Mold Tool Assembly Movable Plunger Sealing Foam Holes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mold tool assemblies for forming foam bodies with holes require post-processing to remove flash and thin films at the tool interface, affecting the uniformity and openness of climate/comfort holes, which complicates the production process.
Innovation Solution
A mold tool assembly with a movable plunger and actuator system that seals and clears flash from the protrusion cavity, allowing the foam body to be molded without post-processing, by moving between engaged and disengaged positions to prevent foam leakage and remove excess material from the hole openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional mold tool assembly is used to form foam bodies with holes, then the production process can proceed with basic molding capability, but post-processing is required to remove flash and thin films at the tool interface, affecting hole uniformity and openness
Solution Approach 1:
The movable plunger is positioned in advance within the protrusion cavity before molding occurs. During the molding process, the plunger proactively seals the protrusion cavity to prevent foam leakage, and then moves to clear flash from the hole openings. This preliminary positioning and proactive sealing action eliminates the need for post-processing to remove flash and thin films, thereby improving hole uniformity and openness without requiring complex additional equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable plunger performs dual functions within the mold tool assembly: it seals the protrusion cavity during molding and subsequently clears flash from the hole openings. By integrating these functions into a single component that operates automatically through its movement between positions, the system achieves self-service capability, eliminating the need for separate post-processing operations and maintaining simplicity while improving precision.
2Productivity
If post-processing is used to remove flash from hole openings, then flash can be removed, but the production process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The movable plunger clears flash from the hole openings during the molding process itself, before the foam body is removed from the mold. This preliminary clearing action integrates the flash removal function into the molding cycle, eliminating the need for separate post-processing steps and thereby reducing overall production cycle time without adding device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flash clearing function is merged with the molding process by using the movable plunger to perform both sealing during molding and flash clearing afterward. This combination of functions into a single integrated mechanism eliminates the need for separate post-processing equipment and steps, improving productivity while maintaining simple device architecture.
3Manufacturing precision
If the movable plunger seals the protrusion cavity during molding, then foam leakage is prevented and hole uniformity is improved, but the plunger must be precisely positioned and controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The movable plunger is designed to automatically perform its sealing and flash-clearing functions through its movement between engaged and disengaged positions, without requiring complex external control systems. The plunger's own movement mechanism provides the necessary positioning control, simplifying the detection and measurement requirements while maintaining hole uniformity through reliable sealing action.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the formation of foam bodies with continuous holes that are open at both surfaces, reducing the need for post-processing steps and ensuring uniformity and airflow through the holes without additional processing.
Implementation Method 1
the actuator may be a spring and the movable plunger may be displaced between the engaged and disengaged position based on compression and decompression of the spring
Implementation Method 2
In the engaged position, the movable plunger contacts the protrusion to seal the protrusion cavity
Implementation Method 3
in the disengaged position, at least a portion of the movable plunger extends below a bottom surface of the second tool into the hole
Data Source
AI summary
A mold tool assembly includes a first tool having a protrusion for producing a respective hole in a foam body and a second tool configured to cooperate with the first tool to mold the foam body. The second tool defines a cavity corresponding to the protrusion. The mold tool assembly also includes a movable plunger for clearing flash corresponding to and located at least partially within the cavity in the second tool, and movable between a disengaged position when the first and second tools are separated, and an engaged position when the first and second tools are closed. The mold tool assembly also includes an actuator configured to move the movable plunger between the engaged position and the disengaged position. In the engaged position, the movable plunger contacts the protrusion to seal the cavity, and in the disengaged position, at least a portion of the movable plunger extends below a bottom surface of the second tool into the hole.