Method for forming plastic molded panels having an undercut edge
AssigneeLear Corporation
InventorsClark Morrison, Vittorio Strapazzini
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Plastic panels which are useful as automotive interior trim panels, interior door panels and the like decorative and structural panels, are made by a method which provides an underturned edge onto the panel. The method includes positioning blanks into a mold cavity over top of a mold ring. The blanks are secured to the mold ring and the blank is secured to the mold cavity via a vacuum. The two piece mold is mated together and a substrate is injected into the mold cavity. The cavity is opened, the ring is lifted and the formed part is removed from the mold.
Claims10
A method of forming a panel having an undercut edge comprising:
- providing a die pair, one of said die pair having a cavity;
- positioning a ring including a cut out portion in said cavity;
- loading a blank into said cavity over said ring;
- closing said die pair together over said blank;
- adding a substrate into said cavity onto said blank such that said substrate forcing said blank into said cut out;
- molding said substrate and blank into a panel and forming an undercut edge in said panel;
- removing said panel from said cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.