Process for 360 degree soft touch molding on an object core and product made therewith
A process for making a soft touch outer surface for an object includes the steps of first providing a core to receive a soft touch outer surface thereon and providing a mold member having a mold cavity. The core is then placed inside the mold cavity. A low durometer elastomer, having a Shore 00 hardness of 70 or less, or a low density foamed plastic, having a specific gravity of specific gravity between 0.1 and 0.7 is injected into the mold cavity to surround the core in 360 degrees to provide a predetermined thickness of a cushioning layer. The core, with cushioning layer thereon, is demolded from the mold by which it was formed. The outer surface of the cushioning layer is then covered with a finish layer.
1 . A process for making a soft touch outer surface for an object, comprising the steps of:
providing a core to receive a soft touch outer surface thereon;
providing a mold member having a mold cavity;
placing the core inside the mold cavity;
injecting a low durometer elastomer, having a Shore 00 hardness of 70 or less, into the mold cavity to surround the core in 360 degrees with a predetermined thickness;
demolding the core with low durometer elastomer thereon having an outer surface; and
covering the outer surface of the low durometer elastomer with a finish layer.
2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the finish layer is paint.
3 . The process of claim 2 , wherein the paint is elastomeric.
4 . The process of claim 2 , wherein the paint is an elastomeric polyurethane.
5 . The process of claim 2 , further comprising the step of:
spraying paint onto the outer surface of the low durometer elastomer.
6 . The process of claim 5 , further comprising the step of:
rotating the core 360 degrees during the step of spraying paint onto the outer surface of the low durometer elastomer.
7 . The process of claim 2 , further comprising the step of:
covering paint on the outer surface of the low durometer elastomer by dipping.
8 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the finish layer is fabric.
9 . The process of claim 8 , wherein the fabric is tubular in configuration.
10 . The process of claim 8 , wherein the fabric is made of a material selected from the group consisting of braided, circular knit and heat shrinkable.
11 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the finish layer is film.
12 . The process of claim 11 , wherein the film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of: polyurethane, EVA, polyethylene, polyester, nylon and polypropylene.
13 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the core is rigid.
14 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the core is semi-rigid.
15 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the core is a writing instrument.
16 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the core is handle of a razor.
17 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the core is an eyeglass frame.
18 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the core is a beverage container.
19 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the low durometer elastomer has a cure time of greater than 1 minute.
20 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the low durometer elastomer has a cure time of greater than 3 minutes.
21 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the mold member is made of plastic.
22 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
covering the mold member with a non-transferring release agent prior to injecting the low durometer elastomer into the mold cavity.
23 . The process in of claim 22 , wherein the release agent is cross-linked.
24 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined thickness of the low durometer elastomer is of a non-uniform profile around the core.
25 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the mold member includes a plurality of mold components moving in series to allow curing of the parts in a continuous fashion.
26 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
transporting the core and low durometer elastomer thereon on a conveyor during curing of the low durometer elastomer.
27 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the core is made of injection molded plastic.
28 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the core is made of metal.
29 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
injection molding the core in-line prior to the low durometer elastomer.
30 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the core is of sufficient length to make multiple parts when cut post molding.
31 . A process for making a soft touch outer surface for an object, comprising the steps of:
providing a core to receive a soft touch outer surface thereon;
providing a mold member having a mold cavity;
placing the core inside the mold cavity;
injecting a low density foamed plastic, having a specific gravity between 0.1 and 0.7, into the mold cavity to surround the core in 360 degrees with a predetermined thickness;
demolding the core with low density foamed plastic thereon having an outer surface; and
covering the outer surface of the low density foamed plastic with a finish layer.
32 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the finish layer is paint.
33 . The process of claim 32 , wherein the paint is elastomeric.
34 . The process of claim 32 , where the paint is an elastomeric polyurethane.
35 . The process of claim 32 , further comprising the step of:
spraying paint onto the outer surface of the low density foamed plastic.
36 . The process of claim 35 , further comprising the step of:
rotating the core 360 degrees during the step of spraying paint onto the outer surface of the low density foamed plastic.
37 . The process of claim 31 , further comprising the step of:
covering paint on the outer surface of the low density foamed plastic by dipping.
38 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the finish layer is fabric.
39 . The process of claim 38 , wherein the fabric is tubular in configuration.
40 . The process of claim 38 , wherein the fabric is made of a material selected from the group consisting of braided, circular knit and heat shrinkable.
41 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the finish layer is film.
42 . The process of claim 41 , wherein the film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of: polyurethane, EVA, polyethylene, polyester, nylon and polypropylene.
43 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the core is rigid.
44 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the core is semi-rigid.
45 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the low density foamed plastic is made of a material selected from the group consisting of: polyurethane, polyethylene and EVA.
46 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the core is a writing instrument.
47 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the core is handle of a razor.
48 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the core is an eyeglass frame.
49 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the core is a beverage container.
50 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the low density foamed plastic has a cure time of greater than 1 minute.
51 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the low density foamed plastic has a cure time of greater than 3 minutes.
52 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the mold member is made of plastic.
53 . The process of claim 31 , further comprising the step of:
covering the mold member with a non-transferring release agent prior to injecting the low density foamed plastic into the mold cavity.
54 . The process in of claim 53 , wherein the release agent is cross-linked.
55 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the predetermined thickness of the low density foamed plastic is of a non-uniform profile around the core.
56 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the mold member includes a plurality of mold components moving in series to allow curing of the parts in a continuous fashion.
57 . The process of claim 31 , further comprising the step of:
transporting the core and low density foamed plastic thereon on a conveyor during curing of the low density foamed plastic.
58 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the core is made of injection molded plastic.
59 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the core is made of metal.
60 . The process of claim 31 , further comprising the step of:
injection molding the core in-line prior to the low density foamed plastic.
61 . The process of claim 31 , wherein the core is of sufficient length to make multiple parts when cut post molding.