In-mold foaming tool for producing vehicle bumpers has a cavity divided into chambers each of which is filled with plastic granules with different properties

摘要

The molding tool cavity (13) is defined by a cavity plate (12) and core plate (11) and is separated into chambers (13A,13B) by dividers (32,40), the divided sections (11a,11b) of the core plate remaining part of a single unit. Filling tubes (14) supply each chamber with plastic granules, adjacent chambers being filled with granules having different properties. Independent claims are made for: (a) an in-mold foaming tool with moving dividers (32) which pass through openings (31) in either the cavity plate (12) or core plate (11) into the molding cavity (13) and projections (34) running alongside both sides of the openings extend into the cavity; (b) an in-mold foaming process using the claimed equipment in which the chambers are filled with plastic granules having different properties and the moving dividers are retracted before steam is passed into the cavity to melt the granules; (c) an in-mold foaming process using the claimed equipment with comb-like fixed dividers (40) in which the chambers are filled with granules and steam passed through the cavity; (d) a foamed component with a recess on the outside of a boundary area between materials with different properties and flash is formed at the base of the recess so that it does not protrude from the visible surface; and (e) a foamed component having sections with different material properties and openings or recesses extending in the cavity dividing direction at intervals along the boundary area between each section of the component.