Method of molding a shopping cart

A method of molding a handle of a shopping cart, the method comprising:

• providing a mold shaped to produce a generally loop-shaped handle, the handle including at least one rear corner portion and a front portion, the front portion located at a generally opposite end of the handle relative to the at least one rear corner portion;
• injecting a molten plastic via a plastic injection port, adjacent the at least one rear corner portion of the handle, to flow along a first plastic flow path and a second plastic flow path within the mold until the mold is completely filled with the molten plastic, wherein the first plastic flow path extends in a generally opposite direction from the second plastic flow path;
• injecting a gas via a gas injection nozzle, adjacent the at least one rear corner portion of the handle, to flow along a first gas flow path and a second gas flow path into the molten plastic within the completely filled mold to forcibly push a portion of the molten plastic out of the mold, into at least one spillover well located adjacent the front portion of the handle, to form a hollow structure of the handle, wherein the first gas flow path extends in a generally opposite direction from the second plastic flow path;
• and
• removing the generally loop-shaped handle from the mold, wherein injecting the molten plastic comprises:
• placing, prior to injecting the molten plastic, a plug entirely within the mold at the front portion of the handle to cause overmolding of the plug such that the plug is entirely embedded within the front portion of the handle, wherein the plug defines an end portion of each respective first plastic flow path, second plastic flow path, first gas flow path, and second gas flow path of the mold.

A method of molding an all-plastic shopping cart comprising:

• forming a generally hollow handle of the shopping cart within a first mold via a full shot, gas-assisted plastic injection molding process;
• forming a basket of the shopping cart within a second mold via a full shot, gas-assisted plastic injection molding process, the basket including at least one hollow section;
• forming a generally hollow base of the shopping cart within a third mold via a full shot, gas-assisted plastic injection molding process;
• and
• assembling the shopping cart via removably attaching the handle to the basket and via removably attaching the base to the basket;
• wherein forming the handle comprises:
• arranging the first mold to include a pair of generally oppositely oriented plastic flow paths and a pair of generally oppositely oriented gas flow paths,
• arranging the first mold to produce the handle as a generally loop-shaped member and introducing a plug completely within the first mold between the generally oppositely oriented plastic flow paths to terminate flow of the molten plastic from the respective plastic flow paths and between the generally oppositely oriented gas flow paths to terminate flow of the gas from the respective gas flow paths, and
• locating a spillover well adjacent each respective plastic flow path.

A method of molding a product comprising:

• providing a first subcomponent;
• and
• forming the product, via gas-assisted, plastic injection overmolding of a molten plastic about the first subcomponent within a mold, including positioning the first subcomponent within the mold to direct a gas flow path within the mold to partially define a first, gas-filled hollow section of the product defining an open space directly abutting the first subcomponent;
• and
• removing the product from the mold.