Living Hinge Creation Through Vacuum Forming of a Thermoformable Plastic Sheet
AssigneeMasco Bath Corporation
InventorsNirav D. Parikh, Michael Glenn Geels
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bathing vessel is made of a segmented sheet wall of layered materials that includes a first layer of polyurethane material, a second layer of polyurethane material attached to the first layer, a third layer of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material attached to the second layer, and a fourth layer of acrylic material attached to the third layer. The segmented sheet wall has a width a length and a first thickness. The segmented sheet wall has an integral first portion having a second thickness that is that is thinner than the first thickness. The first portion defines a first wall and a second wall in the segmented sheet wall and the first portion is corrugated.
Claims25
A bathing vessel, said bathing vessel comprising:
- a segmented sheet wall of layered materials, said layered materials including;
- a first layer of polyurethane material,
- a second layer of polyurethane material attached to said first layer,
- a third layer of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material attached to said second layer, and
- a fourth layer of acrylic material attached to said third layer, wherein said segmented sheet wall has a width, a length, and a first thickness,
- wherein said segmented sheet wall has a first integral portion having a second thickness that is that is thinner than said first thickness, said second portion defining a first wall and a second wall in said segmented sheet wall as said second portion bends and wherein said second portion is corrugated.
A bathing vessel, said bathing vessel comprising:
- a segmented sheet wall of layered materials, said layered materials including;
- a first layer of polyurethane material,
- a second layer of polyurethane material attached to said first layer, and
- a third layer of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material attached to said second layer, wherein said wall has a width, a length, and a first thickness, and
- wherein said segmented sheet wall has a first portion having a second thickness that is that is thinner than said first thickness, said first portion defining a first wall and a second wall in said segmented sheet wall as said first portion flexes and wherein said first portion is contoured wherein said contour is stretched for shipping or handling and collapsed for installation.
A method of constructing a bathing vessel comprising:
- providing a sheet wall of layered materials, said layered materials including;
- a first layer of polyurethane material, a second layer of polyurethane material attached to said first layer, and a third layer of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material attached to said second layer, wherein said wall has a width a length and a first thickness,
- segmenting said sheet wall into a first wall and a second wall by thinning a first portion of said sheet wall between said first wall and said second wall, and
- contouring said first portion such that said first portion stretches during shipping and handling and storing and compresses during installation.
The method of claim 14 wherein said contour further comprises:
- providing a third leg attaching to and integral with said second leg,
- providing a fourth leg attaching to and integral with said third leg and attaching to and integral with said second wall,
- bending said third leg about said second leg and
- bending around said third leg about said fourth leg.
A bathing vessel, said bathing vessel comprising:
- a sheet wall of layered materials, said layered materials including;
- a first layer of polyurethane material,
- a second layer of polyurethane material attached to said first layer,
- a third layer of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material attached to said second layer, and
- a fourth layer of acrylic material attached to said third layer,
- wherein said segmented sheet wall has an integral contoured portion, said contoured portion defining a first wall and a second wall in said sheet wall as said contoured portion flexes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.