Patent ID: 6558608
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: B29C,B29L,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of forming a composite box having end, side and bottom walls said method comprising:forming a plurality of cores each having a peripheral surface; positioning said cores in five separate and distinct mold segments that respectively define said end, side, and bottom walls comprising five walls of said box while encapsulating the cores in fabric material; assembling the mold segments to interface with one another to form said box, said fabric material in each mold segment extending outside said mold segment and overlapping with fabric material in adjacent mold segments in a manner that said overlapping fabric is interleaved to maintain continuity across the junction between said bottom, end and side walls; sealing the interface between said mold segments; enclosing said assembled molds in a hermetically sealed bag having an inlet and an outlet; connecting a source of uncured resin to said inlet; evacuating said mold segments through said outlet; forcing said uncured resin through said inlet to said outlet to fill said mold segments between said core and said mold segments to impregnate said fiber material; curing said resin to form said composite box; and removing said mold segments.