US 2015/0174802 A1 · PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MULTI-COMPONENT HOLLOW ARTICLE AND ARTICLE MADE THEREBY

Abstract

An injection-molding process and an apparatus for making a multi-component hollow article, and the article made thereby. The process comprises molding, from a first plastic material, a hollow body having a wall with at least one vent therethrough and at least one flap molded in an area adjacent to the vent. The flap is molded in a first position in which the vent is open. The flap is hingedly movable from the first position to a second position in which the vent is closed by the flap. After the flap is folded into the second position, the hollow body, including the folded flap, is at least partially overmolded with a second plastic material, wherein the second material is essentially precluded from leaking into the hollow body through the vent. The apparatus comprises a first mold bar for molding a hollow body, a second mold bar for overmolding the hollow body with a second plastic material, and a closing tool for moving, and optionally retaining, the flap in the second position. The resulting article has no second material inside its hollow body.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A process for making a hollow article by injection molding, the process comprising:

molding a hollow body of a first plastic material, the hollow body having a wall and a void inside the wall, wherein the wall has at least one vent therethrough, the hollow body comprising at least one flap molded in an area of the wall adjacent to the at least one vent, the flap being molded in a first position in which the vent is open, the flap being hingedly movable from the first position to a second position in which the vent is closed by the flap;
moving the flap from the first position to the second position;
and
at least partially overmolding the hollow body with a second plastic material so that the second plastic material at least partially covers the flap in the second position, wherein the second material is essentially precluded from entering the void inside the hollow body through the vent.

1 more element

A process for making a multi-component hollow article, the process comprising:

providing a first mold bar having a first mold body enclosing a first mold cavity, the first mold bar comprising at least one first-plastic injection nozzle for injecting a first plastic material into the first mold cavity and at least one fluid injection nozzle for injecting a fluid into the first mold cavity, the first mold cavity including a flap aperture extending into the body of the first mold and sized to receive a small amount of the first plastic material for forming a flap therein, the flap aperture being located in a vicinity of the at least one fluid injection nozzle;
injecting the first plastic material into the first mold cavity and injecting the fluid into the first plastic material disposed in the first mold cavity, thereby causing the first plastic material to conform to a surface of the first molding cavity, including causing the small amount of the first plastic material to flow into the flap aperture, wherein the fluid injected into the first plastic material creates a vent therein;
causing the first plastic material in the first mold to solidify, thereby forming a hollow body having the vent and the flap disposed in a vicinity of the vent, the flap outwardly extending from the hollow body in an open position so that the vent is open;
providing a second mold having a second mold body enclosing a second mold cavity, the second mold comprising at least one second-plastic injection nozzle for injecting a second plastic material into the second mold cavity, the hollow body being disposed in the second mold;
causing the flap to move into a closed position to close the vent;
injecting a second plastic material into the second mold cavity to at least partially cover the hollow body including the flap, thereby securing the flap in the closed position, wherein the second material is essentially precluded from entering the hollow body through the vent.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process and apparatus for making multi-component hollow article and article made thereby

Life of this patent

Process and apparatus for making multi-component hollow article and article made thereby

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20