Customizable mold

Abstract

An embodiment of an adjustable molding apparatus includes a substrate including a negative molding surface, a layer of flexible material, and a vacuum source for drawing at least a portion of the flexible material into contact with at least a portion of the negative molding surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the drawings, illustrative embodiments are shown in detail. Although the drawings represent some embodiments, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated, removed, or partially sectioned to better illustrate and explain the present invention. Further, the embodiments set forth herein are exemplary and are not intended to be exhaustive or otherwise limit or restrict the claims to the precise forms and configurations shown in the drawings and disclosed in the following detailed description.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a portion of a mold according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the portion of the mold of FIG. 1 illustrating additional components.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the portion of the mold of FIG. 2 illustrating additional components.

FIG. 4 illustrates the mold of FIG. 1 in a different configuration.

FIG. 5 illustrates the mold of FIG. 1 in a different configuration.

FIG. 6 illustrates the mold of FIG. 1 in a different configuration.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a mold according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the mold of FIG. 7, taken generally along line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the mold of FIG. 7 in a ready to cast configuration.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the mold of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the mold of FIG. 7.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a mold according to another embodiment, taken generally along line 12-12 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a mold according to a further embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating a methodology of molding a product according to an embodiment.

Claims

1. A molding apparatus comprising: a substrate including a negative molding surface;a layer of flexible material; anda vacuum source for drawing at least a portion of the layer into contact with at least a portion of the negative molding surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the layer includes a sheet of natural rubber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the layer includes a thickness of between about 0.008 inches and about 0.030 inches.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first substrate portion at least partially defined by a first negative molding surface and a second substrate portion at least partially defined by a second negative molding surface, wherein the layer selectively contacts each of the negative molding surface, the first negative molding surface, and the second negative molding surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the layer selectively contours the negative molding surface for molding a product that includes an impression of at least one of the first negative molding surface and the second negative molding surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes an expanded polystyrene, an extruded polystyrene, a rubber, a wood, or a composite.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the negative molding surface includes a contoured pattern, the layer includes a first side and a second side, at least a portion of the first side is selectively in contact with at least a portion of the negative molding surface such that at least a portion of the contoured pattern selectively embosses a representative contoured pattern on the second side.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a fluid source for directing a fluid between the layer and the substrate, wherein the representative contoured pattern is selectively formed in a surface of a molded product.

9. A molding apparatus comprising: a first substrate portion at least partially defined by a first negative molding surface;a second substrate portion at least partially defined by a second negative molding surface;a layer of flexible material defining, at least in part, a mold volume; anda vacuum source for drawing at least a portion of the flexible material into contact with at least a portion of both the first negative molding surface and the second negative molding surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first substrate portion and the second substrate portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a third substrate portion at least partially defined by a third negative molding surface; anda fourth substrate portion at least partially defined by a fourth negative molding surface, wherein at least a portion of the layer is selectively in contact with at least a portion of the third negative molding surface and the fourth negative molding surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the third substrate portion is at least partially interposed between the layer and the first substrate portion.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the layer includes a generally constant thickness of between about 0.008 inches and about 0.030 inches.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the substrate is selectively deformed as the vacuum source removes fluids from the mold volume.

15. A method of forming a molded material comprising: providing a substrate having a negative molding surface;positioning a layer of flexible material adjacent the negative molding surface to form a mold volume defined, at least in part, by a first fluid adjacent the negative molding surface;removing at least a portion of the first fluid to form at least a portion of a mold; andintroducing the flowable material to the mold such that at least a portion of the flexible material is interposed between the flowable material and the negative molding surface.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein positioning the layer of flexible material adjacent the negative molding surface includes sealing a periphery of the layer to a portion of the substrate to seal the volume from an ambient volume.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein removing at least a portion of the first fluid includes applying a vacuum to the negative molding surface to reduce the atmospheric pressure within the mold volume to below ambient pressure.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising permitting the flowable material to alter such that the flowable material may be removed as a single product.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising positioning a first substrate portion between the substrate and the layer.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising interposing a second fluid between the layer and the negative molding surface to release a product from the mold.