# US 11,305,340 B1 · Modular mold design for casting a vehicle frame and components > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,340 B1 - Document ID: US11305340B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/036,335 - Filed: 2020-09-29 - Published: 2022-03-31 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-29 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: David D. Goettsch; Garrold A. DeGrace; Gregory T. Naismith; Madhusudhan Raju Nannapuraju; Anil K. Sachdev - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305340B1 ## CPC - B22D 17/2218: {Cooling or heating equipment for dies (for permanent moulds B22C9/065; for plastics B29C45/73)} - B22D 17/22: Dies (manufacture, see the appropriate class, e.g. B23P15/24); Die plates; Die supports; Cooling equipment for dies; Accessories for loosening and ejecting castings from dies - B22D 17/2236: {Equipment for loosening or ejecting castings from dies (for plastics B29C45/40)} - B22D 17/229: {with exchangeable die part (B22D17/2245 takes precedence)} - B22D: CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES (shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; metallurgical processing, selection of substances to be added to metal C21, C22) ## Abstract A modular casting mold for casting an automotive component includes a plurality of die portions defining a mold cavity corresponding to an automotive component, at least one of the plurality of die portions is an active die portion adapted to control the temperature of the modular casting mold throughout the casting process and including features for ejecting an automotive component cast within the modular casting mold, and the modular casting mold adapted to be attached to another modular casting mold for casting a single automotive component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A modular casting mold for casting an automotive component, comprising: a plurality of die portions defining a mold cavity corresponding to the automotive component; the plurality of die portions including at least one active die portion adapted to control the temperature of the modular casting mold throughout the casting process and including features for ejecting the automotive component cast within the modular casting mold; and the modular casting mold adapted to be attached to another modular casting mold for casting the automotive component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The modular casting mold of claim 1, wherein the at least one active die portion includes burners for heating the active die portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The modular casting mold of claim 1, wherein the at least one active die portion includes cooling jets for cooling a casted component within the modular casting mold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The modular casting mold of claim 1, wherein the at least one active die portion includes air jets for injecting air between an inner surface of the active die portion and a casted automotive component within the modular casting mold to free the casted automotive component from the modular casting mold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The modular casting mold of claim 1, wherein the at least one active die portion includes jets for injecting pressurized fluid between an inner surface of the active die portion and a casted automotive component within the modular casting mold to free the casted automotive component from the modular casting mold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The modular casting mold of claim 1, wherein the at least one active die portion is adapted to selectively vibrate to free a casted automotive component within the modular casting mold from the modular casting mold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The modular casting mold of claim 1, wherein the at least one active die portion includes mechanical features adapted to push a casted automotive component from the modular casting mold. ### Claim 8 A modular casting mold assembly for casting an automotive component, comprising: a plurality of modular casting molds adapted to be modularly connected to one another, each of the plurality of modular casting molds including: a plurality of die portions defining a modular mold cavity corresponding to a portion of the automotive component, modular mold cavities of the plurality of modular casting molds being in fluid communication with one another when the plurality of modular casting molds are connected to define a mold cavity corresponding to the automotive component; and the plurality of die portions of each of the plurality of modular casting molds including at least one active die portion adapted to individually control the temperature of each of the plurality of modular casting molds throughout a casting process and including features for ejecting the automotive component cast within the modular casting mold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The modular casting mold assembly of claim 8, wherein the at least one active die portion includes burners for heating the active die portion and the modular casting mold assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The modular casting mold assembly of claim 8, wherein the at least one active die portion includes cooling jets for cooling a casted automotive component within the modular casting mold assembly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The modular casting mold assembly of claim 8, wherein the at least one active die portion includes air jets for injecting pressurized air between an inner surface of the at least one active die portion and a casted automotive component within the modular casting mold assembly to free the casted automotive component from the modular casting mold assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The modular casting mold assembly of claim 8, wherein the at least one active die portion includes jets for injecting pressurized fluid between an inner surface of the active die portion and a casted automotive component within the modular casting mold assembly to free the casted automotive component from the modular casting mold assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The modular casting mold assembly of claim 8, wherein the at least one active die portion is adapted to selectively vibrate to free a casted automotive component from the modular casting mold assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The modular casting mold assembly of claim 8, wherein the at least one active die portion includes mechanical features adapted to push a casted automotive component from the modular casting mold assembly.