Duane Williams

US Patent:

59483474, Sep 7, 1999

Filed:

Jun 1, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/088545

Inventors:

Robert Phil van Jaarsveld - Macomb MI
Duane David Williams - Beavercreek OH
Suresh Deepchand Shah - Troy MI
Duane Eric Jones - Clawson MI
Jayprakash Uttamchand Raisoni - Rochester Hills MI

Assignee:

General Motors Corporation - Detroit MI

International Classification:

B29C 4500

US Classification:

264572

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.