Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Lear Corporation

Inteva Products, LLC

Suresh Deepchand Shah

Jayprakash Uttamchand Raisoni

David E Compeau

Carl Henry Visconti

Srimannarayana Kakarala

Michael William Jary

Edward Joseph Wenzel

Ismat Ali Abu-Isa

David Gerard Hlavaty

Mohinder Singh Bhatti

Mladen Humer

Mansour Ashtiani

Dean M Bayer

Nicole M Mahmood

Michael Joseph Vendely

Donald L Franck

Duane D Williams

William Filipp

Mark E Kassman

Mark Stephen Salmonowicz

Jason Bruce Clock

Venkatasubramanian Laxmanan

James Joseph Brodi, Jr

Robert James Hoye

Harry Duane Miller

Robert Phil Van Jaarsveld

Duane Eric Jones

Jayprakash U Raisoni

Jason Alan Waite

Geoff Barr

Jeanne E Schneider

Karl P Roetsch

Manu K Sheth

Lawrence D Zabel

A multilayer window guiderail is disclosed. The window guiderail includes a rail portion having an outer edge, a rail surface and an opposing rear surface. The rail portion includes a core and an integral rail cover layer disposed on the core. The core includes a first polymer material and the rail cover layer includes a second polymer material. An apparatus for making a multilayer guiderail includes a plurality of die portions having respective cavity portions. The cavity portions are configured to define a die cavity having the shape of the guiderail, at least one of the die portions being a slidable die portion and at least one of the die portions being a fixed die portion. The parting surface of the slidable die portion is configured for sliding translation of its parting surface over the parting surface of the fixed die portion along a translation path.

Multilayer window lift rail, and apparatus and method for making the same

The invention is a method for producing a heat exchanger assembly including the steps of extruding a plastic and an adhesive from a co-extrusion die into a plurality of tubes spaced from each other with each tube having an adhesive disposed on its exterior surface. A plurality of corrugated air fins are serially fed into the co-extrusion die and spaced from each other by a predetermined space and ejected between adjacent tubes with the corrugations extending transversely between the tubes. The adhesive is then cured to secure the tubes to the air fins. The method proceeds by cutting the tubes at each predetermined space with a guillotine shear to produce a plurality of unified heat exchanger cores. The ends of the tubes of each core are inserted into tube slots in manifolds, and the tubes and manifolds are adhesively secured together to define a heat exchanger assembly.

Continuous manufacturing process for metal-plastic hybrid heat exchanger

An apparatus and method for customizing the pressure within an inflatable cushion of an air bag module is provided. The method comprises determining whether additional venting of an air bag is required. A sensing and diagnostic module will receive its relative inputs from a plurality of sensors and will determine whether vents in an inflatable cushion should be opened to allow diffusion of an inflation gas. The apparatus allowing vents to open at specified times to allow for diffusion of the inflation gas.

Method and apparatus for air bag venting

Thermoplastic elastomeric compositions and processes for preparing the compositions comprising a blend of polypropylene, styrene-ethylene butylene-styrene copolymer, ethylene-propylene-diene monomer elastomer, linear low density polyethylene, peroxide crosslinking agent and a crosslinking coagent. The peroxide crosslinking agent and crosslinking coagent provide a crosslinking system. The compositions improve melt strength and increase resistance to flow and tear. The composition may further comprise mineral oil, antioxidant, colorant, a processing aid and stabilizer and mixtures thereof. The processes for preparing thermoplastic elastomeric compositions are particularly useful in microcellular injection molding to form articles with improved surface characteristics.

Thermoplastic elastomeric compositions and methods of preparing thermoplastic elastomeric compositions

A method of making an interior trim panel for attachment to structure of a vehicle includes the steps of loading a trim blank into a cavity of a first side of a mold and depositing a molten thermoplastic material onto a core on the first side of the mold. The method also includes the steps of closing the mold, moving the slide in a channel of the core, and injecting a molten thermoplastic material into a second side of the mold to form the interior trim panel.

Method of making an interior trim panel

A cover for an air bag module is provided. The cover comprises a polymeric sheet and one or more thinned portions. The polymeric sheet has a first surface and a second surface and includes a plurality of cells formed therein. A skin is formed on at least the first surface. The thinned portions are formed in the second surface and define a weakened region of the cover.

Air bag cover of polymeric foam having weakened region

A multi layer thermoplastic polymer alloy is provided. The multi layer alloy includes a skin of thermoplastic polymer alloy having non-polar segments and a tie-layer having non-polar segments and polar functional groups. The non-polar segments of the tie-layer are bondable with the non-polar segments of the thermoplastic polymer alloy skin. Similarly, the polar functional groups of the tie-layer are bondable or reactable with a surface layer.

Tie-layer formulation and method of manufacture

According to the present invention, an in-line compounding and extrusion deposition compression molding apparatus and method for producing a fiber-reinforced molded structural component is provided. The apparatus comprises an extruder device having an internal cavity formed therein and an extruder screw rotatably disposed within the internal cavity for producing a polymer melt. A deposition die head is disposed at a first end of the device, the deposition die head having a die channel disposed therein for receiving the polymer melt from the device. The apparatus includes at least one fiber element for feeding at least one reinforcing fiber element into the die channel for compounding the at least one reinforcing fiber element with the polymer melt to produce a fiber-reinforced polymer compound. The apparatus additionally includes a mold for receiving the fiber-reinforced polymer compound to form the fiber-reinforced molded structural component.

Extrusion deposition molding with in-line compounding of reinforcing fibers

Flexible thermoplastic polymer alloy compositions and process for preparing same are disclosed. The composition comprises a blend of about 20 to about 40 weight percent (hereinafter &ldquo;wt. %&rdquo;) polypropylene; about 20 to about 50 wt. % uncrosslinked ethylene copolymer; about 2 to about 15 wt. % functionalized polymers, which functionalized polymers typically include maleated polypropylene; and about 1 to about 10 wt. % amines, which amines typically include long chain amines. Processes for mixing the compositions are also included.

Thermoplastic polymer alloy compositions and process for manufacture thereof

According to the present invention an in-line compounding/extrusion deposition and molding apparatus and method of using the same are provided. The apparatus comprises a single step compounding and extrusion apparatus which includes an extruder screw. The apparatus includes a first zone, a second zone, and a third zone. The first zone is used to melt an inlet material before the screw advances the melted inlet material into the second zone which comprises a preparation and cutting zone. Simultaneously, as the inlet material is melted in the first zone, the screw rotation feeds a reinforcing fiber bundle into the second zone where the reinforcing fiber bundle is prepared for melt impregnation and is sheared to a desired length. While in the second zone, mixing begins between the melted inlet material and the sheared reinforcing fiber bundle. Next the mixture is advanced into the third zone for uniform distributive mixing and impregnation of the sheared reinforcing fiber bundle with the melted inlet material to form a fiber bundle filled melt. The apparatus includes at least one winding/unwinding reel which continuously ensures that the reinforcing fiber bundle is under constant tension (no sagging or breaking thereof) during the X, Y, Z movement of the apparatus during melt deposition as well as during forward movement of the screw within the barrel.

In-line compounding/extrusion deposition and molding apparatus and method of using the same

A vehicle seat connection ( ) has particular utility for mounting a headrest support assembly ( ) on a seat back frame ( ). The connection assembly ( ) includes first and second plastic seat components embodied by first and second connectors ( ) that are injection molded in situ over enlarged flanges ( ) of first and second ends ( ) of a connector link ( ) which has an intermediate portion ( ) extending between its ends. The connector link is movable with respect to both the first and second connectors ( ) to move the headrest upwardly and forwardly upon rearward movement of a vehicle seat occupant.

Vehicle seat connection assembly

Thermoplastic polymer alloy compositions and a process for preparing the compositions are provided comprising a blend of polypropylene, uncrosslinked ethylene copolymer, ionomeric copolymer of ethylene and .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 carboxylic acid, crosslinking agent, and silicone elastomer. The compositions may further comprise particulate filler, color concentrate and/or coloring pigment. The compositions are particularly useful for forming interior skin sheets for applications where low gloss and high scuff resistance are desired without the need for painting. A one step process for preparing moldable sheets from the thermoplastic polymer alloy compositions by in-line compounding and reactive extrusion is also provided which eliminates separate compounding and pelletizing processing steps as precursors to the sheet extrusion process.

Thermoplastic polymer alloy compositions and in-line compounding process

A method of making a steering hand wheel insert including the steps of: (a) in a gas assisted injection molding apparatus, forming a mold cavity having a ring-shaped outer channel, an inner channel, and a plurality of spoke channels; (b) forming a stationary mold insert in the outer channel dividing the latter into a pair of symmetric outer channel segments having downstream ends connected by a plurality of choke passages around the stationary mold insert; (c) injecting a short shot of a flowable plastic melt into each of the outer channel segments through a gate diametrically opposite the stationary insert and into the inner channel through a second gate; (d) injecting inert gas under pressure into the flowable plastic melt diametrically opposite the stationary insert; (e) maintaining the gas pressure until all of the flowable plastic melt cures in the mold cavity, (f) relieving the pressure of the inert gas, and (g) opening the mold cavity and removing the molded plastic steering hand wheel insert having a hollow tubular rim, a solid plastic inner bracket, and a plurality of integral spokes.

Method of making a steering hand wheel insert

High strength to weight ratio, improved dimensional and surface quality hollow metal moldings are formed by injecting thixotropic, semi-solid metal billets as a 'short shot' into a mold cavity; introducing an inert gas into the charge under pressure to force the metal into full and faithful contact with cavity surfaces and to form a hollow portion in the molding; maintaining the pressure of the gas on the charge in the cavity until the metal has solidified and then venting the gas for molded product removal.

Gas-assisted molding of thixotropic semi-solid metal alloy

A vehicle door assembly according to the invention includes a structural framework, including a rear end for mounting a latch, a front end for mounting a hinge and a beam portion extending between the front and rear ends. An outer door panel is provided for mounting on the structural framework to provide the outer surface of the door assembly. A structural inner panel is provided for mounting on the structural framework and is of molded plastic and has a generally planar trim wall facing toward the occupant compartment and edge wall portions which extend transverse to the planar trim wall to thereby envelope the structural framework within the structural inner panel. The structural inner panel has integrally molded hollow tubular stiffening structures molded therein by a gas injection molding process and which extend substantially all around the periphery of the door so that the molded plastic inner panel is substantially structurally self-supporting and contributing to the structural integrity of the door assembly. The integrally molded hollow tubular stiffening structure is preferably located substantially at the juncture between the planar trim wall and the edge wall portions. Additional stiffening structure is obtained by also integrally molding the hollow tubular stiffening structure at least partially around the periphery substantially at the terminal edge of the edge wall portion.

Growing community of inventors

Troy, MI, United States of America

Suresh Deepchand Shah