Method and apparatus for making an article from a formable material
AssigneeWeston Medical Limited
InventorsTerence Edward Weston, Christopher John Briggs
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are described for making an article such as the body of a needleless injector capsule, from a formable material, such as glass, the article having a cavity communicating with the exterior via an orifice. A blank (1a) having an open end is mounted on a first forming tool, and the open end is engaged by a second forming tool (22) while an end region of the blank (1a) adjacent the open end is in a condition to permit it to be formed. One of the tools (7a) has a pin (21) extending therefrom, and when the tools are brought together to form the end region into the desired shape of the pin (21) defines the orifice.
Claims29
A method of making an article from a formable material, using a forming apparatus having an inner forming tool and an outer forming tool, the article having a cavity communicating with the exterior via an orifice, wherein a blank having an open end is mounted on the inner forming tool, and the open end is engaged by the outer forming tool while an end region of the blank adjacent the said open end is in a condition to permit it to be formed, a first one of the said tools having a pin extending therefrom, a second one of said tools comprising an other tool, said tools being brought together to form the said end region into a desired shape, in which the inner surface of the said end region conforms to the adjacent surface of the inner forming tool, with the pin defining the said orifice, the other forming tool having a cavity therein, facing the inner forming tool, of larger cross-section than the blank and extending beyond the outside of the blank, whereby during forming any excess material can spread laterally outwardly to an extent permitted by the said cavity.
An apparatus for making an article from a formable material, the article having a cavity communicating with the exterior via an orifice, the apparatus comprising an inner forming tool for receiving an open-ended blank, and an outer forming tool for engaging an end region of the blank adjacent to said open end to form the same, a first one of the said tools having a pin extending therefrom, and a second one of said tools comprising an other tool, said tools being so arranged that when they are brought together to form the said end region into a desired shape the inner surface of the said end region conforms to the adjacent surface of the inner forming tool, with the pin defining the said orifice, the outer forming tool having a cavity therein, facing the inner forming tool, of larger cross-section than the blank and extending beyond the outside of the blank, whereby during forming any excess material can spread laterally outwardly to an extent permitted by the said cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.