Method for molding resin to skin members

• US 6,004,498 A
• Filed: 11/10/1997
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Inaba, Tetsuaki, Mori, Toshihiko, Kikuchi, Atsuo, Yamada, Tatsuo, Suzuki, Akihiko, Kidera, Tadamasa, Mouri, Yasuo, Katagiri, Katsuhiro, Fujii, Tetsuya, Furuta, Kenichi, Nagano, Akiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Silbaugh, Jan H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gray, Robin S.
• Application Number:
  US08/966,566
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 264/255, 264/266, 264/259, 264/328.8, 264/328.12, 264/339, 264/249, 264/260, 264/263
• US Class Current: 264/255
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/0032 sequential injection from multiple gates, e.g. to avoid weld lines
• 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 2045/14901 Coating a sheet-like insert smaller than the dimensions of the adjacent mould wall
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14909 the edge of the sheet-like insert being hidden, e.g. in a groove or protruding into the injected material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/0057 Moulding single grooves or ribs, e.g. tear lines folding lines B29C53/06
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14508 Joining juxtaposed sheet-like articles, e.g. for making trim panels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14778 the article consisting of a material with particular properties, e.g. porous, brittle
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14811 Multilayered articles B29C45/14827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1671 with an insert
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2715/003 Cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3005 Body finishings
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3041 Trim panels

Abstract

A resin part such as an instrument panel, a console box or door trim has a substrate body made of hard resin and a skin mounted on a surface of the substrate. To produce the resin part, a preformed elastic sheet is set within a mold cavity. Then, a molten resin is injected into the cavity through gates. The molten resin is first injected into the cavity through gates that are opposed to the skin and after the passage of a predetermined time, the resin is injected through gates that are not opposed to the skin, thereby forming a substrate that has the skin thermally fused to a surface thereof.

Claims

1. A method of molding a resin part having a substrate and a skin thermally fused to a surface of said substrate, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a mold having an inner surface and defining a cavity therein;

positioning the skin having an edge portion at a site within the cavity so that the skin is in contact with the inner surface, the skin further having a multi-layer construction including a heat fusible layer, a cushion layer formed on said heat fusible layer, and a solid skin layer formed on said cushion layer,

wherein said mold comprises;

(a) a first mold half having

(i) a first molding surface for forming part of said substrate; and

(ii) a ridge, disposed in said site for forming a part of a groove structure in said substrate adjacent said edge portion; and

(b) a second mold half, having a second molding surface for forming a remaining part of said substrate, having a recess disposed substantially opposite said ridge of said first mold half, for forming a different part of the groove structure of the substrate, at least one rib being provided in said recess extending across said recess, and

wherein said skin is positioned within said cavity so that at least a portion of said edge portion is in contact with said ridge, and said edge portion of said skin is in contact with and bent by said at least one rib;

providing a plurality of gates for injecting molten resin into the cavity, said plurality of gates comprising a first gate facing said site at which said skin is positioned and a second gate facing a portion of said mold not occupied by said skin;

injecting a molten resin into the cavity through the plurality of gates until the cavity is filled with said molten resin, thereby forming the substrate, thermally-fusing the heat fusible layer of said skin to the substrate and forming the resin part, wherein said step of injecting is carried out so that a first portion of said molten resin injected through said first gate substantially reaches said second gate before a second portion of said molten resin is injected from said second gate to form said substrate; and

taking the resin part out of the mold.

2. The method of molding a resin part according to claim 1, wherein said resin part comprises an exposed area in which said substrate is not covered with said skin, and said skin comprises an additional edge portion adjacent the exposed area.

3. The method of molding a resin part according to claim 1, wherein said recess has a first side wall opposite a portion of said site, and a second side wall opposite a portion of said mold other than said site, and wherein said step of extending comprises extending said at least one rib from the first side wall to the second side wall.

4. A method of molding a resin part having a substrate and a plurality of skin members thermally fused to a surface of said substrate, each of said plurality of skin members comprising a multi-layer construction including a heat fusible layer, a cushion layer formed on said heat fusible layer, and a solid skin layer formed on said cushion layer, and having an edge portion, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a mold having an inner surface and defining a cavity therein;

setting each of said plurality of skin members at sites within the cavity so that each of said plurality of skin members is in contact with the inner surface,

wherein said mold comprises;

(a) a first mold half having

(i) a first molding surface for forming part of said substrate; and

(ii) a ridge, disposed at said sites for forming a part of a groove structure in said substrate adjacent said edge portion; and

(b) a second mold half, having a second molding surface for forming a remaining part of said substrate, having a recess, disposed substantially opposite said ridge of said first mold half, for forming a different part of the groove structure of said substrate;

providing a plurality of gates for injecting molten resin into the cavity, said plurality of gates comprising a first gate facing said site at which said skin is positioned and a second gate facing a portion of said mold not occupied by said skin;

forming each of said plurality of skin members so that the edge portion of each of said plurality of skin members conforms about said ridge and coupling conformed edge portions together to form coupled skin members;

injecting a molten resin into the cavity through the plurality of gates until the cavity is filled with said molten resin, thereby forming the substrate, thermally-fusing the heat fusible layer of said plurality of skin members to the substrate and forming the resin part, wherein said step of injecting is carried out so that a first portion of said molten resin injected through said first gate substantially reaches said second gate before a second portion of said molten resin is injected from said second gate to form said substrate; and

taking the resin part out of the mold.

6. The method of molding a resin part according to claim 4, further comprising the step of:

positioning said coupled skin members in said cavity with each said edge portion positioned along said ridge of said first mold half.

5. A method of molding a resin part having a substrate and a plurality of skin members thermally fused to a surface of said substrate, each of said plurality of skin members comprising a multi-layer construction including a heat fusible layer, a cushion layer formed on said heat fusible layer, and a solid skin layer formed on said cushion layer, and having an edge portion, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a mold having an inner surface and defining a cavity therein;

providing a plurality of gates for injecting molten resin into the cavity, said plurality of gates comprising a first gate facing said site at which said skin is positioned and a second gate facing a portion of said mold not occupied by said skin;

positioning each of said plurality of skin members at sites within the cavity so that each of said plurality of skin members is in contact with the inner surface;

coupling a first end portion of a first one of said plurality of skin members to a second end portion of a second one of said plurality of skin members to form a seam wherein the seam comprises a vertical seam located between facing surfaces of bent areas of each of the first and second end portions and wherein the edge portion of said first one of said plurality of skin members is folded up and around the edge portion of said second one of said plurality of skin members,

injecting a molten resin into the cavity through the plurality of gates until the cavity is filled with said molten resin, thereby forming the substrate, thermally-fusing the heat fusible layer of said plurality of skin members to the substrate and forming the resin part, wherein said step of injecting is carried out so that a first portion of said molten resin injected through said first gate substantially reaches said second gate before a second portion of said molten resin is injected from said second gate to form said substrate; and

taking the resin part out of the mold.