Method and apparatus for manufacturing of an article including an empty space
AssigneeSaab AB
InventorsTommy Grankäll, Mikael Petersson, Per Hallander, Jan-erik Lindbäck, Bjorn Weidmann, Jan Andersson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tool assembly including a male tool including an inner shape tool including a bag having a connection connectable to a depressurization source for providing a vacuum in the bag such that beads therein form a body of firm cohesion providing the inner shape tool rigid. The male tool further includes a flexible, hollow curing support arranged around the rigid inner shape tool, the inner shape tool is arranged to be removable from the flexible, hollow curing support by rupturing the vacuum.
Claims9
A tool assembly, comprising:
- a male tool comprising
- a flexible, hollow curing support having a stiffness sufficient to support a blank arranged thereon during curing, and being sufficiently flexible to permit the flexible, hollow curing support to be collapsed for removal from a hollow article formed from the blank, and
- an inner shape tool arranged within the flexible, hollow curing support,
- the inner shape tool comprising a bag having beads arranged therein and a connection connectable to a depressurization source for providing a vacuum in the bag such that the beads form a body of firm cohesion making the inner shape tool rigid, wherein the inner shape tool is configured to be removable from the flexible, hollow curing support by rupturing the vacuum.
A method for manufacturing a hollow plastic article by a forming and curing processes, the method comprising:
- providing a close tolerance dividable outer shape tool;
- introducing a flexible, hollow curing support within the close tolerance dividable outer shape tool and an inner shape tool within the flexible, hollow curing support, the inner shape tool comprising a bag including beads;
- providing a vacuum in the bag such that the beads therein form a body of firm cohesion providing the inner shape tool rigid;
- removing the flexible, hollow curing support embodying the rigid inner shape tool from the close tolerance dividable outer shape tool;
- forming a blank material of curable plastic onto the flexible, hollow curing support;
- removing the inner shape tool from the interior of the flexible, hollow curing support by rupturing said vacuum;
- and
- curing the blank material supported by the flexible, hollow curing support by introducing heat into the interior of the flexible, hollow curing support.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.