Abstract: After heating the expandable resin beads to sealing temperature of expandable resin beads in the presence of heated steam, foam cells are sealed and cooled while controlling the foaming amount. The foaming amount is controlled by pressure control on the expandable resin beads in the mold. Mutually adjacent foam cells are softened, fused, and bonded on contact faces, and thereby a foamed molding is manufactured. This foamed molding is characterized by three-dimensional permeable pores of volume porosity of 10 to 40% among foam cells, having bending limit strength of at least 10N. Without using adhesive resin, a foamed molding having enough strength and desired porous structure is obtained.

Abstract: A die opening and closing device for a movable die plate and a fixed die plate includes a toggle link disposed between the movable die plate and a die tightening housing, a cross head for flexing the toggle link, and a motor-driven ball screw penetrating through the die tightening housing and inserted into the cross head, and this die opening and closing device is provided with die thickness adjusting means for adjusting the die thickness S when the die is tightened by extension of the toggle link, and ball screw rotation control means for controlling constant the cracking gap, and a foamed resin molding machine is presented, together with its operating method.

Abstract: After heating the expandable resin beads to sealing temperature of expandable resin beads in the presence of heated steam, foam cells are sealed and cooled while controlling the foaming amount. Preferably, the foaming amount is controlled by pressure control on the expandable resin beads in the mold. Mutually adjacent foam cells are softened, fused, and bonded on contact faces, and thereby a foamed molding is manufactured. This foamed molding is characterized by three-dimensional permeable pores of volume porosity of 10 to 40% among foam cells, having bending limit strength of at least 10N. Without using adhesive resin, a foamed molding having enough strength and desired porous structure is obtained.

Abstract: A die opening and closing device for a movable die plate and a fixed die plate includes a toggle link disposed between the movable die plate and a die tightening housing, a cross head for flexing the toggle link, and a motor-driven ball screw penetrating through the die tightening housing and inserted into the cross head, and this die opening and closing device is provided with die thickness adjusting means for adjusting the die thickness S when the die is tightened by extension of the toggle link, and ball screw rotation control means for controlling constant the cracking gap, and a foamed resin molding machine is presented, together with its operating method.

Abstract: A die-expanded molding apparatus comprising starting material bead supply for supplying beads on a current of air from a tank through a packer into a cavity formed by a core and cavity molds; a plurality of air expulsion devices having air pressure-adjusting components communicating with the cavity, a dual-system air expulsion device being such that steam chambers on the back side of the core mold and the cavity mold are used as the air pressure-adjusting components, each communicating with the cavity through through-holes formed in the core and cavity molds, respectively; an air expulsion device having one or more air pressure-adjusting components communicating with a clearance between the core and cavity molds; and a control for controlling the air pressure in each of the air pressure-adjusting components to be pressurized less than the pressure in the tank.

Abstract: A die-expanded molding apparatus comprising starting material bead supply for supplying beads on a current of air from a tank through a packer into a cavity formed by a core and cavity molds; a plurality of air expulsion devices having air pressure-adjusting components communicating with the cavity, a dual-system air expulsion device being such that steam chambers on the back side of the core mold and the cavity mold are used as the air pressure-adjusting components, each communicating with the cavity through through-holes formed in the core and cavity molds, respectively; an air expulsion device having one or more air pressure-adjusting components communicating with a clearance between the core and cavity molds; and a control for controlling the air pressure in each of the air pressure-adjusting components to be pressurized less than the pressure in the tank.

Abstract: A method of molding a composite foam molding element comprising attaching a top side member to a first die side of a cavity between a pair of dies and a back side member to a second die side of the cavity; supplying raw material beads made of a foam resin to an intervening charging space; discharging air from a plurality of work piece nozzles located at the side of the die wherein the back side member is located; starting air discharging from a work piece nozzle located at a most distant position from a charger for supplying raw material beads when the raw material beads are supplied; charging raw material beads during the starting air discharging step and sequentially discharging air from work piece nozzles located successively closer to a work piece nozzle located at the most proximal position from the charger as raw material beads are charged; and heating charged raw material beads to cause foaming and fusion to integrate a top side member and a back side member with each other via a foam member.

Abstract: Using a new molded foaming apparatus wherein chambers 13 and 14, independent from a cavity 4, are formed at the rear sides of a set of dies 2 and 3 for molding a molded foam product, so as to supply such utility fluid as air and steam to the cavity 4 through first openings 30 independently from the chambers 13 and 14, various problems created when forming vent holes are fundamentally solved, and at the same time dispersion of filling density to be caused by not forming vent holes is prevented by supplying the material beads to the cavity 4 while maintaining the pressure in the cavity 4 at a predetermined minus pressure with respect to the pressure in the material tank using the first openings 30.

Abstract: A die-expanded molding apparatus comprising starting material bead supply for supplying beads on a current of air from a tank through a packer into a cavity formed by a core and cavity molds; a plurality of air expulsion devices having air pressure-adjusting components communicating with the cavity, a dual-system air expulsion device being such that steam chambers on the back side of the core mold and the cavity mold are used as the air pressure-adjusting components, each communicating with the cavity through through-holes formed in the core and cavity molds, respectively; an air expulsion device having one or more air pressure-adjusting components communicating with a clearance between the core and cavity molds; and a control for controlling the air pressure in each of the air pressure-adjusting components to be pressurized less than the pressure in the tank.

Abstract: The present invention is constituted such that chambers 13 and 14, independent from cavity 4, are formed at the rear side of a set of dies 2 and 3 for molding a molded foam product, first openings 30a and 30b opening to the cavity 4 are formed along the joint of the dies 2 and 3 as a molding section of the dies 2 and 3, which is to mold a non-outstanding portion of the molded foam product, wherein the first openings 30a and 30b are connected to the external utility pipes 15-18 as different systems for the chambers 13 and 14, via inter-die passages 31a and 31b and internal pipes 32a and 32b, which are connecting passages, so as to supply or exhaust such utility fluid as steam and compressed air to/from the cavity 4 independently from the chambers 13 and 14.

Abstract: Apparatus for integrally molding articles with a foam member, including a charger for supplying raw material beads made of resin to a die cavity containing articles for integral molding with foam, a plurality of work piece nozzles each having a nozzle opening in fluid communication with the cavity. At least one of the workpiece nozzles is located at a position corresponding to an opening located in an article located in the die. A plurality of exhaust nozzles for exhausting air from the cavity, the exhausting air beginning with a group of exhaust nozzles at locations maximally distant from the raw material charging port, and groups of exhaust nozzles located successively closer to the raw material charging port, each group in turn for sequentially exhausting air from the cavity, while the port is charging the cavity with raw material beads.

Abstract: A top side member 4 is attached to the side of one die 2 of a cavity 6 between a pair of dies 2 and 3, and a back side member 5 is attached to the side of the other die 3. A charge space is provided between these top and back side members 4 and 5. Raw material beads each made of a foam resin are supplied between the charge space, air is discharged from a plurality of work piece nozzles provided at the side of the die 3, and raw material beads are charged. At this time, air discharging is started from a work piece nozzle a41 set at the most distant position from a charger 61 for supplying raw material beads. Air is charged while the air is discharged sequentially up to the work piece nozzle a21 set at the most proximal position as the raw material beads are charged. Then, the raw material beads are heated to be foamed and fused, and the top and back side members 4 and 5 are integrated with each other via the foam member 8.

Abstract: A top side member 4 is attached to the side of one die 2 of a cavity 6 between a pair of dies 2 and 3, and a back side member 5 is attached to the side of the other die 3. A charge space is provided between these top and back side members 4 and 5. Raw material beads each made of a foam resin are supplied between the charge space, air is discharged from a plurality of work piece nozzles provided at the side of the die 3, and raw material beads are charged. At this time, air discharging is started from a work piece nozzle a41 set at the most distant position from a charger 61 for supplying raw material beads. Air is charged while the air is discharged sequentially up to the work piece nozzle a21 set at the most proximal position as the raw material beads are charged. Then, the raw material beads are heated to be foamed and fused, and the top and back side members 4 and 5 are integrated with each other via the foam member 8.

Abstract: A polyolefin foam article having a smooth, lustrous skin is produced by packing small pieces of polyolefin foam in the cavity formed between a male mold and a female mold of a mold assembly. One of the molds has no perforations for the passage of vapor and the other of the molds has: (1) perforations for the passage of a vapor; and (ii) at least two chambers which divide the perforations for the passage of vapor into perforations which permit the entrance of steam into the cavity and perforations which permit the exit of steam carrying entrained air present in and between the small pieces of polyolefin foam from the cavity.