Abstract: A circular windshield ice scraper for scraping ice and frost off of the windshield and windows of a vehicle. The circular windshield ice scraper includes a scraping blade has a top face, a generally frusta-conical perimeter side, and a downwardly facing concave bottom face. The perimeter side and the bottom face of the scraping blade form a generally circular lower scraping edge designed for scraping ice off of a surface. The ice scraper also includes a body coupled to the scraping blade. The body has a generally frusta-conical lower portion and an upper portion. The upper portion is designed for grasping by a user's hand.

Abstract: A motor vehicle wiper comprising a driving head designed to be fixed to a free upper end of a wiper driving shaft at a bore includes a wiper arm, which is articulated on the driving head by a rear longitudinal end around a transverse axis which is substantially perpendicular to the general longitudinal direction of the wiper and perpendicular to the driving shaft axis, between a raised position and an operative position toward which it is returned by a helical compression spring inserted between the driving head and a support surface of the arm, the helical compression spring extends around the bore.

Abstract: A contact cleaner roll cleaning system including a frame to support the system relative to a movable web having a first major surface and a second major surface on opposite sides of the web, at least a first rotatable contact cleaner roll supported on the frame disposed for rolling contact with the first major surface, an activatable web transporting device adapted to transport or interrupt the transport of the web past the first rotatable contact cleaner roll, and a first indexing device adapted to roll the first rotatable contact cleaner roll against the first major surface in a first direction while the transport of the web past the first rotatable contact cleaner roll is interrupted. This system is used to clean coated and uncoated webs.

Abstract: A lobby dust pan of the type generally having a receptacle portion pivotally connected to a yoke. The yoke is flexible and is connected to a shaft. The yoke is deformable to enable a latch thereon to be retained with or released from suitably disposed openings in the receptacle. A shaft in turn has a handle connected to the upper end, and the other end connected to the yoke. The yoke is provided with an array of spaced apart outwardly projections or teeth suitable for assisting in the removal of debris from the user's broom, brush, or the like.

Abstract: A blower assembly for an automatic car wash is provided. The blower assembly includes a housing, an impeller, a fan motor, an oscillation motor and an oscillation linkage assembly. The impeller is rotatively disposed in the housing. The housing includes an egress spout. The fan motor is rigidly connected to the housing. The linkage assembly mechanically relates the oscillation motor to the fan motor and housing and oscillates both. In the preferred embodiment, the motor and housing are rotatably supported on both axial sides of the motor and the motor shaft and motor housing drive substantially the same axis of rotation.

Abstract: A self-propelled upright vacuum cleaner is provided having a lower portion and an upright handle portion pivotally attached to the floor engaging portion for a pivotal motion between an upright storage position and a pivotal operating position including a transmission operatively connected to a drive wheel and a motor drivingly connected to the transmission for driving the drive wheel in forward and reverse. A clutch engaging member is pivotally mounted to the floor engaging portion adjacent to the transmission for pivotal motion about a pivot axis located generally at a forward portion of the clutch engaging member. Operably associated with the clutch engaging member is a transverse linking member that reciprocates from a neutral position in first and second directions in response to pivotal motion of a bottom link. The reciprocation of the transverse link selectively moves said clutch engaging member from a neutral position to a forward drive position and a reverse drive position.

Abstract: A nozzle base for a vacuum cleaner includes an upright front wall, an upright rear wall spaced from the front wall and having a suction air aperture, first and second upright side walls extending transversely between mutual end edges of the front and rear walls, respectively, and an upper wall joined to the front wall, rear wall, first side wall, and second side wall to define a downwardly opening chamber adapted to rotatably support an associated agitator therein. The upper wall has an intermediate section above the suction air aperture, a first wall section tapering downward from the intermediate section in a direction toward the first upright sidewall, and a second wall section tapering downward from the intermediate section in a direction toward the second upright sidewall. The second wall section terminates at a height below an uppermost extent of the agitator, and the second wall section including a recess adapted to conform generally to the agitator.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner having a vacuum cleaner main body, an electric blower motor provided in the vacuum cleaner main body, a dust collection part provided in the vacuum cleaner main body, a suction nozzle body for communicating with the dust collection part, an impeller having a rotary axis provided in an interior portion of the suction nozzle body and driven by a suction force which is generated by said electric blower motor. At least one of a rotation brush member and a rotation blade member is included in the suction nozzle body and an opening portion of the suction nozzle body is opposed to a surface to be subjected to cleaning, a suction inlet port for the suction nozzle body is provided for sucking air from an outside portion and is located separately from the opening portion of the suction nozzle body.

Abstract: A gear driven dial indicator is used to indicate the door closer size for a door closer having an adjustable closing force. A drive gear is attached to the door closer adjustment screw. In the preferred embodiment, this drive gear engages a ring gear which is formed as part of the dial indicator. As the door closer adjustment screw is turned to change the door closer size, the drive gear turns with the adjustment screw. The drive gear then turns the planetary gear which turns the dial indicator, thereby changing the indicated size of the door closer.

Abstract: A hinge connection at a breathing gas supply unit between a container lower part (3) and a container door (4), which is fastened, pivotably around an axis, at a rear container edge (1) of the container lower part (3). The connection is provided such that dimensional differences of the container lower part can have only a limited effect on the positioning of the container door in relation to adjacent components of the breathing gas supply unit. The axis of the hinge is designed as projections (15) located at a spaced location from hinge pins (14) of a rail section (2) in the manner of a pin.

Abstract: A door hinge assembly for a motor vehicle door and including a door hinge having two hinge halves attachable, respectively, to the motor vehicle door and a respective motor vehicle door pillar, and a hinge pin for connecting the two hinge halves and supported in one of the hinge halves with a running fit and removably secured in another of the two hinge halves without a possibility of rotation with respect to the another half; and a door lock formed integrally with the door hinge and including a locking element having at least one detent point and at least one brake and locking member cooperating with the locking element and located radially outwardly of the hinge pin.

Abstract: A flush mount door handle recessed within a door frame. The door handle is set in a box type configuration. The door handle has a bottom support member that extends at an obtuse angle from the back wall and a pull member that does not come in contact the bottom support member. This type of flush mount door handle is designed to permit runoff of liquids, loose dirt, and grime and allow easier cleaning of the entire door handle.

Abstract: A carding machine includes a main carding cylinder including a cylindrical jacket having an outer surface; a cylinder clothing carried on the outer jacket surface; and radial supporting elements supporting the cylindrical jacket. The carding machine further has a machine element defining a radial clearance with the cylinder clothing; two stationary lateral shield plates flanking the main carding cylinder; and an arrangement for reducing heat removal from the lateral shield plates to adapt a heat-caused expansion of the lateral shield plates to a heat-caused expansion of the main carding cylinder.

Abstract: In a process for feeding of textile fibers supplied from a point of delivery of a textile machine to a drafting equipment which continues to process the fibers, the fibers supplied from the point of delivery are formed into a fiber sliver. They are then conveyed in the form of the fiber sliver to a drafting equipment which continues to process the fiber sliver, whereby the fibers are conveyed at least in the area before the drafting equipment by a feed mechanism and are introduced by same into the drafting equipment. In a textile machine to carry out the process, the feed mechanism is provided with a conveying channel which is located between the point of delivery and the input area of the drafting equipment and which conveys the fiber sliver. The conveying channel reaches up to the input area of the drafting equipment. The feed mechanism is provided with a drive arrangement for the conveying of the fiber sliver in the conveying channel.

Abstract: A pipe clip comprising an annular clip body which is made from metal and has adjacent clip-body ends which, between them, form an opening for positioning a pipe around which the pipe clip is to be placed and which can be joined together, which pipe clip furthermore comprises a female fastening element which is fixed to the metal clip body and has an axial bore provided with an internal screw thread for a male fastening element which is provided with an external screw thread and connects the pipe clip to a wall, ceiling or other support.

Abstract: A flexible closure capable of closing a flexible opening. The closure is comprised of two or more strip-like elements that are oriented in a parallel series and have ends that are attached together. The strip-like elements are alternately deformed in groups of one or more to one side and then the other side of a flexible opening. The sets of groups on the two opposing sides of the opening are brought together and held together with a force, usually to create a seal. The closure may be closed in a variety of positions, including curved and straight. The flexible opening being acted upon may be attached permanently inside or outside the closure, attached removably inside or outside the closure, the closure may be placed around the flexible opening, or the closure may be incorporated into the flexible opening. The closure may be used to close such entities as flexible containers.

Abstract: A lock assembly for roller-blades is disclosed. The lock assemble has a plate with a lock stub mounted thereon, a lock block pivotally mounted on the plate and at least one lock device mounted on the lock block. The block has a cavity corresponding to the stub of said plate, a hole for receiving each lock device and a passage connecting to the cavity being defined in a face of each hole. The lock device includes a positioning member with a stock extending through the corresponding passage, a plug securely pressed into the hole to seal it and a spring abutting the positioning member and the plug. The lock assembly can be locked and released in a one step operation so as to increase the convenience of operation.

Abstract: An automatic cable clamping vice with insertion of the cable (1) between an upper tightening member (2) and a lower tightening member (3) anchored through an eyelet (12) is described. In accordance with the present invention the connection between the tightening members (2) and (3) takes place through the two side hinges made up of eyelets (6) and withdrawable pins (7) and (8) as well as the fact that the hinges are inclined at an angle &agr; with respect to the axis of the cable (1) and that the hinges in addition to the rotary movement also permit longitudinal movement in such a manner that the shifting of the member (2) longitudinally with respect to the member (3) due to the cable traction also causes closing of the members (2) and (3) and therewith tightening of the interposed cable (1).

Abstract: A device for magnetically attaching jewelry, name tags or the like to garments and apparel items. The device includes inner (36) and outer (42) magnets and an anchor (48) attached to the outer magnet (42). A pin-secured jewelry article or name tag is secured to the garment by passing the pin (26) through a passageway in the anchor (48) and then bringing the inner (36) and outer (42) magnets into magnetically close proximity on opposite sides of the garment. In another embodiment, a display device includes a socket on its back surface for retaining a first magnet, and a second magnet secures the display device to an apparel item interposed between the magnets.

Abstract: A pressure clip for contacting a heat sink device to a heat sink by means of a pressure bond having thermal resistance of less than about 5 K/kW/cm2. The pressure clip includes a mounting block, a clamp block; a spacer disposed between the mounting block and the clamp block forming a channel therebetween, support shoulders in the channel for supporting a heat sink, means for securing the clamp block and the spacer to the mounting block, pressure arm disposed above the mounting block, flexible joint for flexibly attaching the pressure arm to the mounting block, pressure screw disposed between the pressure arm and the mounting block for applying pressure to the pressure arm, and a plunger projecting into the channel between the mounting block and the clamp block for transmitting pressure from the pressure arm.

Abstract: A connecting element for sheet piles has a cross-section the shape of which is reminiscent of a seahorse, insofar as it forms two hook bars (3, 4) having relatively large inner spaces (8, 14). The hook bars (3, 4) securely grasp the hook bars (21, 22) of adjoining sheet piles (24, 25), thereby enabling the connection of sheet piles at different angles.

Abstract: A molded burial container and method for forming such having a seamless single piece base with a bottom, sides and ends, each of which has an inner wall and an outer wall and a seamless single piece lid having an inner and outer wall, the lid being releasably securable to the base. A coarse aggregate of the moldable material is fused into the interior side of the base and lid inner and outer walls during the molding process as formation of the base and lid is completed. The base and lid inner and outer walls thus form hollow chambers capable of being filled with a structural flowable material such as cellular concrete or structural foam so that the flowable material bonds to the aggregate covered interior side of the inner and outer walls of the base and lid.

Abstract: A process for personalizing a mounting plate of a plurality of layers of a mounting plate material and a plurality of layers of fibrous material layered over the layers of mounting plate material, which involves joining the fibrous material layers to the mounting plate material layers by penetrating a predetermined number of wick-like extensions of the fibrous material into the mounting plate material to a predetermined depth in the mounting plate material.

Abstract: A drawing-in machine includes a harness element provided with an eyelet; an arrangement for displacing the harness element in a direction parallel to the length dimension of the harness element; and a device for aligning the eyelet with a desired drawing-in position. The device includes a sensor detecting an actual position of the eyelet; and an arrangement for displacing the harness element from the detected actual position into the desired drawing-in position.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a roll cutter. The roll cutter has a housing. To the housing, there is attached a base, a cutter assembly, and an optional hoist assembly. The hoist assembly is a telescoping tower that allows the user to engage a roll using a hoist. The hoist can then pick up the roll and move it onto the stand. Once on the stand, the cutting assembly having a cutting tower, a cutting arm, and a saw can be placed at the desired level of cut. A saw can then be used to cut away the roll until it is the desired width. A sanding blade can be used to sand the edge of the roll.

Abstract: Method line to roll strip and plate starting from thin slabs produced by continuous casting, whereby the cast product is subjected to at least one descaling operation followed by a roughing operation and by a finishing operation before being wound in coils, thin slabs being cast continuously at the same time by a continuous casting machine with at least one casting line (11), the thin slabs being then sheared to size to obtain segments of the desired length, the segments then undergoing a first descaling step and then being accelerated into the heating furnace (18) consisting of modules and then to a second descaling unit (21) and then through a roughing rolling mill stand (22), before being delivered to a tunnel furnace (24), a third descaling unit (27) and a finishing train (12).

Abstract: A tool for driving an annular seal into a cavity defined by a shaft assembly housing that surrounds a rotatable shaft includes an elongated body having an interior cavity that opens at a first end of the body for receiving the shaft. The body defines an annular surface at the first end. The annular surface has an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the rotatable shaft and forming a removable frictional seal with the inner diameter of the cavity.

Abstract: An end module assembly has an internal support structure. An exterior fascia is mounted to the internal support structure. The fascia is configured to be a portion of a vehicle body assembly when the end module assembly is installed on the vehicle. An external visible component is mounted to the support structure in a fixed relationship with respect to the fascia in proper alignment with respect to the fascia with a surface thereof facing exteriorly of the fascia. A bumper beam and bumper beam mounting structure connects the bumper beam to the internal support structure. A mounting structure is connected to the support structure for attaching the support structure to mounting points on the partially completed motor vehicle.

Abstract: A hardware assembly is provided for cabinet sliding doors as are used with entertainment centers. The hardware assembly includes a u-shaped spacer which is attached to a slotted plate in selective fashion to provide infinite relative positioning. The hardware assembly can be quickly installed and adjusted by inexperienced personnel which is useful in finishing the cabinet and thereafter, daily usage.

Abstract: A safety mirror lens assembly includes a mirror unit with a mirror lens that has a three-dimensional convex/ellipsoid reflective surface which terminates in an oval or round or other shape peripheral edge. The reflective surface is such that a notional line traced to coincides with the major axis has a first constant radius of curvature and a second notional line traced to coincide with the minor axis has a second constant radius of curvature. The first radius of curvature is substantially greater than the second radius of curvature. The mirror lens is usable for a cross-over mirror for a vehicle, for example, a school bus.

Abstract: A multiple piece bodyside molding includes a cover piece connected to a base piece. The cover is formed in a manner and shape so that it may be chrome-plated while reducing the likelihood of bath/tank contamination during the chrome-plating process. Subsequent to being chrome-plated, the cover is connected to the base so as to form the resulting bodyside molding.

Abstract: Insulating slot liners for insertion into stator core winding slots are formed from a narrow-width reel of insulating material. The width of the material is determined by the inner circumferential surface of the winding slot that must be insulated, instead of being based on the axial length of the stator core as has been the practice in the past. As a result, slot liners may be easily produced for stator cores of different axial lengths by simply adjusting the length of material cut from the reel. Preferably, the cutting mechanism used to cut the length of material is adapted to form a pair of opposed cuffs when the material is cut. An insulator blank formed in this manner is pushed into a die, thereby forming a U-shaped slot liner. A transfer mechanism functions to move the slot liner into a respective winding slot. The slot liner preferably passes through a reduced diameter guideway defined in a guide element as it is moved into the winding slot.

Abstract: When applied to an electrolyser for producing halogen gases from aqueous alkali halogenide solution using several plate-like electrolysis cells arranged side by side in a stack whilst electrically connected, each cell being encased in two semi-shells made from electroconductive material with contact strips on the outer side of at least one of the casing's rear walls, the anode and the cathode being separated from one another by a partition, arranged parallel to one another and electrically connected to the rear wall of the respective casing via metal reinforcements, the current-carrying surface should be as large as possible to avoid uneven current distribution. This is achieved by the fact that the metal reinforcements are in the form of solid plates (10) which are flush with the contact strips (7) and whose side edges run up the entire height of the rear wall (3A, 4A) and the anode (8) or cathode (9).

Abstract: An apparatus for injecting a plurality of coil groups into a stator core of a dynamoelectric machine is described. The injection apparatus includes, in one embodiment, a stripper assembly including a first stripper. The first stripper includes an injection disk which, in one embodiment, is formed from nylon. A first surface of the injection disk is configured to contact a segment of at least one of the coils to move the coil axially along the blades of the injection apparatus without contacting portions of the coil in gaps between the blades.

Abstract: There is provided a magnetic head which is able to enhance the magnetic field intensity to be generated by shaping a magnetic pole, and a method of manufacturing the same. The method of manufacturing a magnetic head, comprising the steps of forming a lower recording magnetic pole and an upper recording magnetic pole, and trimming partially an elongated pole in the vicinity of a floating surface of the upper recording magnetic pole and an upper portion of the lower recording magnetic pole positioned below and around the elongated pole by an ion milling method, wherein a core width of the elongated pole can be adjusted.

Abstract: In a component placement machine, a placement head (4) is driven by a linear motor (5). The stationary part (7) of the motor is attached to the machine frame (1) on which a PCB (8) is attached. The movable part (6) of the motor is connected to a slide (2) on which the placement head (4) is attached. During driving the placement head, reactive forces of the motor generate vibrations in the stationary part (7) of the motor and thus in the machine frame (20). This causes inaccuracies during the placement of components (9) on the PCB (8). To diminish this problem, the reactive forces are intercepted in a separate force frame (10) which is dynamically disconnected from the machine frame (1).

Abstract: A flexible coaxial cable comprises a core including at least one inner conductor and a closed cell foam dielectric surrounding the inner conductor. The flexible coaxial cable also includes a tubular metallic sheath closely surrounding and preferably bonded to the core. The closed cell foam dielectric is a low density polyolefin foam and possesses improved electrical properties over conventional foam dielectrics. The coaxial cable has a velocity of propagation of greater than 90 percent of the speed of light but still maintains high flexibility and bending characteristics.

Abstract: In a component mounting apparatus, a component (8) is held, positioned and mounted at a predetermined position of a member (4) to be mounted. After the component (8) is mounted to the member (4), a component holding member (5) is raised by a distance corresponding approximately to a push-in amount by which the component holding member (5) has been moved down to mount the component, then stopped to retain the component (8), is kept in this state while retaining the component for a fixed time, and is raised again to a predetermined position.

Abstract: In a bump forming method and its forming apparatus, a torch is made to approach a bottom end of a wire extended from a capillary tool to form a ball, thereafter the wire is held by first clampers to lower the capillary tool, and the ball is inserted into the bottom end of the central hole of the capillary tool. Then, the wire is held by the first clampers so that it does not lower and cut by lowering of the capillary tool. Moreover, the capillary tool is further lowered and the ball is pressed against the electrode of a workpiece to bond the ball to the electrode to form a bump. A tail protruded from the bump is crushed by pressing a pressing jig against the tail to make the height of the bump uniform. Thereby, the ball is firmly bonded to the electrode and the joint surface between the ball and the electrode is not damaged.

Abstract: A resin package fabrication processes comprises three steps. At the first step, a thermosetting resin-containing resin substrate is machined. At the second step carried out after the first step, the resin substrate is heated to an original glass transition temperature that the resin substrate has or a temperature that is higher than the glass transition temperature so that the glass transition temperature that the resin substrate has is elevated to a new glass transition temperature. At the third step, a resin layer is placed on at least a portion of the resin substrate to which the new glass transition temperature is imparted, and the resin substrate with the resin layer placed on that portion is then heated to the original glass transition temperature or a temperature between the original glass transition temperature and the new glass transition temperature, thereby fixing the resin layer to the resin substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a subassembly for use in a printed circuit board is described. This method includes providing a subassembly including a circuit board layer laminated to two sheets of conductive material with two intermediate sheets of prepreg material, forming a via in the assembly, plating the via, filling the via with a plug material in a volatile solvent, evaporating the volatile solvent, and curing the plug material. Also described is a method of forming a partially filled via in a circuit board layer and a method of forming a thermally conductive plug in a circuit board layer for the transfer of thermal energy from one surface of the circuit board to the other.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing and assembling a composite insulator are provided. At least one metal end fitting is provided having a sleeve portion which defines a bore with a first diameter, d1. An insulator subassembly is then formed. The insulator subassembly includes a rod of electrically insulating plastic material and an insulator sheath covering at least a portion of the outer surface of the rod. An end portion of the sheath has a deformable circumferential ridge formed on the outer surface thereof. This circumferential ridge has a second diameter, d2, which is greater than the first diameter, d1. The insulator subassembly is then inserted into the bore of the metal end fitting with a spacer member interposed between the metal end fitting and at least the circumferential ridge. The spacer member serves to deform the ridge to define a temporary vent for allowing air within the bore to escape.

Abstract: Forged connecting rod, in particular of an internal combustion engine, including a body (1), a connecting rod small end (2) and a connecting rod big end (3), forming two connecting rod small end and connecting rod big end bearings for receiving respectively a piston pin and a crankpin. The connecting rod is being constituted by two half connecting rods (5) which are substantially symmetrical relative to a longitudinal median plane (6) of the connecting rod, which plane contains the longitudinal axis of the connecting rod, the joint surface (9) of the half connecting rods being essentially disposed in the median plane (6), the half connecting rods (5), each of which has a connecting rod half bearing (7) and a connecting rod big end half bearing (8).

Abstract: A method for making a torque converter includes the steps of forming a blade having a tab extending outward from the blade and along a portion of a length of the blade. A recess is formed in the housing sized to receive the first tab. The recess defines an edge adjacent the tab and extending along the tab. The tab is inserted within the recess to form a housing assembly. A brazing material is provided between the tab and the housing.

Abstract: A hybrid gas turbine engine airfoil is made by forming a metal airfoil with a pocket in one side thereof. The pocket is covered by a caul. An elastomeric fluid is injected into the pocket and cured therein for bonding thereto. The caul is removed from the airfoil to expose the cured elastomer conforming to the aerodynamic profile thereof.

Abstract: A nozzle rod is formed by fixing a thick diamond chip to a tip of a nozzle pipe made of a super hard metal, the other end of the nozzle pipe is thinned and the nozzle rod is joined with a shank by way of this end, a tip of the nozzle rod and vicinities thereof are so shaped as to have a predetermined sectional shape, a center hole is formed in the diamond chip by wire electro spark machining and expanded for forming a nozzle slot having a nozzle opening consisting of a center slit and “U-shaped” slits which are disposed symmetrically on both sides of a longitudinal direction of the center slit, thereby composing an electronic part adsorbing nozzle. This construction enables it to provide an electronic part adsorbing nozzle which is economical and excellent in durability.

Abstract: An improved vehicle wheel and method for producing the same includes a wheel rim and a wheel disc joined together by a weld. The wheel disc includes a generally centrally located wheel mounting portion which defines a vertical axis and an outer annular flange. The outer annular flange of the wheel disc defines an outer surface which is inverted at a predetermined angle relative to the vertical axis. The outer annular flange further includes a plurality of arches formed therein.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a traction roller for a continuously variable transmission comprises placing a layer on a hollow cylindrical material having the volume substantially equal to the traction roller, performing axial pressure forging of the cylindrical material to obtain a work having the axial length substantially equal to that of the traction roller, performing axial die forging of the work to form side wall and outer peripheral surface of the traction roller, and grinding the work subjected to die forging to obtain a finished product of the traction roller.

Abstract: A space frame includes a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending side rail structures and longitudinally spaced pairs of laterally spaced upright structures having joints at their lower ends with the pair of side rail structures. The longitudinal spaced pairs of laterally spaced upright structures extend upwardly from the side rails structures and define a plurality of pairs of pillars, including a pair of forward A pillars, a longitudinally spaced pair of B pillars, and a longitudinally spaced pair of rearward end pillars. A pair of the side roof structures has joints with the pair of A pillars. The pair of side roof structures extends longitudinally rearwardly from the pair of A pillars and have joints with the pair of B pillars and with the pair of rearward end pillars. Longitudinally spaced cross structures have joints with the pair of side rail structures, with the pair of A pillars and with the pair of side roof structures.

Abstract: A composite roof bow includes a flexible plastic segment and a rigid reinforcing segment. In another aspect of the present invention, the flexible plastic segment is insert molded to the reinforcing segment. In another aspect of the present invention, the flexible segment is predominately unfilled plastic and the reinforcing segment is filled plastic, which are attached together to create a generally rigid roof bow.