US 12,076,907 B2
Molding system and method for manufacturing modular interlocking articles
B. Everett Hendrickson, Los Angeles, CA (US); Timothy Carlson, Arlington, VA (US); Craig Severn, Sharon (CA); Ottmar Brandau, Wasaga Beach (CA); and Michael Frederick, Santa Monica, CA (US)
Assigned to Friendship Products, LLC, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by Friendship Products LLC, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Jul. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/374,538.
Application 17/374,538 is a division of application No. 14/777,210, abandoned, previously published as PCT/US2014/030905, filed on Mar. 17, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/852,044, filed on Mar. 15, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2021/0394423 A1, Dec. 23, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B29C 49/54 (2006.01); B29B 11/14 (2006.01); B29C 33/30 (2006.01); B29C 33/42 (2006.01); B29C 33/44 (2006.01); B29C 33/48 (2006.01); B29C 49/06 (2006.01); B29C 49/12 (2006.01); B29C 49/48 (2006.01); B29C 49/64 (2006.01); B29C 49/70 (2006.01); B65D 1/02 (2006.01); B65D 1/40 (2006.01); B65D 21/02 (2006.01); B29K 67/00 (2006.01); B29K 105/00 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 49/54 (2013.01) [B29C 33/42 (2013.01); B29C 33/44 (2013.01); B29C 49/4802 (2013.01); B29C 49/541 (2013.01); B29C 49/70 (2013.01); B65D 1/0223 (2013.01); B65D 1/40 (2013.01); B65D 21/0204 (2013.01); B29B 11/14 (2013.01); B29C 33/30 (2013.01); B29C 33/48 (2013.01); B29C 49/06 (2013.01); B29C 49/12 (2013.01); B29C 2049/4882 (2013.01); B29C 2049/4887 (2013.01); B29C 2049/4894 (2013.01); B29C 2049/543 (2013.01); B29C 2049/546 (2013.01); B29C 49/6427 (2013.01); B29C 49/6463 (2013.01); B29C 2949/0723 (2022.05); B29C 2949/0724 (2022.05); B29C 2949/078 (2022.05); B29C 2949/20 (2022.05); B29K 2067/003 (2013.01); B29K 2105/258 (2013.01); B29L 2031/7158 (2013.01); B29L 2031/727 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for forming a molded article, comprising:
providing a cup mold with an undercut on a vertical wall;
providing a top end mold assembly;
placing a preform in a mold cavity created by the cup mold and the top end mold assembly;
blowing air into the preform to form the molded article within the mold cavity;
removing trapped air in the mold cavity through vent relief channels placed in various positions around the cup mold that extend from an interior of the mold cavity to ambient atmosphere; and
demolding the molded article using countercuts around the top end mold assembly and moving top end mold sections of the top end mold assembly away from each other and by removing the molded article vertically from the cup mold;
wherein the countercuts are formed by locating a vertical parting line between the top end mold sections of the top end mold assembly at the exact center of two opposing tongues, and above a horizontal mold line between the cup mold and the top end mold assembly.