초록 ▼

A gasket (1) having a reversibly compressible lower portion (17), and an upper portion (14) having at least one upwardly extending extension, is described. The upper portion (14) of the gasket (1) includes a first (34) and optionally a second (37) upwardly extending extension, each having an exterio

A gasket (1) having a reversibly compressible lower portion (17), and an upper portion (14) having at least one upwardly extending extension, is described. The upper portion (14) of the gasket (1) includes a first (34) and optionally a second (37) upwardly extending extension, each having an exterior surface (43, 55). The first and second extensions of the upper portion each have a vertical center line (49, 58) that resides over (or extends through) an underlying exterior longitudinal groove (73, 76) of the lower portion, such that when the gasket is compressed along its vertical center axis (23) a force (79, 82) is exerted laterally outward along (or through) the exterior surfaces of the upwardly extending extensions. The force exerted laterally outward along the exterior surface of an upwardly extending extension serves to maintain a seal (214, 217) formed by abutment of the exterior surface of the extension with a separate surface (e.g., the upper edge (190, 193) of a channel (121) in which the gasket resides) while the gasket is reversibly compressed along its vertical center axis. Also described is a method of preparing a coated molded article (223) in a mold apparatus (8) that includes the gasket of the present invention.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of preparing a coated molded plastic article comprising: (a) providing a mold apparatus comprising, (i) a first die having an inner surface, (ii) a second die having an inner surface having at least one channel therein, each channel having a base surface, an open top

What is claimed is: 1. A method of preparing a coated molded plastic article comprising: (a) providing a mold apparatus comprising, (i) a first die having an inner surface, (ii) a second die having an inner surface having at least one channel therein, each channel having a base surface, an open top, a first upper edge and a second upper edge, the inner surface of said first die and the inner surface of said second die are substantially opposed and have a distance there-between, at least one of said first die and said second die being reversibly moveable, such that said distance is reversibly decreased, and (iii) a gasket comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, said gasket having a longitudinal axis, a vertical center axis that is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, and a horizontal axis that is substantially perpendicular to said vertical center axis and said longitudinal axis, said upper portion comprising a first upper sidewall, a second upper sidewall, a first extension and a second extension, said upper portion being fabricated from a resilient material, said first extension and said second extension each extending upwardly from said upper portion and each extending substantially continuously in a direction that is substantially parallel with said longitudinal axis, said first extension and said second extension each having an exterior surface, an upper surface, an interior surface, and a vertical center line that is laterally outward from and substantially parallel to said vertical center axis of said gasket, the exterior surface of said first extension defining at least a portion of said first upper sidewall, the exterior surface of said second extension defining at least a portion of the second upper sidewall, the interior surface of said first extension and the interior surface of said second extension together defining an upper longitudinal groove, said upper longitudinal groove being aligned substantially parallel with said longitudinal axis, said lower portion having a base, and a first lower sidewall and a second lower sidewall each extending upwardly from said base, said lower portion being continuous with said upper portion, said first lower sidewall having at least one first exterior longitudinal groove, said second lower sidewall having at least one second exterior longitudinal groove, each first exterior longitudinal groove and each second exterior longitudinal groove being aligned substantially parallel with said longitudinal axis and providing a means by which said gasket is reversibly compressed along said vertical center axis of said gasket, and said lower portion being fabricated from a resilient material, wherein said vertical center line of said first extension resides over said first exterior longitudinal groove, said vertical center line of said second extension resides over said second exterior longitudinal groove, such that when said gasket is compressed along said vertical center axis of said gasket, a first force is exerted laterally outward along said exterior surface of said first extension, and a second force is exerted laterally outward along said exterior surface of said second extension, a portion of said gasket residing within said channel, said base of said lower portion of said gasket abutting said base surface of said channel, a portion of said first exterior surface of said first extension abutting sealingly with said first upper edge of said channel forming a first seal, a portion of said exterior surface of said second extension abutting sealingly with said second upper edge of said channel forming a second seal, and a portion of said inner surface of said first die abuts sealingly with the upper surface of each of said first extension and said second extension; (b) positioning said first die and said second die at a first distance, thereby forming a parting line between said first die and said second die, and forming a first mold cavity defined in part by the inner surface of said first die and the inner surface of said second die, said gasket being compressed and the upper surface of said first extension and the upper surface of said second extension being substantially level with said parting line; (c) injecting a plastic material into said first mold cavity, thereby forming a molded plastic article having an upper surface; (d) positioning said first die and said second die at a second distance, said second distance being greater than said first distance, thereby forming a second mold cavity defined in part by the inner surface of said first die, the upper surface of said molded plastic article and a portion of the upper surface of said first extension of said gasket; and (e) injecting a coating composition into said second mold cavity, thereby forming said coated molded plastic article, wherein when said first die and said second die are positioned at said first distance and said second distance, said gasket is compressed along the vertical center axis of said gasket, said first force exerted laterally outward along said exterior surface of said first extension maintains said first seal, and said second force exerted laterally outward along said exterior surface of said second extension maintains said second seal during the plastic material injection step and the coating composition injection step. 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising positioning said first die and said second die, after the coating injection step, at a third distance that is less than said second distance and greater than said first distance, thereby compressing the coating composition injected into said second cavity. 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, (f) positioning said first die and said second die at a subsequent distance, thereby forming a subsequent mold cavity, (g) injecting a subsequent coating composition into said subsequent mold cavity, (h) optionally positioning said first die and said second die so as to compress said subsequent coating composition, and (i) optionally repeating steps (f) through (h) at least once, thereby forming a coated molded plastic article having a plurality of coating layers, wherein said first seal and said second seal are each maintained during steps (f) through (h), and said coating composition and each subsequent coating composition are independently the same or different. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said plastic material is selected from thermoplastic materials, thermosetting materials and combinations thereof. 5. The method of claim 4 wherein said plastic material introduced into said first mold cavity is a thermoplastic material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane, thermoplastic polyurea, thermoplastic polyimide, thermoplastic polyamide, thermoplastic polyamideimide, thermoplastic polyester, thermoplastic polycarbonate, thermoplastic polysulfone, thermoplastic polyketone, thermoplastic polyethylene, thermoplastic polypropylene, thermoplastic acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and thermoplastic compositions containing one or more thereof. 6. The method of claim 4 wherein said plastic material introduced into said first mold cavity comprises a reinforcing material selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, glass beads, carbon fibers, nano-tubular carbon fibers, boron fibers, metal fibers and combinations thereof. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said coating composition is selected from the group consisting of thermosetting coating compositions, thermoplastic coating compositions and combinations thereof. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein said coating composition is a thermosetting coating composition and comprises ethylenically unsaturated polyurethane and free radical polymerization initiator. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating of said coated molded article has a thickness of from 0.1 mils to 50 mils. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the coated molded article is selected from the group consisting of lenses, ophthalmic lenses, sun shade lenses, glazings, interior motor vehicle components, exterior motor vehicle components, motor vehicle engine-compartment components, architectural panels and housings for electronic devices. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein said coating composition comprises a photochromic material, and said coated molded article is a photochromic coated molded article. 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said photochromic coated molded article is selected from the group consisting of photochromic ophthalmic lenses, photochromic sun shade lenses and photochromic glazings.