Injection mold with end core locks and extended side core locks for forming a partitioned container

A separable mold assembly for injection molding a plastic container having compartments separated by thin walls comprising:

• a male mold with a longitudinal axis, an end axis, and a side axis, said longitudinal axis, said end axis, and said side axis being perpendicular to each other, said male mold including deep longitudinal slots extending transversely thereacross parallel to said longitudinal axis and said side axis, forming a plurality of cantileveredly mounted upstanding cores extending parallel to said longitudinal axis to form said compartments separated by said thin walls;
• a female mold mounted adjacent said male mold but spaced therefrom to form said container therebetween;
• injector means mounted to said female mold and aligned relative to said cores to inject plastic material under pressure into said slots and between said female mold and said male mold;
• end locking means engageable with the outermost cores of said male mold in a direction parallel to said end axis to limit outward movement of said cores during injection of plastic between said male mold and said female mold;
• a plurality of wedge shaped fingers movable from a position outward of said cores to a position in said slots in a direction parallel to said side axis limiting relative motion between said cores;
• a plurality of elongated members spaced apart from said cores externally along said first side and said second side and forming recesses in said container;
• and,
• control means associated with said wedge shaped members being operable to move said wedge shaped members relative to said slots.

A mold assembly adapted for the injection molding of a thin-walled, multi-partitioned container comprising:

• a cavity member;
• a plurality of cantilever-mounted array of cores extending into said cavity member along a longitudinal axis;
• injection means on said cavity member and adjacent the free ends of said cores for injection of plastic material into spaces between the cores and between the cavity member and the cores;
• external side core recess forming members reciprocally moveable in a transverse direction perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, said members being moveable in a first directon from a retracted position away from said cores to an extended position in spaced apart relationship with said cores;
• end core locking means reciprocally moveable in a transverse direction perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and perpendicular to said first direction, said end core locking means contactable against opposite ends of said cores limiting outward movement of said cores;
• wedge shaped members reciprocally moveable in a transverse direction perpendicular to said longitudinal axis into and between said cores to hold said cores apart;
• and,
• control means associated with said wedge shaped members and including extendable means connected to said wedge shaped members being operable upon reciprocation of said extendable means to move said side core locking members to and from between said cores, said extendable means being arranged and positioned relative to said wedge shaped members to only partially receive a component of the force applied against said wedge shape members by injection pressures within said mold assembly.

A mold assembly for injection molding a plastic case including an interiorly smooth flat bottom wall without indentations, a plurality of interior partitions, a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls extending integrally therefrom comprising:

• a male mold with a longitudinal axis being movable therealong and including an array of cores with flat distal ends to form said interiorly smooth flat bottom wall without indentations, said array having two opposite outermost cores to form said end walls and further having a plurality of spaced apart additional cores located between but spaced from said outermost cores to form said partitions;
• a female mold defining the exterior surfaces of said plastic case, said female mold includes side cams and end cams laterally moveable apart from said male mold to form said side walls and end walls therebetween and further includes a cap to form said bottom wall;
• a pair of end pushers abuttable in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal axis flush against said two opposite outermost cores to limit outward movement of said two outermost cores as plastic is injected;
• a plurality of wedge shaped side fingers extendable in a direction transverse to said longitudinal axis and perpendicular to said end pushers and between said cores to keep said cores apart as said plastic is injected;
• a plurality of elongated members mounted to said side cams and positioned exteriorly apart from said cores and said cap forming recesses in said container during injection of plastic;
• and,
• control means connected to said end pushers and said wedge shaped side fingers to move said to and from said cores.

A mold assembly comprising:

• a male mold including a plurality of spaced apart cores including a pair of end cores and intermediate cores positioned therebetween and further including a pair of oppositely positioned sides and a plurality of parallel slots extending therebetween;
• a female mold normally surrounding said male mold but spaced apart therefrom when the mold assembly is closed to form a plastic product therebetween;
• separation means operable to move said male mold and said female mold apart for removal of said product formed therebetween and operable to move said male mold and female mold together for formation of a plastic product;
• end stop means movably mounted and positioned in said female mold being operable to contact said end cores and limit outward movement thereof;
• recess forming means movably mounted and positioned in said female mold being operable to form recesses adjacent said intermediate cores along both of said sides;
• and,
• wedge means movably independent of said female mold and operable to move to and from between said intermediate cores and limit relative movement between adjacent cores.

A case mold assembly comprising:

• a frame;
• a female mold mounted on said frame and having a cavity for the plastic injection molding of a case, said female mold including a smooth flat interior surface and a cap;
• a male mold mounted on said frame and including a plurality of cores with said cores located apart forming slots between said cores, said male mold including a top side, a first side, a second side, a first end, and a second end, said first side oppositely disposed from said second side, said first end oppositely disposed from said second end and said first end and said second end parallel to said slots, said male mold further including a longitudinal axis, an end axis, and a side axis, said longitudinal axis extending lengthwise with respect to said cores and with said male mold being movable therealong into said female mold for the formation of said case therebetween, said end axis extending perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and normal to said first end and said second end, said side axis extending perpendicular to said end axis and said longitudinal axis, said cores having bottom ends mounted to said frame with said cores extendable into said cavity to form interior walls extending across said case upon said plastic injection, said cores having smooth flat top ends defining said top side of said male mold, said top ends spaced apart from said smooth flat interior surface to form a smooth flat bottom wall of said case;
• injection means operable to inject molten plastic between said female mold and said male mold and into said slots and to maintain said plastic under pressure for a specified time period;
• end locking means mounted to said frame for limited motion parallel to the direction of said end axis and when in one position said end locking means extending into endways engagement with said first end and said second end whereby the outward movement of the outermost cores is limited;
• side locking means mounted to said frame and extending in a direction parallel to said side axis and when in one position extending internally between said cores being the sole means extending between said cores keeping said cores spaced apart during injection of plastic, said side locking means being positioned a distance apart from said cap;
• and,
• control means operatively associated with said side locking means being operable to move said side locking means to and from betwween said cores and being positioned and arranged relative thereto isolating at least partially a component force from said side locking means so that said control means is at least partially isolated from outward pressures exerted by said side locking means from injection of plastic between said molds.