A gas-assisted compression molding vulcanization forming mold and method for a gas bladder

Abstract

The application belongs to the field of gas bladder molds, and particularly discloses a gas-assisted mold pressing vulcanization forming mold and method for a gas bladder, which comprises an outer mold cylinder, an inner mold column and two gas bladder bowls; the gas bladder bowl is provided with through holes, the two ends of the inner mold column respectively penetrate through the two through holes, and the inner side of the outer mold cylinder is provided with texture protrusions; the outer mold cylinder with the texture protrusions is arranged, so that the surface of the formed gas bladder forms texture grooves, which are not only beautiful but also have the functions of air permeability, cleanliness and anti-adsorption; the cylindrical design of the inner mold column and the outer mold cylinder ensures the uniformity of the wall thickness of the gas bladder; in the process of the gas-assisted mold pressing vulcanization forming, the high-pressure gas not only makes the gas bladder blank uniformly expand and fill the cavity, reduces defects such as insufficient glue and bubbles, but also improves the vulcanization cross-linking reaction rate, uses the latent heat of water phase change to compensate for the heat transfer hysteresis, and improves the quality and production efficiency of the gas bladder.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of gas bladder molds, specifically relating to a gas-assisted compression molding vulcanization mold and method for gas bladders. Background Technology

[0002] Air chambers have a wide range of applications, such as automotive shock absorption, medical devices, and industrial equipment cushioning. The molding process is extremely crucial in the manufacturing of air chambers.

[0003] Traditional air bladder molding molds and methods have several drawbacks. Regarding surface treatment, the molded air bladder surface is relatively smooth and lacks specific texture, affecting not only aesthetics but also making surface cleaning difficult during actual use due to the absence of textured grooves as ventilation channels. When the air bladder is in close contact with other objects over a large area, it is prone to adsorption due to negative pressure, affecting subsequent normal operation. Traditional methods are ineffective when filling complex textured areas of the mold, easily resulting in defects such as insufficient glue and air bubbles. Furthermore, uneven heating during vulcanization can lead to under- or over-vulcanization, affecting product performance consistency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a gas-assisted molding vulcanization mold and method for air bladders, so as to solve the problem mentioned in the background art that traditional molds are difficult to produce texture on the surface of air bladders during processing.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A gas-assisted compression molding vulcanization mold for an air-filled cylinder includes an outer mold cylinder, an inner mold pillar, and two air-filled cups; the air-filled cups are provided with through holes, the two ends of the inner mold pillar pass through the two through holes respectively, and the inner side of the outer mold cylinder is provided with textured protrusions.

[0007] Preferably, the outer mold cylinder has a circular cross-section, and the inner mold column has a cylindrical cross-section.

[0008] Preferably, the air liner is provided with a limiting block, the outer diameter of which is adapted to the inner diameter of the outer mold cylinder.

[0009] A gas-assisted compression molding vulcanization method for an air bladder includes:

[0010] S1. Place the inner mold column into the air bladder blank, so that both ends of the inner mold column protrude out of the air bladder blank to form a prefabricated component.

[0011] S2. Place the prefabricated component into the cavity of the outer mold cylinder, and then fit two air cups onto the two ends of the inner mold column through the through hole, so that the openings at both ends of the outer mold cylinder are closed to form a molding mold.

[0012] S3. Place the forming mold in the press, and use the hydraulic press to press and fix the forming mold and transfer heat.

[0013] S4. High-pressure gas is injected into the cavity through the air inlet channel of the air chamber, causing the air chamber blank to expand and fill the cavity. Under the heat of the press, a vulcanization reaction occurs until the vulcanization is completed.

[0014] S5. After releasing the high-pressure air, remove the molding mold from the press and remove the air bladder. Then, remove the vulcanized and shaped air bladder from the outer mold cylinder.

[0015] Preferably, the pressure of the high-pressure gas is 0.5-5 MPa.

[0016] Preferably, the vulcanization molding temperature is 150-200 degrees Celsius, and the vulcanization time is 10-30 minutes.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0018] This invention features an outer mold cylinder with textured protrusions, creating textured grooves on the surface of the air bladder after molding. This design is aesthetically pleasing and provides ventilation, cleaning, and anti-adhesion functions. The cylindrical design of the inner mold column and outer mold cylinder ensures uniform wall thickness of the air bladder. During the gas-assisted molding and vulcanization process, the high-pressure gas not only causes the air bladder blank to expand evenly and fill the cavity, reducing defects such as insufficient glue and air bubbles, but also increases the vulcanization crosslinking reaction rate. The latent heat of water phase change compensates for heat transfer lag, improving the quality and production efficiency of the air bladder. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. Wherein:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the structure of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the preparation of the gas bladder in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the preparation of the gas bladder in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0025] In the diagram: 1. Outer mold cylinder; 2. Inner mold pillar; 3. Air liner; 4. Limiting block; 5. Textured protrusion; 6. Through hole. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0027] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0028] Secondly, the term "one embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in different places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a single or selective embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments.

[0029] As attached Figure 1 To be continued Figure 5 As shown:

[0030] Example 1: This example provides a gas-assisted molding vulcanization mold for an air bladder, including an outer mold cylinder 1, an inner mold pillar 2 and two air bladder bowls 3; the air bladder bowls 3 are provided with through holes 6, the two ends of the inner mold pillar 2 are respectively through the two through holes 6, and the inner side of the outer mold cylinder 1 is provided with textured protrusions 5.

[0031] When the blank is placed in the mold, it will fit tightly against the textured protrusions 5. After curing, the surface of the air bladder will form textured grooves corresponding to the textured protrusions 5, which is more aesthetically pleasing. At the same time, the textured grooves can serve as ventilation channels, promoting airflow and achieving a surface cleaning effect. Furthermore, when the surface is in contact with other objects over a large area, the micro-gaps created by the textured grooves break the continuous and sealed contact surface, allowing air to circulate freely and eliminating negative pressure. This prevents the air bladder from being directly adsorbed and connected together after contacting gaseous objects, which would affect subsequent operations.

[0032] Specifically, the outer mold cylinder 1 has a circular cross-section, and the inner mold column 2 has a cylindrical cross-section.

[0033] By using an annular outer mold cylinder 1 and a cylindrical inner mold column 2, the blank and the formed air bladder enter and exit the mold through the upper and lower openings of the outer mold cylinder 1 at the air bladder bowl 3, thereby improving the overall smoothness of the outer surface of the formed air bladder.

[0034] The outer mold cylinder 1 is used to constrain the outline and specifications of the air bladder during molding, and the inner mold column 2 is used to support the inside of the air bladder during molding, ensuring that the wall thickness of the air bladder is uniform, so that the molded air bladder is a hollow cylinder.

[0035] Specifically, a limiting block 4 is provided on the air chamber 3, and the outer diameter of the limiting block 4 is adapted to the inner diameter of the outer mold cylinder 1.

[0036] The limiting block 4 is filled between the outer mold cylinder 1 and the inner mold pillar 2 to limit the relative position of the outer mold cylinder 1 and the inner mold pillar 2, while ensuring that the cavity specifications meet the requirements.

[0037] As can be seen from the above, in this embodiment, the textured protrusion 5 is set with a wavy curved groove, which can provide multi-directional support for the air bladder, disperse pressure, delay fatigue deformation, and improve multi-directional anti-slip performance.

[0038] Example 2: This example provides a gas-assisted molding vulcanization mold for an air bladder, including an outer mold cylinder 1, an inner mold pillar 2 and two air bladder bowls 3; the air bladder bowls 3 are provided with through holes 6, the two ends of the inner mold pillar 2 are respectively through the two through holes 6, and the inner side of the outer mold cylinder 1 is provided with textured protrusions 5.

[0039] When the blank is placed in the mold, it will fit tightly against the textured protrusions 5. After curing, the surface of the air bladder will form textured grooves corresponding to the textured protrusions 5, which is more aesthetically pleasing. At the same time, the textured grooves can serve as ventilation channels, promoting airflow and achieving a surface cleaning effect. Furthermore, when the surface is in contact with other objects over a large area, the micro-gaps created by the textured grooves break the continuous and sealed contact surface, allowing air to circulate freely and eliminating negative pressure. This prevents the air bladder from being directly adsorbed and connected together after contacting gaseous objects, which would affect subsequent operations.

[0040] Specifically, the outer mold cylinder 1 has a circular cross-section, and the inner mold column 2 has a cylindrical cross-section.

[0041] By using an annular outer mold cylinder 1 and a cylindrical inner mold pillar 2, the blank and the formed air bladder enter and exit the mold through the upper and lower openings of the outer mold cylinder 1 at the air bladder bowl 3. This improves the overall smoothness of the outer surface of the formed air bladder and avoids the traditional upper and lower openings.

[0042] The outer mold cylinder 1 is used to constrain the outline and specifications of the air bladder during molding, and the inner mold column 2 is used to support the inside of the air bladder during molding, ensuring that the wall thickness of the air bladder is uniform, so that the molded air bladder is a hollow cylinder.

[0043] Specifically, a limiting block 4 is provided on the air chamber 3, and the outer diameter of the limiting block 4 is adapted to the inner diameter of the outer mold cylinder 1.

[0044] The limiting block 4 is filled between the outer mold cylinder 1 and the inner mold pillar 2 to limit the relative position of the outer mold cylinder 1 and the inner mold pillar 2, while ensuring that the cavity specifications meet the requirements.

[0045] As can be seen from the above, in this embodiment, the textured protrusion 5 is set with straight grooves in a single line pattern, which improves the air tank's resistance to bending along the groove direction, and the straight grooves facilitate the passage of water and air, thus improving the self-cleaning effect.

[0046] Example 3: This example provides a gas-assisted compression molding vulcanization method for an air bladder, including:

[0047] S1. Place the inner mold column 2 into the air bladder blank, so that both ends of the inner mold column 2 protrude out of the air bladder blank to form a prefabricated component.

[0048] S2. Place the prefabricated component into the cavity of the outer mold cylinder 1, and then fit the two air cups 3 onto the two ends of the inner mold column 2 through the through hole 6, so that the openings at both ends of the outer mold cylinder 1 are closed to form a molding mold.

[0049] S3. Place the forming mold in the press, and use the hydraulic press to press and fix the forming mold and transfer heat.

[0050] S4. High-pressure gas is injected into the cavity through the air inlet channel of the air chamber 3, causing the air chamber blank to expand and fill the cavity, and a vulcanization reaction occurs under the heat of the press until the vulcanization is completed.

[0051] S5. After releasing the high-pressure air, remove the molding mold from the press and remove the air bladder 3. Then, remove the vulcanized and shaped air bladder product from the outer mold cylinder 1.

[0052] Specifically, the pressure of the high-pressure gas is 0.5-5 MPa.

[0053] Specifically, the vulcanization temperature is 150-200 degrees Celsius, and the vulcanization time is 10-30 minutes.

[0054] As can be seen from the above, the air bladder blank is an unvulcanized rubber part with a basic shape. The material includes, but is not limited to, nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, silicone, etc. By introducing high-pressure air, the interior of the air bladder expands, and the soft unvulcanized blank is pressed tightly against the inner wall of the mold, so that it fills the complex texture area of ​​the mold more evenly, and reduces defects such as missing glue and air bubbles, thereby improving efficiency. Then, the heat generated by the press promotes the vulcanization reaction of the rubber until the vulcanization and shaping are completed. The press can be a flat vulcanizing machine. While pressing the mold to limit its position, heat is generated through the heating plate on it and conducted to the blank through the mold metal to vulcanize it.

[0055] High-pressure air squeezes the rubber blank, expelling internal air bubbles and making the rubber densely fit the mold cavity. This eliminates the air insulation layer, and the close contact between the rubber and the mold reduces the heat conduction resistance, allowing heat to penetrate the rubber thickness more quickly. The gas pressure makes the rubber expand evenly, avoiding under-curing (cold spots) or over-curing (hot spots) caused by uneven local heating.

[0056] High pressure environment (0.5-5MPa) reduces the distance between rubber molecular chains, increases the probability of molecular collision, and increases the rate of vulcanization crosslinking reaction.

[0057] By utilizing the trace amount of moisture contained in the hygroscopic rubber blank, after high-pressure air is injected, the water molecules rapidly vaporize under high temperature and pressure → phase change releases latent heat (2257 kJ / kg). This part of the heat acts directly on the interior of the rubber, compensating for the heat transfer lag of the mold.

[0058] It is important to note that the constructions and arrangements of this application shown in several different exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative. Although only a few embodiments are described in detail in this disclosure, those who consult this disclosure will readily understand that many modifications are possible (e.g., changes in the size, dimensions, structure, shape, and proportions of various elements, as well as parameter values ​​(e.g., temperature, pressure, etc.), mounting arrangements, use of materials, color, orientation, etc.) without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter described in this application). For example, an element shown as integrally formed may be composed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be inverted or otherwise altered, and the nature or number or position of discrete elements may be changed or altered. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be changed or rearranged according to alternative embodiments. In the claims, any "device plus function" clause is intended to cover the structure described herein that performs the function, and not only structurally equivalent but also equivalent in structure. Other substitutions, modifications, alterations, and omissions may be made in the design, operation, and arrangement of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, but extends to various modifications that still fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0059] Furthermore, in order to provide a concise description of exemplary embodiments, not all features of actual embodiments (i.e., those features that are not relevant to the best mode of carrying out the invention as currently considered, or those features that are not relevant to implementing the invention) may be omitted.

[0060] It should be understood that numerous specific implementation decisions can be made during the development of any practical implementation, such as in any engineering or design project. Such development efforts may be complex and time-consuming, but for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure, the development effort will be a routine work of design, manufacturing, and production without requiring much experimentation.

[0061] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A gas-assisted compression molding vulcanization mold for an air-filled bladder, characterized in that: It includes an outer mold cylinder (1), an inner mold column (2), and two air-filled bowls (3); The gas chamber (3) has a through hole (6) inside, and the two ends of the inner mold column (2) pass through the two through holes (6) respectively. The inner side of the outer mold cylinder (1) has textured protrusions (5).

2. The gas-assisted compression molding and vulcanization mold for an air bladder according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer mold cylinder (1) has a circular cross-section, and the inner mold column (2) has a cylindrical cross-section.

3. The gas-assisted compression molding and vulcanization mold for an air bladder according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gas chamber (3) is provided with a limiting block (4), the outer diameter of which is adapted to the inner diameter of the outer mold cylinder (1).

4. A gas-assisted compression molding vulcanization method for an air bladder, characterized in that: include: S1. Place the inner mold column (2) into the air bladder blank, so that both ends of the inner mold column (2) protrude out of the air bladder blank to form a prefabricated component. S2. Place the prefabricated components into the cavity of the outer mold cylinder (1), and then put the two air cups (3) into the two ends of the inner mold column (2) through the through hole (6) so that the openings at both ends of the outer mold cylinder (1) are closed to form a molding mold. S3. Place the forming mold in the press, and use the hydraulic press to press and fix the forming mold and transfer heat. S4. High-pressure gas is injected into the cavity through the air inlet channel of the air chamber (3), causing the air chamber blank to expand and fill the cavity, and undergo a vulcanization reaction under the heat of the press until the vulcanization is finalized. S5. After releasing the high-pressure air, remove the molding mold from the press and remove the air bladder (3). Then, remove the vulcanized and shaped air bladder from the outer mold cylinder (1).

5. The gas-assisted compression molding vulcanization method for an air bladder according to claim 4, characterized in that: The pressure of the high-pressure gas is 0.5-5 MPa.

6. The gas-assisted compression molding vulcanization method for an air bladder according to claim 4, characterized in that: The vulcanization molding temperature is 150-200 degrees Celsius, and the vulcanization time is 10-30 minutes.

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