Method of making a steering hand wheel insert
US5948347A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 1, 1998 |
| Grant date | Sep 7, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 1, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB29L2031/3047
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method of making a steering hand wheel insert including the steps of: (a) in a gas assisted injection molding apparatus, forming a mold cavity having a ring-shaped outer channel, an inner channel, and a plurality of spoke channels; (b) forming a stationary mold insert in the outer channel dividing the latter into a pair of symmetric outer channel segments having downstream ends connected by a plurality of choke passages around the stationary mold insert; (c) injecting a short shot of a flowable plastic melt into each of the outer channel segments through a gate diametrically opposite the stationary insert and into the inner channel through a second gate; (d) injecting inert gas under pressure into the flowable plastic melt diametrically opposite the stationary insert; (e) maintaining the gas pressure until all of the flowable plastic melt cures in the mold cavity, (f) relieving the pressure of the inert gas, and (g) opening the mold cavity and removing the molded plastic steering hand wheel insert having a hollow tubular rim, a solid plastic inner bracket, and a plurality of integral spokes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.