FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure is generally related to mold assemblies.

BACKGROUND

Many industries use various forms of molding or casting to manufacture products. In general, molding, casting, and variants thereof, shape a material by placing the material within a mold cavity that defines that shape, causing the material to take on the shape of the cavity, and causing the material to maintain the shape after the material is removed from the cavity. As an example, the material placed in the mold cavity can be liquid (e.g., a molten metal, polymer melt, or one or more liquid reactants) in which case the material can flow within the mold cavity under the influence of gravity and/or externally applied pressure. In this example, after the mold cavity is filled, the liquid solidifies due to cooling, chemical reaction, or both, before the material is removed from the mold cavity. In other examples, solid materials (e.g., a material blank or pellets) can be placed in the mold cavity and caused to take on the shape of the mold cavity by external pressure, heat, or both.

After the material at least partially solidifies, the mold is opened and the molded part is removed or ejected. Opening the mold after it has been subjected to high temperatures and pressures and after the material is solidified within the mold cavity can be challenging. In some instances, bolts are used to assemble the mold before use, and the bolts can be difficult to remove from the mold due to temperature cycling, frequent reuse of the mold and bolts, fouling with the material being molded, etc. In such instances, significant manufacturing resources can be consumed in opening molds, removing molded parts, and subsequently preparing the mold for reuse.

SUMMARY

In a particular implementation, an assembly includes a first mold component defining a first portion of a mold cavity and defining a first slot in a first surface of the first mold component. The first slot in the first surface of the first mold component corresponds to a first portion of a first retention channel. The assembly also includes a second mold component defining a second portion of the mold cavity and defining a first slot in a first surface of the second mold component. The first slot in the first surface of the second mold component corresponds to a second portion of the first retention channel. The assembly further includes a first connector having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the first retention channel. The first connector includes a first material having first thermal expansion characteristics. The first thermal expansion characteristics are different from thermal expansion characteristics of materials of the first and second mold components such that when the first connector is inserted into the first retention channel, heating the first mold component, the second mold component, and the first connector causes differential thermal expansion resulting in a clamping force between the first and second mold components.

In another particular implementation, an assembly includes a plurality of mold components and a plurality of connectors. The plurality of mold components includes a first mold component defining a first portion of a mold cavity and a first set of slots, a second mold component defining a second portion of the mold cavity and a second set of slots, and a third mold component defining a third portion of the mold cavity and a third set of slots. The plurality of connectors includes first, second, third, and fourth connectors. The first connector includes a first material and has a first cross-sectional shape corresponding to a combined cross-sectional shape of a first slot of the first set of slots and a first slot of the second set of slots. The second connector includes the first material and has a second cross-sectional shape corresponding to a combined cross-sectional shape of a second slot of the first set of slots and a second slot of the second set of slots. The third connector includes the first material and has a third cross-sectional shape corresponding to a combined cross-sectional shape of a third slot of the first set of slots and a first slot of the third set of slots. The fourth connector includes the first material and has a fourth cross-sectional shape corresponding to a combined cross-sectional shape of a third slot of the second set of slots and a second slot of the third set of slots. Thermal expansion characteristics of the plurality of connectors are different from thermal expansion characteristics of materials of the plurality of mold components such that when the plurality of connectors are inserted into respective retention channels and heat is applied to the plurality of mold components, resulting differential thermal expansion generates clamping forces between surfaces of the plurality of mold components.

In a particular implementation, a method includes forming an assembly of a plurality of mold components and a plurality of connectors. Forming the assembly includes aligning a first mold component and a second mold component, where the first mold component defines a first portion of a mold cavity and a first set of slots and the second mold component defines a second portion of the mold cavity and a second set of slots. Forming the assembly also includes sliding a first connector into a first retention channel corresponding to a first slot of the first set of slots and a first slot of the second set of slots. Forming the assembly further includes sliding a second connector into a second retention channel corresponding to a second slot of the first set of slots and a second slot of the second set of slots. Forming the assembly also includes aligning a third mold component with the first and second mold components, where the third mold component defines a third portion of the mold cavity and a third set of slots. Forming the assembly further includes sliding a third connector into a third retention channel corresponding to a third slot of the first set of slots and a first slot of the third set of slots and sliding a fourth connector into a fourth retention channel corresponding to a third slot of the second set of slots and a second slot of the second set of slots. The method also includes subjecting the assembly to heating to generate clamping forces between surfaces of the assembly due to differential thermal expansion of the assembly.

