Davidson Textron Inc.

Ex-cell-o Gmbh

Ernest L Belleville

Patricia A Betzig

Laurent R Gaudreau

A locking assembly (10) having a female member (12) and a male member (22) particularly suited for use in an automotive arm rest. The female member (12) has a receiving cavity (14) with opposing and spaced walls (16a, 16b) extending along a receiving axis (18). The female member defines a plurality of locking recesses (20) spaced along the axis (18) on one wall (16a) of the cavity (14). The male member (22) has a plurality of tines (24) spaced apart longitudinally therealong for snapping into the recesses (20) to retain the male member (22) in the cavity (14). The assembly (10) is characterized by the female member (12) presenting a plurality of biasing beams (26) independent from one another and spaced along the opposite wall (16b) of the cavity (14) for respectively engaging the tines (24) to retain one tine (24) in each of the recesses (20 ).

Locking assembly

The apparatus includes a first female mold member defining a shaped mold cavity for receiving a plastisol layer or skin. A second mold member is pivotally disposed on the female mold member between an open and closed position. In the open position, the second mold member receives and holds thereon a portion of the plastisol skin extending from the mold cavity. An insert is positioned in the mold cavity by a third mold member such as a mold lid on which the insert is releasably retained. After the insert is positioned in the mold cavity, the second mold member is pivoted toward the mold lid to fold the skin portion thereon over and against an edge of the insert. The skin is folded adjacent the pivot axis of the second mold member. Foam can then be introduced and cured between the skin and insert.

Method for making foamed articles

Apparatus for making foamed articles

Apparatus for reducing the waste area in a mold for an article molded from a heat-fusing material by a powdered vinyl process, has a mold box disposed adjacent the backside of a mold surface for controlling the temperature over respective first and second areas of the mold surface. The waste area elimination is accomplished by isolating and insulating the section of the mold defining the waste area. A kerf is cut into the mold around the waste area to isolate the area. The kerf is filled with castable silicone to insulate the waste area from the heated segments of the mold. To obtain the coating, the mold is filled with powdered vinyl and the excess material is removed from the mold by dumping the plastisol from the mold into a return tank.

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Barrington, NH, United States of America

Ernest L Belleville