Plasticizing and molding articles from polymer strip
AssigneeTextron Inc.
InventorNorman W. Macfee
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Abstract
Successive portions of a continuous polymer filament are plasticized such as by localized heating with ultrasonic or thermal energy, and the plasticized portions are molded in one or more cavities to form articles such as slide fastener elements. Additionally there is disclosed the attachment of a thermoplastic slide fastener coupling element to the edge of a tape by surrounding the leg portions with walls of cavities in a pair of ultrasonic members and applying ultrasonic energy through energy directing projections located centrally within the cavities to the pair of legs to fuse the legs to the edge of the tape.
Claims10
In a method of manufacturing coupling elements for a slide fastener, the steps comprising:
- advancing a continuous filament of thermoplastic,
- sequentially plasticizing unsevered successive portions of the filament, and
- molding the plasticized successive portions in cavity means to at least partially form coupling elements.
A method of manufacturing thermoplastic articles comprising the steps of
- advancing a continuous filament of thermoplastic material
- sequentially applying ultrasonic energy to successive unsevered portions of the thermoplastic filament to plasticize the successive portions of the filament,
- molding the plasticized portions of the thermoplastic portions in cavity means while still attached to said continuous filament, and
- separating the molded portions of the thermoplastic filament to form molded thermoplastic articles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.