Combination molded article with brackets and mold for manufacturing same
AssigneeAmerican Standard Inc.
InventorKarl G. Ohaus
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A molded article having an embedded bracket, such as a whirlpool tub, the mold and a method of molding the article are disclosed. The article includes a rigid shell having a non-finish side and a finish side. The non-finish side is coated with a polymeric material. The polymeric material encloses a bracket and distributes the weight of an attached object, such as a whirlpool motor, over adjacent polymeric material. The bracket is affixed to the rigid shell in a spaced relationship and includes a surface for attaching to an object by attachment means such as a blind bolt. The bracket may also be affixed to the rigid shell by supports which are welded to the rigid shell.
Claims4
In combination, an article to be molded and a mold for manufacturing a molded article;
- said article to be molded including a rigid shell having a finish side and a non-finish side, and bracket means supported on the non-finish side for attaching an object thereto;
- said mold including a mold receptor having a face for receiving said rigid shell and defining a first void between said non-finish side of said rigid shell and said receptor face, said receptor face having a recessed portion therein shaped and sized to receive said bracket means therein and defining a second void between said bracket means and said receptor face, said first and second voids receiving a polymeric material therein to provide a rigid coating covering the non-finish side of said shell and said bracket means, said coating distributing the weight of an object to be attached to the bracket means over the adjacent coated non-finish side of the rigid shell wherein said recessed portion has a positive draft angle to facilitate removal of the molded product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.