In-the-mold coating apparatus and method

Claim 1

In a method of forming a thermoset in-the-mold coating on a hot, cured glass fiber reinforced thermoset resin substrate by, (a) placing an uncured resin containing glass fiber into a hot mold cavity, the mold cavity formed by two dies having a shear edge; (b) closing the mold to form and cure the resin containing the glass fibers; (c) separating one of the dies from the cured resin containing the glass fibers while still maintaining the mold in a sealed condition at the shear edge; (d) injecting a thermosetting in-the-mold resin coating into the space between one mold die and the cured resin containing glass fibers; (e) bringing the dies together to spread the coating over the cured resin containing the glass fibers and to cure the in-the-mold resin coating, wherein the improvement comprises: (f) injecting the thermosetting in-the-mold resin in a single stream which flows parallel from the injector directly onto the surface of the substrate from a cooled injector permanently attached to the mold; (g) controlling the relative positioning of the dies solely by the ram of the mold; and, (h) controlling the molding sequence including the injection step and the die parting step.