Patent ID: 6146579
Filing Date: 2000-11-14
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
A process for producing a hollow molded article of thermoplastic resin comprising:(a) providing a mold assembly comprising a mold including a first mold half and a second mold half wherein each mold half has a mold surface which can define a cavity with a mold surface of another mold half, at least one mold half has a resin-supply path which opens to the mold surface through a resin-supply opening, at least one mold half has a resin-ejection path which opens to its mold surface through a resin-ejection opening, at least one mold half has a gas path which opens to its mold surface through a gas-introduction opening and, at least one mold half has at least one suction opening that opens to its mold surface through a respective at least one suction path;(b) supplying a resin being in a molten state to between the mold surfaces through the resin-supply opening to fill the cavity with the resin;(c) cooling the resin to solidify at least a part of its surface and form a solidified surface layer;(d) holding on and contacting to the mold surface at least a part of the surface of the solidified layer by suction through said at least one mold half in which said at least one suction path is provided;(e) during the holding on and contacting, ejecting at least a part of a portion of the resin through the resin-ejection opening by sucking wherein the portion of the resin has not solidified yet;(f) introducing gas into the resin through the gas-introduction opening to form a hollow in the resin such that gas provided to form the hollow in the resin is not discharged with the resin being ejected through the resin-ejection path; and(g) cooling the resin in the cavity to solidify it and form the hollow molded article.