Patent Application
20240316474
The present invention relates to systems and methods for creating structures using hydrophobic molding substances, in particular, hydrophobic moldable sands and other hydrophobic molding substances.
Despite the popular interest in hydrophobic and moldable sands (e.g., Kinetic Sand™ moldable sand), current play molds are not optimized for the characteristics and/or the molding environment (e.g., tabletops) for molding structures from moldable sands. In particular, current play molds are not optimized for creating structures having a relatively smaller form factor, having fine detail, for indoor use and/or for use on tabletops.
One issue with existing molds for forming structures of hydrophobic molding substances (e.g., hydrophobic sands or snows) is that a vacuum may be created inside of the mold, making it difficult to separate the mold from the molded structure. Packing or otherwise compacting a molding substance in the mold is often desirable for creating a sturdier structure, but removing more air from the molding substance in this way increases the potential for creating a vacuum in the mold. In some cases, the created vacuum may be strong enough to resist removal of the mold from the structure (or vice versa), and in some cases the vacuum may even retain at least some of the molding substance in or on the mold during separation, or may otherwise cause the structure to break or lose structural integrity when separated from the mold.
This vacuum issue exists even with molds configured to be removed vertically, when gravity is available to act against the vacuum and assist in the separation process. For example, a created vacuum may still be strong enough to break a structure when a user attempts to remove a mold vertically (e.g., lifting an inverted concave mold off a sand castle). If the vacuum is strong enough, there is also the potential issue that when a user lifts a mold to remove it, she will lift the entire structure (i.e., still in the mold) from its intended place, creating a risk that the structure will separate above a surface, drop, and break on impact. Another issue with some types of vertically-removed molds (e.g., “fill-and-flip molds”) is that it is difficult to lift such molds without hitting and damaging the structure just created. A mold designed to be removed vertically is limited to forms that generally taper upward and do not have higher structural elements that are farther from a central axis than lower structural elements.
An understanding of embodiments described in this disclosure and many of the related advantages may be readily obtained by reference to the following detailed description when considered with the accompanying drawings, of which:
So that the manner in which the features and advantages of the embodiments of products and methods may be understood in more detail, a more particular description of the embodiments of products and methods may be had by reference to the drawings, which form a part of this specification. It is to be noted, however, that the drawings illustrate only various embodiments of the embodiments of products and methods of the present invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the embodiments of products and methods of the present invention's scope as it may include other effective embodiments as well. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Further, numbers that have common ones and tens digits with different hundreds or thousands digits are intended to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments.
In accordance with some embodiments described in this disclosure, it is advantageous to provide systems, articles of manufacture, and methods providing for one or more of the following features: (1) a mold (or form) that may be packed (e.g., by a user, by an automated machine process) with the desired amount and/or density of hydrophobic molding substance; (2) the combination of two or more molds to allow for larger, combination structures (e.g., structures comprising two or more levels or tiers of molded structures, such as a first tower structure placed atop one or more other tower structures); (3) a mold system comprising at least one mold having multiple sides connected by hinges (e.g., a living hinge) and/or by other securing means; (4) a mold system comprising a tamping tool, a mold, a securing member (e.g., a removable joining key), and/or a mold cap (e.g., a mold end cap) configured to fit in the mold for packing and/or shaping a moldable material in the mold; (5) a mold system comprising a mold having at least three sides, each side connected by a respective living hinge to at least one other side, and an integrated and/or removable mold cap for packing and/or shaping a moldable material against in the mold; and/or (6) a molding tool comprising a handle and a compactor portion, the molding tool further including at least one of the following features: (i) a scraper, (ii) a second compactor portion, and/or (iii) a grip.
Although various embodiments are described in this disclosure as being related to hydrophobic molding substances, it will be understood that various embodiments may be used with any molding substance, material, or composition, including but not limited to sand and snow, that may be suitable for forming desired structures (e.g., sand castle sculptures).
According to some embodiments a mold system is provided that includes two or more mold sections configured for use with one another to form a complete mold that is configured to form a structure or object dictated by the design of the combined mold sections (e.g., having a structure of desired shape, height, ornamental design, etc.). When the sections are combined or connected (e.g., to receive the hydrophobic molding substance) using one or more connection points, they may be packed with as much hydrophobic molding substance (e.g., sand, sand with water, snow, and/or other substance), as desired by the user for the intended purpose. According to some embodiments, two or more complete molds may be combined to create combination structures.
According to some embodiments, a mold section, a mold cap, and/or a removable mold form may comprise one or more tabs, handles, or protrusions for gripping the mold component when separating the mold component from the formed structure.
According to some embodiments, a mold system may comprise a first set of mold sections configured to be connected to one another to form a first complete mold, and a second set of mold sections configured to be connected to one another to form a second complete mold. The first complete mold and the second complete mold are further configured so that the second complete mold may be placed on top of the first complete mold to create a combination of both molds and/or for creating a combination structure. For example, a second complete mold may be formed (e.g., by attaching its multiple sections together) and fit in place on or otherwise combined with the first complete mold.
This combination of separate molds is not possible with traditional fill-and-flip or container-type molds (e.g., a traditional sand pail) in which sand, for example, is placed in a mold container having a solid, bottom container wall, and then the mold container is inverted to form a structure on a surface. There is no way to remove a first container-type mold after a second mold (of any type) is placed on top of it—the second structure would be built on top of the bottom container wall that is now the top surface of the inverted mold container.
In contrast to traditional fill-and-flip or container-type molds (e.g., a traditional sand pail) in which sand, for example, is placed in a mold container having a solid, bottom container wall, and then the mold container is inverted to form a structure on a surface, some embodiments of the present invention provide for mold systems having separable mold sections providing advantages over traditional, container-type molds. Various embodiments of mold systems are described in this disclosure such that when two or more mold sections are combined to form a complete mold, the complete mold has at least one exposed opening. For example, two mold sections may be combined to create a tower mold having a bottom opening that will be placed on the building surface (e.g., a beach surface, a worktable, etc.) with or without a mold cap covering the bottom opening, and an upper opening that may be used for filling the mold with the desired molding substance (e.g., a hydrophobic sand).
In accordance with some embodiments, a first complete mold may be configured to be joined with a second complete mold at the upper opening of the first complete mold. For example, a bottom opening of the second (upper) complete mold may be joined with the upper opening of the first (bottom) complete mold to create, effectively, a single combined mold that allows all the inserted hydrophobic molding substance to be packed together, which may allow for denser packing and/or stronger formed structures. Such a configuration also allows advantageously for molding of an upper portion of a combination structure by filling the second complete mold, while the first (bottom) complete mold is still in place. Alternatively, the first (bottom) complete mold may be configured to be removable before the upper portion is completed, as desired.
In either case, the upper portion is structurally integrated with the bottom portion of the combination structure by effectively packing additional hydrophobic molding substance directly on top of the hydrophobic molding substance at the top the first (bottom) complete mold, through the lower opening of the second (upper) complete mold that is joined with the upper opening of the first (bottom) complete mold. Once the upper structure portion is molded, the second complete mold may be removed. Finally, if not removed previously, the first (bottom) complete mold may be disassembled and separated from the bottom part of the structure, leaving a free-standing combination structure.
In one example, as described in this disclosure, a first complete mold may be formed of two halves of a first cylindrical mold that is not closed on the top, allowing for the creation of a first column structure with an exposed top surface (e.g., the bottom section of a sand castle tower). A second complete mold may then be used to form a second structure on top of the exposed top surface of the first column structure (e.g., an upper section of the example sand castle tower). As noted above, the second complete mold may be but need not necessarily be joined to the first complete mold.
In some embodiments, a split-mold system may comprise at least two sections that may be stably connected to one another, directly or indirectly, by one or more permanent connections (e.g., a living hinge) and may be stably but separably connected to one another using one or more types of slots or holes, with corresponding connective elements (e.g., a key-and-lock system, snap joints with corresponding male and female elements). In one embodiment, a plurality of mold sections are connected by respective hinges (e.g., a living hinge), and the entirety of the connected mold sections may be folded at the hinges and thus joined to form a closed mold, which may be further secured, for example, using a key and lock or other type of securing device to secure together the opposite ends of the plurality of connected mold sections.
In some embodiments, the two or more mold sections of the mold system are configured to be completely separable from one another and to be connected to one another (i.e., to be detachably connectable to one another) to form a complete mold. In some embodiments, a split-mold system may comprise two sections that may be stably connected to one another, directly or indirectly, by one or more permanent connections (e.g., a living hinge) and stably connected to one another using one or more types of slots or holes, with corresponding connective elements (e.g., a key-and-lock system, snap joints with corresponding male and female elements). In some embodiments, a split-mold system may comprise two sections that may be stably connected to one another using one or more types of slots or holes, with corresponding connective elements (e.g., a key-and-lock system, snap joints with corresponding male and female elements). In some embodiments, the split-mold system comprises two separable sections that may be more robustly secured to one another using, for example and without limitation, a latch, a snap joint, buckle, hook-and-eye closure, elastic bands, nut and bolt, a clip, a cotter pin, a clamp, or other securing system for securely connecting the sections to each other, to create a complete mold. A split-mold system is advantageous, in accordance with some embodiments, for making transportation and/or storage of the mold system easier than with traditional, single-piece molds. For instance, because each separable section is smaller than the complete mold it forms, it is easier to store the sections of a split-mold system individually, nested together, and/or stacked on one another for transportation and/or storage.
In some embodiments, the two or more mold sections of the mold system may be permanently attached to one another via at least one connection point (e.g., by a living hinge) and are configured to be detachably connectable to one another at another connection point (e.g., using one or more of the connecting and/or securing systems, as noted above).
In one or more embodiments, a point of connection, at which two mold sections are detachably connectable, may be further configured to receive or to be manipulated by a device for breaking a vacuum to facilitate separation of the mold from the formed structure.
According to some embodiments, a castle-mold system is provided that includes two or more sections that can be combined to form the molding shape, that can be packed with as much sand, water, snow (or other substance), as needed. A key and key opening system is provided to hold the mold sections in place and to create a mold.
In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, an article of manufacture is provided comprising at least one compactor portion and/or at least one shaping tool (e.g., a scraper) for compacting, shaping, and/or removing molding substance of a formed structure. In one embodiment, a molding tool may comprise a plurality of compactor portions (e.g., of varying sizes and/or shapes) for compacting areas of a formed structure (e.g., to smooth and/or create detail designs) and/or for tamping moldable substance in a mold device to form a structure.
According to some embodiments, a kit for forming structures from a hydrophobic molding substance is provided, the kit comprising one or more of the following features: a joining key; a molding tool that may include a handle and at least one compactor portion; a mold cap; a first mold section defining a first shape, and comprising a first key opening for receiving the joining key; a second mold section defining a second shape, the second mold section being connected to the first mold section by a first living hinge; a third mold section defining a third shape, the third mold section being connected to the second mold section by a second living hinge; and a fourth mold section defining a fourth shape, the fourth mold section being connected to the third mold section by a third living hinge, the fourth mold section including: a second key opening for receiving the joining key, where the first mold section, the second mold section, the third mold section, and the fourth mold section are configured for forming a first mold assembly for receiving a hydrophobic molding compound by: folding adjacent mold sections toward each other using the respective living hinges, and securing the first mold section and the fourth mold section together by insertion of the joining key through the first key opening and through the second key opening, and where the mold cap is configured to be located abutting an end of the first mold assembly to form a second mold assembly.
According to some embodiments, a mold system for forming structures from a molding substance is provided, the kit comprising one or more of the following features: a joining key; a first mold section defining a first shape, and including a first key opening for receiving the joining key; and a second mold section defining a second shape, and including: a second key opening for receiving the joining key, where the first mold section and the second mold section are configured to be secured together to assemble a first mold device by insertion of the joining key through the first key opening and through the second key opening.
According to some embodiments, implementation of a mold system may further include one or more of the following features: a mold cap configured to be located abutting the first mold section and the second mold section when secured together to assemble a second mold device; where the joining key is configured with the first key opening and the second key opening such that when rotated to a locking position the joining key cannot be removed from the first key opening and the second key opening; where the joining key is configured with the first key opening and the second key opening such that when rotated to a removing position the joining key is removable from the first key opening and the second key opening; where the first mold device is configured for forming a structure defined by the first shape and the second shape; where at least one of the first mold section and the second mold section may include a removable mold form such that when a moldable substance is compacted in the first mold device to form the structure, removing the removable mold form creates a corresponding space in the resulting structure; where the second mold device is configured for forming a structure defined by the first shape, the second shape, and the mold cap; where the first mold device has a first opening and a second opening opposite the first opening, each of the first opening and the second opening allowing for inserting a molding substance into the first mold device; where the molding substance may include a hydrophobic molding compound suitable for producing fine detail in the first mold device; where the second mold device is configured with a first opening and the mold cap placed opposite the first opening, the first opening allowing for inserting a molding substance into the second mold device; a molding tool configured with at least one compactor portion for tamping a moldable substance in the first mold device; a molding tool may include one or more of: a handle, at least one compactor portion, a grip, and/or a scraper; a third mold section defining a third shape, where the third mold section is connected to the first mold section; where the third mold section further is connected to the second first mold section; a fourth mold section defining a fourth shape, where the third mold section is further connected to the fourth mold section, and where the fourth mold section is further connected to the second mold section; where the first mold section is connected to a third mold section, different from the second section, by a living hinge; and/or where the first mold section is connected to the second mold section, directly or indirectly, by at least one living hinge.
According to some embodiments, a kit for forming structures from a molding substance is provided, the kit comprising one or more of the following features: a first mold section defining a first shape; a second mold section defining a second shape; the first mold section may include a first joining component for joining the first mold section to a corresponding second joining component of the second mold section to form a complete mold for containing molding substance to form a structure defined by the first shape and the second shape, and the complete mold having an opening for filling the complete mold with a molding substance; a mold cap defining a third shape for modifying the complete mold; and/or a securing device for securing the first mold section to the second mold section when the first mold section is joined to the second mold section.
According to some embodiments, implementation of a kit may further include one or more of the following features: a molding tool may include a handle, at least one compactor portion, and/or a scraper; where the securing device may include a removable key; where each of the joining component of the first mold section and the joining component of the second mold section may include a respective opening for receiving the securing device; where the securing device may include one or more of the following: a latch, a hook-and-eye closure, a snap joint, elastic band, a cotter pin, a bolt and nut, a clamp, and a clip; where the first mold section is identical to the second mold section; where the first mold section is different from the second mold section; a third mold section defining a third shape, the third mold section may include a third joining component for joining the third mold section to at least one of the first joining component of the first mold section and the second joining component of the second mold section; and/or where the mold cap may include at least one flange.
According to some embodiments, a method for using a mold to form a structure using a moldable substance may include one or more of the following steps: forming a mold device from a first mold section defining a first shape and a second mold section defining a second shape by: joining a first joining component of the first mold section to a corresponding second joining component of the second mold section, and securing with a securing device the first mold section to the second mold section when the first mold section is joined to the second mold section, the mold device having a first opening and a second opening opposite the first opening; blocking the second opening; inserting a portion of a moldable substance through the first opening into an interior of the mold device; tamping, using a compacting tool, the inserted first portion of the moldable substance in the interior of the mold device to compact the inserted first portion; repeating the steps of inserting and tamping in the interior of the mold device to form a structure of the moldable substance; and releasing the securing device and disassembling the mold device from around the formed structure.
According to some embodiments, implementation of a process for forming a structure may further comprise one or more of the following features: where blocking the second opening may include: applying a mold cap to the mold device to block the second opening; inverting the mold device such that the mold cap is on the bottom of the mold device; after forming the structure of the moldable substance, positioning the mold device such that the mold cap is accessible; and/or removing the mold cap from the second opening.
In accordance with some embodiments, any kits or systems described in this disclosure may comprise one or more of:
Throughout the description that follows and unless otherwise specified, the following terms may include and/or encompass the example meanings provided in this section. These terms and illustrative example meanings are provided to clarify the language selected to describe embodiments both in the specification and in the appended claims, and accordingly, are not intended to be limiting.
“Molding substance” refers to materials and/or compositions such as snow, sand (preferably but not necessarily mixed with water or other liquid), soil, clay, modeling compound, wax, and/or other materials, which may be molded or otherwise shaped to form structures, sculptures, and other objects (e.g., sand castles of beach sand, blocks of snow, wax figures). In some instances, molding substances may be compactible, such as sand or snow, and preferably are packed or pressed into a mold to form denser or stronger structures. To provide some illustrative and non-limiting examples, reference may be made in this disclosure to sand castles and sand castle structures (e.g., structures of sand that include and/or evoke features of castles, towers, walls, and the like). It will be readily understood, however, in light of this disclosure, that unless explicitly stated otherwise, no embodiment is intended to be limited to use for creating structures of sand or structures resembling castles.
In accordance with one embodiment, the mold 100 may be closed by rotating the mold sections 102a-d toward one another using the living hinges 106a-c, forming a mold device with at least one opening and having an interior into which moldable substance may be inserted (through one or more of the openings) to form a structure defined by the combination of mold shapes 104a-d.
In accordance with one or more embodiments, the example mold 100 further comprises a mold cap 116 which may be used (as shown for illustrative purposes) at one end of the mold 100. The example mold cap 116 includes a mold cap shape 118 that may be used for defining a formed structure. As discussed further with respect to
In some embodiments, the mold 100 may be closed to form a mold device by joining components such as joining components 108 and 112. As depicted in
Molds, molding tools, and mold devices may be of any desired size and/or shape. According to some embodiments, an example tower mold may be approximately 1¾″ wide by 3¼″ tall with removable cap intact; an example gatehouse mold may be approximately 3″ tall by 2⅛″ deep by 2⅜″ wide with removable cap intact; an example keep mold may be approximately 2″ tall by 3½″ deep by 2¾″ wide with removable top intact; an example wall mold may be approximately 2½″ tall by1¼″ deep by 4″ wide with removable cap intact; an example square tower mold may be approximately 2½″ tall by 2″ deep; an example small tower may be approximately 2⅜″ tall by 1½″ deep; and an example keep mold may be approximately 2″ tall by 3½″ deep with removable cap intact; an example molding tool may be approximately 5.5 inches long with the compactor portion of approximately 1 inch wide.
According to some embodiments, any one or more of the mold sections, mold systems, tools, and devices described in this disclosure may be formed from one or more materials (preferably waterproof materials), including but not limited to plastics, metals, alloys, ceramics, and/or other material having sufficient strength to carry out the purpose of this invention. In one example, mold sections of mold systems may be formed by injection molding of plastic material and/or any other technique.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material, including but not limited to the designs of described mold components and molded structures, that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records (or those of other patent offices), but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. The present application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/219,357 filed Jul. 7, 2021, entitled “MOLDING SYSTEM FOR MOLDABLE SANDS,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in the present application.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2022/036431 | 7/7/2022 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63219357 | Jul 2021 | US |
