Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-20
2001-06-19
Johnstone, Adrienne C. (Department: 1733)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C264S571000, C264S250000, C264S259000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06248200
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to doors for vehicles and, more particularly, to a trim panel assembly for a door of a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to construct doors for motor vehicles such as automotive vehicles. Typically, the door includes an inner panel and outer panel joined to each other and connected to vehicle structure in a known manner. The door also includes a decorative trim panel mounted on the inner panel.
It is also known to provide an arm rest on the door to project inboard from the door trim panel to provide a convenient rest for an occupant's arm. The arm rest is typically made of a foam or honeycomb material molded to a substrate and covered with a cover. The arm rest is formed as a separate structure and attached to the door trim panel by conventional means such as fasteners. As a result, separate tooling is required for the cover, foam material and substrate which is undesired. Also, the separate arm rest requires more time for assembly and cost for manufacture. Thus, there is a need in the art to provide a door trim panel with a soft integral armrest which is less expensive to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a trim panel assembly for a door of a motor vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a trim panel assembly for a door having an integral arm rest portion.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a relatively soft arm rest portion for a trim panel assembly of a door without the need or cost of a separate add on arm rest.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an arm rest portion for a trim panel assembly of a door which is less expensive to manufacture.
To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a trim panel assembly for a door of a motor vehicle. The trim panel assembly includes a trim panel substrate mounted on an inner panel of a door and a trim panel cover mounted on the trim panel substrate. The trim panel assembly also includes an arm rest portion formed by the trim panel substrate and trim panel cover extending longitudinally and inwardly into an occupant compartment of a motor vehicle and having an arm rest pad disposed between the trim panel substrate and the trim panel cover.
One advantage of the present invention is that a trim panel assembly is provided for a door of a motor vehicle. Another advantage of the present invention is that the trim panel assembly has an integral arm rest portion. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the arm rest portion is relatively soft. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the trim panel assembly provides an integral arm rest portion for a door of a motor vehicle which eliminates additional tooling and is less expensive.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5626382 (1997-05-01), Johnson et al.
Adhesives Handbook, J. Shields, p. 259, 1970.
Dailey Patrick M.
Link Anthony J.
Reynolds Christopher
Vanston James T.
Chrysler Corporation
Fuller III Roland A.
Johnstone Adrienne C.
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