Transparent tooling for uv radiation curable rubber
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorJay Constantinou
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mold, a molding apparatus, and a method for manufacturing articles or components is used to manufacture an article or component of the article that at least partially comprises an ultraviolet (UV) curable material. The mold and apparatus comprise at least one mold wall formed of a cyclic olefin copolymer, which is in contact with UV radiation curable material and allows the article or component of the article to be exposed to UV radiation for a period of time in order to provide for at least partial cure thereof.
Claims20
A mold for forming a molded article, the mold comprising:
- a mold wall comprising a cyclic olefin copolymer and having a molding surface for contact with an article-forming material to form the molded article.
A method for forming a molded article, the method comprising:
- introducing an article-forming material to a mold that comprises a mold wall comprising a cyclic olefin copolymer;
- and
- contacting the article-forming material with a molding surface of the mold wall for forming the molded article.
An apparatus for forming a molded article, the apparatus comprising:
- a mold comprising a mold wall that comprises a cyclic olefin copolymer and that is substantially transparent to ultraviolet (UV) light, wherein the mold wall has a molding surface for contacting an article-forming material;
- and
- an UV light source disposed adjacent to the mold wall on a side opposite the molding surface and configured to generate UV light for transmission through the mold wall to the molding surface for exposing the article-forming material to the UV light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.