Patent · US Expired

Structural headliner

US6120090A · kind A · utility

38Cited by
39References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 24, 1998
Grant dateSep 19, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 24, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T428/24744
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A headliner for motor vehicles includes first and second sheets of material in juxtaposition to each other and adapted for positioning in a mold having two mold portions. The material of at least one of the sheets is fluid deformable with respect to another of the sheets, and is attachable to the material of the other of the sheets by the mold portions at sufficient locations to outline a potential duct between the sheets. The potential duct is adapted to receive fluid between the sheets for forming an actual duct. When fluid is received between the sheets, the material of the at least one sheet is deformed with respect to the material of the other of the sheets to define the actual duct. In one embodiment of the headliner, at least one head impact block is disposed in the duct. The headliner may also include at least one substantially air-impermeable layer disposed within the duct and attached to at least one of the the first and second sheets. Furthermore, the layer preferably includes a polymer powder.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.