Abstract: A process for producing a preform includes the steps of retaining a glass fiber fabric (40) on a foraminous screen (14) by use of a vacuum draw and depositing chopped glass fibers (19) onto the glass fiber fabric with a binder that cures in place. The vacuum draw retains the deposited materials in place until the binder is cured.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for making preforms from a fibrous material such as glass fibers. The apparatus includes a porous mold form that, in carrying out the method, is attached over the open face of a charge box. The charge box and mold form are then rotated as a single unit to dump glass fibers or other fiberous reinforcement held in the charge box onto the mold form. Air is drawn through the porous mold form to thereby retain a layer of the glass fibers against the mold form. The mold form and charge box are rotated back to their initial position and then disconnected. A binder is sprayed onto the glass fibers if not otherwise already applied thereto. The binder is then cured, resulting in a unitary glass fibers preform.

Abstract: A molding method for molding a shaped plastic trim panel from a wet moldable composite includes a blade for trimming the molded plastic trim panel while it is still in the molding apparatus. The lower mold member has an annular severing slot and annular clamping shoulders inwardly and outwardly of the severing slot. The upper mold member has an annular slot that is aligned with the severing slot of the lower mold member and annular clamping shoulders on either side of the slot. These shoulders cooperate with the clamping shoulders of the lower mold member to clamp the margin of the molded plastic trim panel that is shaped in the molding members. An annular cutting blade having a serrated cutting edge disposed in the slot of the upper mold member moves down vertically into the severing groove to cut through the clamped margin and trim the molded plastic trim panel.

Abstract: An automotive interior trim component is constructed by placing a cast polyvinyl chloride (PVC), vacuum formed or sprayed thermoplastic/thermoset cover stock, or a cloth/fabric outer shell in a closeable mold, spraying a coating of urethane foam forming materials onto a back surface of the shell, closing the mold with a lid so that an insert is held in spaced relation to the shell and clamping the lid shut while the foam forming material react to provide a shaped foam cushion that is between and bonded to the shell and the insert.

Abstract: An aluminum object is manufactured by a process including chromate conversion coating of the aluminum object; sequentially applying a primer coat to the outer surface and thereafter applying a dielectric substrate basecoat; vacuum metallizing a corrosion prone metal, namely indium, on the dielectric substrate basecoat to form "islands" of the indium that are top coated with a clear resinous layer to encapsulate and insulate the islands, one from another. The indium islands are less than one thousand angstroms thick and have an average diameter of less than three thousand angstroms. The island structure is etched following the growth of the metal as it is deposited between the nucleation stage and the stage of channelization of formation of an electrically conductive film. The etchant is selected to clear channels between island structures to improve adhesion of a dielectric resinous top coat to the dielectric substrate by order of magnitude to adhesion to the islands.

Abstract: A venting device for a rotocast shell mold body having a neck and a flanged neck plate thereon. The venting device is a tube formed of black iron pipe of a predetermined diameter and length and mounted in an opening formed in one of the neck or a cover mounted on the neck plate, and extended for approximately half its length into the interior of the mold. When used with the neck of the mold, the tube is welded in place, and when used with a mold cover, the tube is threadedly mounted therein.

Abstract: A dual door arrangement is insert molded in a decorative automotive instrument panel to create an opening for air bag deployment. The arrangement comprises two self hinging sheet metal doors that are attached to a thermoplastic frame by integral clips. One door has an outwardly projecting lip embedded in the instrument panel that initiate a central slit in the instrument panel for propagating the air bag opening. The other door has a depressed shelf that underlies the lip and adjacent margin of the first door to provide several advantages including helping the lip to initiate the central slit.

Abstract: A closure for an air bag assembly includes a door having an edge portion of the door that defines a segment of a deployment opening for the air bag when the door is opened and the door is held in a normally closed position by a fastener tab that includes a lip thereon that will cover the edge portion of the door to prevent the air bag from engaging the edge portion during deployment.

Abstract: A cover normally concealing a safety air bag is adapted to rupture to form an opening for air bag deployment into the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. The cover is formed of plastic material that tends to become embrittled and fragment when torn or pierced below a certain ambient temperature. A heater is provided behind the cover that is adapted to heat the rupture area in the event of air bag deployment. A heater control operates the heater to maintain this critical area above the fragmentation temperature when the vehicle is being operated at low ambient temperatures that would cause plastic embrittlement.

Abstract: An instrument panel for an automotive vehicle includes a substructure that extends across the width of an automotive vehicle passenger compartment and is secured to side pillars of an automotive vehicle body. A pair of laterally spaced knee bolsters each include a retainer that has a rearwardly facing wall that is located at knee height, and a pair of integrally attached, vertically spaced struts that are attached to a lower channel of the substructure to form a first box structure for absorbing impact energy. A front channel is disposed in front of the lower channel and securely attached to the substructure of the instrument panel. The attached channels provide a cross car duct for wiring or air distribution and a second box structure for absorbing energy when the knee bolster is impacted in a vehicle collision.

Abstract: A motor vehicle body has an instrument panel construction that includes a structural instrument panel carrier of plastic material for mounting instrument panel components. The carrier is attached to side pillars located at a juncture of passenger and engine compartments so as to form a cross beam. The instrument panel construction has its external appearance determined by adding facial instrument panel coverings to the instrument panel carrier after the instrument panel components are mounted on the instrument panel carrier. The structural instrument panel carrier may also be integrated with a front of dash (FOD) panel that may be composed of the same material and that provides a second cross beam.

Abstract: A process for making a continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic article that is sufficiently strong and rigid for use as a structural member includes the steps of providing a tubular composite parison that has continuous, axially oriented glass fiber filaments dispersed in a thermoplastic resin and admitting pressurized air into the interior of the tubular parison to expand the tubular parison to a desired shape.

Abstract: A modular assembly for separating a passenger compartment from an engine compartment in an automotive vehicle body comprises three structural cross car members that combine to provide sufficient cross car stiffness between the side pillars so as to eliminate any need for an upper cross car beam at the cowl of the vehicle body. The three structural cross car members include a front of dash panel, an intermediate close out panel and an instrument panel carrier that form two rows of ducts for meeting the needs of the heating, ventilating and air conditioning system of the vehicle and the wiring requirements of the instrument panel. The instrument panel carrier is part of a covered instrument panel subassembly that includes a shell and an underlying foam cushion. The foam cushion is foamed in place in a mold that includes a slide and pivot mechanism for manipulating a mold lid and clamp between a closed clamped position and a shaping position where the molded subassembly is accessible for a shaping operation.

Abstract: A side impact protection apparatus for use on the inner panel of a vehicle door. The apparatus is a cushion including a hollow flexible skin having an inner wall secured to the inner panel, and flexible walls between the skin and the inner wall, some having an orifice formed therein, to prevent the skin from bulging. Air contained in the cushion is adaptable to flow through inner wall orifice(s), prior to discharge through a side wall orifice, when subjected to impact by the vehicle occupant in the event of a high force side impact against the vehicle.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle body has an integrated cross car structural duct cluster that is a composite that is connected to side pillars located on opposite sides of the vehicle body. The composite acts as a cross beam and provides four ducts that extend across the width of the vehicle body. Three ducts are related to the HVAC system of the vehicle and the fourth is a wiring duct. Five variations are disclosed. In two the composite comprises steel rods embedded in a molded plastic body. In the other three the composite comprises a steel plate that is attached to a molded plastic body.

Abstract: A steering wheel mounted air bag cover door (10) includes a horn switch (20) disposed on its outside surface (16) for actuating a vehicle horn (40) in response to the application of a predetermined horn actuating force to the cover door. The horn switch (20) is spaced apart laterally from the tear seam (18) on the cover door (10). A cover band (22) extends over and conceals the horn switch (20), the cover band also being spaced apart laterally from the tear seam (18). The cover band (22) includes a removable attachment feature (26) whereby the cover band may be removed easily from the cover door (10) to replace the horn switch (20). An adjustment feature (28) enables one to adjust the distance between the cover band (22) and the cover door (10) to prevent pinching of the horn switch (20).

Abstract: A reinforced vinyl shell comprises a two layer construction for covering air bag doors that open through the shell when an air bag is deployed. The reinforced vinyl shell includes a first layer of unreinforced vinyl and a second layer is fused to the first layer and is formed of a vinyl material mixed with reinforcing fibers. Such fibers are randomly dispersed in the vinyl and may be comprised of fillers, such as glass, recycled RIM, or recycled vinyl. Other thermoplastic castable materials may be used in place of the vinyl.

Abstract: A separate door assembly with an outer shell, a layer of backing foam and a rigid substrate for covering an inflatable air bag system of a supplemental restraint system to protect the occupant of a vehicle, the separate door seats within an opening in an interior trim structure of a vehicle and is attached to the interior trim structure so that the whole door assembly can separate from the interior trim product during air bag deployment without delamination of the outer shell from the layer of backing foam.

Abstract: A system for controlling the liquid pressure for a liquid cutting dispenser includes an intensifier for producing a predetermined constant pressurized liquid through a conduit to the cutting dispenser. A plurality of reducing dispensers are connected to the conduit and selectively controlled to reduce the pressure from the predetermined pressure of liquid. By actuating different combinations of reducing dispensers having different jewel sizes, variable pressures are obtained. The selection and duration of the reducing dispensers are programmed into memory along with a path a robot is to follow to allow automated cutting with variable pressures.

Abstract: A process for producing a motor vehicle bumper includes the steps of depositing chopped glass fibers (19) and a curable binder (24) to a center section (38) of a preform (11) that is retained on a preform screen (14) by a vacuum draw from a suction fan (15). A ratio of shredded structural reinforced injected molded plastic (23) and glass fiber (19) is sprayed to form end sections (41) and flanges (39) of the preform (11) along with binder (24). The preform (11) is then cured on the screen (14).