Method for manufacturing an injection-molded article with outer film secured thereto

A process for manufacturing an article having an outer film secured to a front face of an underlying injection-molded substrate having a rear portion and to a continuous perimetral rear portion of the substrate, comprising the steps of:

• moving a frame into position with respect to a cavity wall of a cavity block of a molding apparatus, the wall being shaped to define a front face of the article, to locate a portion of the frame in a position facing the cavity wall to shape the rear portion of the article;
• locating an oversized piece of film in the apparatus for injection of molten material against a rear face thereof;
• closing the molding apparatus by moving a core block in a first direction into position such that a mold cavity is defined between walls of the cavity block, the core block and the frame, a periphery of the piece of film being located between abutting surfaces of the core block and the frame;
• releasably securing the periphery of the piece of film in the apparatus by applying vacuum pressure to the piece of film through apertures in a wall surrounding the cavity wall;
• injecting molten material, to form the article in the mold cavity, and forcing the piece of film into abutment with the cavity wall of the cavity block and the portion of the frame facing the cavity wall of the cavity block including wrapping a perimeter of the piece of film onto the continuous perimetral rear portion of the substrate, wherein said step of releasably securing the periphery of the piece of film permits movement of the piece of film into said abutment with the cavity wall of the cavity block and the portion of the frame facing the cavity wall of the cavity block to preclude undue stretching of the film as the molten material fills the mold cavity;
• and
• moving the core block and the frame out of said position in a second direction opposite to the first direction, to permit removal of the article from the cavity block,
• wherein the mold cavity is longitudinally shaped for manufacturing a longitudinal automotive trim piece having a longitudinal axis, during the injection step the molten material is injected at a longitudinally intermediate location of the mold cavity, and the step of releasably securing the piece of film further includes releasing the vacuum pressure from the longitudinally intermediate location of the mold cavity to first and second axial ends of the mold cavity as the molten material moves from the longitudinally intermediate location of the mold cavity toward the first and second axial ends of the mold cavity to thereby form said article.