Stacked family molding and subsequent assembly process
AssigneeJarden Corporation
InventorsLynn Howe, William Torris, Glynn Clements
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The subject invention relates to a precision injection molding of multi-piece parts and the subsequent handling and assembly of those parts produced from the mold. In an exemplary embodiment, a surgical suture package with a top part and a bottom part is molded and assembled. In such a method and system, the top parts and bottom parts are first molded utilizing a family mold and then are transferred to a stacker. The stacker is able to stack the top part and bottom part on top of one another on a pallet. The parts are then transported to a welder in order to weld the top part and bottom part together. The completed surgical suture packages are then transferred to a magazine for storage and shippage.
Claims25
A method of assembling multi-piece parts to form a product, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a first plurality of parts and a second plurality of parts side-by-side on a stacker;
- (b) transferring the first plurality of parts from the stacker to a pallet;
- (c) laterally shifting the pallet;
- (d) placing each of the second plurality of parts on top of one of the first plurality of parts to form a plurality of loosely assembled parts;
- and
- (e) joining the plurality of loosely assembled parts to form products.
A method of assembling multi-piece parts to form a product, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a first plurality of parts and a second plurality of parts side-by-side on a stacker;
- (b) positioning a pallet adjacent to the stacker;
- (c) rotating the stacker so that the stacker and the top parts and bottom parts are located above the pallet;
- (d) placing each of the top parts onto the pallet;
- (e) laterally shifting the stacker;
- (f) placing each of the bottom parts on top of the top parts to form a plurality of loosely assembled parts;
- and
- (g) joining the plurality of loosely assembled parts to form products.
A system for molding and assembling multi-piece parts to form a product comprising:
- (a) at least one family mold that molds a first plurality of parts and a second plurality of parts positioned side-by-side to one another;
- (b) at least one stacker that rotates and moves laterally with a plurality of vacuum grippers that can interact with the first and second plurality of parts in the side-by-side orientation;
- (c) at least one pallet arranged and positioned adjacent to the at least one stacker so that when the stacker rotates, the stacker will be directly above the pallet so that the first plurality of parts can be placed on the pallet and when the stacker moves laterally the second plurality of parts can be placed on the first plurality of parts on the pallet to form a plurality of loosely assembled parts;
- and
- (d) at least one device for joining the first and second plurality of parts to form products.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.