Manufacturing process for covering panels, and panels obtained with this process

• US 4,323,406 A
• Filed: 04/14/1980
• Issued: 04/06/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sergio Morello
• Original Assignee: Sergio Morello
• Inventors: Morello, Sergio
• Primary Examiner(s): HOAG, WILLARD
• Application Number:
  US06/140,088
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 264/46.4, 264/46.7, 264/257-259, 264/263, 264/279, 264/328.1, 264/275, 264/337, 264/338, 264/339, 264/271, 264/267, 264/334, 156/245, 156/91, 156/212, 156/213, 156/46.7, 156/46.4, 249/96, 249/83, 249/85
• US Class Current: 156/91
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14516 the transition area of juxtaposed parts being hidden in a groove of the moulded article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/14 against the mould wall
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/141 Hiding joints in the lining
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/00 Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor injection blow-moulding B29C49/06
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14467 Joining articles or parts of a single article B29C45/14377, B29C45/14385, B29C45/14581, B29C45/14614 and B29C45/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14508 Joining juxtaposed sheet-like articles, e.g. for making trim panels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/78 Moulding material on one side only of the preformed part
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3041 Trim panels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1028 by bending, drawing or stretch forming sheet to assume shape of configured lamina while in contact therewith

Abstract

Manufacturing process for covering panels, involving the use of a die-counterdie unit in which the die is divided into two separate portions with at least one plate protrusion. The various phases in this procedure comprise the laying of a first sheet on the die surface, with locking by elastic means, of the folded edge of the sheet at the end of said protrusion, followed by the laying of a second sheet adhering to the first and to the remaining part of the die-counterdie unit with pressure injection of synthetic resin in the hollow space between the second sheet and the surface.

Claims

1. A process for covering a panel, including use of a die-counterdie unit (10) in which a surface (21) of a die (11), defining the outside surface of the corresponding panel (1), has at least one plate protrusion (14) separating the die (21) into at least two prefixed portions, comprising:

(a) adhering a first sheet (3) to one of the portions (21a) of the die surface (21), such that the edge (3a) of said first sheet folds over and envelops the end (14a) of said protrusion (14);

(b) securing by elastic means, the folded edge (3a) of said first sheet at the end (14a) of said protrusion (14);

(c) adhering a second sheet (2) to said first sheet (3) and the remaining portion (21b) of said die surface (21);

(d) closing the die-counterdie unit (10), and injecting synthetic resin into a hollow space (17) between the said second sheet (2) and the surface (22) of the counterdie (12);

(e) opening, after a prefixed time, said unit; and

(f) detaching the panel from the die with simultaneous removal of said protrusion from the folded edge of said first sheet, leaving said elastic means within said panel.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the elastic means in step (b) is composed of a section (15), of elastically deformable material in a substantially omega-shaped section, forcedly positioned around the folded edge (3a) of said first sheet (3).

3. A process according to claim 1, wherein said die has at least two plate protrusions (14-114) of equal height delimiting a constant width groove (25);

wherein, in said step (a), said first sheet is adhered to said surface portion such that the edge of said first sheet is folded over the ends (14a-114a) of at least one of said plate protrusions and simultaneously inserted in said groove (25), the portion inserted into said groove adhering to the surfaces defining said groove; and

wherein the elastic means in said step (b) is composed of a section (31), elastically deformable, presenting a key (30) which is forcedly engaged in said groove (25) to such a depth that the surface of the die (11) engages the portion of said first sheet (3) wound around the end of said key (30).

4. A process according to claim 2, wherein said omega-shaped section (15) is provided with an appendix (15a) on the side of the terminal part of the folded edge of said first sheet, said appendix being so long that the tip end (20) thereof touches the surface (21) of the die (11).