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Reinforced Blow Moulded Vehicle Running Board and Method of Making Same
| Content Provider | The Lens |
|---|---|
| Abstract | A structurally reinforced blow molded assembly includes an overmold body bonded to one or more preformed internal stiffening ribs. The reinforcing r ribs are partially encapsulated by o the overmold body in an orientation selected to carry load a forces thereon. The resin mixture used to form the overmold body comprises 10% to 40% by weight short glass having a length less about 15 cm, and 60% to 90% by weight thermoplastic resin. To facilitate recycling the reinforcing ribs comprise 30 to 60% by weight long glass fibers and 40% to 70% of thermoplastic bonding resin. |
| Related Links | https://www.lens.org/lens/patent/013-163-602-509-436/frontpage |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 2017-06-13 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Patent |
| Jurisdiction | United States of America |
| Date Applied | 2013-05-27 |
| Applicant | Metelix Products Inc |
| Application No. | 201313902918 |
| Claim | A structurally reinforced blow moulded assembly, the blow moulded assembly comprising, an overmould member, said overmould member having a sidewall defining a hollow interior, a forward support surface and a rear surface generally parallel to and spaced from the forward support surface, the overmould member comprising between about 10% by weight to 30% by weight short glass fibers and about 70% by weight to about 90% by weight of a thermoplastic base resin, wherein said short glass fibers have a longitudinal length of less than about 10 cm, and at least one longitudinally elongated reinforcing rib insert, said reinforcing rib insert being partially encapsulated by said sidewall, the reinforcing rib insert including: a forward flange member in bearing contact with an interior side of said forward support surface, a rearward flange member spaced from the forward flange member and providing a rearward bearing surface generally coplanar with said rear surface, and a longitudinal extending connecting web joining the forward flange member to the rearward flange member, each of the forward and rearward flange members comprising about 40% by weight to about 70% by weight long glass fibers and about 30% by weight to about 60% by weight of a bonding resin, wherein said long glass fibers have a longitudinal length of greater than about 25 cm up to a length corresponding to a longitudinal length of said reinforcing rib insert, wherein the forward flange member and the connecting web are at least partially melt bonded to the sidewall to assist in anchoring the reinforcing rib insert to said overmould member. The blow moulded assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the long glass fibers are co-mingled with said bonding resin, said long glass fibers being oriented in a generally parallel orientation. The blow moulded assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said blow moulded assembly comprises a vehicle part selected from the group consisting of a vehicle running board, a seat back, a bumper beam, and a vehicle load floor. The blow moulded assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the forward flange member, the rearward flange member and the connecting web are mould-formed from a substantially homogeneous interfusion of said long glass fibers and said bonding resin. The blow moulded assembly as claimed in claim 1 , Wherein the connecting web consists of said bonding resin. The blow moulded assembly as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said forward flange member and said connecting web include an outer resin layer at least partially melt bonded to said base resin. The blow moulded assembly as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the reinforcing rib insert is a pultrusion-moulded rib, the outer resin layer comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending melt ribs for melt bonding with said thermoplastic base resin during blow moulding. The blow moulded assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing rib insert comprises a generally I-beam shaped rib. The blow moulded assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic base resin is selected from the group consisting of ABS, polyethylene, and polypropylene. The blow moulded assembly as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the bonding resin is selected the same as the thermoplastic base resin. The blow moulded assembly as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said reinforcing rib insert comprises up to 50% by weight said long glass fibers and at least 50% by weight said bonding resin. The blow moulded assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal length of said reinforcing rib insert is greater than about 0.5 m, said connecting web has a lateral thickness of less than about 3 mm, and said forward flange member and said rearward flange member have a maximum lateral width of between about 0.5 cm and 4 cm. The blow moulded assembly of claim 12 , wherein the thickness of the connecting web is less than 1 mm, and the maximum lateral width of the forward flange member is between about 0.75 cm and 2.5 cm. A structurally reinforced vehicle part, the structurally reinforced vehicle part comprising: an overmould body having a sidewall defining a hollow interior, a forward surface and a rear surface spaced from the forward surface, the overmould body comprising between about 10% by weight to 30% by weight short glass fibers and about 70% by weight to 90% by weight of a thermoplastic resin, wherein said short glass fibers have a longitudinal length of less than about 10 cm, and a longitudinally elongated reinforcing rib reinforcing said forward surface against a rearward load force, the reinforcing rib at least partially encapsulated by said sidewall and including: a longitudinally extending forward flange member in substantially bearing contact with a portion of said sidewall defining said forward surface, a longitudinally extending rearward flange member spaced from the forward flange member and having a rearward bearing surface disposed in a generally coplanar orientation with said rear surface, and a longitudinally extending connecting web joining the forward flange member to the rearward flange member, the reinforcing rib comprising about 30% by weight to about 70% by weight long glass fibers having a longitudinal length of greater than about 50 cm up to a length corresponding to a longitudinal length of said reinforcing rib and about 30% by weight to about 70% by weight of said thermoplastic resin, wherein at least one of said forward flange member and said connecting web are melt bonded to said sidewal The vehicle part as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the reinforcing rib comprises a moulded rib comprising heat-fused long glass fibers co-mingled with said thermoplastic resin so that said long glass fibers are oriented in a generally parallel direction. The vehicle part as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said vehicle part is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle running board, a vehicle seat back, a bumper beam, and a vehicle load floor, and the thermoplastic resin comprises at least one resin selected from the group consisting of ABS, polyethylene and polypropylene. The vehicle part as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said reinforcing rib is a generally I-beam shaped rib having a longitudinal length greater than about 1.0 m, said connecting web has a lateral thickness of less than about 3 mm, and said forward flange member and said rearward flange member have a maximum lateral width of between about 0.5 cm and 4 cm. The vehicle part as claimed in claim 14 , wherein each of said forward and rearward flange members comprises between about 40% by weight to 70% by weight of said long glass fibers, the longitudinal length of said long glass fibers being greater than about 100 cm up to a length corresponding to the longitudinal length of said reinforcing rib, and about 30% by weight to about 60% by weight of said thermoplastic resin, and each of said forward flange member and connecting web being substantially melt bonded to said sidewal A vehicle running board comprising: an overmould composite plastic step, said step having a sidewall defining a hollow interior portion, an upper support surface for supporting a user thereon, and a lower mounting surface spaced from the upper support surface, the step comprising between about 10% to 30% by weight short glass fibers having a longitudinal length of less than about 1 cm and about 70% to 90% by weight of a resin selected from the group consisting of ABS, polyethylene, and polypropylene, and at least one reinforcing rib, said reinforcing rib having an elongated longitudinal length and comprising: an upper flange member, a lower flange member, and a connecting web extending between and joining said upper and lower flange members, each of said upper and lower flange members comprising between about 405 by weight to 70% by weight long glass fibers having a longitudinal length greater than about 50 cm, and about 30% by weight to about 60% by weight of said resin, said upper flange member and connecting web being substantially encapsulated within and retained by said sidewall, with an upper portion of said upper flange member disposed substantially adjacent to said upper support surface and a bottom portion of said lower flange member in substantially co-planar alignment with an adjacent portion of said rear surface, whereby load forces on said upper support surface are at least partially carried by said reinforcing rib, said upper flange member and connecting web being melt bonded to said sidewal The vehicle running board as claimed in claim 19 , wherein said long glass fibers comprise generally parallel oriented fibers co-mingled with said resin. The vehicle running board as claimed in claim 20 , wherein said reinforcing rib comprises a pultruded rib, said long glass fibers being pultrusion-moulded in a generally parallel orientation. The vehicle running board as claimed in claim 19 , wherein each of said upper flange member and said lower flange member comprise an outermost layer of said resin. The vehicle running board as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said connecting web consists of said resin. The vehicle running board as claimed in claim 19 , wherein said upper flange member comprises a generally cylindrical member. The vehicle running board as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the longitudinal length of said reinforcing rib is greater than about 0.5 m, said connecting web having a lateral thickness of less than about 3 mm, and said upper flange member and said lower flange member have a maximum lateral width of between about 0.75 cm and 2.5 cm. |
| CPC Classification | Vehicles; Vehicle Fittings; Or Vehicle Parts; Not Otherwise Provided For SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS;SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE; NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR;AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS; e.g. REPAIRING Seats Specially Adapted For Vehicles;Vehicle Passenger Accommodation Not Otherwise Provided For TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION |
| Examiner | Maria Veronica Ewald Ethan A Utt |
| Extended Family | 076-747-096-682-125 074-112-501-868-264 013-163-602-509-436 024-182-962-103-045 044-830-398-950-574 |
| Patent ID | 9676338 |
| Inventor/Author | Chapman Tim Elgner Roger |
| IPC | B60R3/00 B29C49/04 B29C49/20 B29C49/48 B60N2/68 B60R19/03 |
| Status | Inactive |
| Owner | Metelix Products Inc |
| Simple Family | 076-747-096-682-125 074-112-501-868-264 013-163-602-509-436 044-830-398-950-574 024-182-962-103-045 |
| CPC (with Group) | B60R19/03 B29C2049/2013 B29C2049/2017 B29C2049/2086 B29C2049/4882 B60N2/68 B60R3/002 Y10T428/237 B29C49/20 B29C49/0411 |
| Issuing Authority | United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) |
| Kind | Patent/New European patent specification (amended specification after opposition procedure) |
