17818528. Inflatable-Based Process for Controlling Structural Foam Reinforcement Molding simplified abstract (GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC)

Inflatable-Based Process for Controlling Structural Foam Reinforcement Molding

Organization Name

GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

Inventor(s)

Nilesh D. Mankame of Ann Arbor MI (US)

Ruoyu Sun of Champaign IL (US)

Girish Krishnan of Mahomet IL (US)

Inflatable-Based Process for Controlling Structural Foam Reinforcement Molding - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 17818528 titled 'Inflatable-Based Process for Controlling Structural Foam Reinforcement Molding

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes a structural component for a vehicle that includes a hollow passage filled with a polymer resin foam for structural reinforcement.

• Component includes an interior surface defining a hollow passage
• Structural reinforcement contacts the interior surface and partially fills the cross-section
• Process involves inserting a bladder, inflating it, filling the cavity with polymer resin, and foaming the resin
• System includes a bladder insertable into the hollow passage and a supply line connected to the bladder

Potential Applications: - Automotive industry for lightweight and strong vehicle components - Aerospace industry for structural components in aircraft

Problems Solved: - Providing structural reinforcement in a lightweight and efficient manner - Creating strong and durable components for vehicles

Benefits: - Lightweight components improve fuel efficiency - Strong structural reinforcement enhances safety - Efficient manufacturing process reduces production costs

Original Abstract Submitted

A structural component for a vehicle includes a component including an interior surface defining a first hollow passage and a structural reinforcement contacting the interior surface of the component. The structural reinforcement and component define a cross-section and the structural reinforcement partially fills the cross-section. A process for forming the structural component including inserting a bladder into the first hollow passage defined by the interior surface of the component and inflating the bladder in the first hollow passage, forming a cavity between the bladder and the interior surface, filling the cavity with a polymer resin, and foaming the polymer resin. A system for forming a structural component for a vehicle includes a component including a first hollow passage defined by an interior surface of the component, a bladder insertable into the first hollow passage of the component, and a supply line connected to an interior of the bladder.