Patent Publication Number: US-2018043589-A1

Title: Tooling systems and methods to form decorative material on a work-piece

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No.: CN 201610654304.9 filed on Aug. 10, 2016, the entire contents thereof being incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     This invention relates tooling systems and methods to form decorative material on a work-piece. 
     BACKGROUND 
     When two layers of decorative material need to be formed on a work-piece, two sets of molds are required. In conventional technologies, each mold includes an upper mold and a lower mold pivotally connected with the upper mold. Each mold has a separate supporting system to support the work-piece during a forming process. Thus, the number of mold sets corresponds to the number of supporting system, which results in increased tooling cost and decreased efficiency. Further, in a process of forming two layers of decorative material on the work-piece, the work-piece needs to be delivered from one mold to another mold, which results in higher labor costs and a lower production efficiency. Thus, there is a need for a tooling system that forms decorative material on a work-piece with improved efficiency. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one aspect, a tooling system to form decorative material on a work-piece is provided. The tooling system comprises a first mold and a second mold to receive a work-piece and the decorative material and a support configured to detachably connect the work-piece. The first mold includes a first lower mold piece, and a first left upper mold piece and a first right upper mold piece, and the second mold includes a second lower mold piece, and a second left upper mold piece and a second right upper mold piece. The support is configured to move the work-piece into or out the first and second molds consecutively during a process to form the decorative material on the work-piece. 
     In one embodiment, the support may include a traverse rod and a plurality of vertical rods connected with the traverse rod, and the work-piece is connected to an end of the vertical rod. 
     In another embodiment, the support may include two support rods intersecting each other and a rotation shaft positioned at an intersecting point to rotate the two support rods, and the work-piece is connected to an end of one of the support rod. 
     In another embodiment, the first left upper mold piece and the first right upper mold is enclosed on the first lower mold to seal the work-piece inside and a through hole is formed at a connection between the first left upper mold piece and the first right upper mold piece to allow the end of the support to pass through. The second left upper mold piece and the second right upper mold is enclosed on the second lower mold to seal the work-piece inside and a through hole is formed at a connection between the second left upper mold piece and the second right upper mold piece to allow the end of the support to pass through. 
     In another embodiment, the first mold is configured to form a first decorative layer on the work-piece and the second mold is configured to form a second decorative layer on the first decorative layer. 
     In another embodiment, the work-piece is a steering wheel of a vehicle. 
     In another embodiment, the decorative material is foam. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a tooling system to form decorative material on work-pieces of a vehicle is provided. The tooling system comprises a support including a first end, a second end, a third end and a fourth end arranged consecutively, and connected to four work-pieces. The tooling system further includes a first g mold and a second mold corresponding the second end and the third end, respectively. Each of the first mold and the second mold includes a lower mold piece, a left upper mold piece and a right upper mold piece. The support is configured to be moveable and the first, second, third and fourth ends stop at positions of the first mold and the second mold, consecutively. 
     In one embodiment, the work-pieces are steering wheel. An outer profile of each of the first, second, third and fourth ends is the same as an outer profile of an end of a steering column to be connected with the steering wheel. 
     In another embodiment, at one step of a process to form decorative material on the work-pieces, the first end of the support is connected to a work-piece unprocessed, the second end is connected a work-piece placed in the first mold, the third end is connected to a work-piece placed in the second mold, and the fourth end is connected to a work-piece in a treatment station. 
     In another embodiment, the support may include a traverse rod, a first, second, third, and fourth vertical rods connected to the traverse rod, and wherein the first, second, third and fourth rods includes the first, second, third and fourth ends, respectively. 
     In another embodiment, the support may include a first support rod and a second support rod intersecting the first support rod. The first support rod includes the first and third ends, and the second support rod includes the second and the fourth ends. 
     In another embodiment, a cavity of the first mold may be different from a cavity of the second mold. 
     In another embodiment, a first semi-finished product is generated after a first foam layer is covered on the work-piece in the first mold, the second semi-product is generated after a second decorative layer is covered on the work-piece in the second mold, and the final product is generated after a surface treatment is performed the treatment station. 
     According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided to form at least two decorative material layers on a work-piece. The method comprising securing the work-piece on a support; moving the support to place the work-piece into a first mold to cover a first decorative layer on the work-piece to form a first semi-finished product; and moving the support further to place the first semi-finished product into a second mold to cover a second decorative layer on the first semi-finished product to form a second semi-finished product. 
     In one embodiment, the method further comprising moving the support further to place the second semi-finished product into a treatment station. 
     In another embodiment, the support is moved manually or by a driving device. 
     In another embodiment, the step of placing the work-piece into the first mold includes moving the work-piece into a first lower mold piece; and enclosing a first lower mold piece with a first left upper mold piece and a first right upper mold piece to seal the work-piece inside. The step of placing the first semi-finished product into the second mold includes moving the first semi-finished product into a second lower mold piece; and enclosing a second lower mold piece with a second left upper mold piece and a second right upper mold piece to seal the first semi-finished product inside. 
     In another embodiment, the support includes a first support rod and a second support rod intersecting the first support rod to form 90 between the first and second support rods, and the work-piece is detachably connected to one end of the first or the second support rod, and wherein each end of the support rotates 90 when moving the work-piece from the first mold to the second mold. 
     In another embodiment, the support includes a traverse rod and a plurality of vertical rods connected to the traverse rod, and the work-piece is connected to one end of the vertical rod, and wherein the end moves along a straight line or a curved path when moving the work-piece from the first mold to the second mold. 
     The tooling systems and methods of forming decorative material on a work-piece of the present disclosure improve the efficiency of the forming process. As the work-piece is mounted on the shared support, the work-pieced can be moved by the support between the different molds and thus does not need to be dismounted from the support during the forming process. The simplified process saves the labor cost and improves the production efficiency. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Example embodiments will be more clearly understood from the following brief description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings represent non-limiting, example embodiments as described herein. 
         FIG. 1  is schematic diagram of a tooling system to form decorative material on a work-piece according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a tooling system to form decorative material on a work-piece according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a mold according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross section view of a work-piece according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a portion of a support and a work-piece, illustrating an assembling process. 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart of a method to form decorative material on the work-piece. 
     
    
    
     It should be noted that these figures are intended to illustrate the general characteristics of methods, structure and/or materials utilized in certain example embodiments and to supplement the written description provided below. These drawings are not, however, to scale and may not precisely reflect the precise structural or performance characteristics of any given embodiment, and should not be interpreted as defining or limiting the range of values or properties encompassed by example embodiments. The use of similar or identical reference numbers in the various drawings is intended to indicate the presence of a similar or identical element or feature. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosed systems and methods to form decorative material on a work-piece will become better understood through review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the figures. The detailed description and figures provide merely examples of the various inventions described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed examples may be varied, modified, and altered without departing from the scope of the inventions described herein. Many variations are contemplated for different applications and design considerations; however, for the sake of brevity, each and every contemplated variation is not individually described in the following detailed description. 
     Throughout the following detailed description, examples of various systems and methods to form decorative material on a work-piece are provided. Related features in the examples may be identical, similar, or dissimilar in different examples. For the sake of brevity, related features will not be redundantly explained in each example. Instead, the use of related feature names will cue the reader that the feature with a related feature name may be similar to the related feature in an example explained previously. Features specific to a given example will be described in that particular example. The reader should understand that a given feature need not be the same or similar to the specific portrayal of a related feature in any given figure or example. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a tooling system  10  to form decorative material on a work-piece is provided. The tooling system  10  comprises at least two molds such as a first mold  31  and a second mold  32  to receive the work-piece and form a first and second decorative material layers, respectively. The first mold  31  includes a lower mold piece  301 , and a left upper mold piece  302  and a right upper mold piece  303  that match with the lower mold  301 . The second mold  32  includes lower mold piece  304 , and a left upper mold piece  305  and a right upper mold piece  303  that match with the lower mold  304 . The tooling system  10  further includes a support  12  to detachably connect the work-piece  50 . The support  12  drives the work-piece  50  and move into or out the first and second molds  31  and  32 , successively. 
     The work-piece  50  is mounted on the supporter  12  and is moved between the first and second molds  31 ,  32  via the support  12  during a process to form two layers of decorative material on the work-piece  50 . Each of the first and second molds  31 ,  32  of the tooling system  10  has two upper mold pieces and one lower mold piece. The two upper mold pieces can translate away and toward each other such that the work-piece can be moved into the first mold  31  for the formation of the first decorative layer and moved out when the formation is completed via the support easily. Thereafter, the work-piece  50  can be moved to the second mold  32  via the support. The molds of the present disclosure are different from the conventional mold which includes one upper mold piece pivotally connected to a lower mold piece. By using two separate upper mold pieces in the tooling system of the present disclosure, the left upper mold piece and the right upper mold piece can be moved toward each other to enclose the lower mold piece or move away each other via a linear movement such that it is easy to place the work-piece on the lower mold piece or move away from the lower mold piece via a support. As a result, labor cost can be reduced and the productivity can be increased. 
     In some embodiments, the decorative materials may include foam, plastic, resin or other material suitable for forming on a work-piece. The work-piece  50  may be a steering wheel frame, a gear shift rod, a vehicle seat, or other vehicle parts. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the support  12  may include a traverse rod  14  and a plurality of vertical rods  16  connected with the traverse rod  14 . The work-piece  50  is connected to an end  21  of a vertical rod  16 . In some embodiments, the vertical rod  16  may be fixed on the traverse rod  11 . As the vertical rods  16  are fixed on the traverse rod  14 , the traverse rod  14  drives the vertical rods  16  to move and thus move the work-piece  50  between the first and second molds  31 ,  32  or other working stations of the process. In some embodiments, the vertical rod  16  may be moveably connected on the traverse rod  14  and slidable along the traverse rod  14 . In such configuration, the traverse rod  14  is stationary as a rail, and the vertical rod  16  moves along the traverse rod  14  to drive the work-piece  50  to move between the first and second molds  31 ,  32  and other work stations of the process. In some embodiments, the traverse rod  14  may be a straight rod as shown in  FIG. 1 . The work-piece  50  moves in a direction A along a linear path. In some embodiments, the traverse rod  14  may be configured to have an annular shape or a ring shape. The supporter  10  may be driven to rotate. In some embodiments, four work-pieces  50  may be connected to the support  12 . In the depicted embodiment, the work-piece  50  and a final product  70  (i.e., a work-piece went through all the steps of the process) may be arranged to be consecutively on the support  12 . The support  12  may rotate during the process of forming the decorative material. When the process is completed, the final product  70  is taken off from the support  12 . Another work-piece is loaded on that vertical rod  16  such that the newly loaded work-piece will go through the process as the support  12  moves. In this way, the automation of process can be achieved. In some embodiments, the support  12  may be driven by an actuator such as a motor (not shown). The speed and on/off of the actuator may be controlled automatically by a controller. In some embodiments, the support  12  may be moved manually by an operator. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a tooling system  100  according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. Similar to the tooling system  10 , the tooling system includes the first and second molds  31  and  32 . The tooling system  100  further include a support  112  having at least two support rods  114 ,  116 . The two support rods  114 ,  116  intersect each other and a rotation shaft  140  positioned at an intersecting point  125  is configured to rotate the two support rods  114 ,  116 . The work-piece  50  is connected to an end of one of support rods  114 ,  116 . In other words, the support may be configured as a cross shape. The rotation shaft  140  at the intersection  125  drives the support rods  114 ,  116  to rotate. One of support rods  114 ,  116  drives the work-piece  50  in or out of the two molds  31 ,  32  consecutively such that two layers of decorative materials are formed on the work-piece  50 . In the depicted embodiment, the work-piece  50  and a final product  70  may be arranged to be next each other. The support  112  may rotate to place the work-piece  50  into the first mold  31 , the second mold  32  and a treatment station  125  successively. A surface treatment may be performed on a second-finished product at the treatment station  125 . Upon completion of final treatment on the work-piece  50  at the treatment station  125 , the final product  70  is generated and then removed from the support rod  114 . The support may move to next position and another work-piece  50  is loaded to continue the process of forming the decorative material on a work-piece. In this way, an automation production line can be achieved. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , an exploded view of an example first mold  31  is illustrated. The left upper mold piece  302  and the right upper mold piece  303  are moveable between an open position and a use position. At the use position, the left upper mold piece  302  and the right upper mold piece  303  cover the lower mold piece  301  to seal the work-piece  50  inside. The left upper mold piece  302  and the right upper mold piece  303  may be moved between the open position or the use position by any appropriate driving mechanisms in the art. Alternatively, the opening and closing of the mold may be performed manually. A through hole  304  is formed at a connection between the left upper mold piece  302  and the right upper mold piece  303  to allow the end  121 , or  21  of the support to pass through. Such configuration makes it possible that the work-piece  50  is not dismounted from the support  112  and moves between the different molds or different work stations. Further, the configuration makes it easier to load and unload the work-piece  50  from the molds  31 . The mold  31  is at the use position when the work-piece  50  is placed on the lower mold piece  301  and covered with the left upper mold piece  302  and right upper mold piece  303 . The process can save labor and improve an efficiency of decorative material formation process. The second mold  32  may have a structure similar to the first mold  31 , that is, the second mold  32  includes a lower mold piece  304 , a left upper mold piece  305  and a right upper mold piece  306  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The cavity in the first mold  31  and the second mold  32  may be different to form the decorative layers having different configuration or thickness. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the support  12  or  112  includes a plurality of ends to secure the work-piece  50 . That is, a plurality of work-pieces  50  can be loaded into the tooling system to perform the different steps of forming decorative materials and/or additional treatment simultaneously. As such, a high process efficiency can be achieved. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a cross section of the work-piece covered with decorative layers is shown. As described above, the tooling systems  10  and  100  include a first mold  31  and a second mold  32 . The first mold  31  is configured to form a first decorative layer  61  on the work-piece  50  and the second mold  32  is configured to form a second decorative layer  62  on the first decorative layer  61 . It will be understood that the second decorative material layer  62  may cover the entire first decorative material layer  61 , or a portion of the first decorative material layer  61 . It will be understood that the tooling system may include more than two molds to form multiple decorative material layers on the work pieces  50 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , another aspect of the invention provides a tooling system to form foam material on a steering wheel of a vehicle. The tooling system  10  and  100  comprises a support  12 , a first mold  31  and a second mold  32 .  FIG. 1  shows that the ends of four vertical rod  16  are connected to four work-pieces.  FIG. 2  shows the ends of the support rods  114 ,  116  are connected to four work-pieces. In this way, the different steps of the process may be performed on different work-pieces at the same time. In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2 , at one time period, a first end  121  is connected to a steering wheel frame  50  that is unprocessed, a second end  122  is connected to a first semi-finished product, a third end  123  is connected to a second semi-finished product, and a fourth end  124  is connected to a final product  70 . The first end  121 , the second end  122 , the third end  123 , and the fourth end  124  are next to each other in an order and moveable along a direction A from the first end  121  to the fourth end  124 . The first mold  31  and the second mold  32  correspond the second end  122  and the third end  123 , respectively and are used to receive the steering wheel and foam for the formation of the foam layers on the steering wheel. 
     The tooling system  10  and  100  to form foam material on a steering wheel of the present disclosure load a steering wheel frame  50  on the support  12  or  112 . The steering wheel frame  50  is moved between the two molds  31 ,  32  by support  12 ,  112  to form two layers of foam materials on the steering wheel  50 . In this way, the multiple work-pieces can be processed at the same time to improve the efficiency. There is no need to dismounted the work-piece when the work-piece goes through the different steps of the process, which save the labor cost. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , An outer profile of the first end  21  of vertical rod  16  or an outer profile of the first end  121 , the second end  122 , the third end  123  and the fourth end  124  of support rods  114 ,  116  may be configured to be the same as an outer profile of an end of a steering column connected with the steering wheel. With such configuration, the end of the support to be connected with the steering wheel is standardized for a quick installation of the steering wheel with an assembling hole of the steering column. The first end  121  is connected with the steering wheel frame  50  via a threaded bolt  80 . Similarly, the second end  122  is connected with the first semi-finished product via a threaded bolt, the third end  123  is connected with the second semi-finished product via a threaded bolt, and the fourth end  124  is connected with the final product  70  via a threaded bolt. Connection via thread nut  80  further achieves a quick installation of the support  12  and  112  with the steering wheel. 
     It should be understood that the first semi-finished product refers to a work-piece or a steering wheel frame covered with a first foam layer  61 . The second semi-product refers to the first semi-finished product covered with a second decorative layer  62 . The final product  70  refers to the second semi-finished product after a surface treatment. The surface treatment may be any appropriate treatment method commonly used in the art, such as an edge cutting, a surface polishing, and a surface covering. 
     Referring  FIG. 6 , a method  200  to form decorative materials on a work-piece is provided. At  202 , the method  200  comprises securing the work-piece on a support. For example, the work-piece may be detachably secured on an end of the vertical rod of the support  12  or an end of the support rod of the support  112  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . At  204 , the method  200  includes moving the support to place the work-piece into a first mold and covering the work-piece with a first decorative layer to form a first semi-finished product. At  206 , the method  200  includes moving the support further to place the first semi-finished product into a second mold and covering the first semi-finished product with a second decorative layer  62  to form a second semi-finished product. At  208 , the method includes moving the support further to place the second semi-finished product on a treatment station and performing surface treatment on the second semi-finished product to form a final product. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the step  204  of placing the work-piece into the first mold  31  comprising moving the work-piece into a first lower mold piece; and enclosing a first lower mold piece with a first left upper mold piece and a first right upper mold piece to seal the work-piece inside. The step  206  of placing the first semi-finished product into the second mold  32  comprising moving the first semi-finished product into a second lower mold piece and enclosing a second lower mold piece with a second left upper mold piece and a second right upper mold piece to seal the first semi-finished product inside. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , when the method  200  is implemented in the tooling system  100 , the angle between the support rods  114  and  116  is about 90°. Each movement of the support  112  is configured to rotate the support rods one fourth of a circle or 90° around a rotating shaft. 
     The disclosure above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a particular form, the specific embodiments disclosed and illustrated above are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed above and inherent to those skilled in the art pertaining to such inventions. 
     The following claims particularly point out certain combinations and subcombinations regarded as novel and nonobvious. These claims may refer to “an” element or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof. Such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Other combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or through presentation of new claims in this or a related application.