Tool sleeve for mold die

• US 9,545,761 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2014
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Prebil, Charles R., Fox, James R., Rubin, Alexander M., Wilkerson, Randall D.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHIFFMAN, BENJAMIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/182,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20140314894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/3665 cores or inserts, e.g. pins, mandrels, sliders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/306 Exchangeable mould parts, e.g. cassette moulds, mould inserts moulds with exchangeable mould parts for injection moulding B29C45/2673; mounting of exchangeable mould inserts for injection moulding B29C45/2675
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/222 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/36 Moulds for making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/44 Compression means for making articles of indefinite length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/526 Pultrusion dies, e.g. dies with moving or rotating parts B29C70/523 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0003 Producing profiled members, e.g. beams

Abstract

A device changes the shape of a die used to compression mold a part. The device includes a sleeve placed between the die and a charge to be molded. The sleeve has an inner face generally conforming to a face of the die, and a outer face for molding a part.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a die for use in continuous compression molding a part;

a plurality of sleeves disposable between the die and a charge to be molded into the part, each of the plurality of sleeves having a respective shape related to a shape of the part to be formed using the plurality of sleeves, each of the plurality of sleeves having a first corresponding shape different than every other sleeve of the plurality of sleeves, each of the plurality of sleeves having a corresponding inner face having a second corresponding shape that substantially matches a cross sectional shape of the die, wherein the plurality of sleeves are removable from the die during a compression molding operation to form the part and installable onto the die to fully cover a face of the die during the compression molding operation.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sleeves include cavities on the corresponding inner face.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one shim for filling a gap between a sleeve of the plurality of sleeves and the die.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein:

for a first sleeve in the plurality of sleeves, a first portion of the die and a second portion of the first sleeve have different contours.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein:

a third portion of the die and the second portion of the sleeve have substantially the same contours.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the different contours include at least one of:

a radius,

a wall thickness, and

a joggle.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the sleeve a first sleeve in the plurality of sleeves has a curved longitudinal axis.

8. A device for changing a shape of a part that may be molded by a compression molding die having a fixed shape, comprising:

a plurality of sleeves disposable between the compression molding die and a charge to be molded into the part, each of the plurality of sleeves having a respective shape related to a shape of the part to be formed using the plurality of sleeves, each of the plurality of sleeves having a first corresponding shape different than every other sleeve of the plurality of sleeves, each of the plurality of sleeves having a corresponding inner face having a second corresponding shape that substantially matches a cross sectional shape of the compression molding die, wherein the plurality of sleeves are removable from the compression molding die during a compression molding operation to form the part and installable onto the compression molding die to fully cover a face of the die during the compression molding operation.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of sleeves include

corresponding thicknesses related to a thickness of the part.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein:

the plurality of sleeves are configured to be sleeved over the compression molding die.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of sleeves are elongate and have thicknesses that vary along lengths of the plurality of sleeves.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of sleeves include outer faces configured to mold into the part at least one of:

a radius,

a changing wall thickness, and

a ramp.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein a first sleeve of the plurality of sleeves has a curved longitudinal axis.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of sleeves are formed of at least one of:

metal,

synthetic polymer,

ceramic, and

composites.

15. A device for compression molding a family of parts using a same mold die, comprising:

a plurality of tool sleeves, each of which tool sleeves may be placed between the mold die and a charge to be molded, each of the plurality of tool sleeves having a respective shape related to a shape of the part to be formed using the plurality of tool sleeves, each of the plurality of tool sleeves having a first corresponding shape different than every other tool sleeve of the plurality of tool sleeves, wherein the plurality of tool sleeves are removable from the die during compression molding operation to form the part and installable onto the die to fully cover a face of the die during the compression molding operation

the plurality of tool sleeves each including a corresponding inner face substantially conforming to a shape of the mold die and covering sides of the mold die, and a corresponding outer face for molding one of the parts in the family of parts,

each of the plurality of tool sleeves filling a space between the charge being molded and the mold die, and having a feature unique to one of the parts, wherein the feature is one of a thickness, a corner radius, a ramp, a step and a contour.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein, as a whole, the plurality of tool sleeves have features that provide at least two of the thickness, the corer radius, the ramp, the step, and the contour.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein, as a whole, the plurality of tool sleeves have features that provide all of the thickness, the corer radius, the ramp, the step, and the contour.