Foaming tool and intermediate composite part produced via a foaming tool

• US 20040247854A1
• Filed: 05/27/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems FRA (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Original Assignee: Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems FRA (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Ludwig, Matthias, Niebuhr, Frank, Lutz, Marcus, Batke, Harald
• Application Number:
  US10/855,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20040247854A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/304.4
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1252 Removing portions of the preformed parts after the moulding step
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/14 the preformed part being a lining B29C44/1209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/3411 Relieving stresses
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/58 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249987 With nonvoid component of specified composition

Abstract

A foaming tool has a first mold part, a second mold part, and at least two cavities for producing at least two composite parts from a substrate. A compensation zone is disposed between the two cavities and is adapted to accommodate a relief zone formed on the substrate. The substrate has a first component section and a second component section adapted to be arranged in the cavities of the foaming tool. The first and second component sections receive a foamed backing of an expandable material to form the composite parts. The substrate has a relief zone between the first and second component sections to handle any stresses on the substrate and prevent surface defects in the substrate.

Claims

1. A foaming tool comprising:

a first mold part;

a second mold part;

first and second cavities formed in one of the first mold part and the second mold part for producing at least two composite parts containing a substrate; and

a compensation zone disposed generally between the first and second cavities to accommodate a relief zone on the substrate.

2. The foaming tool according to claim 1, wherein the compensation zone creates an area to accommodate shifting of the substrate when stress occurs on the substrate.

3. The foaming tool according to claim 1, wherein the compensation zone is a groove.

4. The foaming tool according to claim 3, wherein the groove extends across an entire width of the foaming mold.

5. The foaming tool according to claim 3, wherein the groove has one of a U-shaped cross-section and a V-shaped cross-section.

6. The foaming tool according to claim 3, wherein the groove has a rectangular cross-section.

7. A substrate, comprising:

a first component section;

a second component section, the first and second component sections adapted to be arranged in first and second cavities of a foaming tool and to receive an expandable material to be formed into a foamed backing; and

a relief zone formed between the first and second component sections to relieve stress in the substrate when the foamed backing is formed.

8. The substrate according to claim 7, wherein the relief zone is a gap-like cut-out.

9. The substrate according to claim 7, wherein the relief zone is a relief channel.

10. The substrate according to claim 7, wherein the expandable material applied to the substrate extends near the relief zone to form first and second composite parts.

11. The substrate according to claim 10, wherein at least one of said first and second composite parts is a roof module.

12. A method of producing a composite part, comprising:

placing a substrate having at least two component sections and a relief zone between said at least two component sections into a foaming mold;

applying a foamed backing to said at least two component sections, wherein the relief zone relieves any stress in the substrate resulting from the applying step; and

removing the relief zone from said least two component sections.