Abstract: In a method of making plastic articles with embossed pattern, a plastic material is injection-molded in a cavity of a clamping unit of an injection molding machine to form an injection-molded plastic article. A pattern is embossed from a foil strip onto a previously injection-molded plastic article to form a finished plastic product with embossed pattern, whereby the embossing step is decoupled from the injection molding step and carried out separately from a clamping step of the clamping unit.

Abstract: A closing unit for an injection molding machine for making several injection molded articles in one working cycle includes a fixed mold portion and a movable mold portion which is movable by a drive mechanism in a direction of the fixed mold portion. The fixed and movable mold portions bound a mold cavity, when the movable mold portion is forced by the drive mechanism against the fixed mold portion and held in place in a clamped position by a clamping force applied by the drive mechanism. A separator assembly subdivides the mold cavity into at least two distinct cavity zones, with each cavity zone including sub-cavities. Injection molding material is supplied through a single sprue via separate feed channels to the cavity zones, wherein a valve assembly is disposed in the sprue to control the supply of injection molding material to the cavity zones via the feed channels in time-staggered manner, when the mold portions assume their clamped position.

Abstract: In a method of making plastic articles with embossed pattern, a plastic material is injection-molded in a cavity of a clamping unit of an injection molding machine to form an injection-molded plastic article. A pattern is embossed from a foil strip onto a previously injection-molded plastic article to form a finished plastic product with embossed pattern, whereby the embossing step is decoupled from the injection molding step and carried out separately from a clamping step of the clamping unit.