Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Body shell
Patent
1996-04-17
1997-12-23
Pape, Joseph D.
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Body shell
296 391, 2961467, 296 70, 296214, 280751, 264515, 264 466, 297219, B60R 2104, B60R 21045, B60J 504, B29C 6722
Patent
active
057000506
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The field of this invention relates to an impact energy absorbing safety automotive trim parts for an automotive interior and a method of manufacture of the safety automotive trim parts.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
Automotive safety has been a major concern in the automotive industry for a number of years. Many safety features have been developed to reduce the jarring impact on passengers by making impact absorbing exterior parts such as energy absorbing bumpers, crushable impact zones where the sheet metal bends and absorbs energy, and collapsible steering columns that prevent the steering column from further intrusion into the passenger compartment upon impact. Devices such as seat belts have been developed to limit the motion of occupants within the vehicle. Energy absorbing air bags have been developed to be employed upon impact to prevent the occupants from hitting the windshield and to supplement the seat belts to restrain the motion of the occupants in the forward direction.
Certain efforts have been made to lessen the extent of injury of the occupant upon impact with an interior part of the automotive vehicle. Padded instrument panels have been developed for this purpose. These instrument panels have been developed to be formed by injection molding such that a cosmetic visible skin is backed by a light foam core.
Other plastic interior trim parts have been commonly used in the automotive industry. New materials and improved molding techniques have made it possible and economically desirable that the interior trim for A-pillars, B-pillars, floor trim pieces and inside door panels are made from plastics. Often these plastics are covered via adhesives with a cloth fabric, carpeting, or embellished with an applique or an embossment. The use of plastic interior trim parts results in an attractive passenger compartment. Besides the economic advantage of plastics over other metal interior trim parts, the use of plastics provides sound insulation qualities and weight savings that provide a quieter ride and better fuel economy respectively.
Even with all the above mentioned safety features placed within an automotive vehicle within the past three decades, there is an impetus to further decrease injuries resulting from automotive vehicular collisions. Further efforts and future additional governmental regulations continue to improve the safety levels of automotive vehicles. A reduction of the injuries that are a result of the occupant impacting against the interior of the passenger compartment is desired. Many injuries are due to occupants failure to use available seat and lap belt restraints, and this has resulted in vast efforts to develop passive restraints such as air bags and automatic lap belt mechanisms. However passive and automatic mechanisms are expensive and add to the complexity and weight of the vehicle. Even with these passive and automatic restraints, it is desired to further decrease the probability of an occupant under various conditions, to impact his head, shoulders, arms, and legs against an interior automotive trim part, or worse yet shatter the plastic trim part and impact against the inner facing surface of the exterior structural steel. Furthermore, it is undesirable to have shattered trim parts presenting any sharp cutting edge which may result in cuts and lacerations. Any jarring impact against the structural steel and the. lacerations and cuts caused by the shattered plastic interior trim part is of course undesirable.
Previous attempts to expeditiously reduce injuries caused by the impact of the occupant within the passenger compartment against the side pillars, door panels and other trim have encountered difficulties. The difficulties in producing safety trim are several. Firstly, the material used in making automotive trim components must be strong enough to retain its shape. Often pull handles and arm rests are integrally formed within door panels so that the material must be strong enough to resist pushing and pulling forces normally encountered during nor
REFERENCES:
patent: 3836192 (1974-09-01), Wilfert
patent: 4045076 (1977-08-01), Day, Sr. et al.
patent: 4229036 (1980-10-01), Toda
patent: 4934736 (1990-06-01), Huisman
patent: 5040335 (1991-08-01), Grimes
patent: 5111619 (1992-05-01), Billin et al.
patent: 5141279 (1992-08-01), Weller
patent: 5171058 (1992-12-01), Ishikawa
patent: 5328651 (1994-07-01), Gallagher et al.
Cambridge Industries, Inc.
Pape Joseph D.
LandOfFree
Blow molded structural interior automotive parts does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Blow molded structural interior automotive parts, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Blow molded structural interior automotive parts will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1797581