Granted Patent B2

US 9,944,005 · App. 14/552,722 · Granted Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

Claims (46)

1. A method for forming a container assembly having a lid, a container and a cooperative closure mechanism defined by the lid and the container, the method comprising:

providing a first lid form having an outer wall and at least one channel;

providing a flexible member having a flared end such that a width at the flared end is greater than the remainder of a biased portion of the flexible member, disposed in each of the at least one channel, wherein the flexible member is biased toward the outer wall;

creating a lid form cavity at least partially defined by an outward surface of the flexible member;

injecting at least one lid material substantially throughout the lid form cavity to form a lid;

retracting the first lid form from a forming position relative to the flexible member and the lid to an extraction position, wherein the flexible member is biased inward as the first lid form is retracted to separate the outward surface of the flexible member from a side wall of the lid; and

separating the lid from the flexible member.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of injecting the at least one lid material includes forming an inward protrusion within a recess defined by the outward surface of each flexible member, wherein the inward protrusion is disposed on an inward surface of the side wall of the lid.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first lid form includes a plurality of channels, wherein each of the plurality of channels is configured to receive a corresponding flexible member.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first lid form includes three channels.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flexible member is made of a tool grade steel.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lid form cavity is defined by the first lid form, each flexible member and a second lid form.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of separating the lid from the flexible member includes:

extending at least one expulsion member from an expulsion aperture defined within an upper surface of the first lid form; and

pushing the lid distal from the flexible member using the at least one expulsion member.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the steps of retracting the expulsion member, and

extending the first lid form from the extraction position to the forming position, wherein the flexible member is biased outward by and positioned within the corresponding at least one channel of the first lid form as the first lid form is moved into the forming position.

9. A method for forming a container assembly having a lid, a container and a cooperative closure mechanism defined by the lid and the container, the method comprising:

providing a form including an interior wall and at least one flexible member having a flared end such that a width at the flared end is greater than the remainder of a biased portion of the flexible member, biased toward the interior wall, the interior wall and the at least one flexible member at least partially defining a cavity of the form;

injecting at least one form material substantially throughout the cavity to form a container assembly part within the cavity; and

longitudinally retracting the interior wall relative to the at least one flexible member and the container assembly part from a forming position to an extraction position, wherein each of the at least one flexible member is biased inward toward the interior wall of the form and away from a side wall of the container assembly part; and

separating the container assembly part from the flexible member.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a recess is defined within each at least one flexible member, each recess further defining the cavity, and wherein the step of injecting the at least one form material includes forming an inward protrusion of the container assembly part within each recess, and wherein when the form is longitudinally retracted and the at least one flexible member is biased inward, the inward protrusion of the container assembly part is disengaged from the corresponding recess of each of the at least one flexible member.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the form includes a plurality of flexible members.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the form includes three flexible members.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one flexible member is made of a tool grade steel having an HRC of between about 52 to about 54.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cavity is defined by the interior wall, the at least one flexible member and an outer wall.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of separating the container assembly part from the at least one flexible member includes:

extending at least one expulsion member from an expulsion aperture defined within an upper surface of the form; and

pushing the container assembly part distal from the flexible member using the at least one expulsion member.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:

retracting the expulsion member; and

extending the interior wall from the extraction position to the forming position, wherein the at least one flexible member is biased outward by the interior wall as the interior wall is moved into the forming position.

17. A method of forming a container assembly having a lid, a container and a cooperative closure mechanism defined by the lid and the container, the method comprising:

providing a first lid form and three flexible members each having a flared end such that a width at the flared end is greater than the remainder of a biased portion of each of the three flexible members, coupled to and biased toward the first lid form, wherein the first lid form and the three flexible members are operable between a forming position defined by the first form member exerting a biasing force against the three flexible members, and an extraction position defined by the biasing force of the first form member being substantially removed from the three flexible members;

creating a lid form cavity at least partially defined by the first lid form and the three flexible members disposed in the forming position;

injecting at least one lid material substantially throughout the lid form cavity to form a lid;

disposing the first lid form and the three flexible members in the extraction position, wherein the first lid form is moved distal from the lid and the three flexible members are biased away from a side wall of the lid; and

separating the lid from the three flexible members.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein each of the three flexible members includes a corresponding recess, and wherein the step of injecting at least one lid material includes forming an inward protrusion within each recess.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the three flexible members are made of tool grade steel having an HRC of between about 52 to about 54.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of separating the lid from the three flexible members includes:

extending at least one expulsion member from an expulsion aperture defined within an upper surface of the first lid form;

pushing the lid distal from the three flexible members using the at least one expulsion member;

capturing the lid distal from the three flexible members and the first lid form retracting the at least one expulsion member; and

positioning the first lid form and the three flexible members in the forming position.

Assignments (9)