Abstract: An ejection mechanism for an injection molding machine comprising a combination of hydraulic booster cylinders for initiating an ejection cycle of an ejection apparatus and an electromechanical drive for completing the ejection cycle and retracting the ejection apparatus after completion of the ejection the molded parts.

Abstract: Alignment bars are mounted to a core or cavity insert block and a portion of one end of the alignment bar projects above the plane of a molding face surface and engages with a corresponding respective mating alignment channel in the other of the core or cavity insert block when the blocks are moved into a closed operative position. A portion of the other end of the alignment bar projects below the plane of a mold base plate facing surface defining keys for insertion into pockets formed in the mold base plate of a mold base for precise fixed positioning of the insert block on the mold base plate. The other insert block is carried by a co-operating mold base and the position of the insert block is moved into alignment with the insert block mounted on the other mold base.

Abstract: A static mixer comprising a mixer body with a first and a second array of intermeshed and interconnecting passageways formed therein that connect, and provide a convoluted flow path between, flow faces at ends of the mixer body. The first and second arrays of passageways preferably interconnect such that the boundaries of adjacent intermeshed passageways overlap to form mixing portals. When used in an injection molding system, a singular melt flow is initially divided at the first flow face of the static mixer, wherein the melt flow divides into the intermeshing passageways and further divides and re-combines at the locations of mixing portals before exiting the static mixer at the second flow face as homogenized melt.

Abstract: An injection molding machine for forming a multi-layer plastic article by over molding where the second layer of the article includes a portion having a different geometrical profile than the first. The injection mold machine comprises an array of one or more cores which engage arrays of one or more first cavity and arrays of one or more composite cavities. Each composite cavity is formed from the combination of a second cavity and a cavity extension which carries at least a portion of the different geometrical profile. In one embodiment, the cavity extension comprises a pair of cavity portions which are mounted adjacent the core to laterally moveable slides on a movable platen. In another embodiment, the cavity extension is a single element which is moved between a disengaged position wherein the core can be inserted into the first cavity and an engaged position wherein the core is inserted into the composite cavity.

Abstract: A shooting pot actuator for an injection molding machine having two plates carrying pusher rods for pushing against injection plungers within the shooting pots. The plates are mounted outside the mold and the clamp unit, and the pushers extend through bores in the stationary platen of the clamp unit to reach the injection plungers. The actuator reduces the cost and complication of mold design and production, and permits simplified adjustment of the injection plunger stroke.

Abstract: This invention relates to a mold design, injection molding machine and a method for forming a multi-layer plastic article by over molding where the second layer of the article includes a portion having a different geometrical profile than the first one. The novel injection mold and injection molding machine for producing over-molded articles comprises an array of one or more cores which engage arrays of one or more first cavity and arrays of one or more composite cavities. Each composite cavity is formed from the combination of a second cavity and a cavity extension which carries at least a portion of the different geometrical profile, such as a thread. In one embodiment, the cavity extension comprises a pair of cavity portions which are mounted adjacent the core to laterally moveable slides on a movable plate, that can be a stripper plate.

Abstract: A method of injection molding an over-molded article in which a cavity extension associated with a core is first moved to a disengaged position and the core is inserted into a first cavity having a defined volume in a first geometrical configuration. A first injection operation is performed into the first cavity to form a first layer of the article. The core is then removed from the first cavity with the first layer of the article on the core. The cavity extension is moved to an engagement position and the core and first layer are inserted into a second cavity. The second cavity and the cavity extension engage to form a composite cavity having a larger volume than the defined volume and define a second geometrical configuration. A second injection operation is performed into the composite cavity to over-mold the first layer to form the article. The core and cavity extension are separated from the second cavity to remove the article therefrom.

Abstract: A shooting pot actuator for an injection molding machine having two plates carrying pusher rods for pushing against injection plungers within the shooting pots. The plates are mounted outside the mold and the clamp unit, and the pushers extend through bores in the stationary platen of the clamp unit to reach the injection plungers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to stack mold linkages for creating unequal strokes for use in an injection molding machine for making different sized molded parts. The stack mold linkages comprise linkages for moving each of at least two mold assemblies between a mold closed position and a mold open position and for separating the mold halves forming the mold assemblies by unequal stroke lengths.

Abstract: The invention covers an injection molding apparatus and injection molding process. The apparatus has at least a first and second injection molding machine adjacent one another, with each machine including upper and lower mold elements operative to form molded products; and robot adjacent said injection molding machines operative to remove and replace at least a portion of one of said mold elements from a first of said injection molding machines while the second of said injection molding machines continues to form molded products.

Abstract: An injection molding machine of the present invention includes a first mold half having one of at least one mold cavity and at least one mold core and a rotatable turret block rotatable on an axis for rotating a plurality of movable mold halves thereof into alignment with the first mold half. Each of the movable mold halves include one of at least one mold cavity and at least one mold core matable with the first mold half for forming a mold for molding a molded article. The rotatable turret block is further for clamping the movable mold halves and the first mold half together. The machine further includes a mechanism for moving the rotatable turret block relative the first mold half a first injector for injecting melt into the at least one mold cavity.

Abstract: An injection molding machine of the present invention includes a first mold half having one of at least one mold cavity and at least one mold core and a rotatable turret block rotatable on an axis for rotating a plurality of movable mold halves thereof into alignment with the first mold half. Each of the movable mold halves include one of at least one mold cavity and at least one mold core matable with the first mold half for forming a mold for molding a molded article. The rotatable turret block is further for clamping the movable mold halves and the first mold half together. The machine further includes a mechanism for moving the rotatable turret block relative the first mold half, a first injector for injecting melt into the at least one mold cavity, to form an injected article and a second injector for injecting melt into the at least one mold cavity over the injected article to form an injected article having at least two layers.

Abstract: An injection molding machine of the present invention includes a first mold half having one of at least one mold cavity and at least one mold core and a rotatable turret block rotatable on an axis for rotating a plurality of movable mold halves thereof into alignment with the first mold half. Each of the movable mold halves include one of at least one mold cavity and at least one mold core matable with the first mold half for forming a mold for molding a molded article. The rotatable turret block is further for clamping the movable mold halves and the first mold half together. The machine further includes a mechanism for moving the rotatable turret block relative the first mold half a first injector for injecting melt into the at least one mold cavity.

Abstract: An injection molding machine of the present invention includes a first mold half having one of at least one mold cavity and at least one mold core and a rotatable turret block rotatable on an axis for rotating a plurality of movable mold halves thereof into alignment with the first mold half. Each of the movable mold halves include one of at least one mold cavity and at least one mold core matable with the first mold half for forming a mold for molding a molded article. The rotatable turret block is further for clamping the movable mold halves and the first mold half together. The machine further includes a mechanism for moving the rotatable turret block relative the first mold half a first injector for injecting melt into the at least one mold cavity.

Abstract: A vertical injection-molding machine with two overlappingly operating injection molds produces two sets of eight parisons each in staggered operating cycles. Each set of parisons is transferred by a respective carrier assembly, immediately upon the opening of the respective injection mold, into the vicinity of a blow-molding unit with eight cells in which the parisons are inflated into bottles during half an injection cycle. The transfer from the closely spaced injection cavities to the blow-molding unit is performed by several carriers moving over laterally diverging tracks whereby the parisons arrive at the blow-molding unit in pockets of these carriers already separated to the extent necessary for joint introduction into the eight-cell blow mold.