FOAM BODY AND APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE BODY

Abstract

An apparatus for making a foam material body has a mold comprising at least two mold halves fittable together to form separate first and second mold cavities; a first sprue opening into the first mold cavity, and a second sprue opening into the second mold cavity. The mold parts can be moved between an open and a closed position. Foam can be injected into the first and second mold cavities through the respective sprues. A passage, for example, connects the sprue with the mold cavity. The first mold cavity and the second mold cavity are partitioned from one another in the closed position of the mold.

Claims

1. An apparatus for making a foam material body has a mold comprising at least two mold halves fittable together to form separate first and second mold cavities; a first sprue opening into the first mold cavity; and a second sprue opening into the second mold cavity.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising: a mold core engageable in the mold.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein the mold core, when in the mold, is between the first and second cavities.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein the mold core is movable on the mold between an demolding position outside the mold and a working position inside the mold between the cavities.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising: a connecting element engageable between the first and second cavities.

6. A method of making a foam material body comprising the steps of: inserting a connecting element into a mold such that the connecting element projects into a first mold cavity and into a second mold cavity of the mold; closing the mold; injecting a first foam into the first mold cavity through a first sprue passage and a second foam into the second mold cavity through a second sprue passage; curing the foams injected into the first and second cavities; opening the molded; and removing a molded part formed by the cured first and second foams from the mold.

7. The method defined in claim 6, further comprising the step of: fitting a mold core into the mold between the cavities.

8. A foam material body having at least one soft foam part and at least one hard foam part, wherein the soft foam part and the hard foam part are connected, directly or indirectly, with a connecting piece, with material fit and/or shape fit, or with one another.

9. The foam material body defined in claim 8, wherein the connecting piece is a mat, the soft foam part being connected with the mat with material fit and/or shape fit, the hard foam part also being connected with the connecting mat with material fit and/or shape fit.

10. The foam material body defined in claim 8, wherein the foam body forms a cavity in which a head box of a head restraint can be mounted.

11. The foam material body defined in claim 8, wherein at least one of the parts is a polyurethane foam.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0030] The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

[0031] FIG. 1 is a section through the apparatus according to the invention where the parts of a mold of the apparatus are open and a mold core is in a removal position;

[0032] FIG. 2 is a view like FIG. 1 where a connecting mat is on the mold core of the mold;

[0033] FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 2 where the mold core is in a working position;

[0034] FIG. 4 is a view of the mold as in FIG. 3 where a first mold part and a second mold part are in a preclosing position;

[0035] FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 4 where the first mold part and the second mold part are in a closed position and a first foam is filled into a first mold cavity and a second foam is filled into a second mold cavity;

[0036] FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 5 where the sprues are covered by a third mold part for curing of the foam body;

[0037] FIG. 7 is a view like FIG. 3 if the open mold with the cured foam body;

[0038] FIG. 8 is a view like FIG. 1 of the mold core with the foam body in the removal position; and

[0039] FIG. 9 shows the foam body after it is demolded from the mold core and mounted on a base body of a head restraint.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] An apparatus for making a foam body is shown at 10 in the drawing. The same reference symbols in the different figures refer to corresponding parts, even if lower-case letters follow them or are omitted.

[0041] The apparatus 10 comprises a mold 11 shown in FIG. 1 and comprising comprises mold parts 12, 13 (FIGS. 2-5), and 30 (FIG. 6), as well as a mold core 14. The mold core 14 is carried on the mold part 12 by an arm 15 and can pivot about a horizontal pivot axis a. The arm 15 together with an inner end 16 of the mold part 12 forms a pivot joint G1. Thus the mold core 14 can be pivoted between a removal position shown in FIG. 1 and a working position shown for example in FIG. 3.

[0042] The mold part 13 shown in FIG. 3 can be moved relative to the mold part 12 between an open position (FIG. 1) and a closed position (FIG. 5). In FIG. 1, the mold part 13 is in the open position and the mold core 14 is in the removal position. In FIG. 4, the mold part 13 is shown in a preclosing position. According to FIG. 5, the mold part 13 is shown in the closed position.

[0043] The mold part 12 is provided with a recess 19 that forms part of the first mold cavity 20. Another part of the mold cavity 20 is formed by a recess 21 in the other mold part 13. In other words, the recesses 19 and 21 together form the outer envelope of the mold cavity 20. Inner surfaces of the mold parts 12 and 13, together with an outer surface 18 of the mold core 14, delimit the first mold cavity 20.

[0044] This first mold cavity 20 is defined by an inner surface 32 of the mold part 12 that borders on the recess 19, by an outer surface 18 of the mold core 14, and by an outer surface 40 of a crosspiece 25. The first mold cavity 20 is provided for forming a back as well as sides of a molded body of a head restraint. The first mold cavity 20 is filled with a foam that forms a relatively hard cushion after it has cured.

[0045] A recess 31 in the mold part 13 forms part of the second mold cavity 22. In the closed position of the mold parts 12 and 13, the second mold cavity 22 is delimited by an inner surface 23 of the crosspiece 25, by the outer surface 18 of the mold core 14, and by mold surfaces 37 and 38 of the third mold part 36 (see FIG. 6). The recess 31 is configured as an aperture 24 through the mold part 13, so that the second mold cavity 22 can be filled through the aperture 24 that forms a sprue. The second mold cavity 22 is provided for molding a head contact region of the foam body of a head restraint. For this purpose, it is provided that the second mold cavity is filled with a foam that forms a relatively soft cushion after it cures.

[0046] The method of making the foam body is described below. In the position of the apparatus according to FIG. 1, the mold core 14 as well as the mold cavities 20 and 22 are wetted with a parting agent. Subsequently, a connecting mat 26 of polyurethane (PUR) is inserted into the mold 11, for example on the mold core 14, in such a manner (see FIG. 2) that the connecting mat 26 projects into both mold cavities 20 and 22 after the mold core 14 has been moved into the working position. This is the case if the connecting mat 26 is so large that it projects beyond two opposite surfaces 23 and 40 of the crosspiece 25 in the closed state of the mold parts 12 and 13.

[0047] In a next method step, the mold core 14 is moved into the working position in the direction u1. In FIG. 3, the mold core 14 is shown in the working position.

[0048] When the mold core 14 is in the working position, the second mold part 13 is first pivoted into the preclosing position according to FIG. 4 and subsequently into the closed position according to FIG. 5. Afterward, a first foam is injected into the first mold cavity 20 from a first foam feed line 29 and then through a first sprue 27 (see FIG. 5) formed in the mold part 13, and a second foam is injected into the second mold cavity 22 from a second foam feed line 28 and then through the aperture 24. A passage 39 formed in the mold part 13 extends from the sprue 27 to the second mold cavity 22, so that the second mold cavity 22 can be filled with foam from the sprue 27.

[0049] After both mold cavities 20 and 22 have been filled, the mold 11 is closed using a lid-like third mold part 30 (see FIG. 6). The third mold part 30 has the mold surface 37 that delimits the second mold cavity 22 and conforms to regard to the aperture 24. Furthermore, the third mold part 30 has a mold surface 38 that delimits the first mold cavity 20 at the inner end of the sprue 27. The mold 11 remains in this position until the foam in the mold cavities 20 and 22 has cured.

[0050] After curing, the mold is moved back into the open position, in that the mold parts 30 and 13 are separated from the mold part 12 (see FIG. 7) and then the mold core 14 is pivoted into the removal position in the direction u2 (see FIG. 8). According to FIG. 8, a finished, cured foam body 33 is on the mold core 14. The foam body 33 can then be removed from the mold core 14. Finally, the mold 11 is cleaned and is then available for another production cycle.

[0051] In FIG. 9, a head restraint 45 is shown completely assembled, including the foam body 33. A base part 42 (shown in FIG. 9 by a broken line) of the head restraint 45 is mounted in a cavity 17 of the foam body 33. Support rods 44 that project out of the foam body 33 through an opening 43 in it are also indicated in broken lines. The support rods 44 are attached to the base part 42. The head box 42 can be mounted in the cavity 17 through the opening 43.

[0052] The foam body 33 comprises a soft foam part 34 as well as a hard foam part 35. The soft foam part 34 forms at least part of a head contact region 41 of the head restraint 45 after complete installation of the foam body 33 on the base part 42. The hard foam part 35 forms a back, sides, as well as an upper and a lower part of the foam body 33 of the head restraint. The soft foam part 34 is connected with the connecting mat 26 by material fit, and the hard foam part 35 is also connected with the connecting mat 26 with material fit. In other words, the soft foam part 34 and the hard foam part 35 are connected with one another by way of the connecting mat 26.