Process and apparatus for making multi-component hollow article and article made thereby

US10513064B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Procter & Gamble Company · US

Inventors

• Mattthew Lloyd Newman · Cincinnati, US
• Uwe Jungnickel · Königstein, DE
• Benedikt Heil · Diez, DE
• Joerg Kotitschke · Idstein, DE
• Andreas Reuschenbach · Bad Soden, DE
• Andreas Bresselschmidt · Weiterstadt, DE
• Holger Schulz · Frankfurt, DE
• Jochen Ganninger · Eschborn, DE
• John Kit Carson · Monroe, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 19, 2013
• Grant date: Dec 24, 2019
• Expiry date: Dec 24, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B29L2031/425
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

An injection-molding process and an apparatus for making a multi-component hollow article, and the article made thereby. The process comprises molding, from a first plastic material, a hollow body having a wall with at least one vent therethrough and at least one flap molded in an area adjacent to the vent. The flap is molded in a first position in which the vent is open. The flap is hingedly movable from the first position to a second position in which the vent is closed by the flap. After the flap is folded into the second position, the hollow body, including the folded flap, is at least partially overmolded with a second plastic material, wherein the second material is essentially precluded from leaking into the hollow body through the vent. The apparatus comprises a first mold bar for molding a hollow body, a second mold bar for overmolding the hollow body with a second plastic material, and a closing tool for moving, and optionally retaining, the flap in the second position. The resulting article has no second material inside its hollow body.