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US 7,065,986 B2Granted
Molding assembly
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorStephen C. Meissner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A molding assembly, that includes: a plurality of support pillars fixedly attached to a support structure, wherein each support pillar includes a recessed seat; a mold support member, and; a flexible ring for holding a mold in contact with the mold support member, wherein the flexible ring, while holding the mold, rests upon the recessed seat of the support pillar.
Claims13
A molding assembly, comprising:
- a) a plurality of support pillars fixedly attached to a support structure, wherein each one of the plurality of support pillars includes a recessed seat;
- b) a mold support member;
- and
- c) a flexible ring that holds a mold in contact with the mold support member under applied high temperatures during glass molding, wherein the flexible ring, while holding the mold, rests upon the recessed seat of a corresponding support pillar, and wherein the flexible ring includes a segmented inner diameter having gripping fingers that flex, during thermal expansion, to relieve contact stress upon the mold, thereby allowing for simultaneous thermal expansion of the flexible ring and continued contact with the support pillars and the mold.
1 more element
A method of molding a workpiece, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a molding assembly having:
- i) a plurality of support pillars fixedly attached to a support structure, wherein each one of the plurality of support pillars includes a recessed seat;
- ii) a mold support member;
- iii) a flexible ring for holding a mold in contact with the mold support member under applied high temperatures during glass molding, wherein the flexible ring, while holding the mold, rests upon the recessed seat of a corresponding support pillar;
- and wherein the flexible ring includes a segmented inner diameter having gripping fingers that flex, during thermal expansion, to relieve contact stress upon the mold, thereby allowing for simultaneous thermal expansion of the flexible ring and continued contact with the support pillars and the mold;
- b) placing the workpiece in the molding assembly;
- and
- c) pressing the workpiece in the mold.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.