Apparatus and method for producing molded hollow article with filling of foamed plastic thermal insulation, and article produced thereby
AssigneeOmico Plastics, Inc.
InventorW. Jerry Williams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The molded shell of an article, while still warm from being molded, and while remaining within the mold or fixture in which it has been created, for instance by blow-molding of a parison of polyolefin plastic material into contact with the mold walls, is filled with a fluid, settable foaming plastic material, for instance polyurethane. This may be done by injecting the foaming mixture directly into the cavity of the shell. In this manner time, labor and materials are saved, and the resulting product is characterized by better adhesion of the foamed core to the internal wall surface of the shell.
Claims16
A method for producing a molded hollow article with a filling of foamed plastic thermal insulating material, comprising:
- inserting a hot precursor, made of polyolefin, for a polyolefin article shell into a relatively cool mold having a mold cavity with an internal molding surface therein;
- conforming the hot precursor against the internal molding surface to define an article shell having an internal cavity bounded by an internal surface of the article shell;
- introducing through the mold and through the article shell into the internal cavity of the article shell, a quantum of activated, foamable, settable plastic thermal insulation material while said article shell remains hot, so that as the article shell is being cooled from about 350.degree. F. by contact with the mold, the thermal insulation material foams, fills the internal cavity of the article shell, adhering to the internal surface of the article shell, and sets to form a foamed core of polyurethane that is extensively adhered to the article shell to define an article;
- and
- removing the article from the mold.
Apparatus for producing a molded hollow article with a filling of foamed plastic thermal insulating material, comprising:
- means for inserting a hot precursor, made of polyolefin, for a synthetic thermoplastic article shell into a relatively cool mold having means defining a mold cavity with an internal molding surface therein;
- means for conforming said hot precursor against said internal molding surface to define said article shell having an internal cavity bounded by an internal surface of the article shell;
- means for introducing through said mold and through said article shell into said internal caivty of said article shell, a quantum of activated foamable, settable polyurethane thermal insulation material while said article shell remains hot, so that as said article shell is being cooled from about 350.degree. F. by contact with the mold, the thermal insulation material is foaming, filling said internal-cavity of the article shell, adhering to said internal surface of said article shell, and setting to form a foamed core of polyurethane that is extensively adhered to the article shell to define an article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.