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US 7,479,246 B2Granted
Overmoulding
AssigneeZephyros, Inc.
InventorsStehane Muteau, Philippe Fahrner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In the overmoulding of an article channels are provided in the surface of the article to guide the flow of the overmoulding material, in addition holes may be provided across the article to enable flow of the overmoulding material to the side of the carrier remote from the point of injection. The techniques are particular useful in the overmoulding of articles having a lattice or honeycomb structure particularly when produced by injection moulding. When the overmoulding material is foamable the overmoulded articles may be used as acoustic baffles or structural reinforcement for automobiles.
Claims20
A moulding process, comprising:
- injection molding an article from a thermoplastic material selected from polyamide or polypropylene, wherein:
- i) the article includes channels and one or more traverse holes passing through the article;
- ii) the channels are provided on the surface of the article and the channels are defined by the surface of the article and spaced apart side walls;
- iii) the article has a lattice or honeycomb structure with a plurality of interconnecting locations and at least one of the one or more holes is located at least one of the interconnecting locations;
- iv) at least one of the one or more holes passes transversely through the article from one side of the article to another side of the article;
- v) the article has a plurality of spaced apart external surfaces that are separated by open areas and are interconnected at the interconnecting locations;
- and
- vi) the article includes clips for attachment to an interior wall of the structure to be reinforced prior to activating the material;
- injection overmoulding the material as a layer over part of the surface of an article onto the spaced apart external surfaces within the mould for forming a moulding as a reinforcement member, wherein:
- i) the material is heat activated structural foamable material;
- ii) the channels guide the heat activated structural foamable material that is injected to areas of the surface of the article where the heat activated structural foamable material is to be located;
- iii) the one or more holes passing through the article enable the heat activated structural foamable material being injected to pass through the article to the side remote from a position at which the heat activated structural foamable material is injected into the mould wherein the heat activated structural foamable material is then guided through the channels over a substantial portion of the surface of the article while avoiding flow of the heat activated structural foamable material over other portions of the surface of the article;
- iv) the moulding is a baffle or reinforcement configured for an automobile;
- v) the injection overmoulding operation employs a single injection point
- vi) the other portions of the surface of the article are adjacent the channels;
- vii) the article is provided as a high strength plastic moulding;
- viii) the reinforcement member has an exterior shape that varies along a length of the reinforcement member as the dimensions of the cross section of the structure change such that the reinforcement member substantially conforms to the cross section of the structure that the reinforcement member is designed to reinforce;
- ix) the size of the reinforcing member including the heat activated structural foamable material is such that there is a small clearance between the extremity of the reinforcing member and the interior walls of the structure to be reinforced so that upon foaming of the heat activated structural foamable material, the heat activated structural foamable material adheres to the interior walls of the structure to be reinforced;
- x) the interconnecting locations are defined by walls defining a interconnecting channel for flow of the heat activated structural foamable material and wherein the interconnecting channel is provided with a hole passing from one side of the article through to the other side of the article;
- and
- xi) the one or more transverse holes being filled with the heat activated structural foamable material to form transverse reinforcing rods.
18 more elements
A moulding process, comprising:
- providing an expandable material, an article and a mould wherein the article includes channels and one or more holes passing through the article and wherein the article is shaped to correspond to a cavity of an automotive vehicle and wherein the expandable material is configured to foam at a temperature experienced in an e-coat or paint operation of the automotive vehicle thereby forming a structural foam;
- injection moulding the expandable material as a layer over a substantial portion of a surface of the article within the mould for forming a moulding wherein:
- i) the channels are defined by the surface of the article and side walls;
- ii) the channels guide the material that is injected to areas of the surface of the article where the material is to be located;
- iii) the one or more holes passing through the article enable the material being injected to pass through the article to the surface of the article, which is on a side remote from a position at which the material is injected into the mould wherein the expandable material is then guided through the channels over the substantial portion of the surface of the article while avoiding flow of the expandable material over other portions of the surface of the article;
- iv) the article has a lattice or honeycomb structure and the channels define interconnecting locations and holes of the one or more holes passing through the article are formed at one or more of the interconnecting locations;
- and
- v) the moulding is a structural reinforcement configured for a hollow section in the automotive vehicle;
- vi) the other portions of the surface of the article are adjacent the channels and adjoining the side walls;
- and
- vii) the expandable material, after moulding and while still within the mould, is flush with the top of the sidewalls of the channels.
8 more elements
A moulding process, comprising:
- providing an expandable material, an article and a mould wherein the article includes channels and one or more holes passing through the article from a first surface of the article to a second surface of the article and wherein the article is shaped for insertion into a hollow structure of an automotive vehicle;
- and
- injection moulding the expandable material as a layer over a substantial portion of the first and second surfaces of the article within the mould for forming a moulding as a reinforcement member, wherein:
- i) the channels include at least one channel that is defined by the first surface of the article and side walls and at least one channel that is defined by the second surface of the article and side walls;
- ii) the channels guide the material that is injected to areas of the first and second surfaces of the article where the material is to be located;
- iii) the one or more holes passing through the article enable the material being injected to pass from the first surface of the article through the article to the second surface of the article, which is on a side remote from a position at which the material is injected into the mould wherein the expandable material is then guided through the channels over the substantial portion of the first and second surfaces of the article while avoiding flow of the expandable material over other portions of the first and second surfaces of the article;
- iv) the other portions of the first and second surfaces of the article are adjacent the respective first and second channels;
- v) the expandable material foams and adheres to interior walls that define the hollow structure at higher energy levels applied during automotive processing;
- vi) the article is provided as a high strength plastic moulding;
- vii) the reinforcement member has an exterior shape that varies along a length of the reinforcement member as the dimensions of the cross section of the structure change such that the reinforcement member substantially conforms to the cross section of the structure that the reinforcement member is designed to reinforce;
- and
- viii) the size of the reinforcing member including the expandable adhesive material is such that there is a small clearance between the extremity of at least a portion of the first and second surfaces of the reinforcing member and the interior walls of the structure to be reinforced so that upon foaming of the expandable material, the expandable material adheres to the interior walls of the structure to be reinforced.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.