JPH06143449A - Manufacture of bathtub - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a method for manufacturing a vacuum-molded bath-tub by manufacturing the bathtub at a high efficiency and in satisfactory working environments. CONSTITUTION:The method for manufacturing a bathtub is composed of (1) a step of manufacturing a bathtub surface layer 1 by vacuum-molding a soft resin sheet 12a, (2) a step of covering a corresponding projecting die 24 with a surface layer 12 molding, (3) a step of arranging a curing resin prepreg sheet 14a on the rear of the front surface layer 12 molding in such a manner that the former is located opposite to the latter, (4) a step of vacuum-molding the prepreg sheet 14a through the surface layer 12 molding using a projecting die 24, and forming a rear layer 14 of the bathtub by lamination, and (5) a step of manufacturing a vacuum-molded bathtub according to a step of curing the bathtub rear layer 14 by a chemical reaction.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a bathtub, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing a bathtub by vacuum forming.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the problems to be solved by the invention
The resin bath is made by press molding a resin material containing glass fibers such as SMC, BMC, cast molding by pouring and solidifying the resin material in a fluid state into the cavity of a predetermined mold, hand lay-up There are various known types, such as a FRP bath formed by means such as spray-up, and a back side of a vacuum formed surface layer backed up by an FRP layer for reinforcement.

Of these, the vacuum forming bath formed by vacuum forming the surface layer has the advantages that the mold cost is low and that a clean surface state can be easily obtained. On the other hand, the backup by the FRP layer is possible. The following problems have occurred due to the necessity.

In the case of a vacuum forming bath, it is difficult to control the thickness and the wall thickness cannot be increased, so that the strength is weak. Therefore, a FRP layer is laminated and reinforced on the back surface. The backup layer has to be formed by a work similar to conventional manual work such as spray-up and hand lay-up, which requires a lot of work and is inefficient, and the work environment is bad. There was a problem.

[0005]

The invention of the present application has been made to solve such a problem. Thus, the bath manufacturing method of the present invention comprises (a) a step of vacuum forming a resin sheet softened by heating to form a bath surface layer,
(B) a step of covering the surface layer molding with a convex mold having a corresponding shape so that the inner surface of the surface layer molding contacts the surface of the convex mold; and (c) a reaction-curable resin prepreg sheet. A step of arranging the surface layer molding covered with the convex mold so as to face the back surface thereof, and (d) the prepreg sheet is vacuum-molded through the surface layer molded product using the convex mold to form the surface. A step of laminating a bathtub back surface layer composed of the prepreg sheet on the back side of the layered product directly or via another layer, and (e)
And a step of causing a curing reaction of the back surface layer of the bathtub (Claim 1).

The manufacturing method of another invention of the present application is characterized in that the prepreg sheet is a UV-curable FRP prepreg sheet (claim 2).

In the manufacturing method of still another invention of the present application, when the prepreg sheet is vacuum-formed to form the back surface layer of the bath, the prepreg sheet and the surface layer molded article or another layer superposed thereon are formed. A vacuum suction pipe is disposed between the vacuum suction pipe and the vacuum suction pipe, and when the vacuum molding is completed, the vacuum suction pipe is embedded between the back surface layer molded product and the surface layer molded product or another layer thereon. (Claim 3).

A manufacturing method according to still another invention of the present application is characterized in that the vacuum suction tube is annularly arranged along the back surface of the flange of the surface layer molding (claim 4).

[0009]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, not only the bath surface layer is formed by vacuum forming, but also the conventional hand lay-up, spray-up, and the like, which is close to manual work. The back side reinforcing layer is also formed by vacuum forming. Therefore, according to the present invention, the bath can be manufactured with high efficiency, and the forming operation can be performed under a good working environment. .

In the present invention, the back surface layer can be directly laminated and formed on the back side of the front surface layer, but in some cases, the back surface layer can be laminated and formed with an intermediate layer interposed therebetween.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a UV-curable FRP prepreg sheet is used as the prepreg sheet, and in the case of this method, there is an advantage that molding and curing can be smoothly and favorably performed.

A thermosetting type prepreg sheet may be used as the reaction setting type prepreg sheet. However, when vacuum forming a prepreg sheet, it is necessary to put it in a softened state, and this is generally done by heating it, and in the case of a thermosetting prepreg sheet, curing progresses and the molding is smoothed. You may not be able to do it.

However, in the case of the UV-curable prepreg sheet, such a problem does not occur during the softening process, and it can be easily cured by irradiating UV after molding.

The invention of claim 3 is a prepreg sheet,
A vacuum suction tube is arranged between the preformed surface layer molding and the intermediate layer thereon, and vacuum suction is performed through the vacuum suction tube.

In the case of the method of claim 1, the prepreg sheet is vacuum-formed with the preformed surface layer molding being covered on the surface of the convex mold as the vacuum molding die, which is conventionally performed. Molding is difficult with normal vacuum molding.

In the case of conventional vacuum molding, a vacuum suction hole is provided in the mold and vacuum suction is performed through this vacuum suction hole.
In the case of the method of claim 1, this cannot be done because the surface layer molding is covered on the surface of the vacuum molding die.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a vacuum suction tube is arranged between the prepreg sheet and the surface layer molding or the intermediate layer, and vacuum suction is performed through the vacuum suction tube. Vacuum suction can be performed without any problems.

Further, in this method, the vacuum suction tube is embedded in the molded product when the vacuum molding is completed. In this case, there is an advantage that the vacuum suction tube can function as a reinforcing member in the bathtub molded product.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the vacuum suction pipe is annularly arranged along the flange of the bathtub. In this case, the vacuum suction pipe is embedded in a frame-like continuous ring. The advantage that the reinforcing effect can be effectively exhibited is obtained.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 denotes a vacuum forming bath, which has a laminated structure of a surface layer 12 made of acrylic resin and a back surface layer 14 made of FRP as a reinforcing layer.

FIG. 1 shows a specific manufacturing procedure of the bath 10. As shown in the figure, in the method of this example,
As shown in (A), the acrylic resin sheet 12a
Is set in a vacuum forming mold 18 having a forming recess 16 to clamp the end portion, and then is heated by a heater 20 to soften it.

Then, the acrylic resin sheet 12a is vacuum-formed by vacuum suction through the suction ports 22 opened at the corners of the molding recess 16 to obtain a molded product of the surface layer 12 first.

Next, as shown in FIG.
The surface of the convex mold 24 is covered with the molded article (1), and the vacuum suction pipe 26 is annularly arranged along the root of the flange, that is, at the corner of the root where the flange extends.

Along with this, a UV-curing type FRP prepreg sheet 14a is set, and is heated and softened by the heater 20 on the end clamps, and in that state, vacuum suction is performed through the vacuum suction tube 26, as shown in (C). In this way, the convex mold 24 is pushed up to vacuum-form the prepreg sheet 14a, and the back surface layer 14 made of FRP is laminated on the back side of the surface layer 12. At this time, the front surface layer and the back surface layer may be bonded to each other with an adhesive applied in advance.

In the forming step of FIG. 3C, the vacuum suction tube 26 is placed between the vacuum suction tube 26 and the front surface layer 12 and the back surface layer 14 at the same time when the vacuum suction (vacuum molding) is completed. The embedded state.

After the above steps are completed, next, as shown in (D), the FRP back surface layer is irradiated with UV to cure it. As a result, the vacuum forming bath 10 shown in FIG. 2 is obtained.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, this is merely an example. For example, in the present invention, a prepreg sheet of thermosetting epoxy resin (containing a reinforcing fiber) containing a curing retarder is used as a prepreg sheet for forming a back surface layer of a bath, which is softened and heated after vacuum forming. It is also possible to cure this.

In addition to the above, according to the present invention, it is possible to form an intermediate layer between the front surface layer and the back surface layer in some cases, and various modifications may be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It can be implemented in an added mode.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a vacuum forming bath obtained by the same method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Vacuum Forming Bath 12 Surface Layer 12a Acrylic Resin Sheet 14 Back Layer 14a Prepreg Sheet 24 Convex 26 Vacuum Suction Tube

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location B29L 9:00 4F 22:00 4F

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A step of (a) vacuum forming a resin sheet softened by heating to form a bath surface layer, and (b) forming the surface layer onto a convex mold having a corresponding shape. A step of covering the inner surface of the object so as to contact the surface of the convex mold, and (c) a step of arranging a reaction-curable resin prepreg sheet so as to face the back surface of the surface layer molding covered with the convex mold ( D) Using the convex mold, the prepreg sheet is vacuum-formed via the surface layer molding, and a bathtub back surface layer composed of the prepreg sheet is laminated on the back side of the surface layer molding either directly or through another layer. And (e) a step of subjecting the back surface layer of the bath to a curing reaction, a method for producing a bath. 2. The prepreg sheet is a UV curing type F
An RP prepreg sheet, characterized in that
The method for manufacturing a bathtub according to. 3. A vacuum suction tube is disposed between the prepreg sheet and the surface layer molded article or another layer laminated on the prepreg sheet when vacuum forming the prepreg sheet to form a back surface layer of the bath. 3. Vacuum suction is performed through the vacuum suction tube, and when the vacuum molding is completed, the vacuum suction tube is embedded between the back surface layer molded article and the front surface layer molded article or another layer thereon. The method for manufacturing a bathtub according to. 4. The method for manufacturing a bathtub according to claim 3, wherein the vacuum suction tube is annularly arranged along the back surface of the flange of the surface layer molding.