# US 10,118,326 B2 · Injection mold flash reduction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,326 B2 - Document ID: US10118326B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/677,383 - Filed: 2015-04-02 - Published: 2016-10-06 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-02 - Assignees: Sensata Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Sensata Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Keith R. Washburn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118326B2 ## CPC - B29C 45/0025: {Preventing defects on the moulded article, e.g. weld lines, shrinkage marks (preventing defects on the preformed parts or layers B29C45/14836)} - B29C 45/14344: {Moulding in or through a hole in the article, e.g. outsert moulding} - B29C 45/26: Moulds - B29C 45/261: {having tubular mould cavities} - B29C 2045/0034: {Mould parting lines} - B29C 2045/0037: {Moulding articles or parts thereof without parting line} - B29K 2705/00: Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts - B29L 2023/00: Tubular articles (B29L2024/00 takes precedence {; catheters B29L2031/7542}) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract A mold fabrication element has a hollowed volume defining a respective continuous inner surface. A fabricator resource disposes the mold fabrication element into a cavity of an injection mold assembly; surface contours on the inner surface of cavity as well as the respective continuous inner surface of the mold fabrication element exposed in the cavity define an outer surface of a resulting injection molded part. To create the injection molded part, the fabricator resource injects liquefied material into the cavity. The injected material contacts the continuous inner surface of the hollowed volume in the mold fabrication element as well as the surface contours of the cavity. After the injected material solidifies, the fabricator resource removes a combination of the injection molded part and the mold fabrication element. The fabricator resource separates the mold fabrication element from the injection molded part for further processing and use of the injection molded part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving a mold fabrication element, the mold fabrication element having a hollowed volume defining a respective continuous inner surface; disposing the mold fabrication element into a cavity of a mold assembly, the cavity defined by an inner surface of the mold assembly, the respective continuous inner surface of the mold fabrication element exposed in the cavity; and injecting plastic into the cavity, the plastic hardening to form a molded part within the cavity, the molded part having a flash free region between two hollowed regions of the molded part, the flash free region formed along the continuous inner surface of the hollowed volume in the mold fabrication element, wherein a part line from separating the mold assembly to remove the molded part from the cavity extends along an axial length of the molded part, presence of the mold fabrication element in the cavity of the mold assembly producing a corresponding flash-free region in the molded part along a less-than-all portion of the axial length. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the mold fabrication element is a ring including a stepped inner diameter to produce a corresponding stepped region in the molded part. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as in claim 2, wherein the stepped region in the molded part is a region free of flash produced by injection of the plastic between gaps in between sides of the mold assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the mold assembly includes a first mold side and a second mold side, the first mold side including a void to receive a first portion of the mold fabrication element, the second mold side including a void to receive a second portion of the mold fabrication element; and wherein disposing the mold fabrication element into the cavity of the mold assembly includes: inserting the first portion of the mold fabrication element into the void of the first mold side; and joining the first mold side to the second mold side to produce the cavity, the void of the first mold side and the void of the second mold side retaining the mold fabrication element in a desired location of the cavity. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the respective continuous inner surface of the hollowed volume of the mold fabrication element resides substantially within a plane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method as in claim 5, wherein the mold assembly includes a first mold side and a second mold side; and wherein disposing the mold fabrication element into the cavity of the mold assembly further comprises: moving the first mold side in a manner parallel to the plane to contact the first mold side to the second mold side of the mold assembly to form the cavity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method as in claim 6, wherein parting lines of the first mold side and the second mold side are disposed substantially orthogonal with respect to the plane of the mold fabrication element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1 further comprising: subsequent to injecting the plastic into the cavity to create the molded part, separating a first mold side and a second mold side of the mold assembly to remove a combination of the molded part and the mold fabrication element; and separating the mold fabrication element from the molded part. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method as in claim 8, wherein removing the mold fabrication element from the molded part further comprises: sliding the mold fabrication element off an end of the molded part having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the respective continuous inner surface of the mold fabrication element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein prior to injecting the plastic into the cavity, the cavity is further defined by an outer surface of at least one mold side. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein just prior to injecting plastic into the cavity, the cavity of the mold assembly is defined by at least four separate mold sides and the mold fabrication element.