US3929948A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for fabricating impact absorbing safety structure
Assignee: Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc
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Filing: 1973-10-19
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Granted: 1975-12-30
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Expires: 1993-10-19
Abstract
Abstract A method for fabricating an expanded foam impact absorbing safety structure suitable for use on automobile dashboards including the steps of conforming a flexible surface covering member to the molding surface of a mold; conforming a layer member of flexible, resilient porous foam to the flexible covering member, pouring a foaming mixture of rigid type foam reactants onto the exposed surface of the layer member, allowing a portion of the foaming mixture to permeate into the surface pores of the layer member, and curing the foaming mixture to produce an expanded rigid foam base member joined to the layer member by an intermediate tough rigid and frangible crust comprised of a surface portion of the layer member permeated by a portion of the expanded rigid foam of the base member. An adhesive may be applied between the covering member and the layer member. The covering member may be omitted and the layer member may be provided with an integral skin disposed in conformity with the molding surface.
Inventors
- 👤 John A Welch
- 👤 Robert W Mitchell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 23:09
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C44/00; B29C44/02; B29C44/04; B29C44/0461; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/02; B60R21/04; B60R21/045; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S264/00; Y10S264/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
54 words
A METHOD FOR FABRICATING AN IMPROVED IMPACT ABSORBING SAFETY STRUCTURE INCLUDING A RIGID DEFORMABLE FOAM BASE MEMBER JOINED TO A RESILIENT FOAM OUTER LAYER MEMBER THROUGH A TOUGH RIGID COMPOSITE CRUST MEMBER WHICH IS ADAPTED TO PROTECT SAID BASE MEMBER FROM LESS THAN SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT FORCES RECEIVED THROUGH SAID LAYER MEMBER, THE STEPS COMPRISING:
Claim 2
Independent Claim
54 words
A METHOD FOR FABRICATING AN IMPROVED IMPACT ABSORBING SAFETY STRUCTURE INCLUDING A RIGID DEFORMABLE FOAM BASE MEMBER JOINED TO A RESILIENT FOAM OUTER LAYER MEMBER THROUGH A TOUGH RIGID COMPOSITE CRUST MEMBER WHICH IS ADAPTED TO PROTECT SAID BASE MEMBER FROM LESS THAN SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT FORCES RECEIVED THROUGH SAID LAYER MEMBER, THE STEPS COMPRISING:
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
DISPOSING A FLEXIBLE RESILIENT LAYER MEMBER OF CURED POROUS FOAM, HAVING ITS INTEGRAL SKIN AS INITIALLY FORMED WHEN FOAMED AND CURED REMOVED FROM ONE EXPOSED SURFACE TO EXPOSE A POROUS SURFACE, INTO CONFORMING RELATION WITH THE MOLDING SURFACE OF A MOLD AS A PREFORMED LAYER MEMBER WITH SAID POROUS SURFACE DISPOSED OPPOSITE SAID MOLDING SURFACE;
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
DISPOSING A FLEXIBLE RESILIENT LAYER MEMBER OF CURED POROUS FOAM, HAVING ITS INTEGRAL SKIN AS INITIALLY FORMED WHEN FOAMED AND CURED REMOVED FROM ONE EXPOSED SURFACE TO EXPOSE A POROUS SURFACE, INTO CONFORMING RELATION WITH THE MOLDING SURFACE OF A MOLD AS A PREFORMED LAYER MEMBER WITH SAID POROUS SURFACE DISPOSED OPPOSITE SAID MOLDING SURFACE;
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
POURING A FOAMING MIXTURE OF THERMOSETTING RESIN REACTANTS SELECTED TO PRODUCE A RIGID TYPE FOAM ONTO SAID POROUS SURFACE OF SAID LAYER MEMBER WHILE SAID MIXTURE IS IN FOAMING CONDITION;
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
POURING A FOAMING MIXTURE OF THERMOSETTING RESIN REACTANTS SELECTED TO PRODUCE A RIGID TYPE FOAM ONTO SAID POROUS SURFACE OF SAID LAYER MEMBER WHILE SAID MIXTURE IS IN FOAMING CONDITION;
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said foaming mixture is cured to produce said base member having a density of less than about 8 lbs./ft.3.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
pouring a foaming mixture of thermosetting resin reactants selected to produce a rigid type foam onto said porous surface of said layer member while said mixture is in foaming condition;
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
pouring a foaming mixture of thermosetting resin reactants selected to produce a rigid type foam onto said porous surface of said layer member while said mixture is in foaming condition;
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
Allowing a portion of said foaming mixture to permeate into said porous surface and partially into said layer member a distance sufficient To form a selected apparent thickness of a composite layer comprising said foaming mixture and said porous foam of said layer member; and
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
Allowing a portion of said foaming mixture to permeate into said porous surface and partially into said layer member a distance sufficient To form a selected apparent thickness of a composite layer comprising said foaming mixture and said porous foam of said layer member; and
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said foaming mixture is cured to convert said composite layer into said rigid composite crust member having an apparent density of about 8-30 lbs./ft.3.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
ALLOWING A PORTION OF SAID FOAMING MIXTURE TO PERMEATE INTO SAID POROUS SURFACE AND PARTIALLY INTO SAID LAYER MEMBER A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO FORM A SELECTED APPARENT THICKNESS OF A COMPOSITE LAYER COMPRISING SAID FOAMING MIXTURE AND SAID POROUS FOAM OF SAID LAYER MEMBER; AND
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
ALLOWING A PORTION OF SAID FOAMING MIXTURE TO PERMEATE INTO SAID POROUS SURFACE AND PARTIALLY INTO SAID LAYER MEMBER A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO FORM A SELECTED APPARENT THICKNESS OF A COMPOSITE LAYER COMPRISING SAID FOAMING MIXTURE AND SAID POROUS FOAM OF SAID LAYER MEMBER; AND
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
86 words
CURING SAID FOAMING MIXTURE TO PRODUCE SAID RIGID DEFORMABLE BASE MEMBER AND TO CONVERT SAID COMPOSITE LAYER INTO SAID RIGID COMPOSITE CRUST MEMBER WITH SAID RIGID COMPOSITE CRUST MEMBER BEING TOUGH YET FRANGIBLE AND ADAPTED TO BREAK RESPONSIVE TO IMPACT FORCES IN EXCESS OF ABOUT 50 LBS., EXEMPLIFIED AS A FORCE EXERTED THROUGH SAID RESILIENT LAYER MEMBER AGAINST SAID CRUST MEMBER BY A SOLID HEMISPHERICAL SURFACE ABOUT 1 INCH IN DIAMETER, AND THEREBY ALLOW SUCH EXCESS FORCES TO BE ABOSRBED THROUGH DEFORMATION OF SAID BASE MEMBER.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
86 words
CURING SAID FOAMING MIXTURE TO PRODUCE SAID RIGID DEFORMABLE BASE MEMBER AND TO CONVERT SAID COMPOSITE LAYER INTO SAID RIGID COMPOSITE CRUST MEMBER WITH SAID RIGID COMPOSITE CRUST MEMBER BEING TOUGH YET FRANGIBLE AND ADAPTED TO BREAK RESPONSIVE TO IMPACT FORCES IN EXCESS OF ABOUT 50 LBS., EXEMPLIFIED AS A FORCE EXERTED THROUGH SAID RESILIENT LAYER MEMBER AGAINST SAID CRUST MEMBER BY A SOLID HEMISPHERICAL SURFACE ABOUT 1 INCH IN DIAMETER, AND THEREBY ALLOW SUCH EXCESS FORCES TO BE ABOSRBED THROUGH DEFORMATION OF SAID BASE MEMBER.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said foaming mixture is allowed to permeate into said porous surface sufficient to form said rigid composite crust having an apparent thickness of at least about 1/16 inch.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
86 words
curing said foaming mixture to produce said rigid deformable base member and to convert said composite layer into said rigid composite crust member with said rigid composite crust member being tough yet frangible and adapted to break responsive to impact forces in excess of about 50 lbs., exemplified as a force exerted through said resilient layer member against said crust member by a solid hemispherical surface about 1 inch in diameter, and thereby allow such excess forces to be absorbed through deformation of said base member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
86 words
curing said foaming mixture to produce said rigid deformable base member and to convert said composite layer into said rigid composite crust member with said rigid composite crust member being tough yet frangible and adapted to break responsive to impact forces in excess of about 50 lbs., exemplified as a force exerted through said resilient layer member against said crust member by a solid hemispherical surface about 1 inch in diameter, and thereby allow such excess forces to be absorbed through deformation of said base member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said resilient layer member has a density of less than about 8 lbs./ft.3 and a thickness of at least about 1/4 inch.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the integral skin formed during foaming and curing of said resilient layer member is retained on the exposed surface of said layer member which is disposed in conforming relation with the molding surface of said mold, said integral skin becoming the outer surface of said resilient outer layer member of said safety structure.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-29 | 1979-06-30 | 1979-12-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-29 | 1983-06-30 | 1983-12-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-29 | 1987-06-30 | 1987-12-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |