US 12,434,429 B2
Additively manufactured trim article
Siddharthan Selvasekar, Livermore, CA (US); Chris Fredriksson, LaSalle (CA); Patrick Maloney, Livonia, MI (US); Sangram Tamhankar, Canton, MI (US); and Kevin VanNieulande, Fraser, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Mar. 9, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/180,927.
Application 18/180,927 is a continuation of application No. 17/123,670, filed on Dec. 16, 2020, granted, now 11,639,026.
Prior Publication US 2023/0211547 A1, Jul. 6, 2023
Prior Publication US 2024/0075681 A9, Mar. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. B29C 64/124 (2017.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/124 (2017.08) [B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); B29L 2031/30 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manufacturing a headrest bun, comprising the steps of:
additively manufacturing a first section of a lattice matrix comprising a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) cells, wherein each cell of the plurality of 3D cells of the first section of the lattice matrix includes a node and a plurality of links extending outwardly from the node, and further wherein the step of additively manufacturing the first section of the lattice matrix further comprises providing a build material in a layer-by-layer deposition process and heating the build material to provide the first section of the lattice matrix with a first elastic modulus, wherein the step of heating the build material to provide the first section of the lattice matrix includes heating a thermocurable material in a layer-by-layer manner for a first time interval;
additively manufacturing a second section of the lattice matrix comprising a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) cells, wherein each cell of the plurality of 3D cells of the second section of the lattice matrix includes a node and a plurality of links extending outwardly from the node, and further wherein the step of additively manufacturing the second section of the lattice matrix further comprises depositing the build material in the layer-by-layer deposition process and heating the build material to provide the second section of the lattice matrix with a second elastic modulus that is higher than the first elastic modulus of the first section of the lattice matrix, wherein the step of heating the build material to provide the second section of the lattice matrix with a second elastic modulus further includes, heating portions of the second section of the lattice matrix on a voxel level to form 3D cells having the second elastic modulus;
forming a hollow core portion within the lattice matrix; and
providing a support armature within the hollow core portion to couple the lattice matrix to the support armature to form a headrest assembly.