Abstract: A method for fabricating composite structures wherein a single mold is used to preform a foam core between fiber reinforcement plies that are subsequently subjected to resin transfer molding to form an integrated foam core composite structure having the formed foam core mechanically interlocked to the composite skins. Fiber reinforcement plies are layed up on contoured molding surfaces of dies to define a core cavity with the mold closed. Foam is injected into the core cavity, concomitantly penetrating the fiber reinforcement plies, and allowed to cure to form the foam core. Heat and pressure generated during foam cure compresses the fiber reinforcement plies to provide debulking therefor. A resin binder is injected into the mold plenum to impregnate the layed-up fiber reinforcement plies, and the formed foam core/resin-impregnated layed-up fiber reinforcement plies are subsequently cured to form the integrated foam core composite structure.

Abstract: In a device for incorporating a separable fastener in a foamed seat cushion during formation of the cushion in a mold, includes a sheet having fastener elements constituting one half of a touch fastener. A foam wall surrounds the fastening surface, the wall having a height considerably greater than the height of the fastening elements. The fastener is held on a pedestal having a predetermined height extending into the mold volume and having a predetermined cross sectional dimension generally parallel to the interior mold surface as measured at a predetermined distance from said mold surface. The foam wall defines an opening which engages the sides of said pedestal with a force sufficiently strong to resist any removal force caused by tendency of the foaming action to lift the foam wall during creation of the cushion and bonding of the forming cushion to the foam wall.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an article having a substructure with a wall having a wall surface and a foam layer along the wall surface, including the steps of: placing the substructure in a tool having a die surface being spaced apart from the wall surface; injecting a foamable material between the die surface and the wall; applying a clamp load between the die surface and the foamable material; allowing the foamable material to expand and exert a force on the wall; and reducing the clamp load on the foamable material to reduce the force exerted on the wall by the expanding material whereby the force exerted on the wall does not deform the article.

Abstract: The installation block comprises a self-supporting body (1) made of foamed concrete into which a flush tank (2) with an inspection opening (2a) is foamed. A spiral hose (3), which forms a normally empty conduit (9) which empties into the flush tank (2) at one end and leads at the other end outwardly to the front side of the installation block (1), is also foamed into the body (1). To attach a water closet with subdouche, a flexible connecting hose (4), which comprises an attachment piece at the bottom end and at the other end is connected directly to the inlet valve of the flush tank, is inserted into the empty conduit (9).

Abstract: A method of molding a skin-covered foamed article is disclose.

Abstract: A method of making a shoe sole which includes a midsole layer of soft material and an outsole layer having wear resistance. The midsole layer and the outsole layer are fused together in a mold which has a mold cavity smaller in size than the shoe sole and in proportion to the shoe sole. When the shoe sole is removed from the mold, the shoe sole is distorted due to a foaming of the midsole layer. The outsole layer is softened and is straightened by the midsole layer so that the shoe sole is directly formed without any cutting processes.

Abstract: Processes for manufacturing in an environmentally friendly way, continuous, supported ion exchange membranes from (I) liquids containing vinyl and related monomeric electrolytes and high boiling solvents, the solvents also being swelling agents for the membranes; and (II) an indefinitely long, foraminous substrate.

Abstract: A skin covered foamed plastic seat capable of preventing the leakage of the liquid foam resin from the holes to be made on it. The skin covered foamed plastic seat includes a trim cover attached to the skin cover at locations of holes, to cover side faces of the bossings of the molding surface when the skin cover is placed over the molding surface.

Abstract: A transition layer for an implant to be placed in the human body. The implant has a core, and the transition surface surrounds the core. The transition layer is an open celled foam with cut surfaces. An adhesive adheres one surface to the core, and penetrates the transition layer a limited distance so as to leave over the entire surface, microstructures of cell fragments providing for tissue attachment without formation of a firm encapsulation.

Abstract: An EVA insole manufacturing process includes a step of mixing an EVA resin with a foaming agent for producing a molding through an injection molding process, and a step of heating the molding thus obtained in a mold so that it foams into a predetermined shape. Two or more moldings which respectively contain a different concentration of foaming agent or a different pigment color may be put together in a common mold and subjected to integral foaming and form setting process, so as to produce an insole which has different hardness and color at different parts thereof.

Abstract: A method of forming a foamed gasket comprising the steps of separately introducing a composition of expandable polysiloxanes consisting of two liquids of a main agent and a curing agent into a mixing chamber having a special rotor secured in the inside thereof, mixing the two liquids in the mixing chamber by rotating the rotor, discharging the obtained mixture on the sealing part of an article to be coated such as waterproof case of a car and foaming and curing the mixture to form a foamed gasket.The present invention is excellent in workability and may be applied to the on-line system, and the obtained foamed gasket is excellent in sealability.

Abstract: Sandwich laminates capable of withstanding high stresses, especially skis, can be manufactured by covering the wall of a mold cavity with a wet laminate, laying extremely fine glass fiber paper thereon and after closure of the mold introducing into the mold cavity a reaction mixture forming a rigid foamed plastic, which cures to a rigid foam core.

Abstract: A method of integrating first and second skins into a contiguous cover layer by: providing a first skin with a first surface to be exposed and an opposite backing surface, with the first skin having an offset edge defining a first corner with the exposed part of the first surface; providing a second skin with a second surface to be exposed and an opposite backing surface, with the second skin having an offset edge defining a second corner with the exposed part of the second surface; placing a mold element/partition between the first and second offset skin edges to maintain a space between at least a part of the first and second offset skin edges; pouring a flowable foundation material that will harden against the backing surfaces of the first and second skins so that the hardened foundation material exerts a force tending to urge the first and second corners towards each other; and removing the mold element/partition from between the first and second offset skin edges so that the space between the parts of th

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a padded element using a mold having a mold cavity and including an upper mold having an interior surface complimentary to the upper surface of the padded element and a lower mold having an interior surface complimentary to the lower surface of the padded element. The process includes placing a trim cover on the upper mold, with the trim cover comprising an inner surface and a finished outer surface in contact with substantially the entire interior surface of the upper mold, placing a liquid foamable polymeric composition on the interior surface of the lower mold and closing the upper mold and the lower mold after the liquid foamable polymeric composition expands to fill from about 50 to about 90 volume % of the mold cavity and prior to expansion of the liquid foamable polymeric composition to a point corresponding to the interior surface of the upper mold in a closed position.

Abstract: A method of molding a foamed product is carried out by using a front and a rear mold for molding a front and a rear portion of the foamed product and a core interposed between the front and rear molds. The method includes steps of pouring or spraying one of foaming stock solutions onto a molding surface of the one mold, arranging the core in the one mold and pouring or spraying the other foaming stock solution onto the core or a molding surface of the other mold. The front and rear molds are closed at a moment when a lapse of time arrives at 30-100% of a rise time of the foaming stock solution later applied. Thereafter the closed molds are maintained in a position where an angle of the closed molds relative to a horizontal plane is within a range between 90.degree. and an angle more than 0.degree.. The front and rear molds are pivotally connected to each other with their one ends by means of a pivot shaft. The core is pivotally supported with its one end by a shaft arranged in parallel to the pivot shaft.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a skin-covered article includes setting a skin mber having a top portion and a side portion in a mold assembly including an upper mold having a first cavity, a second cavity, and an enclosing projection, and a lower mold having an upper wall and a peripheral portion by covering the skin member over the lower mold with the back surface of the skin member being turned outside, coupling the upper mold and the lower mold to close the first cavity by the top portion to define a pad forming space with the enclosing projection pressing the top portion against the upper wall, and to close the second cavity by the peripheral portion to define a housing space to house the side portion, and introducing pad material into the pad forming space.

Abstract: It has been discovered that a particular polyurethane formulation may be used to prepare "pour-in-place" (PIP) polyurethane foam articles where the formulation is injected into a mold bearing an exterior covering such as a fabric without the foaming liquid striking through the layer. The formulation employs a hydrophilic polyhydric compound to help the reactivity balance that minimizes penetration of the exterior covering while also stabilizing the rising foam against shear collapse without excessively tightening the foam. Contrary to the conventional expectation that the hydrophilic polyhydric compound would cause strike through problems since it delays the initial reaction time, it has been found to have the noted stabilizing effect. A preferred hydrophilic polyhydric compound is glycerine. A preferred isocyanate for the formulation is tolylene diisocyanate (TDI), in contrast to diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) heretofore used in PIP foams.

Abstract: Processes using high temperature thermoplastic polymers in the in-situ fabrication in the formation of foamed composite sandwich or foam articles often result in weak unsound products which may be avoided by utilizing a high temperature thermoplastic in powder form (22), a blowing agent having a high decomposition temperature (24), and, if desired, reinforcers and/or fillers, (28), mixing the thermoplastic, blowing agent and reinforcer and fillers (30), placing the mixture in a mold and, if forming a composite structure, in abutment with at least one skin (34), and applying sufficient heat and/or pressure to the mold and its contents to melt the thermoplastic and generate gas within said mixture by decomposition of the blowing agent (38). Also, an activator may be included with the blowing agent which promotes the production of gas (26). The thermoplastic should be free from any material which will react with the blowing agent or the activator at temperatures below the melting point of the thermoplastic.

Abstract: A process for producing a seat element from a portion of an outfit (1) including a relatively compact plastic covering layer, a network formed by a continuous sheet of metal springs (5), the intermingled turns of which, on one side, come substantially flush against the lower face of the covering (1), and an intermediate connecting layer (3) made of a plastic foam which partially encases the turns of the sheet of springs (5).According to the invention, the peripheral edge (7) of the said outfit portion is gripped in an injection mold (11), this mold having a cavity (9) into which the said edge (7) penetrates, a thermoplastic to which an expanding agent has been added is injected into the said cavity at low pressure, and this thermoplastic is allowed to harden there.

Abstract: In a process and apparatus for the production of a foamed-backed cushion portion comprising a foam core and a cover, a cover portion is introduced into a first mold portion of a mold. The cover portion is secured in position between the first mold portion and a second mold portion along peripherally extending contact portions therebetween, the mold forming a mold cavity when closed. A reaction mixture introduced into the mold cavity foams up and fills the mold cavity and is thus joined to the cover portion. To prevent air from passing out of the mold cavity between the contact portions the mold is sealed in the region of the contact portions by means of a flow of a gaseous flow agent which is directed from the contact portion of at least one mold portion towards the oppositely disposed contact portion of the other mold portion. An elastically yielding sealing element may be provided between the mold portions to improve the sealing action.

Abstract: A method of making a seat back which includes the steps of sewing a front panel and a back panel together along sewing seams which are exterior with respect to the interior surfaces of the panels so as to form a bag-like structure in a condition wherein the exterior surfaces of the front and rear panels are generally facing one another, sliding the bag-like structure onto a tongue-like mold while the bag-like structure is in the condition in which the panels thereof were sewn together and without inverting the same in any way so as to bring the exterior surface of the front panel into face-to-face relation with a mold surface of the tongue-like mold, contacting the exterior surface of the front panel with the mold surface of the tongue-like mold, forming a body of foam material on the interior surface of the front panel while the exterior surface thereof is in contact with the mold surface, inverting the bag-like structure with the body of foam material adhered to the front panel thereof, and mounting the inv

Abstract: A hot melt gasket or liner is applied to a portion of a manually operated dispenser having a closure cap for coupling the dispenser to a container. The material may contain a predetermined amount of gaseous fluid to form a foamed hot melt material having a predetermined density. After the material cools to room temperature, it forms an anti-slip gasket seal which, upon coupling the cap to the container neck, the hot melt material is compressed for restricting movement of the dispenser about the central axis of the container and for preventing formation of a leak path between the container rim surface and the dispenser.

Abstract: A method of producing a skin-covered pad for a seat, which includes (a) preparing a lower mold which has a cavity formed therein; (b) putting a bag-shaped outer skin member into the cavity, the outer skin member including an innermost foamed layer which includes first and second parts which are exposed to the interior of the bag-shaped outer skin member, the first and second parts being wettable and non-wettable with respect to a given liquid material for foamed plastic; (c) pouring the liquid material into the bag-shaped outer skin member held in the lower mold, so that the innermost layer of the outer skin member is in contact with the liquid material for foamed plastic; and (d) putting an upper mold on the lower mold to close the cavity.

Abstract: Pre-formed millwork article for attachment to a building wherein the article has a core composed of a rigid filler material, such as an expandable polystyrene, a body portion composed of a rigid foamed material, such as polyurethane, and an exterior coating layer. The body has an inner surface which is adjacent to the core and an outer surface. The exterior coating layer is adjacent to the outer surface of the body. The coating layer can be a paint. The method for manufacturing the pre-formed millwork article consists of: (a) spraying an exterior coating layer in a mold; (b) heating the coating layer and the mold in order to cure the coating layer; (c) pouring a foamable material in the mold over the cured coating layer; (d) placing a filler material into the mold over the foamable material; (e) alllowing the foamed material to foam and harden; and (f) removing the article from the mold.

Abstract: A mold for skin covered foamed plastic molding which utilizes a middle mold to be placed between an upper mold and a lower mold, capable of reducing the weight of the middle mold so that assembling of the middle mold becomes less troublesome, the assemblage becomes more stable and the appearance of undesirable spacing in the assemblage an be prevented. The mold includes an upper mold to be closed over the lower mold, having a bent portion with a bottom surface which is to be a part of molding surface; and a middle mold to be placed between the upper mold and the lower mold, having a hollow region into which the bent portion of the upper mold is to be engaged when assembled.

Abstract: Apparatus for molding a composite metal-elastomer styled wheel in which a middle mold part includes a metal wheel disc and rim subassembly. A base mold part seats against the outboard face of the metal wheel in the closed condition of the mold and has a mold cavity surface to provide an ornamental configuration for the outboard face of the decorative plastic body of the composite wheel. A clamp seats against the inboard face of the middle mold part to urge the middle part into sealing engagement with the base mold part. The mold parts are axially separable from one another to open the molding apparatus to clear the middle mold part from said clamp and base mold parts. The clamp includes a funnel adapted for registry with a liquid reaction mixture injection nozzle coupled with injecting mixing apparatus. The funnel has a nozzle passage registering with a bolt-hole pour opening in the disc in the closed condition of the mold.

Abstract: A mold for skin covered foamed plastic molding which utilizes a middle mold to be placed between an upper mold and a lower mold, capable of avoiding an excessive amount of pressure to be exerted on the upper portion of the lower mold so that the durability of the lower mold can be improved, and preventing gaseous leakage so that the penetration of the liquid foam resin to be poured on a skin cover becomes controllable. The mold includes an upper mold to be closed over the lower mold, having extended side portions which can reach the base of the lower mold when assembled such that the extended side portions can support the upper mold by themselves.

Abstract: This invention relates to a composite molded article where a polymer film of superior weather resistance, adhesion and surface smoothness is made into an integral composite body on the surface of polynorbornene base material by utilizing reaction injection molding in combination with an in-mold coating process. By means of this invention, it is possible to manufacture three dimensional composite molded articles, composite molded articles of complex shapes and deep-drawn composite molded articles. The composite molded articles of this invention can be used for a variety of purposes, such as automobile parts, electrical parts, construction, etc.

Abstract: A new composite material of an open foam substrate and bonded micropackaged active ingredient particles is generated by foam polymerization of a prepolymer phase and an aqueous phase. The foam substrate is an open cell foam for dispensing active ingredient liquids or solids released from the particles. The particles of micropackaged active ingredient liquids or solids are formed with frangible containment walls for breaking and releasing the active ingredient in response to defined stress. The aqueous phase is a pourable and flowable slurry mixture of an aqueous liquid carrier such as water, micropackaged active ingredient particles in the range of 1%-60% by weight of the aqueous phase, and surfactant wetting agent for adjusting the surface tension of the aqueous phase to produce an open cell foam upon polymerization with the prepolymer phase. The prepolymer phase is a hydrophilic polyurethane prepolymer receptive to the aqueous phase for foam polymerization upon mixing.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a padded element using a mold having an upper mold and a lower mold. The process includes placing a cushion member on the lower mold. The upper surface of the cushion member includes a first portion having an open recess with a boundary extending therearound for containing a liquid foamable polymeric composition in the recess. A trim cover with a finished upper surface is placed in contact with the interior surface of the upper mold. A liquid foamable polymeric composition is dispensed in the open recess within the boundary, and the upper mold and the lower mold are closed to cover the open recess and form an enclosure containing the liquid foamable polymeric composition. The polymeric composition expands to fill substantially the enclosure and adheres to the cushion member and to the inner surface of the trim cover.

Abstract: A mold for manufacturing a skin covered foamed plastic seat capable of structually preventing the leakage of the liquid foam resin from a space between the skin cover and the bossings provided on the mold for the holes to be made on it. The mold includes a lower mold over which a sink cover is to be placed, having a protruded portion to be inserted into a hole on the skin cover corresponding to a hole to be made on the skin covered foamed plastic seat, the protruded portion having a circumference smaller than that of the hole on the skin cover, and the upper mold to be assembled with the lower mold, having a bossing for making the hole to be made on the skin covered foamed plastic seat, the bossing having a concavity to be engaged with the protruded portion of the lower mold at a bottom, and a circumference larger than that of the hole on the skin cover.

Abstract: A pour head seal assembly for a mold including a mold cavity part and a lid, with a film layer against the inner surface of the lid and a preformed shell against the inner surface of the mold cavity part. The pour head seal assembly may be operatively mounted on either the lid or the mold cavity part, including a nozzle mounted through an opening formed in the selected element, with either the film layer or the preformed shell having an opening formed therein for mounting around the nozzle. A clamp plate collar is mounted on the inner end of the nozzle, adapted to clamp either the film layer or the preformed shell against an O-ring seal mounted on the adjacent inner lid or mold cavity surface to eliminate foam leakage around the nozzle.

Abstract: A panel having a finish face, a substrate and a lamina of moulded polyurethane between the two is formed in a single closable die having two portions, the first stage of the operation being to spray a release agent onto a face forming surface of one die portion, then spray an aliphatic polyurethane colored film onto the release agent, spray an elastomer polyurethane over that film and allow the elastomer to at least partially set, lay a sheet of reinforcing fibre which can for example be a continuous filament glass over the at least partially set elastomer, dispense the liquid ingredients of a rigid foam polyurethane over the glass, close to the mould, and remove the product after setting.

Abstract: The method of making polystyrene foam for foam products which includes utilizing atmospheric gases as the blowing agents or preferably mixing one or more of these gases and a blending agent which is non-volatile at the extrusion temperatures, introducing the mixture to a molten thermoplastic polystyrene resin containing nucleating agents such as sodium bicarbonate and citric acid and extruding the thermoplastic in the form of a foam. The resultant foam has substantially no residual blowing agent, is dimensionally stable at ambient temperatures and when used with a non-volatile blending agent can be made with small amounts of blowing agent permitting cooling of the melt without high loading on the extruder. The foam may be coextruded with one or more layers of thermoplastic films so that the resultant product is adpated for use for plates, cups, food containers or packaging and for labells for containers such as glass and plastic containers and for labels that are shrunk in place on a container.

Abstract: A method for producing a polyurethane type composite obtained by injecting a formulated liquid comprises an organic polyisocyanate, a polyol and a curing catalyst into a mold in which a fibrous reinforcing material is previously set, followed by curing, by means of a reaction injection molding machine, characterized in that:(1) a polyol component having a hydroxyl value of 300 to 800 is used as the polyol, and(2) an organic acid salt of a tertiary amine is used as the curing catalyst.

Abstract: A plastic can, having a cylindrical sidewall with circumferential beads and a flange at each end is disclosed. The material of construction preferably includes a structural layer and a barrier layer; the thickness and dimensions of the wall permit lidding with metal lids and retorting of the filled can without leakage or collapse.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and device for molding a skin-covered foamed plastic article with a bore formed therein. A split mold is used which comprises a lower mold part with a recess and an upper mold part with a through bore. The upper mold part is placeable on the lower mold part to form a combined cavity by the through bore and the recess. In order to provide the foamed product with a desirable bore, first and second shaping dies are employed which are combinable with each other to form a combined shaping body which is, upon molding, projected into the combined cavity of the split mold. Upon hardening of the product, the second and first shaping dies are dismantled from the split mold in this order.

Abstract: A method of forming a composite sandwich core molded article, including forming a thermo-elastic rigid foam core into a desired shape, wrapping the preformed foam core with a fabric, placing said wrapped preformed foam core in a mold whose inner confining surfaces form the shape of the final article, injecting a liquid thermosetting resin into the mold such that the thermosetting resin surrounds and wets the fabric wrapped about the preformed foam core, heating the mold to a temperature sufficient to expand the rigid foam core to compress the fabric wrapped surface of the foam core against the inner confining surfaces of the mold; and cooling the mold and removing the article from the mold.

Abstract: The fiter membrane comprises a porous structure made of a material selected from sintered ceramics, sintered metals, microporous carbon, and microporous glass, and is characterized by the fact that its entire external surface, including the inside surface of the pores in the structure, is covered with a thin and continuous film of carbon or of an oxide. In a sintered aluminum membrane, the surfaces of pores are coated with a dense and continuous thin layer of zirconia which prevents the surfaces from being degraded in service. In the figure, curve 3 shows how the throughput of a membrane without a zirconia layer falls off over time, while curve 4 shows little change in the same membrane having such a layer.

Abstract: A method of making a composite foamed and shaped article including in the first step in which a thermoplastic resin powder is filled in a slush molding die to form a first resin layer, a second step in which a mixed powder consisting of a heat decomposable foaming agent and the thermoplastic resin powder is filled in the die in which the first resin layer was already formed, to form a second resin layer on the surface of the first resin layer, and a third step in which the heat decomposable foaming agent is made to foam by heat treatment to form a final product of a composite foamed and shaped article wherein the slush molding die is pre-heated by an infrared heating method.

Abstract: A mold for manufacturing a skin covered foamed plastic article, with which it is possible to place the skin cover at a desired position, without spoiling or damaging the skin cover, such that the skin covered foamed plastic article of a desired shape without any deficiencies such as wrinkles and dents can easily be manufactured. The mold includes an upper mold; and a lower mold, to be assembled with the upper mold in order to form a cavity in which a liquid foam resin undergoes foaming process to become the pad member, over which a skin cover is to be placed, the lower mold including at least one windows at which the skin cover can be pushed outward by pressure of the liquid foam resin.

Abstract: A method for testing foam formulations for the quantitative measure of the effects of formulation and/or process variable changes on some kinds of surface problems of a molded part caused by different degrees of imperfection or voiding underneath the part surface. The molded part can be single component or composite, solid or foamed. One example of the surface problem is the so-called "measles or cellulite" problem observed on the vinyl surface of a vinyl/foam composite due to the voids or rattiness within the foam. To accomplish this result, the mold has various sized, spaced apart, aligned openings formed in each of the front and rear walls of the mold, but with the centers thereof at different elevations in the respective front and rear walls. Removable rods inserted through the aligned mold wall openings produce longitudinal openings through the part which is molded around the rods, permitting the effect thereof on the surface of the molded part to be evaluated.

Abstract: A mold for skin covered foamed plastic molding capable of preventing penetration of the liquid foam resin to be poured on a skin cover without manual operation of target plate or use of double side adhesive tapes, and also capable of improving the efficiency of manufacturing process. The mold includes an element removably attached on the upper mold below the injection hole, for receiving the liquid foam resin before the liquid foam resin falls on the skin cover.

Abstract: A process for the production of foam cushions from different fluid reaction mixtures comprising introducing a first reaction mixture and at least one other reaction mixture into a mold cavity and leaving the mixtures to react to form a cushion having zones of differing elasticity or firmness, characterized in that one of the two reaction mixtures is not introduced into the mold cavity until it has creamed up and is already viscous, and in that the second reaction mixture, which has not creamed up, is introduced at the same time or later.

Abstract: A process for the production of foam cushions from different fluid reaction mixtures comprising introducing a first and at least one other reaction mixture into a mold cavity and leaving the mixtures to react to form a cushion having zones of differing elasticity or rigidity characterized in that the reaction mixtures are not introduced into the mold cavity until they have started to cream up and are already viscous.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a mold assembly for molding a frame-installed and skin-covered seat cushion structure, which includes a mold having a cavity formed therein; a retainer jig adapted to be put on the mold, the retainer jig being equipped with clamps for clamping a frame of the seat cushion structure to be produced; a lid adapted to be put on the mold with an interposal of the retainer jig therebetween; and a sealing element for achieving a sealing between the mold and the lid upon proper putting of the lid on the mold.

Abstract: A mold for skin covered foamed plastic molding which utilizes a middle mold to be placed between an upper mold and a lower mold capable of preventing penetration of the liquid foam resin to be poured onto the skin cover, and also capable of improving the efficiency of the manufacturing process. The mold includes a middle mold configured for reducing pressure exerted by the liquid foam resin falling on the skin cover.

Abstract: A skin or shell for use in a mold process in which the skin or shell is placed in a mold in which foam precursors are directed onto the skin for reaction thereagainst to form a foam layer thereon; the skin includes integral connector features thereon adapted to be connected to the mold for stabilizing the location of the skin within the mold so as to prevent wrinkling of the skin during the mold process.

Abstract: A mold for manufacturing a skin covered foamed plastic article in which the middle mold is to be attached to the upper mold so as to eliminate the attaching and removing of the middle mold for every manufacturing cycle, without creating a danger of damaging the manufactured skin covered foamed plastic article in taking it out of the mold. The mold includes a middle mold to be attached to the upper mold such that when the upper mold is lifted upwards in order to be disassembled from the lower mold, the middle mold also moves upwards and the skin covered foamed plastic article is taken out from the lower mold by the upper mold and the middle mold; and a protrusion for making a hole in the skin covered foamed plastic article to be manufactured, to be attached to the molding surface of the lower mold, which is freely detachable from the lower mold such that when the upper mold is disassembled from the lower mold, the protrusion is taken off the lower mold along with the skin covered foamed plastic article.

Abstract: A method of producing a skin-covered pad for a seat, which includes (a) preparing a lower mold which has a cavity formed therein, the lower mold having a first electrode mounted thereto through an insulator, the first electrode having a plurality of projections which are exposed to the cavity; (b) putting a bag-shaped outer skin member into the cavity, the skin member being thermally plastic; (c) putting an upper mold on the lower mold to close the cavity, the upper mold having an aperture formed therethrough; (d) projecting a press member into the cavity through the aperture, the press member having at its work head a second electrode secured thereto through an insulator, the second electrode having at its front face recesses which are shaped to match with the projections of the first electrode; (e) pressing the recessed face of the second electrode against the projections of the first electrode with a part of the outer skin member therebetween; (f) applying a high frequency current between the first and sec