Patent US4853270A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4853270A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Knee blocker for automotive application
Assignee: Henkel Corp
•
Filing: 1988-06-27
•
Granted: 1989-08-01
•
Expires: 2008-06-27
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to a passive restraint for an automobile, and moe particularly, to a knee blocker for automotive applications that is positioned under the steering column forward of the knees. In order to provide energy absorption, the knee blocker includes an energy absorbing core filled with a plurality of thermoset resin pellets. The energy absorbing core is disposed between a metal stamping and a vinyl foam skin padding. Each of the pellets consist essentially of substantially uncured thermoset polymeric resins and microspheres which have been intermixed and extruded. Each of the pellets also has a coating of a B-staged resin. These thermoset pellets are made in the following manner. A low viscosity thermoset resin and microspheres are mixed together without melting the thermoset resin and extruding the mixture to form a continuous strand of paste-like uncured material. The continuous strand is expanded and gelled on a conveyor which preferably includes radiant heater or other means for accelerating the gelling of the continuous strands into solid form. The strands are then cut or chopped into pellet form and may be coated with an adhesive or B-staged material in preparation for forming into structural reinforcements. The pellets are filled with microspheres in the amount of 20 to 35% of resin weight. The pellets may include unexpanded thermally expandable microspheres which permit expansion of the pellets when exposed to heat to provide a pellet having a bulk density as low as 9 pounds per cubic foot. The pellets may be formed of a thermoset resin such as a polyester resin or epoxy resin, vinylester resin, polyurethane resin, or phenolin resin and may include organic, inorganic or glass preexpanded microspheres. Alternatively, the pellets may include unexpanded thermally expandable thermoplastic microspheres or a liquid blowing agent if expansion of the pellets is desired. A cure aid or curing agent may be included in the pellet mix to facilitate curing of the pellet in the final reinforcement and other additives may be incorporated in the pellet mix to improve extrudability or other properties of the pellets.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph S. Wycech
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:33
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C48/00; B29C48/022; B29C48/03; B29C48/04; B29C70/00; B29C70/58; B29C70/66; B32; B32B; B32B15/00; B32B15/16; B32B5/00; B32B5/18; B32B5/22; B32B5/30; B32B5/32; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/02; B60R21/04; B60R21/045; B29C48/25; B29C48/36; B29C48/475; B29K; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/06; B29K2105/16; B29K2105/165; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/30; B29L2031/3005; B32B2266/00; B32B2266/02; B32B2266/0214; B32B2266/0278; B32B2307/00; B32B2307/50; B32B2307/56; B32B2605/00; B32B2605/08; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/23; Y10T428/239; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249953; Y10T428/249971; Y10T428/249974; Y10T428/25; Y10T428/252; Y10T428/254; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2982; Y10T428/2991; Y10T428/2998
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
55 words
A passive restraint system for a vehicle comprising an energy absorbing core enveloped by a frame, said core being filled with a plurality of pellets, each said pellet consisting essentially of substantially uncured thermoset polymeric resin and microspheres which have been intermixed and extruded, each said pellet also having a coating of a B-staged resin.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
55 words
A passive restraint system for a vehicle comprising an energy absorbing core enveloped by a frame, said core being filled with a plurality of pellets, each said pellet consisting essentially of substantially uncured thermoset polymeric resin and microspheres which have been intermixed and extruded, each said pellet also having a coating of a B-staged resin.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
103 words
A passive restraint system for a vehicle comprising: a frame being secured to the vehicle and having a plurality of outer surfaces; a metal stamping layer disposed on one outer surface of said frame; a vinyl foam skin padding being disposed on another outer surface of said frame; an energy absorbing core being disposed between said metal stamping and said vinyl foam skin padding; said core being filled with a plurality of pellets, each said pellet consisting essentially of substantially uncured thermoset polymeric resin and microspheres which have been intermixed and extruded, each said pellet also having a coating of a B-staged resin.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
103 words
A passive restraint system for a vehicle comprising: a frame being secured to the vehicle and having a plurality of outer surfaces; a metal stamping layer disposed on one outer surface of said frame; a vinyl foam skin padding being disposed on another outer surface of said frame; an energy absorbing core being disposed between said metal stamping and said vinyl foam skin padding; said core being filled with a plurality of pellets, each said pellet consisting essentially of substantially uncured thermoset polymeric resin and microspheres which have been intermixed and extruded, each said pellet also having a coating of a B-staged resin.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The passive restraint of claim 2 and further including a layer of urethane foam being disposed between said vinyl foam skin padding and said energy absorbing core to provide increased energy absorption.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
54 words
A method of making passive restraint for a vehicle comprising filling a plurality of pellets into an energy absorbing core enveloped by a frame with each said pellet consisting essentially of substantially uncured thermoset polymeric resin and microspheres which have been intermixed and extruded and each pellet having a coating of a B-staged resin.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
54 words
A method of making passive restraint for a vehicle comprising filling a plurality of pellets into an energy absorbing core enveloped by a frame with each said pellet consisting essentially of substantially uncured thermoset polymeric resin and microspheres which have been intermixed and extruded and each pellet having a coating of a B-staged resin.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of making a passive restraint system for a vehicle comprising: securing a frame having a plurality of outer surfaces to the vehicle; applying a metal stamping layer to one outer surface of said frame; applying a vinyl skin padding layer to another outer surface of said frame forming an energy absorbing core between said metal stamping and said vinyl skin padding layer; and filing said core with a plurality of pellets with each said pellet consisting essentially of substantially uncured thermoset polymeric resin and microspheres and having a coating of a B-staged resin.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of making a passive restraint system for a vehicle comprising: securing a frame having a plurality of outer surfaces to the vehicle; applying a metal stamping layer to one outer surface of said frame; applying a vinyl skin padding layer to another outer surface of said frame forming an energy absorbing core between said metal stamping and said vinyl skin padding layer; and filing said core with a plurality of pellets with each said pellet consisting essentially of substantially uncured thermoset polymeric resin and microspheres and having a coating of a B-staged resin.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of making a passive restraint of claim 5 and further including applying a layer of urethane foam between said vinyl foam skin padding layer and said energy absorbing core to provide increased energy absorption.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of making a passive restraint system for a vehicle comprising: mixing thermoset resins and microspheres to form a homogeneous mixture; extruding said mixture to form at least one continuous strand; depositing said strand on an endless belt conveyor moving at a speed substantially equal to the rate said strand is extruded; expanding and gelling said moving strand on said moving conveyor by exposing said strand to heating means positioned adjacent said moving conveyor to form a solid strand having a percent tensile elongation of more than 10% which is less than B-staged; forming said strand into further curable pellets of thermoset resins filled with microspheres by chopping said gelled strand with chopping means to form said further curable pellets; and filling a plurality of said pellets into an internal cavity enveloped by a frame secured to the vehicle.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of making a passive restraint system for a vehicle comprising: mixing thermoset resins and microspheres to form a homogeneous mixture; extruding said mixture to form at least one continuous strand; depositing said strand on an endless belt conveyor moving at a speed substantially equal to the rate said strand is extruded; expanding and gelling said moving strand on said moving conveyor by exposing said strand to heating means positioned adjacent said moving conveyor to form a solid strand having a percent tensile elongation of more than 10% which is less than B-staged; forming said strand into further curable pellets of thermoset resins filled with microspheres by chopping said gelled strand with chopping means to form said further curable pellets; and filling a plurality of said pellets into an internal cavity enveloped by a frame secured to the vehicle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2021837A
Cited
US2531739A
Cited
US2622273A
Cited
US2770841A
Cited
US2870486A
Cited
US2784006A
Cited
US2951261A
Cited
US2975483A
Cited
US3046606A
Cited
US3092878A
Cited
US3224924A
Cited
US3230184A
Cited
US3203709A
Cited
US3324510A
Cited
US3253967A
Cited
US3304355A
Cited
US3509247A
Cited
US3600486A
Cited
US3519706A
Cited
US3652486A
Cited
US3562373A
Cited
US3676534A
Cited
US3892708A
Cited
US3670467A
Cited
US3900543A
Cited
US3834482A
Cited
US3784224A
Cited
US3931988A
Cited
US3930665A
Cited
US4038238A
Cited
US3917547A
Cited
US4032175A
Cited
US3989275A
Cited
US4098525A
Cited
US4122145A
Cited
US4126661A
Cited
US4104098A
Cited
US4170619A
Cited
US4273806A
Cited
US4240779A
Cited
US4291899A
Cited
US4317582A
Cited
US4248584A
Cited
US4368901A
Cited
US4405543A
Cited
DE2916687A1
Cited
US4247502A
Cited
US4459254A
Cited
US4400011A
Cited
US4427215A
Cited
US4363690A
Cited
US4468051A
Cited
US4413838A
Cited
US4447565A
Cited
US4433068A
Cited
US4575117A
Cited
US4581191A
Cited
US4660852A
Cited
US4737407A
Cited
US4721329A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-07-31 | 1993-01-30 | 1993-08-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-07-31 | 1997-01-30 | 1997-08-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-07-31 | 2001-01-30 | 2001-08-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |