Abstract: A mold press assembly has an outer press frame carrying first and second inner frames that are interlocked to the press frame during relative vertical movements of an upper platen and a lower platen for defining a throat distance for receiving mold parts connected thereto and the first and second inner frames connect on first and second drive shafts for pivotal booking movement. The shafts are connected at one end to an electric motor and connected at other points therealong to ball screws for vertically positioning an upper platen with respect to the outer press frame and for reciprocating the lower platen outwardly with respect to the pivoted second inner frame; and the first and second inner frames are driven by other ball screws and electric motors to pivot about the first and second drive shafts for providing access to mold parts connected to the upper and lower platens.

Abstract: A door (20) for a separation table (10) is pivotably installed within discharge chute (12). The door is pivotable between a closed position and an open position. The door has a distal planar section (24) that lies horizontally against the floor wall (38) of the discharge chute when in a closed position. The door when in the open position has a curved contour section (26) that defines the lowest extent (47) of the door and upper wall of opening (47). A stop limit mechanism (50) includes a bar 52 that is adjustably mounted within discharge chute (12) to limit the opening of the door (20).

Abstract: An airbag assembly (10) includes a sheet metal door subassembly (36) with a cross cut (40) and two side cuts (38) that fully covers an airbag escape opening (34) in a primary substrate (32). The inflation of the airbag (16) causes two doors (42) of the subassembly 36, to bend around the primary substrate (32) at upper and lower sides of an airbag escape opening (34). A cutting edge (44) is located at one end (46) of one of the two doors (42) and cuts an opening through the outer uninterrupted cover (25) so the airbag (16) may expand therethrough into the passenger compartment of a vehicle. The subassembly (36) has a continuous periphery (36a) that is connected by a reduced number of rivets (26).

Abstract: The method for inserting a screw or insert having a barbed or other irregular surface or barbed type insert includes the steps of providing a tool having an ultrasonic horn and a cavity for an insert; filling the cavity with plastic filler material and positioning the insert against the center of the filler material; thereafter, activating the horn to vibrate the insert to soften and penetrate the insert into the opening.

Abstract: A steering wheel (12) incorporates an air bag unit (22). The air bag unit has a cover door (30) with a transducer (38) molded in a deformable front wall (35) of the cover door. The transducer is operably connected to an electrical circuit (42) that actuates a horn (44) when the circuit senses an actuating output voltage at the output lead (41) of the transducer (38). The transducer produces the actuating output voltage when hand pressure is exerted on the front wall (35).

Abstract: A method for forming a hidden tear seam in the cover for a safety air bag assembly comprises the steps of filling a heated open mold with liquid plastisol or dry powder comprised of polyvinyl materials; forming a gel layer of polyvinyl chloride material on the open heated thin metal mold; dumping excess polyvinyl liquid plastisol chloride material from the gel layer; fusing the gel layer; stamping a tear seam in a fused layer while it is still plastic by providing an anvil having a surface thereon of a first predetermined area and including an embossment thereon extending outwardly of said first predetermined area and stamping the tear seam by directing the embossment into the fused layer until the surface engages the fused layer and wherein the first predetermined area is sized to produce a reaction force on the anvil to determine the depth of penetration of the embossment and thereafter finally curing and cooling the fused layer and removing same from said thin metal mold.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reclaiming urethane foam and polyvinyl chloride plastic material from composite plastic articles (18). The articles pass through a granulator (23) and pass through a first elutriator (36) where two streams of particles are formed. A denser stream passes to a second elutriator (50) where at its exit (56) substantially pure polyvinyl chloride particles are passed into bin (58). A less dense stream of particles pass to a screen separator (64) where intermediately sized particles are sorted onto conveyor (74) which passes substantially pure urethane foam to baler (76).

Abstract: A test mold assembly for evaluating the surface deformation tendency of a coverstock bonded to a reactive plastic formulation to voids in the formulation including a base adapted to support a coverstock and spaced side walls extending upwardly from the base to define a mold cavity for receiving foam precursors. The assembly further includes a lid adapted to form the top of the mold cavity and having a cover portion disposed spaced from the base. The lid includes a plurality of integral projections extending downwardly from the cover portion into the mold cavity a predetermined distance to create voids in the foam. A method of making a foam void model for evaluating the surface deformation tendency of a coverstock bonded to a reactive plastic formulation to voids in the formulation is also disclosed.

Abstract: An SIR door and instrument panel are formed by adhering a single, unitary cover material over a preformed door insert member and separate preformed panel insert member. The insert members are sprayed with an adhesive and placed on a support member with the door insert member aligned with and raised above an opening in the panel insert member. The single, unitary cover material is laid over the insert members and vacuum formed thereabout. Thereafter, the cover material is trimmed from the door insert member. The door insert member and cover material are removed from support member. The instrument panel and supplemental impact restraint (SIR) door may thereafter be assembled.

Abstract: A swing out container holder is provided as part of a vehicle armrest or console. The armrest includes a front side forming the front part of the armrest in the closed position and forming a support shell of the container holder in the open position. The front side swings open about a lower surface hinge to expose the container holder. A second container holder is automatically slid out from within the armrest upon opening movement of the first container holder.

Abstract: A process for producing a reinforced plastic motor vehicle bumper includes the steps of placing a woven roving (17) on a center section of a preform screen (10) that is retained by a vacuum draw from a suction fan (16). Chopped glass fibers (20) and a curable binder are sprayed onto the preform screen and woven roving. A second layer (22) of woven roving is placed onto the center section of chopped glass and first layer (17) of woven roving. Either the excess trim (39) is trimmed by a cutting die (50) before the preform is cured or the die is first cured and then the excess trim is trimmed by a cutter using a plastic base (35) in the screen that circumscribes the contoured section of the preform screen.

Abstract: A method of producing a molded foam article having an integral skin and a backing layer of foam comprising mixing particles of two polyvinyl compounds one of the compounds having a molecular weight less than that of the other compound and a higher solvating plasticizer than that of the other compound and casting the mixture against a heated mold surface and melting the one compound to flood the interstices of the particles of the other compound and float to the surface of the heated mold to form a skin and wherein the other compound includes foaming constituents to simultaneously form a layer of foam material behind the skin.

Abstract: A gasketing device for forming a molded interior trim component for a vehicle utilizes a flexible planar gasket compressed between mold halves to prevent foaming material from entering the gasket area. The gasket is adapted to be secured to a structural insert and has a flexible peripheral edge that seals against the inside surface of a bezel on the insert. The gasket extends through the opening defined by the bezel to seal against a skin shell. The method includes mounting the gasket on the insert. The insert and gasket are placed on a mold half with an opposing mold half having a skin shell thereon. A foaming formulation is placed between the skin shell and insert and allowed to foam about the gasket to secure the insert to the skin shell. The product is removed, the skin shell over the gasket cut and peeled away to form an opening in the shell dimensioned smaller than the dimensions of the peripheral edge of the gasket.

Abstract: A RIM molded energy absorbing polyurethane rigid foam prepared from reacting inter alia a graft polymer polyol and an organic isocyanate using water as the blowing agent.

Abstract: A method for forming a 360 degree integral skin handle in a thermoplastic part for use in automotive trim products includes the steps of forming a mold with a partial recess with raised side ribs joined to a removable plug with raised side ribs and thereafter selectively directing heat from a first source through the mold and from a second source through the plug to form a completely closed, curved, heated tube surface and thereafter casting thermoplastic material against the curved, heated tube surface to fuse and cure a layer of material thereon in the form of a tube skin segment which is releasable from the mold when the plug is removed. Apparatus for practicing the method includes a mold with a recess therein and a plug is supported on the mold for movement into a position for closing the tube surface and into a demolding position for releasing the molded part. The raised side ribs combine to form spaced parallel recesses in the tube to form an inner surface on a 360.degree. with a smooth feel.

Abstract: An assembly (10) for molding a two-tone color plastic shell (12) includes a divider wall (42) having first and second sections (42a) and (42b) that are interconnected for lateral adjustment therebetween for controlling the position of a seal gasket (60) with respect to a divider rib or division surface (36) on a heated mold (22).

Abstract: A two tone plastic vehicle door shell (10), FIG. 1 has a front surface (12) and a side surface (14) separated into two tone segments (18, 20) (18a, 20a) by an integral two tone trim line (22). The shell's side surface is joined to a return flange (16). The return flange is arranged generally parallel to the front of the shell and includes a side flap (26) thereon which covers a cut-out opening (24) in the return flange on either side of the trim line at the side of the door. The cut-out opening (24) is provided for removing a seal and divider wall assembly from the door shell when thermoplastic powder is cast on a heated mold to form the shell. A tool FIG.

Abstract: A passenger vehicle has a dashboard having a decorative panel for covering an air bag assembly installation and enable deployment outwardly of the panel upon inflation. The panel comprises a thermoplastic inner support layer having discrete surfaces abutting each other along a predetermined H-shaped tear seam line partially framing the opening to define a door in the panel and a flexible vinyl outer skin layer presenting a smooth outer surface and having a weakened section on its inner surface forming the seam line. An intermediate resilient olefin foam layer or a polyurethane foam layer of equivalent strength having discrete surfaces abutting each other along the seam line completely fills the void between the inner and outer layers and is adhesively bonded to the inner and outer layers.

Abstract: Molded urethane articles (10) are deflashed by impinging or shooting particles (14) of polyvinyl chloride at the flash (18) which develops between the seams of the mold parts. The polyvinyl chloride particles (14) are random in shape and have a maximum cross-sectional measure of 0.125 inches. The polyvinyl chloride particles (14) are set in motion using a blast of air produced by a particle blaster (12). The polyvinyl chloride particles (14) have a hardness range (50-85 Shore A durometer) which is hard enough to deflash articles made of semi-rigid urethane and, yet, soft enough not to damage a polyvinyl chloride cone.

Abstract: A preform (11) is formed from sprayed binder and chopped fibers from respective nozzles (21) and (18) onto a foraminous screen (14). A plurality of nozzles (33) are circumferentially spaced about nozzles (21) and (18) and provide heated air to cure the binder. The nozzles (18),(21), and (33) are affixed to each other and are mounted onto a gantry (32) for relative motion with respect to the screen (14). The heated air cures the preform (11) simultaneously with it formation.