Patent ID: 6305563
Filing Date: 2001-10-23
Classification: B29C,B29L,B65D

Abstract:
A closure having a unitary construction of components which include a body, a lid, and a hinge connecting the body to the lid, said closure including (1) a skin material substantially surrounding a core material in said body, (2) only said skin material in said lid, and (3) only said skin material in said hinge so that said hinge skin material is bonded to said body skin material at an interface between said body and hinge, said closure made by the process comprising the steps of:(A) providing a closed, single mold having a cavity that defines the configuration of the closure components with the lid open and that has a first region defining the configuration of at least a portion of said body, a second region defining the configuration of said lid and at least a portion of said hinge, and a third region joining said mold cavity first and second regions;(B) injecting a flowable skin material from a supply of said flowable skin material through a first gate into said mold cavity first region while closing off communication through said mold cavity third region between said mold cavity first and second regions;(C) during at least a portion of step (B), co-injecting a flowable core material through said first gate along with said skin material to fill said mold cavity first region with said core material substantially surrounded by said skin material so that substantially all surfaces of said core material are in contact with said skin material and so that said core and skin materials are substantially non-destructively inseparable;(D) after step (C), terminating the flow of at least said core material;(E) establishing communication between said mold cavity first and second regions through said mold cavity third region;(F) opening a second gate communicating directly between said supply of said flowable skin material and one of said mold cavity second and third regions;(G) injecting said skin material from said supply of flowable skin material through said second gate to fill said mold cavity second and third regions;(H) terminating the injection of said skin material after said mold cavity second and third regions are filled with said skin material and allowing said skin material in a portion of said mold cavity third region to bond to said skin material in said mold cavity first region at an interface between said mold cavity first and third regions; and(I) opening said mold cavity to release the molded closure.