Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Bernard Gerard Marchetti

Kalyanaraman Bharathan

Tim R Beard

Jeff Webb

Dan G Busuioc

Johnathan Andrew Line

Daniel Ferretti

Scott Holmes Dunham

Gary D Mullen

Nicholas Andrew Mazzocchi

Mandeep Singh Sidhu

Robert Damerow

Charles Alan Rocco

Chad Hoover

Annette Lynn Huebner

Kristin Ann Hellman

Anthony Ligi, Jr

Bari W Brown

Derren Woods

Kenneth Alan Stoner

Balakrishna Reddy

Ryan Mowery

Brandon Guinn

Timothy R Beard

James Paul Yizze, Iii

A method of forming a cross-car beam is provided. A composite is melted to form a viscous polymer. The polymer is injected into a mold. Pressurized fluid is injected into the mold to evacuate a portion of the viscous polymer from the mold and to form a channel therethrough. The remaining viscous polymer is cooled within the mold to form a cross-car beam.

Water-assisted injection molded cross-car beam

A blow molded part is provided that includes a first portion consisting of a reinforced resin and a second portion consisting of a non-reinforced resin. The reinforced resin may be fiber-reinforced, and the non-reinforced resin may be a neat resin. In one form, the first portion and the second portion define first and second trim areas, respectively, and the second trim area is directly recyclable. In another form, the second portion comprises a material consisting of a non-reinforced resin and/or a reinforced resin, where the modulus of elasticity of the first portion is higher than the modulus of elasticity of the second portion. Furthermore, a method of forming a blow molded part is provided.

Multi-material blow molding split extrusion head and process

A method of forming a thin-walled skin includes coating at least one side of a mold cavity of a molding tool, evacuating air from the mold cavity, and filling the mold cavity with a molten polymeric resin. Among other optional variations of the disclosed method, an inert gas is injected into the molten polymeric resin simultaneously with the step of filling the mold cavity with a molten polymeric resin. As a result, high quality, large, thin-walled skins are produced by the teachings of the present disclosure.

Process for molding thin-walled skins

A convertible vehicle door assembly includes a gate subassembly including an electrical panel, latch handle and is secured by hinges and a latch to a vehicle static structure. An outer door subassembly is removably secured to the gate subassembly by at least one quick connect mechanism. The outer door includes a window assembly operable by the electrical control panel.

Light weight removable body door system

A vehicle includes a body, a bumper and a plurality of self-tapping fasteners. The body defines mounting orifices. The bumper has an exterior shell that includes an interior wall. The interior wall has receiving portions that protrude inward relative to the shell such that the receiving portions are thicker than adjacent portions of the interior wall. Each of the plurality of self-tapping fasteners extend through one of the orifices and into one of the receiving portions to secure the bumper to the body.

Vehicle and vehicle bumper

According to one or more embodiments, a polymeric article includes a first polymeric layer defining a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a first side and a second side opposing the first side, the first side being exposed to atmospheric air, and an ink layer and a second polymeric layer, the ink layer being positioned between the second polymeric layer and the second portion of the first polymeric layer.

Capacitive touch screen formed by injection compression molding

A method of forming a vehicular instrument panel includes the steps: melting a first composite comprising carbon fibers and nylon resin; melting a second composite comprising glass fibers and nylon resin; injecting the melted composites into an instrument panel mold such that the carbon and glass fibers are each substantially concentrated within respective driver-side and passenger-side portions of the mold; and cooling the melted composites to form an instrument panel. The method may also include the step: forming a boundary region between the first and second melted composites in the mold such that the carbon and glass fibers in the mold are substantially mixed within the boundary region.

Method of making a hybrid composite instrument panel

A vehicular instrument panel having a reinforcement that includes a plurality of chopped carbon fibers within a nylon resin, a substrate coupled to the reinforcement comprising a plurality of chopped carbon and chopped glass fibers within a nylon resin, and a steering column bracket defined from the substrate comprising a plurality of chopped carbon fibers within a nylon resin. The bracket engages a steering column such that the substrate and bracket support the steering column. The plurality of chopped carbon and glass fibers in the substrate can be segregated such that the carbon fibers and the glass fibers are each substantially concentrated within respective driver-side and passenger-side portions of the substrate.

Fiber composite support for vehicular components

A vehicular instrument panel, including a substrate comprising a plurality of chopped carbon and chopped glass fibers within a nylon resin, the substrate defines an airbag canister. The plurality of chopped carbon and chopped glass fibers are segregated such that the chopped carbon fibers are substantially concentrated within a driver-side portion of the substrate and the airbag canister, and the chopped glass fibers are substantially concentrated within a passenger-side portion of the substrate. The substrate can also include a boundary region such that the plurality of chopped carbon and glass fibers in the substrate are substantially mixed in the boundary region.

Vehicular composite instrument panel and component

A vehicular instrument panel including a substrate having a first plurality of chopped carbon fibers within a first nylon resin and an expanded reinforcement coupled to the substrate having a second plurality of chopped carbon fibers within a second nylon resin. The first plurality of chopped carbon fibers and the first plurality of glass fibers in the substrate are segregated such that the carbon fibers and the glass fibers are each substantially concentrated within respective driver-side and passenger-side portions of the substrate. An expanded, structural duct has a second plurality of chopped glass fibers within a third nylon resin. The duct, reinforcement and substrate are coupled to form a hollow tube.

Hybrid composite utilizing injection-expansion molding

A seat for a vehicle, such as a bicycle, includes a stem for coupling to the bicycle. The seat includes a saddle supported by the stem and an inflatable bladder supported by the saddle. An electrically powered air compressor is supported by the stem and is in fluid communication with the bladder for inflating the bladder.

Seat including inflatable bladder and electrically powered air compressor

A vehicular instrument panel includes a substrate having a first plurality of chopped carbon fibers and a first plurality of chopped glass fibers within a first nylon resin. The first plurality of chopped carbon fibers and the first plurality of glass fibers in the substrate are segregated such that the carbon fibers and the glass fibers are each substantially concentrated within respective driver-side and passenger-side portions of the substrate. A reinforcement includes a second plurality of chopped carbon fibers within a second nylon resin. A reinforcement rib is integrally defined by the reinforcement. The reinforcement rib is substantially hollow and positioned on a driver-side portion of the reinforcement. A substrate rib is integrally defined by the substrate. The substrate rib is substantially hollow and positioned on the driver-side portion of the substrate. The substrate rib and the reinforcement rib are bonded to one another.

Hybrid composite utilizing gas-assisted molding geometries

An article storage assembly of a vehicle includes a storage pocket with an illumination colorant, and an attachment unit for detachably connecting the storage pocket to an interior part of the vehicle such that the storage pocket is connected to the interior part in a first position and is separate from the interior part in a second position.

Article storage assembly and vehicle storage console including the same

A vehicle seating assembly having a seat back including a polymeric body portion. A flexible comfort carrier is disposed over a front surface of the polymeric body portion and includes a multitude of openings defining a support matrix configured to support the weight of a passenger. A head restraint includes a headrest and a single downwardly extending support post that is homogenously formed with the headrest. The support post includes side portions that define slots. The support post is rotatably coupled to the seat back. The headrest is rotatable between a use position, wherein the downwardly extending support post extends into the seat back, and a storage position, wherein the downwardly extending support post is withdrawn from the seat back and rotated forward such that the head restraint extends substantially orthogonal to the seat back.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Bernard Gerard Marchetti