Injection molding system

A method of making a selected oriented finished product by use of a single injection blow molding apparatus,

• the apparatus comprising:
• a support structure;
• a first platen on the support structure;
• an injection molding means and a first and second blow molding means being in line and on opposed sides of the injection molding means, the injection molding means and first and second blow molding means being mounted on the first platen;
• a second platen on the support structure being axially reciprocal and laterally reciprocal relative to the first platen;
• a first and second neck bushing assembly and a first and second pick-off bushing assembly on the second platen, the bushing assemblies all being in line, the first and second pick-off bushing assemblies being on opposite sides of the first and second neck bushing assemblies;
• a third platen on the support structure being axially reciprocal relative to the first and second platens;
• a first core rod assembly and a first and second blow rod assembly on the third platen the first and second blow rod assemblies being in line and on opposed sides of the first core rod assembly, the first core rod assembly and injection molding means cooperating alternately with the first and second neck bushing assemblies in forming an injection molding station for molding a parison into a selected configuration, the first and second blow rod assemblies and the first and second blow molds cooperating with the first and second neck bushing assemblies for respectively forming first and second blow molding stations for blow molding the finished product and alternately cooperating with the first and second pick-off bushing assemblies for respectively forming first and second cooling stations for cooling the finished product;
• the method comprising:
• axially reciprocating the platens relatively towards one another from a platen open position to a platen closed position;
• while the platens are in the platen closed position injection molding a first parison into a selected configuration at the injection mold station defined by the relatively axially reciprocal injection molding means and the first core rod assembly and first neck bushing assembly reciprocal between an open and closed position as the platens reciprocate between their open and closed positions, respectively;
• axially reciprocating the platens relatively away from one another from the platen closed position to the platen open position;
• moving the first parison axially from the injection molding means and first core rod assembly at the injection molding station when the platens are reciprocated from their closed position to their open position and the injection molding means and first core rod assembly are relatively reciprocated to an open position and supporting the first parison between the open injection molding means and first core rod assembly by the first neck bushing assembly;
• laterally reciprocating the second platen in a first direction to transfer laterally the first parison to the first blow molding station by the first neck bushing assembly and to axially align the first neck bushing assembly with the first blow molding means and first blow rod assembly;
• conditioning the first parison to orientation temperature after injection molding and prior to blow molding;
• axially reciprocating the platens to their closed position;
• while the platens are in their closed position, blow molding the first parison while at orientation temperature at the first blow molding station into the configuration of the first finished product, the first blow molding station defined by the relatively axially reciprocal first blow molding means and the first blow rod assembly and first neck bushing assembly reciprocal between an open and closed position as the platens reciprocate between their open and closed position, respectively;
• the first parison and a first previously made finished product being respectively supported and moved axially and laterally in the first direction between the injection molding station and the first blow molding station and between the first blow molding station and a first finished product removal station by the first neck bushing assembly and the first pick-off bushing assembly, respectively, when the platens are axially reciprocal to their open positions and the second platen is laterally reciprocated in the first direction;
• the first parison being transferred from the injection molding station by axially removing the first core rod assembly from the first parison and the first parison from the injection molding means and transferring the first parison to the first blow molding station, the first previously made finished product being transferred from the first blow molding station by axially removing the first blow rod assembly from the first previously finished product and the first previously made finished product from the first blow molding means and transferring the first previously made finished product to a position for removal;
• after the first parison is transferred to the first blow molding station, a second parison and second previously made finished product being respectively supported and moved axially and laterally in a second direction directly opposite to the first lateral direction between the injection molding station and second blow molding station and between the second blow molding station and a second finished product removal station, by the second neck bushing assembly and the second pick-off bushing assembly, respectively, when the platens axially reciprocate to their open position and the second platen is laterally reciprocated in the second direction;
• the second parison being transferred from the injection molding station by axially removing the first core rod assembly from the second parison and the second parison from the injection molding means and transferring the second parison to the second blow molding station and the second previously made finished product being transferred from the second blow molding station by axially removing the second blow rod assembly from the second previously made finished product and the second previously made finished product from the second blow molding means and transferring the second previously made finished product to a position for removal;
• and
• two stage cooling for the blown finished product being provided by enclosing the blow molding means and blow rod assembly about the finished product twice before the finished product is removed from the apparatus.