US4201830A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Impact absorbant article comprising frangible core having a tough-skinned covering and method of making same
Assignee: LEON PLASTICS Inc A CORP OF
•
Filing: 1978-09-11
•
Granted: 1980-05-06
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Expires: 1998-09-11
Abstract
Abstract The specification discloses an energy absorbing structure having a rod-like lateral cross section such as a hand rail, steering wheel or the like in which an inner structural member is made of a material capable of providing rigid structural strength, but being frangible upon sharp impact of the type encountered in vehicle accidents so as to absorb energy from the impact, and an exterior covering generally surrounding the inner member and being made of a somewhat stretchable, flexible, tough skinned and nonabrasive plastic material of sufficient thickness and strength that in the event the inner member does break, the covering prevents sharp ends or edges of the broken inner member from protruding and impaling an individual impacting the structure.
Inventors
- 👤 Carl H. Wollen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 17:00
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D1/00; B62D1/02; B62D1/04; B62D1/06; B62D1/11; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2913; Y10T428/2933; Y10T428/298; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/20; Y10T74/20576; Y10T74/20732; Y10T74/20834
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 63
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for minimizing injury to an individual impacting a structure having a rod-like lateral cross section such as a handrail, steering wheel or the like, said method comprising: providing said structure with an inner member having a rod-like lateral cross section and being made of a structural plastic material which is capable when hardened of providing rigid, structural strength, but which is frangible upon sharp impact of the type encountered in vehicle accidents so as to absorb energy from the impact; providing an exterior covering surrounding said inner member made of a second plastic material which is somewhat stretchable, flexible, tough-skinned and non-abrasive and of sufficient strength and sufficient thickness that in the event said inner member breaks, said exterior covering prevents sharp ends or edges of the broken inner member from protruding and impaling an individual impacting said structure.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for minimizing injury to an individual impacting a structure having a rod-like lateral cross section such as a handrail, steering wheel or the like, said method comprising: providing said structure with an inner member having a rod-like lateral cross section and being made of a structural plastic material which is capable when hardened of providing rigid, structural strength, but which is frangible upon sharp impact of the type encountered in vehicle accidents so as to absorb energy from the impact; providing an exterior covering surrounding said inner member made of a second plastic material which is somewhat stretchable, flexible, tough-skinned and non-abrasive and of sufficient strength and sufficient thickness that in the event said inner member breaks, said exterior covering prevents sharp ends or edges of the broken inner member from protruding and impaling an individual impacting said structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 in which said inner member is molded of a structural foam plastic material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2 in which said second plastic material is polyvinyl chloride.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 3 in which said inner member is molded to a thickness of from about one half to about five eighths of an inch.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 4 in which said exterior covering is molded to a thickness of approximately one quarter of an inch.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 5 in which said exterior covering is molded of a polyvinyl chloride material having a hardness of from about 45 to about 90 on the Shore A durometer scale.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 5 in which said exterior covering is molded of a polyvinyl chloride material having a hardness of from about 65 to 70 on the Shore A durometer scale.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 7 in which said inner member is molded to a finished specific gravity of from about 0.8 to about 0.9.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 8 in which said inner member is molded of one or more of the following materials: a structural foam polycarbonate, a structural foam polyethylene, a structural foam polystyrene, a structural foam polypropylene or a structural foam acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 9 in which said inner member is molded of a material having a higher melting point than the molding temperature of said second material is used to mold said exterior covering.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 10 in which said inner member is molded of a material having a melting point greater than 400° F.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 in which said inner member is molded to a thickness of from about one half to about five eighths of an inch.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 12 in which said inner member is molded to a finished specific gravity of from about 0.8 to about 0.9.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 13 in which said exterior covering is molded of a polyvinyl chloride material having a hardness of from about 45 to about 90 on the Shore A durometer scale.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 13 in which said exterior covering is molded of a polyvinyl chloride material having a hardness of from about 65 to about 70 on the Shore A durometer scale.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 12 in which said inner member is molded of a material having a melting point greater than 400° F.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 3 in which said inner member is molded of one or more of the following materials: a structural foam polycarbonate, a structural foam polyethylene, a structural foam polystyrene, a structural foam polypropylene, or a structural foam acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 17 in which said exterior covering is molded to a thickness of approximately one quarter of an inch.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 17 in which said inner member is molded of a material having a higher melting point than the molding temperature of said second material which is used to mold said exterior covering.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 19 in which said inner member is molded of a material having a melting point greater than 400° F.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
118 words
An energy absorbing structure having a rod-like lateral cross section such as a hand rail, steering wheel or the like, comprising: an inner member of rod-like lateral cross section made of a rigid, structural plastic material capable of providing structural strength but being frangible upon sharp impact of the type encountered in vehicle accidents so as to absorb energy from the impact; an exterior covering generally surrounding said inner member and being made of a somewhat stretchable, flexible, tough skinned and nonabrasive plastic material of sufficient thickness and strength that in the event said inner member breaks, said covering prevents sharp ends or edges of the broken inner member from protruding and impaling an individual impacting said structure.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
118 words
An energy absorbing structure having a rod-like lateral cross section such as a hand rail, steering wheel or the like, comprising: an inner member of rod-like lateral cross section made of a rigid, structural plastic material capable of providing structural strength but being frangible upon sharp impact of the type encountered in vehicle accidents so as to absorb energy from the impact; an exterior covering generally surrounding said inner member and being made of a somewhat stretchable, flexible, tough skinned and nonabrasive plastic material of sufficient thickness and strength that in the event said inner member breaks, said covering prevents sharp ends or edges of the broken inner member from protruding and impaling an individual impacting said structure.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 1 in which said inner member is made of a structural foam plastic material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 2 in which said exterior covering is made of polyvinyl chloride plastic material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 3 in which said inner member has a thickness of approximately one half to five eighths of an inch.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 24 in which said exterior covering has a thickness of approximately one quarter inch.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 25 in which said exterior covering has a hardness of from about 45 to about 90 on the Shore A durometer scale.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 25 in which said exterior covering has a hardness of from about 65 to about 70 on the Shore A durometer scale.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 27 in which said inner member has a specific gravity of from about 0.8 to about 0.9.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
39 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 28 in which said inner member is made of any one or more of the following materials: structural foam polycarbonate, structural foam polyethylene, structural foam polystyrene, structural foam polypropylene or structural foam acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
39 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 29 in which the material of which said inner member is made has a melting point which is greater than the molding temperature of the material of which said exterior covering is made.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 30 in which said inner member is made of a material having a melting point greater than 400° F.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 21 in which said exterior covering is made of polyvinyl chloride plastic material.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
28 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 31 in which said exterior covering has a hardness of from about 45 to about 90 on the Shore A durometer scale.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 31 in which said exterior covering has a hardness of from about 65 to about 70 on the Shore A durometer scale.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 34 in which said exterior covering has a thickness of approximately one quarter inch.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 32 in which said inner member is made of a material having a melting point greater than 400° F.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
23 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 22 in which said inner member has a specific gravity of from about 0.8 to about 0.9.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
25 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 37 in which said inner member has a thickness of approximately one half to five eighths of an inch.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
39 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 37 in which said inner member is made of any one or more of the following materials: structural foam polycarbonate, structural foam polyethylene, structural foam polystyrene, structural foam polypropylene or structural foam acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
39 words
The energy absorbing structure of claim 37 in which the material of which said inner member is made has a melting point which is greater than the molding temperature of the material of which said exterior covering is made.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
184 words
A method for manufacturing an energy absorbing structure having a rod-like lateral cross section such as a hand rail, steering wheel or the like, said method comprising of: molding an inner member into a configuration having a rod like lateral cross section of a structural plastic material which is capable when hardened of providing rigid, structural strength, but which is frangible upon sharp impact of the type encountered in vehicle accidents so as to absorb energy from the impact; placing said inner member into a second mold having a cavity which is larger in lateral cross section than the lateral cross section of said inner member and molding a second plastic material generally around said inner member within said mold to define an exterior covering on said inner member, said second plastic material being, when cooled and hardened, somewhat stretchable, flexible, tough skinned and nonabrasive and of sufficient strength, and molded to sufficient thickness, that in the event said inner member breaks, said exterior covering prevents sharp ends or edges of the broken inner member from protruding and impaling an individual impacting said structure.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
184 words
A method for manufacturing an energy absorbing structure having a rod-like lateral cross section such as a hand rail, steering wheel or the like, said method comprising of: molding an inner member into a configuration having a rod like lateral cross section of a structural plastic material which is capable when hardened of providing rigid, structural strength, but which is frangible upon sharp impact of the type encountered in vehicle accidents so as to absorb energy from the impact; placing said inner member into a second mold having a cavity which is larger in lateral cross section than the lateral cross section of said inner member and molding a second plastic material generally around said inner member within said mold to define an exterior covering on said inner member, said second plastic material being, when cooled and hardened, somewhat stretchable, flexible, tough skinned and nonabrasive and of sufficient strength, and molded to sufficient thickness, that in the event said inner member breaks, said exterior covering prevents sharp ends or edges of the broken inner member from protruding and impaling an individual impacting said structure.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 41 in which said inner member is molded of a structural foam plastic material.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 42 in which said second plastic material of said is polyvinyl chloride.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 43 in which said inner member is molded to a thickness of from about one half to about five eighths of an inch.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 44 in which said exterior covering is molded to a thickness of approximately one quarter of an inch.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 45 in which said exterior covering is molded of a polyvinyl chloride material having a hardness of from about 45 to about 90 on the Shore A durometer scale.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 45 in which said exterior covering is molded of a polyvinyl chloride material having a hardness of from about 65to about 70 on the Shore A durometer scale.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 47 in which said inner member is molded to a finished specific gravity of from about 0.8 to about 0.9.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 48 in which said inner member is molded of one or more of the following materials: a structural foam polycarbonate, a structural foam polyethylene, a structural foam polystyrene, a structural foam polypropylene or a structural foam acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 49 in which said inner member is molded of a material having a higher melting point than the molding temperature of said second material is used to mold said exterior covering.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 50 in which said inner member is molded of a material having a melting point greater than 400° F.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 21 in which said inner member is molded to a thickness of from about one half to about five eighths of an inch.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 52 in which said inner member is molded to a finished specific gravity of from about 0.8 to about 0.9.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 53 in which said exterior covering is molded of a polyvinyl chloride material having a hardness of from about 45 to about 90 on the Shore A durometer scale.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 53 in which said exterior covering is molded of a polyvinyl chloride material having a hardness of from about 65 to about 70 on the Shore A durometer scale.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 52 in which said inner member is molded of a material having a melting point greater than 400° F.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 43 in which said inner member is molded of one or more of the following materials: a structural foam polycarbonate, a structural foam polyethylene, a structural foam polystyrene, a structural foam polypropylene, or a structural foam acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 57 in which said exterior covering is molded to a thickness of approximately one quater of an inch.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 57 in which said inner member is molded of a material having a higher melting point than the molding temperature of said second material which is used to mold said exterior covering.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 59 in which said inner member is molded of a material having a melting point greater than 400° F.
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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) | 1983-05-06 | 1983-11-05 | 1984-05-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-05-06 | 1987-11-05 | 1988-05-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-05-06 | 1991-11-05 | 1992-05-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |