Hybrid composite utilizing injection-expansion molding
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsBernard Gerard Marchetti, Kalyanaraman Bharathan
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Abstract
A vehicular instrument panel including a substrate having a first plurality of chopped carbon fibers within a first nylon resin and an expanded reinforcement coupled to the substrate having a second plurality of chopped carbon fibers within a second nylon resin. The first plurality of chopped carbon fibers and the first plurality of glass fibers in the substrate are segregated such that the carbon fibers and the glass fibers are each substantially concentrated within respective driver-side and passenger-side portions of the substrate. An expanded, structural duct has a second plurality of chopped glass fibers within a third nylon resin. The duct, reinforcement and substrate are coupled to form a hollow tube.
Claims20
A vehicular instrument panel, comprising:
- a substrate comprising a first plurality of chopped carbon fibers and a first plurality of chopped glass fibers within a first nylon resin;
- an expanded reinforcement coupled to the substrate comprising a second plurality of chopped carbon fibers within a second nylon resin,
- wherein the first plurality of chopped carbon fibers and the first plurality of glass fibers in the substrate are segregated such that the carbon fibers and the glass fibers are each substantially concentrated within respective driver-side and passenger-side portions of the substrate;
- and
- an expanded structural duct comprising a second plurality of chopped glass fibers within a third nylon resin, wherein the duct, reinforcement and substrate are coupled to form a hollow tube.
A vehicular instrument panel, comprising:
- a first expanded member comprising a first fiber composite material;
- a second expanded member comprising a second fiber composite material;
- and
- a substrate coupled to the expanded members comprising a first fiber material and a second fiber material within a resin, the first and second fiber materials segregated into respective driver-side and passenger-side portions of the substrate, wherein the first and second expanded members are coupled to support the substrate.
A method of forming a vehicular component, comprising the steps:
- melting a first composite comprising a first fiber material, a first resin, and a first expansion agent;
- melting a second composite comprising a second fiber material, a second resin, and a second expansion agent;
- injecting the melted composites into a mold such that the first and second composites are each substantially concentrated into respective first and second portions of the mold;
- opening the mold and allowing the melted composites to expand;
- and
- cooling the melted and expanded composites to form an instrument panel component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.