Mold insert for molding a unitary countertop-bowl combination
AssigneeAmerican Woodmark Management Company
InventorRandall B. Hall
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 s and a lower curved portion. The molding tool can be constructed from a flexible and/or soft material. The lower curved portion of the molding tool can be coated with a gel coat having a first color. The molding tool can facilitate molding of a countertop having a recessed bowl portion having a color different from a counter portion of the countertop.
Claims19
An insert configured for use with male and female mold portions of a mold assembly to produce a countertop, the insert comprising:
- a bowl portion configured to cooperate with the male and female mold portions of said mold assembly to at least partially form a bowl portion of the countertop when the insert is in use, the bowl portion of the insert comprising:
- a mold surface configured to contact a male bowl portion of the male portion of the mold assembly when the insert is in use, wherein said mold surface is concave;
- a product surface opposite the mold surface and configured to cooperate with the female portion of the mold assembly to form at least a portion of an inner surface of the bowl portion of the countertop when the insert is in use, wherein said product surface is convex;
- and
- an upper rim defined along an upper portion of the insert when the insert is in use, the upper rim extending between at least a portion of the mold surface and at least a portion of the product surface;
- a drain portion extending away from the product surface of the bowl portion of the insert and comprising a generally cylindrical shape, wherein the drain portion is configured to form at least a portion of a drain in said bowl portion of the countertop when the insert is in use;
- and
- at least one protrusion configured to mate with at least one recess of the male bowl portion of the male portion of the mold assembly to at least partially inhibit separation of the insert from the male mold portion when the insert is in use, wherein said at least one protrusion extends outward from the mold surface of the bowl portion of the insert.
An insert configured for use with male and female mold portions of a mold assembly to produce a countertop, the insert comprising a flexible and resilient material and further comprising:
- a bowl portion configured to cooperate with the male and female mold portions of said mold assembly to at least partially form a bowl portion of the countertop when the insert is in use, the bowl portion of the insert comprising:
- a mold surface configured to contact a portion of the male portion of the mold assembly when the insert is in use, wherein said mold surface is concave;
- and
- a product surface opposite the mold surface and configured to cooperate with the female portion of the mold assembly to form at least a portion of an inner surface of the bowl portion of the countertop when the insert is in use, wherein said product surface is convex;
- a substantially solid drain portion extending away from the product surface of the bowl portion of the insert and comprising a generally cylindrical shape, wherein the drain portion is configured to form at least a portion of a drain in said bowl portion of the countertop when the insert is in use;
- and
- at least one mating feature configured to mate with at least one mating feature of the male portion of the mold assembly to at least partially inhibit separation of the insert from the male mold portion when the insert is in use, wherein said at least one mating feature is located on the mold surface of the bowl portion of the insert.
An insert configured for use with male and female mold portions of a mold assembly to produce a countertop, the insert comprising a flexible and resilient material and further comprising:
- a bowl portion configured to cooperate with the male and female mold portions of said mold assembly to at least partially form a bowl portion of the countertop when the insert is in use;
- a drain portion extending away from the bowl portion, wherein the drain portion is configured to form at least a portion of a drain in said bowl portion of the countertop when the insert is in use;
- and
- at least two mating features spaced apart from one another, said at least two mating features configured to mate with at least two mating features of the male portion of the mold assembly to at least partially inhibit separation of the insert from the male mold portion when the insert is in use, wherein said at least two mating features are located on the bowl portion of the insert.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.