Article having impact resistant surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9540972-B2
Application number	US-201213465530-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2012
Priority date	Jul 7, 2007
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

An article manufactured from a polymeric material filled with fibers has an exterior surface having an impact portion with an arcuate configuration to impart impact resistance to the article. The article also includes a plurality of ribs orientated and configured in a unique manner to also impart impact resistance to the article. The ribs extend from the exterior surface of the article. A fillet having a fillet radius interconnects the ribs and the exterior surface. The fibers of the polymeric material are aligned within the article parallel to a flow of the polymeric material when injected into a mold during a molding process. The ribs are oriented in a pattern relative to the fibers to maximize the impact resistance of the article.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An impact resistant article comprising:
an exterior surface having an impact portion disposed between a leading portion and a trailing portion, wherein said leading portion includes a wall and wherein said impact portion comprises a pair of end portions, wherein said pair of end portions defines a plane extending tangentially to each of said end portions and not intersecting said impact portion between said pair of end portions;
a plurality of ribs extending outwardly from said exterior surface;
said plurality of ribs including a top surface and a pair of side surfaces in spaced and parallel relationship and perpendicular to said exterior surface;
a fillet interconnecting said exterior surface and each of said pair of side surfaces;
wherein said impact portion of said exterior surface defines an arcuate configuration between said pair of end portions protruding outwardly for imparting impact resistance to said impact portion, and wherein said arcuate configuration has an apex spaced from said wall and wherein said apex is also spaced from said plane, and
wherein said plane intersects said wall at an angle of from about 100 to about 150 degrees.

2. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said apex of said arcuate configuration is spaced from said wall at a distance along said plane of from about 50 to about 500 mm.

3. An article as set forth in claim 2 where said apex of said arcuate configuration is spaced from said plane a distance of from about 1 to about 50 mm.

4. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fillet has a fillet radius in the range from about 0.75 to about 2.00 mm.

5. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fillet has a radius of less than about 0.75 mm.

6. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said exterior surface, said plurality of ribs, and said fillet are formed from a polymeric material.

7. An article as set forth in claim 6 wherein said exterior surface, said plurality of ribs, and said fillet are integrally formed together from said polymeric material.

8. An article as set forth in claim 7 wherein said polymeric material includes a polyamide.

9. An article as set forth in claim 8 wherein said polyamide is selected from the group of polyamide 6, polyamide 6,6, polyamide 46, polyamide 6,10, polyamide 6I,6T, polyamide 11, polyamide 12, polyamide 1010, polyamide 6,12, and combinations thereof.

10. An article as set forth in claim 7 further comprising a reinforcing agent filling said polymeric material in an amount of from 15 to 60 parts by weight based on a total weight of said polymeric material.

11. An article as set forth in claim 10 wherein said reinforcing agent comprises fibers.

12. An article as set forth in claim 9 wherein said polymeric material has a modulus of elasticity in the range of 3,500 MPa and 10,000 MPa and a fatigue strength in the range of 30 MPa and 60 MPa.

13. An article as set forth in claim 9 wherein said polymeric material has a drop weight impact strength in the range of 75 KJ/m 2 and 110 KJ/m 2 and a notched impact strength in the range of 15 KJ/m 2 and 35 KJ/m 2 .

14. An article as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a corner interconnecting said top surface and each of said pair of side surfaces and having a corner radius in the range from about 0.50 to about 1.00 mm.

15. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said top surface is parallel to and spaced from said exterior surface a height in the range from about 2.00 to about 6.00 mm.

16. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pair of side surfaces are spaced from each other a width in the range from about 2.00 to about 3.00 mm.

17. An impact resistant oil pan comprising:
an exterior surface having an impact portion disposed between a leading portion and a trailing portion, wherein said leading portion includes a wall and wherein said impact portion comprises a pair of end portions, wherein said pair of end portions defines a plane extending tangentially to each of said end portions and not intersecting said impact portion between said pair of end portions;
a plurality of ribs extending outwardly from said exterior surface;
said plurality of ribs including a top surface and a pair of side surfaces in spaced and parallel relationship and perpendicular to said exterior surface;
a fillet interconnecting said exterior surface and each of said pair of side surfaces and having a fillet radius in the range from about 0.75 to about 2.00 mm;
said exterior surface, said plurality of ribs and said fillet being integrally formed from a polymeric material filled with a reinforcing agent in an amount of from about 15 to 60 parts by weight based on a total weight of said polymeric material;
said reinforcing agent comprising fibers that are substantially oriented in a primary direction with said plurality of ribs including a geometric orientation relative to said primary direction;
wherein said impact portion of said exterior surface defines an arcuate configuration between said pair of end portions protruding outwardly for imparting impact resistance to said impact portion, wherein said arcuate configuration has an apex spaced from said wall and wherein said apex is also spaced from said plane, and
wherein said plane intersects said wall at an angle of from about 100 to about 150 degrees.

18. An oil pan as set forth in claim 17 wherein said apex of said arcuate configuration is spaced from said wall at a distance along said plane of from about 50 to about 500 mm.

19. An oil pan as set forth in claim 18 where said apex of said arcuate configuration is spaced from said plane a distance of from about 1 to about 50 mm.

20. An oil pan as set forth in claim 17 wherein said geometric orientation of said plurality of ribs includes said plurality of ribs extending parallel to said primary direction.

21. An oil pan as set forth in claim 17 wherein said geometric orientation of said plurality of ribs includes said plurality of ribs extending perpendicular to said primary direction.

22. An oil pan as set forth in claim 17 wherein said geometric orientation of said plurality of ribs includes said plurality of ribs arranged to define a plurality of hexagonal shapes.

23. An oil pan as set forth in claim 17 wherein said plurality of ribs includes a first portion of said plurality of ribs and a second portion of said plurality of ribs and wherein said geometric orientation of said plurality of ribs includes said first portion of said plurality of ribs arranged perpendicularly to said second portion of said plurality of ribs.

24. An oil pan as set forth in claim 23 further comprising an intersection between said first portion of said plurality of ribs and said second portion of said plurality of ribs with said intersection including a top radius in the range of 0.50 mm and 1.50 mm.

25. An oil pan as set forth in claim 24 wherein said top radius is equal to 0.75 mm.

26. An oil pan as set forth in claim 23 wherein said geometric orientation of said plurality of ribs includes said first portion of said plurality of ribs arranged parallel said primary direction and said second portion of said plurality of ribs arranged perpendicular to said primary direction.

27. An oil pan as set forth in claim 23 wherein said geometric orientation of said plurality of ribs includes said first portion of said plurality o

Assignees

• Hanley Stephen
• Lee Chul S
• Lair Richard J
• Morgan Marianne S
• Fleck Randy
• Basf Se

Inventors

• Hanley Stephen
• Lee Chul S
• Lair Richard J
• Morgan Marianne S
• Fleck Randy

Classifications

• F01M2011/002

  with means for improving the stiffness · CPC title

• F02F7/00

  Casings, e.g. crankcases · CPC title

• F01M11/0004 Primary

  Oilsumps · CPC title

• Y10T428/2457

  Parallel ribs and/or grooves · CPC title

• F01M2011/0091

  characterised by used materials · CPC title