Method of two shot mold metallizing of polymer components
OwnerKevin McCULLOUGHinventor
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Abstract
A component is provided that is net shape molded using a polymer to form the core structure and which includes an integrally formed metallized coating or layer on at least one of the exterior surfaces thereof. The process of forming the component includes two-shot molding process wherein a thin layer of metal or the base polymer component is molded, the mold is adjusted and then the remainder of the part is molded. Alternately, an insert molding process may be employed such that after the polymer base part is formed, it may be placed into a mold cavity that is slightly larger than the entire part, thereby allowing substantially the entire exterior surface of the part to be over molded with a molten metal.
Claims22
A method of forming a net shape molded component including a metallic layer about at least one surface thereof, comprising the steps of:
- providing a mold cavity having a first interior profile;
- injecting a molten polymer into said mold cavity;
- partially curing said molten polymer;
- adjusting said mold cavity to a second interior profile, said second interior profile forming a void adjacent at least one surface of said polymer;
- injecting a molten metal into said void;
- and
- cooling said polymer and metal composition to form a polymer component having a metallic layer in communication with at least one surface thereof.
A method of forming a net shape molded component including a metallic layer about at least one surface thereof, comprising the steps of:
- providing a mold cavity having a first interior profile;
- injecting a molten metal into said mold cavity;
- cooling said molten metal thereby causing it to solidify;
- adjusting said mold cavity to a second interior profile, said second interior profile forming a void adjacent said solidified metal;
- injecting a molten polymer into said void;
- and
- cooling said polymer and metal composition to form a polymer component having a metallic layer in communication with at least one surface thereof.
A method of forming a net shape molded component including a metallic layer about at least one surface thereof, comprising the steps of:
- providing a first mold cavity having a first interior profile;
- injecting a molten polymer into said mold cavity;
- partially curing said molten polymer;
- removing said polymer from said first mold cavity;
- placing said polymer into a second mold cavity having a second interior profile that is slightly larger than said first interior profile;
- injecting a molten metal into said second mold cavity around at least a portion of said polymer;
- and
- cooling said polymer and metal composition to form a polymer component having a metallic layer in communication with at least one surface thereof.
A net shape molded component, comprising:
- a polymer core having an exterior surface;
- and
- a metal layer molded about at least a portion of said exterior surface of said polymer core, said metal layer having a melting temperature that is approximately equal to a melting temperature of said polymer core.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.