Grommet and grommet retaining member

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to a method of making a grommet or wire clamp which is used, for example in a vehicle, for retaining a linear article such as brake piping and wire harness on a predetermined location of the vehicle body.

#2. Description of the Prior Art

#FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an apparatus used for performing the method of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line II--II of FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the essential parts of FIG. 1;

#Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown an inversion platen type injection molding machine, which is a type of injection molding machine known in the industry, as for example Model KS-2C-70, manufactured by Takahashi Seiki Kogyo Co., the mold portion thereof being modified to carry out the invention method. Support members 2 are provided to support a support shaft 3, and an inversion platen 4 is mounted on the support shaft 3. A first convex mold half 5 for first molding and a second convex mold half 5A for second molding are firmly secured to the inversion platen 4, being arranged symmetrically at an angle of 180.degree.. Numeral 10 indicates a first concave mold half which defines, in cooperation with the first convex mold half 5, a first mold cavity 13 for molding a retaining member 33 of the grommet. Guide members 19 are connected to the support members 2, respectively, and a fixed platen 20 is connected to the guide members 19 opposite the support members 2. The first concave mold half 10 is secured to a movable platen 21 which travels along the guide members 19. The movable platen 21 is actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 22 interposed between the fixed platen 20 and the movable platen 21. It is important to note that after the concave mold half 10 is retracted from the molded member or product formed in the first mold cavity 13, the molded member, being carried on the first convex mold half 5, is inverted 180 degrees to serve as the second convex mold half 5A.

#The second concave mold half 15 defines, in cooperation with the second convex mold half 5A, a second mold cavity 18 for forming a grommet body member 38 (FIGS. 4 and 5). The second concave mold half 15 is provided with a pair of slide members 17 adapted to form fitting recesses 39 in the body member 38 for holding articles H. The slide members 17 are normally received in the second concave mold half 15, and when the second mold cavity 18 is defined by the second concave mold half 15 and the second convex mold half 5A, the slide members 17 are slid by means of a hydraulic device (not shown) until they project transversely into the second mold cavity 18.

#The second concave mold half 15 is firmly secured to a movable platen 27 which travels along guide members 25 connected to the support members 2, respectively. A fixed platen 26 is connected to the guide members 25 opposite the support members 2. The movable platen 27 is actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 28 interposed between the fixed platen 26 and the movable platen 27. Numeral 23 indicates a first injection nozzle for injecting synthetic resin into the first mold cavity 13. The nozzle 23 is adapted to communicate with a sprue hole 12 formed in the assembled first concave mold half 10 through a through hole 21A formed in the first movable platen 21. Numeral 29 indicates a second injection nozzle for injecting synthetic resin into the second mold cavity 18. The nozzle 29 is adapted to communicate with a sprue hole 16 formed in the assembled second concave mold half 15 through a through hole 27A formed in the second movable platen 27. It will be noted that the first injection nozzle 23 travels along with the first concave mold half 10, and that the second injection nozzle 29 travels along with the second concave mold half 15.