Molded article having hollow rim portion and process for producing articles
AssigneeAmes Planter, Inc.
InventorsFrank J. Rice, Bruce A. Laabs, Jr., Dave P. Knicklebine
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for producing an injection molded article with a hollow rim portion in an injection molding machine including the steps of injecting a short shot of injection molding material into a mold via an injection nozzle, permitting a mold cavity to fill in an unbalanced manner as a result of a gas channel formed in a wall of the mold, closing the injection nozzle; and injecting a pressurized gas into the short shot of injection molding material, wherein the pressurized gas travels through the gas channel into a rim portion of the mold thereby expanding the injection molding material throughout the mold and simultaneously creating a hollow cavity within the rim portion of the mold.
Claims29
A process for producing an injection molded article having a hollow rim portion, comprising the steps of:
- providing a mold having a mold cavity and a mold core, wherein a gas channel depression is formed along at least one surface of the mold core and the mold cavity and extending between a gate of said mold and a rim portion of said mold;
- injecting a short shot of injection molding material into said mold via an injection nozzle;
- permitting said mold cavity to fill in an unbalanced manner as a result of said gas channel;
- closing said injection nozzle;
- and injecting a pressurized gas into said short shot of injection molding material, wherein said pressurized gas travels through said gas channel into said rim portion of said mold thereby expanding said injection molding material throughout said mold and simultaneously creating a hollow cavity within said rim portion of said mold.
An injection molded article having a hollow rim portion formed therein as a result of a gas assisted injection molding process, said article comprising:
- a base wall;
- an annular side wall integrally formed with said base wall, wherein said annular side wall terminates in a hollow rim portion;
- a gas channel integrally formed with said article and extending from said base wall to said hollow rim portion;
- and wherein said base wall includes a circular raised portion and an annular wall interconnecting said circular raised portion with said base wall.
A process for producing an injection molded article with a hollow rim portion in an injection molding machine, which injection molding machine includes a mold having a mold cavity and a mold core, wherein a gas channel depression is formed along at least one surface of the mold core and the mold cavity and extending between a gate of said mold and a rim portion of said mold, the process comprising the steps of:
- injecting a short shot of injection molding material into said mold via an injection nozzle;
- permitting said mold cavity to fill in an unbalanced manner as a result of said gas channel;
- closing said injection nozzle;
- and injecting a pressurized gas into said short shot of injection molding material, wherein said pressurized gas travels through said gas channel into said rim portion of said mold thereby expanding said injection molding material throughout said mold and simultaneously creating a hollow cavity within said rim portion of said mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.