Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

National Center for Manufacturing Sciences

Jeffrey Hampton Helms

Edmund Joseph Blais

Mo-Fung Cheung

Michael Alan Tamor

Joseph W Holubka

Rose Ann Ryntz

Robert C McCune

Gerald Arthur Heath

Joseph C Cassatta

Sorin Stancu

Christopher Alan Myers

Lisandro Trevino

Bradley Richard Plymale

Howard K Plummer

H Kiel Plummer, Jr

The present invention relates to an interior automotive trim member comprising a backing substrate, a layer of elastomeric material bonded to and overlying the backing substrate, and a soft skin formed of polyolefinic material. The soft skin is bonded to and overlies the layer of elastomeric material. The soft skin is cured by electron beam curing. The present invention also relates to a method of making a soft skin for use with an interior automotive trim member comprising a backing substrate, a layer of elastomeric material bonded to and overlying the backing substrate, and the soft skin bonded to and overlying the layer of elastomeric material. The method comprises providing a polyolefinic material, and exposing the polyolefinic material to electron beam radiation to cure the polyolefinic material.

Interior automotive trim member having improved scratch resistance and a method of making the same

A method for forming an automotive instrument panel having a concealed door comprising a series of steps. A plastic parison is extruded to form the substrate layer of the instrument panel. The parison has first and second walls. The parison is placed within a mold and the first wall is contacted with the second wall to form a hinge. The area of contact forms a bond between the first and second walls. A different portion of the first and second walls are contacted to form an opening path. The opening path intersects the hinge. The opening path usually has a thickness much less than the thickness of the first and second walls to form an easily fracturable area. The door swings on the hinge to open. A elongated section of material on the second wall, enables the second wall to wrap along the hinge when the door is opened.

Method for blow-molding an automotive instrument panel having an integral airbag door

A high-velocity spray nozzle is used to physically embed conductive particles into the surface of a non-conductive substrate, thereby rendering it electrically conductive. In contrast to existing, chemically based alternatives, the method offers the use of a dry process with no chemical baths and associated environmental concerns; the ability to produce localized modifications, only in areas where actually required; the use of simple materials, such as air and powdered graphite; and a potential cost savings. Methods of modifying localized areas of the underlying substrate are also disclosed.

Surface modification to achieve improved electrical conductivity

This invention is directed to a solid, thermoplastic composition which is conductive to ions while being an electrical insulator. More particularly, the composition comprises (a) a terpolymer of vinyl butyryl, vinyl alcohol, and vinyl acetate, (b) a plasticizer for the terpolymer, and (c) alkali metal salt.

Thermoplastic ionic conductor

A electrical conductivity modified thermoplastic olefin (TPO) polymer blend with improved electrostatic painting efficiency, the blend comprising a substantially uniform mixture of: I. polymeric material being the reaction product of: (a) polypropylene, (b) maleated polypropylene, (c) elastomer, and (d) amine-terminated polyether being a linear or branched polymer of oxypropyleneamine or oxyethyleneamine repeating units having 40-100 such units, and II. alkali metal salt, the alkali metal salt being included in the thermoplastic polymer blend in an amount which provides the blend with a conductivity of at least 10.sup.-12 S/cm at 25.degree. C.

Conductive modification of paintable mold-in color capable,

The invention is a molded thermoplastic article having a modified electrical conductivity and hence being particularly adapted for electrostatic painting. The article is composed of a composition comprising a polymer blend of at least two polymers and electrically conductive carbon black. The polymer blend comprises a crystalline polymer and an amorphous or semi-crystalline polymer, the crystalline polymer comprising at least about 35 weight percent of the blend.

Thermoplastic compositions with modified electrical conductivity

This invention is directed to a thermoplastic ionic conductor composition comprising a polymeric adduct having an acrylic backbone and polyether side chains, and an alkali metal salt. The polymeric adduct is made by reacting a particularly defined hydroxy-functional acrylic copolymer with polyether monoisocyanate. The composition is useful, e.g., in electrochromic devices as the electrolyte layer.

Acrylic thermoplastic ionic conductor

A uniform, topographically planar layer of an electroactive polymer is electrodeposited onto a conductive substrate by first electrodepositing onto the conductive substrate a thin initiating layer of a different electroactive polymer prepared from monomer having a lower oxidation potential.

Deposition of electroactive polymers

An interposed layer of amorphous carbon promotes the adhesion between conductive substrates and electrochemically deposited polymers. Such a carbon layer may be deposited directly onto the conductive substrate by conventional methods such as, for example, chemical vapor deposition. The subsequently applied electrochemically deposited polymer adheres more tenaciously to the amorphous carbon coating than if it had been electrodeposited directly onto the conductive substrate.

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Plymouth, MI, United States of America

Jeffrey Hampton Helms