Patents Examined by Suzanne E. McDowell
  • Patent number: 7255818
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling a fluid-assisted injection molding process for producing a molded plastic article. The fluid can be gas, water or another fluid. One or more pressure transducers are positioned in the mold cavity and generate signals to control the initiation of the pressurized fluid, the packing of the material in the mold and/or the switchover from the packing phase to the holding phase. The transducers can be positioned at or near the gate or pre-gate, at or near the fluid channel area, and/or at or near the end of the fill area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory A. Homann, James Hendry
  • Patent number: 7255826
    Abstract: The invention relates to a container which is formed at the upper portion of the main body with the foldable portion having folding lines for easily folding the foldable portion. Processes for forming the container include a first step for forming a perform by injection molding and a second step for forming the finished product having the foldable portion by blow molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Inventor: Jung-Min Lee
  • Patent number: 7255824
    Abstract: An apparatus for molding a plastic closure includes a male mold assembly including a forming pin and an outer pin sleeve which cooperate with a female mold for defining a mold cavity. To facilitate mechanical stripping of a molded closure from the forming pin, pressurized air is introduced into the molded closure through at least one air passageway which extends axially between the forming pin and pin sleeve. By outwardly expanding and forming the plastic closure during ejection from the forming pin, forces to which the closure is subjected during ejection are significantly reduced, thereby desirably reducing the amount of cooling of the closure that is required during the molding cycle prior to ejection. Significantly increased operating speeds for the compression molding apparatus can thus be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Alcoa Closure Systems International
    Inventors: David Cerny, Ramesh Kamath, Mark Powell, Greg Mishler, Sohail Sadiq, David Oles, Lindsey Abney
  • Patent number: 7255827
    Abstract: Novel blow cylinders use a retract fluid at a minimum pressure, located between a piston head and a wall of a cylinder body, to prevent the piston head from violently impacting the wall when the piston head is moved so that a blow needle engages a parison. The retract fluid at a minimum pressure is also used to move the piston head so that the blow needle disengages the parison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Marshall Miller, Bernie Klingenmaier
  • Patent number: 7244388
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process and an apparatus for producing hollow bodies of thermoplastic material by means of extrusion blow molding. A tubular preform of plasticised material is expanded beyond parts of a blow molding mold enclosing it, by means of increased external pressure, wherein the preform, prior to closure of the mold halves, is spread transversely with respect to the extrusion direction and in a separation plane of the blow molding mold, in such a way that it extends between the lateral edges of the mold cavity of the blow molding mold. Prior to removal of the article from the blow molding mold, the bulge portion produced after closure of the blow molding mold is cut open along its length at each of the two sides of the mold at the respective edges extending in the extrusion direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Kummer
  • Patent number: 7244382
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a fastener product having a multiplicity of fastener elements extending from a sheet-form material. Molten resin is extruded through an extrusion nozzle and gas is introduced into the resin within the extruder to provide an interrupted flow of resin from the nozzle to deposit discrete regions of molten resin onto the sheet-form material. The discrete regions of molten resin are spread apart along a longitudinal direction of the sheet-form material. The molten resin is permanently bonded to the sheet-form material, and a multiplicity of fastener elements are molded from each discrete region of resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Velcro Industries B.V.
    Inventors: Ernesto S. Tachauer, William P. Clune
  • Patent number: 7244381
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for blow forming a container (1) from a parison (2) made of plastic. After heating, said container is preformed by a gas injected into the container (1, 2) at a low pressure of 5 bar and by expanding the inner volume of said container. The final shape of the container can then be achieved by igniting an inflammable gas injected into the container, whereby the combustion generates a higher blowing pressure, or by injecting an additional gas with a higher blowing pressure of approximately 40 bar into the container after pre-blowing. The invention aims at improving known blow forming methods in such a way that a barrier layer impervious to gases, aromatic substances or the like is produced on the inner side of the container without having to use big machines. To this end, a precursor gas is added to and mixed with the inflammable gas, the mixture is then ignited and a coating is formed on the inner surface of the container by the combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventors: Dominique Chatard, Heinrich Grunwald, Wilhelm Lothar, Hanno Käss
  • Patent number: 7238318
    Abstract: The side wall portion of a plastic article, as a plastic container, is opaque and includes a transparent portion, as a view stripe. The opaque portion limits viewing the inside of the article, whereas the transparent portion permits viewing the inside of the article therethrough. A method for forming the plastic article is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc A. Pedmo, Thomas J. Simpson, Michael J. Sainato
  • Patent number: 7226560
    Abstract: A blow molded container (10) having a trimmed nonround opening (12) is blow molded from a preform (36) and then positioned by a positioner (50) of a nonround trimmer (16) that includes a rotary driven arm assembly (56) having a knife holder (60). A guide (66) guides the knife holder (60) in a nonround path to perform the trimming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Dunlap, Edward L. Sanford, Richard C. Darr
  • Patent number: 7211214
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, features can be directly imprinted into the surface of a solid substrate. Specifically, a substrate is directly imprinted with a desired pattern by the steps of providing a mold having a molding surface to imprint the pattern, disposing the molding surface adjacent or against the substrate surface to be imprinted, and irradiating the substrate surface with radiation to soften or liquefy the surface. The molding surface is pressed into the softened or liquefied surface to directly imprint the substrate. The substrate can be any one of a wide variety of solid materials such as semiconductors, metals, or polymers. In a preferred embodiment the substrate is silicon, the laser is a UV laser, and the mold is transparent to the UV radiation to permit irradiation of the silicon workpiece through the transparent mold. Using this method, applicants have directly imprinted into silicon large area patterns with sub-10 nanometer resolution in sub-250 nanosecond processing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Princeton University
    Inventor: Stephen Y. Chou
  • Patent number: 7204950
    Abstract: A seamless collapsible container has a molded finish, configured and adapted for sealing with a closure and, optionally, for attachment to a dispensing apparatus, and a seamless, blow molded body portion, comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, and a wall, where the wall is sufficiently thin to allow the body portion to collapse, and the molded finish and at least an inner layer of the body portion together comprise a seamless, single piece of thermoplastic material. The seamless collapsible container may be used in such applications as a bag-in-box, a carton liner, and a beverage pouch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: PepsiCo, Inc.
    Inventors: Said Farha, Sriram R. Tharmapuram, Nina Tarley
  • Patent number: 7192549
    Abstract: The invention relates to a moulding method, in particular a blowing or vacuum moulding method for production of a dispensing container filled with a medium for dispensing. A moulding method for production of a dispensing container (1), filled with a medium for dispensing, comprises the following steps: introduction of an extruded plastic tube (6) into an open mould with moving main mould section (8) and mould section (10), cutting the plastic tube (6), spreading the plastic tube (6) into contact with the mould walls of the main mould section (8), filling the container (1) in the mould with the medium for dispensing, introduction of a sealing unit (3), closure of the mould section (10) and subsequent moulding of the section of plastic tube (6) running through the mould section (10) to give a protective sleeve (5) which encloses a cannula (11) in the sealing unit (3) as second component of the securing device (5, 17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Inventor: Bernd Hansen
  • Patent number: 7186365
    Abstract: Numerous embodiments of a method and apparatus for forming an imprinting tool are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of forming an imprinting tool comprises forming a first mold by use of one or more printing processes, forming a second mold from the first mold, and forming an imprinting tool from the second mold, where the imprinting tool is formed at least in part by metalizing at least a portion of the second mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Walk
  • Patent number: 7186366
    Abstract: A label foil is disclosed that is suitable for in-mold labeling, has a high stiffness, is well suited for cutting and is recyclable. The top layers of the label foil are made of polyethylene. Both top layers have about the same thickness and the core layer has a thickness that is about 5 times to 20 times that of one top layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Nordenia U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Georg Schwinn
  • Patent number: 7182904
    Abstract: A system and process for gas-assisted injection molding of plastic materials to form laminate-type products. A laminate material is positioned in a mold and the mold is closed to a pre-set position, leaving a gap. Plastic material is injected into the mold cavity onto the laminate material, and gas is injected into the plastic material. Thereafter, the mold is closed, compressing the gas in the plastic material. Once the process is complete and the plastic has cooled, the gas is vented from the molded component, the mold is opened, and the completed molded part is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory A. Hormann
  • Patent number: 7182892
    Abstract: A method and system for forming an injection molded plastic part. After the injection of plastic material has started, a volume of gas from a fixed volume reservoir is introduced into the plastic material at a low pressure forming a hollow cavity. The introduction of this volume of gas is initiated when the temperature of the plastic material in the mold has reached a predetermined value. After the mold is filled and packed with plastic, pressurized gas is introduced into the hollow cavity forming the completed plastic part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory A. Holmann, James Hendry
  • Patent number: 7182906
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a catheter device having a dilatation balloon formed from a polymeric material crosslinked by moisture through —Si—O—Si— linkages, and to a method of making the same. The polymeric material is formed by reacting at least one organofunctional hydrolyzable silane with at least one polymer. The crosslinked polymeric structure is ideal for forming more resilient and durable catheter balloons. In particular, the catheter balloons have excellent abrasion resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventor: John Jianhua Chen
  • Patent number: 7182905
    Abstract: A blow molded article includes an outer wall and an article retaining feature projecting outwardly therefrom. The article retaining feature includes a distal wall and a side wall connecting the distal wall and the outer wall of the blow molded article. The side wall is generally orthogonal to the outer wall of the blow molded article, and an inner surface is defined at least partially by inner edges of the side wall, the distal wall and the outer wall of the blow molded article. The side wall has a hole integrally molded therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Custom-Pak, Inc
    Inventors: Michael Grinnall, Duane Franzen, Terry Lucky
  • Patent number: 7179411
    Abstract: A gas injection moulding method comprising injecting a melt into a mould and injecting gas into the melt to form a gas cavity in the melt wherein the melt is cooled by use of injection gas cooled to below the external ambient air temperature and/or by a continuous flow of injection gas through the mould.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: University of Warwick
    Inventors: Rui Miguel de Azevedo Magalhaes, Gordon Frederick Smith
  • Patent number: 7179073
    Abstract: The invention is a pressure reducing valve for reducing the pressure supplied to a head tooling hydraulic positioning valve and a controller for bypassing the pressure reducing valve in a blow-molding machine. A pressure-reducing valve and electrical controller are used to regulate the pressure of a cylinder that controls the position of a head tooling pin and die assembly in a blow-molding machine. The invention reduces pressure during all time intervals except during a “parison formation” interval of the cycle. The invention is also a process for regulating the pressure of a cylinder that controls the position of a head tooling pin and die assembly in a blow-molding machine and for bypassing the pressure reducing valve in a blow-molding machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Davis-Standard, LLC
    Inventor: Russell Phillip D'Angelo