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US 7,815,839 B2Granted
Hybrid mandrels
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsJohn H. Vontell, Sr., Carl Brian Klinetob, Christopher John Feeney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mandrel comprising a rigid inner core and an elastomeric outer layer that at least partially surrounds the rigid inner core, wherein the elastomeric outer layer is adapted to expand during a molding process to seal a cavity to prevent incursion of material injected during the molding process.
Claims20
A mandrel for a molding processes, said mandrel comprising;
- a cavity;
- a rigid inner core;
- and
- an expandable elastomeric outer layer that at least partially surrounds the rigid inner core, wherein the expandable elastomeric outer layer seals the cavity to prevent incursion of material that may be injected during said molding process.
1 more element
An injection molding apparatus comprising:
- a tooling in which material is to be injected to form a component;
- a pre-formed part disposed within the tooling and comprising a cavity that is to be sealed;
- and
- a hybrid mandrel disposed within the pre-formed part cavity, the hybrid mandrel including a rigid inner core and an elastomeric outer layer that at least partially surrounds the rigid inner core, wherein the elastomeric outer layer is adapted to expand during the molding process to seal the cavity to prevent incursion of material to be injected.
1 more element
An injection molding process comprising:
- providing a hybrid mandrel including a rigid inner core and an elastomeric outer layer that at least partially surrounds the rigid inner core within a cavity of a pre-formed part;
- providing the pre-formed part along with the hybrid mandrel into a tooling;
- injecting liquid material into the tooling at an elevated temperature, the elevated temperature causing the elastomeric outer layer to expand and seal the cavity;
- curing the liquid material such that a solid component results;
- removing the solid component from the tooling;
- removing the rigid inner core using a melt-out process in which at least a portion of the rigid core is melted and flows out from the cavity;
- and
- removing the elastomeric outer layer.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.