System and Methods for a Foaming Process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023019678-A1
Application number	US-202217950739-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 22, 2022
Priority date	Nov 21, 2018
Publication date	Jan 19, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A foaming process and a method for operation of the foaming process are provided. The method includes flowing a molten polymeric material into a mold from an upstream device, receiving the molten polymeric material in a cavity of the mold, and maintaining a repeatable, uniform pressure profile as the molten polymeric material is delivered into the mold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for a foaming process, comprising:
flowing a molten polymeric material into a mold from an upstream device; receiving the molten polymeric material in a cavity of the mold; and maintaining a repeatable, uniform pressure profile after the molten polymeric material is delivered into the mold.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining the pressure profile includes adjusting the flowing of the molten polymeric material in response to a measured pressure in a nozzle of the upstream device while the material is injected into the mold and maintaining positive pressure on the molten polymeric material in the mold after injection of a predetermined amount of the molten polymeric material into the mold is completed.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising removing the positive pressure on the material in the mold after a duration of time elapses.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein flowing the molten polymeric material into the mold comprises injecting a material comprising a plurality of pellets of different compositions and/or sizes.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein flowing the molten polymeric material into the mold includes forming a molten single phase solution (SPS) from a blowing agent and the molten polymeric material, the blowing agent dissolved in the molten polymeric material.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining the pressure profile of a nozzle of the upstream device is achieved by adjusting a rate that the molten polymeric material is injected into the cavity by the upstream device, the profile including a fixed pressure, and adapting a screw of the upstream device to be automatically adjusted, the screw controlling an injection rate of the molten polymeric material into the cavity.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein maintaining the pressure profile in a nozzle of the upstream device is further achieved by adjusting a temperature of the molten polymeric material.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising thermally curing the material over a consistent, reproducible period of time after the molten polymeric material is released from the mold and expands.

9 . A method of injection molding, comprising:
maintaining a melt temperature of a polymeric material in an injection device by adjusting heating of the injection device automatically responsive to temperature; and injecting the polymeric material from the injection device into a cavity of a mold.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein maintaining the melt temperature of the polymeric material further comprises determining the melt temperature for a set composition of the polymeric material and setting a temperature control set point at the determined melt temperature

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein adjusting heating of the injection device occurs in response to measurement of the temperature by a temperature sensor arranged in a barrel of the injection device.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein maintaining the melt temperature of the polymeric material in the injection device includes delaying injection of the polymeric material into the cavity of the mold until a detected temperature of the injection device reaches the melt temperature and adjusting a temperature of a barrel of the injecting device to maintain a temperature of the polymeric material at the melt temperature, the barrel configured as a reservoir for the polymeric material within the injecting device.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising initiating purging of the polymeric material stored in the barrel of the injecting device when the material has been stored in the barrel at the melt temperature beyond a threshold period of time and when the temperature of the polymeric material within the barrel exceeds the melt temperature, maintaining purging until the polymeric material returns to the melt temperature.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein maintaining the melt temperature of the polymeric material during molding of the polymeric material is conducted in combination with maintaining a uniform, reproducible pressure of the cavity of the mold.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Hannemann Shayne
• Mcconnell Kimberly N
• Meyer Justin A
• Pollard Rick A

Classifications

• B29K2105/04

  cellular or porous · CPC title

• B29C44/3446 Primary

  Feeding the blowing agent · CPC title

• B29D35/128

  Moulds or apparatus therefor · CPC title

• B29C2945/76257

  cavity · CPC title

• A43B13/187

  Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials · CPC title