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US 2004/0145094 A1Published application
Method of making a composite molded article
AssigneesVEC Technology, Inc., Kinro, Inc.
InventorsRobert P. McCollum, Shiraz Sidi, Jeffrey J. O'Hara, Richard Eugene Clark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to the formation of a smooth attractive surface on a composite molded article. More particularly, the invention relates to combining materials in a mold to result in a composite article having a finished surface. The invention relates to a method having improved efficiency and reduced emissions of hazardous air pollutants used in making composite molded articles comprising a reinforced thermosetting material having a thermoplastic exterior layer.
Claims82
A method of making a molded article comprising the steps:
- (a) placing in a spaced apart opposed relationship a first mold half comprising a first shaped mold membrane and a second mold half comprising a second shaped mold membrane wherein the first and second shaped mold membranes define a mold plenum when brought together to mold articles;
- (b) placing a thermoplastic sheet in the mold plenum wherein the shape of the thermoplastic sheet substantially conforms to the shape of the mold membrane;
- (c) placing reinforcement material in the mold plenum;
- (d) closing the first and second mold halves such that the thermoplastic sheet and reinforcement material are contacted in the mold plenum;
- (e) injecting molding fluid under pressure into the mold plenum;
- and
- (f) curing the molding fluid.
4 more elements
A method of making a molded article comprising the steps:
- (a) placing in a spaced apart opposed relationship, a first mold half comprising a first mold membrane and a second mold half comprising a second mold membrane, wherein the first and second mold membranes define a mold plenum when brought together to mold articles;
- (b) placing reinforcement material in contact with one of the first or second mold membranes;
- (c) placing a thermoplastic sheet in contact with the reinforcement material wherein the thermoplastic sheet has a shape substantially conforming to the shape of the mold plenum;
- (d) closing the first and second mold halves toward each other such that the thermoplastic sheet and reinforcement material are in contact in the mold plenum;
- (e) injecting molding fluid under pressure into the mold plenum;
- and
- (f) curing the molding fluid.
4 more elements
A method of making a molded article comprising the steps:
- (a) placing a thermoplastic sheet into a first mold half wherein the mold half comprises a first shaped mold membrane;
- (b) placing in a spaced apart opposed relationship the first mold half and sheet and a second mold half comprising a second shaped mold membrane wherein the first and second shaped mold membranes define a mold plenum when brought together to mold articles;
- (c) closing the first and second mold halves such that the thermoplastic sheet is shaped in the mold plenum;
- (d) opening the first and second mold halves;
- (e) placing reinforcement material in contact with a surface of the shaped thermoplastic sheet;
- (f) closing the first and second mold halves toward each other such that the thermoplastic sheet and reinforcement material are in contact in the mold plenum;
- (g) injecting molding fluid under pressure into the mold plenum;
- and
- (h) curing the molding fluid.
6 more elements
A method of making a molded article comprising the steps:
- (a) placing a first thermoplastic sheet having a shape into a first mold half wherein the mold half comprises a first shaped mold membrane and the shape of the thermoplastic sheet substantially conforms to the shape of the mold membrane;
- (b) placing reinforcement material in contact with a surface of the shaped thermoplastic sheet;
- (c) placing a second thermoplastic sheet conforming to the shape of the first thermoplastic sheet in contact with the reinforcement material wherein the first thermoplastic sheet, the reinforcement material and the second thermoplastic sheet comprise a laminate;
- (d) placing in a spaced apart opposed relationship the first mold half and the laminate, with a second mold half comprising a second shaped mold membrane wherein the first and second shaped mold membranes define a mold plenum when brought together to mold articles;
- (e) closing the first and second mold halves toward each other such that the thermoplastic sheets and reinforcement material are sandwiched in the mold plenum;
- (f) injecting molding fluid under pressure into the mold plenum;
- and
- (g) curing the molding fluid.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.