Patents Examined by Jill Heitbrink
  • Patent number: 9475214
    Abstract: A method of preparing an aluminum mold for injection molding is provided, the method comprises the steps of providing an aluminum mold having a least one surface, subjecting the at least one surface to a gas or liquid phase silane to thereby form an anti-stiction coating, the anti-stiction coating comprising a chemically bonded monolayer of silane compounds on the at least one surface wherein the silane is a halogenated silane. The at least one surface coated with the anti-stiction coating may be configured to withstand an injection molding process at a pressure above 100 MPa. Furthermore, a mold having at least one closed cavity is provided, at least one surface of the at least one cavity being an aluminium surface coated with a silane based coating layer. The resistance of the coated aluminium mold is significantly improved by applying a silane-based coating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET
    Inventors: Rafael Taboryski, Jiri Cech
  • Patent number: 9475221
    Abstract: The invention features, in general, a method for determining a target cycle time for an injection molded part. The method comprises the steps of ascertaining the solidified volume percentage (Vn) as a function of cooling time (Tn) data for solidification of an injection molded part and calculating a cooling speed indicator (CSIn) for each data point, (Tn,Vn). The solidified volume percentage (Vn) as a function of cooling time (Tn) and solidified volume percentage (Vn) as a function of cooling speed indicator (CSIn) are tabulated and used to determine a target cycle time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Sean Wang
  • Patent number: 9469062
    Abstract: A rotary joint for transferring melted plastic from at least one extruder to a plurality of molds of a rotary machine for molding preforms, the joint comprising a fixed structure (3?) provided with a fixed longitudinal element (23) therein, defining a longitudinal axis (Y), and a movable structure (3?) which can rotate about said axis (Y) and is adapted to be integrally fixed to the rotary machine; wherein a first passage channel (11) is provided within said fixed element (23); wherein a second passage channel (11?) is provided within said movable structure (3?) and coaxial to said first passage channel; said second passage channel (11?) being in communication at a first end thereof with said first passage channel (11), and being in communication at a second end thereof with a plurality of lateral radial channels (52) provided within said movable structure (3?); wherein there is provided, between the fixed structure (3?) and the movable structure (3?), a gap in which a spiral seal (24) is arranged for ensurin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: S.I.P.A. SOCIETA'INDUSTRIALIZZAZIONE PROGETTAZIONE E AUTOMAZIONE S.p.A.
    Inventors: Matteo Zoppas, Alberto Armellin, Sandro Serra, Michele Varaschin
  • Patent number: 9457495
    Abstract: A rotary molding system for molding food products, mold cavities formed when a mold shell rotates mold shapes disposed along the mold shell into a fill position between a fill plate and a wear plate. Molded food products are removed from mold cavities using knock-out cups, the use of air pressure, or the use of a vacuum source disposed below the mold cavity, without the need to slow the rotation of the mold shell. Knock-out cups may be used with a heating system to reduce accumulation of unwanted materials on the knock-out cups. The rotary molding system can also be used to form products with contoured surfaces. A smart tagging system can be used to ensure that compatible sets of mold shells and knock out cups are being used. A vacuum region may be disposed upstream of the fill position to remove air within the mold cavity prior to filling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: FORMAX, INC.
    Inventors: Scott A. Lindee, David Hansen, Salvatore Lamartino, Bruce Bauer, Thomas C. Wolcott, Steve Ill, E. William Wight
  • Patent number: 9457505
    Abstract: In a method of monitoring an apparatus for temperature control media supply of a tool of an injection molding machine, the apparatus for temperature control media supply has a feed and a return, between which at least one temperature control conduit is arranged, wherein at least one through-flow sensor is arranged. At least one pressure drop is measured in the at least one temperature control conduit. At least one hydraulic resistance and/or at least one resistance change in the at least one temperature control conduit is calculated on the basis of at least one volume flow measured with the at least one through-flow sensor and on the basis of the at least one measured pressure drop, and the at least one hydraulic resistance and/or the at least one resistance change is visually represented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Engel Austria GmbH
    Inventors: Florian Raschke, Klaus Taenzler
  • Patent number: 9452558
    Abstract: Mold apparatuses may comprise a mold body, a thermostat target area and a channel unit. Said thermostat target area may be defined in said mold body. The channel unit may comprise a thermostat channel which may be formed in said mold body and may be connected with the outside to maintain the temperature of said thermostat target area through the thermostat medium flowing through it, and a heat conductive partition disposed in the thermostat channel. Said thermostat channel may comprise a first channel located on one side of said heat conductive partition; a second channel located on the other side of said heat conductive partition; a first port connected with said first channel and the outside; a second port connected with said second channel and the outside; and a connect channel away from the first port and the second port and connected with said first channel and said second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: GENIUS ELECTRONICS OPTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hsien-Chang Hou
  • Patent number: 9452557
    Abstract: A valve gated hot runner system that includes a single movable plate (or movable frame) that retains multiple valve pins. A linear actuator is coupled to rigid transmission elements that convey a linear motion from the actuator to several rotary components via a direct or indirect contact between at least a portion of the rigid transmission elements and the rotary components. The rigid transmission elements and the rotary components are connected to a common plate. The rotary components are further coupled to the movable plate (frame) and through their full rotation or turning lift or translate the movable plate (frame) with the valve pins to open and close the communication between hot runner nozzles and corresponding mold cavities. The actuator can be electrical, electro-magnetic, pneumatic or hydraulic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Otto Männer Innovation GmbH
    Inventors: Ralph Keitel, Swen Spuller, Gheorghe George Olaru, Marco Herdel, Faimund Friderich
  • Patent number: 9440386
    Abstract: An apparatus for injection molding of plastic materials includes an injection machine platen, a mold including a backing plate for securing the mold to the injection machine platen, a distributor of the plastic material to be injected adjacent to the backing plate and bearing at least one injector including a nozzle within which a pin valve is axially movable, and a respective electric actuator with associated transmission to operate the displacement of the pin valve between a closed position and an open position. The transmission includes a variable-length connecting rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: INGLASS S.p.A.
    Inventor: Maurizio Bazzo
  • Patent number: 9433506
    Abstract: A prosthetic mold for forming a prosthesis is disclosed. The prosthesis can include a bone mating surface, an articulating surface, and an intermedullary post. The prosthetic mold can include a first portion, a second portion engageable with the first portion, and an injection portion. The first portion can be configured to form the articulating surface. The second portion can be configured to form the bone mating surface and define an intermedullary post cavity. Engagement between the first and second portions can define a mold cavity. The injection port can be axially aligned, and in communication, with the intermedullary post cavity. The injection port can engage an injection assembly. In one embodiment, the prosthetic mold is configured to form a tibial prosthesis. In another embodiment, the prosthetic mold is configured to form a femoral prosthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: ZIMMER, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew J. Lomicka, Charlie Barfield, Michael Cordonnier, Dimitri Protopsaltis, Stephen Lingeman, William Daniel, Terrance Strohkirch, Amber Lenz
  • Patent number: 9421697
    Abstract: A method of processing PCR plastic is disclosed, the method including a step of providing a bulk quantity of flakes of PCR plastic having a particle size of about 10 mm or larger separating ferrous and non-ferrous metals from the bulk of flakes of PCR plastic, comminuting the flake to a particle size less than 10 mm, such as about 4 mm, and thermally treating the flake to reduce a moisture content therein. The process may further including mixing the thermally treated flake with virgin plastic pellet and processing the mixture directly in an injection molding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Phoenix Technologies International, LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence Robert Deardurff, Henry A. Schworm
  • Patent number: 9421726
    Abstract: A method of making injection molded footwear includes placing a last into the internal cavity of a mold with the last and cavity being configured such that there is a space between them which is greater than the desired thickness of the footwear skin. An elastically deformable scrim is placed over the last before the last is paced in the mold. The scrim has a first thickness when not compressed and a second thickness when compressed. The difference between the first and second thickness is approximately equal to the desired thickness of the footwear skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Chinook Asia LLC
    Inventor: Robert K. Scofield
  • Patent number: 9415536
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a composite material aircraft component comprises a mold having a receiving space adapted to accommodate a plastic material. A heating device is adapted to supply heat to the mold in order to heat the plastic material accommodated within the receiving space of the mold. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of heat pipes, each heat pipe having a first end which is in thermal contact with a heat source and a second end which is in thermal contact with the receiving space of the mold, such that the plastic material accommodated within the receiving space is supplied with heat transferred to the receiving space from the heat source via the plurality of heat pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Paulin Fideu, Hauke Seegel, Claus Fastert
  • Patent number: 9415531
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for producing a preform with a base geometry optimized for the subsequent stretch blow molding. The preform produced in the injection mold is removed in a cooled removal sleeve and cooled in the shaft by intensive contact cooling, while to the greatest extent no cooling contact is made with the domed preform end due to a special contour of the cooling sleeve. On account of the re-heating of this domed end that is possible as a result, the latter can be mechanically deformed into a new geometry that is more advantageous for the blow-molding process, and consequently also influenced in the wall thickness. In the subsequent blow-molding process, such a deformed preform has primarily the advantage that the polymer material distributed better in the bottle can lead to considerable material savings and to bottle bases of a higher quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Inventor: Mahir Aktas
  • Patent number: 9408685
    Abstract: An applicator for a self-expanding intravaginal device has a barrel and a plunger that can substantially contain the self-expanding intravaginal device without significant insertion barrel distortion while maintaining comfortable applicator insertion. The barrel has an insertion end, an opposed gripper end, and a central portion therebetween, and it is arranged and configured to substantially contain the self-expanding intravaginal device. The plunger is in telescoping relation with the barrel, and it is arranged and configured to expel the self-expanding intravaginal device out of the insertion end of the barrel when the plunger is pushed into the gripper end of the barrel. A plurality of flexible petals substantially closes the insertion end of the barrel, and the central portion of the barrel has a load to 3 mm deflection of at least about 15 Newtons. Other aspects of the invention include a self-expanding intravaginal urinary incontinence system, and methods of making the applicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: First Quality Hygienic, Inc.
    Inventors: Mari Hou, Raymond J. Hull, Jr., Alan Trojanowski
  • Patent number: 9403291
    Abstract: Injection molded articles and methods for making them from bio-based materials are described. More specifically, injection molded articles and methods for making them from bio-based materials that behave like high-molecular-weight thermosets such as lignin or protein-based materials including corn gluten meal, corn gluten feed, distillers dried grains with solubles, wet distillers grains, modified wet distillers grains, canola meal, wheat gluten, barley, cottonseed meal, sunflower meal, linseed meal, soy, rapeseed, sorghum proteins, maize, rice proteins, potato proteins, cassava proteins, sweet potato proteins, yam proteins, plantain proteins, keratin, or collagen are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: GREEN MATERIALS, LLC
    Inventors: Dara L. Woerdeman, Scott Kinney, Marko Koorneef, Ken Bush
  • Patent number: 9403307
    Abstract: A modeling apparatus includes a first set and a second set. The first set includes a body and a first mold structure, the first mold structure is disposed on a surface of the body. The second mold includes a movable portion, a first pushing mechanism, a valve and a second pushing mechanism. A second mold structure of the movable portion is combined with the first mold structure to form an accommodating space. The first pushing mechanism is connected to the movable portion for moving the movable portion, so as to combine the second mold structure with the first mold structure. The valve is disposed on the second mold structure for injecting plastic into the accommodating space. The second pushing mechanism is connected to the pushing component. The second pushing mechanism drives the pushing component to pierce through the movable portion, to move the modeled plastic out of the accommodating space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Chun-Yen Hung, Ya-Chi Hsiao
  • Patent number: 9393728
    Abstract: The outer circumferential surface of a bottom 4 of a preform 1 and a lower site 3a of a trunk 3 continuous with the bottom 4 is mechanically brought into intimate contact with a cooling pot 16 to undergo reliable cooling. The trunk 3, excluding the lower site 3a of the trunk 3 continuous with the bottom 4, is heated to a predetermined temperature by a heating block 17. When blow-molded, the so treated preform 1 can provide a container having a bottom of a desired thickness and having a uniformly stretched thin-walled trunk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: NISSEI ASB MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Nakahara
  • Patent number: 9387615
    Abstract: An injection molding apparatus includes a stationary mold and a movable mold, and heats and cools at least one of the stationary mold and the movable mold when forming a molded product by injecting resin into a cavity formed by the stationary mold and the movable mold. The at least one mold to be heated and cooled is separable into a first mold member and a second mold member. When heating the at least one mold, the first mold member and the second mold member are separated from each other so that a space into which thermal fluid is to be injected is formed between the first mold member and the second mold member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koki Kodaira
  • Patent number: 9388971
    Abstract: A method of making a light handle cover including providing a first mold tool and a second mold tool. The first mold tool engages with the second mold tool to form a mold cavity. The mold cavity is injected with a moldable material. The light handle cover is formed as a single integral piece with a substantially cylindrical grab portion that is circumscribed on one end by a substantially circular base shield. A plurality of teeth are formed in the light handle cover. Each of the plurality of teeth is separated by a space. The light handle cover is ejected from the second mold tool with a burst of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Aspen Surgical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Lawrence, Ryan Severns
  • Patent number: 9381689
    Abstract: At a filling termination stage when performing multi-layer molding by means of a hot runner nozzle, an intermediate layer in a multi-layer molded article is prevented from being formed in a shape causing the intermediate layer to enter into a sprue in a portion of a mold cavity in a mold corresponding to the sprue. The multi-layer molded article with no intermediate layer being exposed in a sprue cut portion can be therefore obtained. In this manner, a diameter of a discharge port opening and closing mechanism part for opening and closing the resin discharge ports in the shut pin is made different from a diameter of a nozzle gate opening and closing mechanism part configured of the projection for pushing out the molten resin in the nozzle gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Nissei Plastic Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Takeuchi, Minoru Yamazaki, Kouichi Shimizu