Apparatus for producing a fluid-assisted injection molded product

An injection molding apparatus comprising:

• a pair of mold members defining, when closed, a sealed cavity;
• a first opening provided in one of said mold members for allowing injection of a viscous material into said cavity;
• a second opening provided in one of said mold members, and spaced from said first opening;
• a probe located in said second opening and adapted to be reciprocated therein from a first retracted position to a second extended position, said probe comprising:
• a first end, which selectively extends into said cavity when said probe is in said second position,
• a second end, and
• a longitudinally extending bore which terminates in a port adjacent said first end, said bore being selectively used, when said probe is in said second position, for injection of a non-viscous fluid into said cavity and subsequent venting of the fluid from the cavity;
• a sleeve extending through said second opening and enclosing a portion of said probe, said sleeve being rigidly secured to one of said mold members and including a first end which is located at said sealed cavity;
• and,
• a means for reciprocating said probe in said second opening in relation to said sleeve such that when said probe is in said second position said port extends past said sleeve first end and is located in said cavity.

An apparatus for providing a fluid-assisted injection molded product of a viscous material, the apparatus comprising:

• a pair of mold member forming, when closed, a mold space;
• a first passage opening into said mold space for introducing said viscous material into said mold space;
• a second passage opening into said mold space, and spaced from said first passage, for introducing a pressurized non-viscous fluid into the viscous material in said mold space so that a fluid cavity is formed in the viscous material;
• a probe extending into said second passage and adapted to be reciprocated therein, said probe comprising:
• a first end having a pointed tip adapted to pierce a cooled skin layer of the viscous material,
• a second end, and
• a longitudinally extending bore through which the non-viscous fluid is adapted to flow;
• a means for supplying the pressurized non-viscous fluid to said one mold space through said longitudinally extending bore in said probe;
• and,
• a means for reciprocating said probe in relation to said second passage so that the pressurized fluid can selectively flow into said mold space wherein said means for reciprocating comprises:
• a base member on which said probe is mounted,
• a slidable member on which said base member is supported, and
• a means for selectively moving said slidable member wherein said base member and said slidable member meet along an angled plane such that a horizontal movement of said slidable member translates to a vertical movement of said base member, and hence said probe.

An apparatus for use in fluid-assisted injection molding of plastic material so as to form an injection molded product, the apparatus comprising:

• a pair of mold members defining, when closed, a sealed cavity;
• a first opening provided in one of said mold members for allowing injection of a plastic material into said cavity;
• a second opening provided in one of said mold members, and spaced from said first opening, for allowing injection of a fluid into said cavity;
• a sleeve extending through said second opening, said sleeve having a longitudinally extending bore with an open first end and an open second end;
• a means for rigidly securing said sleeve to said one of said mold members;
• a probe extending through said sleeve and adapted to be reciprocated therein from a retracted position to an extended position, said probe comprising:
• a first end, adapted to selectively extend into said cavity,
• a second end, and
• a longitudinally extending bore which terminates adjacent said second end, said bore being used to channel the fluid into said cavity;
• and,
• a means for reciprocating said probe in said sleeve such that, in an extended position, said probe first end extends past said sleeve first end.