Molding method and apparatus with plural cooperating mold tools for forming interior trim components for motor vehicles

A molding apparatus for forming a multi-layered molded component, comprising:

• a first mold tool including a first mold half;
• a second mold tool including a second mold half;
• and
• an intermediate mold tool including a first auxiliary mold half, a second auxiliary mold half, and an intermediate tool frame that releasably carries said first and second auxiliary mold halves so that said first and second auxiliary mold halves can be lifted away from said intermediate tool frame;
• wherein:
• said first mold half is arranged facing and aligned with said second mold half;
• said first and second auxiliary mold halves are movably arranged so as to be movable between a working position in which said first and second auxiliary mold halves are respectively located aligned in a working space between said first mold half and said second mold half, and an idle position in which said first and second auxiliary mold halves are respectively located away from and clear of said working space;
• said first auxiliary mold half and said first mold half are respectively contoured to cooperate and mate with each other while enclosing a first pre-molding cavity therebetween;
• said second auxiliary mold half and said second mold half are respectively contoured to cooperate and mate with each other while enclosing a second pre-molding cavity therebetween;
• said first mold half and said second mold half are respectively contoured to cooperate and mate with each other while enclosing a final molding cavity therebetween;
• and
• at least one of said mold halves is movable to selectively open and close said first mold half relative to said first auxiliary mold half and to selectively open and close said second mold half relative to said second auxiliary mold half so as to selectively open and close said first pre-molding cavity and said second pre-molding cavity respectively in a first molding step when said first auxiliary mold half and said second auxiliary mold half are respectively located in said working position, and to selectively open and close said first mold half relative to said second mold half so as to selectively open and close said final molding cavity therebetween in a second molding step when said first auxiliary mold half and said second auxiliary mold half are respectively located in said idle position.

A molding apparatus for forming a multi-layered molded component, comprising:

• a first mold tool including a first mold half;
• a second mold tool including a second mold half;
• an intermediate mold tool including a first auxiliary mold half;
• and
• a seal arrangement including a seal strip mounted on and protruding from one of said mold halves, and a sealing and clamping strip provided on another of said mold halves mating with said one of said mold halves, wherein said sealing and clamping strip has extending therealong a longitudinal slit which forms therein a seal gap in which said seal strip can be received, and wherein said seal strip is arranged and adapted to push a layer of the multi-layered molded component along with said seal strip into said longitudinal slit;
• wherein:
• said first mold half is arranged facing and aligned with said second mold half;
• said first auxiliary mold half is movably arranged so as to be movable between a working position in which said first auxiliary mold half is located aligned in a working space between said first mold half and said second mold half, and an idle position in which said first auxiliary mold half is located away from and clear of said working space;
• said first auxiliary mold half and said first mold half are respectively contoured to cooperate and mate with each other while enclosing a first pre-molding cavity therebetween;
• said first mold half and said second mold half are respectively contoured to cooperate and mate with each other while enclosing a final molding cavity therebetween;
• and
• at least one of said mold halves is movable to selectively open and close said first mold half relative to said first auxiliary mold half so as to selectively open and close said first premolding cavity therebetween in a first molding step when said first auxiliary mold half is located in said working position, and to selectively open and close said first mold half relative to said second mold half so as to selectively open and close said final molding cavity therebetween in a second molding step when said first auxiliary mold half is located in said idle position.

A molding apparatus for forming a multi-layered molded component from sheet material layers, comprising:

• a first mold tool including a first mold half;
• a second mold tool including a second mold half;
• an intermediate mold tool including a first auxiliary mold half;
• and
• a first carrier frame that is movably arranged between said first mold half and said first auxiliary mold half;
• wherein:
• said first mold half is arranged facing and aligned with said second mold half;
• said first auxiliary mold half is movably arranged so as to be movable between a working position in which said first auxiliary mold half is located aligned in a working space between said first mold half and said second mold half, and an idle position in which said first auxiliary mold half is located away from and clear of said working space;
• said first auxiliary mold half and said first mold half are respectively contoured to cooperate and mate with each other while enclosing a first pre-molding cavity therebetween;
• said first carrier frame is arranged and adapted to carry and hold in said first pre-molding cavity a first one of said sheet material layers to form a cover layer of the multi-layered molded component;
• said first mold half and said second mold half are respectively contoured to cooperate and mate with each other while enclosing a final molding cavity therebetween;
• and
• at least one of said mold halves is movable to selectively open and close said first mold half relative to said first auxiliary mold half so as to selectively open and close said first pre-molding cavity therebetween in a first molding step when said first auxiliary mold half is located in said working position, and to selectively open and close said first mold half relative to said second mold half so as to selectively open and close said final molding cavity therebetween in a second molding step when said first auxiliary mold half is located in said idle position.