Patents Examined by Suzanne E. McDowell
  • Patent number: 7175799
    Abstract: A process is provided for producing a hollow member having a wall thickness, in a cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, that varies in the longitudinal direction, the process including a heating step of heating a tubular material (Pa) so that the tubular material (Pa) is given a temperature variation in the longitudinal direction, and a stretching step of axially stretching the tubular material (Pa) that has been heated in the preceding step. In this way, a hollow member having a cross-sectional wall thickness that is variable in the longitudinal direction can be easily produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Izuru Hori, Kouki Mizutani, Manabu Maruyama, Kenji Miyanaga, Yuji Kanai, Kazuo Isogai
  • Patent number: 7166253
    Abstract: Process for manufacturing hollow plastic bodies, especially motor-vehicle fuel tanks, from an extruded parison of closed cross section, in which at least one cut is made in the parison which is then formed by moulding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Solvay (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventors: Jules-Joseph Van Schaftingen, Yannick Gerard, Stéphane Leonard, Serge Dupont, Jöel Op De Beeck
  • Patent number: 7160499
    Abstract: An inflation film is formed by extruding a raw resin in a molten state through a circular die to form a tubular film, expanding the tubular film by the pressure of a gaseous medium introduced into an inner space of the tubular film, while the tubular film is being cooled to be solidified by blowing a cooling gas to the outer surface of the tubular film, and drawing the film while being progressively flattened by guide members. During the manufacture, the temperature Tf (° C.) of the solidified tubular film at the time it contacts the guide member for the first time is so adjusted as not to be higher than Tr (5) [° C.]; wherein Tr (5) represents the temperature at which the thermal deformation ratio of the solidified tubular film becomes 5% when it is measured, being loaded with a stress of a value equal to the frictional force received from the guide members under the conditions of manufacture of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Miyata, Katsunori Hatashi, Tatsuya Sunamoto, Tadao Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 7157040
    Abstract: A multiple cavity bottle is manufactured by injection molding a preform having a helical septum and blow molding the preform to create a bottle having a helical septum separating the bottle into two cavities. The helical septum is molded with a twist sufficient to accommodate a contact point size for stretch rods used in blow molding. Blow molding is then accomplished by inserting at least two stretch rods from the top end of the preform to the contact points, heating the preform to a softening temperature, extending the stretch rods to stretch the preform and introducing gas pressure into the preform to stretch a blow molding portion into a final bottle shape within a mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Inventor: William M. Yates, III
  • Patent number: 7157029
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for producing a molding compound resin tablet for wavelength conversion. The method comprises the steps of wet-dispersing a phosphor powder in a translucent liquid resin to form a molding compound resin body in which the phosphor powder is dispersed, and grinding the molding compound resin body into a powder form and applying a predetermined pressure to the resin powder. Further disclosed is a method for manufacturing a white light emitting diode using the molding compound resin tablet by a transfer molding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joon Ho Yoon, Seon Goo Lee, Doo Hoon Ahn
  • Patent number: 7153455
    Abstract: The method involves making a hollow blow molded thermoplastic article having an integral handle. An unblown preform of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is inserted into a blow mold and thereafter stretched by a stretch rod. Blow gas is then injected into the interior of the preform when the blow mold is closed and the preform is at a stretch temperature. After the preform is blown into the shape of the bottle in the mold, blow gas is discharged from the stretch rod onto an interior wall surface where the handle is to be formed. Heated movable mold segments are then advanced within the blow mold from a first retracted position to a second position thereby compressing an interior wall surface of the article into contact with a facing interior wall surface of the bottle to bond the surfaces at an elevated temperature and form an integral handle extending from the exterior wall of the blow molded article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Sabel Plastechs Inc.
    Inventor: Samuel L. Belcher
  • Patent number: 7153466
    Abstract: A solid outwardly projecting flange is formed on the side wall of a blow-molded article by providing a blow mold having a circumferential groove that is filled by flowable thermoplastic during a blow cycle. The mold includes a heating system locally disposed adjacent the groove for heating the walls of the groove so as to heat the thermoplastic in this region, thereby reducing the viscosity of the thermoplastic so that it more-readily flows into and completely fills the groove. The mold can also include a cooling system disposed locally adjacent the groove for cooling the flange of the blow-molded article prior to ejection of the article from the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Sonoco Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenan J. Clougherty
  • Patent number: 7141200
    Abstract: A process of simultaneously molding either a plurality of shingles or double walled shingles or other substantially planar exterior building products is provided, such that a blow moldable thermoplastic material is provided, of a composite parison that is then blow molded in a hollow mold, to produce novel shingles according to the process. Ventilation and/or insulation can be provided to a hollow interior between spaced apart walls of a double walled shingle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: CertainTeed Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Kevin MacKinnon, Joong Youn Kim, Richard Allan Snyder, Husnu M. Kalkanoglu, Gregory F. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 7141202
    Abstract: A method for blow molding bottles having a hole formed in a molded interior recess extending from a top face of a bottle neck includes the steps of: (i) providing a mold having a neck forming cavity with an end flange surface therein; (ii) disposing a parison of molten material within the mold; (iii) introducing pressurized fluid into the parison to expand it against the mold walls, thereby forming a final shape of the bottle; (iv) forming the interior recess in the bottle by advancing a recess forming rod through a hole in the end flange surface and into the neck forming cavity; and (v) creating a dispensing hole in the interior recess by advancing a punch through a hole in an end face of the recess forming rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Custom-Pak, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark M. Rutenbeck, Brent Schrader
  • Patent number: 7141189
    Abstract: Cellulose triacetate film is produced by a solution casting process. Dope, which includes cellulose triacetate and mixed solvent with methyl acetate, is cast on a rotary drum in a form of bead by use of a flow casting die, to form gel film. When a self-supporting characteristic of the gel film becomes higher than one limit value, the gel film is stripped from the rotary drum by use of a stripping roller, to obtain the cellulose triacetate film. During the casting step, a surface of the rotary drum is cooled at ?10° C. or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinao Arai, Hidekazu Yamazaki, Hitoshi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 7141201
    Abstract: A process of simultaneously molding either a plurality of composite shingles or double walled shingles or other substantially planar exterior building products is provided, each being comprised of two or more layers of thermoplastic shingle material, such that a weatherable capstock material is provided outside a core material, in the form of a composite parison that is then blow molded in a hollow mold, to produce novel shingles according to the process. Ventilation and/or insulation can be provided to a hollow interior between spaced apart walls of a double walled shingle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: CertainTeed Corporation
    Inventors: Joong Youn Kim, Thomas Kevin MacKinnon, Richard Allan Snyder, Husnu M. Kalkanoglu, Gregory F. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 7141190
    Abstract: A process of molding thermoplastic preforms into bottles and similar containers wherein pressurized liquids, such as water, are used in the stretching and shaping process instead of pneumatic gases, such as heated air. The result is greater control over the crystallization of the thermoplastic material and economies of scale. Addition of peroxides, or similar materials are used for sterilization can be added to the liquid thereby conditioning the container for immediate filling with sterile product and eliminating the need for an additional sterilization step following completion of the molding step. As an added step, dry, sterile air can be used to vent and dry the container just prior to introduction of product. Also use of liquid, rather than heated air, provides a washing or cleansing of actealdehydes or ethanol, which may be present in the extruded preform, from the finished container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Inventor: Ihab M. Hekal
  • Patent number: 7138082
    Abstract: A method of making a plastic container having a threaded wide-mouth finish includes providing a preform having at least an exterior surface of molded polyester construction. The preform is placed in a mold cavity having a first portion for forming a container body, a second portion adjacent to the first portion for forming a cylindrical finish wall without threads, and a third portion adjacent to the second portion for forming a trim dome or moil. The preform is expanded within the mold cavity to form a one-piece intermediate product that includes a body, a cylindrical wide-mouth finish wall and a moil. After removing the intermediate product from the cavity, the moil is severed from the end of the finish wall. At least one thread is then formed on the finish wall by engaging the finish wall with at least one thread-forming tool, which may be heated to facilitate the forming operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Graham Packaging Pet Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Nahill, Keith J. Barker, Brian A. Lynch, Bassam M. Kalmouni
  • Patent number: 7132074
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solvent casting process which comprises casting a dope which is a solution containing at least one kind of a polymer from a casting die onto a casting support, stripping off from the casting support and drying, wherein the force necessary for stripping off the dope from the die lip end of the casting die is 40 g/cm or smaller. According to the present invention, the employment of the foregoing constitution prevents the formation of the slugs at lateral edge portions of the dope because the cast dope would not adhere to the die lip end portion of the casting die. As a result, because a breaking down of the film would not occur without washing the apparatus, an efficient production of a film having superior evenness in the flatness can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinao Arai, Hidekazu Yamazaki, Tadahiro Tsujimoto
  • Patent number: 7128868
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for shaping at least a portion of a medical balloon comprise a balloon shaping device capable of applying a radial inward force to at least a portion of the medical balloon and at least one vibratory device capable of applying vibratory energy to the at least a portion of the medical balloon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas C. Eidenschink
  • Patent number: 7125466
    Abstract: A method of preparing a molded cross vehicle beam which includes a hollow blow molded thermoplastic rigid member that is integrally attached to a rigid support, e.g., a U-shaped metal plate, and at least one attachment element, is described. The rigid support (12) has a first surface, a second surface and a plurality of perforations having edges. The attachment element(s) (81, 84) have a first surface, a second surface and a plurality of perforations having edges. The attachment element provides a means of attaching the molded cross vehicle beam to a separate structure (e.g., the A-pillars of an automobile). A thermoplastic parison precursor of the hollow rigid thermoplastic member (15) is blow molded against the first surfaces of the rigid support (12) and the attachment element (81, 84).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Bayer MaterialScience LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Cooper, Olaf J. Zoellner
  • Patent number: 7118364
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing hollow handled toothbrushes is disclosed. The process includes; a) providing a toothbrush mold having a head portion, a base portion, a toothbrush cavity located between said head and end portions and having walls, an injection port for molten plastic, and a gas injection port, wherein the gas injection port is positioned in the end of the base portion of the mold so that gas is injected into the mold cavity substantially centrally thereof and in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mold; b) injecting a predetermined amount of a molten plastic into the mold cavity to partially fill the cavity; and c) injecting at least one gas through the gas injection port into the cavity to direct the molten plastic against the walls of the mold cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Inventor: Linda Mary Morawski
  • Patent number: 7108826
    Abstract: Balloon especially useful for dilatation of gastrointestinal lesions have a burst pressure of at least 9 atmospheres, a diameter at 3 atmospheres of about 5 mm or more, and an average compliance over the range of from 3 atmospheres to burst of at least 3% per atmosphere. Such balloons and balloons having other combinations of burst strength, compliance and diameter may be prepared by a method wherein a tubing of a thermoplastic polymer material is radially expanded under a first elevated pressure at an elevated temperature to form the balloon at a first diameter and then annealing the balloon at a second elevated temperature and a second pressure less than the first elevated pressure for a time sufficient to shrink the formed balloon to a second diameter less than the first diameter. The thermoplastic polymer material may be a block copolymer material. Catheters bearing balloons prepared by this method have low withdrawal force requirements, especially catheters used in through-the-scope applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Lixiao Wang, Donald J. Fournier
  • Patent number: 7105125
    Abstract: Provided is a door trim structure for automobiles, which is made of a thermoplastic resin and of which the inner door panel and the door trim are integrally blow-molded. The inner door panel may have the function of fitting functional members thereto, and may act also as a shock absorber. The inner door panel acting also as a shock absorber may have a plurality of recesses formed on its surface. The door trim structure is lightweight and simple, and is resistant to side-on collision, and its productivity is high. The number of the parts to constitute the door trim structure can be greatly reduced, and the labor and energy necessary for building the structure into a door system can be reduced. The door trim structure is recyclable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Obara
  • Patent number: 7105121
    Abstract: Fuel system components for vehicles may be made from polyethylene components which are typically blow molded. To inhibit fuel vapour permeation, the polyethylene is often co-extruded into a parison with the parison comprising a barrier layer. Upon trimming flash or in the mold closure itself, the barrier layer may be ruptured. Sealing of areas of discontinuity in the fuel system component to inhibit hydrocarbon vapour pass through is achieved by sealing the area of barrier discontinuity with a sealing bead which has the necessary barrier properties. The barrier properties may be inherent in the sealing bead material or in a barrier layer extruded into the sealing bead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Salflex Polymers Ltd.
    Inventor: Changize Sadr