The present invention provides for a mould set for fabrication of an EPS pallet, a process for making the mould set for fabrication of the EPS pallet, and a process for fabricating the EPS pallet using the mould set. The mould set includes a modular platform mould and a leg mould configured to fabricate a platform section and plurality of leg support sections of the EPS pallet, respectively. The modular platform mould includes a modularity unit which enables alternation of dimension of hollow space which is configured to receive feed of polystyrene beads and thereby enabling moulding of the platform section of varying dimensions from a single mould. The one or more leg support sections are affixed to bottom side of the platform section at predefined locations, based on weight bearing capacity and position of lifting, to form the EPS pallet. The easy customization into various sizes as per requirement using a single mould structure reduces requirement of hoarding various moulds for different dimensions of EPS pallet, thereby significantly reducing the cost of moulding operations.

In a molding die, movable die elements are respectively received in die element receiving holes formed in a frame plate. An end surface of the frame plate, which faces a cavity at a location that is other than locations of the die element receiving holes, forms a frame portion compression surface. An end surface of each movable die element, which faces the cavity, forms a split compression surface. Die element drive devices respectively drive the split compression surfaces of the movable die elements. A whole compression plate commonly supports an opposite end part of the frame plate and opposite end parts of the movable die elements, which are opposite from the cavity. When the whole compression plate is moved forward, the whole compression plate integrally drives the frame plate and the movable die elements forward. A whole drive device drives the whole compression plate.

The invention relates to a crack-split moulding tool for producing a foam particle part, having two mould halves (2, 3). The mould halves (2, 3) are pivotably mounted relative to one another such that they can be arranged at a varying distance from each other in certain sections when being filled with foam particles and when pressing together, are moved together at a varying distance until in a closed position, due to a pivoting movement. As a result, it is possible to homogeneously compress areas of the moulding cavity (6) having a different thickness and to compress in a different manner, area having the same thickness.

The present invention relates to an enhanced method for the manufacture of a plastic component (135), in particular a cushioning element for sports apparel, the method comprising: opening a mold (100) by a predetermined amount into a loading position, wherein the mold comprises at least two mold parts (110, 112) and wherein the amount by which the mold is opened influences an available loading volume of the mold, loading a material comprising expanded particles (130) into the loading volume, closing the mold into a closed position, wherein during closing of the mold the mold parts are moved together over different distances (140) in different areas of the mold, compressing the expanded particles by closing the mold and fusing at least the surfaces of the expanded particles to mold the plastic component.

The present invention relates to an enhanced method for the manufacture of a plastic component (135), in particular a cushioning element for sports apparel, the method comprising: opening a mold (100) by a predetermined amount into a loading position, wherein the mold comprises at least two mold parts (110, 112) and wherein the amount by which the mold is opened influences an available loading volume of the mold, loading a material comprising expanded particles (130) into the loading volume, closing the mold into a closed position, wherein during closing of the mold the mold parts are moved together over different distances (140) in different areas of the mold, compressing the expanded particles by closing the mold and fusing at least the surfaces of the expanded particles to mold the plastic component.

A mould for forming a collapsible container from an expandable material, the container comprising, at least a base and two pairs of a side walls extending at right angles from opposing sides of the base, the mould comprising: a first mould member and a second mould member movable with respect to each other between an open and a closed moulding position to define a mould cavity; and a plurality of anvils mounted on a rear surface of at least one of the first mould member and/or second mould member, each anvil being movable so as to be extended into the mould cavity so as to form one or more hinges in the expandable material at predetermined locations within the mould cavity; wherein the mould cavity defined by the first mould member and the second mould member is a three-dimensional representation of an inside-out configuration of the assembled container.

A particle foam component has a foam body, which is provided with a cover layer made of a plastic material at least in partial areas of its outer surface. The foam body has a compressed surface structure in its areas supporting the cover layer. The cover layer is bonded in substance to the compressed surface structure of the foam body. For producing the particle foam component, the foam body is foamed in a mold and the cover layer is foamed or molded integrally in a subsequent method step. A compressed surface structure is formed in the surface areas supporting the cover layer before applying the cover layer, and the cover layer is bonded in substance to the compressed surface structure.

There is described a method of creating a hinge in a body of expandable material, said body being substantially flat and having at least two planar regions connected by said hinge to facilitate folding of the planar regions about said hinge, comprising: expanding said expandable material to form said body; creating a region of excess expandable material in said body adjacent said hinge; and compressing said region of excess expandable material into the hinge of said body after the expandable material has fused to create a hinge having a concentrated volume of expanded material when compared to said at least two planar regions of said body.

A method of forming a shaped foamed polymer article and articles obtained from said method.

A foamed plastic foldable container has a first wall, a pair of mutually facing second walls hingedly coupled to the first wall, a pair of mutually facing third walls hingedly coupled to the first wall, and a closing wall defined by at least one panel hingedly coupled to one of the second walls.