DIPPING FORMER

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a dipping former, to a process for producing the dipping former and to the use of the dipping former in a latex dipping process. The dipping comprises (i) a molded core part, and (ii) a dipping former shell having a surface in one piece. The dipping former is obtainable by a molding process comprising the following steps: —providing a first cavity and a second cavity; —injection molding or blow molding a first material into the first cavity thereby forming a molded core; —transferring the molded core form the first cavity into the second cavity; and —injection molding of a second material into the second cavity thereby overmolding the molded core, or at least a part thereof, with the second material.

Claims

1. Process for producing a dipping former, the process being a molding process comprising the following steps: providing a first cavity and a second cavity; injection molding or blow molding a first material into the first cavity thereby forming a molded core; transferring the molded core form the first cavity into the second cavity; injection molding of a second material into the second cavity thereby overmolding the molded core, or at least a part thereof, with the second material and forming a dipping former comprising (i) a molded core part and a (ii) dipping former shell constituting a dipping surface in one piece.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein the molded core is connected to a retractable insert before being provided in the dipping former cavity.

3. Process according to claim 1, wherein the first material is different than the second material.

4. Process according to claim 1, wherein the first material is a thermoplastic polymer.

5. Process according to claim 1, wherein the second material is selected from a group consisting of a polyamide based composition, a PPS based composition and a polyketone based composition.

6. Process according to claim 1, wherein a retractable core is provided into the first cavity and the first material is injection molded into the first cavity and molded over the retractable core, thereby forming the molded core connected to the retractable core.

7. Process according to claim 1, wherein the dipping former is a glove dipping former.

8. Process according to claim 1, wherein the second material is overmolded over the molded core at least in areas for forming fingers, crotch, palm, wrist and forearm.

9. Process according to claim 1, wherein the dipping former is overmolded only partly such that the molded core extends beyond the overmolded shell.

10. Process according to claim 1, wherein the dipping former is overmolded completely such that the overmolded shell extends beyond the molded core.

11. Process according to claim 1, wherein the dipping former is provided with a mounting element.

12. Dipping former obtainable by a multiple step molding process as described in claim 1, comprising (i) a molded core part, and (ii) a dipping former shell having a surface in one piece.

13. Dipping former according to claim 12, obtained with a molding process employing a retractable core in the first molding step.

14. Dipping former according to claim 12, being a glove dipping former.

15. Use of a dipping former obtainable by the process of claim 12 in a latex dipping process for making a rubber article.

Description

[0041] Figures: the invention is further illustrated with the following figures. FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section of a conventional dipping former. FIGS. 2-7 show schematic cross sections of different embodiments of the dipping former according to the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section of a conventional dipping former (2) consisting of a shell (10). The conventional dipping former (2) can be made by a conventional process, for example in two parts, which are combined afterwards to constitute the dipping former. The complex internal space of the mold prevents the use of a retractable mold and making the shell (10) in one piece.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section of a dipping former (1) produced with the process according to the present invention. The figure shows the dipping former (1) with a retractable mold (3) still retained therein. In the process according to the invention, the dipping former (1) can be easily removed from the retractable mold (3). The dipping mold (1) comprising a molded core part (5), which has been molded over a part of the retractable mold (3), and a dipping former shell (7), which has been molded over the molded core part (5) and the retractable mold (3). The shell has a surface in one piece.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross section of an embodiment of a dipping former according to the present invention, removed from a retractable mold. The dipping former (1) comprises a molded core part (5) and a dipping former shell (7). The removal of the retractable mold has left an open space (4). The shell (7) has a surface in one piece fully covers the molded core part (5).

[0045] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section of an embodiment of a dipping former according to the present invention, removed from a retractable mold. The dipping former (1) comprises a molded core part (5) and a dipping former shell (7). The removal of the retractable mold has left an open space (4). The shell (7) has a surface in one piece. The shell (7) covers the molded core part (5) partly, thus leaving a part (6) of the molded core part (5) uncovered.

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross section of an embodiment of a dipping former according to the present invention, removed from a retractable mold. The dipping former (1) comprises a molded core part (5) and a dipping former shell (7). The removal of the retractable mold has left an open space (4). The shell (7) has a surface in one piece. The shell (7) covers the molded core part (5) and extends beyond the molded core part (5) by an extending part (8).

[0047] FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross section of an embodiment of a dipping former according to the present invention, removed from a retractable mold. The dipping former (1) comprises a molded core part (5) and a dipping former shell (7). The removal of the retractable mold has left an open space (4). The shell (7) has a surface in one piece. The shell (7) covers the molded core part (5) and comprises integrally molded mounting elements (9).

[0048] FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross section of an embodiment of a dipping former according to the present invention, removed from a retractable mold. The dipping former (1) comprises a molded core part (5) and a dipping former shell (7). The removal of the retractable mold has left an open space (4). The shell (7) has a surface in one piece. The shell (7) covers the molded core part (5) partly, thus leaving a part (6) of the molded core part (5) uncovered. The molded core part (5) comprises integrally molded mounting elements (9).

[0049] The dipping former according to the present invention and the various embodiments thereof can be produced in a two-step process, wherein the production of the core part and the production of the shell part are carried out as sequential steps in the same molding machine. The dipping former according to the present invention and the various embodiments thereof can also be produced in a two-step process, wherein the core part is produced in a first molding machine, after which the core is transferred to another molding machine wherein the core is overmolded and the shell part is produced.