Plastic shell for foam moldings

• US 4,878,827 A
• Filed: 08/22/1988
• Issued: 11/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Collins & Aikman Floor Coverings Incorporated (Collins and Aikman Floor Coverings)
• Original Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc. (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Muller, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Jay H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Heitbrink, Timothy W.
• Application Number:
  US07/234,575
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 425/435, 425/434, 249/52, 249/99, 249/101, 249/117, 249/137, 264/45.7
• US Class Current: 425/434
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/18 Slush casting, i.e. pouring moulding material into a hollow mould with excess material being poured off
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/12 Incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1257 Joining a preformed part and a lining, e.g. around the edges
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/14 the preformed part being a lining B29C44/1209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/351 Means for preventing foam to leak out from the foaming device during foaming

Abstract

For automotive interior trim molding assemblies having a vinyl skin shell, a reinforcement insert, and an intermediate reaction type polyurethane foam composition, a vinyl skin shell which has a gasket-type peripheral edge formed thereon for abutting cooperation with the reinforcement insert to prevent leakage of the foam therepast during the foam reaction period in a reaction mold. The gasket-type peripheral edge is formed on the otherwise thin shell by a tear edge, against which plastisol builds up in a substantially triangular cross section during the shell molding period in a heated slush mold.

Claims

1. A heated slush mold for molding a vinyl skin shell from powder material which fills the mold to cover heated surfaces thereon for forming a deposited layer of fused plastic thereon for forming a hollow shell, said slush mold comprising:

a body portion having a heated deposit surface therein and an inlet surface including an upper segment defining an opening for flow of powder material into a cavity, said heated deposit surface further including a lower segment, said heated deposit surface also including a ridge portion formed on said body portion at a point between said upper segment and said lower segment, said ridge portion including an inclined surface and a reentrant surface intersecting at a sharp angle for defining a tear edge, said reentrant surface having a predetermined height and a predetermined slope formed at select areas of said mold for forming a resultant gasket edge on a shell of material fused on said deposit surface, said inclined surface having material deposited thereon that is stippable from said deposit surface for tearing along said tear edge so as to form a sharp edge on said formed gasket edge of a resultant molded shell.

2. The mold described in claim 1, wherein said predetermined slope has an angle of 10 to 20 degrees with respect to a line perpendicular to said lower segment.