Method of producing a metal mold
First Claim
1. A method of producing a metal mold, comprising the steps of:
- contacting by use of negative pressure a resilient rubber sheet with a product configuration surface of a matrix, said resilient rubber sheet having an even thickness corresponding to the plate thickness of a product, and having a heat resistance sufficient to maintain elasticity during subsequent processing, wherein during the contacting step said heat resistant and resilient rubber sheet stretches and shrinks freely;
contacting said heat resistant and resilient rubber sheet with a melt of a low melting-point alloy while maintaining close contact between said sheet and said matrix;
cooling said melt, thereby casting a first mold part;
removing said matrix;
contacting said heat resistant and resilient rubber sheet at said first mold part with said melt of a low melting-point alloy while maintaining contact between said sheet and said first mold part; and
allowing said melt to cool, thereby casting a second mold part.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of producing a metal mold is disclosed. A heat resistant sheet is forcedly brought into close contact with a product configuration surface of a matrix such as a wooden pattern, a resin model, or the like by making use of negative pressure. The matrix is brought into contact with a melt of a low melting-point alloy while that state of close contact is being maintained and the melt is allowed to cool as it is, thereby casting one part of the mold which makes up a pair. The matrix is then removed, and by using the one part of the mold thus cast as a new matrix, this new matrix is brought into contact with the melt of a low melting-point alloy via the heat resistant rubber sheet and is allowed to cool as it is, thereby casting a counterpart of the mold that makes up the pair.
8 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of producing a metal mold, comprising the steps of:
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contacting by use of negative pressure a resilient rubber sheet with a product configuration surface of a matrix, said resilient rubber sheet having an even thickness corresponding to the plate thickness of a product, and having a heat resistance sufficient to maintain elasticity during subsequent processing, wherein during the contacting step said heat resistant and resilient rubber sheet stretches and shrinks freely; contacting said heat resistant and resilient rubber sheet with a melt of a low melting-point alloy while maintaining close contact between said sheet and said matrix; cooling said melt, thereby casting a first mold part; removing said matrix; contacting said heat resistant and resilient rubber sheet at said first mold part with said melt of a low melting-point alloy while maintaining contact between said sheet and said first mold part; and allowing said melt to cool, thereby casting a second mold part. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of producing a metal mold, comprising the steps of:
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forming a casting space by integrally assembling a pair of frames; dividing said casting space by means of a heat resistant and resilient rubber sheet having an even thickness corresponding to the plate thickness of a product, wherein said sheet is clamped between said pair of casting frames to form two casting chambers; accommodating a matrix in one of said casting chambers; pouring a melt of a low melting-point alloy into the other casting chamber and bringing together by use of negative pressure said heat resistant and resilient rubber sheet and said product configuration surface of said matrix, thereby casting a first part of a mold, wherein said sheet stretches and shrinks freely to maintain said even thickness between said casting chambers; removing said matrix from said one casting chamber; pouring said melt of a low melting-point alloy into said one casting chamber while maintaining close contact between said heat resistant and resilient rubber sheet and said first part of said mold, thereby casting a second part of said mold. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of producing a metal mold, comprising the steps of:
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forming a casting space by integrally assembling a die casting frame and a punch casting frame; dividing said casting space into two parts by means of a heat resistant and resilient rubber sheet clamped between said casting frames, said sheet having an even thickness corresponding to the plate thickness of a product; accommodating a matrix for a punch and a matrix for a blank holder inside said punch casting frame; pouring a metal of a low melting-point alloy into said die casting frame and bringing together by use of negative pressure said heat resistant and resilient rubber sheet and one of said product configuration surfaces of one of said matrices, thereby casting a die, wherein said sheet stretches and shrinks freely to maintain said even thickness between said casting frames; removing said one of said matrices from said punch casting frame; pouring said melt of a low melting-point alloy into said punch casting frame with either one of said matrices removed while maintaining contact between said rubber sheet and said die, thereby casting either said punch or said blank holder; removing the remaining one of said matrices; and pouring said melt of a low melting-point alloy into said punch casting frame with said remaining one of said matrices removed while maintaining contact between said rubber sheet and said die, thereby casting the other one of said punch and said blank holder. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of producing a metal mold, comprising the steps of:
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forming a casting space by integrally assembling a die casting frame and a punch casting frame; dividing said casting space into two parts by means of a heat resistant and resilient rubber sheet clamped between said casting frames, said sheet having an even thickness corresponding to the plate thickness of a product; accommodating a matrix for a punch inside said punch casting frame; casting the die by pouring a melt of a low melting-point alloy into said die casting frame while bringing together by use of negative pressure said heat resistant and resilient rubber sheet and said product configuration surfaces of said matrix, wherein said sheet stretches and shrinks freely to maintain said even thickness between said casting frames; removing the matrix from the punch casting frames; providing the punch profile formed of a steel sheet by imitating the contour of the punch and having plural holes in the punch; and
subsequentlypouring the melt of a low melting-point alloy into the punch casting frame with maintaining close contact between the rubber sheet and the die, thereby casting simultaneously the punch and the blank holder. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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Specification