Method for making a part comprising a foam layer borne by a support
AssigneeFaurecia Interieur Industrie
InventorGodefroy Beau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention concerns the manufacture of a part comprising a foam layer borne by a support. The invention concerns a manufacturing method including providing a foam layer (18) on a surface of a mold part (10), while the mold is open, closing the mold so that it defines a cavity between the foam layer (18) and another mold part (14), and injecting into the cavity a non-cellular plastic material designed to form the support (20). The method includes, after injecting the plastic material of the support (20), a step of gradually spacing apart at a predetermined speed the two parts of the mold (10, 14), in a direction having a component in the direction of the thickness of the foam layer (18). The invention is applicable to motor vehicle interior trims.
Claims15
A process for production of a part that comprises a thermoplastic foam layer of foam cells supported by a substrate, the process comprising:
- arranging a complex with a foamed thermoplastic foam layer having foam cells in a mold, on a surface of a first mold part, while the mold is open,
- completely closing the mold so that the completely closed mold defines an enclosed cavity between the complex with a foamed thermoplastic foam layer and a second mold part,
- injecting into the cavity of the completely closed mold a non-cellular plastic material that is designed to form the substrate, the non-cellular plastic material contacting the foamed thermoplastic foam layer, compressing the foamed thermoplastic foam layer and decreasing a thickness of the foamed thermoplastic foam layer, wherein the non-cellular plastic material has been heated to a temperature that is higher than a temperature of the foamed thermoplastic foam layer arranged in the mold, the injected non-cellular plastic material thereby heating the foamed thermoplastic foam layer so that the foamed thermoplastic foam layer has a temperature gradient with the temperature of the foamed thermoplastic foam layer being greater close to the injected non-cellular plastic material, and
- gradually separating the first mold part and the second mold part at a speed of between 0.1 and 10 mm/s in a direction of a thickness of the complex with a foamed thermoplastic foam layer, the gradually separating allowing the compressed foamed thermoplastic foam layer to expand, increasing the thickness of the foamed thermoplastic foam layer and creating a porosity gradient in the foamed thermoplastic foam layer, wherein the porosity gradient of the foamed thermoplastic foam layer is greatest on a side closest to the substrate and decreases in a direction away from the substrate, while preserving sealing of the cavity.
A process for production of a part that comprises a foamed thermoplastic foam layer of foam cells supported by a substrate, the process comprising:
- positioning a complex with a foamed thermoplastic foam layer having foam cells in a molding cavity of a first mold part, the molding cavity configured to receive a second mold part;
- inserting the second mold part into the molding cavity so that the foamed thermoplastic foam layer positioned in the molding cavity of the first mold part is between the first mold part and second mold part;
- injecting a non-cellular plastic material between the second mold part and the foamed thermoplastic foam layer so that the injected non-cellular plastic material exerts a pressure on the foamed thermoplastic foam layer to compress the foamed thermoplastic foam layer against the molding cavity of the first mold part to reduce a thickness of the foamed thermoplastic foam layer, the injected non-cellular plastic material forming a substrate for supporting the foamed thermoplastic foam layer, wherein the non-cellular plastic material has been heated to a temperature that is higher than a temperature of the foamed thermoplastic foam layer positioned in the molding cavity of the first mold part, the injected non-cellular plastic material thereby heating the foamed thermoplastic foam layer so that the foamed thermoplastic foam layer has a temperature gradient with the temperature of the foamed thermoplastic foam layer being greater close to the injected non-cellular plastic material, and
- gradually separating the second mold part and the first mold part at speed of between 0.1 and 10 mm/s in a direction of a thickness of the foamed thermoplastic foam layer so that the compressed foamed thermoplastic foam layer expands and increases in thickness to create a porosity gradient in the foamed thermoplastic foam layer, wherein during the gradual separation the compressed foamed thermoplastic foam layer expands and the thickness increases while foamed thermoplastic foam layer and substrate remain within molding cavity and between the first mold part and second mold part, and the porosity gradient of the foamed thermoplastic foam layer is greatest on a side closest to the substrate and decreases in a direction away from the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.