IP Library Patent Application 14605528
Patent Application
App. No. 14/605,528

Undercut Process

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
14/605,528
Abstract

A process of injection molding an item with an undercut. The process comprises injecting thermoplastic material into a mold, where the mold comprises a first half and a second half, where the first half has an undercut, and where the second half is offset at the undercut such that a thick area of thermoplastic is formed at the undercut, where the thick area of thermoplastic is thicker than adjacent areas of thermoplastic; cooling the thermoplastic until the thermoplastic is set everywhere except the thick area and the thick area has set edges and a molten core; removing the thermoplastic from the mold; allowing the thick area of thermoplastic to deform as it is removed from the mold such that it may be removed from the undercut; and allowing the thick area to return to its molded shape after being removed from the mold

Claims (9)

1 . A process of manufacturing an item comprising:

injecting thermoplastic material into a mold, where the mold comprises a first half and a second half, where the first half has an undercut, and where the second half is offset at the undercut such that a thick area of thermoplastic is formed at the undercut, where the thick area of thermoplastic is thicker than adjacent areas of thermoplastic;

cooling the thermoplastic until the thermoplastic is set everywhere except the thick area and the thick area has set edges and a molten core;

removing the thermoplastic from the mold;

allowing the thick area of thermoplastic to deform as it is removed from the mold such that it may be removed from the undercut; and

allowing the thick area to return to its molded shape after being removed from the mold.

2 . The process of claim 1 where the item is an animal amusement device comprising an open-topped continuous track, said track having an arcuate transverse cross-section and a ball movable around said track.

3 . The process of claim 2 where the track has an outer wall with a top lip and where the thick area is located along the top lip of the outer wall of the track, such that the outer wall angles inward at the top lip.

4 . The process of claim 1 where the mold has only the first half and the second half and no additional component touching the thick area.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2015
From: BERGAN, LLC
To: COASTAL PET PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 035147/0939 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2015
From: DIXON, KIRK; PRICE, DAVID
To: BERGAN, LLC
Reel/Frame 034813/0972 →