JPH0116768Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an electroforming mold suitable for molding parts with complicated shapes.

Synthetic resin materials are generally used for the matrix for electroforming, but this type of matrix is destroyed when it is released from the mold after electroforming, so it cannot be reused. In the case of parts with complex shapes, it was necessary to machine the bottom hole, reuse hole, overhang part on the back of the case, screw part for fixing the back cover, etc. after electroforming.

On the other hand, when rubber is used as the matrix material, it is possible to form the matrix without the need for post-processing, and it is also possible to release the mold from the master mold. It was necessary to provide lead wires and perform conductive processing such as electroless plating.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention uses conductive rubber as the matrix material, thereby omitting pre-processing such as conductive treatment of the mold and post-processing such as machining of molded parts etc. The purpose of this invention is to provide a new electroforming mold that can be used for electroforming, and the details of the present invention will be described below based on illustrated embodiments.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a master mold and a sub-pattern for molding the mother mold. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is made of brass or the like in which a reuse hole 1a, a positioning protrusion 2a, etc. are formed in advance. A master mold 4 for electroforming, which is a prototype for a wristwatch case and which is a characteristic part of the present invention to be described later, can also be molded based on this prototype 1.

The reference numeral 3 in Fig. 3 is a sub-mold more suitable for molding the electroforming mother mold 4, which is made of copper, nickel, etc., on the female mold 2 (Fig. 2) made from the master mold 1. Electroforming is performed to form a sub-pattern 3 consisting of a portion 3a and a flange portion 3b, which are faithfully transferred from the pattern 1.

The electroforming master mold 4 (Fig. 4), which is molded based on such a master mold 1 or sub-mold 3, is made of rubber mixed with conductive powder such as carbon, and the master mold is formed in this conductive rubber. After embedding 1 or the sub-pattern 3 and making a mold, it is released from the mold 1 etc. using its own elasticity, and a conductive rubber molded separately using the same method is inserted into the positioning hole 4a formed here. After positioning and fixing the core 5 (5th
), electroforming is performed between the two using their conductivity to form a wristwatch case 6 as shown in FIG. Therefore, the watch case 6 formed in this way has the following features, not to mention its external shape.
Reuse hole 1a or core 5 formed in the prototype 1
The reuse hole 6a and the back cover fixing screw part 6 are formed by the back cover fixing screw part 5b, shoulder part 5c, etc.
b. An overhang portion 6c on the back surface of the case is also provided at the same time. When the molding process of the wristwatch case 6 is completed, the electroforming master mold 4 is removed from the molded wristwatch case 6 due to its flexibility and used again for the next molding process.

Although the present invention has been described above using the example of a wristwatch case, it goes without saying that the electroforming mold of the present invention can be applied to molding other parts.

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the mold for electroforming is made of a rubber material mixed with a conductive material, which not only eliminates the need for conductive treatment after molding, but also Because of its plasticity, it is possible to faithfully transfer the original model down to the smallest detail, making it possible to mold completed parts to the extent that no post-processing such as machining is required, greatly reducing the manufacturing process. can do. Moreover, since the electroforming mold itself is flexible, it can be easily separated from the original mold or molded product, etc.
It becomes possible to use the master mold and this electroforming mold repeatedly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a sectional view showing an example of the prototype, Figures 2 and 3 are
The figure is a diagram explaining the process of obtaining a sub-prototype from a prototype;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an electroforming master mold which is an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a part molding state using the above-mentioned mold, and FIG. It is a sectional view of the made watch case. 1... Prototype, 2... Female prototype, 3... Sub-prototype,
4... Mother mold for electroforming, 5... Core, 6... Watch case.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A mold for electroforming, which is shaped from a master mold formed according to the shape of the part to be molded, is made of a rubber material mixed with a conductive material. Mold for electroforming.