Abstract: A crash pad for use in vehicle interiors. The crash pad includes an energy-absorbing honeycomb which has a cover plate attached thereon to prevent noise from being generated due to contact between the crash pad and vehicle interior surface during normal vehicle operation. The cover plate is attached on one side to the honeycomb with the other side being molded to match the shape of the interior surface of the vehicle. The cover plate includes positioning devices which locate and hold the crash pad during interior panel fabrication. The cover plate protects the honeycomb and the technician during handling and installation. The cover plate also helps to retain the shape of the honeycomb and provides a suitable surface for labels that may contain product identification and other information needed during use of the pads in mass production of vehicles.

Abstract: A crash pad for use in vehicle interiors. The crash pad includes an energy-absorbing honeycomb which has a cover plate attached thereon to prevent noise from being generated due to contact between the crash pad and vehicle interior surface during normal vehicle operation. The cover plate is attached on one side to the honeycomb with the other side being molded to match the shape of the interior surface of the vehicle. The cover plate includes positioning devices which locate and hold the crash pad during interior panel fabrication. The cover plate protects the honeycomb and the technician during handling and installation. The cover plate also helps to retain the shape of the honeycomb and provides a suitable surface for labels that may contain product identification and other information needed during use of the pads in mass production of vehicles.

Abstract: Flexible honeycomb panels are vented by providing vent openings at specific locations within the honeycomb core. The invention is applicable to flexible honeycomb panels which are made from bonded corrugated sheets wherein each of the corrugated sheets has upper and lower node ridges and wherein the lower surfaces of lower node ridges are bonded to the upper surface of lower node ridges located on underlying sheets. The corrugated sheets are stacked so that the adhesive or bond lines between the lower nodes are displaced from each other within the stack. Vent openings are located in the upper node ridges to provide venting of the honeycomb structure. Location of vent openings in the upper node ridges can be controlled to provide selective transport of media through the honeycomb.

Abstract: A formable honeycomb panel is disclosed that comprises a core layer and two skin panels of sheet material bonded to opposite sides of the core layer. At least one of the skin panels is porous and has an effective stiffness that is substantially less than the stiffness of a solid sheet of material of the same thickness. The stiffness of the porous skin panel is sufficiently low so that bending of the honeycomb panel is accommodated primarily by deformation of the porous skin panel before the core layer collapses or the adhesive bonds between the core layer and the skin panels fail.