Injection molding products having fastener elements
First Claim
1. An injection mold for forming a molded product having an array of fastener elements integrally molded with and extending from a surface of the product, the mold comprising:
- a first mold part having a mold surface with a region having an array of fastener element cavities extending therefrom for molding the fastener elements; and
a second mold part having a mold surface aligned with the mold surface of the first mold part to define therebetween, in a closed condition, a mold cavity constructed to receive molten plastic for molding the product, the mold cavity having a first portion comprising a majority of the volume of the mold cavity, and a second portion contiguous with the first portion and defined in part by the region of the first mold part surface having the array of fastener element cavities;
at least one of the first and second mold parts having a moveable segment constructed to be retracted across the mold cavity, after substantially filling of the first portion of the mold cavity with said plastic and before filling of the fastener element cavities with said plastic, from a flow-inhibiting position, in which the moveable segment inhibits flow of the molten plastic into the second portion of the mold cavity and the fastener element cavities while the first portion of the mold cavity is substantially filled with plastic, to a flow-enabling position, in which the moveable segment enables flow of the plastic into the second portion of the mold cavity and the fastener element cavities, to enable the fastener element cavities and the first portion of the mold cavity to be filled under different molding conditions.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An injection molded product, having an array of fastener elements integrally molded with and extending from a surface of the product, is molded in a closed cavity die. One half of the die has a mold surface with a region having an array of fastener element cavities extending therefrom for molding the fastener elements. The other half of the die has a mold surface aligned with the mold surface of the first mold part to define therebetween, in a closed condition, a mold cavity constructed to receive molten plastic for molding the product. The mold cavity includes a first portion comprising a majority of the volume of the mold cavity, and a second portion contiguous with the first portion and defined in part by the region of the first mold part surface having the array of fastener element cavities. At least one of the first and second mold parts has a moveable segment constructed to be retracted across the mold cavity, between filling of the first portion of the mold cavity with said plastic and filling of the fastener element cavities with said plastic, to enable the fastener element cavities and the first portion of the mold cavity to be filled under different molding conditions. In some cases, the fastener elements are molded of a different material than other portions of the molded product. The injection mold is particularly useful for molding large functional products that include small arrays of miniature fastener elements, such as for hook-and-loop fastening.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. An injection mold for forming a molded product having an array of fastener elements integrally molded with and extending from a surface of the product, the mold comprising:
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a first mold part having a mold surface with a region having an array of fastener element cavities extending therefrom for molding the fastener elements; and
a second mold part having a mold surface aligned with the mold surface of the first mold part to define therebetween, in a closed condition, a mold cavity constructed to receive molten plastic for molding the product, the mold cavity having a first portion comprising a majority of the volume of the mold cavity, and a second portion contiguous with the first portion and defined in part by the region of the first mold part surface having the array of fastener element cavities;
at least one of the first and second mold parts having a moveable segment constructed to be retracted across the mold cavity, after substantially filling of the first portion of the mold cavity with said plastic and before filling of the fastener element cavities with said plastic, from a flow-inhibiting position, in which the moveable segment inhibits flow of the molten plastic into the second portion of the mold cavity and the fastener element cavities while the first portion of the mold cavity is substantially filled with plastic, to a flow-enabling position, in which the moveable segment enables flow of the plastic into the second portion of the mold cavity and the fastener element cavities, to enable the fastener element cavities and the first portion of the mold cavity to be filled under different molding conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An injection mold for forming a molded product having an array of fastener elements integrally molded with and extending from a surface of the product, the mold comprising:
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a first mold part having a mold surface with a region having an array of fastener element cavities extending therefrom for molding the fastener elements; and
a second mold part having a mold surface aligned with the mold surface of the first mold part to define therebetween, in a closed condition, a mold cavity constructed to receive molten plastic for molding the product, the mold cavity having a first portion comprising a majority of the volume of the mold cavity, and a second portion contiguous with the first portion and defined in part by the region of the first mold part surface having the array of fastener element cavities;
at least one of the first and second mold parts having a moveable segment constructed to be retracted across the mold cavity, after filling of the fastener element cavities with said plastic and before filling the first portion of the mold cavity with said plastic, from a flow-inhibiting position, in which the moveable segment inhibits flow of the molten plastic into some of the second portion of the mold cavity while the fastener element cavities are filled with plastic, to a flow-enabling position, in which the moveable segment enables flow of the molten plastic into all remaining unfilled regions of the second portion of the mold cavity, to enable the fastener element cavities and the first portion of the mold cavity to be filled under different molding conditions.
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Specification