Abstract: A rabbeted edge of a building or construction piece includes a curved surface with a radius in a rabbet joint to provide improved mechanical strength and resist damage and breaking.

Abstract: An automated manufacturing method and system and in-mold coated plastic article produced thereby are provided. The system includes a compression mold and a plurality of program-controlled manipulators. An automatic sprayer supported on a first manipulator sprays at least a portion of a mold surface with an in-mold coating composition. An end effector supported on a second manipulator picks up a heated blank of moldable plastic sheet material from an oven and places the heated blank between upper and lower mold halves of the mold. An inner portion of the heated blank is forced into an article-defining cavity of the mold and into contact with at least a portion of the in-mold coating composition. The in-mold coating composition and the inner portion of the heated blank cure and bond to one another so as to form the coated plastic article.

Abstract: An automated manufacturing method and system and in-mold coated plastic article produced thereby are provided. The system includes a compression mold and a plurality of program-controlled manipulators. An automatic sprayer supported on a first manipulator sprays at least a portion of a mold surface with an in-mold coating composition. An end effector supported on a second manipulator picks up a heated blank of moldable plastic sheet material from an oven and places the heated blank between upper and lower mold halves of the mold. An inner portion of the heated blank is forced into an article-defining cavity of the mold and into contact with at least a portion of the in-mold coating composition. The in-mold coating composition and the inner portion of the heated blank cure and bond to one another so as to form the coated plastic article.

Abstract: An automated manufacturing method and system and in-mold coated plastic article produced thereby are provided. The system includes a combination compression and injection mold and a plurality of program-controlled manipulators. An automatic sprayer supported on a first manipulator sprays at least a portion of a mold surface with an in-mold coating composition. An end effector supported on a second manipulator picks up a heated blank of moldable plastic sheet material from an oven and places the heated blank in the mold. An inner portion of the heated blank is forced into an article-defining cavity of the mold and into contact with at least a portion of the composition. The composition and the inner portion cure and bond to one another and a plastic compatible with the plastic of the sheet is injected into the mold so as to form the coated plastic article.

Abstract: An automated manufacturing method and system and in-mold coated plastic article produced thereby are provided. The system includes a compression mold and a plurality of program-controlled manipulators. An automatic sprayer supported on a first manipulator sprays at least a portion of a mold surface with an in-mold coating composition. An end effector supported on a second manipulator picks up a heated blank of moldable plastic sheet material from an oven and places the heated blank between upper and lower mold halves of the mold. An inner portion of the heated blank is forced into an article-defining cavity of the mold and into contact with at least a portion of the in-mold coating composition. The in-mold coating composition and the inner portion of the heated blank cure and bond to one another so as to form the coated plastic article.

Abstract: An automated manufacturing method and system and in-mold coated plastic article produced thereby are provided. The system includes a combination compression and injection mold and a plurality of program-controlled manipulators. An automatic sprayer supported on a first manipulator sprays at least a portion of a mold surface with an in-mold coating composition. An end effector supported on a second manipulator picks up a heated blank of moldable plastic sheet material from an oven and places the heated blank in the mold. An inner portion of the heated blank is forced into an article-defining cavity of the mold and into contact with at least a portion of the composition. The composition and the inner portion cure and bond to one another and a plastic compatible with the plastic of the sheet is injected into the mold so as to form the coated plastic article.

Abstract: An automated manufacturing method and system and in-mold coated plastic article produced thereby are provided. The system includes a compression mold and a plurality of program-controlled manipulators. An automatic sprayer supported on a first manipulator sprays at least a portion of a mold surface with an in-mold coating composition. An end effector supported on a second manipulator picks up a heated blank of moldable plastic sheet material from an oven and places the heated blank between upper and lower mold halves of the mold. An inner portion of the heated blank is forced into an article-defining cavity of the mold and into contact with at least a portion of the in-mold coating composition. The in-mold coating composition and the inner portion of the heated blank cure and bond to one another so as to form the coated plastic article.

Abstract: An automated manufacturing method and system and in-mold coated plastic article produced thereby are provided. The system includes a combination compression and injection mold and a plurality of program-controlled manipulators. An automatic sprayer supported on a first manipulator sprays at least a portion of a mold surface with an in-mold coating composition. An end effector supported on a second manipulator picks up a heated blank of moldable plastic sheet material from an oven and places the heated blank in the mold. An inner portion of the heated blank is forced into an article-defining cavity of the mold and into contact with at least a portion of the composition. The composition and the inner portion cure and bond to one another and a plastic compatible with the plastic of the sheet is injected into the mold so as to form the coated plastic article.

Abstract: A water table as a water diverting transition element sloping downward at an approximately 14° angle between a first upper course of material and second lower course of material on a building surface that includes an upper fastening flange and lower fastening flange that enables installation of the water table either before or after installation of the lower course of material.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a stair layout template that reduces the opportunity for errors when constructing a set of stairs. Embodiments also provide a method for using the template to construct a set of stairs. The template indicates to the builder where a particular set of marks are to be made on the insides (the sides where the tread modules are attached) of both stringers. These marks include the cut marks for the bottom and top ends of the stringers and the “screw set points” that indicate where the tread modules will be attached to the stringers. The template is reversible, with the mirrored markings on both sides, so that the process for one stringer is the mirror image of the other stringer.

Abstract: A method of making a trimmed, laminated trim component is provided. A heated plastic composite sheet is pressed against a heated laminated sheet to bond a plastic cushioning layer of the laminated sheet to the plastic composite sheet. The step of pressing compresses a portion of the laminated sheet spaced inwardly from an outer periphery of the laminated sheet to locally compact and thin the cushioning layer at the portion to form a compressed portion of the cushioning layer. Unwanted portions of the laminated sheet are trimmed.

Abstract: A method of making a laminated trim component is provided. A heated plastic composite sheet is pressed against a heated laminated sheet to bond a plastic cushioning layer of the laminated sheet to the plastic composite sheet. The step of pressing compresses a portion of the laminated sheet spaced inwardly from an outer periphery of the laminated sheet to locally compact and thin the cushioning layer at the portion to form a compressed portion of the cushioning layer. Interior portions of the sheets stretch during the step of pressing while remaining intact.

Abstract: A method of making a vehicle interior component having an integral airbag component is provided. The method includes disposing a polymeric composite sheet having inner and outer surfaces onto a first surface of a mold at a molding station and compressing the sheet between the first surface and a second surface of the mold at the molding station. The method also includes injecting a molten polymer compatible with the polymeric material of the composite sheet into the mold cavity in accordance with a predetermined set of process parameters which are high enough to integrally form at least one airbag component via polymeric interfusion at the inner surface of the composite sheet but are low enough to reduce surface defects on the outer surface of the composite sheet.

Abstract: A method of making a vehicle interior component having an integral airbag component and a fibrous decorative covering is provided. The method includes providing a polymeric composite sheet and a fibrous decorative covering overlying an outer surface of the composite sheet. The composite sheet is pressed against the covering after the steps of providing to bond the covering to the composite sheet. A molten polymer compatible with the polymeric material of the composite sheet is injected into a mold cavity in accordance with a predetermined set of process parameters which are high enough to integrally form at least one airbag component via polymeric interfusion at the inner surface of the composite sheet but low enough to avoid damaging the covering.

Abstract: A method of making a trim component having an edge-wrapped, fibrous decorative covering is provided. A fibrous decorative covering overlies and is in contact with an outer surface of a composite sheet. The composite sheet is pressed against an interior portion of the covering to bond the interior portion to the composite sheet while maintaining at least one exterior edge portion of the covering unbonded to the composite sheet. A molten polymer compatible with the polymeric material of the composite sheet is injected in accordance with a predetermined set of process parameters which are high enough to integrally form at least one structural component via polymeric interfusion at the inner surface of the composite sheet but low enough to avoid damaging the covering. The at least one unbonded, exterior edge portion is folded over the composite sheet to form the trim component.

Abstract: A method of making a trim component having a fibrous decorative covering is provided. The method includes providing a polymeric composite sheet having inner and outer surfaces and providing a fibrous decorative covering overlying the outer surface of the composite sheet. The method also includes pressing, in a mold cavity at a molding station, the composite sheet against the covering after the steps of providing to bond the covering to the composite sheet. The method further includes injecting a molten polymer compatible with the polymeric material of the composite sheet into the mold cavity in accordance with a predetermined set of process parameters which are high enough to integrally form at least one structural component via polymeric interfusion at the inner surface of the composite sheet but low enough to avoid damaging the covering.

Abstract: A weatherstrip with improved stackability has a rigid base portion including a planar surface and a flexible strip portion adhered over a corner of the base portion and extending outwardly at an angle to the planar surface of the base portion.

Abstract: A method of making a laminated trim component at a molding station is provided. A heated plastic composite sheet is pressed against a heated laminated sheet to bond a plastic cushioning layer of the laminated sheet to the plastic composite sheet at the molding station. The step of pressing compresses a portion of the laminated sheet spaced inwardly from an outer periphery of the laminated sheet to locally compact and thin the cushioning layer at the portion to form a compressed portion of the cushioning layer. A plastic compatible with the plastic of the composite sheet is molded around the composite sheet to form at least one component at the inner surface of the composite sheet at the molding station.

Abstract: A method of making a laminated trim component at a pair of spaced first and second molding stations is provided. A heated plastic composite sheet is pressed against a heated laminated sheet to bond a plastic cushioning layer of the laminated sheet to the composite sheet at the first molding station. The step of pressing compresses a portion of the laminated sheet spaced inwardly from an outer periphery of the laminated sheet to locally compact and thin the cushioning layer at the portion to form a compressed portion of the cushioning layer. The bonded sheets are transferred to the second molding station where a plastic compatible with the plastic of the composite sheet is molded around the composite sheet to form at least one component at the inner surface of the composite sheet.

Abstract: A board anchor includes flat faces that are complementary to angled flat faces of grooves of boards between which the anchor is secured by a fastener that passes through a fastener aperture of the anchor and into an angled groove face of a board and into an underlying supporting structure beneath the board.