IMPROVED BUMPER PREFORM AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME

• Main Authors: KELMAN, JOSH, HAMES, ROBERT
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 05.10.1994
• Edition: 5
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULARARTICLES; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BESHAPED; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIALCONTAINING PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A process for producing a reinforced plastic motor vehicle bumper includes the steps of placing a woven roving (17) on a center section of a preform screen (10) that is retained by a vacuum draw from a suction fan (16). Chopped glass fibers (20) and a curable binder are sprayed onto the preform screen and woven roving. A second layer (22) of woven roving is placed onto the center section of chopped glass and first layer (17) of woven roving. Either the excess trim (39) is trimmed by a cutting die (50) before the preform is cured or the die is first cured and then the excess trim is trimmed by a cutter using a plastic base (35) in the screen that circumscribes the contoured section of the preform screen.