GB2356837A

GB2356837A - A vehicle trim panel with electical conductors incorporated therein

Info

Publication number: GB2356837A
Application number: GB0029169A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Farad Azima
Original assignee: New Transducers Ltd
Current assignee: NVF Tech Ltd
Priority date: 1999-12-03
Filing date: 2000-11-30
Publication date: 2001-06-06
Also published as: GB9928485D0; GB0029169D0

Abstract

A vehicle trim panel (12) has electrical conductors or wires (24) incorporated therein. The wires (24) may be embedded within the body of the trim panel (12) or bonded to its surface. The trim panel (12) may house a user control panel (16), a loudspeaker unit (18) and additional functional units (20), each of which receives (or transmits) electrical signals to an electrical connector (22) via the wires (24).

Description

2356837 TITLE: VEHICLE TRIM PANELS

DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to vehicle trim panels, e.g.

automobile door and roof linings and the like.

In the f ield of vehicle design there is an increasing trend towards the integration of the various systems which may be involved in relation to vehicle trim panels and/or more complex components associated with them.

Vehicle manufacturers are moving to a position where the assembly and installation of separate functional devices which formerly used to occur on the assembly line now is increasingly made the responsibility of specific component suppliers who build more complex sub-assemblies of the 2 functional components ready for more rapid final installation in the vehicle.

For example, such systems and functional components may include window winders, either mechanical or electrical, lighting, subsidiary control panels, loudspeakers, microphones, video displays etc. Thus the vehicle trim manufacturer may be required to put together combinations of such components, fit them as a sub-assembly from a trim system to a complete door if required.

Electrical interconnection is a necessary integer in such components. Traditionally each electrical component will have electrical connections or terminals and interconnection is made by looms or harnesses of wire or cable. Connections may go from components to local switches or out of the sub-assembly to the vehicle itself. Both power' and audio signals may enter and leave the sub assembly.

Wire harnesses represent a significant cost and weight component, require a clearance space within the sub-assembly and may also result in unnecessary vibration or drumming due to contact with vibrating surfaces. Connections need to be made to the individual parts, usually by friction locked, operator installed, push-on or similar terminal design.

3 It is a general object of the invention to provide a trim panel of improved functionality. More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide a trim panel of improved functionality as a carrier of electrical signals and/or current.

According to the invention, vehicle trim panel comprising at least one functional unit and electrical conductors which are connected to the at least one functional unit, the electrical conductors being incorporated in the vehicle trim panel. The electrical conductors may have a generally planar or a generally circular cross-section.

The trim panel may comprise a body on or in which conductors may be bonded or embedded. A protective cover may be mounted to the body so that the electrical conductors are sandwiched between the body and the protective cover.

Usually trim panels are moulded structures, e.g. from fibrous material impregnated with plastics and thus form suitable support structures for electrical conductors. In particular, vehicle trim panels normally provide an insulating substrate for the conductors.

Incorporating electrical conductors in trim may offer the following benefits:

4 1. weight reduction by reduction/elimination of conventional insulation.

2. possible saving in weight, thickness and cost of conductors due to the greater thermal mass of the trim substrate allowing for a small gauge conductor of the same rated current carrying capacity.

3. greater space utilisation factor.

4. avoidance of the possible drumming of a conventional cable harness.

5. potential for easy connectivity to functional units and to main section of vehicle.

6. conductors are protected from mechanical wear or chafing.

7. labour costs for assembly are reduced.

The electrical conductors may be terminated in standard or custom terminals for the connection of short wire leads from the or each functional unit.

The vehicle trim panel may further comprise mechanical coupling means for mechanically coupling the or each functional unit to the trim panel. The mechanical coupling means may be in the form of locking, mating or bayonet means. The mechanical coupling means may be integrally moulded or formed with the vehicle trim panel. The mechanical coupling means may further incorporate integral 1 electrical contacts which mate with respective electrical contacts of the or each functional unit. Thus, it may be possible to establish quick and inexpensive installation of the vehicle trim panel including both mechanical and electrical connection to one or more functional units which may for example be one or more loudspeakers or a control panel.

This has particular significance concerning the build of a trim panel configurable to several grades or classes or performance where a universal wired panel may have the facilities for a number of functional units but where the particular configuration of functional units may be decided even at the last stage of production. For example, in the case of loudspeakers, the number of loudspeakers may be is decided at f inal build, working with a standardised wired trim panel creating different qualities of speaker installation.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a diagram of an automobile door trim panel according to the present invention, and Figures 2A, B and C show respective scrap cross- sections through trim panels of the present invention.

6 Figure 1 shows a schematic of an automobile door (10) having a trim panel (12) in the lower section of the door (10) and a window (14) mounted in the upper section of the door (10). The door is mounted on to a car (not shown) by hinges (15).

The trim panel houses a user control panel (16), which may contain for example, window controls or door locking controls. The trim panel may further house a loudspeaker unit (18) and two additional functional units (20). The loudspeaker unit (18) and additional functional units (20) are mechanically coupled to the trim panel by mechanical coupling means (not shown).

Each of the control panel (16), the loudspeaker unit (18) and the functional units (20) receives (or transmits) electrical signals to an electrical connector (22) via electrical conductors or wires (24) which are embedded in or mounted on the trim panel as shown in Figures 2A, B and C.

The trim panel is made from a non-conductive material and hence provides an insulating substrate for the wires.

In Figure 2A, two types of wire (26,28) are embedded in the trim panel (12), in other words the wires are located in the core (30) between the upper and lower surfaces (32,34) of the trim panel. The first type of wire (26) have a planar 7 cross-section and the second type of wire (28) a circular cross-section.

In Figure 2B, the wires (28) a circular cross-section and are attached to a surface (34) of the trim panel (12) A protective cover (38) is mounted over the wires (28).

Similarly, in Figure 2C, the wires are attached to a surface (34) of the trim panel (12) and a protective cover (38) is mounted over the wires (26). In this embodiment the wires (26) have a planar cross-section.

The invention thus provides a method for integrating wires in vehicle trim panels.

8

Claims

1. A vehicle trim panel comprising at least one functional unit and electrical conductors which are connected to the at least one functional unit, the electrical conductors being incorporated in the vehicle trim panel.

2. A vehicle trim panel according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle trim panel comprises a body and the electrical conductors are embedded within the body.

3. A vehicle trim panel according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle trim panel comprises a body and the electrical conductors are bonded to a surface of the body.

4. A vehicle trim panel according to claim 3, wherein a protective cover is mounted to the body so that the electrical conductors are sandwiched between the body and the protective cover.

5. A vehicle trim panel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle trim panel provides an insulating substrate for the electrical conductors.

6. A vehicle trim panel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrical conductors are terminated in standard or custom terminals for the connection of short wire leads from the or each functional unit.

9

7. A vehicle trim panel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle trim panel further comprises mechanical coupling means for mechanically coupling the or each functional unit to the trim panel.

8. A vehicle trim panel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mechanical coupling means incorporate integral electrical contacts which mate with respective electrical contacts of the or each functional unit.

9. A vehicle trim panel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrical conductors have a generally planar cross-section.

10. A vehicle trim panel according to any one of the claims 1 to 9, wherein the electrical conductors have a generally is circular cross-section.

11. A vehicle trim panel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the functional unit is a loudspeaker.

12. A vehicle trim panel as substantially herein before described, with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.