US5448028A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Armrest electrical switch arrangement with soft interior trim panel
Assignee: Collins and Aikman Automotive Interiors LLC
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Filing: 1993-12-10
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Granted: 1995-09-05
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Expires: 2013-12-10
Abstract
Abstract The soft interior trim panel (52) includes a substrate (54), a foam layer (56) and a flexible skin (58). An electrical switch (60) is supported by the trim panel (52) adjacent to the flexible skin (58). A contoured area (62) and indicia (64) indicate the location of a switch (60) under the flexible skin (58). A clear coat (65) is applied to protect the flexible skin (58) and the indicia (64). The switch (60) is closed by applying pressure to the flexible skin (58) on the contoured area (62). The contoured area (62) can be a depression or indentation as well as a raised area. The indicia (64) can be provided using luminescent ink.
Inventors
- 👤 Scott M. Filion
- 👤 John A. Grimes
- 👤 Marie J. Hersman
- 👤 Maureen M. Lein
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 03:38
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H13/00; H01H13/70; H01H13/702; B; B60; B60N; B60N2/00; B60N2/75; B60N2/79; B60N2/797; E; E05; E05F; E05F15/00; E05Y; E05Y2400/00; E05Y2400/80; E05Y2400/85; E05Y2400/852; E05Y2400/854; E05Y2400/856; E05Y2400/858; E05Y2400/86; E05Y2900/00; E05Y2900/50; E05Y2900/53; E05Y2900/55; H01H2209/00; H01H2209/016; H01H2219/00; H01H2219/028; H01H2219/036; H01H2219/052; H01H2221/00; H01H2221/008; H01H2221/018; H01H2223/00; H01H2223/002; H01H2223/003; H01H2229/00; H01H2229/062; H01H2231/00; H01H2231/026; H01H2300/00; H01H2300/01; H01H2300/012
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel comprising: a substrate; a foam layer bonded directly to the substrate; a flexible skin with an underside surface bonded directly to the foam layer and an outside face surface; a pressure actuated modular switch with a base portion secured to the substrate and an outer portion positioned between the substrate and the underside surface of the flexible skin and having at least a portion of the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the underside surface of the flexible skin; a depressed area in said flexible skin adjacent to the outer portion of the pressure actuated switch for guiding a person's finger tip to a location where manual compression of the flexible skin and the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the flexible skin will depress the flexible skin and activate the modular switch; and wherein release of manual compression force on the flexible skin will allow the flexible skin to return to its non-compressed contour with the depressed area.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel comprising: a substrate; a foam layer bonded directly to the substrate; a flexible skin with an underside surface bonded directly to the foam layer and an outside face surface; a pressure actuated modular switch with a base portion secured to the substrate and an outer portion positioned between the substrate and the underside surface of the flexible skin and having at least a portion of the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the underside surface of the flexible skin; a depressed area in said flexible skin adjacent to the outer portion of the pressure actuated switch for guiding a person's finger tip to a location where manual compression of the flexible skin and the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the flexible skin will depress the flexible skin and activate the modular switch; and wherein release of manual compression force on the flexible skin will allow the flexible skin to return to its non-compressed contour with the depressed area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel as set forth in claim 1 including an indicia printed on the outside face surface of the flexible skin for indicating the function of said pressure actuated modular switch.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel as set forth in claim 2 including a protective coating applied to the outside face surface of the flexible skin and to the indicia as a liquid and then dried to form a thin durable transparent protective film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
191 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel comprising: a substrate; a foam layer bonded directly to the substrate; a flexible skin with an underside surface bonded directly to the foam layer and an outside face surface; a pressure actuated modular switch with a base portion secured to the substrate and an outer portion positioned between the substrate and the underside surface of the flexible skin and having at least a portion of the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the underside surface of the flexible skin; a raised area on said flexible skin adjacent to the outer portion of the pressure actuated switch, in which the outside face surface of the raised area is positioned outwardly from adjacent parts of the flexible skin, for guiding a person's finger tip to a location where manual compression of the flexible skin and the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the flexible skin will depress the flexible skin and activate the modular switch; and wherein release of manual compression force on the flexible skin will allow the flexible skin to return to its non-compressed contour with the raised area.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
191 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel comprising: a substrate; a foam layer bonded directly to the substrate; a flexible skin with an underside surface bonded directly to the foam layer and an outside face surface; a pressure actuated modular switch with a base portion secured to the substrate and an outer portion positioned between the substrate and the underside surface of the flexible skin and having at least a portion of the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the underside surface of the flexible skin; a raised area on said flexible skin adjacent to the outer portion of the pressure actuated switch, in which the outside face surface of the raised area is positioned outwardly from adjacent parts of the flexible skin, for guiding a person's finger tip to a location where manual compression of the flexible skin and the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the flexible skin will depress the flexible skin and activate the modular switch; and wherein release of manual compression force on the flexible skin will allow the flexible skin to return to its non-compressed contour with the raised area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel as set forth in claim 4 including indicia printed on the outside face surface of the flexible skin for indicating the function of said pressure actuated modular switch.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel as set forth in claim 5 including a protective coating applied to the outside face surface of the flexible skin and to the indicia as a liquid and then dried to form a thin durable transparent protective film.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
167 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel comprising: a substrate; a foam layer bonded directly to the substrate; a flexible skin with an underside surface bonded directly to the foam layer and an outside face surface; a pressure actuated modular switch with a base portion secured to the substrate and an outer portion positioned between the substrate and the underside surface of the flexible skin and having at least a portion of the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the underside surface of the flexible skin; and an indicia printed on the outside face surface of the flexible skin for indicating the function of said pressure actuated modular switch and for indicating where manual compression of the flexible skin and the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the flexible skin will depress the flexible skin and activate the modular switch; and wherein release of manual compression force on the flexible skin will allow the flexible skin to return to its non-compressed contour.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
167 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel comprising: a substrate; a foam layer bonded directly to the substrate; a flexible skin with an underside surface bonded directly to the foam layer and an outside face surface; a pressure actuated modular switch with a base portion secured to the substrate and an outer portion positioned between the substrate and the underside surface of the flexible skin and having at least a portion of the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the underside surface of the flexible skin; and an indicia printed on the outside face surface of the flexible skin for indicating the function of said pressure actuated modular switch and for indicating where manual compression of the flexible skin and the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the flexible skin will depress the flexible skin and activate the modular switch; and wherein release of manual compression force on the flexible skin will allow the flexible skin to return to its non-compressed contour.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel as set forth in claim 7 including a protective coating applied to the outside face surface of the flexible skin and to the indicia as a liquid and then dried to form a thin durable transparent protective film.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel as set forth in claim 7 including a thin durable transparent protective film that covers and adheres to the outside face surface of the flexible skin and the indicia printed on the outside surface of the flexible skin.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
104 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel comprising: a substrate; a foam layer bonded directly to the substrate; a flexible skin with an underside surface bonded directly to the foam layer and an outside face surface; a pressure actuated modular membrane switch incased in the foam layer between the substrate and the underside surface of the flexible skin and having at least a portion of the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the underside surface of the flexible skin; and an indicia printed on the outside surface of the flexible skin for indicating the location of said pressure actuated modular membrane switch.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
104 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel comprising: a substrate; a foam layer bonded directly to the substrate; a flexible skin with an underside surface bonded directly to the foam layer and an outside face surface; a pressure actuated modular membrane switch incased in the foam layer between the substrate and the underside surface of the flexible skin and having at least a portion of the foam layer between the pressure actuated modular switch and the underside surface of the flexible skin; and an indicia printed on the outside surface of the flexible skin for indicating the location of said pressure actuated modular membrane switch.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
A vehicle soft interior trim panel as set forth in claim 10 including a thin durable transparent protective film that covers and adheres to the outside face surface of the flexible skin and the indicia printed on the outside surface of the flexible skin.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-09-04 | 1999-03-06 | 1999-09-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-09-04 | 2003-03-06 | 2003-09-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-09-04 | 2007-03-06 | 2007-09-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |