Apparatus and method for molding three dimensional articles

Apparatus for forming a three dimensional injection molded article having at least one passageway extending therethrough and having at least one internal indentation formed in the passageway comprising:

• a first mold part having an open ended cavity formed therein and defined by an end wall and a plurality of sidewalls;
• at least one fixed arm on said end wall;
• at least a portion of said at least one fixed arm located in said cavity and spaced from each of said plurality of sidewalls;
• a second mold part having an open ended cavity formed therein and defined by an end wall and a plurality of sidewalls;
• at least one movable arm;
• at least a portion of said at least one movable arm being located in said cavity and spaced from said plurality of sidewalls;
• moving means for moving said first and second mold parts between opened or closed positions;
• a gate opening in at least one of said first and second mold parts for injecting material into the cavity formed by said first and second mold parts when in a closed position;
• oppositely facing portions on said at least one fixed arm and said at least one movable arm being in a contacting relationship after said first and second mold parts have been moved to the closed position and said material has been injected into said cavity formed by said first and second mold parts;
• said fixed and movable arms combining to form a member extending between said end walls of said first and second mold parts with the largest transverse cross-sectional configuration of said member being located between and spaced from both of said end walls;
• and
• said moving means moving said first and second mold parts to said opened position after said injected material has been cured.

Apparatus for forming a three dimensional injection molded article having at least a pair of passageways extending therethrough in generally parallel directions and having at least one internal indentation in each passageway comprising:

• a first mold part having an open ended cavity formed therein and defined by an end wall and a plurality of sidewalls;
• at least a pair of fixed arms on said end wall;
• at least portions of said at least a pair of fixed arms being located in said cavity and spaced from each other and from each of said sidewalls;
• a second mold part having an open ended cavity formed therein and defined by an end wall and a plurality of sidewalls;
• at least a pair of movable arms;
• at least portions of said at least a pair of movable arms being located in said cavity of said second mold part and spaced from each other and from each of said sidewalls;
• moving means for moving said first and second mold parts to an opened or closed position;
• a gate opening in at least one of said first and second mold parts for injecting material into the cavity formed by said first and second mold parts when in said closed position;
• oppositely facing portions of said at least a pair of movable arms and said at least a pair of fixed arms being in a contacting relationship after said first and second mold parts have been moved to a closed position and said material has been injected into said cavity formed by said first and second mold parts;
• said fixed and movable arms combining to form a pair of spaced apart members each extending between said end walls of said first and second mold parts with the largest transverse cross-sectional configuration of each of said members being located between and spaced from both of said end walls;
• and
• said moving means moving said first and second mold parts to said opened position after said injected material has been cured.