US 10,350,800 B2Granted

Method of manufacturing a tray table

AssigneeReliant Worldwide Plastics, LLC

InventorWilliam H. Maslakow

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Disclosed embodiments relate to trays typically comprising a composite internal structure, a thermoplastic frame typically located about the composite internal structure, and two cover sheets forming the upper and lower tray surfaces. The composite internal structure may be a corrugated composite structure in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the composite internal structure may comprise a series of composite elements (which might act a beams or struts). The cover sheets may comprise thermoplastic material, and in some embodiments, the cover sheets may comprise composite material (for example the same as for the corrugated composite structure). In some exemplary embodiments, the thermoplastic frame and the composite internal structure may have the same thermoplastic material, and they may be joined together to have a plurality of homogeneous connective attachments.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing a tray table, the method comprising:

forming a composite structure from alternating layers of a first thermoplastic resin and reinforcing fiber material, wherein said reinforcing fiber material is sandwiched between layers of said first thermoplastic resin, and wherein said composite structure comprises at least two layers of said reinforcing fiber material and at least two layers of said first thermoplastic resin;
arranging said composite support structure within a mold, the composite support structure having a plurality of apertures formed therein;
providing a second thermoplastic resin having a chemically compatible composition to that of the composite support structure for homogenous bonding;
injecting said second thermoplastic resin into the mold around the composite support structure to form a frame member;
allowing the second thermoplastic resin to penetrate at least one of the plurality of apertures thereby forming a chemically compatible homogenous bond between the composite support structure and the frame member such that the composite support structure and the frame member form a unitary whole;
and wherein said first and second thermoplastic resin comprise the same resin;
and
adding an upper cover sheet and a lower cover sheet around said unitary whole.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/178,386Filed 9 Jun 2016 · continuation
Priority: 10 Sep 2013
Published: US 2016/0279844 A129 Sep 2016
Granted: 16 Jul 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification22 codes

B29C 45/14786
The article consisting of a material with particular properties, e.g. porous, brittle: fibrous material or fibre containing material, e.g. fibre…
A47B 13/08
Details of tables or desks: table tops; Rims therefor
B29C 45/14311
Incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles: using means for bonding the coating to…
B29D 24/002
Producing articles with hollow walls: formed with structures, e.g. cores placed between two plates or sheets, e.g. partially filled

Family

Application61/875,950Us provisional application · filed 10 Sep 2013
Application62/030,721Us provisional application · filed 30 Jul 2014
Application14/482,623Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Sep 2014
US 2016/0279844 A1Pre-grant publication · published 29 Sep 2016
US 9,394,052 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2015/0068435 A1Published application
US 10,350,800 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.