Abstract: A bottle configured to house and dispense items. The bottle comprises a body, a finish positioned above the body, and a ramp protruding into an interior space defined by the body. The body includes a base and a sidewall extending up from the base. The body defines the interior space for housing the items. The finish presents an opening for dispensing the items from the body. The ramp is formed with a concave shape configured to support one or more of the items.

Abstract: A bottle configured to house and dispense items. The bottle comprises a body, a finish positioned above the body, and a ramp protruding into an interior space defined by the body. The body includes a base and a sidewall extending up from the base. The body defines the interior space for housing the items. The finish presents an opening for dispensing the items from the body. The ramp is formed with a concave shape configured to support one or more of the items.

Abstract: An injection station of an injection blow molding machine. The injection station comprises a lower die plate and an upper die plate, with lower and upper die plates being shiftable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position. The injection station additionally includes one or more lower mold halves rigidly secured to the lower die plate. The injection station additionally includes one or more upper mold halves floatingly secured to the upper die plate such that positions of the upper mold halves are configured to be adjusted with respect to the upper die plate. Each of the lower mold halves corresponds with an upper mold half to present one or more mold cavities when the lower and upper die plates are in the closed position.

Abstract: An injection station of an injection blow molding machine. The injection station comprises a lower die plate and an upper die plate, with lower and upper die plates being shiftable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position. The injection station additionally includes one or more lower mold halves rigidly secured to the lower die plate. The injection station additionally includes one or more upper mold halves floatingly secured to the upper die plate such that positions of the upper mold halves are configured to be adjusted with respect to the upper die plate. Each of the lower mold halves corresponds with an upper mold half to present one or more mold cavities when the lower and upper die plates are in the closed position.

Abstract: An injection blow molding (IBM) system and method for forming a plurality of parisons and molded articles. The IBM system includes an injection station having upper and lower die sets and a plurality of upper and lower mold half blocks each attached to a respective die set. Each of the upper mold half blocks has a corresponding lower mold half block with which it cooperatively defines one or more cavities for forming the exterior shape of the body of one or more of the parisons. The individual, independent attachment of the mold half blocks to the die sets allows easy individual replacement of faulty or worn mold blocks. Further, such an independent attachment configuration also permits the mold half blocks of each die set to be spaced from one another, so as to reduce thermal expansion problems and ease dimensional tolerances required for the width of the mold half blocks.

Abstract: An injection blow molding (IBM) system and method for forming a plurality of parisons and molded articles. The IBM system includes an injection station having upper and lower die sets and a plurality of upper and lower mold half blocks each attached to a respective die set. Each of the upper mold half blocks has a corresponding lower mold half block with which it cooperatively defines one or more cavities for forming the exterior shape of the body of one or more of the parisons. The individual, independent attachment of the mold half blocks to the die sets allows easy individual replacement of faulty or worn mold blocks. Further, such an independent attachment configuration also permits the mold half blocks of each die set to be spaced from one another, so as to reduce thermal expansion problems and ease dimensional tolerances required for the width of the mold half blocks.

Abstract: An injection blow molding (IBM) system and method for forming a plurality of parisons and molded articles. The IBM system includes an injection station having upper and lower die sets and a plurality of upper and lower mold half blocks each attached to a respective die set. Each of the upper mold half blocks has a corresponding lower mold half block with which it cooperatively defines one or more cavities for forming the exterior shape of the body of one or more of the parisons. The individual, independent attachment of the mold half blocks to the die sets allows easy individual replacement of faulty or worn mold blocks. Further, such an independent attachment configuration also permits the mold half blocks of each die set to be spaced from one another, so as to reduce thermal expansion problems and ease dimensional tolerances required for the width of the mold half blocks.

Abstract: An injection blow molding (IBM) system and method for forming a plurality of parisons and molded articles. The IBM system includes an injection station having upper and lower die sets and a plurality of upper and lower mold half blocks each attached to a respective die set. Each of the upper mold half blocks has a corresponding lower mold half block with which it cooperatively defines one or more cavities for forming the exterior shape of the body of one or more of the parisons. The individual, independent attachment of the mold half blocks to the die sets allows easy individual replacement of faulty or worn mold blocks. Further, such an independent attachment configuration also permits the mold half blocks of each die set to be spaced from one another, so as to reduce thermal expansion problems and ease dimensional tolerances required for the width of the mold half blocks.

Abstract: Injection molding apparatus has upper and lower mold halves that split along the center line of the parison cavity and the gate opening leading thereto. Each hot melt injection nozzle is received within a tubular insert cup having a reduced diameter tip that is seated within the gate opening. The cup is mounted to the lower mold half so as to remain secured thereto as the upper mold half opens and closes the mold. The base end of each nozzle has a swivel ball and socket relationship with the manifold block which supplies it with hot melt, while the tip end of each injection nozzle has a swivel ball and socket type interface with the interior front end of the insert cup, thus providing for dimensional variations in the parts of the tooling that arise during non-uniform thermal expansion and contraction thereof.

Abstract: The conditioning station of an injection stretch blow mold machine is provided with a heater ring for each hot, soft preform presented to the station. The heater ring emits infrared light waves that are confined to the transition region of the preform between the neck and main body portions to pin-point the addition of heat to the transition region.

Abstract: Auxiliary end heating devices on an elongated, heated hot melt distribution manifold body assist in maintaining uniform temperatures throughout all portions and passageways of the manifold body. The heating devices preferably take the form of thick film electrical resistive heaters of plate-like construction. The end heaters are on their own control circuit separate and apart from the circuit for other heaters for remaining portions of the manifold body. Special isolating slots are formed in lower corners of the manifold body between supporting standoffs and overhead melt passageways in the manifold body.

Abstract: Auxiliary end heating devices on an elongated, heated hot melt distribution manifold body assist in maintaining uniform temperatures throughout all portions and passageways of the manifold body. The heating devices preferably take the form of thick film electrical resistive heaters of plate-like construction. The end heaters are on their own control circuit separate and apart from the circuit for other heaters for remaining portions of the manifold body. Special isolating slots are formed in lower corners of the manifold body between supporting standoffs and overhead melt passageways in the manifold body.

Abstract: The upper and lower halves of a blow mold define a blow mold cavity when the halves are closed together. A bottom plug which serves to form a dome in the bottom of the blown bottle is shifted into and out of a cooperating relationship with the two mold halves by cam mechanism that operates in response to raising and lowering of the upper die set upon which the upper mold half is mounted. The actuating mechanism comprises a pair of mutually opposed cam rods having a follower trapped therebetween that is in turn coupled with the bottom plug so that as the cam rods are shifted with the upper die set, the follower reacts to cam surfaces on the rods to impart a corresponding extension and retraction motion to the bottom plug. To handle multiple, side-by-side blow mold cavities, the bottom plugs for such cavities are ganged together on a common support bar that is in turn provided with operating shanks, each provided with a cam follower operated by a cam assembly.

Abstract: The upper and lower halves of a blow mold define a blow mold cavity when the halves are closed together. A bottom plug which serves to form a dome in the bottom of the blown bottle is shifted into and out of a cooperating relationship with the two mold halves by cam mechanism that operates in response to raising and lowering of the upper die set upon which the upper mold half is mounted. The actuating mechanism comprises a pair of mutually opposed cam rods having a follower trapped therebetween that is in turn coupled with the bottom plug so that as the cam rods are shifted with the upper die set, the follower reacts to cam surfaces on the rods to impart a corresponding extension and retraction motion to the bottom plug. To handle multiple, side-by-side blow mold cavities, the bottom plugs for such cavities are ganged together on a common support bar that is in turn provided with operating shanks, each provided with a cam follower operated by a cam assembly.

Abstract: Auxiliary end heating devices on an elongated, heated hot melt distribution manifold body assist in maintaining uniform temperatures throughout all portions and passageways of the manifold body. The heating devices preferably take the form of thick film electrical resistive heaters of plate-like construction. The end heaters are on their own control circuit separate and apart from the circuit for other heaters for remaining portions of the manifold body. Special isolating slots are formed in lower corners of the manifold body between supporting standoffs and overhead melt passageways in the manifold body.

Abstract: Multi-cavity injection molding apparatus includes a plurality of injection nozzles, each of which has a two-piece tip assembly in the nature of a replaceable tip and a retainer that detachably secures the tip to the nozzle body. The retainers are constructed from material having a lower coefficient of thermal conductivity than the tips so that the retainers also serve to insulate the tips from the relatively cold, surrounding heat sink presented by the mold. Although each retainer prevents its tip from being unintentionally axially released from the nozzle body, the retainer engages the tip at only two axially spaced locations along its length so as to present an insulating air gap in surrounding relationship to much of the tip. The otherwise exposed end of the air gap is sealed off when the nozzle is hot by virtue of a sealing collar on the retainer that progressively tightens against the cooperating, beveled surface of the tip as the tip heats up.

Abstract: Multi-cavity injection molding apparatus includes a plurality of injection nozzles, each of which has a two-piece tip assembly in the nature of a replaceable tip and a retainer that detachably secures the tip to the nozzle body. The retainers are constructed from material having a lower coefficient of thermal conductivity than the tips so that the retainers also serve to insulate the tips from the relatively cold, surrounding heat sink presented by the mold. Although each retainer prevents its tip from being unintentionally axially released from the nozzle body, the retainer engages the tip at only two axially spaced locations along its length so as to present an insulating air gap in surrounding relationship to much of the tip. The otherwise exposed end of the air gap is sealed off when the nozzle is hot by virtue of a sealing collar on the retainer that progressively tightens against the cooperating, beveled surface of the tip as the tip heats up.

Abstract: A mold assembly is provided for use in an injection molding machine and includes a cavity plate defining a cavity adapted to receive a moldable material, and a manifold positioned behind the cavity plate. The manifold includes a passageway for guiding the flow of the moldable material to the cavity plate. A support plate is positioned adjacent the manifold and includes a rear face into which a cup shaped recess extends, a front face opposite the rear face, and a bore extending between the front face and the recess. A nozzle is provided between the passageway in the manifold and the cavity in the plate for directing the flow of material into the cavity, and a valve gate pin extends into the nozzle. The valve gate pin is movable between a forward flow-blocking position and a rearward flow-permitting position, and a cylinder unit moves the valve gate pin between these positions. The actuator includes a drop-in pneumatic actuator secured within the recess of the support plate.