Patent ID: 6123893
Filing Date: 2000-09-26
Classification: A45C,B29C,B29L,G09F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for forming a double-walled thermoplastic article having a molded-in insert, the double-walled article having an outer wall and an inner wall, said method comprising the steps of:providing a polymeric insert comprising a plurality of spaced apart visible portions that define an outer surface and a plurality of runner sections between the visible portions which are recessed from the insert outer surface;providing a mold comprising a pair of mating mold halves, a first of said mold halves including a cavity portion having a first insert section, and a second of said mold halves including a core portion having a second insert section;positioning the insert within the first insert section of the cavity portion of the first mold half so that the insert outer surface contacts the first insert section and so that the recessed portions are spaced away from the first insert section;lowering a molten thermoplastic parison between the mold halves;closing the mold halves to capture a portion of the parison therebetween so that the core portion of the second mold half extends within the cavity portion of the first mold half; andinflating the parison to force the parison to contact the core and cavity portions of the mold halves such that the thermoplastic flows into the space between the runner sections and the first insert section so that the runner sections of the insert are embedded within the inflated parison and the plurality of insert visible portions are exposed upon removal of the double-walled article from the mold;wherein the cavity and core portions of the first and second mold halves and the parison are configured so that, after said inflating step, the inner and outer walls of the article are at least partially contiguous.