US 6,207,090 B1Granted

Method for manufacturing a film-covered article

AssigneeVisteon Global Technologies, Inc.

InventorsDavid Charles Knisely, Dale Paul Moore, Zinoviy Chernyak

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Abstract

A method of manufacturing a film-covered article. A moveable press having first and second mold surfaces is moved to an open position. The first mold surface has a sealing surface, and the second mold surface has a cutting surface. A thin flexible film having an offal portion is placed between the first and second mold surfaces. The offal portion is positioned between the sealing and cutting surfaces and acts as a seal between the mold halves. The press is moved to the closed position. The cutting surface contacts the film and partially cuts the offal portion along a perimeter of the film. The offal portion remains positioned between the cutting and sealing surfaces and seals the space between the first and second mold surfaces.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing a film-covered article comprising the steps of:

providing a moveable press having first and second mold surfaces, said first mold surface having a sealing surface and said second mold surface having a cutting surface;
placing a film having an offal portion between said first and second mold surfaces, said offal portion being placed between said sealing surface and said cutting surface;
closing said press and causing said cutting surface to contact said film and partially cut said offal portion of said film to create a cut line, said offal portion remaining partially attached to said film, and said offal portion remaining between said sealing surface and said cutting surface;
injecting molten plastic between said first and second mold surfaces and adhering said plastic to said film to form said article, whereby said article has a plastic backing against said film with the partially cut offal portion attached to said film;
and removing without tools, at a location remote from the press, the partially cut offal portion from said film of said article along said cut line.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/058,974Filed 13 Apr 1998
Granted: 27 Mar 2001
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B29C 43/40
Moulds for making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles: with means for cutting the article
B29C 43/021
Of articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles: characterised by the shape of the surface
B29C 45/14
Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor: incorporating…
B29C 43/00
Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material