Plastic moulded part for a motor vehicle

• US 8,652,611 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2010
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Kuhlmann, Klaus, Berhard, Werner, Gaudig, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Catherine A
• Application Number:
  US12/879,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20110086203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 428/71, 428/156, 428/158, 428/159, 428/304.4, 428/31, 428/318.8, 428/317.9, 428/318.4, 296/146.7, 296/187.02, 296/1.08
• US Class Current: 428/156
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/04 consisting of at least two parts of chemically or physically different materials, e.g. having different densities
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1676 using a soft material and a rigid material, e.g. making articles with a sealing part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/233 Foamed or expanded material encased
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24496 Foamed or cellular component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree

Abstract

A bionically designed plastic molded part is provided, in particular a carrier, for a motor vehicle, with at least one low-load region for accommodating relatively low loads, which is formed using thin-wall technology, and at least one high-load region for accommodating relatively high loads, which is formed using plastic foam technology and connected to at least one low-load region.

Claims

1. A plastic molded part for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a low-load region adapted to accommodate a low load, the low-load region comprising thin-wall technology; and

a high-load region adapted to accommodate a high load that is greater than the low load, the high-load region comprising plastic foam technology, wherein the high-load region is configured to extend in a rib-like manner along a plurality of load paths to accommodate and forward a load, and wherein the high-load region is connected to the low-load region.

2. The plastic molded part according to claim 1, further comprising a medium-load region adapted to accommodate a moderate load that is greater than the low load and less than the high load, the medium-load region comprising technology other than the thin-wall technology and the plastic foam technology and connected to at least one of the low-load region or the high-load region.

3. The plastic molded part according to claim 2, wherein at least two of the low-load region, the high-load region, or the medium-load region are manufactured integrally with one another.

4. The plastic molded part according to claim 2, wherein at least two of the low-load region, the high-load region, or the medium-load region are connected with a material-to-material fit.

5. The plastic molded part according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the low-load region, the high-load region, or the medium-load region is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic.

6. The plastic molded part according to claim 1, wherein the low-load region comprises a wall thickness of at most approximately 1.2 mm.

7. The plastic molded part according to claim 1, wherein the low-load region comprises a wall thickness of at most approximately 1 mm.

8. The plastic molded part according to claim 1, wherein the low-load region comprises a wall thickness of at most approximately 0.9 mm.

9. The plastic molded part according to claim 1, wherein the high-load region comprises a foam core and a plastic shell that at least partly encases the foam core.

10. A plastic molded part for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a low-load region adapted to accommodate a low load, the low-load region comprising thin-wall technology;

a high-load region adapted to accommodate a high load that is greater than the low load, the high-load region comprising plastic foam technology, wherein the high-load region is configured to extend in a rib-like manner along a plurality of load paths to accommodate and forward a load, and wherein the high-load region is connected to the low-load region; and

a medium-load region adapted to accommodate a moderate load that is greater than the low load and less than the high load, the medium-load region comprising technology other than the thin-wall technology and the plastic foam technology and connected to at least one of the low-load region or the high-load region.

11. A plastic molded part for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a low-load region adapted to accommodate a low load, the low-load region comprising thin-wall technology, wherein the thin-wall technology comprises a wall thickness of at most approximately 1.2 mm;

a high-load region adapted to accommodate a high load that is greater than the low load, the high-load region comprising plastic foam technology, wherein the high-load region is configured to extend in a rib-like manner along a plurality of load paths to accommodate and forward a load, and wherein the high-load region is connected to the low-load region; and

a medium-load region adapted to accommodate a moderate load that is greater than the low load and less than the high load, the medium-load region comprising technology other than the thin-wall technology and the plastic foam technology and connected to at least one of the low-load region or the high-load region.