US 6,358,459 B1Granted

Method for the production of molded bodies from polymer foam particles

AssigneeFraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschunge. V.

InventorsMaik Ziegler, Adam Geissler, Axel Kauffmann, Lars Ziegler, Knut Hofmann, Peter Elsner

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Abstract

A method for the production of molded bodies comprising foam particles is proposed in which the foam particles are shaped and welded together using microwave energy. The foam particles are accommodated in a foil-like bag and the bag is manually shaped or shaped through the use of a shaped mold with simultaneous change of the shape of the foam particles, and evacuated into a dense package. Microwave energy is subsequently used to melt together at least the surfaces of the foam particles. The method in accordance with the invention is particularly well suited as an economical manufacturing technique for packaging, in particular specialized packaging for models, small production runs, prototypes and the like.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method for the manufacture of molded bodies from polymer foam particles by shaping and welding together the foam particles using microwave energy, the method comprising the steps of:

a) placing foam particles in a gas-tight, foil-like bag;
b) disposing said bag with said foam particles on or in a shaping mold;
c) evacuating said bag on or in said mold to shape said bag with said foam particles into a dense particle package to form a molded body;
and
d) irradiating said dense partial package with microwave energy while maintaining partial pressure in said bag to melt together surfaces of the foam particles and to melt said bag together with said foam particles, wherein said bag is made from a plastic polymer having a melting temperature in a melting temperature range of said foam particles.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.