Mesh and apparatus for forming and/or using mesh
A method of forming a mesh by a molding a link element around other link elements to form a mesh in which the interlinking link elements are formed as continuous unjoined loops by a molding process. An apparatus for forming a mesh including a plurality of first cavities for accommodating first link elements and a plurality of second cavities for forming interlinking link elements. The method and apparatus allow the continuous production of mesh formed of a range of materials including plastics materials.
1. An apparatus to form a mesh, the apparatus comprising:
a mold that includes a first plurality of cavities and a second plurality of cavities that are positioned separately within the mold, the first and second plurality of cavities configured to hold preformed link elements, the mold being structured with a plurality of molding cavities that are dimensioned and arranged to pass through and separate from the first and second plurality of cavities and the preformed link elements configured to be held therein,
a guide to advance a first plurality of preformed link elements from the first plurality of cavities to the second plurality of cavities, and a second plurality of preformed link elements to the first plurality of cavities in accordance with the advancement, and
a molding injector configured to supply a material to the plurality of molding cavities to thereby mold a plurality of new link elements through and separate from the first and second plurality of preformed link elements respectively held in the plurality of second and first cavities so as to interconnect the first and second plurality of preformed link elements with the plurality of new link elements to form a continuous mesh of interconnected link elements,
wherein at least one of the preformed link elements from both the first and second plurality of preformed link elements and at least another preformed link element from the first and/or second plurality of preformed link elements are interconnected through a common aperture of a corresponding new link element of the plurality of new link elements,
wherein each of the preformed link elements interconnected through the common aperture are positioned within separate ones of the plurality of cavities and/or the second plurality of cavities.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second plurality of cavities are provided in a row at spaced intervals and the plurality of molding cavities are dimensioned and arranged to form new link elements interconnecting with preformed link elements located within adjacent first and/or second cavities.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first and/or second plurality of cavities are dimensioned and arranged to retain preformed link elements substantially in a first plane and the plurality of molding cavities are dimensioned and arranged so that the new link elements formed in the molding cavities in a plane that is substantially transverse to the first plane.
4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mould includes at least first and second mould sections which together define part the plurality of molding cavities and a third mould section which defines the other portion of the plurality of molding cavities.
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein retractable fingers define a portion of an aperture to be formed within each new link element that is molded in each of the molding cavities.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the fingers feed preformed link elements to the first and/or second plurality of cavities.
7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein when the mold is in an open state the new link elements are released from the plurality of molding cavities.
8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the third mould section and fingers define the other portion.
9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an ejector for ejecting preformed link elements held in the second plurality of cavities.
10. An apparatus for forming a mesh comprising:
a mechanical mold structure that includes a first set of positions and a second set of positions that are different from the first set of positions;
a guide structure coupled to the mechanical mold structure that is configured to:
advance a first plurality of formed link elements from the first set of positions to the second set of positions; and
in accordance with advancement of the first plurality of formed link elements, position a second plurality of formed link elements in the first set of positions; and
an injector configured to supply at least one material to mold a plurality of new link elements in a mold through and separate from the first and second pluralities of formed link elements that are respectively positioned in the first and second set of positions, where each one of the plurality of new link elements is to be molded in the mold to interlink with at least three formed link elements from the first and/or second plurality of formed link elements via a common aperture formed by the mold to form a continuous mesh of interconnected link elements,
wherein each one of the at least three formed link elements from the first and/or second plurality of formed link elements are set to be positioned within separate ones of the first set of positions and/or the second set of positions.
11. An apparatus for forming a mesh that includes individually moveable link elements, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of first link holders configured to hold a first plurality of formed link elements;
a plurality of second link holders configured to hold a second plurality of formed link elements that are separate from the first plurality of formed link elements;
an ejector configured to facilitate advancement of link elements held in the plurality of first link holders to the plurality of second link holders; and
an injector configured to supply a material to a plurality of cavities dimensioned and arranged to hold the material to be made into a plurality of new link elements, at least one cavity out of the plurality of cavities being dimensioned such that a corresponding new link element of the plurality of new link elements is made with an aperture,
wherein at least one of the first plurality of formed link elements held in the plurality of first link holders, at least one of the second plurality of formed link elements held in the plurality of second link holders, and another formed link element are interlinked through the aperture formed by the cavity,
wherein the another formed link element is held in a link holder of the plurality of first link holders or the plurality of second link holders that is separate from both link holders that hold the at least one of the first plurality of formed link elements and at least one of the second plurality of formed link elements.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein a major plane of the first plurality of formed link elements is transverse to a major plane the plurality of cavities in which the new link elements are made.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein upon being released from the apparatus, each one of the plurality of new link elements, each one of the first plurality of formed link elements, and each one of the second plurality of formed link elements are independently moveable with respect to each other.