The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 29, 2005
Filed:
Aug. 16, 2002
Phillip S. Wilson, Commerce Township, MI (US);
Phillip S. Wilson, Commerce Township, MI (US);
Magna International of America, Inc., Troy, MI (US);
Abstract
A hollow, reinforced, molded automotive hard top is made using a sheet of thermoplastic material with nanoparticles dispersed therein. The particles comprise less than 15% of total volume of the plastic sheet, at least 50% of the particles have a thickness less than about 20 layers, and at least 99% of the particles have a thickness of less than about 30 layers. The sheet is preheated and molded in an assembly having mold surfaces corresponding to the hard top configuration. Vacuum is applied to one side of the assembly and pressurized gas is applied to the opposite side of the assembly to force the sheet into conformity with the mold surfaces. After cooling, the conformed sheet is transferred to another mold assembly, where a reinforced plastic melt having a blowing agent is applied. Together, the solidified melt and the conformed plastic sheet form the hard top.