Method and apparatus for injection-molding a thermoplastic device
AssigneeAircast, Inc.
InventorHenry J. McVicker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for injection-molding a unitary, relatively rigid thermoplastic device having a field of injection-molded hooks integrally formed in predetermined areas on the device during the injection-molding of the device for releasable attachment to an associated co-operative loop bearing member.
Claims19
A method of forming a device having at least one relatively rigid thermoplastic wall member intended to provide a function, said wall member having thereon flexible hooks adapted to be releasably attachable to at least one associated cooperative loop-bearing member, said method comprising:
- injection molding said relatively rigid thermoplastic wall member in an injection mold, a portion of said mold having plurality of hook-shaped cavities to define a field of hooks integral with at least one pre-determined area of said injection molded wall member, said field of hooks having a length and a width, said field comprising hooks interspersed in both the length and the width of the field, the pre-determined area of said field of hooks being substantially less that the total area of said wall member and said mold portion being in unitary assembly during said injection molding step, and
- removing said wall member from said mold with said mold portion maintained in said unitary assembly, such that said removed injection molded wall member has said field of hooks integrally formed thereon.
Tool apparatus for use in an injection-molding machine comprising:
- a mold for forming a unitary relatively rigid thermoplastic device;
- a recess in at least one predetermined area of the mold;
- and
- means in the recess for simultaneously and integrally forming a field of injection-molded hooks during the injection molding of the device, said field of hooks having a length and a width, said field comprising hooks interspersed in both the length and the width of the field, said hooks adapted for releasable attachment to an associated cooperative loop-bearing member, said means having a plurality of hook-shaped cavities and being in unitary assembly during the injection molding of the device, and said means being maintained in unitary assembly during the removal of said injection-molded device having integrally formed hooks from said tool apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.