Granted Patent B2

US 7,153,127 · App. 10/439,061 · Granted Dec 26, 2006

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. A mold system for blow molding hollow plastic containers, which includes:

an extruder for providing a hollow tube of plastic material having a longitudinal axis,

a plurality of at least three mold segments, at least two of which are movable against a third mold segment, in directions perpendicular to said axis, between a closed position in which said mold segments form a hollow mold cavity in which the tube is captured and an open position spaced from said axis, and

a blow pin on one of said mold segments to pierce the tube in the closed position of said mold segments,

wherein at least one of said mold segments comprises a mold core movably mounted on a second of said mold segments, and wherein said system further includes a means for moving said at least one mold core between an extended position and a retracted position with respect to said second mold segment, said means comprising a pair of cylinders on said second mold segment on opposite sides of said mold core, and a bridge plate extending between said cylinders, said mold core being operatively coupled to said bridge plate on said second mold segment.

2. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein said blow pin is movably mounted on said one mold segment.

3. The system set forth in claim 2 wherein said blow pin includes a cylinder on said one mold segment, a piston movable within said cylinder, said blow pin being mounted on said piston, and passages in said one mold segment for feeding fluid to said cylinder to extend and retract said blow pin with respect to said one mold segment.

4. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein said blow pin is stationarily mounted on said one mold segment.

5. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein said blow pin is mounted on said mold core.

6. The system set forth in claim 5 wherein said blow pin includes a cylinder on said mold core, a piston movable within said cylinder, said blow pin being mounted on said piston, and passages in said mold core for feeding fluid to said cylinder to extend and retract said blow pin with respect to said mold core.

7. A mold system for blow molding hollow plastic containers, which includes:

a first mold segment,

a second mold segment movable with respect to the first mold segment between a closed position against said first mold segment forming a mold cavity and an open position spaced from said first mold segment,

a third mold segment comprising a mold core mounted on said first mold segment for movement between an extended position extending into said mold cavity and a retracted position withdrawn from said mold cavity,

an extruder for extruding a hollow tube of plastic material between said first and second mold segments in said open position of said mold segments, and

a blow pin on one of said mold segments for piercing the extruded tube and blowing the tube to the confines of said mold cavity formed by said first and second mold segments in said closed position and said mold core in said extended position,

wherein the blow pin forms a blow pin hole when the blow pin pierces the extruded tube, and the blow pin hole forms a drainback opening in the container.

8. The system set forth in claim 7 wherein said blow pin is stationarily mounted on one of said mold segments.

9. The system set forth in claim 7 wherein said blow pin is movably mounted on one of said mold segments.

10. The system set forth in claim 9 wherein said blow pin is movable on said mold core between a retracted position and an extended position in which said pin pierces the tube.

11. The system set forth in claim 9 wherein said mold core is mounted on said first mold segment for movement in a direction perpendicular to an axis of said tube.

12. A mold system for molding a hollow plastic container having an outlet portion and an axis through the outlet portion, comprising:

a mold having mold segments that form a mold cavity having a portion for forming the outlet portion of the container and a mold axis parallel to the axis of the outlet portion of the container,

an extruder for extruding between said mold segments a tube of plastic material having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to said mold axis,

means for closing said mold segments to capture said extruded tube between said mold segments,

a blow pin on one of said mold segments and extendable into said cavity through said outlet-forming portion of said cavity,

means for blowing said captured extended tube through said blow pin to the confines of said cavity,

at least one mold core on one of said mold segments and on which said blow pin is movably mounted, said mold core being extendable and retractable in a direction parallel said axis of said mold cavity, and

means for extending said mold core into said cavity to form the outlet portion in the container, and retracting said mold core and said blow pin from said cavity to release the outlet portion in the container as molded.

13. The system set forth in claim 12 wherein said means comprise at least one cylinder mounted on said second mold segment and operatively coupled to said mold core.

14. The system set forth in claim 13 wherein said blow pin is mounted on said mold core.

Assignments (9)