US 11,667,065 B2
Forming process to manufacture a finishing/covering element for a component in a vehicle passenger compartment, and finishing/covering element manufactured by means of said process
Federica Fino, Turin (IT); Martino L'Altrella, Turin (IT); Matteo Strumia, Orbassano (IT); Elena Bergadano, Turin (IT); Maurizio Servetti, Orbassano (IT); and Fabio Massolo, Turin (IT)
Assigned to FCA ITALY S.p.A., Turin (IT)
Filed by FCA ITALY S.p.A., Turin (IT)
Filed on Oct. 14, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/600,998.
Claims priority of application No. 182004481 (EP), filed on Oct. 15, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0114554 A1, Apr. 16, 2020
Int. Cl. B29C 45/26 (2006.01); B29C 45/00 (2006.01); B29K 75/00 (2006.01); B29K 309/08 (2006.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 45/2602 (2013.01) [B29C 45/0005 (2013.01); B29K 2075/00 (2013.01); B29K 2309/08 (2013.01); B29L 2031/3005 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A forming process to manufacture a finishing/covering element for a component of a vehicle passenger compartment, the finishing/covering element including a front surface and a rear surface, which are opposite one another, the front surface configured to face, in use, said passenger compartment and the rear surface configured to face, in use, said component, the process comprising:
a molding step by injection molding, during which a thermoplastic material is injected and molded in a mold, which has a first forming surface and a second forming surface facing one another, the first forming surface forming the outline of said front surface during the molding step;
wherein:
said thermoplastic material is the only material injected and molded in said mold, so that the second forming surface forms the outline of said rear surface during the molding step, and so that said front surface and said rear surface are both defined by the same thermoplastic material;
said thermoplastic material is defined by a thermoplastic polyurethane reinforced by reinforcement fibres; and
said first forming surface is an embossed surface forming a corresponding embossing on the front surface.