Molding system and method
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsHossein Allen Baghdadi, Sami Mohamad Fakhouri, Joseph Thomas Muth, Bradley C. Tutmark, H. Kenneth Hanson, III, Danny David Lumpkin, Robert L Ritchie, Shawn J. Schnee
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Abstract
A molding system and a method for operation of the molding system are provided. The method includes flowing a molten polymeric material into a shot tuning chamber from an upstream device, adjusting a temperature of and/or pressure applied to the molten polymeric material in the shot tuning chamber, and flowing the molten polymeric material from the shot tuning chamber into a mold cavity.
Claims20
A method for operation of a molding system, the method comprising:
- flowing a molten polymeric material into a shot tuning chamber from an upstream device, wherein the molten polymeric material comprises a first temperature;
- adjusting at least the first temperature of the molten polymeric material within the shot tuning chamber to create a tuned molten polymeric material, wherein the tuned molten polymeric material comprises a second temperature;
- adjusting a size of the shot tuning chamber;
- and
- flowing the tuned molten polymeric material into a mold cavity of a molding system from the shot tuning chamber.
A method for producing a molded component for an article of footwear, the method comprising:
- heating a polymeric material in an upstream device to form a molten polymeric material;
- adjusting a size of a shot tuning chamber;
- flowing the molten polymeric material into the shot tuning chamber from the upstream device, wherein the molten polymeric material comprises a first temperature;
- adjusting at least a temperature within the shot tuning chamber to create a tuned molten polymeric material, wherein the tuned molten polymeric material comprises a second temperature;
- readjusting the size of the shot tuning chamber;
- and
- flowing the tuned molten polymeric material into a mold cavity of a molding system from the shot tuning chamber.
A molding system comprising:
- a device configured to receive a polymeric material and heat the polymeric material to form a molten polymeric material comprising a first temperature;
- a size adjustable shot tuning chamber comprising a housing, wherein the size adjustable shot tuning chamber is configured to receive the molten polymeric material from the device and adjust at least a temperature of the molten polymeric material, wherein the temperature is adjusted from the first temperature to a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is lower than the first temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.