Container with injection-molded feature and tool for forming container
View Patent ↗A container has a base panel, at least one side panel extending upwardly from the base panel, and at least one end panel extending upwardly from the base panel. At least one corner is formed at a junction between the side panel and end panel. A flange extends laterally outward from the upper edges of at least one of the side panel, end panel, and corner. An injection-molded structure extends along at least a portion of the flange, the injection-molded structure includes a base portion adjacent the upper edges of the side wall and the end wall, a distal portion extending laterally outward from the base portion, and an indentation in the distal portion extending along at least a portion of the flange of the container. An apparatus for forming the container and a method of manufacturing are also disclosed.
1. An apparatus for at least partially forming a container from a blank, the container having a flange extending around a top of the container, the apparatus comprising:
a female mold that includes a cavity for at least partially receiving the blank;
a male mold operatively associated with the female mold, the male mold being operable to move within the cavity to least partially form the blank into the container;
an injection cavity respectively formed between cooperating surfaces of the female mold and the male mold, the injection cavity being for receiving material for forming an injection-molded structure extending along at least a portion of the flange; and
a protrusion on at least one of the cooperating surfaces of the female mold and the male mold, the protrusion being for positioning the flange prior to forming the injection-molded structure, wherein the injection cavity comprises an advanced-flow section and a delayed-flow section around the protrusion.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one cooperating surface includes a first shoulder including a laterally outer portion of the surface and a second shoulder including a laterally inner portion of the surface, the protrusion being formed on the first shoulder.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the protrusion is formed on the female mold for positioning the flange against the cooperating surface of the male mold when the blank is formed into the container.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first shoulder is spaced apart from the cooperating surface of the male mold a smaller distance than the second shoulder.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the advanced-flow section is arranged between the second shoulder and the cooperating surface of the male mold and the delayed-flow section is arranged between the first shoulder and the cooperating surface of the male mold.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the protrusion divides the delayed-flow section of the tool into a first portion adjacent the advanced-flow section and a second portion adjacent a lateral edge of the flange.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the advanced-flow section has a greater cross-sectional area than the delayed-flow section.
8. A method of manufacturing a container, the method comprising:
closing a blank in a forming tool so that the blank is formed into a container that is at least partially contained in the closed forming tool, wherein the forming tool comprises a female mold that includes a cavity and a male mold operatively associate with the female mold, the female mold and the male mold having respectively opposed cooperating surfaces that respectively form an injection cavity, at least one of the cooperating surfaces has a protrusion, and the closing of the blank in the forming tool comprises
engaging a first part of the male mold against a portion of the blank,
thereafter using at least the first part of the male mold to at least partially force the portion of the blank into the cavity of the female mold to partially form the container,
closing the forming tool to form a flange of the container,
engaging the flange with the protrusion to force the flange against one of the cooperating surfaces, the closing of the forming tool forming an injection cavity between the cooperating surfaces, wherein the injection cavity comprises an advanced-flow section and a delayed-flow section around the protrusion, and
forming an injection-molded structure by introducing injection-molded material into the injection cavity.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein forming the injection-molded structure comprises flowing material into the advanced-flow section and thereafter flowing material into the delayed flow section.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the protrusion is in the delayed-flow section of the cavity and forming the injection-molded structure comprises forming an indentation in the injection molded structure, the indentation corresponding with the location of the protrusion in the cavity.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the advanced-flow section has a greater cross-sectional area than a cross-sectional area of the delayed flow section.
12. The method of claim 9 wherein engaging the flange with the protrusion seals the flange against the cooperating surface to substantially prevent the flow of injecting material between the cooperating surface of the male mold and the flange.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the flowing of material into the advanced-flow section assists in sealing the flange against the cooperating surface of the male mold.
14. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the injection cavity is defined by an end wall for forming a lateral edge of the injection-molded feature, the second portion of the delayed-flow section being between the protrusion and the end wall.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein the protrusion divides the delayed-flow section of the tool into a first portion adjacent the advanced-flow section and a second portion, the injection cavity is defined by an end wall and the protrusion is spaced apart from the end wall, the forming the injection-molded structure comprises forming a lateral edge of the injection molded structure at the end wall.