Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This is a division of commonly owned Canadian
Patent Application No. 480,582 filed May 2, 1985.
T~C~NICAL FI~LD
This invention pertains to an improved plastic
shell especially suitable for use in automobile trim
- components such as interior door panels and more
particularly to two-tone plastic shells.
BAC~&ROU~D ART
The automotive industry has turned to the use of
interior trim components such as door panels comprising a
polyvinyl chloride shell. See, for example, the t:rim
components disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,123,403. The
, acceptance of such components has been because inter alia
this type of construction permits a wide latitude in
styling and color, and grain effects which are most desired
particularly in the interior design of automobiles.
The current state of the art includes a pre-
formed grained vinyl shell made from dry thermoplastic
powder particles which are applied to a heated shell mold
from a powder box to form a continuous monochromatic one-
piece shell.
In order to enhance the interior decor of an
automobile, interior door panels and other parts have been
prepared which include ~wo separate plastic shell sections
formed from different colored plastic joined at a
connection joint.
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The use of multi-color plastic is also known in
the manufacture of colored filaments. Such manufacture
includes use of a compartmented spinning head for making
two colored yarn as disclosed in USPN 3,049,397 issued
August 14, 1962 for Process of Making Space-Dyed Yarn.
Apparatus and method for multiple colored
thermoplastic floor materials are set forth in USPN
3,383,442 issued May 14, 1968.
Neither of the aforesaid methods and apparatus
for manufacture or resultant manufacture is directed to a
process or apparatus for manufacturlng a single piece shell
suitable for use as an interior panel component of an
automobile.
STATEMLNT OF INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES
In accordance with the invention of ~he parent
application a process and apparatus for loading an open-
ended heated mold with powder plastisol material includes
the process of releasing a pre-charge of two or more colors
of thermoplastic powder from separate compartments in
charge box means for gravity flow into a mold with means
configured to produce a one-piece shell with two or more
color tones to enhance the decor of the interior of an
automobile.
Open-ended charge box means is provided with
divider means to form two or more separate compartments;
each of which is filled with a predetermined quantity of
different color powder. The loaded open-ended charge box
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means is clamped to an open-ended mold to form a closed
system. The mold has a joint seal which cooperates with
; the divider means to separate the powder content in each
compartment of the charge box ~eans. The closed system is
rotated so that the charge box releases the powder from the
separate charge box compartments to flow evenly across the
open end of the mold by gravity and against the joint seal
so as to produce a uniform thin shell across heated
surfaces of the mold with distinct strips of colors in a
single-piece article with an integral joint formed between
each color.
Plastics moltling apparatus of the :LnventLon of
the parent application has a gravity fill system for flow
of powder material into a heated mold to form a thin walled
single plastic part of multi-color and for return of excess
powder material from the mold including charge box means
having a plurality of separate compartments; each adapted
to be filled with a different color plastic powder and each
extending across an open end of the powder box means; means
for coupling the powder box to the mold and or
partitioning the mold to receive a single color plastic
powder at each of a plurality of separate surface regions
on the mold; and means for operating the coupled box and
mold to dispose the charge box with respect to the mold for
gravity flow of powder from each of the separate powder box
compartments into the partitioned mold so that flow of
powder into the mold covers uniformly heated separate
surfaces of the mold with a different color of plastic
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connected at a joint region to form a single part with at
least two color panels thereacross.
The molded part of the present invention is a one-
piece integrally cast plastic shell comprising: a first thin-
walled shell segment formed of cured plastic powder having a
first color and including a uniform thickness in part estab-
lished by the melt characteristics and fusion rate of individ-
ual plastic powder particles which make up the shell segment
thickness; a second thin-walled shell segment formed of cured
plastic powder having a second color and a uniform thickness
in part established by the melt characteristics and .Eusion
rate oE individual plastic powder particles which make up the
shell segment thickness; each of the first and second thin-
walled shell segments having a front and a back; one of the
. segments having an edge portion thereon overlapping the back
of the other segment at an edge thereof; and a joint formed
between the first and second thin-walled shell segments formed
only from the first and second shell segments along a joint
line covered by the overlapping edge portion at the back
of the shell segments and exposed at the front of the shell
segments.
Other advantages and a more complete understanding
of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art
from the succeeding.detailed description of the invention and
the accompanying drawings thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic view of single-piece
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multi-color panel of the present invention shown with
associated component parts of an automotive vehicle door
panelg
05 Figure 2 is a diagrammatically shown sectional view of
a mold component of the inventive apparatus~
.
Figure 3 is a diagran~atically shown sectional view of
: a powder box of the invention sealed to the mold of Figure 2
in a pre-release position;
Figure 4 is a sectional view like Figure 3 showing the
powder box and mold in a powder release orientation;
Figure 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view of a .
V-type joint for forming an integral joint between the
different color panels of a multi-color single piece shell;
Figure 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view of
another embodiment of the V-type joint of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view of a
metering plate joint to form an integral joint in a
: multi-colored single piece part formed by the process of the
~ 25 present invention;
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Figure 8 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view of
another embodiment of the metering plate joint of Fiyure 7;
Figure 9 is a diagrammatically shown process sequence
of a second embodiment of the process of the present
invention;
Figure 10 is a diagrammatically shown process sequence ,:
of another embodiment of the process of the present
invention;
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Figure 11 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view of
the joint configuration of a shell formed by the V-joint of
Figure 5; and
05 Figure 12 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view of
the joint configuration of a shell formed by the V-joint of
F'igure 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TIIE INVENTION
1()
The process, apparatus and article of the present
invention will be with reference to the production of
plastic thin-walled shells for a typical automotive part ;
such as an interior door panel, consoles and instrument
panels.
Figure 1 shows a typical automobile door panel .~.
application of a multi-color, single-piece interior plastic
shell 10. The shell 10, preferably made of polyvinyl
chloride material, is backed by a layer of polyurethane foam
12 bonded to the shell 10 by a mold process such as in
USPN 3,123,403, issued March 3, 1964 for Automobile Arm
Rest. An interior reinforcing insert 14 is connected at a
joint 16 to an outer door shell 18 to form an interior space
20 for window lift mechanism (not illustrated) to raise and
lower a window 22.
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J In accordance with the present invention the shell is a
one~piece plastic part with an i.ntegral lower panel 24 of a
30 drycast plastic having a first color. The shell 10 includes
an integral joint 26 which is at the base of a recessed
groove 28. The groove 28 forms a transiti.on to an
integrally formed upper panel 30 including an armrest
segment 32 formed of drycast plastic having a second color
35 contrasting or complementing the color of the first panel 24
or other interior components. For example, the upper panel
can be red, blue, yellow or beige to contrast with or
complement the interior color of seats, hea~liners,
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crashpads and the like. The lower panel 24 can be colored
a deeper complementary tone color of a character which has
a low impact or scuff display character.
Referring to Figures 2-4, a powder molding
process line is schematically shown as including
selectively heatea mold 34. A powder box 36 is operated
between raised and lowered positions with respect to the
mold 34 by suitable handling equipment, one type of which
is specifically set forth in co-pending Canadian
Application No. 455,732 iled September 17, 1984 for "Mold
Loading Method and /~pparatus".
The box 36 further includes an upper opell end 38
which is configured eO cover the planar extent of an
opening 40 to mold 34.
Clamp means 42 join and seal the powder charge
box 36 to mold 34 when the box 36 is elevated to the
posi-tion shown in Figure 3, hereinafter referred to as the
"mold-up" position.
As a result, the interior of box 36 and the
interior of mold 34 form a closed system 44 having powder
charges in the box 36.
In accordance with the process and apparatus of
the present invention, the box 36 is provided with a
divider 46 and the mold 34 has a joint-forming rib 48 that
contact each other when the box and mold are joined.
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The divider 46 and rib 48 form two separatecompartments 50,52 each containing a charge of plastic
powder material of a different color (color A in 50, color
B in 52).
The next process step includes concurrent
rotation of the closed system 44 about axis 54 defined by
trunnions means of the type set forth in co-pending
Canadian Application No. 455,732 through 180 relative to
the Figure 3 position.
At Figure 4 a fill step of the process takes
place in which thermoplastic powder is distributed evenly
throughout the mold opening 40. A resultant even build-up
of plaseic powder occurs on pre-heated surfaces 56~58 oE
the mold 34. The inverted mold posltion shown :Ln F:Lgure 4
will hereinafter be referred to as the "mold-down" position.
Following the fill step, the joined mold 34 and
charge box 36 are again rotated 180 so that the m~ld 34 is
located vertically above the box 36 in the mold-up position.
An air-jet system of the type shown in the co-pending
Canadian Application No. 455,732 may be used to dislodge
excess powder from the walls of the mold so that the disloged
material will flow by gravity return to the interior of the
box for collection and reuse in the system.
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A powder fuse cycle is then carried out in
accordance with known practice wherein the molded powder is
completely fused into the desired thin-walled hollow part.
Before the fuse cycle the charge box is unclamped from the
inverted mold 34 and the box 36 is returned to a powder
- make-up position. Thereafter the mold 34 (with the powder
cast to the surface) is heated further to fuse the powder,
then is cooled and rotated 180 into a strip position
corresponding to the mold-down position. Make-up powder of
appropriate color i9 fed to the multiple separate color
compartments.
In the embodiment of Figure 5 a V-type ~oint 60
is shown. The joint 60 is defined by a V-shaped tip 62 on
the divider 46 which is seated in a concave surface 64 on a
joint-forming rib 66 (corresponding to rib 48 of mold 34)
when the box 36 and mold 34 are joined as shown in Figure
3. The joint 60 is illustrated in the position which is
assumed in the fill step of Figure 4. The color A powder
is cast on
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; surface 56 and the color B powder is cast on surface 58.
Color A powder fills region 64a between tip 62 and concave
surface 64 and Color B powder fills region 64b between tip
62 and concave surface 64 and a build-up of powder of
05 different colors adheres to the mold along a joint line
defined by the sharp edge 66 of tip 62.
Once the powder i5 cast and adhered ~o khe heatecl mold
surface the system is rotated back to the position shown in
10 Figure 3. Excess powder returns to the separate mold color
compartments 50,52 and the powder box is removed. The mold
34 remains in its mold-up position during a first cure
stage. Then the mold 34 is rotated to the mold-down
position to cause the partially cured plastic ln regions 64a
15 and 64b to join at the center of concavity 66.
In the embodiment of Figure 6 a reverse V-joint 68 is
illustrated. It includes a V groove 70 in the divider 46
and a mating V tip 72 on a rib 74 corresponding to rib 48.
20 The powder color separation function is the same. The
process is the same as set forth in the joint of Figure 5.
In this embodiment, regions 74a and 74b are partially filled
with the cast material of colors A and B, respectively.
When the mold is separated and positioned in the mold-up
25 position at the final cure stage the cast powder colors A
and B melt and flow along the inverted tip 72 to form a
joint at a welt 76 as shown in Figure 14.
.,
Another joint configuration 80 for practicing the
30 process of the present invention is set forth in Figure 7.
The divider 46 is formed with a fixed partition 82 having a
gauged clearance 8~ with the inside shell mold surface 86 on
a rib 88 corresponding to rib 48. A metering plate 90 is
slidably mounted on one side 92 of fixed partition 82 and
f 35 includes an end surface 94 inclined with respect to side 92
to establish an adjustable metering passage 96 between plate
90 and a rib extension 98 of greater height than that of
ledge 86. Before the mold/powder box assembly of Fig. 3 :Ls
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inverted to the position of Fig. 4, metering plate 9Q is
adjusted to bring surface 94 against rib extension 98 to
seal off metering passage 96. When the mold and box are in
a fill position powder color B flows into region 86b and
05 powder color A flows into region 99. Then metering plate 90
i6 adjus~ed to allow powder color A to drop into re~Jion 36a.
The resultant transltion jois~t oE the de-molded s~ell will
be in the form of a protrudent llne on the single-piece
two-color part.
, Figure 8 shows a second embodiment of a metering plate
joint 100. It includes a mold 102 with two spaced ribs
104,106 defining a space 108 therebetween. In this '
embodiment a movable partition 110 has an inclined end
15 surface 112 with a gasket 114 that seals rib extension 104.
The tip 116 of a plate 118 is angled to limit powder flow at
a shut-off point 119 formed between the plate 118 and the
floor 121 between ribs 104 and 106. ,;
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During the fill stage flow of powder A occurs through
space 108 to partially fill region 108(a). The movable
partition 110 and gasket 114 are then moved from the rib
extension 104 to allow powder B to flow to the joint line by
filling region 108b. Following the powder flow steps the
; 25 mold and box are returned to a position where the mold is in
its mold-up position. The box is removed and the cast
material is cu~ed on the heated mold surfaces with the mold
in the mold-down position to form an integral joint between
the two color panels. ~ -
The Fiyure 9 process sequence includes the steps of
attaching and sealing a first color A powder box 120 (shown
in dotted lines with a fragmentary sectioned wall) to a mold
122 to cover only mold surface 12~ with one color of powder
by use of a box partition 126 engaging a mold rib 128 during
a first fill phase as shown in Figure 9A. The mold and
powder box are then rotated to the dump position, excess
material is dislodged and the powder box 120 is separated
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from the mold 122. The cast color A on mold 122 is shown at
129 in Figure 9B.
A second color box 130 is then at-tached to the mold 122
05 and sealed by a partition 132 o~fset from rib 128 as shown
and wherei.n the end 133 of partition 132 mates to th~
previously cast color la~er 129 on surEace 124. Then the
parts assume the fill or mold-down position and powder layer
135 of a second color overlaps color A of region 137 as
shown in Figure 9C to form an integral joint between the two
;~ colors.
The mold and powder box are rotated to the dump
position, excess material is dislodged and the color box 130
is separated from mold 122. The curing cycle is completed
in the mold-up position to form the one-piece, two-c~lor
skin shown with the mold in Fiy. 9D.
;
Another process embodiment is illustrated in Figures
lOA-lOD. The first step, shown in Figure lOA, includes
application of a masking strip 134 on a mold 136. Step two,
shown in Figure lOB, includes attaching color A powder box
138 to the mold with partition 140 sealed against strip 134
so that powder A is only cast against mold surface 142
during the fill phase to form a first color layer 144 on
mold surface 142.
Thereafter, box 138 and mold 136 are rotated to the
mold-up, dump position and color box 138 is detached. The
mask 134 is removed. Then a color box 144 is connected to
mold 136. It has a side partition 150 with an end 152
sealed against previously cast layer 144. The fill phase
shown in Figure 12D casts a second color B layer 154 on mold
surface 156 and on layer 144 at an overlap region 158 to
form an integral joint in the resultant single-piece
two-color part which is cured in accordance with the process
sequences previously discussed.
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A typical powder casting process for a two-color door
panel includes the following sequence.
1. Preheat tool in oven to temperature between 250F and
390F.
2. ~fter mold cast temperaturo is reached, attach the
powder box to the mold.
~3. Rotate box and mold 1-1/2 turns clockwise and 1-1/2
turns counterclockwise.
4. Dwell time on top is approximately eight seconds (for
additional part thickness, add dwell time).
5. Rotate 180 and unclamp.
.
6. Return the mold to a cure oven and heat for 2.5 min. in
the mold-down position and 2.5 min. in the reverse
; mold-up position
I Examples of suitable mold heating processes for
use with the process and apparatus of the present invention
include mold temperature control by heated and cooled air or
oil heating and cooling flow as set forth in USPN 4,217,325
issued August 12, 1980 to D. Colby. 5uitable thermoplastic
powders include plasticized polyvinyl chlorides and related
vinyl resins in dry powder form for ease of gravity flow
from the powder charge box 36 during both fill and return
steps. Typical examples of parts, plastic materials and
mold processes include the following:
;
Examples of parts that have been made by the PVC powder
molding process include a door panel shell having a mold
volume of approximately six (6l cubic feet.
PVC resin, plasticizer, stabilizer, release agents and
color pigments are combined in a high intensity mixer to
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produce a dry, flowable powder of each desired color. The
process is known in the industry as dry-blending.
The various compound componen-ts may be selected as to
05 type and ratio to provide the properties re~uired both for
the finished product and for ease of processing. Physical
properties will not be too dissimilar from those obtained
with liquid plastisol which is also used to m~nuEacture
similar products but has an inherent weakness for forming
ob~ectionable drips and runs when made in complex shapes.
Processing properties are such that when melting of the
plastic powder occurs, densification results in exact
reproduction of minute de~ail such as grain marks and
stitches engraved in the mold surface.
Mold preheating temperature may range from 250F to
390F. Since the thickness of the finished product is also
governed by the time the powder contacts the mold f it should
be understood that simultaneous charging of the powder to
the mold can be of definite advantage. Also, if certain
areas of the mold can be made to have a lower pre-heated
temperature than others, it will permit moIding a thinner
shell in those areas, since both temperature and mold-filled
time determine the final thickness of the shell. Therefore,
a very flexible range, for mold-filled time, of one second
; to ten seconds or more has been established.
~ Dependinq on ~ormulation, complete melting or fusion of
- 30 the PVC powder can occur when mold temperatures reach 350F
to 450F.
After fusion, the mold i5 cooled to a temperature which
will facilitate removal of the shell without damage.
Specifically the process and apparatus of the present
invention enable even and complete distribution of
thermoplastic powder material onto mold surfaces to form
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large, long, thin-walled single-piece two-color or more
shells for interior door panels and the like formed during
short cycle mold cycles in limited plant floor space.
05 While representative embodiments of apparatus and
process of the present invention have been shown and
discussed, those skilled in the art will recognize that
various changes and modifications may be made within the
scope and equivalency range o the present invention.
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