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US 11,254,037 B2Granted
Water-assisted injection molded cross-car beam
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDan Busuioc, Bernard Gerard Marchetti, Gary D. Mullen, Nicholas Andrew Mazzocchi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming a cross-car beam is provided. A composite is melted to form a viscous polymer. The polymer is injected into a mold. Pressurized fluid is injected into the mold to evacuate a portion of the viscous polymer from the mold and to form a channel therethrough. The remaining viscous polymer is cooled within the mold to form a cross-car beam.
Claims19
A cross-car beam assembly, comprising;
- a composite beam structure comprised of carbon fibers within a nylon resin;
- a channel disposed within the composite beam structure formed by:
- injecting a viscous polymer into a cross-car beam mold, wherein the viscous polymer is comprised of a recycled composite material;
- inserting a pressurized fluid into the mold as the viscous polymer begins to cool such that a portion of the viscous polymer is displaced from the mold;
- cooling the remaining viscous polymer within the mold to form a cross-car beam.
2 more elements
A cross-car beam assembly, comprising:
- a composite beam structure comprised of carbon fibers within a nylon resin, the composite beam structure including a vertical support;
- a first support arm extending from the vertical support;
- a second support arm extending from the vertical support;
- and
- a channel extending through the first support arm and defining a narrow channel therethrough to accommodate a greater load stress.
2 more elements
A cross-car beam assembly, comprising:
- a composite beam structure including a vertical support;
- a first support arm extending through the vertical support;
- and
- a channel disposed within the composite beam structure and extending through the first support arm, the channel defining a wide channel therethrough to accommodate a lesser load stress.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.