US Patent 7879424 Method for making a vehicle panel

A method of forming a panel is disclosed. The method includes forming a flexible skin (22); coupling a compressible material (24) to the skin (22); positioning the skin (22) and compressible material (24) in a mold; and forming a rigid substrate (20) around the skin (22) and compressible material (24) providing a first soft region (12) wherein the compressible material (24) is disposed between the skin (22) and the substrate (20) so that a first soft region (12) is defined by the compressible material (24).