Blow molded multiple function assemblies for vehicle headliners

Details Blow molded multiple function assemblies for vehicle headliners Blow molded multiple function assemblies for vehicle headliners

2002-06-21

2004-06-15

Patel, Kiran (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Tops

Roof structure

C454S138000, C454S137000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06749255

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to vehicle headliners and in particular to a blow formed air duct and other blow formed components that are attached to a vehicle headliner.
In modern vehicles, headliners are typically placed against the inside surface of the top of the passenger compartment to provide a covering. More recently, and in particular in larger vehicles such as minivans, air flow vents are mounted through the headliner to deliver air into the passenger compartment. Typically, air flow ducts have been provided between the ceiling of the vehicle and the headliner to direct air flow from the vehicle air flow circulation system through to vents formed through the headliner of the vehicle.
Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in
FIG. 1
a known headliner assembly
20
that includes a headliner body
22
with a non-exposed, upper face
23
and an exposed, lower face
25
having vent openings
24
and
26
spaced along one lateral side. Similar openings, which are not shown, also are spaced along the opposite lateral side of the headliner body
22
. An air supply opening
28
communicates with an air supply vent in the frame of the vehicle. A U-shaped plastic air duct
30
is positioned on the upper headliner face
23
and along a side of the headliner body
22
to define the air flow passages. An enlarged vent portion
32
is positioned over the vent opening
24
and an enlarged vent portion
34
covers vent opening
26
. Another vent side portion
36
is positioned along the opposite side of the headliner body
22
. A rear connection portion
38
connects the two side portions
32
and
36
to provide the generally U-shaped duct
30
. Vents
40
are placed within the openings
24
and
26
to complete the assembly
20
.
The air duct
30
is typically formed from a plastic by injection or vacuum molding. The air duct
30
is secured to the headliner body
22
by adhesive or welding techniques, such as vibration, sonic or dielectric wielding.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, the air duct
30
is open at its lower face and the upper face
23
of the headliner body
22
closes off an airflow passage
42
in combination with the duct
30
. In this way, air can pass from opening
28
such as from a supply duct
44
formed in the frame of the vehicle body and into the airflow passage
42
. From airflow passage
42
, air flows to the vent openings
24
and
26
on both lateral sides of the vehicle. Further details of the air duct
30
are included in U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,635, which issued on May 16, 2000, and is incorporated herein by reference.
The air duct
30
described above requires a continuous seal between the edges of duct portions
32
,
36
and
38
and the surface
23
of the headliner body
22
to form the airflow passage
42
. If the seal is intermediate, air will leak from the duct
30
and into the space between headliner body
22
and the roof of the passenger compartment. Such leaks would decrease the air flow through the vents and thereby reduce the efficiency of the vehicle heating and air conditioning system. Additionally, the increased air pressure between the headliner body
22
and the roof of the vehicle may separate the headliner from the vehicle roof. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved air duct.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to blow formed air duct and other blow formed components that are attached to a vehicle headliner.
The present invention contemplates a vehicle headliner assembly that includes a formed headliner body having at least one aperture formed threthrough. A seamless tubular air duct is attached to the headliner body. The air duct has at least one aperture formed therethrough that is aligned with the aperture formed through the headliner body. The seamless duct is formed by a blow molding process and can include a plurality of seamless tubular portions that are joined together to form the complete duct. The air duct also can be formed to include attachment points for other components, such as, for example, hand grab assist handles and wiring harness attachment devices. Thus, the blow molded components can provide multiple functions.
The invention also contemplates a process for forming a vehicle headliner assembly that includes providing a hollow tubular blank formed from plastic, the blank having a closed end and an open end opposite from the closed end. The blank is heated until it becomes. The heated blank is placed into a hollow mold and a pressurized gas is supplied into the open end of the blank to expand the blank to conform to the shape of the mold cavity to form a component for a headliner assembly. The headliner component is allowed to cool and then removed from the mold. Finally, the headliner component is attached to a headliner body.
Various objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.


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