Abstract: An automobile interior component that includes a honeycomb structure is disclosed. A honeycomb defining structure is formed in one of the mold halves of a mold that is used to manufacture the automobile interior component. The honeycomb defining structure partially defining the article-defining cavity in the closed position of the mold. The honeycomb defining structure comprises a plurality of generally cylindrical recessed areas defined in a portion of said one of said first and second mold halves, and a post member that is disposed in each one of the recessed areas. The introduction of a moldable material into the article defining cavity during the molding process causes the moldable material to flow into the honeycomb defining structure and, therefore, integrally form a desired honeycomb structure as a portion of the automobile interior component during the molding process.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure that is to be affixed to a desired location on an automobile interior component is disclosed. A mold half is formed with an shape defining cavity that is contoured to have generally the same as the shape of one side of the honeycomb structure that is to be formed. A plurality of vertically indexed straws that, include a central core formed from a first thermoplastic material having a relatively high melting point and an outer layer of second thermoplastic material that has a relatively low melting point, are placed in contact with the shape defining cavity of the mold. In order to form the honeycomb structure, the mold is heated to a temperature that melts the second thermoplastic material but does not melt the first thermoplastic material, thereby allowing the indexed straws to be bonded together and form one side of the honeycomb structure.

Abstract: A method and system of manufacturing an air bag cover assembly utilizing infrared radiation is disclosed. The assembly includes a front panel, a back plate, a switch and infrared-absorbing material. Initially, the front panel and the back plate are positioned so that inner surfaces of the front panel and the back plate define a switch pocket therebetween. Then the switch is positioned in the switch pocket. Thereafter, infrared radiation is directed at the infrared-absorbing material for a time sufficient to heat the infrared-absorbing material to a desired temperature. The amount of heat applied to the infrared-absorbing material by the infrared radiation is controlled by a controller. Finally, the heated material cools to fixedly secures the back plate to the front panel. The heated material may be forced to flow prior to cooling.

Abstract: A molded plastic component having enhanced surface finish is molded within a mold having at least one metal base, a mold cavity, and at least one self-lubricating surface layer which defines the plastic component within the mold cavity. The self-lubricating surface layer includes a porous metallic skin integrally connected to and extending from an interior surface of the at least one metal base and lubricating particles disposed on the skin and in pores of the skin. The lubricating particles are bonded together to form a sealed surface of the at least one self-lubricating surface layer such that the molded plastic component has the enhanced surface finish. The metallic skin includes a plurality of spaced, sinusoidally-shaped projections of autocatalytic nickel alloy. The lubricating particles are preferably submicron-sized particles of low friction fluoropolymers. The mold may be an injection mold, a compression mold, a blow mold or a vacuum mold.

Abstract: A hollow plastic article of a one-piece construction formed from a molten plastic resin by a gas-assisted injection molding system wherein the article is designed in such a way that any gas channel read through is hidden at a “Class A” convex surface thereof. The article includes a hollow body section and a solid wall section which extends downwardly and rearwardly from a front wall of the hollow body section. The solid wall section and the front wall immediately adjacent to the solid wall section define a convex, sink-free, exterior surface of the article to hide any gas channel read through.

Abstract: A method and system for bonding plastic parts together utilizing a heat-activated adhesive and at least one infrared lamp are disclosed. The system preferably includes first and second infrared lamps for emitting infrared radiation. A first base section supports a first infrared lamp adjacent the first plastic part and a second base section supports the second infrared lamp adjacent the second plastic part. The system also includes a controller coupled to the first and second infrared lamps for controlling power supplied to the first and second infrared lamps so that the first infrared lamp emits infrared radiation which propagates through the first plastic part and is absorbed by the adhesive and the second infrared lamp emits infrared radiation which propagates through the second plastic part and is absorbed by the adhesive for a time sufficient to heat the adhesive to a desired temperature at which the adhesive is activated. The activated adhesive bonds the plastic parts together.

Abstract: A molded plastic component having enhanced surface finish is molded within a mold having at least one metal base, a mold cavity, and at least one self-lubricating surface layer which defines the plastic component within the mold cavity. The self-lubricating surface layer includes a porous metallic skin integrally connected to and extending from an interior surface of the at least one metal base and lubricating particles disposed on the skin and in pores of the skin. The lubricating particles are bonded together to form a sealed surface of the at least one self-lubricating surface layer such that the molded plastic component has the enhanced surface finish. The metallic skin includes a plurality of spaced, sinusoidally-shaped projections of autocatalytic nickel alloy. The lubricating particles are preferably submicron-sized particles of low friction fluoropolymers. The mold may be an injection mold, a compression mold, a blow mold or a vacuum mold.

Abstract: A method and system for bonding plastic parts together utilizing a heat-activated adhesive and at least one infrared lamp are disclosed. The system preferably includes first and second infrared lamps for emitting infrared radiation. A first base section supports a first infrared lamp adjacent the first plastic part and a second base section supports the second infrared lamp adjacent the second plastic part. The system also includes a controller coupled to the first and second infrared lamps for controlling power supplied to the first and second infrared lamps so that the first infrared lamp emits infrared radiation which propagates through the first plastic part and is absorbed by the adhesive and the second infrared lamp emits infrared radiation which propagates through the second plastic part and is absorbed by the adhesive for a time sufficient to heat the adhesive to a desired temperature at which the adhesive is activated. The activated adhesive bonds the plastic parts together.

Abstract: A toy includes a housing with pressure sensitive sensors on each face of the housing. The toy instructs players as to which parts of their body they should use in pressing one or more of the sensors on the toy. A number of games can be played with the toy. Players can pass the toy from one player to another using the body parts the toy calls out and try to set records for the number of passes possible without mistake, or can try to set records for the number of passes that can be made within a two minute time period. A third game involves three or four players trying to cover five or six of the sensors in accordance with the toy's instructions. The players maneuver their bodies to maintain pressure on the sensors being held while pressing holding a new sensor called out by the toy. The voice used in the toy also tries to challenge the players to improve on their previous scores.

Abstract: A mold for use in a gas-assisted injection molding system includes a gas pin assembly which can be readily removed from one mold half in an open position of a mold wherein a porous insert of the assembly can also be readily removed from the housing of the assembly for easy servicing. The housing of the assembly has an elongated aperture formed therethrough in communication with a gas passageway in the mold to permit the flow of gas therethrough. The porous insert is positioned in the aperture. The insert permits the flow of gas therethrough but prevents the passage of molten plastic therethrough. The assembly also includes a holding device preferably in the form of a set screw which has a gas hole formed completely therethrough to permit the flow of gas therethrough. The set screw is threadedly secured within the housing to hold the insert stationary within the aperture and to permit ready removal of the insert from the housing after the set screw has been removed from the housing.

Abstract: A mold for use in a gas-assisted injection molding system having a nozzle includes a runner shut-off subsystem which prevents pressurized gas from flowing through the runner and into the nozzle. A pair of pins are preferably mounted on a plate to move therewith between extended and retracted positions of the plate. The pins are slidably fit within one mold half of the mold to move within the runner between extended gas-blocking positions to block the flow of pressurized gas through the runner and into the nozzle and retracted positions to allow the flow of molten plastic from the nozzle, through the runner, through a gate, and into an article-defining cavity in a closed position of the mold. The runner shut-off subsystem includes a hydraulic cylinder for moving the plate and the pins relative to the mold half. Each of the pins has a free end portion which extends into another mold half of the mold where it is received and retained in its extended gas-blocking position.

Abstract: A mold for use in a gas-assisted injection molding system includes a gas pin assembly which can be readily removed from one mold half in an open position of a mold wherein a porous insert of the assembly can also be readily removed from the housing of the assembly for easy servicing. The housing of the assembly has an elongated aperture formed therethrough in communication with a gas passageway in the mold to permit the flow of gas therethrough. The porous insert is positioned in the aperture. The insert permits the flow of gas therethrough but prevents the passage of molten plastic therethrough. The assembly also includes a holding device preferably in the form of a set screw which has a gas hole formed completely therethrough to permit the flow of gas therethrough. The set screw is threadedly secured within the housing to hold the insert stationary within the aperture and to permit ready removal of the insert from the housing after the set screw has been removed from the housing.

Abstract: A mold for use in a gas-assisted injection molding system includes an ejector pin subsystem including a split pin which partially blocks the flow of molten plastic through a secondary runner, helps to eject solid plastic from the mold, and helps to define an article-defining cavity and the secondary runner in the mold. A first spill cavity is flow coupled by the secondary runner to the article-defining cavity. The split pin together with other ejector pins are mounted on an ejector plate to move therewith between extended and retracted positions. A second spill cavity is flow coupled by a tertiary runner to the first spill cavity if needed. The split pin, as well as the other ejector pins mounted on the ejector plate, eject plastic from the article-defining cavity, the spill cavities, and the secondary and tertiary runners in the extended position of the ejector plate.

Abstract: A mold for use in a plastic injection molding system includes a venting pin assembly which can not only vent an article-defining cavity in the mold but can also eject a formed plastic article in an open position of the mold. A porous insert of the assembly permits air from the article-defining cavity to flow there-through while preventing the passage of molten plastic from the article-defining cavity in a closed position of the mold. A venting pin of the assembly in the form of a hollow ejector pin has an elongated aperture formed therethrough to permit the flow of air therethrough. The porous insert is positioned in the aperture at a gas hole formed through an end surface of the ejector pin. The insert and the gas hole are sized so that the insert and the end surface help to form a "Class A" surface on the article formed in the article-defining cavity.

Abstract: A mold for use in a gas-assisted injection molding system includes an ejector pin subsystem including a blocking pin assembly which not only blocks the flow of molten plastic through a secondary runner but also helps to eject solid plastic from the mold. The mold also includes an adjustable overflow pin assembly and a conically-shaped spill cavity flow-coupled by the secondary runner to an article-defining cavity of the mold. The blocking pin assembly together with the adjustable overflow pin assembly are mounted on an ejector plate to move therewith between extended and retracted positions of the ejector plate. The blocking pin assembly includes a blocking pin which is slidably fit within a mold half to move between an extended blocking position to block the flow of molten plastic through the secondary runner and a retracted position to allow the flow of molten plastic through the secondary runner and into the spill cavity.

Abstract: An improved injection molding apparatus for molding snap-on, thermoplastic air bag covers is provided including a plurality of wedge-shaped outboard mold parts slidably mounted on bearing surfaces of a plurality of gibs which are removably mounted to a central wedge all nested together within a central recess in the lower mold half in retracted positions of the outboard mold parts. Each of the outboard mold parts has a clip member-defining surface for forming front and rear sections and a snap-on groove of its corresponding clip member of the air bag cover. Each outboard mold part is in sliding contact with its respective gib during its entire sliding movement between its retracted and fully extended positions.

Abstract: Audio menuing for the visually impaired, closed captioning for the hearing impaired and graphical tab control user interface for an interactive flight entertainment system (IFES). With the preferred embodiment, passenger control handset (PCH) in Braille is utilized. Given inputs from the passenger through use of the PCH, the keystrokes are transmitted to a seat electronics unit (SEU) as keystroke signals and processed by a device driver. The device driver transmits the keystroke signals to the pre-existing user interface and to the present invention's audio menu module. For the audio menu module, the menu resource database makes available a file of various audio information corresponding to various passenger keystroke inputs. Once the appropriate passenger output information is retrieved from the menu resource database, the information is output to the passenger via a display device and a headset coupled to the SEU.

Abstract: A mold for use in a gas-assisted injection molding system includes an adjustable overflow pin assembly which includes a conical stack of shims which are removably secured to an ejector pin to move therewith within a conically-shaped spill cavity flow-coupled by a secondary runner to an article-defining cavity of the mold. The mold also includes a blocking pin assembly which together with the adjustable overflow pin assembly are mounted on an ejector plate to move therewith between extended and retracted positions of the ejector plate. The blocking pin assembly includes a blocking pin which is slidably fit within the second mold half to move relative to the ejector plate between an extended blocking position to block the flow of molten plastic through the secondary runner and a retracted position to allow the flow of molten plastic through the secondary runner and into the spill cavity.

Abstract: A vending machine has an outer housing with a hollow interior and a manual retrieval opening. At least one tray is removably supported by the housing inside the interior thereof. The tray has a plurality of storage bins, each bin being dimensioned for receiving a plurality of items to be dispensed. Each bin has a movably actuable mechanism for ejecting a single unit of the item therefrom. A manually operable coin mechanism is mounted to an exterior of the housing for receiving a predetermined number and size of coins. Insertion of the proper coins into the coin mechanism permits a single actuation thereof through a predefined range of motion. A manually operable selector mechanism is mounted to the exterior of the housing for designating the item to be dispensed when moved into engagement with the ejecting mechanism of a preselected one of the plurality of storage bins.

Abstract: Method and system are provided for the automated assembly of parts such as plastic parts into assemblies wherein assembly pallets loaded with their corresponding assemblies are stored and vertically indexed in an accumulator station to allow a previously applied material such as an adhesive to cure. Consequently, the system takes up little floor space. Entrance, dispensing and assembly stations, together with the accumulator station each has an enclosed chamber which is pressurized with an ambient at subatmospheric pressure in order to evacuate the enclosed chambers so that fumes from the adhesive utilized in securing the parts together are not allowed to escape at the stations during assembly of the parts.