Patents Examined by Catherine Timm
  • Patent number: 5756018
    Abstract: A process for forming a footed plastic container, comprising the steps of providing a preform having a neck portion with an open top end, an elongated cylindrical body portion with inner and outer walls and a lower end, wherein the lower end includes a plurality of thickened portions; providing a blow mold in the shape of a footed container having an elongated sidewall, wherein the blow mold includes a plurality of separate container foot forming cavities; inserting the preform into the blow mold; placing each of the thickened portions in a predetermined position relative to the foot forming cavities; and stretch blow molding the preform, and displacing material from each of the thickened portions into one of the foot forming cavities to form the plastic container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: PepsiCo, Inc.
    Inventor: Emery I. Valyi
  • Patent number: 5753175
    Abstract: A method of easily molding a heat-resistant container which has a heat-resistant bottom portion, including a steps of primary blow-molding for molding a preform into a primary molded article, a step of heat treatment for the primary molded article, and a step of final blow-molding for molding the primary molded article which has been subjected the heat treatment into a final container, and a mold used for the method. In the step of primary blow-molding a raised-bottom portion is formed in the primary molded article using a raised-bottom mold, and this raised-bottom portion is of substantially the same shape as a raised-bottom portion of the final container. The preform has sufficient heat for a complicated mold, which thereby allows a raised-bottom portion of some complication and with adequate heat-resistance to be formed without difficulty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Nissei ASB Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Sato, Kazuyuki Yokobayashi, Yoichi Tuchiya, Kazuya Kitamura
  • Patent number: 5753174
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a functional hollow structural member having a structural member having a hollow part, and functional means disposed on the inside surface of the hollow part, comprising the steps of injecting a molding material into a molding die, injecting a gas and a functional substance into the molding material to form a hollow part in the molding material, forming functional means inside of the hollow part, and forming a structural member by solidifying the molding material. As the functional means, a layer having a magnetic function, conductive function, or antibacterial function is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Shimizu, Kazuhiko Kodama
  • Patent number: 5750068
    Abstract: A gas-introduced injection molding is disclosed, which is obtained by charging molten resin into a die and introducing gas into the charged molten resin. The molding thus obtained has a sufficient thickness portion extending linearly as a framework and a sheet-like small thickness portion integral with the sufficient thickness portion and having a uniform thickness, a space being formed inside the sufficient thickness portion. Thus, even by reducing the overall thickness of the molding it is possible to ensure sufficient rigidity with the hollow portion, and the molding is thus best suited as a sheet-like product requiring a predetermined rigidity, such as an automobile bumper, a household electric product casing, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Gouda, Takayoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5750155
    Abstract: The proposal is for a device for injection molding plastic items enclosing hollow spaces with which a further pressurised medium like air, gas or a fluid can be introduced through a hollow needle (5) at a point differing from the nozzle into a mould (1), the mould hollow or cavity (4) of which can be filled with molten pastic through a nozzle. There is a needle core (9) which can be moved axially to a limited extent in the hollow needle (5) and it is possible via this needle core (9) to vary the cross-section of or open and close the aperture (16) of the hollow needle (6) opening into the mould hollow or cavity (4). The needle core (9) bears a thickened head or plate (10) in front of the end of the aperture in the hollow needle, the outside diameter of which corresponds at least approximately to the outside diameter of the hollow needle, so that it forms, with the aperture end (6) of the hollow needle (5), a radially directed splitting valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Battenfeld GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Eckardt, Klaus Schroder, Jurgen Ehritt, Uwe Hubel
  • Patent number: 5750067
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for blow molding articles having a circumferential sidewall terminating in a closed top in which at least one preformed solid hoop is partially fused to the circumferential wall of the article and projecting axially above at least a portion of said top end. The entire outer peripheral edge portion of each reinforcing hoop is concentrically placed underneath the extrusion head with a suitable fitting. Thereafter, a tube of soft thermoplastic material is extruded through the totally open central portion of the hoops until the end of the tube overlies the pneumatic nozzles. Each mold half consists of a center sections and intermediate sections that are relatively movable in a direction lengthwise of the mold to enable both engaging the hoops and loosening the blow molded article of the mold. End mold sections slide on an incline to fully close the mold. The semi-cylindrical mold central halves close to radially position the hoops and form a cylindrical mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Inventor: Luiz Henrique Hellbrugge
  • Patent number: 5746963
    Abstract: This is basically an Engineering design of a means to control the stability and or resistivity of certain materials subject to Cold Flow without materially decreasing the material's normal function. This does not require additional thickness and/or hardening which may increase the resistance of the material. This method overcomes these limitations. This is accomplished by my development of a system of encapsulation, adding certain types of fibers, or both as may be required. The subject material using this method can then be processed to meet specific pressures and resistivity. There are many uses for this method, for example this method can be used for constructing the cartilage for an artificial joint where it is desired to have a predetermined force for separation and yet have low resistivity to normal motion. Another example is to apply this method to plastic bearings and bushings in order to reduce cold flow with little or no change in resistivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Inventor: John Moss Hogg
  • Patent number: 5747130
    Abstract: A biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate resin bottle-shaped container, and method of blow-molding the same, is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of heating the body portion of a preform at 90.degree. to 130.degree. C., biaxial-orientation blow-molding the preform in a primary blowing mold heated at 110.degree. to 230.degree. C. to form a primary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece, heating the primary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece at 130.degree. to 255.degree. C. or at a temperature which is at least 20.degree. C. greater than the primary blowing mold temperature to form a secondary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece, and blow-molding the secondary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece in a secondary blowing mold heated at 100.degree. to 150.degree. C. to form a bottle-shaped container. The temperature of the secondary blowing mold is several degrees greater than the maximum temperature the molded bottle-shaped container will be subjected to during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Horoaki Sugiura, Fuminori Tanaka, Daisuke Uesugi
  • Patent number: 5746968
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing polymeric material having enhanced structural integrity includes heating the material to a temperature between the material's glass transition temperature and the material's melt temperature. Once heated, the material is highly overstretched in a first direction and moderately overstretched in a second direction. The material is then held in the overstretched condition while it is allowed to cool to room temperature. Cooling is followed by reheating to a curing temperature. After curing for a predetermined period, the material is again allowed to cool. The completed material has high polymeric orientation in the first direction and moderate polymeric orientation in the second direction. Therefore, the material is characterized by enhanced structural integrity and absence of pinhole defects common to highly oriented polymeric materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Interventional Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Herbert R. Radisch, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5744092
    Abstract: The invention comprises a plasticating machine for the working and forcing of plastic material into a mold, said machine including an elongated housing having a first or proximal end and a second or distal end, an elongated screw shaft with a screw flight therearound, the screw shaft being rotatably supported in the elongated housing, for the working of plastic between the screw shaft and the elongated housing with at least one delivery conduit generally longitudinally arranged through the screw shaft, from a proximal end to a distal tip end thereof. The conduit may be arranged to be movable with respect to the screw shaft to permit delivery of a medium through the screw shaft to any plastic being driven from the machine. The medium may be any single or combination of components selected from the group comprising vapor, liquid, gas, powder or solid, to control the machine or treat any plastic being driven therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Inventors: Donald N. Halgren, Desider G. Csongor
  • Patent number: 5736093
    Abstract: A method for making a multi-layer blow molded container (10) is performed by spraying a sheet (34) of virgin polyethylene terephthalate with a pattern of barrier layer spots (36) prior to thermoforming at each barrier layer spot to provide a preform liner (24) about which polyethylene terephthalate (26) is injection molded to provide a multi-layer preform (10) from which the container is blow molded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
    Inventor: William A. Slat
  • Patent number: 5730914
    Abstract: A polyethylene terephthalate (PET) preform (11) having a capped cylindrical body (13), a threaded top and a collared neck (19) is preheated to soften the PET. The preform (11) is placed in a split mold (26) whose walls (27,29) are heated to a temperature between 150.degree. C. and 177.degree. C. A stretch rod (35) is inserted through the top of the preform (11), and stretches the preform (11) axially until the preform (11) is the length of the final product (49). The preform (11) is expanded using compressed ambient air, and is molded against the walls (27,29) of the mold (26). The air is vented, and dry nitrogen at a temperature below -50.degree. C. is injected into the molded preform (47) to purge and cool the molded preform (47) while maintaining pressure of at least 520 kPag. The molded preform (47) is held against the mold (26) for a predetermined time, during which the outer and inner surfaces of the molded preform (11) are annealed, and the molded preform (47) transforms into the final product (49).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Inventor: Kurt H. Ruppman, Sr.
  • Patent number: 5730926
    Abstract: A method for the non-resin fluid-assisted injection molding of a resin to produce a shaped resin article having an improved surface finish, which comprises effecting an excess filling of a mold cavity of a sealed mold with a molten resin to form a molten resin mass having opposite, first and second surfaces respectively facing opposite inner walls of the mold cavity, wherein the excess filling is performed in a specific excess filling ratio which corresponds to an excess ratio of a resin by an amount corresponding to 30 to 90% of the difference between the volume of the mold cavity and the volume exhibited by the resin in accordance with the shrinkage thereof when the molten resin filled in the mold cavity is cooled to room temperature, and subsequently introducing a pressurized non-resin fluid into the mold cavity on a side of the first surface of the molten resin mass to thereby press the second surface of the molten resin mass against the cavity inner wall remote from the side of the introduction of the no
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Matsumoto, Maki Horikoshi, Shoji Imai
  • Patent number: 5728347
    Abstract: A method of forming a multi-layer polyester preform and container, particularly suitable for refillable PET carbonated beverage bottles, having an interior layer of high copolymer polyester material which resists hazing in the preform injection stage, and at least one exterior layer of a polyester to achieve enhanced strain-induced crystallization iin the exterior layer during blow molding. The container can withstand higher caustic wash temperatures and exhibits reduced flavor carryover from one product to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: Continental PET Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne N. Collette, Steven L. Schmidt, Suppayan M. Krishnakumar
  • Patent number: 5728325
    Abstract: A supply of pressurized gas is separated into a first quantity of pressurized gas at a first temperature and a second quantity of pressurized gas at a second lower temperature. The first and second quantities of gas are injected into molten plastic in an injection mold in a predetermined sequence to form a hollow molded plastic article. A controller independently controls the pressure and time of delivery of the first and second quantities of pressurized gas supplied to the mold. A third quantity of extremely lower temperature gas may also be supplied to the mold in a timed sequence with the first and second quantities of gas. A variable pressure regulator receives stored pressure signals from the controller and establishes the pressures of the first, second and the optional third quantities of gas independent of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Inventor: Karl Blankenburg
  • Patent number: 5718852
    Abstract: The method for controlling a blowmolding machine during a process of making an object is disclosed. The machine includes a die head, a mandrel and an extruder that rotates and drives a plastic material between the mandrel and the die head to form a plurality of elongated parisons. The method comprises setting the distance between the die head and the mandrel and the rotation speed of the extruder to accomplish predetermined target values of the weight of the object and parison velocity. Plastic material is fed to the machine and the extruder is operated to form the parisons. A parameter related to the viscosity or melt index of the plastic material in the extruder is detected and the material distribution function and the speed of the extruder are adjusted in response to the parameter so that object weight and velocity of the parisons made are maintained substantially at target values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: The Clorox Company
    Inventors: G. Edward Campbell, Casper W. Chiang, Victor M. Castillo, Frederick C. Wolters, Jerry Baker, John D. Crossan, Jeff E. Gallaher, Jay A. Rouse, Ronald E. Heiskell
  • Patent number: 5718853
    Abstract: A system for preconditioning preforms prior to reheating the preforms for blow molding, includes an area for receiving finished preforms, a conveyor for moving the preforms from the area and to a blow molding operation, a reheat section connected with the conveyor for receiving the preforms and for heating the preforms in preparation for blow molding, and a preconditioning section for preconditioning the temperature of the preforms prior to distributing the preforms to the reheat section such that the heat energy contained by each preform is substantially the same and uniformly distributed throughout each preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
    Inventor: Ronald William Ingram
  • Patent number: 5716560
    Abstract: A gas assisted injection molding system and method in which quantity of an inert gas is applied both internally and externally to a thermoplastic material introduced into an injection mold cavity during formation of an injection molded part. The system includes first and second mold portions defining a mold cavity. An injection means injects a quantity of a thermoplastic material into the mold cavity to form an injection molded part within the cavity. At least one internal gas inlet is provided for introducing a first quantity of gas into a portion the thermoplastic material to form a gas channel therein. The gas within the gas channel presses the thermoplastic material against a mold parting line defined by the intersection of the mold portions and forms a seal between the mold cavity and the mold parting line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: ICP Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John Michael Heuchert, James Watson Hendry
  • Patent number: 5716581
    Abstract: A unitary plastic refrigerator door is produced by simultaneously thermoforming an outer refrigerator door panel with an inner refrigerator door liner. During production, an annular flange portion of the inner refrigerator door liner is joined with an annular sidewall portion of the outer refrigerator door panel at an attachment location positioned inwardly of the annular side wall portion. The inner refrigerator door liner is also formed with either an annular recess or a plurality of spaced recesses in its annular flange portion adjacent the attachment location of the inner refrigerator door liner and the outer refrigerator floor panel that is adapted to press-fittingly receive a door gasket. Preferably, the outer refrigerator door panel includes a thickened portion that is formed with a handle defining recess. A method of thermoforming the refrigerator door is also provided and advantageously enables the inner refrigerator door liner to be produced on a male mold member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Steven G. Tirrell, Theodore A. Becker, Kenneth M. Hattori, Samuel C. Crosby, Michael C. Mayne
  • Patent number: 5714110
    Abstract: A method for forming a balloon for a dilatation catheter may utilize the steps of extruding a tubing preform of a polyester resin and then blowing the tubing into an oriented balloon, wherein the tubing preform is dried prior to blowing into the balloon form. Other process steps by which balloon cone and waist thicknesses may be reduced involve varying the axial tension and blowing pressure at several stages as a mold containing the balloon preform is dipped into a heating medium. Specifically, tubing of a thermoplastic material is placed in a mold and blown by pressurizing and tensioning the tubing and gradually dipping the mold into a heated heat transfer media so as to sequentially blow a first waist, a body and a second waist portion. The tubing is subjected to a relatively lower pressure while the body portion is blown than while the first and second waist portions are blown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: SciMed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lixiao Wang, Paul James Miller, Daniel J. Horn, Deborah A. Frank