WO2005011969A1

WO2005011969A1 - A mold for manufacturing the buffering cover

Info

Publication number: WO2005011969A1
Application number: PCT/KR2004/001902
Authority: WO
Inventors: Young-Jun Choi
Original assignee: Splendor Corporation
Priority date: 2003-07-31
Filing date: 2004-07-28
Publication date: 2005-02-10
Also published as: KR20050014375A; KR100563495B1

Abstract

A mold for manufacturing a buffering cover. The mold includes an upper mold, a lower mold, and an inner mold, installed to the lower mold, for forming a desired passage between the upper mold and the lower mold. The inner mold includes a first mold and a second mold. According to a buffering cover manufactured by the mold of the present invention, the buffering cover minimizes the pain exerted on a user's ear when wearing an earphone as well as amplifies sound. The buffering cover can also be easily mass-produced.

Description

[DESCRIPTION] [Invention Title]

A MOLD FOR MANUFACTURING THE BUFFERING COVER

[Technical Field] The present invention relates to a mold for manufacturing a buffering cover, and more particularly to a mold for easily mass-producing buffering covers, installed to earphones, which minimize pain exerted on a user's ears when wearing the earphones and amplifies sound. The mold includes an upper mold, a lower mold, and an inner mold that is installed to the lower mold and is formed with a passage between the upper and lower molds. The inner mold includes a first mold, a second mold, and a core.

[Background Art]

Generally, earphones include a housing, a speaker attached to the housing, and an electric wire for supplying electric power to the speaker. The speaker is fixed to the housing in a tight pressed fit. To provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance, the outside of the speaker is completed by a band-shaped rubber cover. The cover is not always coupled to the speaker. However, in order to prevent damage caused by the speaker cover made of metal mesh and to complete the coupling portion, the speaker cover is usually closely fixed to an edge of the coupling portion between the speaker and the housing. The cover is manufactured by a mold. The mold includes an upper mold having an inlet for a molding material at a side thereof and passage holes formed in a circumferential direction with a predetermined depth. The passage holes are formed by a slide core which is mounted on the upper mold. The mold includes a lower mold with respect to the upper mold. The lower mold has an inlet for a molding material at a side thereof and passage holes formed in a circumferential direction with a predetermined depth. The passage holes are formed by a slide core which is mounted on the lower mold. However, according to the above-mentioned mold, since the slide cores must be mounted in the upper and lower molds, independently, the assembly of the mold is complicated as well as it is impossible to manufacture a buffering cover having an inner space. Moreover, since the buffering cover manufactured by the mold simply covers the speaker and the housing, the earphones are separated from the ears and cause pain when wearing the earphones for a long-time.

[Disclosure] [Technical Problem] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a mold for mass- manufacturing buffering covers having a predetermined inner space without damage, for enabling the buffering covers to be separated from the mold by separating of an inner mold from a lower mold without a slide core, and for manufacturing uniform buffering covers by injecting molding materials.

[Technical Solution] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a mold for manufacturing a buffering cover including an inner mold having a first mold for providing a close contact with a first contacting surface at an upper side of the first mold and an ejecting protrusion formed at a lower side of the first mold, a second mold formed with a penetrated protrusion supporting hole at a central portion of the second mold to support the first mold inserted into the protrusion supporting hole, and a core connected to an upper side of the second mold, an upper mold formed with an arc-shaped core insertion hole in a circumferential direction to allow an edge of an inner circumference of a second contacting surface, on which an edge of the first contacting surface contacted with the inner mold and a lower mold are supported, to have a maximum diameter having a second contacting surface, and the lower mold corresponding to the upper mold and having a mold ejecting hole in which a part of the inner mold is inserted and supported and an arc-shaped passage forming hole for connecting the mold ejecting hole and a supporting surface.

[Advantageous Effects] According to the present invention, a mold mass-manufactures buffering covers having a predetermined inner space without damage, enables the buffering covers to be separated from the mold by separating an inner mold from a lower mold without a slide core, and manufactures uniform buffering covers by injecting molding materials. Moreover, the buffering covers manufactured by the mold according to the present invention provide a resonance space to the speaker so as to amplify the sound volume as well as to form a flexible buffering space when the buffering covers are installed inside or outside of the speaker so as to minimize pain when wearing the earphones. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

[Description of the Drawings] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a mold for manufacturing a buffering cover according to the present invention; Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are cross-sectional views of the mold for manufacturing a buffering cover according to the present invention; Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the mold for manufacturing a buffering cover according to the present invention; Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are cross- sectional views respectively illustrating a core, a first mold, and a second mold among an inner mold of the mold for manufacturing a buffering cover according to the present invention; Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are cross-sectional views respectively illustrating the buffering cover manufactured by the mold according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 12 is a view showing a state that the buffering cover is installed to the speaker.

[Best Mode] Hereinafter, a mold for manufacturing a buffering cover according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described as follows. As shown in Figs. 1 to 8, the mold according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an inner mold 100, an upper mold 200, and a lower mold 300. The inner mold 100 has a first mold 110, a second mold 130 in which the first mold 110 is inserted, and a core 150 supported by an upper side of the second mold 130. Moreover, the inner mold 100 is formed with a passage 153. The passage 153 has a staring point and a terminal point on the same vertical line and extends from a contacting surface between the first and second molds to an upper edge of the first mold when the first mold 110, the second mold 130, and the core 150 are assembled to each other. The first mold 110 has an overall T-shape and includes a first passage forming plate 113 and an ejecting protrusion 115. The first passage forming plate

113 has a third contacting surface 113a and a step 113b. The third contacting surface 113a has an upper central planar surface with a predetermined thickness, and the step 113b is formed to extend from an edge of the third contacting surface 113a to an edge of a lower surface of the third contacting surface 113a. The ejecting protrusion 115 is extended from a bottom central portion of the first passage forming plate 113 and is integrally formed with the first passage forming plate 113. The second mold 130 includes a core supporting plate 133 and a supporting boss 135. The core supporting plate 133 is formed with a first supporting surface 131 to support the first mold 110 at an upper side thereof. The core supporting plate 133 has a width equal to that of the step 113b and protrudes upward from the edge of the first supporting surface 131 to maintain a desired gap from an outer surface of the first passage forming plate 113. The hollow cylindrical supporting boss 135 is integrally formed with the core supporting plate

133 at a lower central side of the supporting surface 131, and is formed with a protrusion supporting hole 135a in which an outer diameter of the ejecting protrusion 115 is inserted. The core 150 is formed with a contacting step 151, whose inner circumference comes in close contact with the core supporting plate 133 of the second mold 130, at an inner lower side thereof. The diameter of the inner surface of the core 150 is equal to that of the core supporting plate 133, and the core 150 has an L-shape so as to form a desired passage 153 in cooporation with the first passage forming plate 113 therebetween. The upper mold 200 is formed with a first contacting surface 210 at a lower central portion and an arc-shaped core insertion hole 230 in the circumferential direction. The first contacting surface 210 makes close contact with the upper surface of the first passage forming plate 113. The arc-shaped core insertion hole

230 forms a desired gap between the upper mold 200 and the core 150 to extend the passage 153. Due to the core insertion hole 230, an end of the first contacting surface 210 and an inner end of the second contacting surface for supporting the lower mold 300 have maximum diameters. The lower mold 300 is formed with a press surface 310 corresponding to the second contacting surface 220 of the upper mold 200, a mold ejecting hole 320, and an arc-shaped passage forming hole 330 extended from the mold ejecting hole 320. The supporting boss 135a is inserted into a central portion of the mold ejecting hole 320 and is supported by the lower mold 300. Moreover, a second supporting surface 350, which has a height different from that of the press surface 310, is formed at a connecting portion between an edge of the passage forming hole 330 and the mold ejecting hole 320. When the inner mold 100 is installed in the passage forming hole 330, the passage 153 is integrally extended. The second mold 130 is formed with corresponding recesses 131 and protrusions 131b at the first supporting surface 131, and is integrally formed with a step 131c at a lower edge thereof. In order to exhaust the surplus resin injected into the mold, a plurality of preserve spaces 400 are formed where the passage 153 are connected. Meanwhile, as shown in Fig. 3, the second mold 130 is integrally connected to the core 150, wherein a cross-sectional area of the core 150 is gradually decreased to increase the width of the passage 153 formed inside the core insertion hole 230. As shown in Fig. 4, the passage 153 extends from the upper side of the first mold 110 where the first mold 110 makes contact with the core 150 to the edge of the first supporting surface 131 of the second mold 130. Hereinafter, the operation of the mold having the above-mentioned construction will be described as follows. As shown in Figs. 1 to 8, the first and the second mold 110 and 130 are assembled to each other by inserting the ejecting protrusion 115 of the first mold 110 into the inner side of the protrusion supporting hole 135a of the second mold 130. At this time, the passage 153 is formed to have a thickness corresponding to the width of the step 113b in a predetermined length by the second mold 130 in association with the first mold 110. The first mold 110 having the step 113b is inserted into the second mold 130 which has the core supporting plate 133 protruding from the edge circumference of the first supporting surface 131. Then, when closely fixing the core 150 to the inner diameter of the core supporting plate 133, the passage 153, that is formed by the assembly of the first and second molds 110 and 130, extends and is formed between the first mold 110 and the core 150. The inner mold 100 having the above-mentioned structure is supported through the mold ejecting hole 320 formed at the central portion of the lower mold 300. The inner mold 100 is supported by the lower mold 300, that is, the first supporting surface 131 is supported by the second supporting surface 350 when the supporting boss 135 is inserted into the mold ejecting hole 320, so that the lowering of the inner mold 110 is prevented. At this time, between the core 150, the second mold 130, and the lower mold 300, the integrally extended passage 153 is defined by the core 150 of the inner mold 100, the first mold 110, and the second mold 130. An end shape of the passage 153 can be freely changed in accordance with the shape of the passage forming hole 330 formed in the lower mold 300, and in this embodiment, the buffering cover 500 is manufactured to have a locking protrusion 590. In a state that the core 150, the first mold 110, and the second mold 130 are assembled to each other so as to complete the inner mold 100 and the inner mold 100 is assembled in the lower mold 300, when the upper mold 200 is assembled to the lower mold 300, the first contact surface 210 formed at the central portion of the upper mold 200 maintains close contact with the second contact surface 113a of the first mold 110. The core 150 protrudes upward from the lower mold 300 when the core 150 is installed in the lower mold 300. The core 150 maintains a predetermined gap in the core insertion hole 230 formed in the upper mold 200 in the circumferential direction to form the passage 153. Thus, the passage 153 extends from the step 113b of the first mold 110 to the step 131c formed at the lower side of the second mold 130. A plurality of integral preserve spaces 400 are formed near the passage 153 so as to preserve the over-injected resin or air. The buffering cover 500 having the above-mentioned structure is manufactured by the mold of the present invention as follows. First, the core 150 is assembled to an assembly of the first and second mold 110 and 130 so as to complete the inner mold 100, and the inner mold 100 is installed in the lower mold

300 in order to inject a proper amount of silicon resin therein. Next, the upper mold 200 is pressed at a pressure of 30 kg/cm² to 80 kg/cm² and 130 degrees centigrade to 200 degrees centigrade so as to uniformly inject the silicon resin into the passage 153. If the silicon resin is injected more than the proper amount or air is injected in the mold, the surplus silicon resin and the air are preserved in the preserve spaces

400 formed near the passage 153 so as to maintain the thickness of the buffering covers. After cooling the assembled mold to room temperature, the inner mold 100 is separated from the assembled mold by a jig inserted into the assembled mold through the mold ejecting hole 320, and the buffering cover is ejected from the inner mold 100. Thus a finished buffering cover is manufactured. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, silicon having a stiffness of 21, a tensile strength of 4 kgf/m to 5 kgf/m , and an elongation of 800 percent is used. As shown in Figs. 9 to 12, the buffering cover 500 manufactured by the mold according to the present invention includes an eccentric protrusion section 520 for forming a predetermined vibrating space 510 at an upper side of a speaker 600, and coupling sections 570 having an air space 530 and cover coupling sections 570. The air space surrounds the speaker 600 and the coupling sections 570 have a coupling means 550 provided at the lower inside thereof. The eccentric protrusion section 520 is integrally formed with the cover coupling sections 570. Moreover, the coupling means 550 has a contacting surface 550a extended from a side of the buffering cover 500, a protrusion 550b protruded from one side of the contacting surface 550a, a recess 550c corresponding to the protrusion 550b and formed at one side of the other contacting surface, and a locking protrusion 590 formed at a side of the cover coupling sections 570. The contacting surface 55a, the protrusion 550b, the recess 550c, and the locking protrusion 590 are integrally formed. Hereinafter, the operation of the buffering cover having the above- mentioned structure will be described. As shown in Figs. 9 to 12, the buffering cover 500 may be used after coupling the cover coupling sections 570 to each other, or may be used to form an insulated space by coupling force when to couple the cover coupling sections 570 to each other at the state of separating the cover coupling sections 570. In the case of coupling the buffering cover 500 with an adhesive, the recess 550c of the cover coupling sections 570 is coated with the adhesive and the contacting surfaces 570a are brought into close contact with each other to be bonded. In this case, even a small amount of the adhesive is coated, since the protrusion 550b and the recess 550c are brought into close contact with each other, the reliability for bonding between the protrusion 550b and the recess 550c is increased. Moreover, the locking protrusion 590 is integrally formed at the lower side of the cover coupling sections 570 so as to prevent the buffering cover 500 from separating from the speaker 600 when installing the buffering cover 500 to the speaker 600. To install the buffering cover 500 having the above-mentioned structure to the speaker 600, the protrusion 520 protruded toward a sound discharging portion of the speaker 600 forms a vibration space 510 to increase sound volume. The protrusion section 520 may be formed with a buffering space at the inside thereof and the entirety of the protrusion section 520 may be made of a rubber material. Moreover, since the buffering cover 500 wrapping around the speaker 600 is formed with an integral buffering space 530 at the inside thereof, it can be prevented from sliding from the user's ear and pain when wearing the earphones in the user's ear can be minimized. Since the coupling sections 570 are integrally formed with the coupling means 550 at the side of the buffering cover 500, the buffering space 530 is easily isolated when the buffering cover 500 is installed to the speaker 600 so as to maintain a predetermined amount of air. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

[CLAIMS]

[Claim 1] A mold for manufacturing a buffering cover, comprising: an inner mold 100 including: a T-shaped first mold 110; a second mold 130 for providing a close contact with a lower surface of the first mold 110 when a part of the first mold 110 is inserted into the second mold 130; a core 150 closely fixed to an edge of the second mold 130; and a passage 153 extended from a contacting surface between the first and second mold 110 and 130; an upper mold 200 formed with a core insertion hole 230, the core insertion hole 230 being connected to a first contacting surface 210 which is formed at a lower central portion of the upper mold 200 and extending the passage

153 to a circumference of the core 150 when the upper mold 200 provides a close contact with a first passage forming plate 113; and a lower mold 300 formed with a passage forming hole 330 for extending the passage 153 to a lower edge of the second mold 130 when the lower mold 300 provides a close contact with the upper mold 200 and formed with a mold ejecting hole 320 connected to the passage forming hole 330.

[Claim 2] The mold as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inner mold 100 comprises the first mold 110, the second mold 130, and the core 150 so as to form the passage 153 which has a starting point and a terminal point on the same vertical line and extends from the contacting surface between the first mold 110 and the second mold 130 to an upper edge of the first mold 110 when the first mold 110, the second mold 130, and the core are assembled to each other, a) the first mold 110 comprises: a T-shaped first passage forming plate 113 formed with a third contacting surface 113a having a planar surface at an upper central portion of the first passage forming plate 113 and provided with a step 113b connected to the third contacting surface 113a extending to a lower edge of the T-shaped first passage forming plate; and an ejecting protrusion 115 extending from a lower central portion of the first passage forming plate 113 and integrally formed with the first passage forming plate 113; b) the second mold 130 comprises: a core supporting plate 133 provided with a first supporting surface 131 in which the first mold 110 is supported by an upper side of the first supporting surface 131 and a part of the first passage forming plate 113 provides a close contact with the first supporting surface 131; and a hollow cylindrical supporting boss 135 formed with a protrusion supporting hole 135a at a lower central portion of the first supporting surface 131, the hollow cylindrical boss 135 being integrally formed with the core supporting plate 133; and c) the core 150 formed with a contacting step 151 to allow the core supporting plate 133 of the second mold 130 at an inner lower side of the core 150, the contacting step 151 providing a close contact with an inner circumference of the core 150, and a part of the core 150 protruding above the first mold 110.

[Claim 3] The mold as set forth in claim 1, wherein the upper mold 200 comprises: the first contacting surface 210 being formed at a lower central portion of the upper mold and for providing a close contact with an upper surface of the first passage forming plate 113; an arc-shaped core insertion hole 230 for connecting an inner circumferential edge of a second contacting surface 220 on which an edge of the first contacting surface 210 and the lower mold 300 are supported so as to form a predetermined gap between the upper mold 200 and a core 150 and to extend the passage 153, wherein the core insertion hole 230 extends between the first contacting surface 210 and the second contacting surface 220 having steps and has maximal diameters at every edge.

[Claim 4] The mold as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lower mold 300 comprises: a press surface 310 formed at an edge of the lower mold 300 to correspond to the second contacting surface 220 of the upper mold 200; a mold ejecting hole 320, in which the inner mold 100 is inserted, formed at a central portion of the lower mold 300; a passage forming hole 330 for extending the passage 153 at an outside of the inner mold 100 that is inserted into the passage forming hole 330, the passage forming hole 330 being extended from an inner circumference of the press surface

310 and connected to the mold ejecting hole 320; and a second press surface 350 formed at a connected portion of an edge of the passage forming hole 330 and the mold ejecting hole 320 and having a predetermined height different from that of the press surface 310.

[Claim 5] The mold as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second mold 130 is formed with a recess 131a, a protrusion 131b, and a step 131c at a lower edge, which are integrally formed.

[Claim 6] The mold as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of preserve spaces 400 formed at a connecting portion between the upper mold 200 and the lower mold 300, wherein the preserve spaces 400 exhaust air and a surplus material which is injected into the passage 153.

[Claim 7] The mold as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inner mold 100 has a shape in which the second core 130 is integrally connected to the core 150 and in which a cross-sectional area of the core 150 is gradually decreased to increase a width of the passage 153 formed inside a core insertion hole 230.

[Claim 8] The mold as set forth in claim 1, wherein the passage 153 extends from an upper side of the first mold 110 contacting the core 150 to an edge of a supporting surface 131 of the second mold 130, and the core insertion hole

230 and the passage forming hole 330 are respectively formed at the upper mold

200 and the lower mold 300 when the inner mold 100 is assembled.