Structural body of differing thicknesses, and method of manufacturing thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10000243-B2
Application number	US-201415030700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2014
Priority date	Oct 30, 2013
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

A structural body of differing thicknesses are provided that is made of resin, and a method of manufacturing thereof, that can improve quality in a case in which plate thickness changing portions extend in plural directions. A first panel portion and a second panel portion are connected by a first gradually changing portion. The first panel portion and a third panel portion are connected by a second gradually changing portion. The second panel portion and the third panel portion are connected by a third gradually changing portion. Further, an opening portion is formed to pass-through a door inner panel at a position where respective extensions of the first gradually changing portion, the second gradually changing portion and the third gradually changing portion intersect one another as seen in a plate thickness direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A structural body of differing thicknesses comprising:
a plurality of panel portions, the panel portions structuring portions of a molded body of thermoplastic resin and being set to respectively different plate thicknesses; and
a plurality of gradually changing portions, the gradually changing portions structuring portions of the molded body, the gradually changing portions connecting together panel portions adjacent to one another, plate thicknesses of the gradually changing portions being gradually reduced from thicker plate portion sides toward thinner plate portion sides, and the gradually changing portions extending rectilinearly as seen in a plate thickness direction, respective reduced thicknesses of the gradually changing portions being different from each other,
wherein an opening portion is formed in the molded body at a position where extensions of the gradually changing portions intersect one another as seen in the plate thickness direction.

2. The structural body of differing thicknesses of claim 1 , wherein:
the molded body is structured of a thermoplastic resin containing reinforcing fibers, and
the reinforcing fibers are oriented along directions connecting together the panel portions adjacent to one another at the gradually changing portions.

3. A method of manufacturing a structural body of differing thicknesses, the method comprising:
superposing, in a plate thickness direction, a second thermoplastic resin material having a plate shape on a portion of a first thermoplastic resin material having a plate shape, and placing the second thermoplastic resin material such that rectilinear step lines intersect as seen in a plate thickness direction;
after the placing, pressurizing and molding the first thermoplastic resin material and the second thermoplastic resin material by molding dies, while melt softening by heating the first thermoplastic resin material and the second thermoplastic resin material and making the first thermoplastic resin material and the second thermoplastic resin material integral, and, molding gradually changing portions, plate thicknesses of the gradually changing portions being gradually reduced from thicker plate portion sides toward thinner plate portion sides, by making step end surfaces running along the step lines inclined from the thicker plate portion sides toward the thinner plate portion sides, such that respective reduced thicknesses of the gradually changing portions are different from each other; and
after the molding, cutting out, from a molded body molded in the molding, a region including an intersection point where the plurality of gradually changing portions intersect as seen in a plate thickness direction of the molded body, and forming an opening portion.

4. The method of manufacturing a structural body of differing thicknesses of claim 3 , wherein:
the first thermoplastic resin material and the second thermoplastic resin material are structured of a thermoplastic resin containing reinforcing fibers, and
in the molding, at the gradually changing portions, the reinforcing fibers are oriented along directions connecting the thicker plate portion sides and the thinner plate portion sides.

5. The method of manufacturing a structural body of differing thicknesses of claim 4 , wherein:
in the placing, two thermoplastic resin materials having different plate thicknesses from one another are used as the second thermoplastic resin material, the two thermoplastic resin materials are superposed on the first thermoplastic resin material at respectively different regions, and the two thermoplastic resin materials are disposed adjacent to one another such that the step lines form a T-shape as seen in the plate thickness direction, and
in the cutting, a region including an intersection point where the plurality of gradually changing portions intersect in a T-shape as seen in the plate thickness direction of the molded body is cut-out from the molded body.

6. The method of manufacturing a structural body of differing thicknesses of claim 3 , wherein:
in the placing, two thermoplastic resin materials having different plate thicknesses from one another are used as the second thermoplastic resin material, the two thermoplastic resin materials are superposed on the first thermoplastic resin material at respectively different regions, and the two thermoplastic resin materials are disposed adjacent to one another such that the step lines form a T-shape as seen in the plate thickness direction, and
in the cutting, a region including an intersection point where the plurality of gradually changing portions intersect in a T-shape as seen in the plate thickness direction of the molded body is cut-out from the molded body.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Iwano Yoshihiro

Classifications

• B29C70/20

  oriented in a single direction, e.g. roofing or other parallel fibres {(B29C70/083, B29C70/226 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B29C43/28

  incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles · CPC title

• B29K2105/08

  of continuous length, e.g. cords, rovings, mats, fabrics, strands or yarns · CPC title

• B60J5/0481

  plastic · CPC title

• B29K2105/14

  oriented · CPC title