B29C33/00

Phantom production tool

The present disclosure relates to a tool used to producing anatomical phantoms. The tool includes an inner flexible mold which sits inside a rigid, thermally conductive outer shell. The rigid shell may be made out of aluminum. The silicone mold and thermally conductive shell both include at least two interlocking components. The shell is held together by a locking mechanism which can expand upon internal pressure. An anatomical phantom is produced from polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel by freezing and thawing a PVA liquid precursor in the silicone mold and demolding it.

Molded product having hollow interior region
10919185 · 2021-02-16 · ·

A molded a product includes a body including a hollow interior region and a plurality of openings in communication between an interior region and an exterior of the body. The body is formed from a resilient material that enables the product to stretch and retract to an original shape without tearing or breaking when removing a first part of a core of a mold from a first portion of the interior region through a first opening of the plurality of openings and a second part of the core of the mold from a second portion of the interior region through at least one of the first opening and a second opening of the plurality of openings, the first and second parts of the core of the mold being larger than each of the plurality of openings.

Method of manufacturing gasket
10960599 · 2021-03-30 · ·

A process for producing gaskets by curing a liquid molding material applied over a plate by a dispenser, wherein in order to improve accuracy in the cross-sectional shape and/or height of the gaskets, the process comprises the steps of: using a dispenser to coat the upper surface of a plate with a liquid molding material, and form a coating layer extending endlessly in a prescribed pattern; and overlapping a molding jig on the plate, the molding jig having in a lower surface a molding groove extending endlessly in a prescribed pattern corresponding to the coating layer, correcting the cross-sectional shape of the coating layer to a cross-sectional shape that corresponds to the molding groove, and curing the coating layer.

Prepreg manufacturing device and prepreg manufacturing method using same

Disclosed are a prepreg manufacturing device and a prepreg manufacturing method using the same. A prepreg manufacturing device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first resin inflow part which is formed inside an upper mold, receives a resin supplied from an extruder, and discharges the resin to a reinforced fiber flowing to a lower part in the upper mold; and a second resin inflow part which is formed inside a lower mold, receives the resin supplied from the extruder, and discharges the resin to the reinforced fiber flowing to an upper part of the lower mold.

Press assembly having a press tool

A press tool for a press assembly includes an additive manufactured body including a plurality of stacked layers of additive manufacturable material extending between an interior side and an exterior side. The interior side has a part forming surface including a surface profile for forming a part. The exterior side has a plurality of hollow cores defined by longitudinal walls and lateral walls meeting at joints. Press inserts are coupled to the longitudinal walls and the lateral walls at the exterior side. The press inserts are configured to be pressed inward by a pressing load during a pressing operation for forming the part. The press inserts distribute the pressing load along the longitudinal and lateral walls.

Energy dissipating helmet
10939719 · 2021-03-09 ·

A helmet has inner and outer shells separated by a plurality of interconnected relatively soft columns or posts. The columns each have a middle post or pillar section, a capital that is of larger diameter than the post, and a base also of larger transverse dimension than the post. When an impact above a design threshold occurs on the outer shell, the columns, particularly the post sections thereof, near the impact location compress and buckle, dissipating impact kinetic energy, while columns spaced from the impact zone stretch and support more of the impact force. The applied force is therefore reduced and spread out over a relatively large area, and a resultant wave created within the column manifold disperses additional heat, further reducing the force and torque applied on the outer shell and transmitted to the inner shell and onto the skull of a helmet user. A method and mold for fabricating the column manifold are also disclosed.

WINDOW SURROUND FOR A VEHICLE
20210078393 · 2021-03-18 ·

A method of manufacturing a window surround for a vehicle, a window surround for a vehicle, and a device for manufacturing a window surround. The window surround includes a first component to serve as a circumferential support frame to hold a window glass panel, a second component, composed of a material of less hardness than the material of the first component, onto the first component, to serve as a circumferential sealing element, and a third component that is composed of a high gloss material. The method includes injection molding the first component onto a window glass panel, then injection molding the second component onto the first component, and then injection molding the third component onto the first component.

3-D flex circuit forming

A process for deforming a flex circuit using a fixture assembly including a base plate having a recess, a wrinkle reducer plate, a stiffening block and a punch. The process including heating the fixture assembly; applying a force to the punch deforming the flex circuit into the recess in the base plate; holding the punch in contact with the flex circuit while heating the fixture assembly; cooling the fixture assembly with the punch in contact with the flex circuit; subsequent to cooling the fixture assembly, removing the force of the punch; and removing the flex circuit from the fixture assembly. The flex circuit having a recessed portion resulting from deforming the flex circuit into the recess in the base plate and a flat portion surrounding the recessed portion.

OPEN AREA CORE SANDWICH STRUCTURE MANUFACTURING TOOL

A tool for manufacturing a sandwich composite material component is provided that includes a lower tool having a surface configured to receive materials for forming the sandwich composite material component. An upper tool is also provided that has a sealing edge and a cutting edge. The upper tool and the lower tool are configured to be separated to an open position and to be brought together to a closed position, the upper tool and the lower tool define a cavity when in the closed position. A process for forming a sandwich composite material component is also provided.

System and method for gas bleed lines in composite part molding operations

An apparatus for molding a composite material comprising a plurality of mold pieces that cooperate to form a mold having a mold cavity for molding a composite part, the plurality of mold pieces split along a plurality of part lines configured to reduce voiding, the plurality of part lines comprising part lines running from a plurality of voiding areas of the mold cavity to an outer surface of the mold and adapted to provide bleed lines for the plurality of voiding areas.