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US 2003/0235698 A1Published application
Plastic injection molding with gas assisted metal moldings therein
AssigneeVisteon Global Technologies, Inc.
InventorHarvinder Singh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention details the construction of a plastic injection molded part having a molded metal reinforcement located therein. Additionally, provided by the invention is a method for manufacturing such a molded part and an apparatus for performing that method.
Claims22
A method of molding a structurally enhanced plastic part, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a mold having a cavity defining the shape of the part to be molded;
- injecting plastic material into the mold to at least partially fill the cavity of the mold;
- forming a pocket within the plastic material;
- injecting metal into the pocket formed within the plastic material;
- solidifying the plastic material into a molded part;
- and
- removing the molded part from the mold.
4 more elements
A plastic part comprising:
- a body of predetermined external shape, said body being formed of an injection molded plastic material;
- a reinforcement located within said body, said reinforcement being formed of a metal molded in place within said body.
An apparatus for molding plastic parts containing a metal member therein, said apparatus comprising:
- a mold having surfaces defining a cavity of predetermined shape;
- a first injector coupled to said mold, said first injection including a source of plastic resin material, a heater for at least partially melting the plastic resin and a ram moveably positioned within said first injector and adapted to forceably discharge the at least partially melted plastic resin from said first injector into said cavity;
- a second injector coupled to said mold, said second injector comprising a source of metal material, a heater for at least partially melting the metal material, a ram moveably positioned within said second injector and adapted to forceably discharge the at least partially melted metal from said second injector into said cavity;
- and
- a controller coupled to said first and second injectors, said controller adapted to coordinate sequencing of operation of said first and second injectors such that the at least partially melted plastic resin is injected first into the cavity and the at least partially melted metal material is injected into previously injected plastic material located within said cavity.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.