Apparatus and method for manufacturing metal-resin composite

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12377612-B2
Application number	US-202318175512-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2023
Priority date	Mar 30, 2022
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus is configured to manufacture a metal-resin composite by press-molding a metal plate and a resin material. The apparatus includes an upper mold and a lower mold for sandwiching the metal plate and the resin material, and an elastic member attached to a molding surface of the lower mold. A cavity for disposing the resin material is provided by the upper mold and the lower mold. The elastic member is disposed to seal the resin material into the cavity by pressing the metal plate against the upper mold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a metal-resin composite by press-molding a metal member and a resin material, the method comprising:
arranging a lower mold, the metal member, the resin material, and an upper mold in this order,
sandwiching the metal member and the resin material with the upper mold and the lower mold;
pressing the metal member against the upper mold through an elastic member attached only to a molding surface of the lower mold by the sandwiching to seal a cavity formed by the upper mold and the lower mold; and
integrating the metal member and the resin material by the press molding while sealing the resin material into the cavity.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the metal-resin composite has, in a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction, a bottom wall portion extending in a horizontal direction, a side wall portion rising from each of both ends of the bottom wall portion, and a flange portion extending outward in a horizontal direction from the side wall portion,
wherein the upper mold has, in the cross section, a first molding upper surface for molding the bottom wall portion, a second molding upper surface for molding the side wall portion, and a third molding upper surface for molding the flange portion, and
wherein the lower mold has, in the cross section, a first molding lower surface for molding the bottom wall portion, a second molding lower surface for molding the side wall portion, and a third molding lower surface for molding the flange portion.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the second molding upper surface is provided with a step.

4. The method according to claim 3 ,
wherein the second molding lower surface is provided with a holding groove for holding the elastic member, and
wherein a thickness of the elastic member is greater than a depth of the holding groove.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the holding groove has a shape in which a bottom portion is wider than an opening portion in the cross section.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the holding groove is, in the cross section, disposed at a same height position as the step or at a position higher than the step in a state where the upper mold and the lower mold are closed.

7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the elastic member has, in the cross section, a shape in which an end portion protruding from the holding groove is chamfered or rounded.

8. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the elastic member has, in the cross section, a shape in which an end portion to be inserted into the holding groove is chamfered or rounded.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising press-molding only the metal member into a hat shape before integrating the metal member and the resin material by the press molding.

10. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the holding groove is, in the cross section, disposed at a same height position as the step or at a position higher than the step in a state where the upper mold and the lower mold are closed.

11. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the elastic member has, in the cross section, a shape in which an end portion protruding from the holding groove is chamfered or rounded.

12. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the elastic member has, in the cross section, a shape in which an end portion protruding from the holding groove is chamfered or rounded.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the elastic member has, in the cross section, a shape in which an end portion protruding from the holding groove is chamfered or rounded.

14. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the elastic member has, in the cross section, a shape in which an end portion to be inserted into the holding groove is chamfered or rounded.

15. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the elastic member has, in the cross section, a shape in which an end portion to be inserted into the holding groove is chamfered or rounded.

16. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the elastic member has, in the cross section, a shape in which an end portion to be inserted into the holding groove is chamfered or rounded.

17. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the elastic member has, in the cross section, a shape in which an end portion to be inserted into the holding groove is chamfered or rounded.

18. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the elastic member has, in the cross section, a shape in which an end portion to be inserted into the holding groove is chamfered or rounded.

19. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the elastic member has, in the cross section, a shape in which an end portion to be inserted into the holding groove is chamfered or rounded.

Assignees

• Kobe Steel Ltd

Inventors

• Watanabe Kenichi
• Sekiguchi Shu

Classifications

• B29K2305/00

  Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, as reinforcement · CPC title

• B29C65/7814

  in the form of inter-cooperating positioning features (holding or clamping means cooperating with specially formed features of at least one of the parts to be joined B29C65/7844), e.g. tenons and mortises (tenon and mortise joints B29C66/126; tongue and groove joints B29C66/124) · CPC title

• B29C65/565

  involving interference fits, e.g. force-fits or press-fits (B29C65/66 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C2043/185

  using adhesives · CPC title

• B29K2105/0863

  SMC, i.e. sheet moulding compound · CPC title