Applicator and method for in-mold coating

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to an improved nozzle for use with in-mold coating processes.

#2. Background Art

#FIG. 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a instrument panel dashboard covering;

#FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a prior art mold and collinear applicator used for molding the instrument panel shown in FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the mold shown in FIG. 2, showing the portions of the mold that are directly viewable from outside the mold;

#FIG. 4 shows an improved applicator device or applicator, according to the invention, for applying a coating to mold 12. The applicator of the invention is hereinafter referred to with reference numeral 30, and can be used in any number of applications in which it is desirable to spray a coating onto a mold. One area of interest is in processes used to manufacture soft interior components for automotive vehicles, like the skin making process and foam-in-the-mold process used to manufacture instrument panel 10 shown in cross-section in FIG. 1. As described above, instrument panel 10 can be manufactured by spraying mold 12 with a coating such as polyurethane, polyvinylchloride, or other material to form a relatively thin covering type skin 14 that forms a covering panel for covering a soft foam material 16.

#In either the skin making process or the foam-in-the-mold process, the applicator 30 may deliver either waterborne or solvent-borne, one component or two component, coatings for providing “Class A” surface color matches. The coatings may be delivered, for example, at 300 cubic centimeters per minute with a variable fan width from 38 to 102 millimeters at a distance of 102 millimeters from the surface being coated. In addition, the applicator 30 may be capable of delivering 50 cubic centermeters per minute of mold release agents, either waterborne or solvent-borne, with the same fan width viscosities of 22 to 30 seonds using a number 3 Zahn cup.

#In general, the molding processes broadly includes a first step of spraying a mold release onto a mold, a second step of applying a skin forming material to the mold, after the mold release has had time to evaporated, or flash, its volatile elements, and a third optional step of injecting a foam material into the mold, after the skin forming material has had time to evaporated, or flash. (Flash is a term of art which references the time required for the volatile elements used to liquify the skin forming material to evaporate, typically the volatile element is water but it could also be any other soluble additive.) The novel interaction of applicator 30 with these broad steps is described below in greater detail.