Patent ID: 6409498
Filing Date: 2002-06-25
Classification: B29C,B29L,Y10S

Abstract:
Apparatus for molding a plastic cap having a top wall and a depending skirt having a plurality of inwardly and upwardly extending tabs integral with the lower edge of the skirt and a plurality of radially inwardly extending ribs integral with the inner wall surface of the skirt, comprising a fixed platen assembly, a core secured to said fixed platen assembly, a movable platen assembly spaced from said fixed platen assembly, a female mold having a cup-shaped cavity mounted in said movable platen assembly, said cup-shaped cavity being connected to a supply of flowable plastic material, a movable plate assembly and a fixed plate assembly positioned between the fixed and movable platens, said core extending through the movable and fixed plate assemblies into the cup-shaped cavity of said female mold, a plurality of longitudinally extending blades slidably mounted on the outer surface of said core, a first end of each of said blades being secured to said movable plate assembly, a second end of each of said blades extending into the female mold, recesses provided in the second end of each of said blades, said recesses having configurations corresponding to the inclined tabs and radially inwardly extending ribs on the cap, said core and blades being spaced inwardly from the wall of said cavity to provide a gap for receiving the flow of plastic material therein to form the cap, a drive member secured to said fixed plate assembly, a rotatable driven member mounted on said movable plate assembly, said rotatable driven member being operatively connected to said drive member, said driven member having an end portion engaging the lower peripheral edge of the molded cap skirt in the female mold, means for moving the movable plate assembly relative to the fixed plate assembly, whereby the drive member on the fixed plate assembly causes the driven member on the movable plate assembly to rotate, to thereby rotate the molded cap relative to the second end of each of said blades for moving the cap tabs and ribs away from the blade recesses prior to stripping the finished cap from the apparatus.