Through fittings and a method for gas assist molding of through fittings

Abstract

A method for molding through parts employs gas-assist molding techniques. The method includes closing a mold to create a part cavity, injecting resin into the mold, injecting a gas into a resin stream to create hollow sections in the part, opening the mold, and ejecting a part using conventional mold ejection techniques. The final step of the process includes trimming the as-molded part to expose the through section of the fitting. The fitting may be molded with sealing features for use in tubing assemblies. Advantages of this process include higher working pressure ranges, as well as reduced manufacturing costs and assembly time. The molded tubing fitting formed in this process invention is a through fitting which incorporates features representing o-rings installed on a part into the mold and ultimately into the exterior surface of the molded fitting. This process may eliminate injection molded o-ring fittings from the connection entirely. Further applications may include manifolds or parts with internal passageways.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.