Composite solid surface article and process for producing the same
OwnerVangala Bala Venkata Subbuluinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A composite solid surface article which includes a molded overlay composed of a solid surface material fabricated in a mold; an underlay core material composed of a polymeric material molded onto the overlay but which only covers a center portion of the overlay so that peripheral edges of the overlay are not covered by the underlay core material; and solid surface edge component of additional solid surface material at the edge of the underlay core material, and a method of making the composite using a removable liner.
Claims15
A composite solid surface article which is an at least partially encapsulated polymeric core material produced by a mold-in-place process, the article comprising:
- a molded overlay comprised of a solid surface material fabricated in a mold;
- an underlay core material which comprises a polymeric material and which is molded onto the overlay in the mold but which only covers a center portion of the overlay so that peripheral edges of the overlay are not covered by the underlay core material;
- and
- solid surface edges comprised of additional solid surface material and provided around the periphery of the underlay core material to encapsulate the edges of the underlay core material by molding in the mold,
- wherein the underlay core material is formed using temporary liners which are inserted into the mold and located to define peripheral edge regions having a preselected thickness.
A process for producing a composite article which is an at least partially encapsulated polymeric core material produced by a mold-in-place process, the process comprising the steps of:
- pouring a solid surface material into a mold to provide a molded overlay;
- introducing temporary liners around the periphery of the mold and locating the temporary liners to obtain a preselected edge thickness;
- pouring an underlay core material comprised of a polymeric material onto the molded overlay;
- pouring additional solid surface material into the peripheral edge space to provide solid surface edges around the underlay core material;
- allowing the polymeric core material and the solid surface material to set and provide the composite solid surface article;
- and
- demolding the composite solid surface article and subjecting the composite solid surface article to finishing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.