Plastic molding apparatus and method

A plastic molding apparatus for molding a plastic base material, comprising:

• a first die having,
• a first side, and
• a second side configured to receive a main clamping force along a main clamping direction;
• a second die having,
• a first side with a cavity having a mirror surface formed therein, said first side opposing said first side of said first die;
• a second side that receives the main clamping force such that said first die and said second die clamp said plastic base material therebetween when said main clamping force is applied to said first die and said second die, said second die comprising, a separation die including,
• a cavity forming portion having a cavity forming surface with edge portions having engagement portions formed thereon, said engagement portions positioned to engage said plastic base material and oriented in an extension direction of said cavity forming position, said cavity forming portion positioned to generally face said first side of said first die,
• a cavity side board portion being adjacent to the cavity forming portion, and
• an elastic member mounted between the cavity forming portion and the cavity side board portion, and
• a controllable die clamping mechanism disposed at third and fourth sides of said second die and configured to exert a lateral clamping force to said third and fourth sides that is generally oriented perpendicular to the main clamping direction, wherein
• said lateral clamping force compresses said elastic portion and urges said cavity side board portion to contact said edge portions of said cavity forming portion so as to maintain a predetermined shape of said cavity when subject to said lateral clamping force, and
• said elastic portion separating said cavity forming portion and the cavity side board portion as a result of a resiliency action therefrom when said lateral clamping force is released.

A plastic molding apparatus for molding a plastic base material, comprising:

• a first die having,
• a first side, and
• a second side configured to receive a main clamping force along a main clamping direction;
• a second die having,
• a first side with a cavity having a mirror surface formed therein, said first side opposing said first side of said first die;
• a second side that receives the main clamping force such that said first die and said second die clamp said plastic base material therebetween when said main clamping force is applied to said first die and said second die, said second die comprising, a separation die including,
• a cavity forming portion having a cavity forming surface that engages said plastic base material and oriented to generally face said first side of said first die,
• a cavity side board portion being adjacent to the cavity forming portion and having a rough surface roughness, and
• an elastic member mounted between the cavity forming portion and the cavity side board portion, and
• a controllable die clamping mechanism disposed at third and fourth sides of said second die and configured to exert a lateral clamping force to said third and fourth sides that is generally oriented perpendicular to the main clamping direction, wherein
• said lateral clamping force compresses said elastic portion and urges said cavity side board portion to contact said cavity forming portion so as to maintain a predetermined shape of said cavity when subject to said lateral clamping force, and
• said elastic portion separating said cavity forming portion and the cavity side board portion as a result of a resiliency action therefrom when said lateral clamping force is released.

A method for molding a plastic base product from a plastic base material, comprising the steps of:

• placing a first portion of the plastic base material in a first die;
• placing a second portion of the plastic base material in a cavity of a second die having a mirror surface, said second portion of the plastic base material having a same general shape as said cavity, comprising
• engaging the plastic base material with engagement portions in edge portions of a cavity forming surface,
• separating the cavity forming surface from a cavity side board portion with an elastic member;
• forming the plastic base product by clamping the plastic base material between the first die and the second die, comprising
• positioning the cavity forming surface to oppose said first die,
• applying a main clamping force between the first die and the second die so that the plastic base material fully engages said mirror surface and said engagement portions, and
• applying lateral clamping force to said second die, comprising,
• compressing said elastic member, and
• moving said cavity side board portion against said edge portions of said cavity forming surface so as to define a shape and size of said cavity and a corresponding feature in said plastic base product;
• and
• removing the plastic base product from the first die and the second die, comprising,
• releasing the main clamping force and separating said first die from said second die and plastic base product while retaining said plastic base product in said second die,
• releasing said lateral clamping force, and
• separating said cavity forming surface from said cavity side board portion while retaining said plastic base product in engagement with said engagement portions.

A method for molding a plastic base product from a plastic base material, comprising the steps of:

• placing a first portion of the plastic base material in a first die;
• placing a second portion of the plastic base material in a cavity of a second die having a mirror surface, said second portion of the plastic base material having a same general shape as said cavity, comprising
• engaging the plastic base material with a cavity forming surface,
• separating the cavity forming surface from a cavity side board portion with an elastic member, said cavity side board portion having at least one of a roughened surface and an undercut;
• forming the plastic base product by clamping the plastic base material between the first die and the second die, comprising
• positioning the cavity forming surface to oppose said first die,
• applying a main clamping force between the first die and the second die so that the plastic base material fully engages said mirror surface and said cavity forming surface, and
• applying a lateral clamping force to said second die, comprising,
• compressing said elastic member, and
• moving said cavity side board portion against said edge portions of said cavity forming surface so as to define a shape and size of said cavity and a corresponding feature in said plastic base product;
• and
• removing the plastic base product from the first die and the second die, comprising,
• releasing the main clamping force,
• separating said first die from said second die while retaining said plastic base product in said second die by engaging the plastic base material with the at least one of the roughened surface and undercut of the cavity side board portion,
• releasing said lateral clamping force, and
• separating said cavity forming surface from said cavity side board portion.

An apparatus for molding a plastic base product from a plastic base material, comprising:

• means for placing a first portion of the plastic base material in a first die means;
• means for placing a second portion of the plastic base material in a cavity of a second die means having a mirror surface, said second portion of the plastic base material having a same general shape as said cavity, comprising
• means for engaging the plastic base material with engagement portion means in edge portions of a cavity forming surface,
• means for separating the cavity forming surface from a cavity side board portion with an elastic means;
• means for forming the plastic base product by clamping the plastic base material between the first die means and the second die means, comprising
• means for positioning the cavity forming surface to oppose said first die means,
• means for applying a main clamping force between the first die means and the second die means so that the plastic base material fully engages said mirror surface and said engagement portion means, and
• means for applying a lateral clamping force to said second die means, comprising,
• means for compressing said elastic means, and
• means for moving said cavity side board portion against said edge portions of said cavity forming surface so as to define a shape and size of said cavity and a corresponding feature in said plastic base product;
• and
• means for removing the plastic base product from the first die means and the second die means, comprising,
• means for releasing the main clamping force and separating said first die means from said second die means and plastic base product while retaining said plastic base product in said second die means,
• means for releasing said lateral clamping force, and
• means for separating said cavity forming surface from said cavity side board portion while retaining said plastic base product in engagement with said engagement portion means.

An apparatus for molding a plastic base product from a plastic base material, comprising:

• means for placing a first portion of the plastic base material in a first die means;
• means for placing a second portion of the plastic base material in a cavity of a second die means having a mirror surface, said second portion of the plastic base material having a same general shape as said cavity, comprising
• means for engaging the plastic base material with a cavity forming surface,
• means for separating the cavity forming surface from a cavity side board portion with an elastic means, said cavity side board portion having at least one of a roughened surface and an undercut;
• means for forming the plastic base product by clamping the plastic base material between the first die means and the second die means, comprising
• means for positioning the cavity forming surface to oppose said first die means,
• means for applying a main clamping force between the first die means and the second die means so that the plastic base material fully engages said mirror surface and said cavity forming surface, and
• means for applying a lateral clamping force to said second die means, comprising,
• means for compressing said elastic means, and
• means for moving said cavity side board portion against said edge portions of said cavity forming surface so as to define a shape and size of said cavity and a corresponding feature in said plastic base product;
• and
• means for removing the plastic base product from the first die means and the second die means, comprising,
• means for releasing the main clamping force,
• means for separating said first die means from said second die means while retaining said plastic base product in said second die means by engaging the plastic base material with the at least one of the roughened surface and undercut of the cavity side board portion,
• means for releasing said lateral clamping force, and
• means for separating said cavity forming surface from said cavity side board portion.