Patent ID: 6695998
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: B29C,Y10S

Abstract:
A mold apparatus for forming a shaped laminate in one step, said laminate comprising a cladding layer and a foam backing layer, said foam backing layer having a perimeter and an edge at said perimeter, said shaped laminate formed in said apparatus, said apparatus comprising:a) a male mold half matable to a female mold half which open and close with respect to one another to define a mold cavity; b) an inlet mounted on said mold apparatus for introducing foamable materials into the mold cavity; c) a plurality of edge folding members carried by one of said mold halves, movable from a retracted position to an extended position, said edge folding members adapted to fold said cladding layer over at least part of said edge of said foam backing layer; d) a plurality of trim blades, located adjacent said edge folding members inwardly of said cavity, each of said trim blades being sequentially movable by one of a plurality of trim blade actuators, from a retracted position adjacent the cavity to an extended position engaging the other mold half to sever the cladding layer to define the finished shape of the laminate, and back to the retracted position; and e) at least one driver for opening and closing the mold halves and for moving said edge folding members from the retracted position to the extended position; f) each of said plurality of edge folding members being inwardly movable by a camming action of a camming surface on each of a plurality of heel blocks located on one of said mold halves, against a camming surface on each of said plurality of corresponding edge folding members on another of said mold halves, whereby the movement of each of said plurality of edge folding members caused by the camming action causes the folding of the cladding layer over the foam backing layer; and g) biasing means associated with each edge folding member to return each edge folding member to a retracted position upon mold opening.