Patent ID: 6986862
Filing Date: 2006-01-17
Classification: B29C,B29D,B29K,B29L,F16F

Abstract:
1. A method for making a three-folded bellows with the aid of a vulcanization mold defining a longitudinal axis, the mold being partitioned into lower and upper halves by a horizontal plane passing through said longitudinal axis, said halves being configured so as to be mirror images of each other and being mounted mirror-imaged to each other, said lower half including a first plurality of segments and said upper half including a second plurality of segments which are initially in spaced relationship to corresponding ones of the segments of said first plurality of segments; said vulcanization mold having first and second end plates at mutually opposite longitudinal ends thereof; said first plurality of segments including two outer segments and two inner segments and said second plurality of segments likewise including two outer segments and two inner segments; said outer segments of said first plurality of segments and corresponding ones of said outer segments of said second plurality of segments conjointly defining two outer profile shells; said inner segments of said first plurality of segments and corresponding ones of said inner segments of said second plurality of segments conjointly defining two inner profile shells disposed between said two outer profile shells; the method comprising the steps of: placing a bellows blank in said mold and said bellows blank having first and second end faces; clamping said first and second end plates against corresponding ones of said first and second end faces of said bellows blank by synchronously moving said end plates via a linear control so that both of said end faces of said bellows blank are in sealing and form-tight engagement with said first and second end plates, respectively; driving said end plates and said segments together while simultaneously applying a shaping pressure to said bellows blank with said outer profile shells traversing twice the distance which said inner profile shells traverse whereby the shaping of said bellows blank via said shaping pressure is complete when said mold is closed; and, initiating the vulcanization process.