R&d Tool & Engineering Co.

R&d Tools & Engineering Co.

Randal L Fields

David A Brunson

Bruce A Wardlow

Brian R Lefebure

James R Baldwin

Vladimir Feldman

Michael D Whitney

An injection blow molding (IBM) system and method for forming a plurality of parisons and molded articles. The IBM system includes an injection station having upper and lower die sets and a plurality of upper and lower mold half blocks each attached to a respective die set. Each of the upper mold half blocks has a corresponding lower mold half block with which it cooperatively defines one or more cavities for forming the exterior shape of the body of one or more of the parisons. The individual, independent attachment of the mold half blocks to the die sets allows easy individual replacement of faulty or worn mold blocks. Further, such an independent attachment configuration also permits the mold half blocks of each die set to be spaced from one another, so as to reduce thermal expansion problems and ease dimensional tolerances required for the width of the mold half blocks.

Injection blow molding system with enhanced parison mold configuration

An injection blow molding (IBM) system and method for consistently maintaining the surface temperature of the parison molds within a desired range. Implementation of this system/method can result in more consistent production of higher quality parisons and molded articles. Additionally, this system/method reduces the discretion required by the IBM operator and shifts the burden of consistently making high-quality parisons and molded articles onto the designer of the IBM tooling.

Injection blow molding system with enhanced parison temperature control

An injection blow molding (IBM) system and method for forming a plurality of parisons and molded articles. The IBM system includes an injection station having two die sets, two body mold halves, and two neck mold halves. Each of the neck mold halves is attached directly to one of the die sets. The neck mold halves are configured to cooperatively form the exterior shape of the necks of one or more parisons. This type of neck mold attachment configuration can allow for better temperature control of the neck portion of the parison being molded therein. Further, such a neck mold configuration can reduce the cost of fabricating, installing, and/or replacing the neck molds.

Injection blow molding system with enhanced parison neck mold configuration

An injection blow molding (IBM) system and method for forming a plurality of parisons and molded articles. The IBM system includes an injection station having two die sets and a plurality of first and second body mold halves each attached to a respective die set. Each of the first body mold halves has a corresponding second body mold half with which it cooperatively defines a cavity for forming the exterior shape of the body of one of the parisons. The individual, independent attachment of the body mold halves to the die sets allows easy individual replacement of faulty or worn molds. Further, such an attachment configuration also permits the body mold halves connected to a common die set to be spaced from one another, so as to reduce thermal expansion problems and ease dimensional tolerances required for the width of the body mold halves.

Injection blow molding system with enhanced parison body mold configuration

An injection blow molding (IBM) system and method for controlling the surface temperature of the parison molds by passing heat transfer fluid through a plurality of fluidly-coupled heat transfer channels. The heat transfer channels can be formed primarily in die sets to which the parison molds are attached. The placement and distribution of the heat transfer channels relative to the parison-forming surfaces helps control the temperatures of the bodies and necks of the parisons being formed, instead of relying on various adjustments by an IBM operator. This system/method reduces the discretion required by the IBM operator and shifts the burden of consistently making high-quality parisons and molded articles onto the designer of the IBM tooling.

Injection blow molding system with enhanced heat transfer channel configuration

An injection blow molding (IBM) system and method for forming a plurality of parisons and molded articles. The IBM system includes an injection station having two die sets and two mold half assemblies. Each of the mold assemblies is attached to one of the die sets. The mold half assemblies are configured to cooperatively form the exterior shape of the necks of a plurality of parisons. Heat transfer channels formed in both the die sets and the mold half assemblies are fluidly connected with each other, such that a heat transfer fluid can be routed to the mold half assemblies via the die sets.

Injection blow molding system with enhanced supply of heat transfer fluid to parison molds

Quick change blow mold tooling includes a pair of mold cavity blocks that cooperate to define a series of blow cavities. The tooling further includes a pushup plate having a series of bottom contours that plug the otherwise open bottoms of the cavities when the pushup plate is against the bottom of the mold blocks. Each mold block is quickly attached to and detached from its supporting back plate using studs that fit into receiving holes on the back plate and cam locking shafts that are accessible from opposite side edges of the back plates. The back plates thus remain secured to platens of the bottle forming machine during change out of the tooling. Similarly, the push up plate has a pair of locking studs projecting from the underside thereof that are received within socket members attached to the machine. The socket members are provided with quick release threaded couplers that can be locked and unlocked by hand.

Quick change blow mold tooling

The vertically reciprocable eject head at the finished article eject station of a molding machine has a row of cylindrical eject cores that project downwardly from the head during operation. From time-to-time, the eject cores must be replaced with a different set of cores having a different spacing and number. A universal mounting plate forming part of the quick change apparatus of the eject head has an elongated through slot extending longitudinally along the length of the universal plate that receives the eject cores but does not establish their position. One or more adaptor plates detachably fastened to the bottom side of the universal plate has a row of holes therein that register with the receiving slot of the mounting plate so as to establish the number and location of eject cores that can be carried by the eject head.

Growing community of inventors

Greenwood, MO, United States of America

Randal L Fields