Michigan Technological University

Gfp Strandwood Corporation

Other

Strandwood Molding, Inc.

Weyerhaeuser Company Limited

Bruce A Haataja

Anders E Lund

Tauno B Kilpela

Robert D Palardy

L Bogue Sandberg

James F Hamilton

Gordon P Krueger

Roy D Adams

Frank H Story

Douglas C Jurmu

William A Yates

Robert A Caughey

Blair Froseth

Tauno B Kipela

John Quinn

Gordon R DeBruine

Andrew D Williams

A multiple cavity () mold die () and method for molding binder coated wood flakes () into multiple three dimensionally curved wood strand parts. Vertical walls () shear a felted mat () of binder coated wood flakes as the mold is closed.

Method for simultaneously molding and shearing multiple wood strand molded parts

Mold apparatus for molded wood strand three-dimensionally carved articles of manufacture using at least one hole punch comprised of a base and a funnel shaped hole-defining portion having a funnel angle of 20 degrees or greater to vertical for producing molded holes at angles of 20 degrees or greater to vertical, to facilitate insertion of items such as a T nut within the molded hole in an assembly-line like fashion.

Strandboard molding having holes at angles of 20 degrees to vertical or more

Wood strand molded parts () having three-dimensionally curved of bent channels () in a curved or bent part (), curved or bent to form an inside angle of about 150&#xb0; or less, and a method for making such parts.

Wood strand molded parts having three-dimensionally curved or bent channels, and method for making same

A to be molded wood flake () or strand part is shown, having sharp definition in a bend in the part. The method of making such part includes using fines () to sharply define the bends of the part.

Wood strand molded parts salted with fines to improve molding detail, and method of making same

A mold for forming wood flakes into a molded wood flake part including a top mold die and a bottom mold die. The top mold die includes a punch for forming a hole in the part, and the bottom mold die includes a punch receiving aperture. The punch includes a tapered upper portion and a cylindrical lower portion for forming the hole in molded parts of varying thicknesses. The punch includes a tapered upper section defining an upper opening of a first radius in a top surface of the molded part and a cylindrical lower section defining an opening of a second radius in a bottom surface of the molded part. The cylindrical lower portion is sufficiently long that the bottom opening in the hole in each part formed will have the same second radius.

Stepped punch for forming holes in molded wood strand parts

A molded wood flake or strand part ( ) is shown, having a densified and/or thinner perimeter surrounding a hole ( ) in the part. The method of making such part includes narrowing the mold cavity surrounding the hole, and/or providing a hole punch ( ) with a shoulder which projects beyond the surface of the mold, to further compress the wood flakes or strands near the hole.

Wood strand molded part having holes with densified and thinner perimeters and method of making same

Mold apparatus and method of production and ejection of molded wood strand three-dimensionally curved articles of manufacture, molded from a loosely felted flake mat, using an ejector pin assembly within said mold apparatus having ejector pins with pin head diameters of at least about 0.750 inches or greater, that exert a loaded ejector pin pressure of from approximately about 100 psi to about 1000 psi, to eject the molded wood strand article from the mold apparatus without causing excessive indentation and densification within the mat during mold processing.

Spring-loaded ejectors for wood strand molding

A method of producing molded wood flake or strand three-dimensionally curved products using draft angles of 10 degrees or larger with little or no blistering or wood flake springback from over densification. A loosely felted mat of wood flakes is placed between top and bottom molds which slidably engage one another at pinch points to pinch and sometimes remove excess flashing/pinch trim.

Article and method using larger draft angle to pinch trim edge of molded wood strand products

Method of production of molded wood strand products having relatively narrow projections, such as channels, by inserting binder coated implants into projection forming voids in the mold cavity used to form the product.

Method for forming narrow channels in a wood flake article

Method of production of molded wood strand three-dimensionally curved articles of manufacture using at least one hole punch comprised of a base and a funnel shaped hole-defining portion having a funnel angle of 20 degrees or greater to vertical for producing molded holes at angles of 20 degrees or greater to vertical, to facilitate insertion of items such as a T nut within the molded hole in an assembly-line like fashion.

Method of making a strandboard molding having holes at angles of 20 degrees to vertical or more

A method and apparatus for molding articles such as pallets from flake-like wood particles mixed with binder, the pallets housing a deck and integral molding legs. A loosly fitted mat of wood flakes is formed by depositing a first plurality of layers of wood flakes onto a supporting surface with a flake aligners provided for causing alignment of those flakes which will form legs of the pallet. A second plurality of layers are formed with a flake aligner provided for causing alignment of flakes which will form the legs of the pallet and in a direction transverse to the direction of alignment of the flakes of the first layers.

Pallet and apparatus for forming a pallet with deep drawn legs

Flakeboard or particle board panels and other composite articles made from wood flakes or other particulate lignocellulosic materials having a relatively high internal bond and improved resistance to moisture are made from flakes or particles which have a moisture content of at least 15%. A catalyst capable of accelerating the reaction between the flakes or particles, the binder and water is applied to the flakes or particles prior to the addition of a moisture-tolerant particle board binder, such as an organic polyisocyanate. A mat of the resulting furnish is compression shaped under pressure and at a temperature less than 250.degree. F. for a time period sufficient to form a composite article of the desired shape and/or dimensions.

Method for compression molding articles from lignocellulosic materials

An article having non-planar portions, such as a material handling pallet, including a substantially flat deck member and a plurality of hollow leg members projecting integrally from the deck member, is molded as a one-piece unit from a loosely-felted mat formed from a mixture of resinous particle board binder and flake-like wood particles. The leg members are preformed in a separate preform mold or the article forming mold and the mat is deposited on the female die over mold cavities containing the preforms. When the article forming mold is closed, the mat and preforms are compressed into substantially the desired shape and size under temperature and pressure conditions which bond the wood particles of the mat and the preforms together to form a unitary structure.

Method for forming articles having deep drawn portions from matted wood

A method for molding articles such as pallets from flake-like wood particles mixed with binder, the pallets housing a deck and integral molding legs. A loosely fitted mat of wood flakes is formed by depositing a first plurality of layers of wood flakes onto a supporting surface with a flake aligners provided for causing alignment of those flakes which will form legs of the pallet. A second plurality of layers are formed with a flake aligner provided for causing alignment of flakes which will form the legs of the pallet and in a direction transverse to the direction of alignment of the flakes of the first layers.

Method for forming a pallet with deep drawn legs

Apparatus for forming an elongated loosely felted mat of thin elongated wood flakes with the flakes being aligned in mutually parallel relation and being aligned with the longitudinal direction of the elongated mat. The apparatus comprises a plurality of conveyor belts positioned in closely adjacent side-by-side relation and defining a mat supporting surface adapted to support the aligned wood flakes, the belts being supported on the surface of a cylinder. Wood flakes are deposited in loosely felted relation on the belts, and a plurality of closely spaced parallel planar baffles surround the cylinder, the baffles comprising plates positioned between the belts and functioning to cause alignment of the flakes as they are deposited on the belts. The mat is compressed against the supporting surface by a plurality of belts positioned in adjacent side-by-side relation, the belts being positionable between the baffles and engageable against the mat.

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Lake Linden, MI, United States of America

Bruce A Haataja