# US 10,307,972 B2 · Apparatus of manufacturing molding material and method of manufacturing resin gear

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- Number: US 10,307,972 B2
- Document ID: US10307972B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/916,518
- Filed: 2013-12-27
- Published: 2016-10-06
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2013-12-27
- Assignees: Hitachi Chemical Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Hitachi Chemical Company, Ltd.
- Inventors: Masaya Ozawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307972B2

## CPC

- B29C 70/12: using fibres of short length, e.g. in the form of a mat {(non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00)}
- B29C 37/00: Component parts, details, accessories or auxiliary operations, not covered by group B29C33/00 or B29C35/00
- B29C 43/361: {with pressing members independently movable of the parts for opening or closing the mould, e.g. movable pistons (transfer moulding B29C45/02; injection-compression moulding B29C45/561)}
- B29C 69/001: {a shaping technique combined with cutting, e.g. in parts or slices combined with rearranging and joining the cut parts (for reinforced material B29C70/545; B29C49/4278, B29C51/268 take precedence)}
- B29C 70/42: for producing articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
- B29C 2037/96: {Filters}
- B29C 2043/3628: {moving inside a barrel or container like sleeve}
- B29C 2793/0081: before shaping
- B29K 2105/12: of short lengths, e.g. chopped filaments, staple fibres or bristles
- B29K 2105/251: {Particles, powder or granules (expandable particles B29K2105/046)}
- B29L 2015/003: {Gears}
- F16H 55/06: Use of materials; Use of treatments of toothed members or worms to affect their intrinsic material properties
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- F16H: GEARING

## Abstract

Provided herein is an apparatus of manufacturing a molding material that can significantly reduce the frequency of replacement of a bottom member without increasing the drainage time longer. A bottom member (39) is constituted of two layers of wire meshes including an annular dutch-woven wire mesh (39A) made of stainless steel and an annular plain-woven wire mesh made of stainless steel. The two layers of wire meshes are secured to each other by sintering. A support plate (40) made of stainless steel is disposed between the bottom member (39) and a lower hollow compression mold (2). The support plate (40) has a plurality of through holes (41) formed therein, and is configured to support the bottom member (39).

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus of manufacturing a molding material comprising:
a cylindrical die having an opening portion opened in an upward direction;
an upper compression mold disposed inside the cylindrical die during molding;
a lower compression mold disposed inside the cylindrical die during molding and having a plurality of drain passages formed therein; and
a bottom member disposed on the plurality of drain passages formed in the lower compression mold and having a filtration function,
the apparatus of manufacturing a molding material being configured to form a molding material by pouring slurry obtained by dispersing short fibers or short fibers and a powdery resin in a dispersion medium into the cylindrical die with the upper compression mold placed at a stand-by position; subsequently discharging the dispersion medium from the plurality of drain passages formed in the lower compression mold to form an aggregate of the short fibers or the short fibers and the powdery resin; and relatively moving the upper compression mold and the lower compression mold closer to each other to compress the aggregate while or after the aggregate is formed, wherein:
the bottom member is constituted of two or more layers of wire meshes including a dutch-woven wire mesh and a plain-woven wire mesh, the two or more layers of wire meshes being secured to each other by sintering;
a support plate is disposed between the bottom member and the lower compression mold, the support plate having a plurality of through holes formed therein and configured to support the bottom member;
the support plate is dotted with the plurality of through holes so as to have an opening rate of 35% or more and 55% or less; and
the dutch-woven wire mesh has a filtration grain size of 150 μm or more, and the plain-woven wire mesh has a hole opening rate of 35% or more and 55% or less.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of manufacturing a molding material according to claim 1, wherein
the support plate has an opening rate that is higher than the opening rate of the drain passages of the lower compression mold and that is equal to or more than the opening rate of the bottom member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of manufacturing a molding material according to claim 1, wherein
grooves that connect between the plurality of drain passages of the lower compression mold and the through holes of the support plate are disposed in at least one of opposing surfaces of the lower compression mold and the support plate.

### Claim 4

An apparatus of manufacturing a molding material for use to form a ring-shaped molding material including a metal bushing and an aggregate of short fibers compressed on an outer side of an outer peripheral portion of the metal bushing by pouring slurry containing a dispersion medium and the short fibers, or a dispersion medium, the short fibers, and a powdery resin, and continuously subjecting the slurry to filtration, dehydration, and compression, the apparatus of manufacturing a molding material comprising:
a cylindrical die configured to prevent the aggregate of the short fibers or the short fibers and the powdery resin from spreading radially outwardly of the metal bushing during the compression;
a pair of bushing support dies disposed inside the cylindrical die to sandwich a portion of the metal bushing located on an inner side of the outer peripheral portion in an axial direction and to prevent the aggregate of the short fibers or the short fibers and the powdery resin from spreading radially inwardly of the metal bushing during the compression; and
an upper compression mold and a lower compression mold located between the cylindrical die and the pair of bushing support dies to sandwich the aggregate of the short fibers or the short fibers and the powdery resin in the axial direction to compress the aggregate during the compression, wherein:
a plurality of drain passages configured to discharge the dispersion medium are formed in the lower compression mold;
a bottom member having a filtration function is disposed on the plurality of drain passages formed in the lower compression mold;
the bottom member is constituted of two or more layers of wire meshes including a dutch-woven wire mesh and a plain-woven wire mesh, the two or more layers of wire meshes being secured to each other by sintering;
a support plate is disposed between the bottom member and the lower compression mold, the support plate having a plurality of through holes formed therein and configured to support the bottom member;
the support plate is dotted with the plurality of through holes so as to have an opening rate of 35% or more and 55% or less; and
the dutch-woven wire mesh has a filtration grain size of 150 μm or more, and the plain-woven wire mesh has a hole opening rate of 35% or more and 55% or less.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of manufacturing a molding material according to claim 4, wherein
the support plate has an opening rate that is higher than the opening rate of the drain passages of the lower compression mold and that is equal to or more than the opening rate of the bottom member.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of manufacturing a molding material according to claim 4, wherein
grooves that connect between the plurality of drain passages of the lower compression mold and the through holes of the support plate are disposed in at least one of opposing surfaces of the lower compression mold and the support plate.