Particle foam component having a textured surface and method and mold for the manufacture thereof

Abstract

A mold for forming an element molded from a particle foam, including for example expanded polypropylene foam, includes at least one visible exterior surface defined by the particle foam. The visible exterior surface is textured having a roughness depth of less than or equal to 1.00 mm and a plurality of vent interfaces each having a maximum width of less than or equal to 0.4 mm. Methods of molding the element, together with a mold and a method of making the mold, are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mold for molding particle foam comprising:
 a mold component defining at least a part of a mold interior, wherein the mold component comprises at least one class-A textured molding surface having a roughness depth of less than or equal to 1.0 mm and a plurality of vents having a maximum width of less than or equal to 0.4 mm.   
     
     
         2 . The mold of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vents are distributed with a density of one vent per 100 mm 2  of surface area or less. 
     
     
         3 . The mold of  claim 1 , wherein the mold interior is further defined by an upper and lower textured molding surface. 
     
     
         4 . The mold of  claim 1 , wherein the mold interior has a volume of less than or equal to 1800 mm×1240 mm×100 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The mold of  claim 1 , wherein the mold interior defines an exterior shape of a partition wall. 
     
     
         6 . The mold of  claim 1 , wherein the roughness depth is less than or equal to 0.4 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The mold of  claim 1 , wherein the vents have a circular cross-section with a diameter of less than or equal to 0.4 mm. 
     
     
         8 . A mold for molding particle foam comprising:
 a mold component defining at least a part of a mold interior, wherein the mold component comprises at least one class-A textured molding surface having a plurality of vents having a maximum width of less than or equal to 0.4 mm and distributed with a density of at least one vent per 100 mm 2  of surface area or less.   
     
     
         9 . The mold of  claim 8 , wherein the molding surface includes three vent interfaces per 100 mm 2  of surface area or less. 
     
     
         10 . The mold of  claim 8 , wherein the molding surface has a roughness depth of less than or equal to 1.0 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The mold of  claim 8 , wherein the mold component is a first side mold component and the mold interior is further defined by a second side mold component. 
     
     
         12 . The mold of  claim 11 , wherein the second side mold component includes a class-A textured molding surface having a roughness depth of less than or equal to 1.0 mm and a plurality of vents having a maximum width of less than or equal to 0.4 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The mold of  claim 8 , wherein the vents are randomly placed. 
     
     
         14 . A mold for molding particle foam comprising:
 a first side mold component at least partially defining a mold interior;   a second side mold component further defining the mold interior;   an upper mold component further defining the mold interior; and   a lower mold component further defining the mold interior,   wherein at least one of the mold components comprises a class-A textured molding surface having a roughness depth of less than or equal to 1.0 mm and a plurality of vents having a maximum width of less than or equal to 0.4 mm.   
     
     
         15 . The mold of  claim 14 , wherein one of the mold components is moveable by an actuator. 
     
     
         16 . The mold of  claim 14 , wherein one of the upper and lower mold components includes a stepped configuration for forming a wall element having a channel. 
     
     
         17 . The mold of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of vents are distributed with a density of one vent per 100 mm 2  of surface area or less. 
     
     
         18 . The mold of  claim 18 , wherein the vents are configured in an array. 
     
     
         19 . The mold of  claim 14 , further comprising a supply line in communication with the mold interior and a steam supply in communication with at least one of the mold components. 
     
     
         20 . The mold of  claim 14 , further comprising a first end mold component and a second end mold component further defining the mold interior.