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The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Patent No.:

US 11618188 B1

PDFFull Text
Date of Patent:
Apr. 04, 2023

Filed:

Dec. 02, 2020

Automated manufacturing method and system and in-mold coated plastic article produced thereby

Applicant:

Global Ip Holdings, Llc, Sterling Heights, MI (US);

Inventors:

Christopher A. Heikkila, Washington Township, MI (US);

Steven A. Mitchell, Linden, MI (US);

Assignee:

Global IP Holdings, LLC, Sterling Heights, MI (US);

Attorney:

Brooks Kushman P.C.

Primary Examiner:

Jacob T Minskey

Assistant Examiner:

Adrien J Bernard

Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B29C 43/58 (2006.01); B32B 5/18 (2006.01); B32B 27/06 (2006.01); B32B 27/40 (2006.01); B32B 27/32 (2006.01); B29C 43/20 (2006.01); B29C 43/02 (2006.01); B32B 3/30 (2006.01); B29C 37/00 (2006.01); B29L 31/30 (2006.01); B29K 23/00 (2006.01); B29C 43/34 (2006.01); B29K 75/00 (2006.01); B29K 105/04 (2006.01); B29C 43/18 (2006.01); B29C 70/42 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B29C 43/58 (2013.01); B29C 37/0025 (2013.01); B29C 43/021 (2013.01); B29C 43/203 (2013.01); B32B 3/30 (2013.01); B32B 5/18 (2013.01); B32B 27/065 (2013.01); B32B 27/32 (2013.01); B32B 27/40 (2013.01); B29C 43/183 (2013.01); B29C 70/42 (2013.01); B29C 2043/3455 (2013.01); B29K 2023/12 (2013.01); B29K 2075/00 (2013.01); B29K 2105/04 (2013.01); B29L 2031/3041 (2013.01); B32B 2266/0278 (2013.01); B32B 2307/732 (2013.01); B32B 2605/003 (2013.01);
Abstract

An automated manufacturing method and system and in-mold coated plastic article produced thereby are provided. The system includes a compression mold and a plurality of program-controlled manipulators. An automatic sprayer supported on a first manipulator sprays at least a portion of a mold surface with an in-mold coating composition. An end effector supported on a second manipulator picks up a heated blank of moldable plastic sheet material from an oven and places the heated blank between upper and lower mold halves of the mold. An inner portion of the heated blank is forced into an article-defining cavity of the mold and into contact with at least a portion of the in-mold coating composition. The in-mold coating composition and the inner portion of the heated blank cure and bond to one another so as to form the coated plastic article.

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