Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
- 1 2~22~
Procedure Eor the application of symbols in objects of
synthetic material, device hereby applied, as well as
products obtained through this.
_____________________________ _____________________________
This invention relates to a procedure for the application
of symbols, such as characters, numerals, emblems, logos,
inscriptions and such in objects of synthetic material.
It also concerns a device for the implementation of this
procedure as well as the products which are provided with
a symbol according to this procedure.
Although the invention can be applied for all kinds of
objects, it is in the first place intended for the
application of such symbols in pallet chocks.
It is known that pallet chocks can be manufactured of
synthetic material. In order to provide these chocks with
symbols, they can be printed with such symbols. This
procedure however shows the disadvantage that the printing
can be applied with difficulty because the chocks must
first be chemically treated in order that the printing
would hold. Furthermore such printing wears away almost
immediately under the mechanical pressure of the forks of
forklift trucks.
The present invention relates to a procedure for the
application of symbols in objects of synthetic material,
which in general is intended for all kinds of ob;ects, and
which is more suitable for the application of s~mbols in
pallet chocks, through which the aforementioned
disadvantages are excluded.
2 ~
The invention is hereby also intended for a procedure
which is suitable for mass production.
For this purpose it concerns a procedure for the
application of symbols in objects of synthetic material,
characterized in that it principally consists in that
initially a matrix is taken which is provided with
supporting means, after which it is successively provided
for sliding between the supporting means and the matrix
wall of at least the symbol to be applied, which has a
certain material thickness, such that the symbol fits
closely against the matrix wall; the filling of the
matrix; and the extraction from the matrix of the formed
object.
The symbol is preferably attached to a holder, or produced
as one piece with this, whereby the holder and the symbol
can be slid precisely between the supporting means and the
matrix wall. The holder guarantees a permanent anchoring.
The present invention of course also relates to the device
for realizing the procedure, more especially to matrixes
which are equipped with the aforementioned supporting
means, as well as to the accessories utilized hereby such
as the aforementioned holder.
The aforementioned supporting means preferably consists of
special supports such as auxiliary rods or support plates
which are mounted parallel to the matrix wall in the
matrix, but can also be formed of the core piece of the
matrix that is intended for creating a hollow in the piece
to be formed. Preferably the aforementioned holder
consists of at least a number of ribs which with the
installation of the holder fit into grooves in the
supporting means, such that the holder and the symbol
installed thereon can no longer move during the injection
of the synthetic material.
2~2~
-- 3
In order to show better the characteristics according to
t:he present invention, some preferred embodiments are
described hereafter, as examples without any restrictive
c.haracter, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in
which:
Figure 1 shows a device according to the invention,
more especially for the application of symbols in
pallet chocks;
figure 2 shows the devices from figure 1 whereby the
holder of the symbol is mounted in the matrix;
figure 3 shows a section according to line III-III
in figure 2;
figure 4 shows the device from figure 3, whereby the
matrix is filled with synthetic material;
figure 5 shows the object as obtained from the
matrix from figure 4;
figures 6 and 7 show different variants of holders
for the aforementioned symbols;
figures 8 through 11 show variants according to a
view analogue to that from figure 3;
figure 12 shows the device from figure 11, whereby
the matrix is filled with two types of synthetic
material;
figures 13 and 14 show the object as obtained from
the matrix from figure 12;
figures 15-16, 17-18, and 19-20 show various pallet
chocks which according to the invention are provided
with a symbol;
figure 21 shows the utilization of the pallet chock
from figure 1-9 in a pallet.
As shown in figure 1 according to the invention use is
made of a device consisting of a matrix 1 which is
intended for the formation of the object, in which
according to the invention supporting means 2 are
mounted. Further, use is preferably made of a holder 3
- 4 -
which is provided with the symbol 4 to be applied in the
wall of the object, that in the example shown consists of
a number. The symbol 4 is manufactured of a well defined
material preferably of synthetic material, and in a color
which is different from the object still to be formed.
In the embodiment from figure 1 the aforementioned
supporting means 2 consist of auxiliary rods 5 which
extend vertically into the matrix 1, parallel to the
matrix wall 6, whereby these auxiliary rods 5 are for
example produced in one piece with the bottom 7 of the
matrix. The auxiliary rods 5 preferably each show a
longitudinal groove 8 which extends from the free
extremity of the auxiliary rod 5 in question up to a well
defined distance from the bottom 7, and which is directed
toward the matrix wall.
The holder 3 consists of one or several, in this case
four, vertical ribs 9, which are respectively situated in
planes which are perpendicular to the matrix wall 6. In
the embodiment shown the symbol 4 is attached to the ribs
9 by means of an auxiliary frame 10, which on the one hand
is attached against the ribs 9 or produced in one piece
therewith and which on the other hand holds the symbol 4,
in this case various numbers.
The dimensions of the holder 3 and the symbol 4 and the
positioning of the supporting means 2 are such that the
holder 3 and the symbol 4 installed thereon are slid
precisely between the supporting means 2 and the matrix
wall 6.
The utilization of the aforementioned device, in other
words the procedure according to the invention, can easily
be deduced from figures 1 through 5. First in the opened
position of the matrix 1 the holder 3 with the symbol 4 is
slid between the auxiliary rods 5 and the matrix wall 6,
2022~
such that the symbol 4 presses against the side wall 6,
whereby the ribs 8 fit precisely into the grooves 8. The
grooves ~ in this manner provide for a horizontal
positioning of the symbol 4, as well as for a vertical
positioning because of the fact that they cease to exist
at a well defined distance from the bottom 7, such that
the holder 3 can be slid to a well defined depth between
the supporting means 2 and the matrix wall 6. Because of
this a condition arises as shown in figures 2 and 3.
Subsequently the matrix is closed and filled with
synthetic material 11 which as shown in figure 4 flows
around the holder 3 and the symbol 4, with exception of
the front of the symbol 4 which is against the matrix wall
6. The symbol 4, that as well as the holder 3 preferably
consists of synthetic material, is not damaged in front by
the heat because the solid matrix wall 6 provides a
sufficiently great cooling. The holder 3 and the back of
the symbol 4 are however considerably heated, through
which their surface becomes sticky and to a certain extent
adheres to the solidifying in;ected synthetic material.
Subsequently the matrix 1 in closed position passes
through various work stations in order to cool off. After
cooling the matrix 1 is opened and the formed object, that
in the embodiment shown consists in a pallet chock 12, is
pushed out of the matrix, with as result that an ob;ect is
created with a section as shown in figure 5. At the
locations of the auxiliary rods 5 a number of small holes
13 are created in the pallet chock 12 which show signs of
the locations where the auxiliary rods were. These holes
have no influence on the quality of the piece.
The procedure according to the invention offers the
advantage that the symbol 4 is permanently attached in the
pallet chock 12. In the embodiment from figures 1 through
an anchoring is obtained which is threefold,
- 6 - ~22$~
respectively because of the fact that the ribs 9 are cast
in the synthetic material 1 1, because of the fact that the
synthetic rnaterial 11 runs up to the auxiliary frame 10
and because of the fact that a fusion occurs~
Because the synthetic material 11 would entirely fill up
the space between the auxiliary frame 10 and the matrix
wall 6 passage openings 14 are preferably installed in the
auxiliary rame 10.
In figure 6 a variant of the holder 3 is shown, with as
particular characteristic that a pushing plate 15 is
present on top of the ribs 9, with which a relatively
large pressure force can be exerted on the holder 3 and
the symbol 4 with the installation of them in the matrix 1.
In order to obtain a still better anchoring of the symbol
4 in the object, more especially the pallet chock 12, the
symbol 4 is, or the component parts hereof are provided
with beveled edges 16 in front.
It is clear that the utilization of the auxiliary frame 10
is not strictly necessary and possibly, depending upon the
application, can be omitted, whereby the symbol 4 or the
component parts thereof are directly attached to the ribs
9 or are produced in one piece herewith, for example such
as shown in figure 7.
It is likewise clear that the number of auxiliary rods S
utilized can v æy in function of the application. The
auxiliary rods 5 can as shown in figure 8 also be arranged
along several matrix walls 6, depending upon the number of
sides of the object 12 in which a symbol 4 has to be
applied. Of course a separate holder 3 can also be
provided per auxiliary rod 5 placed next to each other.
A variant is shown in figure 9, whereby the aforementioned
_ 7 _ 2 ~2
supporting means 2 consist in vertical supporting plates
17 which are provided with grooves 8 or otherwise with
which the ribs 9 of the holder 3 can work together.
According to yet another variant the supporting means 2
consist of the core piece 18 of the matrix that is
intended to create a hollow in the object to be formed in
order to obtain a saving of material. For this purpose a
suitable design must be given to the core piece 18, all of
which such that as shown in figure 10 the holder 3 with
the symbol 4, respectively the holders 3 and the symbols
4, fit precisely between the matrix wall 6 and the wall of
the core piece 18. The wall of the core piece 18 can
hereby be provided with grooves 8 or otherwise, as is
respectively shown on one and the other side of the device.
It is clear that a combination of the aforementioned
embedding techniques can be applied. An example of this
is glven in ~lgure 11, whereby a holder 3 consisting of
three ribs 9 is held on the one hand by means of two
auxiliary rods S which are provided with grooves 8 and on
tne other hand, by the third rib 9, by means of the core
piece 18.
The symbols can possibly also be embedded without making
use of a holder 3.
In certain applications it is advantageous that the matrix
1 is filled with two types of synthetic material 11A and
11B, for example as shown in figure 12. Hereby in a first
step compact synthetic material is injected which presses
against all walls of the matrix and therefore also against
the holder 3 and the back of the symbol 4. Immediately
after this, synthetic material together with a foaming
agent are injected which maintain the compact synthetic
material 1lA pressed against the walls and even occupy the
space still available in a cellular state, since as known
2 ~ 2 ~
with these synthetic materials during heating a gas is
liberated in the synthetic material which as it were
inflates the latter, through which a foamed synthetic
material 11B is finally created. This procedure offers
the advantage that the cost price of the object, in this
case the pallet chock 12, remains relatively small because
a smaller amount of compact synthetic material 11A is
required, whereby nevertheless the good anchoring of the
holder 3 and the symbol 4 remains guaranteed, because
these are incorporated in the compact synthetic material
layer.
Figures 13 and 14 show by way of illustration,
respectively in section and in perspective, the pallet
chock 12 finally obtained.
Figures 15 through 20 still show a number of variants of
the pallet chocks by way of illustration, in which symbols
4 are applied according to the invention. In each case it
hereby concerns a round pallet chock 12. According to
figures 15 and 16 the symbol 4 extends vertically,
according to figures 17 and 18 horizontally and according
to figures 19 and 20 the symbol 4 is produced continuous
along the periphery of the pallet chock 12. Figure 21
shows a pallet 19 which utilizes pallet chocks 12 as shown
in figure 19.
The present invention is in no way restricted to the
embodiments described as examples and shown in the
figures, but such procedure for the application of symbols
in objects of synthetic material, as well as the devices
hereby applied can be implemented according to different
variants without departing from the scope of the present
invention.
