TOOL FOR OVER-MOULDING AND/OR BACK-MOULDING A CURVED GLASS BODY, AND METHOD FOR OVER-MOULDING AND/OR BACK-MOULDING A CURVED GLASS BODY

Abstract

A tool for overmoulding and/or backmoulding a curved glass body is proposed, the tool having a first surface for supporting the curved glass body. The tool comprises a plurality of pins, the pins each having a first end face at a first end of the pins, and at least one section of the first surface being formed by the first end faces of the pins. The pins are mounted to be displaceable in their longitudinal direction so that at least the section of the first surface can be adapted to a contour of the curved glass body.

Claims

1. A tool for overmoulding and/or backmoulding a curved glass body, the tool comprising: a first surface to support the curved glass body; and at least two pins, each having a first end face at a first end of the pins, at least one section of the first surface being formed by the first end faces of the pins, wherein the at least two pins are mounted to be displaceable in their longitudinal direction so that at least the section of the first surface is adapted to a contour of the curved glass body.

2. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the at least two pins have a width that is at most 10 mm.

3. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the tool comprises a plurality of pins that are arranged lined up in rows and columns so that their first end faces form a flush curved surface when they are in the appropriate position in the longitudinal direction.

4. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the at least two pins have a second end, wherein the at least two pins are mounted at their second ends by springs and/or air cushions.

5. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the at least two pins are adapted to be locked so that, in a state adapted to the contour of the glass body, the pins serve as a support for the glass body during an injection molding process for overmoulding and/or backmoulding.

6. The tool according to claim 5, wherein the at least two pins are adapted to be locked by lateral bracing.

7. A method for overmoulding and/or backmoulding a curved glass body, the method comprising: positioning the curved glass body on a first surface of a tool, wherein at least one section of the first surface is formed by end faces of pins of the tool; adapting the section to a contour of the glass body by moving the pins in their longitudinal direction; and carrying out an injection molding process for overmoulding and/or backmoulding the glass body.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the adapting takes place mechanically.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the pins are locked after the adapting to the contour of the glass body, so that the pins serve as a support for the glass body during the injection molding process for overmoulding and/or backmoulding the glass body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tool of the invention;

[0028] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pins of the tool of FIG. 1;

[0029] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the tool of the invention of FIG. 1;

[0030] FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line A-A in FIG. 3; and

[0031] FIG. 5 is a process diagram of a method of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a tool 10 of the invention. Tool 10 has a first surface 11 for supporting a curved glass body, which is to be overmolded and/or backmolded. Further, tool 10 comprises a plurality of pins 13. Each pin 13 has a first end 15 and a second end 18, wherein only first end 15 with its first end face 16 can be seen in the figure. Pins 13 are arranged lined up in rows 20 and columns. First end faces 16 of pins 13 form a surface 17 which forms a section 12 of first surface 11 of tool 10. Pins 13 are arranged such that their longitudinal direction 14 corresponds to depth direction 42 of tool 10. Further, tool 10 has a longitudinal direction 40 and a width direction 41.

[0033] Pins 13 are displaceable in longitudinal direction 14, so that their first end faces 16 can adapt to a contour of a glass body placed on first surface 11. In order to lock pins 13 in a state adapted to the contour, they can be clamped by means of clamping devices 22. Clamping devices 22 each have at least one clamping screw 23. In detail, tool 10 has a first clamping device 22a, which locks pins 13 in width direction 41 of tool 10, and a second clamping device 22b, which locks pins 13 in a longitudinal direction 40 of tool 10.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of pins 13 of tool 10 of FIG. 1. Pins 13 extend in longitudinal direction 14 from their first end 15 to second end 18. Each pin 13 has first end face 16 at first end 15. Further, a width 13a of pins 13 can be seen in FIG. 2.

[0035] Pins 13 are displaceable in longitudinal direction 14, so that their position can be adapted to the contour of a glass body such that first end face 16 of each pin 13 rests on the surface of the glass body. Pins 13 are thus designed to form a flush, curved surface 17, the contour of which is adapted to the contour of the curved glass body. Overall, pins 13 are arranged in 7 rows (20) and 26 columns (21).

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of tool 10 of the invention from FIG. 1. It can be clearly seen how first end faces 16 of pins 13 form a section 12 of first surface 11 of tool 10. Section 12 is associated in particular with a curved section of the curved glass body which section is or is placed on first surface 11.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view along the line A-A in FIG. 3. It can be clearly seen how pins 13 extend in longitudinal direction 14 from their second end 18 to first end 15. At second end 18, a spring 19 is disposed in each case, which is pretensioned and thus serves to make pins 13 displaceable so that their position can be adapted to the contour of a glass body placed thereon.

[0038] FIG. 5 shows a process diagram of a method 100 of the invention for overmoulding and/or backmoulding a curved glass body. Method 100 comprises the positioning 101 of the curved glass body on a first surface 11 of tool 10. At least one section 12 of first surface 11 is formed by end faces 16 of pins 13 of tool 10. For the temporary fixation of the glass body to the tool surface, a negative pressure can be applied in the tool.

[0039] Method 100 further includes adapting 102 section 12 to a contour of the glass body. For this purpose, the position of pins 13 is adapted by moving pins 13 in their longitudinal direction 14, so that first surface 11, at least in section 12, corresponds to a contour of the glass body.

[0040] Method 100 additionally comprises an injection molding process 104 for overmoulding and/or backmoulding the glass body. In injection molding process 104, tool 10 can be closed and a flowable molding compound, which is a plastic material (in other words, a plastic melt), can be injected so that the molding compound is distributed in the free space formed by closing the tool and completely fills the free space so as to at least partially coat the glass body with the compound. In order to avoid process-related pressure peaks, the plastic melt can be provided with a certain gas charging, in particular by means of a chemical or physical blowing agent.

[0041] In this way, a hybrid component can be produced that comprises the curved glass body. Further, the method can comprise locking 103 pins 13 after their position has been adapted to the contour of the glass body, so that pins 13 can serve as a support for the glass body during the injection molding process 104 and thus prevent breakage of the glass body.