FR3009503A1 - MOLDING DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING SUBJECTS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a molding device (10) for the manufacture of subjects comprising a molding cavity (16a, 16b) whose geometry corresponds to that of the object to be produced, said molding device (10) consisting of two parts (11a, 11b) each comprising a hollow space (16a, 16b) forming part of said molding cavity (16a, 16b). According to the invention, said two parts (11a, 11b) are connected by articulated connection means (12).

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The field of the invention is that of creative games for children. More specifically, the invention relates to a molding device for molding small objects of various shapes, such as figurines, especially by children, as a game or leisure. 2. State of the art The practice of creative hobbies by children contributes to their good development. It allows them to cultivate and develop their imagination and acquire the basics of artistic activities that are very little taught at school. Some creative hobbies consist of activities of a manual nature that can, in particular, enable the children who devote themselves to develop their concentration, their agility, their notion of volume and space. Among the creative manual activities is for example the production of subjects (characters, animals, etc.), particularly by molding, which the child can then possibly decorate (for example by means of painting, or by coloring). This type of activity comprises a succession of realization steps. It usually begins with the preparation of the dough or material in which the object will be manufactured.

The object is then shaped by pouring the paste into a three-dimensional mold made of latex or an injected plastic shell consisting of two interlocking sides having the shape of the desired subject in three dimensions. Subjects made of salt dough, for example, are then cured by baking in the oven or in the microwave.

The manufactured object can then be decorated for example by the application of an acrylic paint with water, gouache, or a glue with glitter. However, the current mussels are not entirely satisfactory. Indeed, they do not allow to obtain precise and fine forms. In addition, the outer surface of the manufactured object has an unsatisfactory grain effect which makes little visible reliefs, for example the details of a figurines face. In other words, the rendering of the current molds is little or not satisfactory. Moreover, the current molds are unwieldy, not robust and the risk of breakage to demolding are relatively high. 3. OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is notably to overcome these disadvantages of the prior art.

More specifically, an object of the invention, in at least one embodiment, is to provide a molding device that allows to obtain varied / complex forms of subjects, with an improved finish. Another object of the invention, in at least one embodiment, is to provide a molding device that optimizes the molding of subjects and their demolding (minimizing the risk of breaking demolding and burrs). The invention has the objective of providing, in at least one embodiment, such a device whose use makes it possible to limit the soiling of the work zone. Yet another object of the invention, in at least one embodiment, is to provide a molding device that is robust, manageable, easy to maintain and low cost. 4. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION These objectives, as well as others which will appear more clearly later, are achieved by means of a molding device for the manufacture of subjects, comprising a molding cavity whose geometry corresponds to to that of the object to be produced, said molding device consisting of two parts each comprising a hollow space forming part of said mold cavity. According to the invention, said two parts of the mold are connected by means of articulated connection means. Thus, the invention relates to a mold for the creation of subjects and the production of volumes (for example animals or figurines) from moldable material or hardenable material, including soft dough (salt dough, dough plaster, ceramic paste, modeling clay, or any other molding / modeling material). Such a mold is intended for molding various shapes, especially by children, for educational purposes. The mold of the invention is in two mold parts each comprising a hollow space forming a mold cavity. These two mold parts are connected by means of articulated connection means and are rotatable relative to each other. The workability of such a mold is therefore improved. It is relatively easy to use for a child.

It allows to realize a large number of different casts. According to a particular aspect of the invention, said two parts are movable between at least one open position in which said two parts are spaced apart and a closed position in which the two parts form the molding cavity. The two mold parts are connected by means of articulated connection means and are movable in rotation relative to one another, between: a closed position, in which the two parts rest against each other; 'other. In this position, the material (salt paste, plaster, ceramic or modeling clay) having been placed in the molding cavity of the molding device is compressed and takes the form of the object to be produced, and - at least one position open, in which the parts are spaced apart from each other which allows the user to be able to remove the object made from the molding device. Such a mold makes it possible to optimize the molding of subjects and makes it possible to obtain an optimized finish and smoothing of the surface of the object. It also allows demolding without deterioration (it minimizes at least the risk of breaking demolding and burrs) even very complicated shapes. According to a particular aspect of the invention, said connecting means comprise a double hinge.

Such a hinge allows a controlled opening and closing of the mold. According to a particular aspect of the invention, said double hinge comprises two fold lines disposed on either side of a central part. According to a particular aspect of the invention, said central portion comprises at least one zone of extra thickness.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, said two parts of the mold carry means for centering and locking said two parts in the closed position of the molding device.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, said centering and locking means comprise at least two pins carried by one of said parts each intended to cooperate with a corresponding opening formed in the other of said parts.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, said centering and locking means comprise at least one boss on one of said parts intended to cooperate with at least one groove of corresponding shape formed in the other of said parts. According to a particular aspect of the invention, said at least one boss has a substantially U-shaped profile. According to one particular aspect of the invention, said mold parts each comprise on one of their edges a half-opening forming, when said device molding is closed, an inlet opening of a material to be molded in said molding cavity.

Such an opening makes it possible to ensure a homogeneous distribution of the material in the molding cavity. According to a particular aspect of the invention, the inlet opening is of frustoconical shape. According to a particular aspect of the invention, one of said hollow spaces has a geometry distinct from the other of said hollow spaces. The respective hollow spaces of the two articulated parts forming the molding device may or may not be of identical shape. According to a particular aspect of the invention, at least one of said hollow spaces comprises along its edge an extra thickness.

A fine edging, of width equal to one tenth of a millimeter, for example, is provided on the contour of a half-cavity to ensure sealing and prevent leakage when molding a liquid paste, such as plaster. 5. List of Figures Other features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given as a simple illustrative and non-limiting example, and attached drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view, in the open position, of the molding device of a first subject shape according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view (along the axis A-A of Figure 3) of the molding device of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a top view of the molding device of Figures 1 and 2; Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views, in the closed position, of the molding device of the invention to obtain other subject shapes. 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIGS. 1 to 3 show different views of the molding device, or mold, according to one embodiment of the invention. In this example, the mold 10 comprises two parts, or half-molds, 11a and 11b each provided on their inner surface 110a, 110b respectively of a half-molding cavity 16a, 16b. Each portion 11a, 11b has a generally parallelepipedal shape. The two parts 11a, 11b are movable relative to each other around a double hinge 12. The mold 10 can take a closed position in which the inner surfaces 110a, 110b of the portions 11a and 11b of the mold 10 are in abutment or pressed against each other to form a molding cavity 16a, 16b, and at least one open position (illustrated in Figures 1 to 3), wherein the portions 11a and 11b are spaced apart from each other. the other at an opening angle between 0 and 180 °. The mold 10 can be used in two ways. According to a first mode of use, the material to be molded / modeled (of modeling clay for example) is placed in the molding half-cavities, or hollow spaces, 16a, 16b of the parts 11a, 11b when the mold 10 is open, then the mold 10 is closed so as to compress the material according to the shape of the cavity formed by the molding half-cavities 16a, 16b and whose geometry corresponds to that of the object to be produced (a penguin in this example ). Once this molding operation is completed, the mold 10 is opened and the molded material is removed from the mold thus forming a subject or figurine with excellent results. In other words, the portions 11a, 11b of the mold 10 are spaced apart for filling with modeling material from each of the half-molding cavities 16a, 16b, and for removal of the molded material. The parts 11a, 11b of the mold 10 are closed to form the molding cavity 16a, 16b whose geometry corresponds to that of the object to be produced, the modeling material being compressed during the closing of the mold 10 so as to fill well the molding cavity 16a, 16b. According to a second mode of use, when the mold 10 is closed, the modeling material is injected into the molding cavity 16a, 16b through a circular opening formed by the two notches 15a, 15b, and communicating with the This opening 25 is visible in FIG. 4 which represents the mold of the invention when it is used to form a figurine different from that of FIGS. 1 to 3. The opening 15a, 15b makes it possible to optimizing the amount of material used to obtain the molded subject (in other words, only the amount of material necessary for producing the subject is used, or at least a little more, and thus avoiding waste). In addition, the opening 15a, 15b makes it possible to evacuate the excess material during molding, when the mold 10 is closed. Furthermore, the opening 15a, 15b serves to support the two inches of the user when the mold 10 is closed and thus facilitates the separation of the parts 11a, 11b of the mold 10 and the opening thereof. Note that the opening 15a, 15b is of frustoconical shape which facilitates the flow of material in the mold cavity 16a, 16b of the mold 10. It is necessary that the mold 10 is made of a material that has a certain flexibility . This is because a certain degree of deformation of the mold 10 is required when the molded material is removed from the mold. Thus, the mold 10 is preferably of semi-rigid material, such as latex. It is preferably obtained by a conventional injection method. The latex allows the mold 10 to be relatively flexible. Therefore, there is little risk that the mold 10 breaks in case of a fall and that it causes any injury to the user (a child for example). In addition, the flexibility and maneuverability of the latex facilitates demolding of the molded subject, particularly when the subject is of relatively complex shape.

Of course, other materials providing the same advantages as the latex can be used to make the mold 10. For example, the mold 10 can be made from polypropylene, polyethylene, elastomer such as Terlac (trademark ), or thermoplastic polymer (ABS for example). The mold 10 is multi-material, that is to say it is suitable for obtaining subjects in modeling clay, salt paste, plaster, or ceramic, for example. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the mold 20, 30 of the invention is of parallelepipedal shape once closed.

The two parts 11a, 11b are provided with reversible securing means formed of pins 13b, holes 13a, a groove 14a and a boss 14b (Figures 1 to 3). More specifically, the mold portion 11a of the mold 10 comprises two circular through holes 13a located on each side of the cavity 16a near the opening 15a.

These holes 13a (it may be circular housings in one variant) are intended to cooperate with two pins, or pins, 13b carried by the other mold part 11b. In addition to these elements 13a, 13b, there is provided a U-shaped boss 14b carried by the part 11b close to the hinge 12, and designed to cooperate with a groove 14a of corresponding shape which is formed in the other mold part 11b, in the closed position of the mold 10. These elements 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b make it possible to optimize the locking and centering of the two parts 11a, 11b in the closed position of the mold 10, and avoid any inadvertent displacement of the two parts 11a, 11b, one with respect to the other which could affect the good rendering of the subject during demolding. They also ensure optimal compression of the molding material in the molding cavity 16 of the mold 10. Thus, the elements 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b improve the rendering of the subject because they improve the stability between the two mold parts 11a, 11b when the mold is closed to mold the material into the molding cavity 16a, 16b. Moreover, the reversible joining of the two parts 11a, 11b of the mold 10 is relatively easy to implement for young children.

The number, the shape and the disposition of the reversible joining means 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b are of course not limited to the illustrated example. It is noted that there is an extra thickness, or edging 17, illustrated in the view of Figure 3, on the edge of the half-cavity 16a. This extra thickness 17 is intended to optimize the sealing of the molding cavity 16a, 16b once the mold 10 closed. Figures 4 and 5 illustrate variants of the mold of the invention that allow the molding of a hen and a dolphin respectively. In the example of FIG. 4, the mold 20 is closed (the parts 21a and 21b of the mold 20 rest against each other) and rests in equilibrium (in a vertical position) on its hinge 22. Thus, the hinge 22 constitutes a base for placing the mold 20 vertically on a support, such as a table or the floor. The placement of the mold 20 in a vertical position ensures an optimal and stable distribution of the modeling material in the molding cavity of the mold 20 during the injection and / or cooling / standing phase of the molding material. Thus, the rendering of the subject after demolding is improved. In FIG. 4 is visible the circular inlet opening (introduction hole) 25 of material in the molding cavity of the mold 20. In FIG. 5, the mold 30 is closed (the parts 31a and 31b of the mold 30 are supported against each other) and rests on a support on the side of the introduction hole of modeling material. As stated above, the two parts 11a and 11b of the mold 10 are connected by means of a double hinge 12 which allows the controlled passage from the closed position of the mold 10 to at least one open position of the mold 10.

In this example, the double hinge 12 comprises a central portion 12a and two fold lines 12b, 12c each located between the central portion 12a and the two mold portions 11a, 11b. In this example, the central portion 12a comprises three zones of excess thickness 121a, 122a and 123a which make it possible to stiffen the hinge 12.

This double hinge 12 is an assistance to the closing and opening of the mold 10. In particular, during the delicate demolding phase, the double hinge 12 allows to control the movements of the mold portion 11a relative to the other part 11b. It thus makes demolding highly accurate with respect to the solutions of the prior art and thus reduces the risk of damaging the subject during this phase. In addition, the double hinge 12 avoids, or at least minimizes any inadvertent movement of the parts 11a, 11b of the mold in the closed position of the latter. The configuration of the double hinge 12 is not limited to that illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. In summary, the device for molding subjects according to the invention can be used according to the following steps: the user closes the mold 10 by pressing one against the other the two parts 11a and 11b of the mold 10 (it ensures that the locking elements 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b and centering are placed correctly - the mold 10 is placed in equilibrium on its hinge 12 in the position of Figure 4, the molding material is introduced in sufficient quantity into the introduction hole 15 - if the molding material (plaster for example) requires to be cooked, the user inserts the mold 10, always in a vertical position, into an oven at a temperature and for a predetermined period of time - the user then allows the mold 10 to cool / rest - the user opens the mold 10 delicately separating and spreading l the two parts 11a and 11b, the user removes the subject thus molded from the mold 10.

The mold of the invention makes it possible to obtain an object in volume with optimized rendering and at low cost, and therefore, well adapted as a toy for children. The object is easy to achieve and has a marked aesthetic effect. The excellent surface quality of the molding obtained makes it possible to decorate the model, in particular by painting, and to obtain an excellent visual quality.

The mold of the invention requires, moreover, little space to be implemented. It can be stored compactly and can be easily transported. In addition, projections that may occur during use of the mold are minimized and cleaning operations at the end of activity are reduced. The mold is also strong and easy to maintain. Other Aspects and Variations Of course, the geometry or shape of the mold cavity of the invention is not limited to the examples previously illustrated. A multitude of forms, and therefore subjects, can be obtained. The mold of the invention thus allows the molding of a range of objects of various shapes, including fauna and flora for example. As non-limiting examples, it is possible to make a cast of owl, penguin, turtle, dolphin, hen, horse, cow, sheep, seal, fish, giraffe, flamingo, zebra, lion, monkey, toucan, parrot , eagle, elephant, pig, fox, squirrel, cat, rabbit, rhinoceros, duck, crocodile, beagle dog, spaniel dog, basset dog, dalmatian dog, poodle dog, labrador dog, or horse. It is also possible to make dinosaurs tyrannosaurus, dinosaur stegosaurus, dinosaur triceratops, or even dolls of the world. Furthermore, the shape of the molding half-cavities 16a and 16b may be identical, or different as can be seen in FIG. 1. It is noted in this figure that the inclination of the arm of the subject in part 11a is different from that of the arm formed in the part 11b of the mold 10.20

Claims (13)

REVENDICATIONS1. Molding device (10) for the manufacture of subjects comprising a molding cavity (16a, 16b) whose geometry corresponds to that of the object to be produced, said molding device (10) consisting of two parts (11a, 11b ) each comprising a hollow space (16a, 16b) forming part of said molding cavity (16a, 16b), characterized in that said two parts (11a, 11b) are connected by articulated connecting means (12). 2. Molding device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said two parts (11a, 11b) are movable between at least one open position in which said two parts (11a, 11b) are spaced and a closed position in which two parts (11a, 11b) form the molding cavity. 3. Molding device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said connecting means (12) comprise a double hinge (12a, 12b, 12c). 4. Molding device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that said double hinge (12a, 12b, 12c) comprises two fold lines (12b, 12c) disposed on either side of a central portion ( 12a). 5. Molding device (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that said central portion (12a) comprises at least one zone of extra thickness (121a, 122a, 123a). 6. Molding device (10) according to claims 2 to 5, characterized in that said two parts of the mold (11a, 11b) carry means for centering and locking (13a, 13b, 14a, 14b) of said two parts ( 11a, 11b) in the closed position of the molding device (10). 7. Molding device (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that said centering and locking means comprise at least two pins (13b) carried by one of said portions (11b) each intended to cooperate with an opening (13a). corresponding in the other of said parts (11a). 8. Molding device (10) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that said centering and locking means comprise at least one boss (14b) on one of said parts (11b) intended to cooperate with at least one groove ( 14a) corresponding form formed in the other of said parts (11a). 9. Molding device (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that said at least one boss (14b) has a substantially U-shaped profile. 10. Molding device (10) according to one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that said mold parts (11a, 11b) each comprise on one of their edges a half-opening (15a, 15b) forming, when said molding device (10) is closed, an inlet opening (15) of a molding material in said molding cavity (16a, 16b). 11. Molding device (10) according to claim 10, characterized in that the inlet opening (15) is of frustoconical shape. 12. Molding device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that one of said hollow spaces (16a, 16b) has a geometry distinct from the other of said hollow spaces (16a, 16b). 13. Molding device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that at least one of said hollow spaces (16a, 16b) comprises along its edge an extra thickness (17).