Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Kenneth A Longstreet

Randy J Sayers

Kelly E Washburn

Pierre Tremblay

Timothy P Coffield

A method of packaging a molded elastomeric material includes the steps of (a) molding an elastomeric product; (b) orienting the elastomeric product by stretching or compressing the elastomeric product; (c) retaining the elastomeric product in an at least partially stretched or partially compressed configuration by mounting or securing the elastomeric product to a shunt; and (d) releasing the product from the shunt, whereby the product is capable of shrinking or expanding to its final position after it is removed from the shunt.

Oriented package combination for a molded elastomeric product

An apparatus and method for molding a component onto a stretched blank. The apparatus includes a stretching assembly mounted adjacent to a first mold part. The stretching assembly includes a plurality of clamp assemblies that grasp the peripheral edge of the blank and a plurality of slide assemblies that move the clamp assemblies away from one another to apply a stretch to the fabric. The apparatus further includes a press for closing a second mold part onto the first mold part while the fabric is held in a stretched condition by the stretching assembly. In one embodiment, the stretching assembly may include a float plate that is movable with respect to the first mold part between a stretch position and a mold position. The apparatus may include a robot with tooling for moving the fabric onto the stretching assembly. The tooling may include a plurality of shot pins that push the fabric off of the tooling onto corresponding fabric pins in the stretching machine.

Apparatus and method for molding onto a stretched blank

An apparatus and method for molding a component onto a stretched blank. The apparatus includes a stretching assembly mounted adjacent to a first mold part. The stretching assembly includes a plurality of clamp assemblies that grasp the peripheral edge of the blank and a plurality of slide assemblies that move the clamp assemblies away from one another to apply a stretch to the fabric. The apparatus further includes a press for closing a second mold part onto the first mold part while the fabric is held in a stretched condition by the stretching assembly. In one embodiment, the stretching assembly may include a float plate that is movable with respect to the first mold part between a stretch position and a mold position. The apparatus may include a robot with tooling for moving the fabric onto the stretching assembly. The tooling may include a plurality of shot pins that push the fabric off of the tooling onto corresponding fabric pins in the stretching machine. In one embodiment, the apparatus include a stretch measuring device adapted to measure the stretch applied to the fabric.

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Grant, MI, United States of America

Kenneth A Longstreet