Electra Form, Inc.

Stephen A Bright

Linton H Erdmann

Philip L Brun

Timothy L Bright

Anthony F Newport

Jeffrey L Patrick

Daniel A Hartman

Terry A Shroder

Larry A Beres

Jerry A Brackney

David C Hockaday

Lipton H Erdmann

Mark C Bercot

Tennis ball container

A cooling assembly includes a base and at least one body having at least one opening, each opening including an inner surface. An insert is situated within each opening, each insert having an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer surface of each insert confronts a corresponding body inner surface to define a volume. At least one connection is provided between the volume and a source of fluid coolant for filling the volume with the fluid coolant. The insert includes at least one surface which moves to conform at least in part to the outer surface of a molded article whereby heat transfer occurs between the molded article and the fluid coolant across the insert.

Variable dimension cooling chamber

Apparatus for injection molding plastic articles includes a first mold base, a plurality of mold cavity units fixed to the first mold base, a second mold base, and a plurality of mold core units fixed to the second mold base in alignment with the mold cavity units fixed to the first mold base, the mold bases being reciprocally movable longitudinally with respect to each other, and a stripper plate, situated between the first and second mold bases and movable with respect to the second mold base, carrying a plurality of pairs of secondary mold elements, the secondary mold elements cooperating with the mold cavity-units and mold core units to define the surface of the plastic articles. Additional apparatus for cooling the molded plastic articles includes a support fixed to a surface of the first mold base confronting the second mold base, a plurality of article receiving tubes mounted for movement on the support between a first position aligned with the mold core units and a second position laterally spaced from the first position, a plurality of nozzles are fixed to the second mold base in alignment with the second position and are adapted to direct cooling fluid on plastic articles held by the receiving tubes when the first and second mold bases are positioned adjacent to each other.

Parison molding and cooling apparatus

A preform for use in the production of a container in a blow-molding operation includes an inner parison molded in a first mold to include a finish portion including a mouth-defining opening, a threaded outer surface adapted to engage a container closure, and a lower margin including a support ring, a closed bottom portion including a gate vestige, and a barrel portion extending between the finish portion lower margin and the bottom portion, and an outer parison molded in a second mold and consisting essentially of a barrel portion having a length similar to the inner parison barrel portion and a bottom portion including an opening for receiving the inner parison gate vestige, the outer parison having an inner surface conformably matching the inner parison outer surface. The outer parison is mechanically telescopically assembled over the inner parison outside the first and second molds to form a layered preform, the preform optionally including an intermediate layer. The layered preform can also include a handle including a ring portion having an inner diameter similar to the inner parison barrel portion outer diameter, and a gripping portion projecting outward from the ring portion, the handle ring portion being positioned between the outer parison barrel portion and the inner parison finish portion.

Method for forming a layered preform and container

A closure is intended for use on a container having an opening defined by a rim portion and a finish including a ledge situated below the rim portion. The closure includes a central body portion sized to cover the container opening and a peripheral portion adapted to contact the rim portion of the container. A plurality of tabs are unitarily fixed to the peripheral portion, each tab including a tang adapted to engage the ledge of the container finish. Each tab also includes a thinned, stressed portion between the tang and the rim portion which is reactive to an application of heat to cause shortening of the tab length. The thinned portion also acts as a hinge to permit flexural displacement of the tab with respect to the body portion. The closure when applied to a container is completed by a band which encompasses the tabs, the band also being reactive to an application of heat to cause contraction of the band to insure continued engagement between the ledge and tangs. The application of heat to the band is preferably simultaneous with the application of the heat to the tabs thereby causing a secure hermetic seal to occur between the container rim and the peripheral portion of the closure.

Molded container closure

An apparatus for manufacturing a recyclable container includes a mechanism for holding a reusable shell, fitting a liner preform over the reusable shell, and blow forming the liner preform within the reusable shell to provide a disposable liner for the reusable shell. The disposable liner is removable to permit recycling of the reusable shell. In a preferred embodiment, the mechanism is an integrated injection mold and stretch blow mold machine that both creates the liner preform and blow forms the liner into reusable shell.

Apparatus for forming a recyclable lined container

Layered preform

A base stand for use with a plastic bottle having a hemispherical bottom includes a thin-wall cylindrical sheath portion and a thin toroidal-shaped base portion having a lowermost rim defining a seating ring. The sheath portion engages the side wall of the bottle and the toroidal-shaped base wall contacts and supports the bottle hemispherical bottom. The base stand is formed by bringing organic plastic material to orientation temperature and drawing the heated plastic material over a conical mandril to form a thin-wall tube. The resulting thin-wall tube is pressed against a forming plate to roll one end of the thin-wall tube in on itself to form a toroid.

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Troy, OH, United States of America

Stephen A Bright