Patent ID: 9399312
Filing Date: 2016-07-26
CPC Classification: B29C,B29L,F01C,F04B,F04C,F05C

Claim Text:
1. A method of making a net molded plastic pump housing having a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port, and a pressure relief valve port, each in flow communication with a pump cavity, the method comprising the steps of: providing a first mold having has an interior surface topography configured to correspond in negative to exterior topographies of a first portion of the housing and to correspond in negative to topography associated with the fluid inlet port, the fluid outlet port, and the relief valve port of the housing; providing a second mold having an interior surface topography configured to correspond in negative to exterior topographies of a second portion of the housing; providing a first core having an exterior shape configured to correspond in negative to interior topographies of a proximate portion of the cavity of the housing; providing at least a second core having an exterior shape configured to correspond in negative to interior topographies of a distal portion of the cavity of the housing; and providing a cross-tube insert having a hollow, generally cylindrical shape; wherein the first and second molds and the first and second cores are configured such that none of the fluid inlet port, the fluid outlet port, or the pressure relief valve port of the housing produced using the molds and cores have any intersecting geometry, wherein the first and second molds are assembled facing one another with the first and second cores positioned adjacent one another in an end-to-end relationship within the mold and the cross-tube insert disposed adjacent the first mold topography associated with the fluid inlet port and the relief valve port of the housing, after which plastic is introduced, wherein after the plastic cures, the molds are pulled opposite one another and the cores are pulled opposite one another and substantially perpendicular to the pull of the molds to yield the net shape molded housing, and wherein the cross-tube insert provides flow communication between the fluid inlet port and the relief valve port of the molded housing.