Blow molded container having holes therein and method and apparatus for facilitating the creation thereof
AssigneeCustom-Pak, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey Scott Anderson, Pamela Jo Naeve
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for facilitating the creation of holes in a blow molded container is disclosed generally comprising first and second mold portions mounted adjacent each other along a seam and a mechanism for creating holes at the seam. In some embodiments, first and second punches are used to create one hole underneath the container's handle. In some embodiments, a third mold portion is used to create a rose surface and create a plurality of holes therein.
Claims33
An apparatus for facilitating the creation of holes in a blow-molded container, comprising:
- a mold comprising first and second mold portions that, when located adjacent each other along a seam, at least partially enclose a reservoir cavity against which a wall of the blow-molded container is blown during blow molding;
- wherein said first and second mold portions have respective first and second gaps therein that, when said first and second mold portions are located adjacent each other, form a hole in said mold that intersects the seam;
- a first punch that, when in a first position, is disposed within the first gap;
- and
- a second punch that, when in a first position, is disposed within the second gap;
- wherein, when said first and second mold portions are located adjacent each other, said first punch is located adjacent said second punch such that, when said first and second punches are in a second position, at least part of each of said punches is extended past the wall of the blow molded container and inside the reservoir cavity such that said punches collectively create one hole in the wall of the blow molded container.
A method of facilitating the creation of holes in a blow-molded container, comprising the steps of:
- moving a first mold portion adjacent to a second mold portion along a seam, thereby at least partially enclosing a reservoir cavity and a handle cavity;
- blowing a wall of the blow molded container against the reservoir cavity and the handle cavity, thereby forming a reservoir portion and a handle portion;
- simultaneously extending at least part of adjacent first and second punches, which are disposed in a hole intersecting the seam, through the wall of the blow molded container and into the reservoir portion such that said punches collectively create one hole in the wall of the blow molded container.
A method of creating a watering can having a handle, comprising the steps of:
- closing a watering can mold along a seam;
- blow-molding the watering can in the mold;
- and
- punching a hole in the watering can substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the seam prior to opening the mold.
An apparatus for facilitating the creation of holes in a blow-molded container, comprising:
- a mold comprising first and second mold portions that, when located adjacent each other along a seam, at least partially enclose a reservoir cavity having a surface against which a wall of the blow-molded container is blown during blow molding;
- wherein said first and second mold portions have respective first and second gaps therein that, when said first and second mold potions are located adjacent each other, form a hole in the reservoir cavity surface that intersects the seam;
- a first punch that, when in a first position, is disposed within the first gap;
- and
- a second punch that, when in a first position, is disposed within the second gap;
- wherein, when said first and second mold portions are located adjacent each other, said first punch is located adjacent said second punch such that, when said first and second punches are in a second position, at least part of each of said punches is extended past the wall of the blow molded container and inside the reservoir cavity such that said punches collectively create one hole in the wall of the blow molded container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.