Abstract: A moldable batt is disclosed that comprises a fire-retardant cellulose, a fiber component, and a binder component. In one version of the invention, the fiber and binder components are provided as a conjugate fiber material. The batt is compressed and heated to form panels or other products that are particularly useful in the office furniture industry.

Abstract: A molded finished part includes a finish insert (172) with a finish disposed upon a front insert side and a body portion of the molded part. The insert (172) has a substantially rigid yet resilient layer of moldable material. The layer has opposing front and back insert sides. The part body portion has a body surface that corresponds to the back insert side. The body portion is also formed of moldable material. Further, the body surface and the back insert side are melded together in a substantially indistinguishable interface.

Abstract: A thermoformed contoured three-dimensional laminated structure having improved sound absorbing characteristics and which can be formed with shorter mold cycle times includes a porous thermoformable fibrous batt layer and a rigid foam layer. The laminated articles are suitable for use as decorative sound absorbing panels for automotive applications, and are well suited for use as vehicle headliners.

Abstract: A vehicle panel material comprises a mixture of recycled, reground thermo-formable material and reprocessed headliner material which includes fibrous bats with polyester fibers, glass fibers and a thermo-setting resin. The method of manufacturing such material includes the steps of shredding thermo-formable material into strips; shredding headliner material comprising thermo-formable fibrous bats, glass fibers and thermo-setting resin; mixing and carding the thermo-formable material and headliner material into a mat; heating the mat to at least partially melt the thermo-formable material; and shaping the mat into a vehicle panel.

Abstract: A door panel includes a support having a formed area with opposing spaced apart structures and an elongated reinforcement spanning between the opposing spaced apart structures and spaced from the formed area. A flexible cover is positioned on the support including a main panel section covering the support and covering the formed area, and a second panel section wrapped around the reinforcement for covering the reinforcement to form a handle on the door panel. As molded, the flexible cover includes inner, middle, and outer panel sections that are spaced apart to facilitate molding. The outer panel section is convexly shaped and can be inverted so that it abuts the middle panel section. The door panel is constructed by positioning the flexible cover on the support, and flexing the outer panel section inwardly so that a handle-covering portion of the flexible cover completely surrounds the reinforcement.

Abstract: A method for forming annular bands to be used on rotors of electrodynamic machines for retaining windings on the rotors against centrifugal forces generated by rotation comprises winding a continuous single strand, ideally a single filament, of resinated reinforcing material onto a mandrel to form at least one, substantially continuous layer of the resinated reinforcing material along the mandrel, which layer of reinforcing material is cured to form a solidified cylindrical body, removed from the mandrel and circumferentially cut to form the annular bands. The annular bands are then pressed onto the rotor of an electrodynamic machine, with the resulting banded portions of the rotor preferably being resinated and cured to secure the bands to the rotor.