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:
Jan. 02, 2007
Filed:
Mar. 15, 2004
Paul A. Bristow, Brighton, MI (US);
Jesse G. Hipwell, Columbiaville, MI (US);
Richard D. Hemstreet, Warren, MI (US);
Paul A. Bristow, Brighton, MI (US);
Jesse G. Hipwell, Columbiaville, MI (US);
Richard D. Hemstreet, Warren, MI (US);
Azdel, Inc., Shelby, NC (US);
Abstract
A twin-sheet thermoforming process for the manufacture of vehicle headliners. In the process a first sheet and second sheet of SuperLite material are mounted onto respective frames. The frames transfer the sheets into an oven, where they are heated to a desired temperature using IR. The first sheet is combined with a cover-stock material using compression molding forming a covered first headliner part. The covered first headliner part is then transferred to a second mold station. The second sheet is heated and then transferred from the oven to the second mold station where it is vacuum-formed on the upper half mold, forming a second headliner part. The upper and lower mold halves are pressed together fusing and sealing the first and second headliner parts into a unified part. The unified part is then unloaded and trimmed as necessary forming a headliner. The SuperLite material used to form the headliner is a sheet of low pressure, thermoformable, thermoplastic composite comprised of polypropylene and long chopped glass fibers.