Durakon Industries, Inc.

Durakon Acquisition Corp.

John C Montagna

Leslie E Smith

Thomas G Sierakowski

Donald J LaBelle

Gary J Nehring

Vincent B Rocheleau

Eric R Papa

Robert C Whiteside

Jerald F Gower

William Matthew McCreedy

Zbigniew Roman Pedzinski

Tonneau cover

A running board for a passenger car or light truck is assembled from an upper molded thermoplastic section or component having a Class A automotive finish and a lower component or section having reinforcing ribs and mounting brackets. The upper section includes three layers: a paint film having a Class A automotive finish, a thin layer of thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) and a thick layer of polypropylene. The lower section is homogeneous and may be a plastic such as TPO, polypropylene or high-density polyethylene (HDPE), for example, which may contain chopped, randomly oriented glass reinforcing fibers. The two sections are secured to one another about their peripheries by autogenous bonding.

Running board for vehicle having class A finish

A method of fabricating composite vehicle panels includes the steps of forming a first, upper panel having a depending peripheral lip, forming a second, lower panel of laid up woven mat or strips of a fibrous material such as fiberglass or carbon fibers and a plastic resin to form a corrugated panel having a depending peripheral lip, placing an adhesive on the raised portions of the corrugations and the peripheral lip of the second panel and securing the panels together at the corrugations and about their peripheral lips.

Method of manufacturing composite vehicle panels

A motor vehicle bed or bed liner is vacuum formed from a single layer or two layer panel of thermoplastic material having a scuffed or roughened surface. The single layer panel is typically extruded and is homogeneous, being either a single material such as HDPE or a uniform mixture of materials. The two layer panel is co-formed of two layers of material which will typically be distinct compositions and characteristics. The upper surface of the panel is scuffed or roughened by a brush which contacts the surface. A bank of individually adjustable rollers supports the panel during the roughening operation and facilitates adjustment of the extent of contact or impingement of the brush on the surface of the panel at a plurality of transverse locations across the panel. The roughened panel is then vacuum formed into, for example, a truck bed or bed or cargo compartment liner.

Bed liner having enhanced frictional characteristics

Liner for a bed of a vehicle includes a member having a substantially flat portion with ribs that, in one embodiment, in a first part are arranged in an array extending along a front to rear axis, and in a second part have at least one array extending obliquely to the array of the first part. In another embodiment, ribs are arrayed such that in cross section a bank of the ribs includes at leant one outer rib member part that spans obliquely from a substantially flat part of the liner into an upper member of a rib that it in part forms.

Vehicle bed liner

A pull out system, or a pull out drawer system for vehicles and trailers can be improved by an inverted French F-channel as a stationary rail; an inverted U-channel as a movable rail; and/or a cam-follower bearing being present among rollers on the rails. Also, a movable frame for a pull out drawer system can be improved by providing a support member for supporting a slide-in/out accessory, for example, a drawer or a ramp, and further by providing the accessory with such a frame.

Pull out drawer system

A motor vehicle bed or bed liner is vacuum formed from a panel of co-formed layers of thermoplastic material having a roughened surface. The panel is co-formed of two layers of material having distinct compositions and characteristics. The upper surface of the co-formed composite is then roughened or textured by a brush which contacts one surface. The co-formed and roughened composite panel is then vacuum formed into, for example, a truck bed or bed or cargo compartment liner.

Co-formed bed liner having enhanced frictional characteristics

A method of forming thermoplastic panels is disclosed which includes the steps of forming the thermoplastic panels by extrusion or a similar process and simultaneously or subsequently texturing or graining at least one face thereof, and utilizing such pre-textured or pre-grained panels to form a finished panel or article by disposing such panel in a thermoforming mold having at least one grained or textured mold surface against which the pre-textured or pre-grained surface of the panel is disposed and thermoforming such panel. The process provides a textured or grained surface having greatly improved uniformity and enhanced appearance.

Process for manufacturing thermoformed article having textured or grained surface

A composite material includes five distinct layers of material: two thin outer layers or panels, a central rigid core and intermediate foam layers on both sides of the core which fill the regions between the core and outer panels. The core can be a wide variety of material but is preferably a rigid foam or wood having resin or epoxy impregnated fiber or fiber filled outer skins. An array of apertures extends through the core. During the fabrication process, the apertures facilitate cross flow of the foam and ensure even distribution thereof. As a finished product, the foam filled apertures ensure positive location and retention of the core within the foam. The foam may be any suitable injectable foam but is preferably a composition which remains resilient upon curing as such foam more readily accommodates dimensional changes between the layers due to, for example, ambient temperatures changes. The core and foam are surrounded with top and bottom panels of a moldable thermoplastic material such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) which is capable of being molded with a high quality exterior finish.

Composite panel structure and method of making same

A cargo van bulkhead provides a barrier between the driver and passenger of a van and the cargo compartment. The bulkhead comprises a molded, complexly curved unitary panel which fits snugly against the bottom, sidewalls and top of the van behind the driver's and passenger's seats. The bulkhead includes a plurality of horizontal convolutions which define alternate ribs or projections and recesses which greatly improve the rigidity and strength of the bulkhead. An irregular flange disposed about the periphery of the bulkhead is configured to mimic the interior profile of the van and thus facilitate installation and securement thereto. An optional opening in the upper central portion of the bulkhead may receive a window which facilitates inspection of the cargo within the van as well as a view out the rear of the van if the rear doors of the van are equipped with windows. A first alternate embodiment comprehends a pair of bulkhead panels secured together at a plurality of locations on opposing adjacent surfaces. A second alternate embodiment includes foam disposed between the bulkhead panels.

Growing community of inventors

Metamora, MI, United States of America

John C Montagna