PROCESS OF MOULDING OF A CONTAINER FOR VEHICLE BATTERIES

Abstract

Process of moulding a container (9) for vehicle batteries, comprising providing a mould (10) comprising a first half-mould (11) and a second half-mould (12) each having a respective conformation surface (13); counter-shaping the first layer (1) to the conformation surface (13) of the first half-mould (11); coupling to the first layer (1) a second layer (2) of polymeric material comprising a thermosetting matrix (3) and a reinforcing material dispersed in the matrix; closing the mould (10) with the first (1) and the second layer (2) interposed between the conformation surfaces (13) to simultaneously form the first (1) and the second layer (2); with the mould (10) closed, thermosetting the matrix (3) to make the first (1) and the second layer (2) adhere to each other and to make the container (9).

Claims

1. A process for moulding a container for vehicle batteries, the process comprising: providing a mould comprising a first half-mould and a second half-mould, each half-mould having a respective conformation surface mutually facing each other; coupling a first layer of metallic material to the conformation surface of the first half-mould; counter-shaping the first layer to the conformation surface of the first half-mould; subsequently, coupling to the first layer a second layer of polymeric material comprising a thermosetting matrix and a reinforcing material dispersed in the thermosetting matrix; subsequently, closing the mould by pressing the first and second half-mould one against the other with the first and second layer interposed between the conformation surfaces to simultaneously form the first and second layer; with the mould closed, thermosetting the matrix of the second layer to make the first and second layer adhere to each other and to make the container.

2. The process according to claim 1, comprising providing a counter-shaping body, distinct from the second half-mould, having a respective conformation surface substantially counter-shaped to, and facing, the conformation surface of the first half-mould, wherein the counter-shaping the first layer is performed by means of the counter-shaping body and it comprises reciprocally approaching the first half-mould and the counter-shaping body to press the first layer between the respective conformation surfaces of the first half-mould and counter-shaping body.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the counter-shaping the first layer is performed by means of the second half-mould and it comprises reciprocally approaching the first and second half-mould to press the first layer between the respective conformation surfaces of the first and second half-mould, and wherein the process comprises, before the coupling the second layer, mutually moving the first and second half-mould away from each other.

4. The process according to claim 1, comprising, at least after the closing the mould and preferably during the thermosetting the matrix, applying a depression in a moulding cavity of the mould defined by the conformation surfaces of the first and of the second half-mould.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the metallic material is aluminum or an aluminum alloy, wherein a thickness of the first layer before the counter-shaping is greater than or equal to 0.05 mm, and/or less or equal to 0.5 mm, and wherein the first layer comprises a plurality of through holes, preferably arranged according to a regular pattern and uniformly distributed over a whole surface extension of the first layer.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the first layer, before the counter-shaping, is a flat sheet, and wherein the first layer, before the counter-shaping, has an embossing, and wherein a ratio between embossed surface and not-embossed surface is greater than 50%.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein it is provided arranging an adhesive layer onto a face of the first layer facing towards the second layer after the coupling the second layer.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the matrix is made of polymeric synthetic resin, selected from the following: polyester resin, vinyl ester resin, epoxy resin, and wherein the reinforcing material is selected from the following group: glass fibre, carbon fibre, Kevlar.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the coupling the second layer comprises distributing an overall mass of the second layer as a function of a geometry of the container.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the second layer before the thermosetting comprises one or more SMC sheets superimposed on each other substantially along a direction of movement of the half-moulds.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the second layer before the thermosetting, comprises one or more blocks of BMC.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0043] FIGS. 1-4 show in a purely schematic way some exemplary steps of a process of moulding according to the present invention;

[0044] FIG. 5 shows in a purely schematic way a container for batteries obtained by the process of FIGS. 1-4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The features and the advantages of the present invention will be further clarified by the following detailed description of some embodiments, presented by way of non-limiting example of the present invention, with reference to the attached figures.

[0046] With reference to FIG. 5, the number 9 globally indicates a container for batteries (not shown) of a vehicle (not shown) obtainable by means of the process of moulding of the present invention.

[0047] Exemplarily the container 9 comprises a first portion 91 made starting from a first layer 1 of metallic material (e.g. aluminum) and a second portion 92 made starting from a second layer 2 of polymeric material comprising, before performing the process of moulding (in particular at least before the thermosetting step described below), a thermosetting matrix 3 and a reinforcing material (exemplarily shown in a purely schematic way by means of dashes) dispersed in the matrix 3. Exemplarily the matrix 3 is made of a synthetic polymeric resin selected among the following: polyester resin, vinyl ester resin, epoxy resin, and the reinforcing material is one of the following: glass fibre, carbon fibre, Kevlar.

[0048] In the following it is described a process of moulding according to the present invention, with reference to FIGS. 1-4 which show in a purely schematic way some sections of the elements used in the process.

[0049] First of all, the process of moulding exemplarily comprises providing a mould 10 comprising a first half-mould 11 and a second half-mould 12, each half-mould 11, 12 having a respective conformation surface 13 mutually facing each other. Exemplarily, the first half-mould 11 is inferiorly arranged and it has the conformation surface which comprises a protruding portion, and the second half-mould 12 is superiorly arranged and it has the conformation surface which comprises a concave portion. The present invention also contemplates further embodiments (not shown) in which the first half-mould can be the one whose conformation surface comprises the concave portion and/or which can be superiorly arranged.

[0050] Exemplarily it is therefore provided coupling the first layer 1 of metallic material to the conformation surface 13 of the first half-mould 11. Exemplarily (not shown) the first layer 1 comprises a plurality of through holes, arranged according to a regular pattern and uniformly distributed over a whole surface extension thereof.

[0051] Exemplarily in FIG. 1 it is shown in a purely schematic way a handling system 14 comprising a pair of grippers for arranging the first layer 1 between the first and the second half-mould. Optionally, the handling system 14 can be mounted on a multi-axis robotic arm (not shown).

[0052] In one alternative embodiment, the first layer can be coupled to the first half-mould before the second half-mould is arranged in line (e.g. superiorly) with the first half-mould (for the subsequent closing).

[0053] Exemplarily (FIG. 2) it is subsequently provided counter-shaping the first layer 1 to the conformation surface 13 of the first half-mould 11. Exemplarily the counter-shaping is performed in rough way (as schematically shown by the fact that the first layer does not perfectly follow the conformation surface of the first half-mould). The Applicant has in fact experimentally observed that even a rough counter-shaping of the first layer to the conformation surface of the half-mould is sufficient to arrange the first layer sufficiently close to the first half-mould to unload to the half-mould at least a part of the compressive stress component (typically locally directed substantially perpendicularly to the surface of the first layer, and therefore of the first half-mould) acting on the first layer during the forming in order to prevent tearing, without at the same time lengthening and/or excessively complicating the process of moulding.

[0054] Exemplarily (FIG. 1), before the aforementioned counter-shaping step, the first layer 1 is a flat sheet having a thickness of about 0.2 mm.

[0055] Exemplarily the first layer 1, before the aforementioned counter-shaping step, has an embossing (not shown), having a ratio between embossed surface and not-embossed surface greater than about 50%.

[0056] In one embodiment (not shown) it is provided arranging, preferably before counter-shaping the first layer, an adhesive layer onto a face of the first layer facing the second layer after the coupling step of the second layer to the first layer (described below), the adhesive layer being preferably a heat-sensitive adhesive to be activated only during the thermosetting step (described below).

[0057] Exemplarily (FIG. 2), the process comprises providing a counter-shaping body 20, distinct from the second half-mould 12, having a respective conformation surface 23 substantially counter-shaped to, and facing towards, the conforming surface 13 of the first half-mould 11 (exemplarily having therefore a concave portion).

[0058] Exemplarily counter-shaping the first layer 1 is performed by means of the counter-shaping body 20 and comprises reciprocally approaching the first half-mould 11 and the counter-shaping body 20 to press the first layer 1 between the respective conformation surfaces 13, 23 (FIG. 2 shows the substantially final phase of the counter-shaping of the first layer 1).

[0059] Optionally (not shown) the counter-shaping body 20 can be mounted directly on the same robotic arm that couples the first layer to the conformation surface of the first half-mould, i.e. on the robotic arm wherein the aforementioned handling system 14 can be mounted.

[0060] In one embodiment (not shown) counter-shaping the first layer 1 is performed by means of the second half-mould 12 and it comprises reciprocally approaching the first 11 and the second half-mould 12 to press the first layer 1 between the respective conformation surfaces 13. Preferably the process comprises, before coupling the second layer 2 (as described below), move the first and second half-mold away from each other.

[0061] Subsequently (FIG. 3), it is exemplarily provided coupling to the first layer 1 the second layer 2 of polymeric material. For example, the second layer can comprise one or more SMC sheets (not shown) substantially superimposed on each other along a direction of movement of the half-moulds (exemplarily vertical lying on the plane of the figures) which are laid on the first counter-shaped layer. Optionally (not shown) coupling the second layer 2 comprises distributing an overall mass of the second layer as a function of a geometry of the container, for example distributing a number of the aforementioned one or more SMC sheets.

[0062] In one embodiment (not shown) the second layer before the thermosetting step (for example when coupled to the first layer) can comprise one or more blocks of BMC, i.e. a paste without a predetermined shape.

[0063] Subsequently (FIG. 4), it is exemplarily provided closing the mould 10 by pressing the first 11 and the second half-mould 12 one against the other with the first 1 and second layer 2 interposed between the conformation surfaces 13 to simultaneously form the first 1 and the second layer 2.

[0064] Exemplarily it is therefore provided, with the mould 10 closed, thermosetting the matrix 3 of the second layer 2 to make the first 1 and the second layer 2 adhere to each other and to make the container 9.

[0065] Exemplarily the thermosetting of the matrix is performed by heating one or both of the two half-moulds.

[0066] Exemplarily the process comprises, at least after closing the mould 10 and during the thermosetting the matrix, applying a depression in a moulding cavity 15 of the mould 10 defined by the conformation surfaces 13 of the first and second half-mould when the mould is closed. For example, the depression (with respect to the atmospheric pressure) is established by suction of air from the moulding cavity by means of a plurality of ducts (not shown) made in one or both of the half-moulds and connected to a suction circuit (not shown).

[0067] Finally, it is exemplarily provided opening the mould and removing the finished product to obtain the container 9 as shown in FIG. 5. Optionally (not shown) the container (before and/or after being removed from the mould) can be subjected to finishing operations, for example smoothing and/or cutting of any protruding portions of the first and/or of the second layer, to adapt it to the manufacturing standards.