GB2203681A

GB2203681A - Producing a die-cast composite artefact

Info

Publication number: GB2203681A
Application number: GB08709730A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gunnar Strommen
Original assignee: Fibo Stop A S
Current assignee: Fibo Stop A S
Priority date: 1987-04-24
Filing date: 1987-04-24
Publication date: 1988-10-26
Anticipated expiration: 2007-04-24
Also published as: SE8701693L; GB8709730D0; GB2203681B; SE8701693D0; SE463290B

Abstract

A composite die-casting operation, which is exemplified by reference to production of a parabolic aerial (1). A parabolic metal plate (2) is placed between a movable die member (5a) and a stationary die member (5b) in a die-casting machine (4), the die members having a pressure face (6) and a counter pressure face (7), respectively, which are complementary to the final shape of plate member (2). Members (5a, 5b) are moved towards each other to hold plate member (2) and rear structure (3) is cast on to the rear side of plate member (2) and with a shape corresponding to recesses (7a) in counter pressure face (7). By the aid of perforations (2a) in plate member (2), and recesses (6a) in member (5a) the casting metal is made to flow into said recesses fixing said rear structure (3) to plate member (2). The plate member (2) may initially be a planar disk which is bent to dished shape between the die members and also has the necessary perforations punched therein. <IMAGE>

Description

A METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A PRODUCT,AND A DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD, AND A PRODUCT THUS PRODUCED.

The present invention relates to a method of producing a prbduct, as stated in the introductory part of the following claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device in a compression moulding machine to produce products by the aid of said method, as stated in the introductory part of the following dependent claim 4.

By the aid of said method and said compression moulding machine, e.g. a parabolic aerial comprising at Least two metal components, viz. a parabolic metal plate having a compression moulded rear structure attached to it, may be produced to be secured to a support.

It is known to attach a rear structure to a plate member, e.

g. a parabolic aerial,by the aid of riveting. Said rear structure and plate member are then provided with aligned holes through which rivets are inserted and are clinched by impact or pressure in a manner known per se, so that said rivet joines the two components. Furthermore, it is known to provide moulded rear structures with projecting pins which correspond to holes in the plate member, with said pins then being clinched as mentioned above to hold the components together. This fastening method requires an added clinching operation when said components are fastened to each other.

There is quite a number of variants of such parabolic aerials as regards the structure of the actual parabolic plate, and the associated rear structure, as well as manners of joining them. Thus, there exist parabolic plates which are produced from glass fibre reinforced plastic with a metal coating, whereas others are made from a plate of aluminium or steel, and are provided with necessary openings or perforations for attaching the rear structure. Said rear structure may, if desired, be welded or glued to the parabolic aerial.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for production of product comprising at least two metal components, e.g. parabolic aerials1 with the joining of the plate member and the rear structure being simplified as com- pared to known technology. Furthermore, according to the in invention a device in connection with a compression moulding machine is provided, which permits production of such twocomponent objects which are joined together. Thus, it was rendered possible to provide a product, e.g. a parabolic aerial, having the metal plate member fastened to the moulded rear structure in a simple manner not requiring any special operations like riveting, welding, soldering, or glueing.

According to the present invention this is achieved by the characterizing features appearing from the characterizing part of the following independent method claim 1 with the following dependent claims1 and the following apparatus claim 6.

The invention will be disclosed in more detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawing.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatfc longitudinal section showing a compression moulding machine in a closed position with a parabolic plate member between the compression surfaces facing each other, and with'the compression moulding equipment ready for compression moulding a rear structure onto said plate member.

Figure 2 shows a finished product in the shape of a parabolic aerial with a rear structure moulded onto it, as seen in perspective from the rear.

Figures 3-5 show sections of details on a larger scale of various designs of the connection between the rear structure and the front structure for attachment to said plate member.

Figure 6 shows the movable member and the stationary member of compression moulding machine as shown in Figure 1 with said members in a separated state and with a parabolic plate member inserted between them.

Figure 7 shows the same as Figure 6, but with a disk provided between said two members for compression moulding said disk into a parabolic shape in connection with joining said members and, then for moulding a rear structure, and if desired, a front structure onto the parabolic plate by the aid of the compression moulding equipment as shown in Figure 1.

In Figure 2 a finished product is shown in perspective and in a rear view. Said product is produced according to the method mentioned above in the shape of a parabolic aerial 1 comprising a metal plate member 2 with a metal rear structure 3 attached to it, which latter is used to attach said parabolic aerial 1 to a support (not shown). Plate member 2 and rear structure 3 are preferably made of aluminium, but other metals that may be shaped/moulded may be used, or a combination of different metals which are suitable for the finished product, or for carrying out the operations in question during production.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatical longitudinal section of a compression moulding machine 4 having a movable die 4a, and a stationary die 4b with a compression moulding tool 5 mounted with its movable member 5a on the movable die 4a, and with its stationary member Sb on said stationary die 4b. Said members 5a and 5b comprise a press face 6 and a counter press face 7, respectively, which are complementary to the final shape of plate member 2. In counter press face 7 cutouts/rGcesses 7a are provided which together with the rear side of plate member 2 held and possibly compressed between'members Sa and Sb forms a mould associated with compression moulding equipment B of compression moulding machine 4.Said equipment comprises a piston 9, and a cylindrical chamber 10 with a filling hole lOa for supply of liquid casting metal 11 from a supply device 12.

Said cylindrical chamber 10 is provided in stationary die Tb of said compression moulding machine and is aligned with a corresponding chamber in stationary member 5b of compression moulding tool 5 and opents into recess 7a in said stationary member.

In the production of product 1, which is hereafter called a parabolic aerial, said plate member 2 is placed between movable member Sa and stationary member 5b in press tool 5.

Then movable member Sa is moved towards stationary member Sb by a die 4a to hold plate member 2. The rear side of plate member 2 now forms a wall in the above mentioned cutout/recess 7a in stationary member 5b, and a void is formed constituting said mould which is associated with compression moulding equipment 8 of compression moulding machine 4. Then, casting metal 11 is poured into said mould by the aid of supply device 12, and piston 9 is moved into cylindridal chamber 10 with the liquid casting metal 11 which is forced into cutout/recess 7a to fill the latter. By selecting casting metal 11 and metal plate member 2 with melting temperatures close to each other, and by possibly heating compression tool members 5a, 5b the rear structure 3 moulded in mould 7a can be made to form a fused metal connection with plate member 2.

A considerably simpler manner of attaching the moulded rear structure 3 to plate member 2 is achieved by providing plate member 2 with perforations or openings 2a which expand in a direction from rear structure 3. In the moulding process casting metal 11 will, thus, be forced into said openings 2a to form a web, possibly a front structure 3', in flow connection with rear structure 3. Thus, the rear structure 3 and plate member 2 are secured to each other. This connection may also be called counter slip or undercut. Corresponding connections may also be made as shown in Figure 4, with opening 2a in plate member 2 having pressed down opening edges which project slightly into recess 7a (Figure 1). In this case a larger front structure 3' or counter slip is formed. In a connection as shown in Figure 3, a cutout or recess 6a (Figure 1) is formed in alignment with opening 2a in plate member 2 and has a larger diameter than said opening. When rear structure 3 is moulded a front structure 3 in front of plate member 2 will, thus be formed.

All mentioned embodiments for attaching rear structure 3 to plte member 2 are well suited for production during the com- pression moulding process for forming rear structure 3 and for securing the latter to plate member 2.

Figure 6 shows a finished parabolic plate member 2 with openings 2a provided in movable member 5a of compression moulding tool 5 which is also provided with recesses 6a. By moving the movable member Sa towards stationary member 5b said plate member will be held between pressure faces 6 and 7 of said members, and compression moulding of rear structure 3 and front structure 3' occur as mentioned above. The finished product will then have front structures 3' of the kind as shown in Figure 3 with a head which is connected with rear structure 3 via a web.

In Figure 7 a disk shaped plate blank 2 is shown provided between the open members 5a, Sb of compression moulding tool 5. When said members 5a, 5b are pressed together said disk shaped blank 2 will be pressed to parabolic shape of the kind as shown in Figure 6, after which compression moulding of the rear structure will occur in the manner as mentioned above.

To achieve said pressure moulding of disk shaped blank 2 additional equipment, known per se, is used, e.g. a blank holder in connection with pressure members 5a and Sb, in order to ensure that the disk shaped plate blank edge is drawn to be smpoth. This is commonly used in conventional plate forming tools.

By the disclosed invention the following is achieved as com- pare to previously use methods for producing, e.g. parabolic aerials, viz.: Less serni-products in circulation (parabolics with a diameter of 1.0 m will be bulky).

Fewer operations.

A shorter total cycle tlm.e.

Lower investments (one machine).

The combination of plate/members fixed by moulding ensures an optimal utilization of material, i.e. the weight of the product may be lower than in case of conventional methods.

Optimal rigidity is achieved of a parabolic plate 2 with a rear structure 3 moulded onto it.

The attachment of rear structure 3 is achieved in a defined manner, which will prevent the deformation of the-parabolic member during the mounting process.

By use of moulded details 3, 3' the number of parts may be reduced.

Shaping may occur in a heated moulding tool and plate member 2 will, thus, be releived of inherent tensions that might otherwise cause deformations.

The combination of moulded materials/plate permits use of the same rear structure 3 for different sizes of the parabolic members 2, i.e. increased efficiency.

Openings 2a in plate member 2 may, if desired, be made by the aid of, e.g. hydraulic or pneumatic punch'dies and holding-on tools provided in press dies 4a and 4b of compression moulding machine 4. This is particularly suitable in connection with pressing disk shaped plate blanks 2 into a parabolic shape, as disclosed in connection with Figure 7.

Said punch die equipment is not described in more detail being known per se.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method for producing a product, comprising at least two components of metal, of which at least one component is compression moulded and attached to another component in the shape of a plate member, e.g. a parabolic aerial (1) consisting of a parabolic plate member (2) having a compression moulded rear structure (3) attached to it, which plate member (2) is placed between a movable member (5a) and a stationary member (Sb) in a compression moulding tool (5) of a compression moulding tool (4), where at least one of members (5a,5b) together with said plate member (2) form a mould associated with compression equipment (8) of said compression moulding machine (4), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said movable member (5a) which is provided with pressure face (6), is moved towards said stationary member (5b) which is provided with a counter pressure face (7), said pressure faces (6;;7) being complementary to the final shape of plate member (2), for holding and possibly shaping said plate member (2), whereafter rear structure (3) is compression moulded onto the rear side of plate member (2), and with a shape corresponding to cutouts/recesses (7a) provided in said counter pressure face (7).

2. A method as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that cutouts/recesses (6a) are also provided in the pressure face (6) of said movable member (5a), and that at least one opening (perforation (2a) is provided in plate member (2) for compression moulding of a front structure (3') on the front of plate member (2) in metallic connection with said rear structure (3).

3. A method as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that a metallic connection is formed between rear structure (3) and the rear side of plate member (2) by preheating said stationary member (5b), if desired said movable member (Sa), and by section of com- ponent materials, possibly metal covers on said materials, having melting points adapted to each other so as to form an intermetallic contact between said components (2,3).

4. A method as defined in claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said front and rear structures (3,3') are attached to said plate member (2) by the aid of metallic connection through said opening/perforation (2a).

5. A method as defined in any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said plate member (2) is a disk shaped plate blank, possibly provided with openings/ perforations (2a) that is pressed into the desired shape parabolic shape - by pressing together members (5a,5b), after which compression moulding of the rear structure (3), if desired a front structure (3') as well is carried out.

6. A device in a compression moulding machine (4) for production of products by the aid of the method as defined in claim 1, and any of claims 2-5, where the movable member (5a) and the stationary member (Sb) of the compression moulding tool (5) of compression moulding machine (4) have cooperating pressure faces (6,7) which are shaped in accordance with the final shape of plate member (2), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that one or possibly both pressure surfaces (7,6) have cutouts/recesses (7a,6a) one of which (7a), as known per se, is connected with moulding pressure equipment (8) of moulding pressure machine (4) in order to form a mould together with the side/sides of said plate member for moulding said rear and if desired front structures (3,3').

7. A method of producing a product including a compression moulding operation, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A product produced by a method according to any of Claims 1 - 5 and 7.

9. Compression moulding apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.