Zephyros, Inc.

The Conair Group, Inc.

L & L Products, Inc.

Henry E Richardson

Alexander Gabriel Mangiapane

Xuping Qian

Gary Hulett

Liwen Li

Eric Chopin

Jeffery Thomas Shantz

Nick Holstine

Frank Braymand

Dean J Schneider

Alex Mangiapane

Gary Vanlerberghe

Sylvain Gleyal

Patrick Moore

Jeffrey Thomas Shantz

Anthony R Forgash

Brandon Madaus

Richard H Fetter

Craig Chmielewski

Milko Dimovski

Joseph R Thomas

Ken Mazich

Dennis Skonieczny

Joe Thomas

Liven Li

Richard O Alguire

Brendan Keenan

Eren Hursit

A structural member () comprising: (i) a pultruded secondary member () including a first surface and an opposing second surface: and (ii) a molded carrier () overmolded onto at least one of the first and second surface of the pultruded secondary member, the molded carrier including a plurality of ribs (); wherein the secondary member and the carrier are dissimilar materials.

Hybrid molded and pultruded devices

A structural reinforcement for an article including a carrier () that includes: (i) a mass of polymeric material () having an outer surface; and (ii) at least one fibrous composite insert () or overlay () having an outer surface and including at least one elongated fiber arrangement (e.g., having a plurality of ordered fibers). The fibrous insert () or overlay () is envisioned to adjoin the mass of the polymeric material in a predetermined location for carrying a predetermined load that is subjected upon the predetermined location (thereby effectively providing localized reinforcement to that predetermined location). The fibrous insert () or overlay () and the mass of polymeric material () are of compatible materials, structures or both, for allowing the fibrous insert or overlay to be at least partially joined to the mass of the polymeric material. Disposed upon at least a portion of the carrier () may be a mass of activatable material (). The fibrous insert () or overlay () may include a polymeric matrix.

Structural reinforcements

A structural reinforcement for a vehicle comprising: a) a carrier having a base wall from which a plurality of projections extend, the plurality of projections including at least one first projection and at least one second projection and the at least one first projection having a height greater than a height of the at least one second projection; b) an activatable material which is heat activatable and affixed to the carrier, configured to secure the carrier in a cavity of the vehicle; wherein in event of an impact, the at least one first projection and second projection are configured to deform toward the base wall and/or in a direction of an impact load in response to the impact load; and the at least one first projection is configured to receive the impact load and deform before the at least one second projection receives the impact load and deforms.

Multiple stage deformation reinforcement structure for impact absorption

A structural reinforcement for insertion into a cavity of a vehicle structure including a base reinforcing portion, an expandable material and a localized reinforcement is disclosed. The localized reinforcement is placed within the structural reinforcement at a location of anticipated increased deformation during vehicle impact in an effort to reduce deformation and control the load distribution post-impact.

Hybrid reinforcement structure

A structural member () comprising: (i) a first carrier (A) and a second carrier (B), each carrier including a plurality of interconnecting ribs (), each carrier further including one or more projections () extending from exterior walls () of each carrier; (ii) one or more secondary members () secured to one or more surfaces of each carrier; and (iii) an adhesive material () disposed on the first carrier (A), the second carrier (B), or both, wherein the first carrier (A) and the second carrier (B) are bonded to each other via the adhesive material ().

Reinforcement structure

A structural reinforcement for an article including a carrier () that includes: (i) a mass of polymeric material () having an outer surface; and (ii) at least one fibrous composite insert () or overlay () having an outer surface and including at least one elongated fiber arrangement (e.g., having a plurality of ordered fibers). The fibrous insert () or overlay () is envisioned to adjoin the mass of the polymeric material in a predetermined location for carrying a predetermined load that is subjected upon the predetermined location (thereby effectively providing localized reinforcement to that predetermined location). The fibrous insert () or overlay () and the mass of polymeric material () are of compatible materials, structures or both, for allowing the fibrous insert or overlay to be at least partially joined to the mass of the polymeric material. Disposed upon at least a portion of the carrier () may be a mass of activatable material (). The fibrous insert () or overlay () may include a polymeric matrix that includes a thermoplastic epoxy.

Pultruded articles and methods for making same

A structural reinforcement for an article including a carrier () that includes: (i) a mass of polymeric material () having an outer surface; and (ii) at least one fibrous composite Insert () or overlay () having an outer surface and including at least one elongated fiber arrangement (e.g., having a plurality of ordered fibers). The fibrous Insert () or overlay () is envisioned to adjoin the mass of the polymeric material in a predetermined location for carrying a predetermined load that Is subjected upon the predetermined location (thereby effectively providing localized reinforcement to that predetermined location). The fibrous insert () or overlay () and the mass of polymeric material () are of compatible materials, structures or both, for allowing the fibrous insert or overlay to be at feast partially joined to the mass of the polymeric material. Disposed upon at least a portion of the carrier () may be a mass of activatable material (). The fibrous insert () or overlay () may include a polymeric matrix that includes a thermoplastic epoxy.

Composites with thermoplastic epoxy polymeric phase, articles such as carriers made therewith and associated methods

A structural reinforcement for an article including a carrier that includes: (i) a mass of polymeric material having an outer surface; and (is) at least one consolidated fibrous insert having an outer surface and including at least one elongated fiber arrangement having a plurality of ordered fibers arranged in a predetermined manner. The fibrous insert is envisioned to adjoin the mass of the polymeric material in a predetermined location for carrying a predetermined load that is subjected upon the predetermined location (thereby effectively providing localized reinforcement to that predetermined location). The fibrous insert and the mass of polymeric material are of compatible materials, structures or both, for allowing the fibrous insert to be at least partially joined to the mass of the polymeric material. Disposed upon at least a portion of the carrier will be a mass of activatable material.

Carrier with localized fibrous insert and methods

A structural member () comprising: (i) a pultruded secondary member () including a first surface and an opposing second surface; and (ii) a molded carrier () overmolded onto at least one of the first and second surface of the pultruded secondary member, the molded carrier including a plurality of ribs (); wherein the secondary member and the carrier are dissimilar materials.

The present teachings provide a reinforcement for a cavity. The reinforcement may include a carrier having a length extending along an axis between a first end and a second end. The carrier may include one or more longitudinal structures and one or more transverse structures. The carrier may also include one or more walls joined together to form one or more cavities extending along the axis. The carrier may have a cross-sectional shape roughly corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of interior of a hollow structural member. The device may also include a secondary material placed over the carrier. The secondary material is configured to expand, seal, reinforce, or a combination thereof upon application of a selectable stimuli and adhere to the interior of the cavity to provide reinforcement of the same.

Reinforcement devices

A forming process for composite parts comprising pultruding a resin and fiber material through a shortened pultrusion die, exposing the pultruded resin and fiber material to an induction heating coil aligned to be in-line with the pultrusion die to cure the resin and fiber material, wherein one or more of the resin and/or fiber material include a metallic component to facilitate cure via the induction heating coil.

Induction heating of composite parts

An instrument panel assembly comprising: a crossmember () including a first beam () and a second beam (), a center support assembly () with a first structural arm (), a second structural arm (), and a center support bracket (); wherein the first beam () is hollow and has a larger diameter than the second beam (), and the second beam () is adapted to slide into the first beam ().

Instrument panel support structure

A member () for providing sealing, baffling, and/or reinforcement to a cavity member () comprising: (a) a carrier () with an insertion end () and a base end () having: (i) a base () at the base end () adapted for engaging with a wall () of the cavity member (); (ii) a fastener () adapted for passing through an opening of the cavity member () and retaining the member () to the cavity member (); (iii) a center portion () extending from the insertion end () to the base end (); and (b) activatable material () disposed on the carrier ().

Tubular member sealing device

A structural reinforcement device for insertion into a cavity of a structure and method for making the same including a first reinforcement section that has at least one projection of a first expandable polymeric material secured to it; and a separate second reinforcement section mated with the first reinforcement section, the second reinforcement section being configured to include at least one cavity, into which the at least one projection penetrates upon mating, and at least one aperture defined therein through which the expandable material flows during expansion and where it will remain upon curing of the material, thereby causing the first reinforcement section to be coupled with the second reinforcement section.

Growing community of inventors

Washington, MI, United States of America

Henry E Richardson