Method of forming a blow-molded plastic part having a living hinge
AssigneeLear Corporation
InventorsSorin Stancu, Anthony Spagnuolo, Michael P. Schoemann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming a carpeted plastic part includes positioning a carpet between first and second mold halves, wherein the carpet has a back surface. A non-reinforced plastic strip is positioned adjacent a portion of the back surface of the carpet. A hollow parison of reinforced plastic material is formed between the first and second mold halves. The first and second mold halves are then closed together to form a carpeted plastic part having a thinned-down region of the reinforced plastic material adjacent the plastic strip such that the plastic strip is sandwiched between the thinned-down region and the carpet to form a flexible living hinge.
Claims13
A method of forming a plastic part with a living hinge comprising:
- positioning a non-reinforced plastic strip between first and second mold halves;
- forming a hollow parison of reinforced plastic material between the first and second mold halves;
- and
- closing the first and second mold halves together to form a thinned-down region of reinforced plastic material adjacent the plastic strip such that the plastic strip and the thinned-down region form a flexible living hinge.
A method of forming a carpeted plastic part comprising:
- positioning a carpet between first and second mold halves, wherein the carpet has a back surface;
- positioning a non-reinforced plastic strip between the first and second mold halves;
- forming a hollow parison of reinforced plastic material between the first and second mold halves adjacent the carpet and plastic strip;
- and
- closing the first and second mold halves together so that the hollow parison, carpet and plastic strip are joined together to form a carpeted plastic part having a thinned-down region of the reinforced plastic material adjacent the plastic strip such that the thinned-down region, the plastic strip, and the carpet form a flexible living hinge.
The method of clam 7, further comprising heating said plastic strip prior to said step of positioning the plastic strip adjacent a portion of the carpet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.