An apparatus and method for forming a design on an expanded bead foam article such as an exercise roller is provided.

A sports board formed of expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam and a method for making the sports board using a steam-chest molding process includes molding the sports board to finished shape, such that no post-molding processing of the board is required, and such that the sports board is of monolithic construction and fully recyclable. The molding process is configured to form a continuous exterior skin of the board, to resist water ingression, the exterior skin including one or more purchase surface areas, each purchase surface area including a plurality of protrusion clusters, each protrusion cluster formed by controlled extrusion of the EPP foam into steam vents distributed in a predefined pattern within the mold cavity to form steam vent markings. The molding process is configured such that selected areas of the board surface are contoured for undisrupted water flow over the board and to resist breakage or chipping in use.

Blowing agent introduction polymeric foam processing methods and systems are described herein.

A molding tool for producing molded parts from expandable plastic beads. The molding tool has an inner wall facing the molded part and an outer wall facing away from the molded part, between which a hollow space is formed for conveying a heating/cooling medium, and the inner and outer walls are connected to each other in some areas by spacers. Inside the spacers, through bores are formed, which convey steam, pass through the outer and inner walls, and are sealed relative to the hollow space.

A tool for the manufacture of foam parts includes walls enclosing a cavity corresponding to the shape of the foam parts to be manufactured, each wall having an inner surface adjacent to the cavity. At least one of the walls has at least one filamentary wall portion which includes at least one part of the inner surface of the respective wall, and which has layers of filamentary filaments running parallel to one another.

The invention relates to a mold for a device for manufacturing particle foam articles. The mold delimits a mold cavity. The mold includes a mold chase and at least one mold plate movable relative to the mold chase. The mold chase is characterized in that it comprises front walls that are formed to be more rigid than the inner wall facing the mold cavity. According to another aspect of the invention, the mold plate comprises a reinforcing structure, which is formed independently of a hollow chamber structure of the mold plate, wherein vapor is conducted exclusively through the hollow chamber structure of the mold plate. Furthermore, fins of the hollow chamber structure can be arranged slanted, so that condensed water forming in the hollow chamber structure flows away from the inner wall of the mold plate. According to another aspect, a sealing element is provided, which surrounds the mold plate. The sealing element is formed as an inflatable tube.

A method for producing a molded part from a foamed plastic in a mold cavity which is delimited by walls of an at least two-part, open- and closable molding tool including the steps: closing of the molding tool to prepare the mold cavity; pouring a particulate granulate of the plastic into the mold cavity; heating the granulate through the introduction of steam into the filled mold cavity at such a temperature and steam pressure that the granulate expands and is melted to form a molded part; cooling the molded part in the mold cavity; opening the molding tool and removal of the molded part, wherein the steam that is introduced into the mold cavity is conveyed through steam chambers which are positioned on the side of the walls of the molding tool opposite from the mold cavity and communicate with the mold cavity by openings that pass through the walls, and wherein before and/or during the closing of the molding tool, a temperature control medium inside the walls of the molding tool is guided in a cavity which does not communicate with the steam chambers and mold cavity, in order to preheat the walls, and the walls of the molding tool are preheated to a temperature that is suitable for the melting of the granulate to form the molded part.

A molding tool for producing molded parts from expandable plastic beads. The molding tool has an inner wall facing the molded part and an outer wall facing away from the molded part, between which a hollow space is formed for conveying a heating/cooling medium, and the inner and outer walls are connected to each other in some areas by spacers. Inside the spacers, through bores are formed, which convey steam, pass through the outer and inner walls, and are sealed relative to the hollow space.

The invention relates to a device (01) having at least two tool parts (03, 53, 63) that are separable at a parting face, wherein the closed tool parts (03, 53, 63) form a mold cavity (02, 52), within which (02, 52) particulate plastic material can be foamed and/or expanded to produce foamed molded parts. According to the invention, in particular to reduce the energy consumption, the tool wall forming the mold cavity (02, 52) is formed at least in sections by a multilayer structure (06, 56, 65) having a thin inner layer that is mechanically supported by a support element.

A tool for the manufacture of foam parts includes walls enclosing a cavity corresponding to the shape of the foam parts to be manufactured, each wall having an inner surface adjacent to the cavity. At least one of the walls has at least one filamentary wall portion which includes at least one part of the inner surface of the respective wall, and which has layers of filamentary filaments running parallel to one another.