US 12,409,620 B1
Die assembly and method of forming a vinyl record
Thomas William Barr, Shelby Township, MI (US)
Assigned to TK MOLD & ENGINEERING, INC., Bruce Township, MI (US)
Filed by TK Mold & Engineering, Inc., Bruce Township, MI (US)
Filed on Jun. 1, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/204,440.
Int. Cl. B29D 17/00 (2006.01); B29C 33/02 (2006.01); B29C 33/30 (2006.01); B29L 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29D 17/002 (2013.01) [B29C 33/02 (2013.01); B29C 33/305 (2013.01); B29L 2017/003 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A die assembly, comprising:
a base circular-shaped plate having a primary surface and an outer ring-shaped gasket groove extending from the primary surface into the base circular-shaped plate, an inner O-ring groove extending from the primary surface into the base circular-shaped plate, and a plurality of concentric grooves extending from the primary surface into the base circular-shaped plate and being disposed between the outer ring-shaped gasket groove and the inner O-ring groove, the base circular-shaped plate having an inlet aperture extending from an outer peripheral surface thereof into the base circular-shaped plate to a central region of the base circular-shaped plate, the inlet aperture communicating with a first vertical aperture that extends from an end of the inlet aperture and through the primary surface, the base circular-shaped plate having an outlet aperture extending from the outer peripheral surface into the base circular-shaped plate, the outlet aperture communicating with a second vertical aperture that extends from an end of the outlet aperture and through the primary surface;
a contacting circular-shaped plate configured to be coupled to the base circular-shaped plate, the contacting circular-shaped plate having an engagement surface and a plurality of concentric channels extending from the engagement surface into the contacting circular-shaped plate such that a plurality of concentric finger portions is formed on the contacting circular-shaped plate, each concentric finger portion being disposed between two concentric channels of the plurality of concentric channels, the contacting circular-shaped plate having a plurality of radial passages fluidly interconnecting the plurality of concentric channels, the contacting circular-shaped plate, when coupled with the base circular-shaped plate, is disposed on the base circular-shaped plate such that each of the plurality of concentric finger portions contact the base circular-shaped plate and each is partially received by and disposed within respective one of the plurality of concentric grooves of the base circular-shaped plate, the inlet aperture fluidly communicating with the plurality of concentric channels, the outlet aperture fluidly communicating with the plurality of concentric channels, and a flow path being formed by and through the inlet aperture, the first vertical aperture, the plurality of concentric channels, the plurality of radial passages, the second vertical aperture, and the outlet aperture;
an outer ring-shaped gasket that, when the contacting circular-shaped plate is coupled with the base circular-shaped plate, is disposed in the outer ring-shaped gasket groove of the base circular-shaped plate and contact the contacting circular-shaped plate, wherein the outer ring-shaped gasket groove is configured to have a depth greater than a depth of each of the plurality of concentric grooves of the base circular-shaped plate; and
an O-ring that, when the contacting circular-shaped plate is coupled with the base circular-shaped plate, is disposed in the inner O-ring groove of the base circular-shaped plate and contact the contacting circular-shaped plate.