Injection molded parts for vehicles and other devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle molding for protecting a surface of a vehicle, said molding comprising:
- a unitary injection molded piece having a decorative portion, a support portion, and a hinge disposed therebetween, said hinge having a thickness less than the thickness of at least one of said decorative and support portions to facilitate pivotal motion of said decorative and support portions relative to each other from a first expanded position in which said decorative and supportive portions are spaced apart to a second collapsed position in which said decorative and support portions are adjacent to each other;
said decorative portion being of relatively uniform thickness and having a decorative surface substantially free of readthrough;
an attachment mechanism to connect said decorative and support portions together in the collapsed position.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle part such as a body molding includes a trim piece connected to a bearer piece by a flexible and foldable hinge, which is preferably integrally molded with the trim and bearer pieces in a single injection mold. The trim piece and bearer piece are folded about the molded hinge to rotate towards each other and are snap-fitted together to form an integral body side molding that can be adhesively and/or clippedly affixed to a support surface, such as a vehicle body side panel. Methods for manufacturing and installing such vehicle parts are also disclosed.
76 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A vehicle molding for protecting a surface of a vehicle, said molding comprising:
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a unitary injection molded piece having a decorative portion, a support portion, and a hinge disposed therebetween, said hinge having a thickness less than the thickness of at least one of said decorative and support portions to facilitate pivotal motion of said decorative and support portions relative to each other from a first expanded position in which said decorative and supportive portions are spaced apart to a second collapsed position in which said decorative and support portions are adjacent to each other;
said decorative portion being of relatively uniform thickness and having a decorative surface substantially free of readthrough;
an attachment mechanism to connect said decorative and support portions together in the collapsed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of making a vehicle molding having a decorative portion and a support portion connected by a hinge using injection molding, said method comprising:
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providing a single mold to form the decorative portion, the support portion, and the hinge;
filling the mold with a moldable material;
integrally injection molding the decorative portion, the support portion, and the hinge in the single mold from the moldable material such that the hinge has a thickness less than the thickness of at least one of said decorative and support portions to facilitate pivotal motion of the decorative and support portions and the decorative portion is substantially free of readthrough;
curing the moldable material; and
removing the molding from the mold. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of attaching a molding to a surface of a vehicle, said method comprising:
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providing a unitary injection molded part having a decorative portion and a support portion connected by a hinge having a thickness less than the thickness of at least one of the decorative and support portions to facilitate pivotal motion of the decorative and support portions relative to each other from a first expanded position in which the decorative and supportive portions are spaced apart to a second collapsed position in which the decorative and support portions are adjacent to each other, the decorative portion being of relatively uniform thickness and having a decorative surface substantially free of readthrough, the support portion including engagement members to connect the molding to the surface of the vehicle, and an attachment mechanism to connect the decorative and support portions together in the collapsed position;
positioning the decorative portion and support portion in the collapsed position;
operating the attachment mechanism to connect the decorative and support portions together; and
connecting the molding to the vehicle surface using the engagement members. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification