Method of making a trim panel having a narrow transition radius and apparatus
View Patent ↗In at least certain embodiments, the present invention relates to a trim panel and an apparatus and method of making the same. In at least one embodiment, the trim panel comprises a first portion and a second portion with a transition portion extending therebetween with the first portion and the second portion having curved portions having radii of less than 5 mm.
1. A method of making a panel, said method comprising:
providing a mold comprising a first mold half and a second mold half, the first mold half having a first molding surface;
the first molding surface having a projecting member projecting away from the first molding surface;
the second mold half having a second molding surface, the mold halves being capable of relative movement between a first position and a second position;
the first and second molding surfaces helping to define a mold cavity when the mold halves are in the second position, the mold cavity having a first region, a second region spaced from the first region, and a transition region connecting the first and second regions;
providing a support member, the support member being able to support the projecting member when the mold halves are in the second position, the support member having at least one channel that allows resin to pass through the support member, the channel being located in the transition region of the mold cavity;
moving the mold halves from the first position to the second position;
introducing resin into the mold cavity;
allowing the resin to flow into the first, second and transition regions of the mold cavity;
allowing the resin to cure to form the panel;
moving the mold halves to the first position; and
removing the panel.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the panel has a portion that is covered, the method further comprising:
prior to moving the mold halves from the first position to the second position, providing a coverstock on the first molding surface, such that when the resin cures, the panel is at least partially covered by the coverstock.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
providing a positioning member capable of relative movement from a first positioning member position to a second positioning member position such that while in the second positioning member position, the positioning member being capable of contacting and aligning the coverstock;
prior to moving the mold halves from the first to the second position, moving the positioning member from the first positioning member position to the second positioning member position; and
once the resin has cured, when the mold halves are moved from the second position to the first position, moving the positioning member from the second positioning member position to the first positioning member position.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the projecting member has a base portion having a radius of between 0.1 mm and 5 mm.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the projecting member has a base portion having a radius of between 0.1 mm and 2.5 mm.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the projecting member has a base portion having a radius of between 0.1 mm and 1.7 mm.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the projecting member has a height of between 6 mm and 25 mm and a width of between 0.5 mm and 3.0 mm.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the support member includes a plurality of channels that allow resin to pass through the support member.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one channel has a first portion extending in a first, generally horizontal, direction, and a second portion extending in a second, generally vertical, direction.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the support member is integral with the second mold half.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein
the second mold half has a positioning member for aligning a coverstock on the first mold half, the positioning member being capable of moving relative to the first mold half and the second mold half between a first positioning member position and a second positioning member position; and
the positioning member being able to align the coverstock on the first mold half when the positioning member is in the second positioning member position.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the support member is capable of supporting the projecting member against a force perpendicular to the direction of projection, and wherein the force is between 50 psi and 6000 psi.
13. A method of making a panel having a portion that is covered, said method comprising:
providing a mold comprising a first mold half and a second mold half, the first mold half having a first molding surface;
the first molding surface having a projecting member projecting away from the first molding surface, the projecting member having a radius of between 0.1 mm and 2.5 mm, a height of between 6 mm and 25 mm, and a width of between 0.5 mm and 3.0 mm;
the second mold half having a second molding surface, the mold halves being capable of relative movement between a first position and a second position;
the first and second molding surfaces helping to define a mold cavity when the mold halves are in the second position;
providing a support member having at least one channel that allows resin to pass through the support member, the support member being able to support the projecting member when the mold halves are in the second position;
moving the mold halves from the first position to the second position;
introducing substrate resin into the mold cavity and through the at least one channel of the support member;
allowing the resin to cure to form the panel, wherein prior to moving the mold halves from the first to the second position, a coverstock is provided on the first molding surface, such that when the resin cures, the panel is at least partially covered by the coverstock;
moving the mold halves to the first position; and
removing the panel.