Abstract: A waste container has an axle assembly comprising an axle with opposing axle end caps adapted to mount the wheels of the waste container. The axle comprises a metal rod encapsulated in plastic. An annular axle groove is formed near the ends of the axle in the encapsulating plastic. The metal rod provides the necessary strength for the axle and the encapsulating plastic protects the rod from corrosion while permitting the formation of the annular axle grooves used for mounting the axle to the wheel. The axle can easily be injection molded, reducing the cost and manufacturing time of prior axles while still providing corrosion protection.

Abstract: A waste container having a wheel assembly comprising an axle assembly on which are slidably mounted a pair of wheels. The axle assembly comprises a pultruded shaft with opposing end caps. The end caps have an indentation for receiving a retainer to retain the wheels on the shaft.

Abstract: The invention relates to a waste container of the type typically used in residential waste collection systems. The waste container includes a container body having opposing side walls that extend upwardly from a bottom wall to form a waste compartment with an open top for access thereto. The bottom wall of the container body is reinforced by a series of corrugations to increase the rigidity of the bottom wall to prevent sagging, which can result in premature wear and failure. The corrugations also increase the heat transfer rate of the bottom wall, which improves the cooling characteristics of the waste container during molding. The corrugations further provide airflow channels for the injection of air between the container body and a mold during the molding process to improve the ease of removing the waste container body from the mold and to prevent stretching in the bottom of the container during the molding process.

Abstract: Molding of relatively large articles such as automobile body parts by gas-assisted injection molding with sequential gating of injected thermoplastic resin into the mold cavity. Elongated ribs in the parts form gas channels and strengthening ribs for the parts. Structural parts are made by adhesively joining two such parts made by gas-assisted injection molding through a combination of hollow ribs and joining flanges at sides of the parts.

Abstract: Molding of relatively large articles such as automobile body parts by gas-assisted injection molding with sequential gating of injected thermoplastic resin into the mold cavity. Elongated ribs in the parts form gas channels and strengthening ribs for the parts. Structural parts are made by adhesively joining two such parts made by gas-assisted injection molding through a combination of hollow ribs and joining flanges at sides of the parts.

Abstract: A dash mat for blocking the transfer of sound from a vehicle engine compartment, through a firewall, and into a passenger compartment. The dash mat being mounted to the firewall and comprising a planar sheet in which is formed a channel for receiving a vehicle accessory, such as a wiring harness, and a pair of resilient fingers positioned on opposite sides of and overlying the channel to hold the vehicle accessory within the channel.

Abstract: A dash mat for a vehicle comprising a passenger compartment and an engine compartment separated by a firewall. The dash mat comprises a decoupling layer with multiple openings and a sound barrier layer with integrally molded fasteners that are received within the decoupling layer openings to secure together the decoupling and sound barrier layers. The fasteners have at least one flange portion that overlies the sound barrier to capture a portion of the decoupling layer between the flange and the sound barrier.

Abstract: A dash mat for blocking the transfer of sound from the vehicle engine compartment, through the firewall, and into the passenger compartment. The dash mat comprising a planar sheet having a pair of opposed doors aligned with an opening in the firewall through which passes a vehicle accessory. The doors move between an open position, where the vehicle accessory can be passed through, and a closed position, where the doors seal the vehicle accessory relative to the planar sheet.

Abstract: Molding of relatively large articles such as automobile body parts by gas-assisted injection molding with sequential gating of injected thermoplastic resin into the mold cavity. Elongated ribs in the parts form gas channels and strengthening ribs for the parts. Structural parts are made by adhesively joining two such parts made by gas-assisted injection molding through a combination of hollow ribs and joining flanges at sides of the parts.

Abstract: A multi-compartment container includes a partition member located in the container a pair of lids pivotally attached to the partition member. Each lid includes a pair of integrally molded hinge arms and one or more integrally molded cantilevered hinge pins extends laterally from each of the hinge arms of each lid along a common pivot axis. Spaced sockets are formed in the partition member for pivotally receiving the cantilevered hinge pins of each lid. Some of the hinge pins of each lid have a beveled end surface, and the partition member has a beveled surface adjacent some of the sockets complementary to the hinge pin beveled end surfaces. With this arrangement, each of the lids can be installed on the container by aligning the beveled surfaces of the pins and partition wall, and forcing the hinge pins in a camming action along the beveled surfaces until the hinge pins snap into their respective sockets.

Abstract: An acoustical barrier for blocking the transfer of sound through a barrier wall. The acoustical barrier comprises a sound absorbing layer and a decoupling layer mounted to the sound absorbing layer and spacing the sound absorbing layer from the barrier wall. The decoupling layer has a constructoin defining multiple voids to reduce the quantity of material used to construct the decoupling layer and to reduce the surface area of the decoupling layer contracting the barrier wall. Preferably, the decoupling layer has multiple protrusions such as ribs between which are interstitial spaces defining the voids.

Abstract: A waste container having a hingedly mounted lid that can be moved between a closed position for covering the container to an open position for providing access to the container. The lid is provided with a groove spaced from the hinge so that when the lid is rotated from the closed position to the open position, any moisture on the lid will flow into the groove where it is directed off of the lid instead of onto the hinge or into the waste container.

Abstract: An acoustical barrier (10) for mounting to the fire wall (20) of a motor vehicle includes a sound barrier layer (12) of a molded construction and sound dampening characteristics. The sound barrier layer (12) has an integrally molded boot (40) for receiving and acoustically sealing a steering column (70). The boot (40) has a base portion (42) integrally molded with a convolute portion (48), and a cap portion (56) integrally molded with the convolute portion (48). The convolute portion (48) includes a continuous outer wall section (50) surrounding an opening (46) in the sound barrier layer (12). The continuous outer wall section (50) has an upper end integrally formed with a flexible bight portion (54). A continuous inner wall (52) has an upper end integrally formed with the bight portion (54) and a lower end integrally formed with the cap portion (56). The cap portion (56) has an opening coincident with the openings (46, 78) in the sound barrier layer (12) and fire wall (20), respectively.

Abstract: A bolster is moveably mounted on a seat back with a bolster adjustment mechanism adapted to adjust and control the support provided by the bolster. Preferably, the bolster adjustment mechanism is mounted on the back side of the seat back, and preferably includes a positioning member between adjacent ribs in order to form a stop limit or positioning element when contacted by the ribs. The positioning member can be a variety of structures, such as structures of different dimensions, hardnesses or compressibility.

Abstract: A dash mat assembly (10) for installation in a vehicle includes an acoustic barrier layer (12) attached to an absorber layer (14). The acoustic barrier layer (12) is formed of relatively stiff material while the absorber layer (14) is formed of relatively flexible material. The inner surface of the acoustic, barrier layer (12) is in direct contact with the outer surface of the absorber layer. Fasteners (16) are provided for attaching the layers together. Each fastener has an elongate pin (22) with opposite ends and a flexible holding flange (24, 26) integrally molded at each end of the pin (22). The flanges (24, 26) normally extend generally transverse to a central axis of the pin and the length of each flange is greater than a cross-sectional dimension of the pin. The fasteners (16) extend completely through the acoustic barrier layer (12) and can, extend either partially or completely through the absorber layer (14).

Abstract: An acoustical barrier (10) for a vehicle having a barrier wall which includes a floor area (23) and a fire wall area (25) extending between a wheel well area (41) and a drive train area (42). The acoustical barrier (10) includes a mass layer (12) that covers at least a portion of the barrier wall. The mass layer (12) has an inner surface (16) that faces the barrier wall with an integrally formed peripheral rib (52) projecting therefrom. A first set of elongate ribs (48) intersects and joins with a second set of elongate ribs (50). The first and second sets of elongate ribs (48, 50) are located within the enclosed area. Each elongate rib (48, 50) includes an upper portion integrally formed with the inner surface (16) of the mass layer and a lower portion with an outer edge (54, 60) adapted to at least face the barrier wall.

Abstract: A mold for molding thermoplastic parts having a plurality of pinholes wherein at least one of the mold cavities has a number of projections in the form of three-dimensional tapering shapes, for example, cones, which extend to a point near to but spaced from the confronting surface of the other mold half cavity. The taper of the angle of the projection and spacing between the apices of the projection and the surface of the other mold half are selected so that molten thermoplastic freezes before it covers the apices of the projections during the molding process to thereby form pinholes in the resulting plastic part. A method for molding plastic parts with pinholes with the use of the mold cavity with multiple projections is also disclosed.