Seal Member Molding Near Flange Shapes Without Larger Base Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing molding methods for seal members on base materials with flange shapes require a significant distance between the flange and the seal member, leading to increased product size, as the entire base material area must be expanded to accommodate the seal member, which is undesirable.
Innovation Solution
A molding method involving a first mold with a groove and connecting grooves that allows the seal material to be injected and vulcanized in an unvulcanized state, then molded onto the base material with a second mold, creating a gap between the inclined portion and the seal member, reducing the distance between the seal member and the inclined portion without increasing the base material's overall area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the seal member is molded close to the flange shape of the base material, then the distance between the inclined portion and the seal member is reduced, but the molding becomes difficult due to the geometric constraint of the flange shape
Solution Approach 1:
The molding process is divided into two independent stages: first molding the seal member in the vicinity of the inclined portion without full clamping, then clamping and molding the rest of the base material. This segmentation allows the seal member to be formed close to the flange shape without interference, resolving the contradiction between reducing distance and maintaining manufacturability.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member is molded in advance before the base material is fully clamped. By performing the seal member molding as a preliminary action while the mold is still open, the process avoids the geometric constraints that would exist during full clamping, enabling closer positioning to the inclined portion.
2Length of moving object
If the entire base material area is increased to accommodate the seal member, then the seal member can be positioned closer to the flange shape, but the product size increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The molding process is divided into two independent stages: first molding the seal member in the vicinity of the inclined portion without full clamping, then clamping and molding the rest of the base material. This segmentation allows the seal member to be formed close to the flange shape without interference, resolving the contradiction between reducing distance and maintaining manufacturability.
3Area of moving object
If the seal member is molded in the vicinity of the flange shape, then the recessed area within the seal member increases, but the distance between the seal member and the inclined portion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is molded in advance before the base material is fully clamped. By performing the seal member molding as a preliminary action while the mold is still open, the process avoids the geometric constraints that would exist during full clamping, enabling closer positioning to the inclined portion while still achieving the desired recessed area.
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
This method effectively reduces the distance between the inclined portion and the seal member, allowing for a larger recessed area within the seal member without enlarging the base material's overall size, thus preventing unnecessary product size increases.
Implementation Method 1
injecting a raw material for the seal member into a groove at a temperature where the raw material is not vulcanized (crosslinked)
Implementation Method 2
molding the raw material onto the base material as the seal member at a temperature where the raw material is vulcanized (crosslinked)
Implementation Method 3
the rubber material 1050 is injected into the groove 1026. The molding machine 1000 molds the seal member onto the base material 1040 such as a separator by crosslinking the rubber material 1050 using, for example, heat at 80° C. to 220° C. generated by the heating plate 1010
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are a molding method and a mold capable of further reducing the distance between a base material and a seal member. A molding method includes: a preforming step of injecting a rubber material into a groove at a temperature where the rubber material is not vulcanized, in a cavity plate including the groove into which the rubber material is injected; and a vulcanization molding step of sandwiching a base material between the cavity plate and a mold, and molding the rubber material onto the base material as a seal member at a temperature where the rubber material is vulcanized. The cavity plate includes a gap forming portion between such portion and an inclined portion of the base material when a flat surface and a flat surface of the base material are pressed in the vulcanization molding, and a connecting groove connecting the groove and the gap forming portion.