Method and apparatus for manufacturing a molded product

An apparatus for manufacturing molded products, comprising:

• a metal mold which includes a minute uneven portion on a surface thereof;
• heating means which heats the metal mold;
• cooling means which cools the metal mold;
• a resin coating device which fills a molten thermoplastic resin into the minute uneven portion;
• wherein the resin coating device includes:
• a plasticizing part which plasticizes a thermoplastic resin into a molten state;
• a resin reserving part which reserves the molten thermoplastic resin therein;
• and
• a discharge port which discharges the molten thermoplastic resin therefrom, and
• wherein the resin coating device is movable in such a manner that the molten thermoplastic resin is discharged from the discharge port onto the minute uneven portion from above such that the molten thermoplastic resin has a shape and a thickness that is substantially the same as a shape and a thickness of a molded product;
• wherein a discharge pressure of the resin coating device causes the molten thermoplastic resin to fill the minute uneven portion and pushes out air from between the thermoplastic resin and the minute uneven portion on the mold;
• wherein the resin coating device is moveable such that a distance between a distal end of the discharge port and the metal mold is equal to a thickness of the molten thermoplastic resin after the molten thermoplastic resin is discharged onto the metal mold;
• and
• wherein the heating means is configured to heat the metal mold such that the thermoplastic resin is capable of adhesion to the minute uneven portion;
• and
• a pressing machine for compressing the molten resin on the metal mold, wherein the pressing machine is configured to compress the molten thermoplastic resin by a pressure no greater than 80 kg/cm2.

A method for manufacturing a molded product, the method comprising:

• providing a resin coating device comprising a discharge port configured to discharge molten thermoplastic resin;
• providing a mold comprising minute indentations;
• filling the mold with molten thermoplastic resin by discharging molten thermoplastic resin from the discharge port while moving the discharge port over the mold, wherein a discharge pressure of the resin coating device causes the molten thermoplastic resin to fill the minute uneven portion and pushes out air from between the molten thermoplastic resin and the minute uneven portion on the mold;
• wherein a distance between a distal end of the resin coating device and the mold, as the resin coating device passes over the mold while discharging molten thermoplastic resin, is equal to a thickness of the molten thermoplastic resin that fills the mold;
• and
• compressing the discharged molten thermoplastic resin against the mold thereby producing a shape of a final molded product, wherein the molten thermoplastic resin is compressed by a pressure no greater than 80 kg/cm2.

An apparatus for manufacturing a molded product, comprising:

• a mold comprising at least one minute indentation;
• a resin coating device configured to discharge a molten thermoplastic resin from a discharge port;
• wherein the resin coating device is configured to move over the mold while molten thermoplastic resin is discharged from the discharge port so that the molten thermoplastic resin is filled into the minute uneven portion while a discharge pressure of the resin coating device pushes out air from between the molten thermoplastic resin and the minute uneven portion on the mold;
• wherein a distance between a distal end of the resin coating device and the mold, as the resin coating device passes over the mold while discharging molten thermoplastic resin, is equal to a thickness of the molten thermoplastic resin that fills the mold;
• and
• a pressing machine for compressing the molten resin on the metal mold, wherein the pressing machine is configured to compress the molten thermoplastic resin by a pressure no greater than 80 kg/cm2.

A method for manufacturing molded products, comprising:

• a resin coating step of coating a molten thermoplastic resin onto a metal mold having a minute uneven portion on a surface thereof;
• a compressing step of compressing the coating of molten thermoplastic resin against the metal mold thereby producing a shape of a final molded product;
• and
• a solidifying step of solidifying the coating of molten thermoplastic resin by cooling the coating of molten thermoplastic resin;
• wherein the resin coating step further includes:
• supplying the molten thermoplastic resin to a resin coating device including a discharge port;
• discharging the molten thermoplastic resin onto the minute uneven portion from above while moving the resin coating device, wherein the distance between a distal end of the discharge port and the metal mold is equal to a thickness of the coating of the molten thermoplastic resin on the metal mold wherein a discharge pressure of the resin coating device causes the molten thermoplastic resin to fill the minute uneven portion and pushes out air from between the molten thermoplastic resin and minute uneven portion on the mold;
• filling the molten thermoplastic resin into the minute uneven portion such that the thermoplastic resin has a shape and a thickness that is substantially the same as a shape and a thickness of the final molded product;
• and
• heating the metal mold such that the thermoplastic resin is capable of adhering to the minute uneven portion;
• wherein the metal mold is heated to a temperature in the range of approximately 150° C. to 200° C.

An apparatus for manufacturing molded products, comprising:

• a metal mold which includes a minute uneven portion on a surface thereof;
• heating means which heats the metal mold;
• cooling means which cools the metal mold;
• a resin coating device which fills a molten thermoplastic resin into the minute uneven portion;
• wherein the resin coating device includes:
• a plasticizing part which plasticizes a thermoplastic resin into a molten state;
• a resin reserving part which reserves the molten thermoplastic resin therein;
• and
• a discharge port which discharges the molten thermoplastic resin therefrom, and
• wherein the resin coating device is movable in such a manner that the molten thermoplastic resin is discharged from the discharge port onto the minute uneven portion from above such that the molten thermoplastic resin has a shape and a thickness that is substantially the same as a shape and a thickness of a molded product wherein a discharge pressure of the resin coating device causes the molten thermoplastic resin to fill the minute uneven portion and pushes out air from between the molten thermoplastic resin and the minute uneven portion on the mold;
• wherein the resin coating device is moveable such that a distance between a distal end of the discharge port and the metal mold is equal to a thickness of the molten thermoplastic resin after the molten thermoplastic resin is discharged onto the metal mold;
• and
• wherein the heating means is configured to heat the metal mold such that the thermoplastic resin is capable of adhesion to the minute uneven portion;
• wherein the heating means is configured to heat the metal mold to a temperature in a range of approximately 150° C. to 200° C.

A method for manufacturing a molded product, the method comprising:

• providing a resin coating device comprising a discharge port configured to discharge molten thermoplastic resin;
• providing a mold comprising minute indentations;
• filling the mold with molten thermoplastic resin by discharging molten thermoplastic resin from the discharge port while moving the discharge port over the mold wherein a discharge pressure of the resin coating device causes the molten thermoplastic resin to fill the minute uneven portion and pushes out air from between the molten thermoplastic resin and the minute uneven portion on the mold;
• wherein a distance between a distal end of the resin coating device and the mold, as the resin coating device passes over the mold while discharging molten thermoplastic resin, is equal to a thickness of the molten thermoplastic resin that fills the mold;
• heating the mold to a temperature in a range of approximately 150° C. to 200° C.

An apparatus for manufacturing a molded product, comprising:

• a mold comprising at least one minute indentation;
• a resin coating device configured to discharge a molten thermoplastic resin from a discharge port;
• wherein the resin coating device is configured to move over the mold while molten thermoplastic resin is discharged from the discharge port wherein a discharge pressure of the resin coating device causes the molten thermoplastic resin to fill the minute uneven portion and pushes out air from between the molten thermoplastic resin and the minute uneven portion on the mold;
• wherein a distance between a distal end of the resin coating device and the mold, as the resin coating device passes over the mold while discharging molten thermoplastic resin, is equal to a thickness of the molten thermoplastic resin that fills the mold;
• and
• heating means for heating the mold, wherein the heating means is configured to heat the mold to a temperature in a range of approximately 150° C. to 200° C.