This invention relates to a moulded article and to a method of manufacture thereof. In particular, it relates to a method of manufacture of a moulded article of a relatively dense plastics material to which a component of another plastics material is attached, and to such an article.

There are a number of applications in which articles are manufactured from relatively dense plastics materials, for example materials incorporating a quantity of recycled plastics materials. By way of example, such materials are used in the manufacture of feet or bases for temporary fencing or barriers. The use of such materials in these applications is advantageous in that as the materials are relatively dense, the articles can be of relatively high weight which may be advantageous in that the requirement to apply ballast, for example in the form of sandbags or weights, to the articles may be reduced or avoided, in use.

Dense plastics materials containing a quantity of recycled plastics materials are often of relatively dull colour. For example, they are often of dark grey or black colour. Where articles manufactured from such materials are used in applications in which parts thereof may project into or across a pedestrian walkway, there is a risk that the articles may present an unacceptable trip hazard to pedestrians. In order to reduce the risk of the formation of a trip hazard, it is known to attach components to the articles, the components being manufactured from a brightly coloured material. By way of example brightly coloured plastics material components may be secured to the articles. The brightly coloured plastics material components are typically formed using virgin plastics materials.

A range of techniques may be used to secure the brightly coloured components to the articles. By way of example, they may be secured to one another using screws, rivets, staples or suitable adhesives. In some applications, snap fit connections are used.

As the components may be attached to the articles in order to enhance the visibility of the articles and so reduce the risk of pedestrians tripping over the articles, it is important to ensure that the components cannot readily be removed or separated from the articles. The use of readily releasable connection techniques is thus undesirable. Whilst specific mention is made hereinbefore to bases or feet for temporary fences or barriers, similar issues can apply to other articles, for example mats or covers, signs or stands therefore, and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a plastics material article, and a method of manufacture thereof, in which at least some of the disadvantages associated with known arrangements are overcome or are of reduced effect. According to the present invention there is a provided a method of manufacture of a moulded article, the method comprising the steps of moulding a body from a plastics material whilst the plastics material is at an elevated temperature, the body including an opening or recess, moulding a component to be secured to the body, the component including a projection including a stem and a head section that projects laterally from the stem, whilst the plastics material of the body is still at an elevated temperature, introducing the projection into the opening or recess, at least part of the plastics material surrounding the opening or recess being temporarily resiliently deformed by the introduction of the projection into the opening or recess, and allowing the plastics material of the body to cool to ambient temperature.

Whilst the plastics material of the body is at an elevated temperature, the material is relatively soft and so temporary resilient deformation thereof to allow the introduction of the projection into the opening or recess is relatively easy. Once cooled, the material of the body is harder, and so deformation of the material of the body to allow removal of the projection from the opening or recess is resisted. The method thus allows manufacture of an article in which a component is attached to the body thereof in a relatively simple and conveniently manner, subsequent removal of the component being resisted. By way of example, the elevated temperature may be in the range of 50-250 ^s C, preferably being in the range of 80-200 ^s C, and more preferably being in the range of 100-180 ^S C. By way of example, the projection may be inserted into the opening or recess approximately 10-20 minutes after moulding of the body has been completed. The body may be shaped to form a foot or base for use in supporting a temporary fence panel or barrier. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not restricted in this regard and may be employed in the manufacture of articles of a number of other designs. By way of example, it may be used in the manufacture of mats or walkways, ballast weights, support frames or signs and a number of other articles.

The plastics material of the body is preferably a relatively dense plastics material. The plastics material may include a quantity of a recycled plastics material. The component is preferably brightly coloured. It is preferably of thin walled form so as to minimise the volume of plastics material required in the manufacture thereof. It may be moulded from a virgin plastics material.

The projection may be of a range of shapes. Although the stem thereof could be of, for example, circular cross-sectional shape, the invention is not restricted in this regard and in one embodiment is of cruciform cross-sectional shape.

The invention further relates to an article moulded using the method set out hereinbefore.

The invention will further be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating an article according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are top and side views illustrating the article of Figure 1 ;

Figures 4 and 5 are views illustrating part of the article of Figure 1 ;

Figures 6 to 9 are views illustrating another part of the article; and

Figures 10 and 1 1 are diagrammatic cross-sectional views of part of the article of Figure 1 . Figures 1 to 3 illustrated a moulded plastics article in the form of a foot or base 10 for supporting a temporary fence panel (not shown). The base 10 comprises a body 12 of compression moulded plastics material, the material including a quantity of a recycled plastics material and is of relatively dense form, with the result that the base 10 is of relatively high weight. The body 12 is shaped to define a series of openings 14 of dimensions suitable to receive the posts or poles associated with the fence panel so as to allow the base 10 to support the panel in an upright or upstanding configuration.

The material of the body 12 is of a dull dark grey or black colour, and so is of relatively poor visibility. Accordingly, if it is used in an application in which it projects into or across a pedestrian walkway or other area to which pedestrians have access, there is a risk that the base 10 may form an unacceptably high trip hazard, especially to pedestrian of impaired vision.

In order to reduce the risk of pedestrians tripping over the base 10, the visibility of the base 10 is enhanced through the attachment thereto of components 16 of brightly coloured form. The components 16 are conveniently manufactured by injection moulding of a suitable brightly coloured, for example high visibility yellow coloured, virgin plastics material. The components 16 are of thin walled form, for example of wall thickness less that 3mm, in order to reduce the volume of material used in the moulding thereof, and so to keep the manufacturing cost to a low level. In the arrangement shown, components 16 are fitted to each end of the base 10. However, it will be appreciated that in some applications there may only be a need to attach a component 16 to one of the ends of the base 10. Furthermore, if desired, components 16 may be attached at other locations upon the base, for example to the sides or top thereof.

As shown in Figures 6 to 9, the components 16 are each manufactured to include an integral projection 18. The projection 18 is of cruciform cross-sectional shape defining a stem 20 and a laterally projecting head 22. To aid moulding, the component 16 is shaped to define a cut-out 24 aligned with the projecting head 22.

The components 16 further include inwardly projecting walls 26 and a strengthening rib 28. Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the body 12 before the components 16 are attached thereto. As illustrated, the body 12 is shaped to include regions 30 which substantially conform with the shape of an inner profile of the components 16. Each region 30 includes an opening or recess 32 and slots 34. The opening or recess 32 is sized and positioned to receive the projection 18 of the associated component 16, and the slots 34 are sized and positioned to receive the walls 26.

As best shown in Figure 5, the opening or recess 32 is of circular cross-sectional shape, the diameter of the opening or recess 32 being substantially equal to the width of the stem 20.

During manufacture, the body 12 is moulded by compression moulding of the plastics material. After moulding of the body 12, and whilst the material thereof is still at an elevated temperature, the components 16 are attached thereto by introducing the projection 18 of each component 16 into the associated opening or recess 32. By way of example, the elevated temperature may be in the region of 50-250 ^s C, preferably in the range of 80-200 ^s C, and more preferably in the range of 100-180 ^S C. By way of example, the projection may be inserted into the opening or recess approximately I Q- 20 minutes after moulding of the body has been completed, during which time the body will have cooled to an appropriate temperature. The temperature may depend, at least to some extent, upon the material of the body. In order to receive the projecting head 22 at least some of the plastics material defining the opening or recess 32 must temporarily, resiliently deform as the projecting head 22 will not fit into the opening or recess 32 without such deformation. As the plastics material of the body 12 is still at an elevated temperature at the time that the components 16 are fitted thereto, the material of the body 12 is still relatively soft and so deforms relatively easily to receive the projection 18 and the projecting head 22 thereof. Once the projecting head 22 has been introduced into the opening or recess 32, the material surrounding the part of the opening or recess 32 through which the head 22 has passed will tend to deflect back to its initial, moulded shape, forming a lip preventing removal of the head 32 from the opening. Figures 10 and 1 1 illustrate the component 16 in this position. Consequently, once the material of the body 12 has cooled to ambient temperature and, accordingly, has become harder, removal of the projection 18 from the opening or recess 32 is resisted and so the component 16 is securely attached to the body 12. Once this condition has been reached, removal of the component 16 from the body 12 will normally not be possible with breaking the component 16 and/or the body 12.

It will be appreciated, that in the finished product, the presence of the above mentioned lip provides an indication that the product has been manufactured using the method described hereinbefore.

The shaping of the component 16 to include the walls 26 received, in use, within the slots 34 resists lateral movement of the component 16 relative to the body 12.

Although the description hereinbefore relates to an article in the form of a base for temporary fencing, and in particular to the attachment of a brightly coloured plastics material component thereto, it will be appreciated that the invention is applicable to a number of other applications. For example, it may allow brightly coloured components to be attached to other designs of fence or barrier base, to mats or covers, bases for signs and a number of other objects. Furthermore, it may be used to attach other components, not just brightly coloured covers or the like, to such articles.

A wide range of modifications and alterations may be made to the article described hereinbefore and method of manufacture thereof also described hereinbefore without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.