Apparatus for injection molding and injection blow molding multi-layer articles

Multi-coinjection nozzle injection molding apparatus for an injection molding machine for injection molding a multi-layer, multi-material plastic article, which comprises,

• a plurality of injection molds which define injection cavities,
• a plurality of co-injection nozzles each having a central channel, and polymer flow stream passageways in communication with the central channel, said central channel having an open end, and a gate at the open end,
• means for mating the nozzles and injection molds,
• a source of polymeric material located upstream of the nozzles for each material which is to form a layer of the article,
• means located upstream of the nozzles for displacing each polymer material which is to form a layer of the article to a co-injection nozzle passageway,
• flow channel means for providing a separate flow channel for each polymer material which is to form a layer of the article, each channel being in communication with a source and with one of the displacement means, said flow channel means including flow channel splitter means in communication with each flow channel for splitting each flow channel into a plurality of separate branched flow channels, there being a separate branched flow channel for each material fed to each nozzle and which is to form a layer of this article,
• a plurality of valve means cooperatively associated with the co-injection nozzles, said plurality including separate valve means for each co-injection nozzle and operative in the nozzle's central channel with respect to each polymeric material fed to the nozzle central channel and which is to form a layer of the article,
• drive means for driving each of said separate valve means substantially simultaneously and substantially identically within the central channel of each of said co-injection nozzles to provide in each co-injection nozzle substantially simultaneous and identical control over the initiation and termination of the flows of the polymer materials through each of the co-injection nozzles, and
• control means connected to the simultaneous drive means for moving the valve means in a desired mode which provides said substantially identical simultaneous movements of said separate valve means in said respective co-injection nozzles.

Multi-conjection nozzle injection molding apparatus for an injection molding and blow-molding machine for injection molding a multi-layer, multi-material plastic parison and for blow-molding a multi-layer multi-material plastic container therefrom, which comprises,

• a plurality of injection molds which define injection cavities,
• a plurality of co-injection nozzles each having a central channel, and polymer flow stream passageways in communication with the central channel, said central channel having an open end, and a gate at the open end,
• means for mating the nozzles and injection molds,
• a source of polymeric material located upstream of the nozzles for each material which is to form a layer of the article,
• means located upstream of the nozzles for displacing each polymer material which is to form a layer of the parison to a co-injection nozzle passageway,
• flow channel means for providing a separate flow channel for each polymer material which is to form a layer of the parison, each channel being in communication a source and with one of the displacement means, said flow channel means including flow channel splitter means in communication with each flow channel, for splitting each said flow channel into a plurality of separate branched flow channels, there being a separate branched flow channel for each material fed to each nozzle and which is to form a layer of the parison,
• a plurality of valve means cooperatively associated with the co-injection nozzles, said plurality including separate valve means for each co-injection nozzle and operative in the nozzle's central channel with respect to each polymeric material fed to the nozzle central channel and which is to form a layer of the parison,
• drive means for driving each of said separate valve means substantially simultaneously and substantially identically within the central channel of each of said co-injection nozzles to provide in each co-injection nozzle substantially simultaneous and identical control over the initiation and termination of the flows of the polymer materials through each of the co-injection nozzles,
• control means connected to the simultaneous drive means for moving the valve means in a desired mode which provides said substantially identical simultaneous movements of said separate valve means in said respective co-injection nozzles,
• a plurality of blow molds which define blow-mold cavities for blow-molding the container from the parison,
• means for providing said parison in a plurality of said blow-mold cavities, and
• means for blow-molding said container from said parison.

Apparatus for injection molding a plurality of multi-layer, multi-material plastic parisons, which comprises,

• a plurality of rejection molds which define injection cavities,
• a plurality of co-injection nozzles,
• means for mating the co-injection nozzles with the cavities of the injection molds,
• a source of polymeric material located upstream of the nozzles, for each material which is to form a layer of a plurality of multi-layer parisons,
• means for moving to each nozzle each polymer stream of material which is to form a layer of the plurality of parisons,
• flow channel means for providing a flow channel for each stream of polymer material which is to form a layer of the plurality of parisons, each flow channel for each stream of material communicating with a source, moving means and each of more than one co-injection nozzle,
• each of said flow channels being separate and said flow channel means includes means for providing substantially the same flow path for each polymer stream of the same material which is channeled to each of more than one co-injection nozzle and which is to form a corresponding layer of each of the plurality of parisons.

Apparatus for injection molding a plurality of multi-layer, multi-material plastic parisons, which comprises,

• a plurality of injection molds which define injection cavities,
• a plurality of co-injection nozzles,
• means for mating the co-injection nozzles with the cavities of the injection molds,
• a source of polymeric material located upstream of the nozzles, for each material which is to form a layer of a plurality of multi-layer parisons,
• means for moving to each nozzle each polymer stream of material which is to form a layer of the plurality of parisons,
• flow channel means for providing a flow channel for each stream of polymer material which is to form a layer of the plurality of parisons, each flow channel for each stream of material communicating with a source, moving means and each of more than one co-injection nozzle,
• each of said flow channels being separate for each polymer stream of the same material which is channeled to each of more than one co-injection nozzle and which is to form a corresponding layer of each of the plurality of parisons.

A multi-co-injection nozzle injection molding apparatus for an injection molding machine, for injection molding a plurality of multi-layer, multi-material plastic articles, which comprises,

• a source of polymer material for each material which is to form a layer of a plurality of articles,
• runner means in communication with and located downstream of the sources of polymer materials,
• a plurality of co-injection nozzles each having an axial central channel and a plurality of polymer flow stream passageways in communication with the central channel, and each mounted at a downstream end of the runner means, said runner means including flow channel means for providing a plurality of polymer flow stream channels each for separately channelling a polymer melt material which is to form one or more layers of a plurality of articles to each of more than one of the co-injection nozzles,
• means associated with the runner means for moving each stream of polymer material which is to form a layer through the flow stream channels and into the respective nozzles, and,
• valve means cooperatively associated with and operative within the nozzles for there preventing and allowing the flow of the respective polymer melt materials from said passageways into the central channel of the co-injection nozzles for the injection of said materials from each of more than one co-injection nozzle into a juxtaposed injection cavity.