Patent ID: 8486510
Filing Date: 2013-07-16
Classification: B29C,B29L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A molded article, comprising: a body including at least three structural portions, at least a portion of each of said at least three structural portions being located radially outward of a central article axis and spaced apart from one another about said central article axis by a respective gap between adjacent ones of said at least three structural portions; and said body defining at least one hollow region located radially inward of said at least a portion of each of said at least three structural portions, said at least three structural portions each including at least one exposed region facing radially outward and a wedge portion having a wedge-shaped profile which tapers radially inward into the at least one hollow region, each said wedge-shaped profile including two tapered faces tapering from a widened region to intersect one another at an edge, said widened region being located radially outward of said edge, each said respective gap between the adjacent ones of said at least three structural portions radially extending at least between a radial position corresponding to said at least one exposed region and said edge of said wedge-shaped profile such that said hollow region is communicative with an exterior of said body radially outward of said at least three structural portions via each said respective gap, a pair of faces comprised of a one of said two tapered faces on each of adjacent ones of said at least three structural portions, which face each other, being oriented approximately radially parallel to one another or convergent in a radially inward direction.