Method of forming articles of manufacture of various shapes including undercuts therein with generic tool

• US 20030111769A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Batesville Services Incorporated (Hillenbrand Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Batesville Services Incorporated (Hillenbrand Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rojdev, Ilija, Laphan, Dennis C.
• Application Number:
  US10/346,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20030111769A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/318
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 17/0136 Plastic material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/006 Using vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/10 Forming by pressure difference, e.g. vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/12 of articles having inserts or reinforcements

Abstract

A method of forming an article of manufacture which includes an undercut therein comprises the steps of providing a tool, removably positioning at least one consumable form adjacent to the tool, providing settable material from which to mold a finished part, molding the material onto the tool and on the form so as to encapsulate the form within the material to thereby form an undercut therein, allowing the material to set to form the finished part and separating the tool from the finished part and the encapsulated form. A method is also provided for forming articles of manufacture of various configurations utilizing a single generic tool by repeating the steps with differently shaped forms removably affixed to the single generic tool in different locations to produce a plurality of finished parts of varying configurations with the single generic tool.

Claims

1. A method of forming an article of manufacture including an undercut therein comprising the steps of:

providing a tool;

removably positioning at least one consumable form adjacent to the tool;

providing settable material from which to mold a finished part;

molding the material on the tool including on the form so as to encapsulate the form within the material to thereby form an undercut therein;

allowing the molded material to set to form the finished part; and

separating the tool from the finished part and the encapsulated form.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the settable material is plastic.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the settable material is a composite.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the plastic is preformed into a blank.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the blank is a tub.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the blank is a sheet.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the plastic blank is vacuum molded onto the tool and form.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the finished part is a casket.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the form includes fasteners premounted thereon whereby hardware may be attached to the form fasteners after molding the material onto the tool and form.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the form is colored and the material is translucent whereby the color of the form is visible through the translucent material.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the form is textured whereby the texture of the form is visible through the material.

34. An article of manufacture formed by the method of claim 1, 12 or 23.

12. A method of forming an article of manufacture including a skeletal structural framework therein comprising the steps of:

providing a tool;

removably positioning at least one consumable form adjacent to the tool;

providing a settable material from which to mold a finished part;

molding the material on the tool including on the form so as to encapsulate the form within the material to thereby form a skeletal structural framework therein;

allowing the molded material to set to form the finished part; and

separating the tool from the finished part and the encapsulated form.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the settable material is plastic.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the settable material is a composite.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the plastic is preformed into a blank.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the blank is a tub.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the blank is a sheet.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the plastic blank is vacuum molded onto the tool and form.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the finished part is a casket.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the form includes fasteners premounted thereon whereby hardware may be attached to the form after molding the material onto the tool and form.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the form is colored and the material is translucent whereby the color of the form is visible through the translucent material.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein the form is textured whereby the texture of the form is visible through the material.

23. A method of forming articles of manufacture of various configurations utilizing a single generic tool comprising the steps of:

providing a single generic tool;

removably positioning at least one consumable form adjacent to the tool;

providing settable material from which to mold a finished part;

molding the material on the tool including on the form so as to encapsulate the form within the molded material to thereby define a specific configuration for the finished part;

allowing the molded material to set to form the finished part;

separating the tool from the finished part and the encapsulated form; and

repeating the above steps with differently shaped forms removably affixed to the single generic tool in different locations to produce a plurality of finished parts of varying configurations with the single generic tool.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the settable material is plastic.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the settable material is a composite.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the plastic is preformed into a blank.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the blank is a tub.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the blank is a sheet.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the plastic blank is vacuum molded onto the tool and form.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the finished part is a casket.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein the form includes fasteners premounted thereon whereby hardware may be attached to the form fasteners after molding the material onto the tool and form.

32. The method of claim 23 wherein the form is colored and the material is translucent whereby the color of the form is visible through the translucent material.

33. The method of claim 23 wherein the form is textured whereby the texture of the form is visible through the material.

35. A method of vacuum molding a plastic casket comprising the steps of:

providing a rectangular tool generally in the size of a casket;

removably positioning consumable forms around the periphery of the tool adjacent to the tool;

providing a plastic blank from which to mold the plastic casket;

heating the plastic blank to soften the blank;

vacuum molding the plastic blank on the tool including on the forms so as to encapsulate the forms within the molded blank;

allowing the molded blank to set to form the casket; and

separating the tool from the casket and the encapsulated forms.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the blank is a tub.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the blank is a sheet.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the tool has side, end and bottom walls and is inverted and wherein the form has a generally L-shape cross-section having a foot and a leg, and wherein the foot of the form is supported atop the bottom of the tool.

39. A plastic casket formed by the method of claim 35.

40. A method of vacuum molding a plastic casket comprising the steps of:

providing a rectangular tool having side, end and bottom walls and generally in the size of a casket;

removably positioning consumable forms adjacent to the tool around the periphery of the tool;

providing a plastic sheet from which to mold the plastic casket;

supporting the sheet in a rectangular frame;

applying heat to the sheet to soften the sheet;

moving the frame over the tool so as to move the sheet adjacent the tool side, end and bottom walls;

applying vacuum between the sheet and tool so as to vacuum mold the sheet on the tool including on the forms so as to encapsulate the forms within the molded sheet;

allowing the molded sheet to set to form the casket; and

removing the casket with encapsulated forms from tool.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the forms are hollow and further comprising the step of injecting structural foam into the forms thereby creating a unitized form structure about the periphery of the casket.

42. A plastic casket formed by the method of claim 40.