A vehicle bumper (20) integrates rigid and flexible components into a single co-injection molded structure. In a preferred embodiment, a flexible fascia (58) is provided with integrated rigid fastener brackets (62, 66, 70, 71), energy absorption structure and head lamp brackets and housings (62). A method for manufacturing such a bumper provides for the injection of two different plastic materials during the same molding process. The flexible plastic material first injected into the mold. Then, the rigid plastic material is injected at gates located where the rigid material is desired. In one embodiment, the rigid material is completely contained within the flexible material. The rigid material may be either a higher stiffness plastic or a fiber reinforced plastic.
METHOD OF MAKING INTEGRATED CO-INJECTION MOLDED VEHICLE COMPONENTS
VERFAHREN ZUM HERSTELLEN VON INTEGRIERTEN FAHRZEUGTEILEN DURCH CO-INJEKTION
PROCÉDÉ DE FABRICATION DE COMPOSANTS INTÉGRÉS DE VEHICULE PAR MOULAGE PAR CO-INJECTION
2016-05-18
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
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