US 2016/0101547 A1 · DIE SLIDE ROTATIONAL HOLLOW MOLDING PROCESS & ASSEMBLY FOR CREATING AN ARTICLE WITH A HOLLOW INTERIOR

Abstract

A method for forming a component exhibiting a sealed interior, including providing first and second mold halves, foaming first and second half shells of material within cavities defined within each of the mold halves, and upon mating the mold halves together in a first closed mold configuration. The mold halves are reopened, with at least one of the shells being subsequently reoriented such that the first and second half shells are arrayed in opposing fashion with perimeter extending edges of each half shell arranged in contact with one another. Additional steps include reclosing the mold halves and subsequently forming a second perimeter extending material in contact with the contacting perimeter extending edges in order to bond the half shells together, upon which the mold halves are reopened and a completed component removed.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for forming a component exhibiting a sealed interior, comprising the steps of:

providing first and second mold halves;
forming first and second half shells of material within cavities defined within each of the mold halves and upon mating the mold halves together in a first closed mold configuration;
opening and subsequently reorienting at least one of the shells or mold halves such that the first and second half shells are arrayed in opposing fashion with perimeter extending edges of each half shell arranged in contact with one another;
reclosing the mold halves and subsequently forming a second perimeter extending material in contact with the contacting perimeter extending edges in order to bond the half shells together;
and
reopening the mold halves and removing a completed component.

3 more elements

A mold assembly for forming a component exhibiting a sealed interior, said mold assembly comprising:

a stationary supported mold half;
a rotary platen supported mold half, each of said mold halves being movable in directions towards and away from one another in order to define each of engaged/closed and opened/separated positions;
each of said mold halves exhibiting a plurality of shell forming locations defined in opposing configured surfaces thereof for forming a first half shell of material in said stationary supported mold half and a second half shell of material in said rotary platen supported mold half and, upon mating said mold halves together in a first closed mold configuration;
and
upon separating the mold halves and subsequently rotating the rotary platen supported mold half 180° in order to reposition the second half shell relative to a further shell forming location associated with the first mold half, the first and second half shells are arrayed in opposing fashion with a perimeter extending and foamed edge of each half shell arranged in contact with one another;
said mold halves being subsequently reclosed prior to a second perimeter extending material being formed in contact with the contacting perimeter extending edges in order to bond the half shells together;
and
said mold halves being reopened for removal of a completed component.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Die slide rotational hollow molding process & assembly for creating an article with a hollow interior

Life of this patent

Die slide rotational hollow molding process & assembly for creating an article with a hollow interior

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18