Process for producing skin-integrated laminate

A process for producing a skin-integrated laminate in which a skin material is integrated with a surface of a substrate comprising the steps of:

• placing a skin material in an open mold assembly between a male mold and a female mold, said female mold having a concave area therein, arranging a pivotable plate mold having an end-forming pointed end part between the male mold and the female mold, pivoting said plate mold having said end-forming pointed end part from a retracted position to a closed position such that said pointed end part of said plate mold protrudes into said concave area of said female mold;
• closing said open mold assembly while said plate mold is in said closed position to thereby form a cavity between the male mold and the female mold and said plate mold in said closed position, said male mold and said female mold in a clamped state forming a peripheral end opening which opens to an area outside of the cavity, said end opening being closed by said plate mold in said closed position
• clamping an end of the skin material with a clamping mechanism;
• independently clamping the male mold and the female mold after closing said open mold assembly;
• then feeding a molten resin material into said cavity between the skin material and the male mold;
• loosening the clamping mechanism to release the clamped end of the skin material during said feeding of the molten resin material, thereby forcing a part of the skin material into contact, along a back portion thereof with the end-forming pointed end part of the plate mold to form a substrate and simultaneously wrapping the substrate with the skin material from one side of the substrate to an end surface of the substrate, whereby the skin material is adhered integratedly in a layer to the substrate.