Injection molding apparatus, method, and system

A system for producing a molded article by injection molding, the molded article having an article first portion and an article second portion, the system comprising:

• a) a mold half including a base plate for mounting the mold half to a platen of an injection molding machine and a core plate movably coupled to the base plate;
• b) a core second portion mounted to the core plate for forming the article second portion;
• c) a first servomotor to translate the core plate relative to the base plate between a plate advanced position and a plate retracted position;
• d) a manipulation mechanism coupled to the core plate, the manipulation mechanism comprising an engagement member and a second servomotor for moving the engagement member along a path to move the article second portion relative to the article first portion, the path having a fixed position relative to the core plate;
• e) a controller configured to (i) operate the first servomotor to translate the core plate between the plate advanced position and the plate retracted position, and (ii) operate the second servomotor to move the engagement member along the path;
• and
• f) at least one air conduit for directing an air blast toward the molded article for ejecting the molded article from the core plate at the end of an ejection phase.

A method for manipulating a molded article produced by injection molding, the molded article having an article first portion and an article second portion, the method comprising:

• a) operating a first servomotor to advance a core second portion relative to a base plate, the core second portion for forming the article second portion and the base plate mountable to a platen of an injection molding machine;
• and
• b) operating a second servomotor to move an engagement member along a path from an engagement-member intermediate position to an engagement-member advance position to move the article second portion from a partially closed position to a fully closed position relative to the article first portion;
• wherein in the engagement-member intermediate position the engagement member overlies the core second portion and in the engagement-member advanced position the engagement member overlies a core first position for forming the article first portion;
• and
• the method further comprising the following steps prior to step a):
• i) axially advancing the core first portion relative to the core second portion to provide an axial gap between the core second portion and the article second portion of the molded article;
• ii) moving the engagement member from an engagement-member retracted position to the to the engagement-member intermediate position in the axial gap;
• and
• iii) axially retracting the first core portion when the engagement member is in the engagement-member intermediate position, bringing the article second portion to bear against the engagement member and moving the article second portion to the partially closed position over the article first portion as the core first portion retracts past the engagement member.

A method for manipulating a molded article produced by injection molding, the molded article having an article first portion and an article second portion, the method comprising:

• a) axially advancing a first core plate of a mold core half away from a base plate of the mold core half, while maintaining a second core plate of the mold core half in fixed position relative to the base plate;
• b) the base plate securable to a platen of an injection molding machine for mounting the mold core half to the platen;
• the mold core half including a core first portion coupled to the first core plate and having external threads for forming internal threads on the article first portion;
• the mold core half including a core second portion fixed to the second core plate, the core second portion disposed laterally beside the core first portion for forming a cap of the article second portion that is pivotally connected to the article first portion by a living hinge;
• c) wherein the step of axially advancing the first core plate moves the core first portion forward of the core second portion, carrying the article first portion of the molded article forward with the core first portion, and opening an axial gap between the core second portion and the cap of the article second portion;
• d) moving an engagement member laterally along a first path portion of a path from an engagement-member retracted position clear of the core first position and the core second portion to an engagement-member intermediate position located in the axial gap, axially intermediate the mold second portion and the cap, the path defined at least in part by a cam slot fixed to the second core plate;
• e) axially retracting the core first portion while the engagement member is in the engagement-member intermediate position, the axial retraction bringing the cap to bear against an axially forward surface of the engagement member and pivoting the cap to at least a partially closed position over the article first portion as the core first portion retracts past the engagement member;
• and
• f) moving the engagement member laterally along a second path portion of the path from the engagement-member intermediate position toward an engagement-member advanced position in which the engagement member overlies the core first portion, wherein movement of the engagement member brings an axially rearward surface of the engagement member to bear against the cap to urge the cap to a fully closed position on the article first portion.