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US 8,168,108 B2Granted
Molding apparatus and method of forming undercuts
AssigneePactiv Corporation
InventorsDean Brown, Terry Vovan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A molding apparatus can include a primary mold, a stripper, and a swinging member. The swinging member can comprise a molding surface defining an undercut portion of a molded item. The swinging member can directly contact or attached to the stripper and the primary mold. To facilitate removal of a molded item, the swinging member can withdraw through a hole in the primary mold as a direct result of a motion of the stripper to pull the molded item off the primary mold. The molded item can then be easily removed.
Claims23
A method for molding undercuts, the method comprising:
- providing a molding apparatus including
- a primary mold configured to define a portion of a surface of a molded item, said primary mold defining at least one hole,
- a stripper alongside the primary mold, wherein the stripper comprises a stripping section and a receiving surface, and
- at least one swinging member coupled by at least one pivot to one of the primary mold or the stripper, wherein the swinging member comprises a molding surface and a contact feature;
- inserting molding material into the molding apparatus;
- allowing the molding material to set while the molding surface of the swinging member protrudes into the material to define an undercut portion of the surface of the molded item;
- and
- displacing the stripper to strip the molded item from the molding apparatus, whereby displacing of the stripper moves the swinging member relative the at least one pivot to move the molding surface of the swinging member out of engagement with the undercut portion of the surface of the molded item.
5 more elements
A method for molding undercuts, the method comprising:
- providing a molding apparatus including
- a primary mold configured to define a portion of a surface of a molded item, said primary mold defining at least one hole,
- a stripper alongside the primary mold, wherein the stripper comprises a stripping section and a receiving surface, and
- at least one swinging member coupled by at least one slide to one of the primary mold or the stripper, wherein the swinging member comprises a molding surface and a contact feature;
- inserting molding material into the molding apparatus;
- allowing the molding material to set while the molding surface of the swinging member protrudes into the material to define an undercut portion of the surface of the molded item;
- and
- displacing the stripper to strip the molded item from the molding apparatus, whereby displacing of the stripper moves the swinging member relative the at least one slide to move the molding surface of the swinging member out of engagement with the undercut portion of the surface of the molded item.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.