Abstract: A fibrous headliner for a motor vehicle passenger compartment is formed with a nonwoven high loft batting of thermoplastic fibers having a low percentage of binder fibers that are activated with heat to establish and hold the desired appearance side contour of the headliner. The batting is needled on both sides to form integral fibrous skin layers wherein the roof side layer is substantially thicker and more dense than the passenger compartment side skin layer. The high density skin layer is then coated with a thermoset resin after the batting has been heated to activate the binder fibers. The hot batting with its resinated high density skin layer is then sandwiched by a blank of scrim stock on this side and a blank of adhesive coated cover stock on the appearance side.

Abstract: The molding apparatus includes a press (10) with a top mold (12) and a bottom mold (14). The top mold (12) has a die (32) with a contoured die surface (34) and gas passages (36). The bottom mold (14) has a die 44 with a contoured die surface (46). The die (44) is made from either a solid piece of material with gas passages or from a porous material. During operation of the molding apparatus, a workpiece (26) is placed in a mold cavity between the top mold and the bottom mold. The mold cavity (24) is closed to shape the workpiece. The workpiece is heated by hot gas supplied by a gas supply and recirculation system (52) when the diverter valves (68 and 70) are opened and gas flows from gas circulation fan 56 to the gas heater chamber (54) to the bottom mold (14), through the die 44, through the workpiece (26), through the die 32 and back to the inlet side of the gas circulation fan (56).

Abstract: The molding apparatus includes a press (10) with a top mold (12) and a bottom mold (14). The top mold (12) has a die (32) with a contoured die surface (34) and gas passages (36). The bottom mold (14) has a die (44) with a contoured die surface (46). The die (44) is made from either a solid piece of material with gas passages or from a porous material. During operation, a workpiece (26) is placed in a mold cavity (24). The mold cavity (24) is closed to shape the workpiece. The workpiece is heated by hot gas supplied by a gas supply and recirculation system (52) when the diverter valves (68 and 70) are opened and gas flows from gas circulation fan (56) to the gas heater chamber (54) to the bottom mold (14), through the die (44), through the workpiece (26), through the die (32) and back to the inlet side of the gas circulation fan (56). When the workpiece (26) has been heated to the desired temperature for the required time, the diverter valves (68 and 70) are closed.

Abstract: A molding method for molding a shaped plastic trim panel from a wet moldable composite includes a blade for trimming the molded plastic trim panel while it is still in the molding apparatus. The lower mold member has an annular severing slot and annular clamping shoulders inwardly and outwardly of the severing slot. The upper mold member has an annular slot that is aligned with the severing slot of the lower mold member and annular clamping shoulders on either side of the slot. These shoulders cooperate with the clamping shoulders of the lower mold member to clamp the margin of the molded plastic trim panel that is shaped in the molding members. An annular cutting blade having a serrated cutting edge disposed in the slot of the upper mold member moves down vertically into the severing groove to cut through the clamped margin and trim the molded plastic trim panel.