Extruded multi-layer molded running board

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9707898-B1
Application number	US-201615206575-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 11, 2016
Priority date	Jul 11, 2016
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle running board includes opposing vertical walls extending along a length of a tubular structure and including a carbon-fiber component. Opposing horizontal walls extend between the opposing vertical walls and include a glass component. The opposing vertical and opposing horizontal walls form the tubular structure having a generally rectilinear cross section. A polymer outer covering extends over the opposing vertical and opposing horizontal walls.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle running board comprising:
opposing vertical walls extending along a length of a tubular structure and including a carbon-fiber component;
opposing horizontal walls extending between the opposing vertical walls and including a glass component, the opposing vertical and opposing horizontal walls forming the tubular structure having a generally rectilinear cross section; and
a polymer outer covering extending over the opposing vertical and opposing horizontal walls.

2. The vehicle running board of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one interior vertical wall extending along the length of the tubular structure and including the carbon-fiber component.

3. The vehicle running board of claim 2 , wherein each of the opposing vertical walls and the at least one interior vertical wall is made of carbon-fiber filled polypropylene, and wherein each of the opposing horizontal walls is made of glass-filled polypropylene.

4. The vehicle running board of claim 1 , wherein the opposing vertical walls and the opposing horizontal walls are bi-extruded to form the tubular structure and the polymer outer covering is co-extruded with the tubular structure to be disposed over an exterior surface of the tubular structure.

5. The vehicle running board of claim 2 , wherein each of the opposing vertical walls, the at least one interior vertical wall, each of the opposing horizontal walls and the polymer outer covering are tri-extruded to simultaneously form the tubular structure having a consistent outer surface.

6. The vehicle running board of claim 1 , wherein a lower horizontal wall of the opposing horizontal walls includes a contoured reinforcing structure defined therein.

7. The vehicle running board of claim 6 , wherein the contoured reinforcing structure is a rectilinear channel extending the length of the tubular structure.

8. The vehicle running board of claim 4 , wherein the tubular structure and the polymer outer covering are formed into a final shape using blow molding.

9. The vehicle running board of claim 5 , wherein the tubular structure and the polymer outer covering are formed using injection molding.

10. A method for forming a vehicle running board, the method comprising steps of:
bi-extruding a vertically-oriented carbon-fiber reinforcing material with a laterally-oriented glass reinforcing material to form a tubular parison;
co-extruding a polymer outer covering with the tubular parison; and
molding the tubular parison and the polymer outer covering to form a tubular running board structure.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the steps of bi-extruding the vertically-oriented carbon-fiber reinforcing material and co-extruding the laterally-oriented glass reinforcing material occur simultaneously through a tri-extrusion process.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the vertically-oriented carbon-fiber reinforcing material is extruded to form at least opposing vertical walls.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the vertically-oriented carbon-fiber reinforcing material is extruded to further form at least one interior vertical wall.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the laterally-oriented glass reinforcing material is extruded to form opposing horizontal walls that extend between the opposing vertical walls.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein a lower horizontal wall of the opposing horizontal walls includes a contoured reinforcing structure.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of molding the tubular parison and the polymer outer covering to form a tubular running board structure includes:
forming a base tube made of the tubular parison and the polymer outer covering; and
blow molding the extrusion ring into the tubular running board structure.

17. A vehicle running board comprising:
opposing vertical walls extending along a length of a tubular structure and including a carbon-fiber component and being free of a glass component;
opposing horizontal walls extending between the opposing vertical walls and including the glass component and being free of the carbon-fiber component; and
a polymer outer covering extending over the opposing vertical and opposing horizontal walls.

18. The vehicle running board of claim 17 , further comprising:
at least one interior vertical wall extending along the length of the tubular structure and including only one of the carbon-fiber component and the glass component.

19. The vehicle running board of claim 18 , wherein each of the opposing vertical walls and the at least one interior vertical wall is made of carbon-fiber filled polypropylene, and wherein each of the opposing horizontal walls is made of glass-filled polypropylene.

20. The vehicle running board of claim 18 , wherein the opposing vertical walls, the opposing horizontal walls, the at least one interior vertical wall and the polymer outer covering are simultaneously formed using at least one of injection molding and blow molding.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dellock Paul Kenneth
• Salter Stuart C
• Musleh Michael
• Karmo Talat
• Glickman David Brian
• Lobo Harry
• Myszka Joseph

Classifications

• B29K2023/12

  PP, i.e. polypropylene · CPC title

• B29K2105/145

  and crossing at substantial angles · CPC title

• B29C45/164

  The moulding materials being injected simultaneously · CPC title

• B29C48/09

  Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels · CPC title

• B29C48/919

  using a bath, e.g. extruding into an open bath to coagulate or cool the material · CPC title