Apparatus and method for removing a molded article from a mold

Apparatus for ejecting a molded plastic article from a molding structure, comprising:

• a neck ring lifting structure having:
• a first portion configured to contact the molded plastic article along a line substantially parallel to a lifting direction,
• a second portion configured to contact an end of the molded plastic article along a line substantially perpendicular to the lifting direction, said second portion being configured so as to not contact an inner circumferential portion of the end of the molded plastic article;
• and
• a third portion disposed on an opposite side of said second portion from said first portion, said third portion having a tapered surface having an acute angle of less than ninety degrees with respect to said second portion, said third portion tapered surface being configured to contact the end surface of the molded plastic article along a line disposed at the acute angle with respect to said second portion.

Structure to eject a molded preform from a mold device, comprising:

• a neck ring lifting portion which contacts substantially one half of an end of the molded preform and applies a compressive force thereto;
• a first neck ring sealing portion having a first tapered surface disposed above said neck ring lifting portion, said first tapered surface being disposed at an angle of less than ninety degrees with respect to said neck ring lifting portion;
• a second neck ring sealing portion having a second tapered surface disposed below said neck ring lifting portion, said second tapered surface being disposed at an angle of less than ninety degrees with respect to said neck ring lifting portion, said second tapered surface being configured to also contact the end of the molded preform;
• and
• a movement device which causes relative movement between said lifting portion and the mold device to eject the molded preform from the mold device, said movement device causing said lifting portion to remain in contact with the end of the molded preform through a majority of an opening stroke.

An injection molding machine, comprising:

• a mold cavity configured to receive a molten material and form it into a molded preform;
• a mold core configured to engage the molded preform;
• and
• neck ring ejecting structure configured to eject the molded preform from said mold core by applying a compressive force to an end of the molded preform, said neck ring structure being configured to contact substantially the outer one half of an end portion of a neck portion of the molded preform throughout at least a beginning of an opening stroke, said neck ring ejecting structure having (i) a lifting surface substantially perpendicular to a lifting direction and (ii) a tapered sealing surface disposed at an acute angle with respect to the lifting surface, said lifting surface being configured to form a first elevation on the sealing surface of said molded preform, said mold core being configured to form a second, different, elevation on the sealing surface of said molded preform.

An apparatus for removing a thermoplastic preform from a core component of an injection mold wherein said preform has a thermoplastic neck-finish comprising a handling ring portion, a threaded portion, and a sealing surface portion, wherein said apparatus comprising:

• a neck-ring that forms said thermoplastic neck-finish including a segment of said handling ring portion, said threaded portion, and a first segment of said sealing surface portion and said core component forms a second segment of said sealing surface portion during a process for injection molding said thermoplastic preform of a thermoplastic polymer in said injection mold whereby said thermoplastic preform grips said core component as said neck-ring bears against said segment of said handling ring portion, said threaded portion, and said first segment of said sealing surface portion to overcome a frictional force associated with said grip of said thermoplastic preform by placing said thermoplastic polymer within said thermoplastic neck-finish temporarily in compression as said neck-ring removes said thermoplastic preform from said core component, said first segment contacting substantially one half of said sealing surface portion and being disposed at an angle of less than ninety degrees with respect to a tapered surface disposed below said first segment, said tapered surface being configured to contact said sealing surface portion.