Mold apparatus and method
First Claim
1. An apparatus for creating designs on an interior of a mold, the apparatus comprising:
- a) a resilient form with an exterior and an interior, with a design formed on the exterior wherein said exterior has no draft angle and said interior has a draft angle;
b) a rigid support member removably attached to the interior of said resilient form; and
c) a mold pattern conformed to removably receive said rigid support member and said resilient form in combination.
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Abstract
A mold apparatus and method for creating designs on the interior of molds includes a resilient form with an exterior and an interior, with a design formed on the exterior. A rigid support member is removably attached to the interior of the resilient form. A mold pattern, conformed to removably receive the rigid support member and the resilient form in combination, completes the basic elements of the invention. In one aspect of the invention, a passageway in the rigid support member is provided for introducing a gas between the rigid support member and the resilient form. In another aspect of the invention, a vacuum application device is provided for applying a vacuum to the interior of the resilient form. The apparatus and method also provide for the simultaneous creation of designs on the interior and exterior of molds
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for creating designs on an interior of a mold, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a resilient form with an exterior and an interior, with a design formed on the exterior wherein said exterior has no draft angle and said interior has a draft angle;
b) a rigid support member removably attached to the interior of said resilient form; and
c) a mold pattern conformed to removably receive said rigid support member and said resilient form in combination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for creating designs on the interior and exterior of a mold, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a first resilient form with an exterior and an interior, with a design on said interior;
b) a rigid base conformed to removably receive the exterior of said first resilient form;
c) a second resilient form with an exterior and an interior, with a design on said exterior;
d) a rigid support member removably attached to the interior of said second resilient form; and
e) said rigid base and said interior of said first resilient form conformed to removably receive said rigid support member and said second resilient form in combination. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. An apparatus for creating complex designs on an interior of investment cast cases, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a flexible sleeve with an exterior with a three dimensional design and no draft angle and an interior with a draft angle and a closed end and an open end;
b) a support core conformed to just receive and support the interior of the flexible sleeve from the closed end to the open end; and
c) a mold pattern conformed to releasably receive the support core and flexible sleeve in combination. - View Dependent Claims (11, 13, 14)
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12. The apparatus of claim further comprising a vacuum applicator.
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15. An apparatus for creating complex designs, including undercuts, notches, grooves, counter bores, slots, dimples and bosses, on an interior and an exterior of a mold, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a first flexible sleeve with an exterior with a draft angle and an interior with a complex design and no draft angle and a closed end and an open end;
b) a rigid base conformed to removably receive the exterior of said first flexible sleeve;
c) a second flexible sleeve with an exterior with a complex design and no draft angle and an interior with a draft angle and a closed end and an open end;
d) a support core conformed to just receive and support the interior of the second flexible sleeve from the closed end to the open end; and
e) said first flexible sleeve conformed to removably receive said support core and said second flexible sleeve in combination.
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16. A method of creating a design on the inside of a mold, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) creating a resilient form with an exterior with a design and an interior, wherein said exterior has no draft angle and said interior has a draft angle;
b) attaching a rigid support member to the interior of said resilient form;
c) creating a mold pattern conformed to removably receive said resilient form and said rigid support member in combination;
d) inserting said resilient form and said rigid support member in combination in said mold pattern;
e) adding mold material to said mold pattern;
f) removing said rigid support; and
g) removing said resilient form from said mold pattern. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
a) providing a passageway in said rigid support member conformed to introdu gas between said rigid support member and said resilient form; and
b) after step e) introducing gas in said passageway.
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18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a vacuum application means;
b) after step f) inserting said vacuum application means within said interior of said resilient form in said mold pattern;
c) applying a vacuum to said resilient form so as to collapse said resilient form around said vacuum application means; and
d) removing said vacuum application means and said resilient form from said mold pattern.
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19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of adding lubricant between said resilient form and said rigid support member.
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20. A method of creating a design on the inside and outside of a mold, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) creating a first resilient form with an exterior and an interior, with a design on the interior;
b) holding the exterior of said first resilient form within a rigid base;
c) creating a second resilient form with an exterior with a design and an interior;
d) attaching a rigid support member to the interior of said second resilient form;
e) inserting said second resilient form and said rigid support member in combination within the interior of said first resilient form;
f) adding mold material between the interior of said first resilient form and the exterior of said second resilient form;
g) removing the rigid base from the first resilient form;
h) removing the first resilient form from the mold material;
i) removing the rigid support member from the second resilient form; and
j) removing said second resilient form from the mold pattern.
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21. A method for forming an investment cast case with a three dimensional design on the interior of the case, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) creating a master pattern of the three dimensional design in a female receiver;
b) creating a male rigid support core with a draft angle, conformed to fit within the female receiver and including a passageway for introducing gas;
c) sealing the passageway with a removable pin so that the male rigid support core is a solid form;
d) inserting the male rigid support core into the female receiver and introducing a flexible material forming fluid into the female receiver between the female receiver and the male rigid support core;
e) allowing the flexible material forming fluid to cure and create a flexible sleeve with a three dimensional design on an exterior and an interior conformed exactly to the male rigid support core;
f) removing the removable pin and blowing compressed gas into the passageway so that gas is introduced between the rigid support core and the flexible sleeve;
g) removing the flexible sleeve from the master pattern female receiver;
h) inserting the male rigid support core within the interior of the flexible sleeve;
i) inserting the flexible sleeve and rigid support core in combination within a mold pattern conformed to form the exterior of a case;
j) adding wax to the interior of the mold pattern and allowing the wax to harden;
k) removing the hardened wax and the combination of the flexible sleeve and the rigid support core from the mold pattern;
l) introducing gas into the passageway and removing the rigid support core;
m) removing the flexible sleeve from the hardened wax; and
n) creating a case with three dimensional designs on the inside of the case from the hardened wax by means of a lost wax process. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
a) creating a vacuum applicator;
b) after step
1) inserting the vacuum applicator within the flexible sleeve;
c) applying a vacuum to the inside of the flexible sleeve with the vacuum applicator so that the flexible sleeve is pulled away from the hardened wax; and
d) removing the vacuum applicator in combination with the flexible sleeve from the hardened wax.
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23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of forming the vacuum applicator with a draft angle.
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24. An apparatus for creating designs on an interior of a mold, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a resilient form with an exterior and an interior, with a design formed on the exterior;
b) a rigid support member removably attached to the interior of said resilient form;
c) a mold pattern conformed to removably receive said rigid support member and said resilient form in combination; and
d) a vacuum application means for applying a vacuum to said resilient form wherein said vacuum application means further comprises a plurality of extensions conformed to create a draft angle.
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25. An apparatus for creating complex designs on an interior of an investment cast case, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a flexible sleeve with an exterior with a three dimensional design and no draft angle and an interior with a draft angle and a closed end and an open end;
b) a support core conformed to just receive and support the interior of the flexible sleeve from the closed end to the open end;
c) a mold pattern conformed to releasably receive the support core and flexible sleeve in combination; and
d) a passageway in the support core conformed to introduce gas at the closed end of the flexible sleeve.
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Specification