Mold made from an additive manufacturing technology

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11040467-B1
Application number	US-202017124566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 17, 2020
Priority date	Dec 18, 2019
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

An open mold for producing components made of a moldable material such as layered composite materials is made from an additive manufacturing technology. The mold includes at least two compatible mold segments which precisely interlock with and abut against each other. The mold thereby made may be larger than the limited printing area of an additive manufacturing machine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An open mold for producing components made of a moldable material, the mold comprising:
a first mold segment made from an additive manufacturing technique, the first mold segment having:
a first support structure defining a support plane underneath;
a first molding surface operative to receive the moldable material, said first molding surface being supported by said first support structure, said first molding surface having a first edge;
a first overlapping interface located between said support plane and said first edge at a predetermined distance from said first edge, said first overlapping interface extending behind said first edge;
a first interlocking element located in said first overlapping interface;

a second mold segment made from an additive manufacturing technique, the second mold segment having:
a second support structure having said support plane underneath;
a second molding surface operative to receive the moldable material, said second molding surface being supported by said second support structure, said second molding surface having a second edge;
a second overlapping interface located between said support plane and said second edge at said predetermined distance from said second edge, said second overlapping interface extending beyond said second molding surface; and
a second interlocking element located in said second overlapping interface, said second interlocking element being compatible with said first interlocking element so as to cooperate to interlock in an interlocking plane said first mold segment with said second mold segment, said predetermined distance being measured in a direction normal to said interlocking plane,

wherein said first overlapping interface overlaps said second overlapping interface, said second overlapping interface abutting against said first overlapping interface in a direction normal to said interlocking plane so that said first edge is juxtaposed with said second edge and said first molding surface is juxtaposed with said second molding surface.

2. The mold of claim 1 , wherein said first interlocking element is a male interlocking element and wherein said second interlocking element is a female interlocking element.

3. The mold of claim 1 , wherein said first interlocking element is located remotely from said first edge and at a second predetermined distance from said first edge and wherein said second interlocking element is located remotely from said second edge and at said second predetermined distance from said second edge, said second predetermined distance being measured in said interlocking plane.

4. The mold of claim 1 , wherein said interlocking plane is parallel to said support plane.

5. The mold of claim 1 , wherein said first mold segment further comprises a sealing zone in said first overlapping interface and wherein said second mold segment comprises a depression in said second overlapping interface, said sealing zone being located between said first edge and said first interlocking element, said depression containing an adhesive contacting said sealing zone.

6. The mold of claim 1 , wherein said second mold segment further comprises a sealing zone in said second overlapping interface and wherein said first mold segment comprises a depression in said first overlapping interface, said sealing zone being located between said second edge and said second interlocking element, said depression containing an adhesive contacting said sealing zone.

7. The mold of claim 1 , wherein said first edge and said second edge are parallel.

8. The mold of claim 1 , wherein said first molding surface and said second molding surface are tangent to each other in a plane normal to said first edge.

9. The mold of claim 1 , wherein said second mold segment is welded to said first mold segment along said first edge.

10. The mold of claim 1 , further comprising a finishing layer on said first molding surface and on said second molding surface.

11. The mold of claim 1 , wherein said first support structure and said second support structure partially overlap each other in a second overlapping interface.

12. A method for manufacturing an open mold adapted to produce components made of a moldable material, the method comprising:
manufacturing a first mold segment using an additive manufacturing technology, the manufacturing the first mold segment further having:
building a first support defining a support plane underneath;
building a first molding surface having a first edge, said first molding surface being connected to said first support;
building a first overlapping interface at a predetermined distance from said first edge, said predetermined distance being measured in a direction normal to said support plane, said first overlapping interface being located between said support plane and said first edge, said first overlapping interface extending behind said first edge;
building a first interlocking element in said first overlapping interface;

manufacturing a second mold segment using an additive manufacturing technology, the manufacturing the second mold segment further having:
building a second support having said support plane underneath;
building a second molding surface having a second edge, said second molding surface being connected to said second support;
building a second overlapping interface at said predetermined distance from said second edge, said second overlapping interface being located between said support plane and said second edge, said second overlapping interface extending beyond said second edge;
building a second interlocking element in said second overlapping interface;

interlocking said second interlocking element with said first interlocking element so as to compatibly interlock said first mold segment with said second mold segment in an interlocking plane, said predetermined distance being measured in a direction normal to said interlocking plane; and
abutting said second overlapping interface against said first overlapping interface in a direction normal to said interlocking plane so as to juxtapose said second edge with said first edge and said second molding surface with said first molding surface.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said second molding surface is tangent to said first molding surface in a plane normal to said first edge.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein said interlocking further comprises interlocking in a plane parallel to the support plane defined by said first support and said second support.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising applying an adhesive in a depression of one of said first and said second overlapping interfaces and abutting said first and said second mold components against each other so as to wet a sealing zone of the other one of said first and said second overlapping interfaces with said adhesive.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising welding said second mold segment to said first mold segment along said first edge.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising polishing said first molding surface and said second molding surface.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising applying a finishing layer on said first molding surface and on said second molding surface.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising overlapping said first support structure with said second support structure, thereby defining a second overlapping interface.

Assignees

• Bombardier Transp Gmbh
• Bell Textron Inc

Inventors

• Poirier Daniel
• Michaud Hubert

Classifications

• B29C33/00

  Moulds or cores; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B29C64/118 Primary

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title

• B33Y80/00 Primary

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C33/3842 Primary

  Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining · CPC title