Automotive fuel tank fabrication apparatus

An automotive fuel tank fabrication apparatus for forming through blow molding an automotive fuel tank having a built-in part mounted in an interior thereof and an outer wall formed from a thermoplastic synthetic resin, the automotive fuel tank fabrication apparatus comprising:

• a blow mold for molding an outer wall of the automotive fuel tank;
• and
• a built-in part holding unit for holding the built-in part at an opening and closing portion of the blow mold so as to mount the built-in part within the automotive fuel tank, wherein
• the blow mold has two molds that can be opened and closed, and cavities are formed on opening and closing sides of the molds for molding the automotive fuel tank, so as to hold a parison therebetween to mold an outer wall of the automotive fuel tank, wherein
• the built-in part holding unit includes a plurality of holding rods for holding the built-in part, the holding rods being made to freely advance and retreat so as to hold the built-in part in a position where the built-in part confronts the cavities on the opening and closing sides of the blow mold when the blow mold is opened, to position the built-in part in an interior of the parison when the blow mold is closed and to retreat from the blow mold after the parison is held, the holding rods being formed in such a manner as to reduce their diameters as they extend towards distal ends thereof and adapted to be inserted into insertion holes formed in the built -in part so as to hold the built-in part, and wherein
• the holding rods pass through the built-in part and the holding rods each have formed thereon a plurality of steps in such a manner that their diameters are gradually reduced as they extend towards the distal ends thereof, so as to lock the built-in part by the steps so formed.