SANDWICH-TYPE, STRUCTURAL, COMPOSITE COMPONENT INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE HINGEDLY-CONNECTED PORTION, CARGO MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE LOAD FLOOR UTILIZING THE COMPONENT

摘要

A sandwich-type, structural, composite component including at least one hingedly connected portion which pivots with reduced or eliminated hinge binding and a cargo management system and vehicle load floor utilizing the component are provided. Elongated first and second interior portions of the component are locally crushed by the press molding to form a living hinge having a pivot axis and an elongated depression, respectively. The component includes an elongated cut-out which extends completely through the component at the elongated depression to obtain a clearance between a first portion of the component hingedly connected to a second portion of the component by the living hinge. The living hinge and the clearance allow pivotal movement of the first portion between different use positions relative to the second portion with reduced or eliminated hinge binding during the pivotal movement about the pivot axis.