Patents Examined by Emmanuel S. Luk
  • Elastomeric dispensing valve manufacture
    Patent number: 7175413
    Abstract: A system for molding dispensing valves includes first and second mold sections, at least one of which is movable with respect to the other between a closed position in which the mold sections form a plurality of dispensing valve mold cavities, and an open position in which the mold sections are spaced from each other and the mold cavities are open along a mold parting line. A transfer mechanism is movable between the first and second mold sections in the open positions of the mold sections for receiving molded valves from the cavities and transferring the valves from between the mold sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Owens-Illinois Closure Inc.
    Inventor: Paul R. Graham
  • Mold monitoring apparatus for injection molding machine
    Patent number: 7175408
    Abstract: A mold monitoring apparatus for an injection molding machine captures an image of a cavity portion of an opened mold, and determines the state of the cavity portion by means of image processing. The apparatus includes a light emitting unit, an image capturing unit, and an image processing unit. The light emitting unit projects onto the cavity portion light rays other than visible light rays. The image capturing unit includes an image sensor for capturing reflection light rays that travel from the cavity portion to the image sensor via a filter for blocking visible light rays. The image processing unit determines the state of the cavity portion on the basis of an image signal output from the image sensor and through image processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Nissei Plastic Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Watanabe, Hirokazu Ihara
  • Injection unit for injection molding machines with continuously operating plasticizing unit
    Patent number: 7172407
    Abstract: An injection unit for an injection molding machine includes a plasticizing unit in the form of an extruder, a plunger-type injection device, which can be connected to the injection molding machine by an injection nozzle. The plunger-type injection device defines an injection space. The extruder has a forward portion which is connected to the injection space by a melt through channel in which a shutoff valve is disposed. The extruder is operated continuously and includes one or more plasticizing screws, wherein the extruder is configured in such a way that the backup length can expand backwards into the extruder, when the shutoff valve is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Krauss-Maffei Kunststofftechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Zimmet
  • Apparatus for nonwoven fibrous web
    Patent number: 7168932
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for producing nonwoven fibrous webs. The apparatus comprises an extrusion die, first and second fluid supplies in cooperation with the die, first and second extrusion capillaries, first counterbores allowing fluid communication between first capillaries and first supply and second counterbores allowing fluid communication between second capillaries and second supply, each first counterbore having at least two first capillaries extending therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: John Joseph Lassig, Michael C. Cook, Bryan David Haynes, Vicky Susan Smith
  • Injection mold with accessorial ejecting mechanism
    Patent number: 7168945
    Abstract: The present invention provides an accessorial ejecting mechanism mounted beneath a male mold section. The accessorial ejecting mechanism includes an accessorial plate, a rail, a slider, and a movable board. The accessorial plate secured to the male mold section has a recess in the top surface thereof. The rail is received in the recess and fixed to the accessorial plate. The slider, connecting a driving device, is slidable along the rail. The slider defines at least a guiding groove whose opposite ends are in different height. The movable board is also received in the recess. At least a guiding post is fixed to a side of the movable board and extends outwardly into the guiding groove. Sliding of the slider makes the movable board move up and down. Pin cores for forming pinholes of a molded article are fixed to the movable board so as to move up and down together with the movable board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chihyu Chen, Lobo Wang
  • System, method, and apparatus for multilevel UV molding lithography for air bearing surface patterning
    Patent number: 7168939
    Abstract: UV molding from elastomeric masters on thin bendable backplanes that allow replication of UV-cured resist patterns with high accuracy is disclosed. This design accommodates large substrate topographies, has improved de-molding properties, and facilitates two-in-one lithography and assembly of the sliders on topographically structured elastomeric sticky pads. The combination of sticky pad assembly and two-in-one lithography allows an all-in-one harmony process based on UV-molding. These features cure prior art technical problems of the harmony process while significantly reducing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands BV
    Inventors: Alexander Bietsch, Michael W. Chaw, Ashok Lahiri, Ian Robson McFadyen, Bruno Michel, Mark C. Thurber
  • Energy efficient extruder drive
    Patent number: 7168944
    Abstract: An energy efficient drive system is provided for use on typical injection molding machines whereby a single electric motor drives both the extruder screw and a hydraulic motor that continuously charges a hydraulic accumulator during the extrusion process. During the injection cycle, the charge in the accumulator is directed to stroke the extruder screw and inject melt into the mold cavities. Another embodiment utilizes a similar arrangement on the clamp mechanism of the injection molding machine whereby the charge in the accumulator is directed to hold the mold closed during the injection cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert D. Schad
  • Apparatus and method for sealing injection unit and sprue
    Patent number: 7165968
    Abstract: An injection molding sealing apparatus configured to be installed in a coinjection hot runner with a coinjection nozzle, the coinjection nozzle having at least two melt channels ending at the same gate. The sealing apparatus is configured for sealing the coinjection hot runner to a hot runner sprue bushing, which is coupled to an injection assembly, during relative movement between (i) the coinjection hot runner and (ii) a stationary mold or machine section. Sealing structure is configured to seal the coinjection molding hot runner sprue bushing to the coinjection hot runner during the relative movement. Coupling structure is configured to provide relative movement between the injection assembly and the stationary mold or machine section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
    Inventor: Nicholas W. Serniuck
  • Injection unit for injection molding machines with continuously operating plasticizing unit
    Patent number: 7160102
    Abstract: An injection unit for injection molding machines includes an extruder as plasticizing unit and a plunger-type injection molding device that can be coupled to the injection molding machine by an injection nozzle. The plunger-type injection molding machine has an injection plunger, wherein the area in front of the injection plunger forms an injection space which is connected to a forward end of the extruder by a melt channel, with a shutoff valve disposed in the melt channel. The extruder can be continuously operated and has one or more plasticizing screws for plastification, wherein the extruder is so configured that a backup length is able to increase backwards into the extruder, when the shutoff valve is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Krauss-Maffei Kunststofftechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Zimmet
  • Nozzle contact device of an injection machine
    Patent number: 7156636
    Abstract: A nozzle contact device of an injection machine has an injection device, a nozzle, a flexible body, a tension buffer device and a tension-measuring device. The nozzle is installed a front side of the injection device. The flexible body is used to drive the injection device to contact or separate from a mold. The tension buffer device is installed at a lateral side of the flexible body, and has an elastic body for receiving tension from the flexible body and decomposing the tension to form a component force and a displacement. The tension-measuring device is used to measure the displacement of the tension buffer device and deciding a contact force between the nozzle and the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Ming-Chang Teng, Cheng-Jien Chen
  • Molded plastic elbow
    Patent number: 7153125
    Abstract: An improved molded plastic elbow and a related mold assembly and manufacturing method are provided, wherein the elbow defines an internal flow path having a smoothly radiused inside turn. The elbow is formed by injecting plastic material into a tubular mold cavity formed by closed mold members in cooperation with a pair of slidably retractable core units of circular cross section and having distal ends in mating, angularly set end-to-end contact to form the internal flow path having a turn formed along the length thereof. Each core unit comprises an outer core pin to form an outer portion of the flow path and including a ramped track for slide-fit mounting of an inner slide segment which forms an inner portion of the flow path and further includes a curved inside edge to form a portion of the smoothly radiused inside turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: David V. Evans, Mark M. Ensworth
  • Ejector apparatus
    Patent number: 7153126
    Abstract: An ejector apparatus wherein, in mounting a lift core to a slide base, and in mounting an ejector core to an ejector plate, it is easy to mount the lift and ejector cores to the slide base and the ejector plate, and simultaneously perform adjustment that allows for thermal expansion of the cores. The ejector apparatus includes a lift core extending through a core constituting a mold and movably installed in a longitudinal direction of the lift core with respect to a surface of the core; an ejector plate arranged between the core and a base plate, and being capable of moving up and down, the base plate being arranged below and spaced from the core; and an adjustment coupling constructed such that a lower end portion of the lift core is supported to expand and contract in a longitudinal direction of the lift core relative to the ejector plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Takao Injection Mold Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Takao
  • Injection device used for blow molding hollow plastic bodies, comprising extrusion mandrels that can be tempered and are inserted into extrusion mandrel fastener
    Patent number: 7147457
    Abstract: Disclosed is an extrusion mandrel fastener (2) that is embodied as a two-piece unit comprising a supporting beam (4) and a holding beam (5) which can be joined together and are provided with semi-cylindrical recesses (7, 8) complementing each other so as to form cylindrical recesses (9). An extrusion mandrel (3) is inserted into each cylindrical recess (9) and is retained therein. The extrusion mandrel fastener (2) and the extrusion mandrels (3) are provided with ducts (13, 14, 15, 16, 24, 25) which allow fluid circulation so as to temper the extrusion mandrels (3) and communicate with each other as well as with openings (11, 26) that are disposed on the extrusion mandrel fastener (2) via cylindrical connecting sleeves (30). Said connecting sleeves (30) are preferably sealed by means of sealing rings and fix the extrusion mandrel (3) to the extrusion mandrel fastener (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Polymold AG
    Inventor: Beat Iten
  • Injection molding method and injection mold
    Patent number: 7147814
    Abstract: An injection molding method and an injection mold used therefor are provided, in which a molded product free from burrs, whitening and gate marks can be obtained with a simple structure mold, and it can adequately serve the needs for multicavity molding as well. In the injection molding method, molten resin material is introduced and charged into a resin reservoir and a molding cavity of an injection mold, where a depth of the resin reservoir is larger than a thickness of a communicating portion. A cut punch is moved, when a portion of the resin material in the resin reservoir is still molten, to push the molten resin in the resin reservoir back from a gate into a runner so that the cut punch not only closes the communicating portion but also cuts a resin solidified portion in the resin reservoir away from a resin molded product in the molding cavity at the communicating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Shigesada, Seiichi Watanabe, Naoyoshi Chino
  • Apparatus for making a corrugation-free foam
    Patent number: 7140865
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for extruding a corrugation-free polystyrene foam with 100% carbon dioxide as the blowing agent by extruding the extrudate through an annular die opening so that it contacts a choke ring inner surface. A foam made with the apparatus according to the invention will have no visible corrugations and an average cell size of less than 0.35 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Dart Container Corporation
    Inventors: Wayne J. Myer, Blaine M. Kelley
  • Removable in-mold degating insert
    Patent number: 7140862
    Abstract: An in-mold degating device that includes a base having mounting ears for removable attachment to a mold system. The base is removably attached to the die half such that the uppermost surface of the base is flush with the surface of the die half. The insert further includes a body fixed to the base including a pair of opposed surfaces that define predetermined relief angles relative to the base. The body further includes a gate flow passage having an inlet within one of the opposed surfaces and an outlet within the other of the opposed surfaces. The gate flow passage tapers inwardly from the inlet to the outlet. The outlet includes an edge surface that forms an acute angle relative to the gate flow passage. The edge surface defines a shearing edge point that separates the finished molded part from cooled excess material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Adams, Joseph J. Davis, Jr.
  • Universal lifter foot assembly for removal of core block from mold
    Patent number: 7140868
    Abstract: An ejector assembly for use with a mold for molding plastic parts include a first stationary member, a second stationary member and an ejector plate moveable between the first and second stationary members. A core blade lifter is provided that includes a lifter foot assembly that is moveable with the ejector plate. The core blade lifter includes a lifter rod pivotally mounted to the lifter foot assembly and moveable laterally and longitudinally in response to movement of the ejector plate. A stationary helper pin is provided generally parallel to the lifter rod. The core blade lifter includes a helper carrier pivotally mounted to the lifter foot assembly and moveable along the helper pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: HS Die & Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Harold W. Steele, Phillip A. Tanis
  • Apparatus for and methods of damage repair
    Patent number: 7140854
    Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for repairing a flaw in a surface, particularly in the field of vehicle glass repair. The apparatus has a housing adapted to engage the surface to be repaired, a repair seal for sealing between the housing and around the flaw to be repaired to define a repair space over the flaw. A reservoir communicates with the repair space and, in use, contains liquid repair material. A vacuum pump communicates with the repair space and the reservoir to apply a partial vacuum to the repair space and to the reservoir without repair liquid from the reservoir being drawn into the repair space in order to degas separately the flaw and repair liquid in the reservoir. After appropriate degassing, repair liquid from the reservoir is caused to flow into the repair space to fill the repair space with repair liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Carglass Luxembourg S.a.r.l.-Zug Branch
    Inventors: Philip Rawlins, Douglas Scott MacArthur, Robert Ian Lister, Graham Scott Gutsell
  • Fluid pressure imprint lithography
    Patent number: 7137803
    Abstract: An improved method of imprint lithography involves using direct fluid pressure to press the mold into a substrate-supported film. Advantageously the mold and/or substrate are sufficiently flexible to provide wide area contact under the fluid pressure. Fluid pressing can be accomplished by sealing the mold against the film and disposing the resulting assembly in a pressurized chamber. It can also be accomplished by subjecting the mold to jets of pressurized fluid. The result of this fluid pressing is enhanced resolution and high uniformity over an enlarged area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Inventor: Stephen Y. Chou
  • Injection molding machine
    Patent number: 7131835
    Abstract: An injection molding machine having two injection units retained in parallel on one heating cylinder retention member, so that nozzles of the two injection units can touch fixed-side molds by advance of the heating cylinder retention member toward the molds. Two nozzle touch rods having their one ends fixed to a fixed die plate mounted with the molds are disposed symmetrically outside the two injection units respectively. Nut pieces screwed down to ball screw shaft portions of the nozzle touch rods respectively are attached to the heating cylinder retention member rotatably. Two servo motors for driving and rotating the two nut pieces respectively and individually are mounted on the heating cylinder retention member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Toyo Machinery & Metal Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Okazaki