Patent ID: 6090339
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
A process for blow molding a hollow plastic product having a first wall and a second wall with an intersection therebetween, comprising:introducing a hollow elongated parison of plastic material between a pair of opened sections of a blow mold, at least one of the mold sections configured to move along a linear direction of travel toward the other of the mold sections to engage therewith and form a mold cavity including at least one narrow section extending in the direction of travel, the narrow section having a width less than about twice a wall thickness of the parison;moving the at least one of the mold sections toward the other of the mold sections and into engagement about the parison to thereby close the mold and shear a double-wall section of the parison into the narrow section to form a flange on the product; andproviding a predetermined pressure to an interior of the parison to thereby expand the parison against internal surfaces of the mold cavity to form the remainder of the product wherein the flange has a substantially constant width and runs along the first wall a distance greater than the length the flange protrudes outward from the first wall and further wherein the reinforcing flange runs curvilinearly along the intersection of the first and second walls.