Blow molded vehicle parts with foam layer and hollow core

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10456970-B2
Application number	US-201514709582-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2015
Priority date	May 12, 2015
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

An armrest for a captain's chair of a vehicle includes an outer layer and an inner layer including a foaming agent and defining a hollow core. At least one of the inner layer and the outer layer may include a reinforcing material and/or may be varied in thickness along its length. The armrest may include a third layer defining the hollow core. A related method includes heating a parison having a first and second layers, mixing a foaming agent into the second layer prior to heating, feeding the heated parison between mold halves, clamping the heated parison by moving the mold halves together, and pushing the layers of the heated parison outward, using blown air, such that the first layer is adjacent the mold and the second layer forms a hollow core of the armrest, the hollow core being partially filled by expansion of the second layer during cooling.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An armrest for a captain's seat for a vehicle, comprising:
a mounting hole for mounting the armrest to the captain's seat;
an outer layer;
an intermediate foam layer, wherein said intermediate foam layer is a mixture of a plastic and a foaming agent; and
an inner layer defining a hollow core, wherein the hollow core is partitioned via the mounting hole.

2. The armrest for a captain's seat for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said inner layer, said intermediate foam layer, and said outer layer includes a reinforcing material.

3. The armrest for a captain's seat for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said inner layer, said intermediate layer, and said outer layer is varied in thickness along its length.

4. A vehicle incorporating the armrest for a captain's seat of claim 1 .

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Roychoudhury Raj S
• Medoro Michael

Classifications

• B60R19/18

  {characterised by the cross-section;} Means within the bumper to absorb impact · CPC title

• B29L2031/3026

  Arm-rests · CPC title

• B29K2105/045

  with open cells · CPC title

• B29C48/0017

  combined with blow-moulding or thermoforming · CPC title

• B29C44/583

  for making articles with cavities · CPC title