U.S. patent number RE33,200 [Application Number 07/333,643] was granted by the patent office on 1990-04-17 for one-piece automotive trunk liner.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Collins & Aikman. Invention is credited to David P. Reynolds, John D. Shepard, Samuel L. Stone, Jr..
United States Patent |
RE33,200 |
Reynolds , et al. |
April 17, 1990 |
One-piece automotive trunk liner
Abstract
A one-piece trunk liner for an automobile trunk compartment
wherein the trunk liner is formed of fibrous material and molded to
form a relatively stiff body having a center floor cover panel and
a plurality of panels extending along the sides of the center floor
panel and integrally connected thereto and extending upwardly and
outwardly from the center floor cover panel so as to be in
outwardly diverging relation to the center floor cover panel. The
stiffness of the molded fibrous body and the outwardly diverging
relationship of the plurality of panels permit the panels to
resiliently engage inner wall surfaces of the trunk when the panels
are biased inwardly toward an upright position when mounted in the
trunk to thereby facilitate mounting the trunk liner in the trunk
of an automobile and the maintaining of the trunk liner in the
installed position in engagement with the walls of the trunk.
Inventors: |
Reynolds; David P. (Charlotte,
NC), Shepard; John D. (Marion, NC), Stone, Jr.; Samuel
L. (Old Fort, NC) |
Assignee: |
Collins & Aikman (New York,
NY)
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Family
ID: |
26988832 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/333,643 |
Filed: |
April 4, 1989 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
918515 |
Oct 14, 1986 |
4673207 |
Jun 16, 1987 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
296/39.1;
220/495.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R
13/01 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60R
13/01 (20060101); B62D 033/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;296/39.1 ;220/415
;217/3R ;428/35 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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58-36737 |
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Mar 1983 |
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JP |
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862378 |
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Mar 1961 |
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GB |
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Primary Examiner: Song; Robert R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Bell, Seltzer, Park and Gibson
Claims
That which is claimed is:
1. A one-piece trunk liner for an automobile trunk compartment,
said trunk liner comprising an integral molded relatively stiff
fibrous body having a center floor cover panel, and a plurality of
panels extending along the sides of said center floor cover panel
and integrally connected thereto, said plurality of panels
extending upwardly and outwardly from said center floor cover panel
so as to be in outwardly diverging relation to said center floor
cover panel, said stiffness of said molded fibrous body and the
outwardly diverging relationship of said plurality of panels
causing said panels to .[.resiliently engage.]. .Iadd.be
resiliently biased into close proximity to .Iaddend.inner wall
surfaces of the trunk when the panels are .[.biased inwardly.].
.Iadd.moved .Iaddend.toward an upright position when mounted in the
trunk to thereby facilitate mounting the trunk liner in the trunk
of the automobile and maintaining the trunk liner in the installed
position in .[.engagement with.]. .Iadd.said close proximity to
.Iaddend.the walls of the trunk.
2. A one-piece trunk liner for an automobile trunk compartment,
said trunk liner comprising a relatively thin shell-like integral
molded and relatively stiff fibrous body formed of textile fibers,
said body having a relatively soft fibrous upper surface and
including a center floor cover panel, and a plurality of panels
extending along the sides of said center floor cover panel and
integrally connected thereto, said plurality of panels extending
upwardly and outwardly from said center floor cover panel so as to
be in outwardly diverging relation to said center floor cover
panel, said stiffness of said molded fibrous body and the outwardly
diverging relationship of said plurality of panels causing said
panels to .[.resiliently engage.]. .Iadd.be resiliently biased into
close proximity to .Iaddend.inner wall surfaces of the trunk when
the panels are .[.biased inwardly.]. .Iadd.moved .Iaddend.toward an
upright position when mounted in the trunk to thereby facilitate
mounting the trunk liner in the trunk of the automobile and
maintaining the trunk liner in the installed position in
.[.engagement with.]. .Iadd.said close proximity to .Iaddend. the
the walls of the trunk.
3. A one-piece trunk liner for an automobile trunk compartment,
said trunk liner comprising an integral molded relatively stiff
fibrous body having a center floor cover panel, and a plurality of
panels extending along the sides of said center floor cover panel
and integrally connected thereto, said plurality of panels
comprising a rear end panel having lower end portions connecting
rearmost portions of said center floor cover panel and divergingly
extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, right and left rear
wheel housing cover panels respectively connected to opposite sides
of said floor cover panel and divergingly extending upwardly and
outwardly therefrom, and right and left inner panels respectively
connected to opposite sides of said center floor cover panel and
divergingly extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, said right
and left inner panels being rearwardly of said right and left rear
wheel housing cover panels and respectively connected to rearmost
portions of said right and left rear wheel housing cover panels,
said stiffness of said molded fibrous body and the outwardly
diverging relationship of said plurality of panels causing said
panels to .[.resiliently engage.]. .Iadd.be resiliently biased into
close proximity to .Iaddend.inner wall surfaces of the trunk when
the panels are .[.biased inwardly.]. .Iadd.moved .Iaddend.toward an
upright position when mounted in the trunk to thereby facilitate
mounting the trunk liner in the trunk of the automobile and
maintaining the trunk liner in the installed position in
.[.engagement with.]. .Iadd.said close proximity to .Iaddend.the
walls of the trunk.
4. A trunk liner according to claims 1, 2 or 3 including a
thermoplastic coating on the backside of said fibrous body
imparting hardness to the backside and overall stiffness and shape
retention to the fibrous body.
5. A trunk liner according to claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein a spare tire
cover is provided in medial portions of said center floor cover
panel, said spare tire cover being in the form of a flap hingedly
connected along a forwardmost side to said center floor cover
panel.
6. A trunk liner according to claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein a spare tire
cover is provided in medial portions of said center floor cover
panel, said spare tire cover being in the form of a flap hingedly
connected along a forwardmost side to said center floor cover
panel, a rigid lid carried by said spare tire cover on the backside
thereof and adapted to overlie and cover a spare tire well in the
trunk of a car, said spare tire cover having flap edge portions
overlying and covering the periphery of said rigid lid to prevent
an aesthetically pleasing appearance thereto and serving to shield
the juncture of the spare tire cover with adjacent areas of the
center cover panel.
7. A trunk liner according to claim 6 wherein said flap edge
portions of said spare tire cover extend underneath said rigid lid
adjacent the periphery of said lid and serve for preventing contact
of said lid with underlying metal typically forming the opening of
the spare tire well.
8. A trunk liner according to claim 6 including a relatively narrow
strip of cushioning material connected to the underside of said lid
of said spare tire cover adjacent the periphery of the lid for
eliminating contact of the lid with underlying metal typically
forming the opening of the spare tire well.
9. A trunk liner according to claim 6 wherein said rigid lid for
covering a spare tire well is of multipiece construction and
includes a relatively small forwardmost piece and a considerably
large rearmost piece, said lid pieces being spaced apart from each
other and having adjacent parallel edge portions essentially
defining a hinge line therebetween for the spare tire cover.
10. A trunk liner according to claims 1, 2, or 3 wherein said
plurality of panels diverge outwardly from said center floor cover
panel at angles within the range of about 100.degree. to about
120.degree..
11. A trunk liner according to claims 1, 2, or 3 wherein said
center floor cover panel is crowned to provide an upward bulge
thereto for facilitating molding thereof.
12. A trunk liner according to claims 1, 2 or 3, including
insulator pads secured to the backside of predetermined areas of
said plurality of panels for acoustical and thermal insulation.
13. A trunk liner according to claim 1, 2 or 3, including fibrous
insulator pads of various thicknesses secured to the backside of
predetermined areas of said plurality of panels for acoustical and
thermal insulation.
14. A trunk liner according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said trunk
liner is of a relatively thin shell-like construction and wherein
said shell-like construction and said outwardly diverging relation
of said plurality of panels extending along the sides of said
center floor cover panel impart nestability to the trunk liner to
permit a plurality of the trunk liners to be compactly nested with
each other to form a nested stack of trunk liners to thereby
facilitate the handling and shipping of trunk liners.
15. A trunk liner according to claim 3 including a rear seat panel
having lower end portions connecting forwardmost portions of said
center floor cover panel and extending upwardly and outwardly from
said center floor panel in a diverging relationship.
16. The combination with an automobile trunk compartment of a
one-piece trunk liner, said trunk liner comprising an integral
molded relatively stiff fibrous body having a center floor cover
panel, and a plurality of panels extending along the sides of said
center floor cover panel and integrally connected thereto, said
plurality of panels being molded to extend upwardly and outwardly
from said center floor cover panel so as to be in outwardly
diverging relation to said center floor cover panel when
uninstalled, said stiffness of said molded fibrous body and the
outwardly diverging relationship of said plurality of panels
causing said panels to .[.resiliently engage.]. .Iadd.be
resiliently biased into close proximity to .Iaddend.the inner wall
surfaces of the trunk to facilitate maintaining the trunk liner in
.[.engagement with.]. .Iadd.said close proximity to .Iaddend.the
walls of the trunk.
17. The combination with an automobile trunk compartment of a
one-piece trunk liner, said trunk liner comprising a relatively
thin shell-like integral molded and relatively stiff fibrous body
formed of textile fibers, said body having a relatively soft
fibrous upper surface and including a center floor cover panel, and
a plurality of panels extending along the sides of said center
floor cover panel and integrally connected thereto, said plurality
of panels extending upwardly and outwardly from said center floor
cover panel so as to be in outwardly diverging relation to said
center floor cover panel when uninstalled, said stiffness of said
molded fibrous body and the outwardly diverging relationship of
said plurality of panels causing said panels to .[.resiliently
engage.]. .Iadd.be resiliently biased into close proximity to
.Iaddend.inner wall surfaces of the trunk to facilitate maintaining
the trunk liner in .[.engagement with.]. .Iadd.said close proximity
to .Iaddend.the walls of the trunk.
18. The combination with an automobile trunk compartment of a
one-piece trunk liner, said trunk liner comprising an integral
molded relatively stiff fibrous body having a center floor cover
panel, and a plurality of panels extending along the sides of said
center floor cover panel and integrally connected thereto, said
plurality of panels comprising a rear end panel having lower end
portions connecting rearmost portions of said center floor cover
panel and divergingly extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom,
right and left rear wheel housing cover panels respectively
connected to opposite sides of said floor cover panel and
divergingly extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, and right
and left inner panels respectively connected to opposite sides of
said center floor cover panel and divergingly extending upwardly
and outwardly therefrom, said right and left inner panels being
rearwardly of said right and left rear wheel housing cover panels
and respectively connected to rearmost portions of said right and
left rear wheel housing cover panels, said stiffness of said molded
fibrous body and the outwardly diverging relationship of said
plurality of panels causing said panels to .[.resiliently engage.].
.Iadd.be resiliently biased into close proximity to .Iaddend.inner
wall surfaces of the trunk to facilitate maintaining the trunk
liner in .[.engagement with.]. .Iadd.said close proximity to
.Iaddend.the walls of the trunk.
19. The combination with an automobile trunk compartment of a
one-piece trunk liner according to claims 16, 17, or 18, including
a thermoplastic coating on the backside of said fibrous body of
said trunk liner imparting hardness to the backside and overall
stiffness to the fibrous body.
20. The combination with an automobile trunk compartment of a
one-piece trunk liner according to claims 16, 17, or 18, wherein a
spare tire cover is provided in medial portions of said center
floor cover panel of said trunk liner, said spare tire cover being
in the form of a flap hingedly connected along a forwardmost side
to said center floor cover.
21. The combination with an automobile trunk compartment of a
one-piece trunk liner according to claims 16, 17, or 18, wherein a
spare tire cover is provided in medial portions of said center
floor cover panel of said trunk liner, said spare tire cover being
in the form of a flap hingedly connected along a forwardmost side
to said center floor cover, a rigid lid carried by said spare tire
cover on the backside thereof and adapted to overlie and cover a
spare tire well in the trunk of a car, said spare tire cover having
flap edge portions overlying and covering the periphery of said
rigid lid to present an aesthetically pleasing appearance thereto
and serving to shield the juncture of the spare tire cover with
adjacent areas of the center cover panel.
22. The combination with an automobile trunk compartment of a
one-piece trunk liner according to claims 16, 17, or 18, wherein
said flap edge portions of said spare tire cover extend underneath
said rigid lid adjacent the periphery of said lid and serve for
preventing contact of said lid with underlying metal typically
forming the opening of the spare tire well.
23. The combination with an automobile trunk compartment of a
one-piece trunk liner according to claims 16, 17, or 18, including
a relatively narrow strip of cushioning material connected to the
underside of said lid of said spare tire cover adjacent the
periphery of the lid for eliminating contact of the lid with
underlying metal typically forming the opening of the spare tire
well.
24. The combination with an automobile trunk compartment of a
one-piece trunk liner according to claims 16, 17, or 18, including
insulator pads secured to the backside of predetermined areas of
said plurality of trunk liner panels for acoustical and thermal
insulation.
25. The combination with an automobile trunk compartment of a
one-piece trunk liner according to claims 16, 17, or 18, including
fibrous insulator pads of various thicknesses secured to the
backside of predetermined areas of said plurality of trunk liner
panels for acoustical and thermal insulation. .Iadd.26. A trunk
liner according to claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said plurality of
panels resiliently engage said inner wall surfaces of the trunk
when the panels are moved toward an upright position when mounted
in the trunk. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. The combination with an
automobile trunk compartment of a one-piece trunk liner according
to claims 16, 17 or 18, wherein said plurality of panels
resiliently engage said inner wall surfaces of the trunk when the
panels are moved toward an upright position when mounted in the
trunk. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to trunk liners and more particularly to
trunk liners for an automobile trunk compartment.
For many years, liners for the trunk compartment of automobiles
have been of multi-piece construction with typically seven to
eleven pieces being separately formed and fitted together and held
by fasteners for lining the trunk compartment. In order to position
and interconnect the separate pieces to form an entity trunk liner,
many of the pieces have been arranged in overlapping relationship.
Needless to say, the separate forming of the many pieces and the
fitting of the same together to form the trunk liner has been an
expensive, time consuming, and tedious procedure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the foregoing in mind, it is the primary object of this
invention to provide a one-piece trunk liner which avoids the
expensive and time consuming operation of separately forming
individual pieces and the tedious operation of fitting and
connecting together such separated pieces.
The one-piece trunk liner of this invention presents many attendant
advantages over prior art practices. Of primary significance is the
reduction of time in placing the trunk liner within the trunk
compartment of the automobile. Further, considerable reduction in
material has been realized, particularly the reduction in waste
since only one integral trunk liner has to be trimmed as opposed to
a plurality of separate parts being trimmed and fitted together.
Further, no longer is there any problem in the matching of dye lots
of the separate pieces which oftentimes come from different
suppliers. Further, the grain direction of the textile fibers
defining the upper pile surface of the trunk liner of this
invention is of uniform direction since a single piece of fibrous
material having uniform pile lie is utilized in forming the
one-piece trunk liner. In prior art practices of interconnecting
separate pieces together, the grain direction of the various pieces
had to be kept in mind in order to present a uniform color
appearance to the trunk liner to thereby obtain the desired
aesthetic appearance of the liner.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an integrally
molded fibrous trunk liner for an automobile trunk compartment
wherein the trunk liner is molded in such a manner that the side
walls thereof are formed so as to extend upwardly and outwardly in
a diverging manner relative to the center floor cover panel so as
to resiliently engage the side walls of the trunk compartment when
the side walls of the liner are biased inwardly toward an upright
position when installed and mounted in a trunk compartment. Not
only does this resilient engagement of the trunk liner with the
walls of the trunk compartment facilitate the mounting of the trunk
liner in the trunk compartment but also the maintaining of the
trunk liner in the installed position in engagement with the walls
of the trunk compartment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Some of the objects and advantages of the present invention having
been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds, when
considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the trunk liner substantially
as the same appears when taken out of the mold;
FIG. 2 is another top perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but
looking from the opposite side of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along Line 3--3 of both
FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 4 is another vertical sectional view taken along line Line
4--4 of both FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the molded trunk liner corresponding
to the sectional view of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is another schematic sectional view of the molded trunk
liner and showing the attitude of the trunk liner when installed in
the trunk of an automobile;
FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the completed trunk liner after the
same has been suitably trimmed following molding and after the
insulator pads have been applied at predetermined areas along the
back of the various panels and wherein the panelboard for the rigid
lid for the spare tire cover has been connected thereto;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a stack of finished trunk liners
shown nestingly arranged for facilitating shipment and handling
thereof;
FIG. 9 illustrates the manner in which the rather bulky completed
trunk liner may be suitably folded upon itself for facilitating
installation in the trunk compartment of an automobile;
FIG. 10 is a top perspective view showing the trunk liner installed
within the trunk compartment of an automobile;
FIG. 11 is another top perspective view showing the trunk liner
installed in the trunk compartment of an automobile and wherein the
spare tire well cover is shown pivoted to an open position;
FIG. 12 is a transverse sectional view through the trunk
compartment of an automobile taken substantially along Line 12--12
of FIG. 10, and wherein the cover for the spare tire well is shown
in solid lines in closed position and in dotted lines in open
position;
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the completed trunk liner as the
same would appear if removed intact from the compartment of an
automobile;
FIG. 14 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the spare tire
cover taken substantially along Line 14--14 of FIG. 11;
FIG. 15 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken within the
dotted line area 15 of FIG. 12 and illustrating the manner in which
the underside of the rigid lid of the spare tire cover is provided
with cushion material to prevent rattling as by contact with the
metal defining the opening of the spare tire well;
FIG. 16 is a top perspective view of a second form of the trunk
liner installed in an automobile and which basically differs over
the first form by the addition of a rear seat panel extending
upwardly from forward portions of the trunk liner alongside the
backrest of the back seat;
FIG. 17 is another top perspective view of the second form of the
invention removed from an automobile but wherein the spare tire
cover is shown pivoted to an open position and the rear seat panel
is also shown moved away from the rear wheel housing cover panels
for clarity;
FIG. 18 is another top perspective view of the second form of the
completed trunk liner as the same would appear when removed intact
from the trunk compartment of a vehicle;
FIG. 19 is a transverse sectional view of the spare tire cover
taken substantially along Line 19--19 of FIG. 17, but on an
enlarged scale and illustrating the manner in which the trunk liner
material is positioned around the periphery and the underside of
the rigid lid;
FIG. 20 is a fragmentary sectional view of the spare tire cover
taken substantially along Line 20--20 of FIG. 17, and illustrating
the manner in which the pull strap is secured to the spare tire
cover for facilitating pivoting the cover to an open position;
and
FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a stack of finished trunk liners
of the second form shown nested for facilitating handling and
shipping thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now specifically to the drawings and particularly to
FIGS. 1 to 15, illustrating the first embodiment of the invention,
reference numeral 10 designates the trunk liner as the same
substantially appears when removed from the mold. This forms of the
trunk liner as is best illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings.
On the other hand, reference numeral 10' designates the completed
trunk liner after the same has been suitably trimmed following the
molding thereof and after the same has had other components added
thereto on the backside, such as insulator pads and a rigid lid
underlying a spare tire cover and serving as a cover for covering a
spare tire well. This completed form of the first embodiment of the
trunk liner is best illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10 and 13.
For purposes of simplicity, the various elements or features of the
completed trunk liner will bear the same reference numerals as the
molded but unfinished trunk liner, but with the prime notation
added thereto.
As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the trunk liner 10 shown as removed
from a typical pressure molding operation utilizing mating male and
female molding components, comprises a center floor cover panel 20
and a plurality of panels extending along the sides of said center
floor panel and integrally connected thereto. These panels include
a rear end panel 30 having lower end portions connecting rearmost
portions of said center floor panel 20 and divergingly extending
upwardly and outwardly therefrom. Right and left rear wheel housing
cover panels 40a and 40b, respectively are connected to opposite
sides of said center floor cover panel 20 and divergingly extend
upwardly and outwardly therefrom. Right and left inner panels 50a
and 50b respectively are also connected to opposite sides of said
center floor cover panel 20 and are divergingly arranged to extend
upwardly and outwardly therefrom. These right and left inner panels
50 and 50a are positioned rearwardly of the right and left rear
wheel housing cover panels 40a, 40b and are respectively connected
to rearmost portions of the right and left rear wheel housing cover
panels 40a, 40b, respectively.
The molded trunk liner body 10 is formed of any suitable fibrous
material that may readily be subjected to molding. While many
textile fibers may be used, polyester staple fibers that have been
needle punched or preneedled to form a non-woven fabric have been
found to be quite suitable as well as economical to use. In the
preferred embodiment shown herein, a moldable coating 11 is applied
to the backside of the non-woven fabric and dried prior to being
molded. This coating serves to impart shape retention and stiffness
to the overall molded body upon the molding operation being
completed. A relatively lightweight coating of thermoplastic
material of a wide variety may be used. However, coatings of
polyethylene or moldable latex have each been proven to be
suitable, with latex offering the better shape retention.
Conventional coating equipment is readily used with either type of
coating. The upper surface of the trunk liner is desirably formed
of soft fibrous material, preferably in the form of pile fibers.
The back of the body of the trunk liner is relatively hard and
rigid to provide the molded memory and shape retention for the
trunk liner. Alternatively, instead of a coating, the desired
moldability, stiffness and shape retention properties can be
imparted to the trunk liner by other means such as by the
composition of the fibrous material itself, as an example, through
the use of a web containing heat activatable potentially adhesive
fibers. One such product is disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat.
No. 4,568,581.
In order to facilitate the molding of the relatively deep fibrous
body of the trunk liner, it will be noted that the center floor
cover panel 20 is provided with an upward bulge or crown thereto,
as best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. This bulge or crown serves
several purposes. Of primary importance is to prevent the fibrous
body from being ruptured when the female and male mold components
are moved into mating molding position. In this respect, it will be
appreciated that the depth of movement or draw of the fibrous
material forming the trunk liner is considerably lessened with this
upward bulge being provided in the center floor cover panel 20.
Also, as best illustrated in the schematic view of FIG. 5, it will
be seen wherein the side panels extending upwardly and outwardly
from the center floor cover panel 20 are essentially spread apart
from each other to further reduce the depth of draw of the fibrous
material molded into the trunk liner.
As earlier noted, all of the plurality of panels extending along
the sides of the center floor cover panel 20 are arranged to extend
upwardly and outwardly therefrom so as to be in outwardly diverging
relation thereto. FIG. 5 schematically illustrates this outwardly
diverging relationship by the angles identified as B between the
center floor cover panel 20 and the side walls 40a,40b extending
therefrom. Each angle B is somewhat larger than 90.degree., and
preferably is about 100.degree. to 120.degree.. The opposite ends
of arc A represent the imaginary position of the sidewall panels if
in fact the same were molded at only right angles to the center
floor cover panel 20. Arc C is about 45.degree. to 55.degree. with
arc D being about 25.degree. to 30.degree.. Thus, the collective
arc for angles B, C, and D, is 180.degree..
Referring now to FIG. 6 wherein the trunk liner is shown
schematically in its attitude when installed in the trunk
compartment of an automobile, it will be noted that the sidewalls
of 40a and 40b have been biased inwardly to the more erect position
and extend at an angle of somewhat more than 90.degree. to the
center floor cover panel 20. The side panels by being biased
inwardly toward an upright position when mounted in the trunk
facilitate mounting the trunk liner in the trunk of the automobile
and the maintaining of the trunk liner in the installed position in
engagement with the walls of the trunk. It will further be noted
that the center floor cover panel 20, when installed, is in
substantially flat condition. This flattening of the center floor
cover panel 20 naturally occurs when the panels extending along the
sides of the center floor cover panel 20 are biased inwardly toward
an upright position when installed in the trunk compartment of an
automobile. Further, it will be noted by comparing the molded
height H of the trunk liner in FIG. 5, with the installed height
H', of FIG. 6, that a considerable increase in overall height of
the trunk liner takes place when the trunk liner is installed as
compared to the height of the trunk liner when removed from the
mold. Further, it has been learned that the crown in the center
portion of the center floor cover panel 20 also aids in providing a
biasing action to the sides extending outwardly and upwardly from
the center floor panel.
The center floor cover panel 20 has a medial portion thereof
defining a spare tire cover indicated by reference numeral 60. The
periphery of the spare tire cover 60 is defined in the molding
operation by providing suitable grooves 63 in the fibrous material.
These grooves 63 as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, appear as bulging
portions on the rear of the spare tire cover as illustrated in
FIGS. 3 and 4. It will be noted that the grooves 63 take the form
of two symmetrically arranged opposing arcuate groove segments,
each extending from adjacent the rear end panel 30 forwardly across
about two-thirds of the center floor cover panel. As will be seen
later, as the description proceeds, these grooves 63 will each be
cut in the valley thereof so as to free the sides of the spare tire
cover from the remainder of the center floor cover panel 20.
Referring now particularly to FIGS. 7 and 8, reference numeral 10'
designates the finished or completed trunk liner after the same has
been suitably trimmed following the molding thereof and after
insulator pads 70 have been added to predetermined areas of the
backside thereof, as well as the providing of a rigid lid 62
underlying the spare tire cover 60 and for covering the spare tire
well of the automobile. Comparing FIGS. 7 and 8 (wherein the prime
notation has been added to molded liner elements) with FIGS. 1 and
2, it will be noted that gusset portions G in FIGS. 1 and 2, have
been removed as by cutting along the dotted lines as indicated. The
removal of these gussets G permits the rear end panel 30' to be
moved substantially to the perpendicular position as when
installaed, as best shown in FIG. 13. Similarly, as also shown in
FIG. 13, the removal of the gussets G permit the right and left
rear wheel housing cover panels 40a',40b', and right and left inner
panels 50a', and 50b', to also be moved to the substantially
vertical position. Also, since right and left inner panels 50a' and
50b' are integrally connected to the right and left rear wheel
housing cover panels 40a',40b', these inner panels 50a',50b' may
also be moved to the substantially veritcal position upon the
removal or trimming of the gussets G from the molded liner 10.
Referring now to the spare tire cover 60', as best shown in the
exploded view of FIG. 7, the spare tire cover 60' is provided with
a multi-piece rigid lid 62 on the backside thereof and which is
suitably secured to the cover as by a suitable adhesive such as a
heat activatable hot melt adhesive. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the
multipiece rigid lid 62 takes the form of a relatively small
forwardmost piece 62a and a considerably larger rearwardmost piece
62b. As illustrated, these lid pieces 62a,62b are spaced apart from
each other and have adjacent parallel edge portions essentially
defining a hinge line therebetween for the spare tire cover
60'.
Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 12, it will be seen that when the
spare tire cover is hinged to the open position that the relatively
small forwardmost lid piece 62a of the rigid lid 62 remains intact
while the larger lid piece 62b is pivoted upwardly along the hinge
line defined by the adjacent parallel edge portions of the two lid
pieces. The two lid pieces 62a,62b of the lid 62 may be formed of
any suitable rigid material such as panelboard, compressed board,
or the like. Further, to facilitate grasping and imparting pivotal
movement to the spare tire cover 62, a pull strap 64 is suitably
connected as by staples 65 to a substantially central location
along the rear periphery of the lid, as illustrated. This is best
illustrated in FIGS. 11, 12, 13 and 15, of the drawings.
To cushion the underside of the rigid lid 62 and to prevent
rattling as by engagement of the lid with the underlying metal
defining the opening of the spare tire well, a relatively narrow
strip of cushion material 66 is suitably secured as by adhesive,
such as hot melt, to the underside of the lid pieces 62a,62b of the
lid 62. The cushion material 66 may be a fibrous non-woven needle
punched material, and is relatively narrow and of about an inch in
width to serve this cushioning and insulating function to prevent
rattling.
Referring again more particularly to the exploded view of FIG. 7,
it will be seen wherein a plurality of fibrous insulator pads 70 of
various thicknesses are secured to the backside of predetermined
areas of the plurality of panels extending upwardly and outwardly
from the center floor cover panel 60'. It will be noted that three
rectangular shaped insulator pads 70 are shown secured to the
backside of the rear end panel 30' and that relatively large
quadrant shaped insulator pads 70 are secured to the backside of
the right and left rear wheel housing cover panels 40a',40b'. It
will be noted that these latter insulator pads have notches 70a cut
inwardly from the periphery thereof so that the pads may readily be
accommodated to the arcuate inner surfaces of the wheel housing
cover panels. These insulator pads 70 may be secured to the molded
trunk liner by any suitable adhesive, which may also be of the hot
melt type of adhesive.
Referring again to the spare tire cover 60', and particularly FIG.
14, it will be noted that the grooves 63' which define the
periphery of the spare tire cover are suitably cut, as illustrated,
in the bottom of the valley of the grooves. The depth of the
grooves and the cutting in the valley thereof aids in obscuring the
presence of the cut line and imparts continuity to the exposed
surface of the trunk liner by shielding the cut line from view.
Desirably for facilitating handling during shipment and
installation, the rearmost portion of the spare tire cover 60' will
not be entirely severed so as to be entirely free from rear end
panel 30' but will have a pair of spaced uncut portions
therebetween which will be severed upon the trunk liner being
installed in the automobile. By having these small uncut areas,
free pivotal movement of the spare tire cover is avoided which
would interfere with the handling and installation of the trunk
liner. In this regard, attention is directed to FIG. 9, wherein the
trunk liner 10' is shown in a condition of being folded upon itself
as being installed in the trunk compartment of an automobile.
Typically, opposite sides of the liner, as illustrated, are folded
to overlie the spare tire cover to thus reduce the overall width of
the trunk liner when being inserted in the opening of the trunk
compartment. It should also be appreciated that the rigid lid 62
for the spare tire well, which underlies the spare tire cover 60',
also essentially serves as a carrying platform for the liner,
opposite sides of which rigid lid 62 may be gripped by the
installer (as illustrated) for facilitating the movement of the
trunk liner into the compartment of the trunk.
Referring to FIGS. 8 and 13, it will be noted that the rear end
panel 30' has a forwardly bulging portion 30a in the upper central
portion thereof, and that a slot S is provided therethrough. This
bulging portion 30a' accommodates therebehind the latching
mechanism for the automobile trunk lid with the slot S serving to
permit protrusion therethrough of the loop portion L of the lock,
as best illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12.
For prelocating in the trunk liner, the desired position for a pair
of metal fasteners or screws for aiding in mechanically securing
the rear end panel 30' to the adjacent wall of the trunk
compartment, indentations 30b' are molded in the rear end panel
30', each of the indentations 30b' being positioned about half way
between the trunk latch and the opposite ends of the rear end panel
30.
Referring now to the second embodiment of the invention as
illustrated in FIGS. 16 to 21, the same reference numerals will be
employed as in the first embodiment but of the hundred series, i.e.
the numerals will be numbered a hundred higher. This second form of
the invention basically differs over the first form in two
respects, one being the inclusion of a rear seat panel 180 which
has lower end portions connected to forwardmost portions of the
center floor cover panel 120' and extends upwardly and outwardly
from the center floor panel in a diverging relationship as best
illustrated in FIG. 21, where the completed trunk liner is shown
ready for shipment. Secondly, this form of the invention avoids the
need of separate strip cushion material 66 for insulating the
underside of the rigid lid 162 for the spare tire cover well. In
this form of the invention, the grooves 163' formed along the
periphery of the spare tire cover 160' are considerably deeper so
as to provide sufficient liner material in the groove so as to be
turned or folded underneath the peripheral edge portions of the
rigid lid 162. This feature of the invention is best illustrated in
FIGS. 19 and 20, wherein it will be seen that portions of the spare
tire cover material extend underneath the lid 162 adjacent the
periphery. Suitable means such as staples 190 or hot melt adhesive
may be provided for securing the turned under liner material in
position on the underside of the lid 162.
This form of the invention has two pairs of gussets G (not shown)
that have been removed in order to permit the side walls 140a',
140b', 150a', 150b', 130; and 180 extending upwardly and outwardly
from the center floor cover panel 120 to be moved to the
substantially vertical position when installed in the trunk
compartment of an automobile. This positioning of these side panels
in the vertical position as they would appear in the trunk
compartment of an automobile, is best illustrated in FIG. 18 when
comparing the same to the completed trunk liners as nestingly shown
in FIG. 21.
As in the first form of the invention, it is desirable to leave
spaced areas of the spare tire cover 160' uncut along the lower
edge of the rear end panel 130' for facilitating the handling of
the trunk liner when shipping and installing the same.
It will thus be seen that both forms of the invention present a
one-piece trunk liner having an integral molded, relatively stiff
fibrous body having a center floor cover panel and a plurality of
panels extending along the sides of center floor cover panel and
integrally connected thereto and wherein the panels extend upwardly
and outwardly from the center floor cover panel so as to be in
outwardly diverging relation to the center floor cover panel. The
stiffness and shape retention of the molded fibrous body and the
outwardly diverging relationship of the plurality of panels cause
the panels to resiliently engage and hug the inner wall surfaces of
the trunk compartment when the panels are biased inwardly toward an
upright position when mounted in the trunk. This diverging
relationship of the side panels facilitates the mounting of the
trunk liner in the trunk of the automobile and further serves to
maintain the trunk liner in the installed position in engagement
with the walls of the trunk. Further, no longer does the trunk
liner take the form of a pieced together jigsaw of a plurality of
pieces as in the past, but instead presents an integrally molded
trunk liner aesthetically pleasing in appearance and easy to
install.
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