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  Vehicular interior parts and manufacturing method thereofUSPTO Application #: 20070193673Title: Vehicular interior parts and manufacturing method thereof Abstract: A manufacturing method of a vehicular interior part in which a cover member is attached to a base material, comprising the steps of forming a skin material, comprising a plurality of skin pieces sewn together, in accordance with a surface shape of said base material; and forming said cover member by attaching a soft material to a backside of said skin material after forming said skin material in accordance with said surface shape of said base material; and attaching said cover member to said base material. (end of abstract) Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P. - Washington, DC, US Inventors: Mitsuharu Aoyama, Masao Tada USPTO Applicaton #: 20070193673 - Class: 156071000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Adhesive Bonding And Miscellaneous Chemical Manufacture, Methods, Surface Bonding And/or Assembly Therefor, Of Lamina To Building Or Installed Structure The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070193673. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. JP-2006-044076 filed Feb. 21, 2006 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a vehicular interior part and a manufacturing method thereof. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] According to an conventional art related to a vehicular interior part, for instance, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2002-79852 (pages 3-4 and FIG. 2), a cover comprising a plurality of skin materials joined together is covered on a surface of a plastic base material. The cover according to the conventional art is structured as follows: a pair of skin materials is overlapped with their right sides of the skin together, then is sewn together with respective edges thereof aligned, and thereafter, each of the pair of the skin materials is spread in the opposite direction from each other. Accordingly, a certain width of a seam allowance protrudes toward the backside from a stitch portion of the cover. As a consequence, when the cover is covered over the surface of the base material, there is a disadvantage that the seam allowance protrudes from the surface of the base material and creating a bulge on the surface of a vehicular interior part. To solve the problem, the vehicular interior part according to the conventional art has a concave portion provided on the surface of the base material to accommodate the seam allowance. This structure thus prevents formation of the bulge on the surface of the vehicular interior part caused by the seam allowance of the cover. Accordingly, the vehicular interior part according to the conventional art has an advantage that the seam allowance of the cover does not protrude from the surface, thereby allowing the surface to be smooth and have a good appearance. [0006] However, the vehicular interior part according to the conventional art must be provided with the concave portion on the surface of the base material to accommodate the seam allowance of the cover. Therefore, a forming die to form the base material becomes complicated. As a result, the cost for manufacturing the base material becomes high and, in some cases, it may be difficult to perform die cutting of the base material during the forming process. [0007] On the other hand, according to other conventional art, there exists a vehicular interior part in which a cover is formed by attaching a cushion material to a backside of a skin material while avoiding a seam allowance of a stitch portion, and then the cover is adhered to a surface of a base material. In the case in which the cover is attached to the surface of the base material, intervention of the cushion material prevents the seam allowance from protruding from the surface of the base material. Accordingly, without requiring the surface of the base material to be provided with a concave portion to accommodate the seam allowance, this structure can prevent formation of a bulge on the surface of the vehicular interior part and can also allow the surface of the vehicular interior part to be flat and have a good appearance. [0008] According to the vehicular interior part of the conventional art, the cushion material is attached to the backside of the skin material before simultaneously forming the skin material and the cushion material into a certain shape in accordance with a surface shape of the base material. Therefore, a stress is caused on the cushion material due to factors such as a difference in the elongation of the skin material and the cushion material. This stress then creates problems such as formation of a crease on the skin material, which significantly degrades the appearance of the surface of the vehicular interior part. [0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the aforementioned circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular interior part with a good appearance and a manufacturing method thereof. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] In accordance with the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a vehicular interior part in which a cover member is attached to a base material. The manufacturing method includes the steps of forming a skin material which is composed of a plurality of skin pieces joined by sewing, in accordance with a surface shape of the base material; forming the cover member by attaching a soft material to a backside of the skin material after the skin material is formed in accordance with the surface shape of the base material; and attaching the cover member to the base material. According to this method, the soft material is attached to the backside of the skin material after the skin material is formed in accordance with the surface shape of the base material. As a result, no stress is created on the soft material due to factors such as a difference in the elongation of the skin material and the soft material, thus preventing formation of a crease or the like on the skin material. In consequence, a vehicular interior part having a good appearance can be obtained. [0011] According to the present invention, in the steps of forming the skin material in accordance with the surface shape of the base material, it is preferable to form the skin material by sequentially being suctioned each portion of the skin material toward the die surface via the vent holes after placing the skin material on a forming die provided with vent holes on a die surface. This is because, if the entire skin material is suctioned at one time, the skin material is pulled into the vent holes by a suction force applied to the entire skin material. In addition, when the skin material is pulled into the vent holes, the dimension of the skin material laid out on the forming die decreases, thus. making it difficult to adhere the soft material to the backside of the skin material. [0012] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a pair of said skin pieces is overlapped with their right sides of the skin together, and then is sewn together with respective edges thereof aligned, and thereafter, each of the pair of the skin pieces is spread in the opposite direction from each other. Therefore, it is preferable that a tape material is attached to an overlapping portion of the edge of the pair of the skin pieces. This enables to increase the rigidity of the overlapping portion of the edge of the skin pieces while preventing from meandering and opening-up of the sewing portion of the pieces. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a vehicular interior part according to an illustrative example of the present invention; [0014] FIG. 2 is an illustration of an appearance of a forming unit used for manufacturing the vehicular interior part shown in FIG. 1; [0015] FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a step of cutting out a skin piece of a skin material; [0016] FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a step of applying an in-stitch on a pair of the skin pieces constructing the skin material; [0017] FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a state in which, a pair of the skin pieces are sewn together with respective edges, and thereafter, each of the pair of the skin pieces is spread in the opposite direction from each other; [0018] FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a state in which a hot melt tape is attached to an overlapping portion at the edge of the skin pieces; [0019] FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a state in which the skin material is placed on a reversal die; [0020] FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a step of forming the skin material; Continue reading... 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