METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MANUFACTURING GUN HOLSTER

Abstract

A method for forming a molded article includes the steps of providing one of vacuum molding and press molding. A sheet of thermoformable material which is heated to a temperature at which the material is moldable is provided and the thermoformable sheet is placed over split mold die and vacuum pressure applied or placed between male and female molds on a press mold and pressure is applied. The molded sheet is removed from the dies, and the two halves of the molded sheet are joined together to form a molded article.

Claims

1. A method for forming a hollow molded article comprising: providing one of i) a vacuum molding apparatus having a vacuum plate with recesses formed therein, and ii) a press molding apparatus having an upper plate and an opposing lower plate, moveable toward and away from each other; providing to the molding apparatus one of a) a split mold die having separate halves, the halves being matable with each other, wherein each die comprises a recess for receiving an insert or projection, wherein the insert or projection is the same size as the recess; and b) a set of joined matable dies comprising two joined halves, the first half having at least one recess for receiving an insert or projection, and the second half having a projection formed thereon, the projection or insert being sized and shaped to closely mate with and fit into the recess of the first half; heating a sheet of thermoformable plastic material to a temperature at which the material is moldable to form a heated sheet; applying the heated sheet of thermoformable plastic material to one of the split mold and the matable joined die halves dies; securing one of the split mold matable dies and the joined matable dies to the molding apparatus, placing a heat resistant thermoformable sheet thereover; applying vacuum or pressure to the molding apparatus to form the thermoformable sheet into the molded article: and removing the molded thermoformable sheet from the mold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises a step of providing a trim die which is configured to receive and securely hold the molded sheet of thermoformable material following its removal, the trim die having one of a recess and a projection with a shape and size closely corresponding to an impression molded into the molded sheet of thermoformable material and providing a pattern for trimming the molded sheet; providing a means for fixing the molded sheet to the trim die, such that the impression of the molded sheet is secured in engagement with the recess or projection of the trim die; and trimming excess material from the molded sheet using the trim die.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermoformable material is an acrylic-polyvinyl chloride composite material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step of heating the sheet of thermoformable material, the material is heated to a temperature of from 300 F. to 500 F.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the molded article formed thereby is a gun holster.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the joined mold die halves are provided on the vacuum mold apparatus.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising: mating together the two halves of the die by inserting the projection or insert of one die into the recess of the other die to form a unitary die, placing the unitary die into one half of the molded sheet, folding the molded sheet along a central heated portion so that the other half of the sheet is fitted to the other half of the unitary die, and allowing the mold to cool, removing the molded sheet from the dies, and joining the two halves of the molded sheet together.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the molded article is a gun holster and a site line is formed at the fold line of the molded sheet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a joined matable die further comprises providing a plurality of joined matable dies corresponding to different weapons.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the press is selected from one of a manual press, a hydraulic press and a pneumatic press.

11. A method for forming a hollow molded article comprising: providing a vacuum molding apparatus having recesses formed therein, providing to the molding apparatus a split mold matable dies in separate halves, the die halves being matable with each other, at least one die half having a recess defined in a back surface thereof for receiving an insert or projection, and an other die half having one of a recess defined in a back surface thereof for receiving an insert, or a projection formed in said back surface for insertion into the recess of the one half, wherein the insert or projection are the same size as the recess; securing the split mold matable dies to the molding apparatus by means of the insert or projection; heating a sheet of thermoformable plastic material to a temperature at which the material is moldable to form a heated sheet; applying the heated sheet of thermoformable plastic material to the split mold dies; applying vacuum to the molding apparatus to form a molded article on a single thermoformable sheet; joining together the halves of the split mold dies to form a unitary die; folding the molded sheet over the unitary die; allowing the molded sheet to cool; and removing the die from the molded sheet.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the split mold die halves are aligned along a vertical axis, adjacent to each other on the vacuum molding apparatus.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each half of the split mold die includes a groove precisely machined in each half, and the grooves of each half align exactly when the split die is formed into a unitary die.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising: mating together the two halves of the split mold die by inserting into the recess of the one die the projection or insert of the other die to form a unitary die, placing the unitary die into one half of the molded sheet, folding the molded sheet along a central heated portion so that the each half of the molded sheet is fitted to half of the unitary die, and allowing the molded sheet to cool to form a molded article.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the molded article is a gun holster and a site line is formed at the fold line of the molded sheet and includes the feature of the machined grooves in the split mold die.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of two halves of a split mold die according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 2a is a perspective view of the back portions of each half of the split mold die according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 2b is a perspective view of a back portion of a split mold according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 3a is a top plan view of a vacuum table according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 3b is a top plan view of a vacuum table adapter plate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the split molds joined together according to an exemplary method of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 5a is a top plan view of the molded thermoformable sheet obtained according to an exemplary method of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 5b is a perspective view of the molded article obtained according to an exemplary method of the present invention

[0032] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a press for forming a molded form according to an exemplary method of the present invention;

[0033] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a matched set of male and female dies attached to a press according to an exemplary method of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a molded sheet formed according to an exemplary method of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a trim die according to an exemplary method of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The present invention addresses the above described deficiencies of conventional methods for molded articles such as holster making methods, and provides a new method and system for accurately manufacturing/molding articles, such as but not limited to gun holsters, from thermoformable materials, which is much more efficient than the conventional methods, and which also manufactures articles with greater precision than has been previously possible.

[0037] According to one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a vacuum forming method for manufacturing a weapon holster from a thermoformable plastic which involves the use of a modified split mold and a modified vacuum table.

[0038] Preferred thermoformable plastics for use in the method of the present invention are acrylic-polyvinyl chloride composite materials, sold under the trademarks KYDEX, HOLSTEX, and BOLATRON, or any other similar thermoformable material.

[0039] FIG. 1 depicts a modified split mold die 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention which includes two separate halves 12, 14, of a replica weapon with planar back surfaces that mate together. A groove or recess 15 is precisely formed, e.g., by machining, on each half of the split mold, and the grooves of each half align exactly, upon completion of the molding process. As shown in FIG. 1 the split mold die is mounted on a vacuum table 20.

[0040] The split mold is different from a conventional apparatus in which the split mold is a single member with the two halves fixed side-by-side in a planar disposition with a flat section of the mold disposed between and connecting the two halves. The split mold may be formed by pouring a resin material or by a computer numeric control process and may be made from materials such as, but not limited to, aluminum infused resin, aluminum acrylic, epoxy or HDPE.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 2a, at least one of the two halves of the mold die 10, 10, may have a recess 16 defined in a back surface thereof into which a removable insert 18 may be fitted such that the insert projects from the planar back surface of the half, e.g., the insert may have a thickness which is twice the depth of the recess. The other half of the mold die may be similarly formed with a recess of the same size and shape into which another same size insert may be fitted.

[0042] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2b one half of the mold die may be formed with a projection 19 molded or otherwise provided on its back surface 17 is fitted into the recess 16. The projection or projection portion of the insert has the same size and shape as the recess, as the projection or insert is fitted into the recess. As shown in FIG. 2a, the projecting portion of the insert 18 or the projection 19 shown in FIG. 2b must closely fit in the recess of the other half of the die without any play when manufacture of the molded article is completed, as discussed further herein.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3a, a vacuum table 20 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may have two recesses 24, 24, formed in an upper surface thereof which will support the split mold die halves thereon during a molding operation. The recesses are shaped and sized to receive two inserts 18, 18, shown in FIG. 2a, or to receive one insert 18, and one projection 19 on the back of one die half shown in FIG. 2b, so that the two mold halves may be precisely positioned relative to each other on the vacuum table with a gap between opposing sides of the two halves as shown in FIG. 1. The gap is precisely sized and shaped because the portion of the molded sheet of thermoformable material which fills such gap becomes a living hinge when the molded sheet is subsequently folded one half upon the other and closely pressed against a replica object or replica or real weapon during the manufacturing process as discussed further herein.

[0044] Noting that many vacuum tables already exist which do not have the recesses formed in an upper surface thereof, it is also possible to retro-fit an existing vacuum table with an adapter plate having such recesses formed therein, such as the adapter plate 22 shown in FIG. 3b. The adapter plate also includes two recesses 124, 124 formed in an upper surface thereof which will support the split mold die halves thereon during a molding operation.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 3a, the vacuum table may have a pattern of many openings defined through and/or recesses defined in an upper wall thereof in spaced relation to each other fully across the entire area of the upper wall so that a vacuum may be drawn through the openings and/or recesses during a vacuum molding operation. It is important that a sufficient amount of vacuum be drawn through the upper wall in an area below the split mold haves so that a heated sheet of thermoformable material may be closely/tightly drawn against the split mold halves during the molding operation. For such purpose, an increased number of vacuum openings may be defined in an area between where the two mold die halves are fitted to the vacuum table and/or a vacuum source may be connected to the vacuum table near to where the two mold die halves are fitted to the vacuum table.

[0046] In this embodiment it is important that the two inserts or the one insert and one projection, as well as the corresponding recesses, have a sufficiently large size, but non-complicated shape because this permits the projection, or the projecting portion of an insert as disposed in the recess, on the back surface of one of the split mold die halves to be quickly and accurately fitted into the recess on the back surface of the other split mold die halves (thereby forming a replica weapon or other object) simultaneously as one half of a molded thermoformable sheet is folded onto the other half of the molded sheet while the split mold die halves remain in the recesses defined in the molded sheet during the manufacturing process according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Such fitting of the split mold halves together simultaneously as one half of a molded thermoformable sheet is folded onto the other half of the molded sheet would not be possible if, for example, each of the die halves had multiple smaller and/or more complicated-shaped recesses that received a corresponding number and/or shaped of projections when fitting the halves together.

[0047] Instead, the die halves having multiple smaller and/or more complicated-shaped recesses would have to be fitted together while they were separated from the molded sheet, and then the joined halved would be subsequently placed between the folded halves of the molded sheet. Also, the relatively large size of the inserts, projection, and recesses assures that the split mold die halves remain stably and non-movingly joined together as a replica weapon or other object while the molded sheets of thermoformable material is folded around and pressed closely against the joined halves during the manufacturing process. In the exemplary embodiment the inserts, projection, and recesses have an area which is approximately 1/10- of the area of the back surface of the corresponding split mold die half.

[0048] While the inserts may be made of any appropriate material, if they are made of steel or other metal which is attracted by magnetic force, magnets may advantageously be disposed on a face of a molded sheet of thermoformable material opposite to the split mold die halves such that the magnets will attract the inserts, and thereby help to maintain one or both of the split mold die halves in the recesses of the molded sheet as the sheet is folded in half around the die halves.

[0049] Again, another advantage of the present invention is that the vacuum table does not require the conventional, flexible membrane to be placed between the thermoformable sheet and the molds.

[0050] The forming operation includes the steps of fitting the mold die halves 12, 14, (split mold), to the vacuum table 20 as shown in FIG. 1, using the insert 18 on the back of one or both mold die halves, or one insert 18 in one mold half and one projection 19 in the other mold half, into recesses 16, 16, formed into a surface of the vacuum table 20 as shown in FIG. 3a. A thermoformable sheet (not shown) having a thickness of 0.08 to 0.095 inches is heated to a moldable temperature. Generally, in the step of heating the sheet of thermoformable plastic material, the material is heated to a temperature of from 300 F. to 500 F. The heated sheet is placed over the two mold halves on the vacuum table. Optionally, a ring or square (not shown) is placed over the periphery of the thermoformable sheet and downward pressure is applied to force the periphery of the thermoformable sheet against the vacuum table surface. The vacuum is initiated to form the molded article.

[0051] The two halves of the split mold dies 12, 14 are removed from the vacuum table 20 together with the molded sheet of thermoformable material and the split mold dies are simultaneously fitted together as shown in FIG. 4, and the molded sheet is folded one half onto the other as discussed above. The molded thermoformable sheet 28 shown in FIG. 5a is folded along the still heated center portion 29 of the sheet, or living hinge, and then the folded halves of the molded sheet are pressed closely together against the joined die halves still disposed there between, including along the still heated living hinge fold line so that the folded portion closely assumes the shape of the replica weapon or other object defined by the combined split mold die halves to give final detail to the object being molded from the sheet of thermoformable material.

[0052] When cool, the joined die halves are removed from the molded object, and may be reused in other molding operations. As shown in FIG. 5b when the molded object is a weapon holster 128, the fold line 129 or living hinge advantageously forms a sight line. As shown in FIG. 5b, the sight line 129 of the weapon is a precise replica of the site line of the weapon, again, based on the precise size and shape of the gap between the mold die halves as fitted onto the vacuum table.

[0053] This process eliminates the step of applying a flexible membrane over the heated thermoformable sheet, as is done in conventional vacuum molding, because the thermoformable sheet is sufficiently attracted to the mold by application of the vacuum.

[0054] The vacuum table is specially modified so that the portion of the thermoformable sheet between the two molded halves (corresponding to the gap between the actual two halves as mounted on the vacuum table), remains heated and flexible while the rest of the sheet is cooled and becomes rigid.

[0055] Optionally, a trim mold such as shown in FIG. 9 may be used to remove any excess material from the molded article. The trim die shown in FIG. 9 comprises two halves 62, 64 configured in the shape of the molded halves of the molded sheet to receive and securely hold the molded sheet of thermoformable plastic material after the molded sheet is removed from die molds. Once secured to the trim die, excess material can be trimmed from the molded sheet using a tool such as a router (not shown) so that the resulting article, in this case the holster, will have a compact aesthetic appearance.

[0056] The vacuum table is modified from a conventional vacuum forming table to provide maximum amount of vacuum at the gap between the opposing split mold halves as mounted on the vacuum forming table in order for the portion of the sheet over the gap between the molds to be pulled close to the vacuum forming table to give good definition to the opposing surfaces of the recesses formed into the sheet which face the gap.

[0057] While this promotes cooling of the gap portion of the molded sheet additional modifications to the vacuum forming table address this issue. The table may be modified to include several openings along the length of the gap. Additional multiple openings may be located to provide stronger vacuum on the portions of the thermoformable sheet that is molded into the recesses over the two split mold halves.

[0058] Additionally, during the vacuum molding step, wet towels or cool water may be applied to the portion of thermoformable sheet that is molded into the recesses over the two split mold halves so that these portions are cooled more quickly via heat exchange between the heated plastic and the water.

[0059] The present invention provides an advantage in that the same split mold die is used when initially forming the heated thermoformable sheet on the vacuum table and when subsequently folding the halves of the molded thermoformable sheet onto each other. Additionally, the folding is done immediately after the molding step. The present invention is also more efficient because it eliminates the step of applying a covering membrane between the thermoformable plastic sheet and the mold.

[0060] The method of present invention provides much greater precision and accuracy of detail in the finished article. When the article is a holster, the present invention improves detail results especially along the folded portion that corresponds to the site line, over that possible via the conventional method which uses different molds for the vacuum forming and folding steps.

[0061] In an alternative embodiment, there is provided a press molding method utilizing a book press, for manufacturing a molded item from a thermoformable plastic. As shown in FIG. 6, a press 30 having an upper portion 32 and a lower and a lower portion 34 which may be selectively moved towards and away from each other is provided.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 7 matched set of a female and male dies or molds, 40 and 42 respectively is provided one to the upper portion 32 and one to the lower portion 34 of the press 30. The female die 40 has at least one recess 44 defined therein. The male die 42 has at least one corresponding projection 46, formed thereon, which is sized and shaped to closely mate with and fit into the recess of the female die.

[0063] Alternatively, each die may include a recess, wherein an insert is provided in the male molded portion for insertion into the recess of the female molded portion. A heated sheet of thermoformable plastic material (not shown) is disposed between the male and female dies and the male and female dies are clamped together between the upper and lower portions of the press, and pressure is applied to mold the heated sheet of thermoformable plastic material to the die shape and form a molded thermoformable sheet 50, as shown in FIG. 8. The male and female dies may be constructed of any appropriate temperature-resistant, rigid material including metals and plastics which will not be affected by a heated sheet of the thermoformable material which is placed and molded therebetween.

[0064] The method further comprises a step of joining the two molded forms so that the recess corresponding to the female half of the molded object is mated with the projection on the male half of the molded object. In a preferred embodiment the molded article is a weapon holster.

[0065] This step of folding the molded sheet of thermoformable material is made possible by the enhanced molding precision that is achieved with the press method according to the invention, whereas in the previously existing book press method it has been necessary to separate the two halves of the molded sheet so that the halves could be properly aligned with each other. Of course, the process according to the present invention may involve separating the molded sheet into two portions which respectively include the recesses corresponding to those in the two halves of the given weapon; and joining the two portions of the molded sheet together but this is less efficient than the folding step.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 9, the method may further comprise providing a trim die 60 which comprises two halves 62, 64 configured in the shape of the molded halves of the molded sheet to receive and securely hold the molded sheet of thermoformable plastic material after the molded sheet is removed from the male and female dies. The trim die includes one of a recess 66 and a projection 68 with a shape and size closely corresponding to an impression molded into the molded sheet of thermoformable material, and means for fixing the molded sheet of thermoformable material to the recess or projection of the trim die such that the impression of the molded sheet is secured in engagement with the recess or projection of the trim die, and whereby the molded sheet may be quickly and accurately trimmed of any excess material. In the depicted embodiment of FIG. 9, the article is a gun holster. Once secured to the trim die, excess material can be trimmed from the molded sheet using a tool such as a router (not shown) so that the resulting article, in this case the holster, will have a compact aesthetic appearance.

[0067] The method of manufacturing the molded item, when it is a weapon holster, may also utilize an actual or replica weapon to form the male and female dies. Once the dies are formed, these provide the necessary shape and definition to the holster without any further use of the replica weapon. The same is true of any other article used to form the mold to be used for the method of the present invention.

[0068] According to an important aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the matched sets of unitary die sets will be prepared in advance which correspond to various weapons or weapon models, respectively. With the plurality of die sets, the method can be efficiently used to manufacture a plurality of holsters for different weapons by simply securing the appropriate die to the press at the beginning of the molding operation.