Method for producing a molded foam article with an integral skin
First Claim
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1. A method of producing a molded foam article with an integral skin in a cavity of a mold having a parting line plane comprising the steps of:
- blow-molding a parison suspended in a blow-molding metal mold to form a hollow member;
cutting a hole in said hollow member in registry with a drivable cutter slidably and rotatably fitted within a bore which opens into the cavity of said mold at a location other than the parting line plane of said mold, said drivable cutter being a frontal part of a filler for pre-expanded thermoplastic resin beads and being extendable and retractable into and out of said mold cavity;
injecting said pre-expanded resin beads into the cavity of said hollow member through said hole prior to cooling and solidification of said hollow member, and heating said resin beads by introducing hot steam into the cavity of said hollow member while temporarily closing said hole defined in said hollow member to cause the beads to expand further and fuse together to fill the cavity of said hollow member with a molded foam integral therewith.
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Abstract
A molded foam article with an integral skin is produced by blow-molding a parison in a cavity of a metal mold to form a hollow member, filling the hollow member with pre-expanded thermoplastic resin besides before cooling and solidification of the hollow member, and heating the pre-expanded beads to cause the beads to expand further and fuse together. A filler for the pre-expanded thermoplastic resin beads is provided with a cutter for making a hole in the hollow member before introducing the resin beads into the hollow member.
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Citations
4 Claims
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1. A method of producing a molded foam article with an integral skin in a cavity of a mold having a parting line plane comprising the steps of:
blow-molding a parison suspended in a blow-molding metal mold to form a hollow member;
cutting a hole in said hollow member in registry with a drivable cutter slidably and rotatably fitted within a bore which opens into the cavity of said mold at a location other than the parting line plane of said mold, said drivable cutter being a frontal part of a filler for pre-expanded thermoplastic resin beads and being extendable and retractable into and out of said mold cavity;
injecting said pre-expanded resin beads into the cavity of said hollow member through said hole prior to cooling and solidification of said hollow member, and heating said resin beads by introducing hot steam into the cavity of said hollow member while temporarily closing said hole defined in said hollow member to cause the beads to expand further and fuse together to fill the cavity of said hollow member with a molded foam integral therewith.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
Specification