Board Structure

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to improvements in a board structure suitable for an interior lining member of an automotive vehicle or the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Board structures to be used as an interior lining member of an automotive vehicle are usually arranged as shown in FIG. 5, in which upper and lower surface boards 3A, 3B are fixedly attached respectively to the upper and lower surfaces of a corrugated core board 2. The surface boards 3A, 3B and the corrugated core board 2 are formed of usual cardboard or paper.

However, difficulties have been encountered in such a conventional board structure. The conventional board structure is insufficiently moldable so that cracks and wrinkles are unavoidably formed, particularly at portions subjected to a deep drawing. Additionally, the conventional board structure is insufficiently rigid and, therefore, low in shape-stability after molding. Furthermore, the conventional board structure is insufficiently water resistant.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved board structure which can overcome drawbacks encountered in conventional board structures.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved board structure which is excellent in moldability, particularly in deep drawing, while being high in rigidity and in water resistance.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved board structure which is partly formed of a cork sheet.

A board structure of the present invention is comprised of a corrugated core board. A surface board is fixedly attached to a surface of the corrugated core board. At least one of the corrugated core board and the surface board is formed of a cork sheet.

The cork sheet is light in weight and has a high flexibility while maintaining a suitable rigidity. Furthermore, the cork sheet has excellent resistance to water and has high noise and heat insulation characteristics due to air contained therein.

Accordingly, the board structure using the cork sheet is excellent in moldability particularly in case of a deep drawing, so that cracks and wrinkles are not formed in portions subjected to the deep drawing. Additionally, the board structure is excellent in shape-stability after being molded, and is water resistant. Furthermore, the board structure is light in weight and excellent in noise and heat insulation characteristics and, therefore, very suitable for an automotive interior lining member such as a molded ceiling member.

In the drawings, like reference numerals designate like elements and parts throughout the figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of an embodiment of a board structure in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a molded ceiling member including the board structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 1 but showing another embodiment of the board structure in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 1 but showing a further embodiment of the board structure in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a conventional board structure.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a board structure is illustrated by the reference numeral 11. The board structure 11 is comprised of a corrugated core board 12 formed of cardboard or paper. The corrugated core board 12 has continuous alternate ridges and grooves, i.e., alternate upwardly-pointing ridges G1 and downwardly-pointing ridges G2. The top surfaces of the adjacent upwardly-pointing ridges G1 form an upper surface U of the corrugated core board 12, whereas the top surfaces of the adjacent downwardly-pointing ridges G2 form a lower surface L of the same board 12.

An upper surface board 13A is fixedly attached to the upper surface U of the corrugated core board 12, i.e., to the top surfaces of the upwardly-pointing rigidies G1 of the corrugated core board 12. The upper surface board 13A is formed of a cork sheet. A lower surface board 13B is fixedly attached to the lower surface L of the corrugated core board 12, i.e., to the top surfaces of the downwardly-pointing ridges G2 of the corrugated core board 12. The lower surface board 13B is also formed of a cork sheet. The cork sheet is produced as follows: First, cork tips are bound to each other by means of synthetic rubber, synthetic resin or the like to form a cork block. Then, the cork block is sliced to obtain the cork sheets.

The thus arranged board structure 11 may be impregnated with a treatment agent or impregnant such as phenolic resin, melamine resin, urea resin, urethane resin, epoxy resin, acrylic resin, silicone resin, polyethylene, polypropylene, urethane prepolymer, epoxy prepolymer, acrylic prepolymer, polyatomic cyanate, acrylic monomer, paraffin, silicone, or the like. In order to impregnate the board structure 11 with the treatment agent, after the board structure 11 is completely constructed, it is dipped in a solution of the treatment agent or coated with the solution of the treatment agent. Otherwise, before construction of the board structure 11, the corrugated core board 12 and/or the upper and lower surface boards 13A, 13B may be dipped in or coated with the solution of the treatment agent.

The thus formed board structure 11 is used, for example, as a base material of a molded ceiling member 14 of an automotive vehicle as shown in FIG. 2. In this molded ceiling member 14, a decorative surface mounting material 16 is fixedly attached to the surface of the lower surface board 13B of the board structure 11 as the base material. The surface mounting material 16 is formed of a nonwoven fabric cloth, a woven cloth, a laminated sheet of a polyvinyl chloride synthetic leather and a polyurethane foam sheet, or the like. The surface mounting material 16 is bonded to the lower surface board 13B with a so-called hot melt adhesive or a usual adhesive before or after construction of the board structure 11. It will be understood that the molded ceiling member 14 has been formed by molding a combined board arrangement of the board structure 11 and the surface mounting material 16, for example, by pressing. The molded ceiling member 14 is mounted or attached to the inside surface of a roof (not shown) of the vehicle body so as to serve as a ceiling.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the board structure 11 according to the present invention, which is similar to that of FIG. 1. In this embodiment, an upper intermediate board or cardboard 23A is fixedly interposed between the upper surface U of the corrugated core board 12 and the upper surface board 13A. A lower intermediate board or cardboard 23B is fixedly interposed between the lower surface L of the corrugated core board 12 and the lower surface board 13B. In this embodiment, one of the upper and lower surface boards 13A, 13B of the cork sheet may be omitted, wherein the intermediate board 23A, 23B may be being fixedly attached to the upper or lower surface of the corrugated core board 12.

FIG. 4 illustrates a further embodiment of the board structure 11 according to the present invention, similar to that of FIG. 1 with the exception that the corrugated core board 12 is also formed of a cork sheet. In other words, all the constituent parts of the board structure 11 are formed of cork sheets, respectively.

As is apparent from the above, according to the above embodiments, the board structure using the cork sheet is excellent in moldability, particularly in the case of a deep drawing, so that cracks and wrinkles are not formed in portions subjected to the deep drawing. Additionally, the board structure is excellent in shape-stability after being molded, and in water resistance. Furthermore, the board structure is light in weight and excellent in noise and heat insulation characteristics and, therefore, very suitable for an automotive interior lining member such as a molded ceiling member. It will be understood that such advantages of the board structure depend on the characteristics of the cork sheet. In other words, the cork sheet is light in weight and has a high flexibility while maintaining a suitable rigidity. Furthermore, the cork sheet is excellent in water resistance and has high noise and heat insulation characteristics due to air contained therein.