Konal Engineering and Equipment Inc.

Other

Magna Interior Systems Inc.

Douglas John McNally

Keith Wallace

A molding machine apparatus and method for the production of thermoplastic skins or shells by means of what is generally known as rotational or slush molding. The tooling is heated uniformly, rapidly and efficiently by means of high velocity, hot air streams directed at the tooling which create turbulent flow on the surface of the tooling. The air stream is accelerated by means of adjustable nozzles and the air is circulated in the mold by means of a centrifugal fan.

Rotational molding machine and method

A molding arrangement and method, such as slush or rotational molding, for forming a thermoplastic shell or skin product. The mold arrangement includes a hollow mold housing provided with a mold shell thereon, which together define an air chamber located within the mold housing. A plurality of air flow control devices, such as centrifugal fans, are mounted within the mold housing and direct heated air into the air chamber through discharge channels defined within the mold housing. The mold arrangement also includes an elongate air supply and heating arrangement which generates heated air within the mold housing and along substantially the entire longitudinal extent thereof to effect uniform heating of the mold shell.

Slush molding process

A molding apparatus and method for forming a thermoplastic shell or skin product. The molding apparatus includes a hollow mold housing provided with a mold tool thereon, which together define a fluid chamber within the mold housing. A quantity of heated liquid is supplied at a predetermined or operating temperature to the chamber of the mold housing from a liquid supply via an elongate feed pipe until a rear surface of the mold tool is covered. The mold housing is then oscillated to uniformly distribute the heated liquid within the chamber and to effect uniform heating of the mold tool. Heating devices are located within the chamber of the mold housing to add heat to the liquid within the housing chamber to maintain a desired liquid temperature.

Molding process employing heated fluid

The mold press includes a drive arrangement for controlling press movement and closure force. The drive arrangement includes a pair of generally identical drive units connected between upper and lower press plates adjacent opposite longitudinal ends of the press. The drive units in a preferred embodiment each employ a ball-screw drive arrangement. The screw shaft extends vertically between the top and bottom press plates. The screw shaft engages a ball nut mounted on one press plate, typically the bottom press plate which is disposed for movement toward and away from the top press plate. A first high speed drive arrangement employing a first electric motor is coupled to the screw shafts for effecting high speed opening and closing of the bottom press plate. A second low-speed driving arrangement including a second electric motor is drivingly connected to the ball-nut assemblies for permitting low-speed but high-torque driving of the nut units for final closing of the press and application of the desired press force. Each drive unit has the screw shaft resiliently supported for limited axial displacement relative to the upper press plate so that, when the second drive system is activated to effect final closure of the mold, one or the other of the screw shafts can be axially displaced a small amount if necessary so as to permit full closure between the opposed upper and lower mold parts even though irregularities may cause one longitudinal end of the mold parts to contact and close prior to the other longitudinal end.

Press system for urethane parts

A press arrangement having ball-screw drive units for providing rapid opening and closing movement of the press, and having a pneumatic closure arrangement for providing a final small-stroke closing movement and holding force for the mold. The pneumatic closure arrangement acts through the mold to cause the ball-screw drive units to be axially displaced a small amount sufficient to cause automatic engagement of a friction brake which nonrotatably holds the screw shaft to prevent back driving thereof due to the mold closure force.

Electric/pneumatic rim press

A mold press for an electric drive arrangement for controlling opening and closing press movement. The drive arrangement includes a pair of generally identical drive units connected between upper and lower press plates. The drive units in a preferred embodiment each employ a ball-screw arrangement. A screw shaft extends vertically of the press, and engages a ball nut assembly which is mounted on the top press plate for effecting movement thereof toward and away from the bottom press plate. An electric motor is coupled to the screw shafts for effecting high speed opening and closing movement of the top press plate. A force apply device, such as an inflatable hose or bladder, is associated with the bottom press plate to effect application of the desired press closing force. A control linkage is connected between the top press plate and the frame for effecting automatic sideward swinging of the top press plate between a side access position when the plate is in its fully opened position, and an operational position wherein the top press plate is disposed vertically aligned above but spaced upwardly from the lower press plate. The swinging movement of the top press plate between these two positions is effected automatically in response to vertical displacement of the top press plate by the main drive unit during an upper portion of the normal opening and closing movement of the top press plate. This control linkage, in a preferred embodiment, comprises a self-contained extendible spring device such as an air spring which effectively assumes a minimum height position when the top press plate is intermediate its stroke so as to induce sideward swinging of the top press plate during the upper portion of the stroke.

Press with swingable top press plate

Slush molding apparatus

A method and apparatus heats a thin sheet of material prior to subjecting the sheet to a process for forming the sheet into a desired shape, such as by vacuum forming. The sheet is supported in a generally horizontal manner during transport through the apparatus, for example on a pair of conveyor chains or belts which carry and provide support to the longitudinal edges of the sheet by gripping same. The sheet is heated from above and below by heating elements and a diffuser plate is located between the upper and lower heating elements, and beneath the downwardly facing side of the sheet. The diffuser plate permits air flow therethrough from an air source and forms a film of heated air adjacent the downwardly facing side of the sheet to support the sheet and prevent excessive downward sagging thereof during heating thereof.

Method and apparatus for heating thin plastic sheet with air diffuser

A molding apparatus and method, such as slush or rotational molding, for forming a thermoplastic shell product. The mold assembly includes a hollow mold box provided with a metal mold shell thereon, which box and shell cooperate to define a hollow chamber which extends longitudinally of the box and is defined adjacent the back surface of the mold shell. Heated air is supplied into one end and discharged from the other end of the chamber to effect heating of the metal shell. The chamber contains a plurality of flow control devices disposed at spaced intervals within and along the chamber. The flow control devices are individually adjustable and programmable so as to divert the heated air from conventional longitudinal flow into transverse flow either toward or away from the back surface of the mold shell.

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Chatham, Canada

Douglas John McNally