Back to results
US 5,629,029 AGranted
Mold design for in-mold decoration of injection molded articles
AssigneeUnited Technologies Automotive Systems, Inc.
InventorsBlair V. Souder, Crispin M. Belmont
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The plastic substrate portion of the part is formed by a first injection of plastic into a mold, so as to adhere to an overlying sheet of coverstock material. A portion of the coverstock is not initially adhered to the substrate. A second injection of plastic forms the undecorated portion of the part, and bonds to the substrate portion to form a unitary plastic panel. In the course of contacting the substrate portion, the plastic from the second injection folds and hides the non-adhered portion of the cover stock, thereby forming a neat, clean split line.
Claims16
A closed mold adapted for in-mold decoration of an injection molded part, comprising:
- a mold cavity having a first active surface;
- a mold core mated with said mold cavity and having a second active surface, spaced in fixed juxtaposition to one portion of said first active surface;
- a sheet of decorative material situated between the first and second active surfaces of the mold cavity and mold core, respectively;
- a plate member supported in said mold core and displaceable away from said mold cavity, said plate member having,
- a third active surface, laterally adjacent to said second active surface and in spaced juxtaposition to another portion of said first active surface,
- a fourth active surface, laterally adjacent to said third active surface and in spaced juxtaposition to an additional portion of said first active surface,
- seal means situated between said third and fourth active surfaces and contacting the sheet to provide a fluid seal bearing against said another portion of the first active surface;
- first means for injecting plastic, through said second surface while said seal bears against said another portion of the first active surface, to deposit plastic on said second and third active surfaces;
- means for displacing said plate member away from said mold cavity, thereby retracting said seal means away from said first active surface while the mold cavity and mold core are mated;
- second means for injecting plastic, through said fourth active surface, thereby depositing plastic sequentially on said fourth and third active surfaces, such that the plastic deposited on said third active surface by the second means for injecting plastic, contacts the plastic deposited on the third active surface by the first means for injecting plastic.
7 more elements
A mold for in-mold decoration of an injection molded part, comprising:
- a mold cavity having a first active surface;
- a mold core mated with said mold cavity and having a second, relatively fixed active surface, spaced in juxtaposition to one portion of said first active surface;
- a first plate supported in said mold core and having a third active surface, laterally adjacent to said second active surface and in spaced juxtaposition to another portion of said first active surface, and seal means which bears against said another portion of the first active surface;
- a second plate supported between said first plate and said mold cavity, said second plate having a fourth active surface, in spaced juxtaposition to an additional portion of said first active surface;
- means for injecting plastic through said second surface while said seal means bears against said another portion of the first surface;
- means for selectively displacing said first plate away from said mold cavity, thereby selectively retracting said seal means away from said first surface and providing a flow path between said fourth and third active surfaces while the mold cavity and mold core are mated;
- means for injecting plastic through said fourth surface onto said third active surface while said first plate is displaced.
4 more elements
A closed mold adapted for in-mold decoration of an injection molded part, comprising:
- a mold cavity having a first active surface;
- a mold core mated with said mold cavity and having a second active surface, spaced in fixed juxtaposition to one portion of said first active surface;
- a plate member supported in said mold core and displaceable away from said mold cavity, said plate member having,
- a third active surface, laterally adjacent to said second active surface and in spaced juxtaposition to another portion of said first active surface,
- a fourth active surface, laterally adjacent to said third active surface and in spaced juxtaposition to an additional portion of said first active surface,
- seal means situated between said third and fourth active surfaces and biased toward said another portion of the first active surface;
- first means for injecting plastic, through said second surface while said seal means bears against said another portion of the first active surface, to deposit plastic on said second and third active surfaces;
- means for displacing said plate member away from said mold cavity, thereby retracting said seal means away from said first active surface while the mold cavity and mold core are mated;
- second means for injecting plastic, through said fourth active surface, thereby depositing plastic sequentially on said fourth and third active surfaces, such that the plastic deposited on said third active surface by the second means for injecting plastic, contacts the plastic deposited on the third active surface by the first means for injecting plastic.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.