Mold
AssigneeAmerican Woodmark Management Company
InventorsDamian J. Le Duff, Manuel Alvarez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The improved mold assembly for cultured marble molding is provided. The mold assembly can comprise a male mold portion and a female mold portion. The assembly can further comprise a molding tool. The molding tool can have a side wall having an upper curved portion and a lower curved portion. The molding tool can have a bowl portion and an apron portion spaced from the bowl portion by a gap. The molding tool can be constructed from a flexible and/or soft material. The molding tool can facilitate molding of a countertop having at least one seamless curved edge and/or an at least partially seamless sink portion.
Claims18
An insert configured for use with male and female mold portions of a mold assembly for producing a countertop, the insert comprising a flexible material and further comprising:
- a main body extending along a first plane;
- a bowl portion projecting outward from the main body, the bowl portion comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first surface is convex and the second surface is concave, wherein the bowl portion is at least partially curved in a first direction and in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction;
- and
- an apron portion projecting outward from the main body and spaced from the bowl portion, the apron portion comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface of the apron portion, wherein the first surface of the apron portion is convex and the second surface of the apron portion is concave, wherein the apron portion is at least partially curved in the first and second directions;
- wherein the first surface of the bowl portion is separated from the second surface of the apron portion by a gap;
- and
- wherein the main body, the bowl portion, and the apron portion are integral.
An insert configured for use with male and female mold portions of a mold assembly for producing a countertop, the insert comprising:
- a main body;
- a bowl portion projecting outward from the main body, wherein the bowl portion is at least partially curved in a first direction and in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction;
- and
- an apron portion projecting outward from the main body and spaced from the bowl portion by a gap, wherein the apron portion is at least partially curved in the first and second directions, and wherein the gap can be increased by deflecting at least a portion of the apron portion away from the bowl portion;
- wherein the main body, the bowl portion, and the apron portion are integral.
An insert configured for use with male and female mold portions of a mold assembly for producing a countertop, the insert comprising a flexible material and further comprising:
- a main body;
- a bowl portion projecting outward from the main body;
- and
- an apron portion projecting outward from the main body and spaced from the bowl portion by a gap;
- wherein the main body, the bowl portion, and the apron portion are integral;
- and
- wherein the apron portion is at least partially curved in a first direction and in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.