and the amount of polyester of the first layer (16) is between one quarter and one half of the weight of this layer.   4. structuring web according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the intermediate layer 20 (26) forms from 20 to 50% of the total weight of the structural ply.   5. A method of continuously manufacturing a structuring web for automotive interior trim, of the type which comprises: continuously manufacturing a first layer (16) from a fibrous material, the application of an intermediate layer (26) on the first continuous layer (16), the application of a second layer (32) on the moving intermediate layer (26), and the combination of the three layers, characterized in that the application of an intermediate layer (26) to the first layer (16) which scrolls comprises the shredding of waste formed at least partly of polypropylene in the form of a recycled material, and the topping of the shredded recycled material at least a portion of the width of the first layer (16). 2905301 8   6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the combination of the three layers is performed by an operation selected from calendering preceded by heating, and needling. 5   7. Method according to one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the manufacture of the first layer (16) comprises the opening of the fibrous material, the gravity topping of the open fibers on at least part of the width of a carrier (18), and the combination of fibers.   8. Method according to one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the manufacture of at least one of the first and second layers (16, 32) comprises the opening of the fibrous material, carding and then the topping of the open fibers on a carrier, and the combination of fibers.   9. Method according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the combination of the fibers of at least one of the first and second layers (16, 32) is made by needling.   10. Method according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the shredding waste formed at least partly of polypropylene is made by grinding.