US 12,226,939 B2
Method of producing injection molded articles
Saumitra Bhargava, Clarksville, MD (US); Ryan Bubb, Simpsonville, SC (US); and Marty Schillinger, Simpsonville, SC (US)
Assigned to ALLTRISTA PLASTICS, LLC, Greer, SC (US)
Filed by Alltrista Plastics, LLC, Greer, SC (US)
Filed on Aug. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/392,132.
Prior Publication US 2023/0045578 A1, Feb. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B29C 45/13 (2006.01); A61B 17/06 (2006.01); B29C 45/00 (2006.01); B29C 45/16 (2006.01); B29C 45/18 (2006.01); B29C 45/76 (2006.01); B29C 45/78 (2006.01); B29C 65/08 (2006.01); B29C 45/26 (2006.01); B29K 23/00 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 45/13 (2013.01) [A61B 17/06133 (2013.01); B29C 45/0001 (2013.01); B29C 45/1866 (2013.01); B29C 45/7613 (2013.01); B29C 45/78 (2013.01); B29C 65/08 (2013.01); B29C 2045/135 (2013.01); B29C 2045/2685 (2013.01); B29C 2945/76531 (2013.01); B29C 2945/76558 (2013.01); B29K 2023/065 (2013.01); B29L 2031/712 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for producing a molded article, the method comprising:
supplying a first plasticizing unit with a first material and supplying a second plasticizing unit with a second material, wherein the first plasticizing unit and second plasticizing unit are located on a common frame;
plasticizing the first material in the first plasticizing unit to produce a first molten material and plasticizing the second material in the second plasticizing unit to produce a second molten material;
supplying the first molten material to a first mold having a first plurality of cavities and supplying the second molten material to a second mold having a second plurality of cavities, wherein the first mold and the second mold are located on the common frame;
molding the first molten material in the first plurality of cavities to produce a first plurality of injection molded parts, and molding the second molten material in the second plurality of cavities to produce a second plurality of injection molded parts which are different from the first plurality of injection molded parts; and
assembling the molded article from one part from the first plurality of injection molded parts and one part from the second plurality of injection molded parts,
wherein the first plasticizing unit and the first mold are configured using a first plurality of process parameters corresponding to the first plurality of injection molded parts and wherein the second plasticizing unit and the second mold are configured using a second plurality of process parameters corresponding to the second plurality of injection molded parts, such that each molded part in the first plurality of molded parts and each molded part in the second plurality of molded parts has a thickness with a coefficient of variance of 0.05 or less, and/or has a part-to-part weight variance of less than 1%.