Silica gel compound mold and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a silica gel complex mold and a manufacturing method thereof, and relates to the technical field of polymer material mold manufacturing. The silica gel complex mold comprises a first mold body and a second mold body. The first mold body comprises a supporting layer and a first cavity layer arranged on one side of the supporting layer. The second mold body comprises a second cavity layer which can be separated and matched with the first cavity layer. The first cavity layer and the second cavity layer jointly form a cavity, and a first positioning part and a second positioning part which can be matched with each other are arranged at a parting surface respectively. The hardness of the silica gel material of the supporting layer is greater than that of the first cavity layer and the second cavity layer. The supporting layer, the first cavity layer and the second cavity layer are sequentially formed during manufacturing. The parting surface and a positioning concave part are formed on the first cavity layer, and the second cavity layer forms a corresponding positioning convex part. The application can reduce the deformation of the mold body, facilitate demolding and reduce the relative deviation during repeated complex molding.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of polymer material mold manufacturing technology, and more specifically, to a silicone duplication mold. Furthermore, this invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the aforementioned silicone duplication mold. Background Technology

[0002] Silicone molding technology is commonly used for manufacturing product prototypes and small batches of plastic parts. It typically uses a master part as a molding reference, replicating the shape of the master part using silicone material to form a mold. Polyurethane, epoxy resin, or other molding materials are then poured into the mold cavity. After curing and demolding, the replicated part is obtained. Compared to metal molds, silicone molds have a shorter production cycle and can utilize the elasticity of silicone material to demold replicates with grooves, protrusions, or partial undercuts.

[0003] Existing silicone replica molds include die-cutting molds. Die-cutting molds typically first encapsulate the entire mother part within silicone material. After the silicone material cures, operators then cut the silicone material along the outer periphery of the mother part to form two mating molds. Since the parting surface is formed manually, its shape is prone to undulations or local offsets. When the two molds are refitted, relative movement may occur, causing steps, flash, or local dimensional deviations in the replica at the parting position.

[0004] Furthermore, existing silicone replica molds typically use silicone materials of the same hardness to form each mold body. When the hardness of the silicone material is low, the mold body is prone to bending or local deformation during handling, mold closing, and casting. Especially when the mold size is large, the shape of the cavity may change with the deformation of the mold body. When the hardness of the silicone material is high, the deformation capacity of the mold body during demolding is reduced. For replicas with recessed, protruding, or undercut structures, there may be problems such as difficulty in demolding, mold body tearing, or damage to the surface of the replica. Therefore, it is difficult to simultaneously meet the requirements of mold body load-bearing and replica demolding by using silicone materials of the same hardness.

[0005] In summary, how to balance the demolding ability of the cavity and the load-bearing capacity of the mold body in a silicone duplication mold, while limiting the relative movement of the two mold bodies in the mating state, is a problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a silicone duplication mold that balances the load-bearing capacity of the mold and the demolding capacity of the cavity layer, and restricts the relative movement of the first mold body and the second mold body in the mating state.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing the above-mentioned silicone replica mold.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0009] A silicone molding die, comprising:

[0010] A first mold body, the first mold body includes a support layer and a first cavity layer disposed on one side of the support layer;

[0011] The second mold body includes a second cavity layer that can be separably fitted with the first cavity layer;

[0012] A parting surface is formed between the first cavity layer and the second cavity layer. The first cavity layer and the second cavity layer together form a cavity for molding a replica. The first cavity layer and the second cavity layer are respectively provided with a first positioning part and a second positioning part that cooperate with each other at the parting surface.

[0013] The support layer is formed of a first silicone material, the first cavity layer is formed of a second silicone material, and the second cavity layer is formed of a third silicone material. The hardness of the first silicone material is greater than that of the second silicone material and the third silicone material.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the first positioning part includes at least two positioning recesses disposed in the first cavity layer, and the second positioning part includes positioning protrusions disposed in the second cavity layer and respectively used to cooperate with the positioning recesses.

[0015] At least two of the positioning recesses are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the cavity.

[0016] In a further embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the positioning recesses has a cross-sectional profile different from the other positioning recesses, so that the first mold body and the second mold body fit together in a predetermined orientation.

[0017] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the positioning recess is a groove-shaped structure or a hole-shaped structure, and the shape of the positioning protrusion is adapted to the inner wall shape of the positioning recess.

[0018] In a further embodiment of the present invention, a reinforcing member is provided within the support layer, and the reinforcing member includes at least one of a plate-like member, a mesh-like member, a rod-like member, or a frame-like member;

[0019] The reinforcement is at least partially embedded in the support layer, and a plurality of the reinforcements are arranged at intervals.

[0020] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the Shore A hardness of the support layer is 40-50, the thickness of the support layer is not less than 20 mm, and the Shore A hardness of the first cavity layer and the second cavity layer are 20-30 respectively.

[0021] In a further embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the first mold body and the second mold body is provided with a feeding channel communicating with the cavity and at least one venting channel;

[0022] The feeding channel has a feeding port communicating with the cavity, and the exhaust channel has an exhaust port communicating with the cavity.

[0023] A method for manufacturing a silicone replica mold, comprising:

[0024] A first silicone material is poured into the molding frame and the first silicone material is cured to form a support layer;

[0025] The mother component is placed on one side of the support layer, and a second silicone material is poured onto the support layer so that the second silicone material covers the first part of the mother component and extends beyond the predetermined parting position of the mother component, and is cured to form a first cavity layer.

[0026] Remove the portion of the first cavity layer that extends beyond the predetermined parting position to form a parting surface on the upper side of the first cavity layer, and form at least two positioning recesses spaced apart along the outer periphery of the mother piece on the parting surface;

[0027] An isolation medium is provided on the parting surface, and a third silicone material is poured on the first cavity layer and the second part of the mother piece, so that the third silicone material is cured to form a second cavity layer, and positioning protrusions that respectively cooperate with the positioning recess are formed on the second cavity layer;

[0028] Separate the first cavity layer and the second cavity layer and remove the mother part, so that the first cavity layer and the second cavity layer together form a cavity for molding the replica;

[0029] The hardness of the first silicone material after curing is greater than that of the second and third silicone materials after curing.

[0030] In a further embodiment of the present invention, before pouring the first silicone material into the molding frame and allowing the first silicone material to cure to form the support layer, the method further includes:

[0031] The reinforcement is placed within the molding frame, and the first silicone material covers the reinforcement so that the reinforcement is at least partially embedded within the support layer.

[0032] In a further embodiment of the present invention, before casting the second silicone material and the third silicone material, the mixed second silicone material and the third silicone material are respectively subjected to vacuum degassing;

[0033] The feed channel molding component is connected to the feed area of ​​the mother component, and at least one exhaust channel molding component is connected to the mother component;

[0034] After the third silicone material is cured, the feed channel molding part and the exhaust channel molding part are removed to form a feed channel and an exhaust channel that communicate with the cavity.

[0035] In the silicone duplication mold provided by this invention, the support layer is made of silicone material with a hardness higher than that of the first cavity layer and the second cavity layer, and is disposed on one side of the first cavity layer. This allows the support layer to support the first cavity layer, reducing the bending and local deformation of the first mold body during handling, mold closing, and casting. At the same time, the first cavity layer and the second cavity layer, which have lower hardness, can undergo elastic deformation when the parent part or the copy is removed, facilitating demolding. The first cavity layer and the second cavity layer together form a cavity, and through the cooperation of the first positioning part and the second positioning part disposed at the parting surface, the relative movement of the first mold body and the second mold body along the parting surface can be restricted, reducing the positional offset that occurs during repeated mold closing. This balances the load-bearing capacity, demolding ability, and mold closing stability of the silicone duplication mold. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of the silicone replica mold manufacturing method provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the isometric structure of the first mold provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the isometric structure of the second model provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 4 This is an isometric structural diagram of the first and second molds in a mating state, as provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the first and second molds in a mating state, as provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figures 1-5 In the accompanying drawings, the reference numerals include:

[0043] 1. First model;

[0044] 11. Support layer;

[0045] 12. First cavity layer;

[0046] 13. First positioning part;

[0047] 2. Second model;

[0048] 21. Second type cavity layer;

[0049] 22. Second positioning section;

[0050] 3. Cavity;

[0051] 4. Exhaust passage;

[0052] 5. Feeding channel. Detailed Implementation

[0053] This embodiment provides a silicone replica mold, which is mainly used for small-batch replication of product samples, plastic parts and other castable parts. The replication material can be polyurethane, epoxy resin, acrylic resin or other materials that can enter the cavity in liquid form and cure in the cavity.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 2 The silicone molding die includes a first mold body 1 and a second mold body 2. The first mold body 1 includes a support layer 11 and a first cavity layer 12 disposed on one side of the support layer 11. The second mold body 2 includes a second cavity layer 21. The first cavity layer 12 and the second cavity layer 21 can approach and fit together, and can also separate from each other during demolding.

[0055] Specifically, the support layer 11 is located on the side of the first cavity layer 12 opposite to the second cavity layer 21. Figure 2 and Figure 5 In the normal placement state shown, the support layer 11 is located below the first cavity layer 12, and the first cavity layer 12 is located between the support layer 11 and the second cavity layer 21. The support layer 11 is used to support the first cavity layer 12 and restrict the first cavity layer 12 from bending during transportation, mold closing and casting. The support layer 11 and the first cavity layer 12 together constitute the first mold body 1. Therefore, when the first mold body 1 is moved, the support layer 11 and the first cavity layer 12 can move as a whole.

[0056] In this embodiment, the support layer 11 is formed by curing a first silicone material, the first cavity layer 12 is formed by curing a second silicone material, and the second cavity layer 21 is formed by curing a third silicone material. The hardness of the first silicone material is greater than that of the second and third silicone materials, so that the support layer 11 has a smaller deformation amount relative to the first cavity layer 12 and the second cavity layer 21. The first cavity layer 12 and the second cavity layer 21 can undergo elastic deformation when the replica is demolded.

[0057] In this embodiment, the Shore A hardness of the first silicone material after curing is 40, and the Shore A hardness of the second and third silicone materials after curing is 20. The thickness of the support layer 11 is 20 mm to 40 mm, the thickness of the portion of the first cavity layer 12 located below the mother part is 5 mm to 20 mm, and the thickness of the portion of the second cavity layer 21 located above the mother part is 20 mm to 50 mm. The thickness of each layer can be adjusted according to the size, weight, and shape of the mother part.

[0058] In other embodiments, the Shore A hardness of the first silicone material after curing can be 40 to 50, and the Shore A hardness of the second and third silicone materials after curing can be 20 to 30 respectively. Furthermore, the second and third silicone materials can have the same hardness or different hardnesses. For example, when the lower part of the mother part has many recesses or undercuts, the hardness of the second silicone material can be lower than that of the third silicone material; when the upper part of the mother part has many recesses or undercuts, the hardness of the third silicone material can be lower than that of the second silicone material.

[0059] In this embodiment, the support layer 11 and the first cavity layer 12 are interconnected. In this embodiment, after the support layer 11 is cured, a second silicone material in a liquid state is poured onto the upper surface of the support layer 11. After the second silicone material is cured, it forms a fixed connection with the support layer 11. Therefore, the support layer 11 and the first cavity layer 12 can be connected by the adhesive effect between the materials.

[0060] To increase the connection area between the support layer 11 and the first cavity layer 12, the upper surface of the support layer 11 can be roughened after the support layer 11 has cured. The roughening process can be completed by sanding, grooving with a tool, pressing texture, or sandblasting. After the roughening process, the liquid second silicone material can enter the small depressions on the upper surface of the support layer 11 and form an interlocking relationship after curing. The area outside the outer edge of the mother part can be roughened to prevent it from affecting the cavity molding.

[0061] In other embodiments, the upper surface of the support layer 11 may be provided with a plurality of mating recesses. The mating recesses may be straight grooves, cross grooves, blind holes, through holes, or grooves with extended bottoms. When the second silicone material is poured, the second silicone material enters the mating recesses. The cured second silicone material forms mating protrusions in the mating recesses, thereby restricting the first cavity layer 12 from moving horizontally relative to the support layer 11 and restricting the first cavity layer 12 from detaching from the support layer 11 in a direction away from the support layer 11.

[0062] In other embodiments, the second silicone material can be poured before the first silicone material is fully cured, so that the first and second silicone materials cure together at the interface. Specifically, when the second silicone material is poured, the first silicone material is in a solid state and the second silicone material is in a liquid state. After pouring, they can fuse into a whole. This fusion is an intermolecular fusion, and the fusion strength is the same as the strength of the whole silicone material. After fusion, it will not affect the hardness of the two parts. Therefore, after both parts are fully solidified, the first and second silicone materials are tightly fused at the boundary.

[0063] like Figure 5 As shown, the first cavity layer 12 has a first molding surface facing the second cavity layer 21, and the second cavity layer 21 has a second molding surface facing the first cavity layer 12. The first molding surface and the second molding surface together form a cavity 3. The inner surface of the cavity 3 corresponds to the shape of the parent part to be copied. When the liquid copying material enters the cavity 3 and solidifies, a copy corresponding to the shape of the parent part is formed.

[0064] In this embodiment, the first cavity layer 12 also has a first parting surface surrounding the first molding surface, and the second cavity layer 21 has a second parting surface surrounding the second molding surface. When the first mold body 1 and the second mold body 2 cooperate with each other, the first parting surface and the second parting surface fit together and together form the parting surface of the silicone replica mold. Therefore, when the first mold body 1 and the second mold body 2 separate, the replica can be taken out from the cavity 3.

[0065] In this embodiment, the parting surface can be set along the maximum outer contour of the mother part, or it can be adjusted according to the position of the recess, undercut, hole and appearance surface of the mother part. When selecting the parting surface, the first cavity layer 12 and the second cavity layer 21 should be able to separate from the mother part or the copy part respectively when they are separated, so as to avoid the mother part or the copy part being locked by the two cavity layers.

[0066] In this embodiment, the first cavity layer 12 is provided with a first positioning part 13 at the parting surface, and the second cavity layer 21 is provided with a second positioning part 22 at the parting surface. The first positioning part 13 and the second positioning part 22 cooperate with each other to restrict the relative movement of the first mold body 1 and the second mold body 2 along the parting surface.

[0067] In this embodiment, the first positioning part 13 includes at least two positioning recesses, and the second positioning part 22 includes positioning protrusions that respectively cooperate with the positioning recesses. The positioning recesses are disposed on the first parting surface of the first cavity layer 12, and the positioning protrusions are disposed on the second parting surface of the second cavity layer 21. The multiple positioning recesses are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the cavity 3, and silicone material is left between the positioning recesses and the edge of the cavity 3 to reduce the possibility of the positioning recesses and the cavity 3 communicating with each other.

[0068] In this embodiment, the positioning recess can be a groove-like structure or a hole-like structure. The groove-like structure can be a U-shaped groove, a rectangular groove, a trapezoidal groove, an arc-shaped groove, or a groove with inclined sidewalls, while the hole-like structure can be a round hole, an elliptical hole, or a polygonal hole. The shape of the positioning protrusion matches the inner wall shape of the corresponding positioning recess. Here, "matching" means that the positioning protrusion can enter the positioning recess and restrict the relative movement of the two mold bodies along the parting surface; it is not required that all surfaces of the positioning protrusion fit against all inner walls of the positioning recess.

[0069] To prevent the first mold body 1 and the second mold body 2 from mating in the wrong orientation, the cross-sectional profile of at least one positioning recess may differ from the other positioning recesses. For example, two of the three positioning recesses may be circular holes and the other may be a rectangular hole. The positioning protrusions corresponding to the three positioning recesses may have cylindrical and rectangular outer walls, respectively. Therefore, when the second mold body 2 is rotated to the wrong orientation, at least one positioning protrusion may not be able to enter the corresponding positioning recess.

[0070] In other embodiments, each positioning recess may have the same cross-sectional profile, but at least one positioning recess may have a different size than the other positioning recesses, or at least one positioning recess may have a different distance from the cavity 3 than the other positioning recesses.

[0071] In other embodiments, the number of positioning recesses can be two, three, four or more. When two positioning recesses are provided, the two positioning recesses can be located on both sides of the cavity 3 respectively. When three or more positioning recesses are provided, the multiple positioning recesses are not located on the same straight line, thereby restricting the rotation between the first mold body 1 and the second mold body 2.

[0072] In this embodiment, the sidewall of the positioning recess can be inclined relative to the depth direction of the positioning recess, so that the opening size of the positioning recess is larger than its bottom size, so that the positioning protrusion can enter or exit the positioning recess. The bottom of the positioning recess and the sidewall can be transitioned by an arc surface to reduce the possibility of tearing at the root of the positioning protrusion during the reverse compound mold and mold opening process.

[0073] In this embodiment, the positioning recess is formed by cutting after the first cavity layer 12 is cured. When the third silicone material is poured on the first parting surface, the liquid third silicone material enters the positioning recess and is cured, thereby forming a positioning protrusion corresponding to the positioning recess on the second cavity layer 21. Through the above-mentioned forming method, the shape of the positioning protrusion can be formed with the inner wall of the positioning recess.

[0074] In other embodiments, the positioning protrusion can be provided in the first cavity layer 12, the positioning recess can be provided in the second cavity layer 21, and a positioning pin can be preset in the support layer 11 or the first cavity layer 12, so that a part of the positioning pin extends out of the first parting surface and a positioning hole that cooperates with the positioning pin is formed in the second cavity layer 21.

[0075] For larger silicone duplication molds, a reinforcing member can be provided within the support layer 11. The reinforcing member can be at least one of a plate-like member, a mesh-like member, a rod-like member, or a frame-like member, and the reinforcing member is at least partially embedded within the support layer 11, so that the support layer 11 covers the upper and peripheral sides of the reinforcing member. Silicone material is left between the reinforcing member and the surface of the support layer 11 facing the first cavity layer 12, thereby preventing the reinforcing member from directly contacting the first cavity layer 12.

[0076] In one specific embodiment, when the reinforcement is a plate-shaped member, it can extend along the length and width directions of the support layer 11. Through holes can be provided on the plate-shaped member to allow the first silicone material to pass through the through holes and connect the silicone materials on both sides of the plate-shaped member.

[0077] In another specific embodiment, when the reinforcement is a mesh, the first silicone material can enter the mesh and cover the mesh wires.

[0078] In another specific embodiment, when the reinforcement is a rod-shaped member, multiple rod-shaped members can be provided, and the multiple rod-shaped members are spaced apart along the length or width direction of the support layer 11.

[0079] In another specific embodiment, when the reinforcement is a frame-shaped member, the frame-shaped member can be arranged around the projection area of ​​the cavity 3 on the support layer 11.

[0080] In this embodiment, the reinforcing member can be made of metal, fiber-reinforced board, rigid resin or other materials with a hardness greater than that of the first silicone material. For molds with a length or width exceeding 500 mm, a metal mesh or metal plate can be provided. For molds with smaller dimensions, no reinforcing member is required.

[0081] In this embodiment, at least one of the first mold body 1 and the second mold body 2 is provided with a feeding channel 5 communicating with the cavity 3 and at least one venting channel 4. The feeding channel 5 has a feeding port communicating with the cavity 3, and the venting channel 4 has an venting channel 4 communicating with the cavity 3. When the silicone replica mold is in the pouring posture, the feeding port can be located in the low region of the cavity 3, and the venting channel 4 can be located in the high region, the recessed region, the end of the thin-walled region, or the region where the replica material last arrives in the cavity 3. The liquid replica material enters the cavity 3 from the feeding channel 5, and the air in the cavity 3 is discharged through the venting channel 4. When replica material appears in the venting channel 4, it can be determined that the corresponding area has been filled with replica material.

[0082] In this embodiment, the cross-section of the feed channel 5 can be circular, elliptical, or polygonal, while the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust channel 4 can be smaller than that of the feed channel 5. Furthermore, one or more feed channels 5 can be provided, and one or more exhaust channels 4 can also be provided. For cavities 3 with multiple high-level areas or multiple mutually separated recessed areas, exhaust channels 4 can be provided separately.

[0083] The following is combined Figure 1 The process of making silicone replica molds is explained.

[0084] First, inspect and clean the mother part, removing oil, dust, and loose attachments from its surface. Determine the parting line, feed line, and venting line based on the holes, recesses, and undercuts on the mother part's surface. Assemble the forming frame according to the mother part's dimensions and seal the joints within the frame.

[0085] In step S1, a first silicone material is poured into the molding frame and allowed to solidify to form a support layer 11. The first silicone material includes component A and component B. The two components are mixed and stirred according to the specified ratio of the silicone material used, and then vacuum degassed before being poured into the molding frame. The pouring thickness of the first silicone material is not less than 20 mm. After pouring, the molding frame is kept horizontal until the first silicone material solidifies.

[0086] When it is necessary to install a reinforcement in the support layer 11, before pouring the first silicone material, the reinforcement is placed in the molding frame, and a gap is left between the reinforcement and the bottom of the molding frame and the predetermined upper surface of the support layer 11, so that the first silicone material can cover the reinforcement.

[0087] In step S2, the mother part is placed on one side of the support layer 11, and a second silicone material is poured onto the support layer 11. After mixing, the second silicone material is vacuum degassed and covers the first part of the mother part, extending 1 mm to 5 mm beyond the predetermined parting position of the mother part.

[0088] To reduce residual air in the grooves and recesses on the surface of the mother part, a layer of second silicone material can be brushed onto the surface of the mother part first, and then the remaining second silicone material can be slowly poured into the molding frame. After the second silicone material cures, it forms a first cavity layer 12, which is connected to the support layer 11 and forms a first molding surface corresponding to the first part of the mother part.

[0089] In step S3, the portion of the first cavity layer 12 that extends beyond the predetermined parting position is removed to form a parting surface and a first positioning portion 13. Specifically, the second silicone material covering the second part of the mother part is cut along the predetermined parting position of the mother part, exposing the second part of the mother part, and a first parting surface is formed on the upper side of the first cavity layer 12.

[0090] Subsequently, at least two locating recesses are formed on the first parting surface. The locating recesses can be formed by cutting with a tool, punching with a punching tool, or pressing with a forming head, and are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the mother part. To define the mold closing orientation, the shape, size, or position of at least one locating recess may differ from the other locating recesses.

[0091] In step S4, before pouring the third silicone material, the feed channel 5 molding is connected to the feed area of ​​the mother part, and at least one venting channel 4 molding is connected to the corresponding position of the mother part. The feed channel 5 molding can be a cylindrical rod, a conical rod, or a tubular part, and the venting channel 4 molding can be a thin rod with a diameter smaller than that of the feed channel 5 molding. The feed channel 5 molding and the venting channel 4 molding can be fixed to the mother part by hot melt adhesive, removable adhesive, or plug-in structure.

[0092] The feed channel 5 forming part can be set in the low area of ​​the mother part or in the area where subsequent trimming is allowed, and the exhaust channel 4 forming part can be set in the high area, recessed area, thin-walled end or other area where air is easily trapped in the mother part.

[0093] After installing the feed channel 5 molding part and the venting channel 4 molding part, a release medium is applied to the first parting surface, the inner wall of the positioning recess, and the exposed second part surface of the mother part. The release medium can be petroleum jelly, release wax, silicone release agent, or a release film compatible with silicone materials.

[0094] The third silicone material, after being mixed and degassed under vacuum, is slowly poured onto the first cavity layer 12 and the second part of the mother part, so that the third silicone material covers the first parting surface, the second part of the mother part, the feed channel 5 molding part, and the exhaust channel 4 molding part, and enters the positioning recess on the first parting surface. After the third silicone material cures, it forms the second cavity layer 21, and positioning protrusions that respectively mate with the positioning recesses are formed on the second cavity layer 21.

[0095] In step S5, after the third silicone material cures to form the second cavity layer 21, the molding frame is removed, and the first cavity layer 12 and the second cavity layer 21 are separated from each other along the parting surface. For the partially bonded areas, a tool can be used to cut along the junction of the first and second parting surfaces, but the tool should be kept away from the first and second molding surfaces.

[0096] After the first cavity layer 12 and the second cavity layer 21 are separated, the parent part is removed by the elastic deformation of the first cavity layer 12 and the second cavity layer 21, so that the first molding surface of the first cavity layer 12 and the second molding surface of the second cavity layer 21 together form a cavity 3 for molding a replica.

[0097] In step S6, the feed channel 5 molding and the exhaust channel 4 molding are removed. After the feed channel 5 molding is removed, a feed channel 5 communicating with the cavity 3 is formed. After the exhaust channel 4 molding is removed, an exhaust channel 4 communicating with the cavity 3 is formed. If necessary, the openings of the feed channel 5 and the exhaust channel 4 can be adjusted to ensure that the feed channel 5 and the exhaust channel 4 are unobstructed.

[0098] In step S7, the first molding surface, the second molding surface, the parting surface, the positioning recess, the positioning protrusion, the feed channel 5, and the venting channel 4 are inspected to remove residual silicone debris and to check for pores, missing adhesive, cracks, or protrusions formed by the accumulation of insulating medium. For burrs or flash formed at the edges of the parting surface and at the channel openings, a tool is used to trim them.

[0099] In step S8, the first mold body 1 and the second mold body 2 are refitted so that the positioning protrusions enter the corresponding positioning recesses respectively, and the fitting state of the first parting surface and the second parting surface, as well as the connection state of the feeding channel 5 and the exhaust channel 4 are checked.

[0100] When the first mold body 1 and the second mold body 2 can fit together in the predetermined orientation, the positioning protrusion and the positioning recess fit well, there are no continuous gaps on the parting surface, and the feeding channel 5 and the venting channel 4 remain unobstructed, the production of the silicone duplication mold is completed.

[0101] With the above structure, the first mold body 1 is jointly composed of a support layer 11 and a first cavity layer 12 with different hardness. The support layer 11 is located on the side of the first cavity layer 12 away from the second mold body 2 and supports the first cavity layer 12. The first cavity layer 12 and the second cavity layer 21 together form the cavity 3, so that the load-bearing function and the elastic deformation required during demolding are respectively borne by silicone layers with different hardness. At the same time, the first positioning part 13 and the second positioning part 22 are disposed at the parting surface on the outer periphery of the cavity 3 and cooperate with each other to restrict the relative movement of the first mold body 1 and the second mold body 2 along the parting surface. Plate-shaped, mesh-shaped, rod-shaped, or frame-shaped components can also be embedded in the support layer 11. The positioning part can adopt a groove-convex fit, a hole-post fit, or a positioning pin and positioning hole fit. The isolation medium can be petroleum jelly, release wax, or silicone release agent. The mother part can be placed directly on the support layer 11 or suspended above the support layer 11 by a support member. This can accommodate different mother parts with flat mounting surfaces, curved surfaces, recesses, holes, or partial undercuts. The thickness of each silicone layer, the number of positioning parts, and the number of feeding channels 5 and venting channels 4 can be adjusted according to the size of the mother part.

[0102] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0103] The present invention has been described in detail above as a silicone replica mold and its manufacturing method. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the invention. The descriptions of the embodiments above are merely for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to the present invention without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A silicone molding die, characterized in that, include: The first mold (1) includes a support layer (11) and a first cavity layer (12) disposed on one side of the support layer (11). The second mold (2) includes a second cavity layer (21) that can be separably fitted with the first cavity layer (12); A parting surface is formed between the first cavity layer (12) and the second cavity layer (21). The first cavity layer (12) and the second cavity layer (21) together form a cavity (3) for molding a replica. The first cavity layer (12) and the second cavity layer (21) are respectively provided with a first positioning part (13) and a second positioning part (22) that cooperate with each other at the parting surface. The support layer (11) is formed of a first silicone material, the first cavity layer (12) is formed of a second silicone material, and the second cavity layer (21) is formed of a third silicone material. The hardness of the first silicone material is greater than that of the second silicone material and the third silicone material.

2. The silicone die-casting mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first positioning part (13) includes at least two positioning recesses disposed in the first cavity layer (12), and the second positioning part (22) includes positioning protrusions disposed in the second cavity layer (21) and respectively used to cooperate with the positioning recesses; At least two of the positioning recesses are spaced apart along the outer periphery of the cavity (3).

3. The silicone replica mold according to claim 2, characterized in that, At least one of the positioning recesses has a cross-sectional profile different from the other positioning recesses, so that the first mold (1) and the second mold (2) fit together in a predetermined orientation.

4. The silicone replica mold according to claim 2, characterized in that, The positioning recess is a groove-shaped structure or a hole-shaped structure, and the shape of the positioning protrusion is adapted to the inner wall shape of the positioning recess.

5. The silicone replica mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support layer (11) is provided with a reinforcing member, which includes at least one of a plate-shaped member, a mesh-shaped member, a rod-shaped member or a frame-shaped member; The reinforcement is at least partially embedded in the support layer (11), and a plurality of the reinforcements are arranged at intervals.

6. The silicone replica mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support layer (11) has a Shore A hardness of 40-50 and a thickness of not less than 20 mm. The first cavity layer (12) and the second cavity layer (21) have Shore A hardness of 20-30 respectively.

7. The silicone replica mold according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the first mold body (1) and the second mold body (2) is provided with a feeding channel (5) communicating with the cavity (3) and at least one exhaust channel (4); The feeding channel (5) has a feeding port that communicates with the cavity (3), and the exhaust channel (4) has an exhaust channel 4 that communicates with the cavity (3).

8. A method for manufacturing a silicone replica mold, characterized in that, include: The first silicone material is poured into the molding frame and cured to form a support layer (11). The mother piece is placed on one side of the support layer (11), and a second silicone material is poured onto the support layer (11) so that the second silicone material covers the first part of the mother piece and extends beyond the predetermined parting position of the mother piece, and is cured to form a first cavity layer (12). Remove the portion of the first cavity layer (12) that extends beyond the predetermined parting position to form a parting surface on the upper side of the first cavity layer (12), and form at least two positioning recesses spaced apart along the outer periphery of the mother piece on the parting surface; An isolation medium is provided on the parting surface, and a third silicone material is poured on the first cavity layer (12) and the second part of the mother piece, so that the third silicone material is cured to form a second cavity layer (21), and positioning protrusions that cooperate with the positioning recesses are formed on the second cavity layer (21); Separate the first cavity layer (12) and the second cavity layer (21) and remove the mother part, so that the first cavity layer (12) and the second cavity layer (21) together form a cavity (3) for molding the replica. The hardness of the first silicone material after curing is greater than that of the second and third silicone materials after curing.

9. The manufacturing method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Before pouring the first silicone material into the molding frame and allowing the first silicone material to cure to form the support layer (11), the process further includes: The reinforcement is placed inside the molding frame, and the first silicone material covers the reinforcement so that the reinforcement is at least partially embedded in the support layer (11).

10. The manufacturing method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, Before casting the second and third silicone materials, the mixed second and third silicone materials are subjected to vacuum degassing. The feed channel (5) molding is connected to the feed area of ​​the mother part, and at least one exhaust channel (4) molding is connected to the mother part; After the third silicone material is cured, the feed channel (5) molding part and the exhaust channel (4) molding part are removed to form a feed channel (5) and an exhaust channel (4) 4 that communicate with the cavity (3).

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