IES64698B2

IES64698B2 - Method of moulding an article

Info

Publication number: IES64698B2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Brian A Doyle
Original assignee: Brian A Doyle
Priority date: 1994-11-07
Filing date: 1994-11-07
Publication date: 1995-08-23
Also published as: IES940872A2

Abstract

A method of moulding an article (10) is described. An insert (11) which includes lugs (13) projecting away from the insert is pre-fabricated. The insert is placed in a mould, the mould is closed, filled with fluid material and the fluid material is allowed to solidify before removing the article from the mould.

Description

The present invention relates to a method of moulding an article.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of moulding an article comprising the steps of pre-fabricating an insert comprising lugs projecting away from the insert, placing the insert in a mould, closing the mould, filling the mould with fluid material and allowing the fluid material to solidify before removing the article from the mould.

Preferably, the cross-sectional area of the lugs increases as they project from the insert.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an article manufactured according to the invention ; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line I-I; and Figure 3 is a detailed perspective view of the article of Figure 1 of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings wherein similar numerals have been used to indicate like parts, there is shown an article generally indicated at 10 manufactured according to the invention. The article 10, which in the present embodiment is a cutting board, comprises an insert 11 formed from a plastics material such as # polypropylene or polyethylene. The insert 11 is formed as an elongate loop of substantially uniform rectangular cross-section of width DI and depth D2, Figure 2. One side 12 of the loop is bent slightly allowing a hand to easily pass through the inside of the loop and thus form means by which the cutting board may be carried or be hung from a hook, Figure 1.

The insert 11 includes four lugs 13, one of which is disposed towards one end of the side 12, while the remainder are located on the opposite side 14 of the loop. Each lug 13 includes a wedge 15 which projects from the outer surface of the loop, Figure 3. The wedge 15 widens to a depth D6 as it projects away from the loop. The insert 11 narrows to a width D3 at a mid-point along the length of the lug 13 above the wedge to a depth D4 and below the wedge 15 to a depth D5.

When fabricated the insert 11 is placed in a conventional injection mould conforming the shape of the article to be manufactured. The mould is closed and the remainder of the cavity is then filled with fluid plastics material. The fluid plastics material flows around the wedge 15 to completely envelop the wedge and the mould is then allowed to cool.

Because the wedge 15 widens as its projects away * from the insert 11 and into the board 16, the lugs 13 positively engage the remainder of the cutting board 16, thus fixing the insert 11 securely to the remainder of the cutting board 16.

If desired the insert 11 and the remainder of the board 16 can be made from different materials. If the melt flow index of the insert 11 and the remainder of the board 16 are different then they will tend to fuse together during cooling and provide a more hygienic seal.

It will also be seen that the insert 11 and the remainder of the board 16 can differ in colour to provide an aesthetic effect.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein which may be modified or varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of moulding an article comprising the steps of pre-fabricating an insert comprising lugs projecting 5 away from the insert, placing the insert in a mould, closing the mould, filling the mould with fluid material and allowing the fluid material to solidify before removing the article from the mould. 10

2. The method according to Claim 1 in which the cross-sectional area of the lugs increases as they project from the insert.

3. The method according to Claim 1 or 2 in which the 15 insert and the fluid material have differing melt flow indices so that the insert and the fluid material are substantially fused together after solidification of the fluid material. 20

4. An article produced according to the method claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3.

5. A method of moulding an article substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the 25 accompanying drawings.