Armrest and method of fabricating same

Details Armrest and method of fabricating same Armrest and method of fabricating same

1999-09-03

2001-04-10

Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Door or window with specified vehicle feature

Reexamination Certificate

active

06213538

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vehicular armrest, and more particularly, to an armrest having a structural substrate, a vinyl or flexible polyolefin covering and a foam filling between the substrate, secondary substrate
14
and cover and the vinyl covering. The invention also relates to a process for fabricating the vehicular armrest.
2. Related Art
Armrests filled with polyurethane foam resins have been mounted on vehicle doors for many years. An example of a prior art armrest
110
is shown in
FIG. 1
comprising a structural plastic or metal internal support
112
having a substrate surface
120
, a vinyl or flexible polyolefin outer cover
118
and a polyurethane or similar foam filling
146
enclosed within the internal support
112
and cover
118
by a panel
114
.
While such conventional foam materials have been readily utilized in the industry, problems have been identified with respect to, among other things, the consistency of their reaction profiles. For example, armrests
110
are conventionally filled with a two-part polyurethane foam. Polyurethanes are generically prepared by nucleophilic addition of alcohols to isocyanates. Foaming occurs when a small amount of water is added to the two chemical reagents during polymerization. Specifically, water adds to the isocyanate groups providing carbamic acids, which spontaneously lose carbon dioxide, thus generating bubbles and, in turn, foam within the curing polymer.
When the polyurethane foam
146
is poured into the armrest
110
during the initial stages of polymerization the reagents are still susceptible to parameter changes such as atmospheric moisture (humidity), temperature, and pressure changes. These parameter changes can have a substantially adverse impact upon the consistency of the resulting foam
146
from day to day or even batch to batch. Furthermore, according to conventional methods, after the two-part polyurethane foam
146
has been poured and cured, copious quantities of scrap remain, which requires additional time and labor to clean up and, in turn, adds to the cost of production. Moreover, the disposal of the scraps and byproducts from synthesizing polyurethanes can be costly.
In addition, due to the complexity, smell, and messiness of preparing polyurethane foams, it is typically not practical for the armrest
110
to be assembled in one location as the preparation of the foam
146
requires and additional, separate work station which further adds to the cost of manufacturing. Further, the polyurethane foams
146
are not recyclable and thus the armrests
110
are not recyclable when the automobile is eventually scrapped.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the invention relates to an armrest adapted to be mounted to a vehicle door comprising a primary substrate adapted to be mounted to a vehicle door panel and a secondary substrate mounted to the primary substrate and defining a recess. A foam layer is mounted to the secondary substrate within the recess, and a flexible outer casing is integrally molded to the primary substrate forming a recess with the primary substrate which receives the secondary substrate and the foam layer.
The primary substrate and the secondary substrate can be formed of a thermoplastic material and the secondary substrate is heat fuised to the primary substrate. The heat fusing can comprise heat staking. The foam layer can be adhesively secured to the secondary substrate. The foam layer can be unsecured to the flexible outer casing. The flexible outer casing can be a molded thermoplastic material. The molded thermoplastic material can comprise a vinyl resin. The secondary substrate can have a depending flange with an opening and the primary substrate can have an alignment tab positioned in the opening. The secondary substrate can have a second opening and the primary substrate can be heat staked to the secondary substrate through the second opening. The secondary substrate can have at least one depending locator pin and the primary substrate can have at least one opening which receives the at least one depending locator pin. The secondary substrate can have a wedge-shaped platform which has an upper surface which receives the foam layer. The foam layer can have a substantially uniform thickness. The foam layer can be formed of a vinyl resin which is die cut. The secondary substrate can have a generally vertical wall with at least one flange extending rearwardly therefrom, wherein the at least one flange is adapted to locate the armrest in an opening on a vehicle door. The components of the armrest can be formed from recyclable materials. The primary substrate can have a flexible depending detent arm adapted to locate the armrest within an opening on a vehicle door. The outer casing can have a tab on an interior surface thereof which extends between a portion of the primary substrate and the secondary substrate whereby the tab wedges between the substrates and reduces vibratory noise therebetween.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of fabricating an armrest for a vehicle door comprising the steps of forming a primary substrate adapted to be mounted to a vehicle door panel; intergrally molding a flexible outer casing to the primary substrate and forming a recess therewith; forming a secondary substrate having a mounting platform with a shape adapted to occupy a lower portion of the recess; forming a foam layer having a shape adapted to occupy the remainder of the recess between the mounting platform and the outer casing; mounting the foam layer to the mounting platform of the secondary substrate; and inserting the assembly of the foam layer and the secondary substrate into the recess defined by the primary substrate and the outer casing.
The elements produced by the above method can have the features described above with respect to the armrest. Further, the method can include the steps of heat fusing and/or heat staking the secondary substrate to the primary substrate; mounting the foam layer to the secondary substrate and adhesively securing the foam layer to the secondary substrate; inserting a portion of the primary substrate into a portion of the secondary substrate to align the primary and secondary substrates with respect to one another; heat fusing the primary substrate to the secondary substrate; heat staking the primary substrate to the secondary substrate through an opening in the secondary substrate; inserting at least one depending locator pin on the secondary substrate into at least one opening in the primary substrate; and die cutting the foam layer.
The mounting platform can have a wedge shape from a rear portion to a front portion thereof for facilitating the step of inserting the assembly of the foam layer and the secondary substrate into the recess defined by the primary substrate and the outer casing. The foam layer can have a substantially uniform thickness.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


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