Method of manufacturing an insertion molded bird spike
AssigneeBird-B-Gone, Inc.
InventorBruce Donoho
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bird spike is insertion molded, using a technique in which a wire that forms at least one of the spikes is bent while coupled to one of the mold parts, and a molten plastic is injected about at least a bent portion of the bent first wire. The wire can be bent before the mold closes but after attachment to the mold, while the mold is closing, and/or after the mold is closed. The wire can be bent in any suitable manner, preferably having first and second bends of at least 60°, and a bump of at least 1 mm between the first and second bends. A robot arm can be used to concurrently secure multiple straight wires from a wire holder platform, and positioned them onto the mold part.
Claims23
A method of manufacturing an insertion molded bird spike, using a mold having at least a first mold part, the method comprising:
- positioning at least a first wire with respect to the first mold part;
- while the first wire is positioned with respect to the first mold part, closing the mold and bending the first wire, wherein the bending occurs while or during the closing of the mold;
- while the mold is closed and the bent first wire is within the closed mold, injecting a molten plastic about at least a bent portion of the bent first wire to form a base of the insertion molded bird spike, wherein the injecting occurs within the closed mold and the bent first wire is within the closed mold;
- and
- removing the insertion molded bird spike from the mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.