John M Heuchert, Age 7615335 Farmbrook Estates Dr, Macomb Township, MI 48044

6403014, Jun 11, 2002

Dec 27, 1996

08/777357

James Watson Hendry - Brooksville FL
John Michael Heuchert - Macomb MI

Incoe Corporation - Troy MI

B29C 4356

264500, 264571, 264572, 264101, 264102

A mold apparatus and method is used to form a solid injection molded plastic part having no internal voids, a Class A finish, a sink-free exterior appearance surface, and unevenly distributed structural detail extending from the opposite surface, the detail including free-standing reinforcement ribs, attachment bosses, and the like. In sequence, a seal groove in the mold cavity is reduced to a pressure below atmospheric (i. e. , negative), a charge of hot thermoplastic is introduced into the mold cavity and seal groove whereby to form a gas seal ring, and pressurized gas is injected into the mold cavity. The pressurized gas forces the hot plastic from one mold half against the other mold half, and the gas seal formed by the plastic prevents gas on one side of the thermoplastic from reaching the appearance surface of the part.

8251267, Aug 28, 2012

Jun 11, 2008

12/136854

Jeffrey M. Aftanas - Ortonville MI, US
Gerard J. Kmita - Allen Park MI, US
Donald R. Potter - Clarkston MI, US
John M. Heuchert - Macomb MI, US

JAC Products, Inc. - Saline MI

B60R 9/00
B60R 9/048

224321, 224315, 224317, 224324, 224323, 224325, 224326, 224331

A vehicle article carrier adapted to be mounted to an outer body surface of a motor vehicle. The carrier has a pair of cross bars that can each be stowed on corresponding pairs of support elements when the cross are not needed for use without the need to completely detach either of the cross bars from their associated support elements. A rear one of the cross bars has a single sided release feature that enables both end supports at opposite ends of the rear cross bar to be simultaneously unlocked or locked from a rear pair of support elements from either end support. The rear cross bar can also be slidably positioned along the rear pair of support elements to better configure the cross bars to support variously sized articles thereon.

8348111, Jan 8, 2013

Apr 6, 2010

12/755044

John M. Heuchert - Pontiac MI, US
Eric Weber - Pontiac MI, US
Michael R. Makin - Pontiac MI, US
Gerald L. Drumm - Pontiac MI, US
Gordon Michie - Lasalle, CA

JAC Products, Inc. - Saline MI

B60R 9/045

224321

A vehicle article carrier system for use on an outer body surface of a vehicle. The system may have a pair of support rails secured to the outer body surface. At least one cross bar having a pair of end supports extends between the support rails. Each end support has a housing and a rotatable locking component secured to the housing for rotatable movement. One of the housing and the rotatable locking component has a biased implement projecting therefrom, and the other has a plurality of structural elements arranged in a circumferential pattern. The biased implement engages with at least one of the structural elements to provide an additional holding force to the rotatable locking component when the rotatable locking component has been tightened.

8528799, Sep 10, 2013

Feb 9, 2011

13/024104

Gordon Michie - LaSalle, CA
Jeffrey M. Aftanas - Ortonville MI, US
John Michael Heuchert - Pontiac MI, US
Eric Weber - Pontiac MI, US
Michael R. Makin - Pontiac MI, US
Gerald J. Drumm - Pontiac MI, US

JAC Products, Inc. - Saline MI

B60R 9/045

224321

A vehicle article carrier system for use on an outer body roof surface of a vehicle to removably support articles above the outer body roof surface. The system may use a pair of support rails secured to the outer body surface generally parallel to one another. The system may also include at least one cross bar having a pair of end supports. Each support rail may include a decorative cover and metallic support element, with the decorative cover being positioned over the metallic support element, and secured thereto, to at least substantially cover the metallic support element. The metallic support element may include at least one aperture at each opposing longitudinal end thereof that allows the support rail to be secured to the outer body roof surface at only its opposing longitudinal ends, and to use pre-existing fastening elements mounted in the outer body roof surface as attachment points for the support rails.

2012032, Dec 27, 2012

Jun 23, 2011

13/167191

Bill M. Silamianos - Sterling Heights MI, US
John M. Heuchert - Macomb MI, US
Gordon Michie - LaSalle, CA

JAC Products, Inc. - Saline MI

B60R 9/04
B28B 7/20

224309, 264318

A one piece end support for use with a cross bar of a vehicle article carrier system. The one piece end support may have a hollowed out neck portion adapted to receive an end of a cross bar. A hollowed out intermediate portion is provided which extends non-parallel to, but is integrally formed with, the neck portion. A flange portion is adapted to be secured to a support rail of the vehicle article carrier system. The flange portion may be integrally formed with the intermediate portion.

5855840, Jan 5, 1999

Apr 29, 1997

8/840673

John S. Cucheran - Lake Orion MI
John Michael Heuchert - Macomb MI

JAC Products, Inc. - Ann Arbor MI

B29C 4500

264572

A vehicle article carrier having a pair of one-piece, integrally formed side rail members. Each side rail member has a side rail portion and a pair of end supports integrally formed with terminal ends of the side rail portion. The side rail portion includes a hollow area formed therein and extending along the entire length of the side rail portion. Each end support further includes an inaccessible hollow portion in communication with the hollow portion formed in the side rail portion. Each side rail member forms a lightweight yet rigid member which does not require molding lines, seams or other markings on any portion of the outer surface which is clearly visible to an observer once the side rail members are mounted on an outer body surface of a vehicle. The cost of manufacture is also reduced because the number of molding tools needed to manufacture the side rail member is reduced, as is the complexity and time to assemble the side rail members to an outer body surface of a vehicle. The method of manufacture of the invention further permits the side rail portions of the side rail members to be formed with varying shapes and functional features which would not be possible with conventional roll forming and extrusion techniques.

5716560, Feb 10, 1998

Sep 14, 1995

8/528540

John Michael Heuchert - Macomb MI
James Watson Hendry - Brooksville FL

ICP Systems, Inc. - Centerline MI

B29C 4557

264 37

A gas assisted injection molding system and method in which quantity of an inert gas is applied both internally and externally to a thermoplastic material introduced into an injection mold cavity during formation of an injection molded part. The system includes first and second mold portions defining a mold cavity. An injection means injects a quantity of a thermoplastic material into the mold cavity to form an injection molded part within the cavity. At least one internal gas inlet is provided for introducing a first quantity of gas into a portion the thermoplastic material to form a gas channel therein. The gas within the gas channel presses the thermoplastic material against a mold parting line defined by the intersection of the mold portions and forms a seal between the mold cavity and the mold parting line. As least one external gas inlet is located within one of the mold portions for introducing a second quantity of pressurized gas into the cavity to hold the thermoplastic material firmly against an inner surface of one of the mold portions. The system and method of the present invention thereby forms an injection molded part having a sink-free appearance side with a Class A finish.

5997797, Dec 7, 1999

Jun 24, 1997

8/881631

John Michael Heuchert - Macomb MI

JAC Products, Inc. - Ann Arbor MI

B29C 4500

264500

An injection mold system and corresponding method that equalizes pressure of flowable plastic dispensed into an injection mold cavity. A gate in communication with the mold cavity introduces a quantity of flowable plastic into the cavity at a predetermined pressure. A gas inlet in communication with the mold cavity at a mold cavity location remote from the gate introduces a gas into the mold cavity to pack the flowable plastic in the mold cavity at a pressure corresponding generally to the predetermined pressure, to thereby minimize the formation of sink marks and warpage on an injection molded part formed therein. The present invention insures formation of the part with a highly finished appearance surface and eliminates the need for painting or otherwise additional finishing of the part.