Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-25
2004-10-26
Aftergut, Jeff H. (Department: 1733)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C156S212000, C156S245000, C296S214000, C428S317100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06808576
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a formed lining for a vehicle, particularly, a structure of the formed lining of which a base member and a top cover member are bonded at the same time that the lining is formed.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a formed lining for a vehicle, which has a structure that a base member and a top cover member are bonded and formed at the same time has been known. For example,
FIGS. 4A and 4B
show a formed lining for a vehicle in earlier technology: wherein
FIG. 4A
is a sectional view showing a top cover member
30
; and
FIG. 4B
is a sectional view showing a multi-layered base member
20
. The formed lining for a vehicle, wherein the top cover member
30
is bonded to the multi-layered base member
20
having a hot melt film
5
on a front thereof, has been known.
The top cover member
30
has, as shown in
FIG. 4A
, a top cover
1
, a PUF (polyurethane foam)
2
and a nylonhalf
4
which is a knitwork of nylon. The multi-layered base member
20
has, as shown in
FIG. 4B
, a hot melt film
5
, a PA (polyamide) film
6
, a PP (polypropylene) film
7
, a base material
8
and a non-woven fabric
9
.
The multi-layered base member
20
is heated, thereby the hot melt film
5
on the front thereof is melted, so that the multi-layered base member
20
and the top cover member
30
are bonded together.
For improving the adhesive strength between the multi-layered base member
20
and the top cover member
30
, the hot melt film
5
is required to have a film thickness of approximately from 75 to 100 &mgr;m, which normally has the thickness of approximately from 15 to 75 &mgr;m.
However, as in the earlier technology, when the film thickness of the hot melt film
5
is thickened, the production cost becomes higher. Further, when the top cover member
30
is bonded to the multi-layered base member
20
to be formed into a product shape of the formed lining for a vehicle, the stress applied to the hot melt film
5
increases. Thereby the adhesive strength becomes lower, so that a warp or deformation of the formed lining for a vehicle becomes large.
The nylonhalf
4
used on the back of the top cover member
30
has differences in expansion ratio between in a longitudinal direction and in a transverse direction, so that followability of the nylonhalf
4
for the product shape of the formed lining for a vehicle is low. Accordingly, portions not having the enough adhesive strength become raised portions.
When, for example, urethane foam having a thickness of approximately 1 to 3 mm as a cushion layer is used on the back of the top cover member
30
, the adhesive strength between the top cover member
30
and the multi-layered base member
20
deteriorates.
That is, owing to the material used for the top cover member
30
, the adhesive strength to the multi-layered base member
20
becomes lower.
For improving the adhesive strength, the hot melt film is disposed on the back of the top member cover
30
. However, when the multi-layered base member
20
and the top member cover
30
are bonded, air is trapped between the base member
20
and the top cover member
30
. Therefore, the bonded product is not useable as a formed lining for a vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was developed in view of the above-described problems. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a formed lining for a vehicle, having high adhesive strength between a base member and a top cover member and no adhesion failure caused by trapped air between them. Another object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturing the same.
In order to accomplish the above-described object, in one aspect of the present invention, a formed lining for a vehicle, comprises: a base member comprising a film-like hot melt adhesive on a front thereof; and a top cover member comprising a web-like hot melt adhesive on a back thereof, wherein the top cover member is bonded to the base member and the formed lining has a laminated structure.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a formed lining for a vehicle, comprises the steps of: preparing a top cover member comprising a web-like hot melt adhesive laminated previously on a back thereof, and a plate-like base member comprising a thermoplastic resin and a film-like hot melt adhesive laminated previously on a front of the base member; heating the base member; setting the top cover member and the heated base member in a forming die; melting the web-like hot melt adhesive of the top cover member by heat of the base member; and forming the top cover member and the base member at the same time that the top cover member and the base member being bonded.
According to the formed lining for a vehicle, wherein the top cover member is bonded to the base member, the top cover member has the web-like hot melt adhesive on the back thereof, while the base member has the film-like hot melt adhesive on the front thereof, so that the adhesive strength between the top cover member and the base member is high. Accordingly, it is possible to apply various types of top cover member.
After the top cover member and the base member are bonded and formed, the residual stress in the adhesive layer is small, so that it is possible to prevent the deformation of the formed lining for a vehicle.
The top cover member has the web-like hot melt adhesive, thereby the air between the top cover member and the base member is easily discharged through the top cover member. Accordingly, it is possible to bond the top cover member and the base member so as to discharge the air between the top cover member and the base member and form a formed lining for a vehicle.
Further, because the web-like hot melt adhesive is disposed on the back of the top cover member, the top cover member is slid to a material placing table by the web-like hot melt adhesive layer in a pre-step prior being set to a forming machine, thereby the top cover member is easily set to the forming machine.
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Shimizu Takashi
Yasuda Masanari
Aftergut Jeff H.
Goff John L.
TS Tech Co. Ltd.
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