US 10,611,070 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for producing a trim component having a molded rim at an edge thereof

AssigneeOLBRICH GmbH

InventorAlbert Van Der Linde

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Abstract

A one-shot molding apparatus and method press-mold a trim component body between upper and lower molds, and injection-mold a plastic rim onto an edge of the trim component body using an additional edge molding tool, in a single molding apparatus in a single molding cycle. The edge molding tool may have a cutting edge that cooperates with a counter edge on the upper or lower mold to remove excess material and form a precise cut edge of the trim component body before forming the molded rim. The edge molding tool is movable relative to the upper and lower molds in a direction parallel or perpendicular or oblique relative to a motion direction of the upper and lower molds. Additional movable nested tools can be provided on the upper and/or lower mold to achieve greater adaptability of the injection-molding cavity. The rim can be molded onto the cut edge, and molded around the edge onto the back and/or front side of the trim component body. The trim component may be a trim panel for the interior of a motor vehicle.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A molding apparatus for forming a trim component which includes a trim component body that is press-molded and an injection-molded rim that is injection-molded on an edge portion of the trim component body, wherein the molding apparatus comprises:

a first mold tool that has a first press-molding surface;
a second mold tool that has a second press-molding surface;
and
a third mold tool that has a third injection-molding surface and a cutting edge;
wherein:
the first mold tool or the second mold tool has a counter edge;
the first and second mold tools are movable relative to one another in a first direction to bring the first and second mold tools into a closed position with the first and second press-molding surfaces juxtaposed facing one another with a press-molding cavity formed therebetween, adapted to press-mold the trim component body in the press-molding cavity;
the third mold tool is movable relative to the first mold tool and relative to the second mold tool in a second direction so that the cutting edge of the third mold tool cooperates with the counter edge of the first or second mold tool to cut off an excess material of the trim component body and form a cut edge terminating the edge portion of the trim component body, and so that the third mold tool is brought into a closed position relative to the first and/or second mold tool wherein the third injection-molding surface bounds at least a portion of an injection-molding cavity in which at least an exposed part of the edge portion of the trim component body is received and exposed;
at least one of the first mold tool, the second mold tool or the third mold tool has therein at least one injection channel that communicates into the injection-molding cavity;
the mold tools are configured, arranged and adapted to have an injection-moldable material injected through the at least one injection channel into the injection-molding cavity when the third mold tool is in the closed position thereof so as to form and mold the injection-molded rim onto the exposed part of the edge portion of the trim component body;
and
the mold tools are configured and arranged so that the exposed part of the edge portion of the trim component body that is exposed in the injection-molding cavity includes the cut edge of the trim component body.

9 more elements

a first mold tool that has a first press-molding surface;
a second mold tool that has a second press-molding surface;
and
a third mold tool that has a third injection-molding surface and a cutting edge;
wherein:
the first mold tool or the second mold tool has a counter edge;
the first and second mold tools are movable relative to one another in a first direction to bring the first and second mold tools into a closed position with the first and second press-molding surfaces juxtaposed facing one another with a press-molding cavity formed therebetween, adapted to press-mold the trim component body in the press-molding cavity;
the third mold tool is movable relative to the first mold tool and relative to the second mold tool in a second direction so that the cutting edge of the third mold tool cooperates with the counter edge of the first or second mold tool to cut off an excess material of the trim component body and form a cut edge terminating the edge portion of the trim component body, and so that the third mold tool is brought into a closed position relative to the first and/or second mold tool wherein the third injection-molding surface bounds at least a portion of an injection-molding cavity in which at least an exposed part of the edge portion of the trim component body is received and exposed;
at least one of the first mold tool, the second mold tool or the third mold tool has therein at least one injection channel that communicates into the injection-molding cavity;
the mold tools are configured, arranged and adapted to have an injection-moldable material injected through the at least one injection channel into the injection-molding cavity when the third mold tool is in the closed position thereof so as to form and mold the injection-molded rim onto the exposed part of the edge portion of the trim component body;
the first mold tool includes a first mold tool main body and a fifth mold tool that is movably attached to the first mold tool main body so as to be movable relative to the first mold tool main body between a pressing position and a retracted position;
the first mold tool main body has the first press-molding surface and further has a first injection-molding surface which, in the closed position of the third mold tool, bounds another portion of the injection-molding cavity;
the fifth mold tool forms at least a part of a mold cavity wall that separates the first injection-molding surface from the first press-molding surface;
and
the fifth mold tool has an end surface that faces and cooperates with a counter surface of the second mold tool to press and retract from a part of the edge portion of the trim component body between the end surface and the counter surface respectively in the pressing position and the retracted position of the fifth mold tool when the first and second mold tools are in the closed position thereof.

12 more elements

a first mold tool that has a first press-molding surface;
a second mold tool that has a second press-molding surface;
and
a third mold tool that has a third injection-molding surface and a cutting edge;
wherein:
the first mold tool or the second mold tool has a counter edge;
the first and second mold tools are movable relative to one another in a first direction to bring the first and second mold tools into a closed position with the first and second press-molding surfaces juxtaposed facing one another with a press-molding cavity formed therebetween, adapted to press-mold the trim component body in the press-molding cavity;
the third mold tool is movable relative to the first mold tool and relative to the second mold tool in a second direction so that the cutting edge of the third mold tool cooperates with the counter edge of the first or second mold tool to cut off an excess material of the trim component body and form a cut edge terminating the edge portion of the trim component body, and so that the third mold tool is brought into a closed position relative to the first and/or second mold tool wherein the third injection-molding surface bounds at least a portion of an injection-molding cavity in which at least an exposed part of the edge portion of the trim component body is received and exposed;
at least one of the first mold tool, the second mold tool or the third mold tool has therein at least one injection channel that communicates into the injection-molding cavity;
the mold tools are configured, arranged and adapted to have an injection-moldable material injected through the at least one injection channel into the injection-molding cavity when the third mold tool is in the closed position thereof so as to form and mold the injection-molded rim onto the exposed part of the edge portion of the trim component body;
the first mold tool further has a first injection-molding surface which, in the closed position of the third mold tool, bounds another portion of the injection-molding cavity;
and
the first mold tool further has a mold cavity wall that separates the first injection-molding surface from the first press-molding surface, and an end surface of the mold cavity wall between the first injection-molding surface and the first press-molding surface faces and cooperates with a counter surface of the second mold tool to press a part of the edge portion of the trim component body between the end surface and the counter surface in the closed position of the first and second mold tools.

10 more elements

a first mold tool that has a first press-molding surface;
a second mold tool that has a second press-molding surface;
and
a third mold tool that has a third injection-molding surface and a cutting edge;
wherein:
the first mold tool or the second mold tool has a counter edge;
the first and second mold tools are movable relative to one another in a first direction to bring the first and second mold tools into a closed position with the first and second press-molding surfaces juxtaposed facing one another with a press-molding cavity formed therebetween, adapted to press-mold the trim component body in the press-molding cavity;
the third mold tool is movable relative to the first mold tool and relative to the second mold tool in a second direction so that the cutting edge of the third mold tool cooperates with the counter edge of the first or second mold tool to cut off an excess material of the trim component body and form a cut edge terminating the edge portion of the trim component body, and so that the third mold tool is brought into a closed position relative to the first and/or second mold tool wherein the third injection-molding surface bounds at least a portion of an injection-molding cavity in which at least an exposed part of the edge portion of the trim component body is received and exposed;
at least one of the first mold tool, the second mold tool or the third mold tool has therein at least one injection channel that communicates into the injection-molding cavity;
the mold tools are configured, arranged and adapted to have an injection-moldable material injected through the at least one injection channel into the injection-molding cavity when the third mold tool is in the closed position thereof so as to form and mold the injection-molded rim onto the exposed part of the edge portion of the trim component body;
the second mold tool includes a second mold tool main body and a fourth mold tool that is movably attached to the second mold tool main body so as to be movable relative to the second mold tool main body;
and
the fourth mold tool has the counter edge that cooperates with the cutting edge of the third mold tool.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/397,333Filed 3 Jan 2017
Published: US 2018/0186052 A15 Jul 2018
Granted: 7 Apr 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B29C 45/72
Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations: heating or cooling
B29C 45/14196
The inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure: the inserts being positioned around an edge of the injected part
B29C 45/26
Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations: moulds
B29C 45/14221
The inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure: by tools, e.g. cutting means