Patent ID: 8870563

Claim:
A plasticizing system for plasticizing a solidified-resin particle, the plasticizing system, comprising: a housing assembly providing: (i) a melt channel configured to receive the solidified-resin particle, and (ii) opposite-facing surfaces provided by: a wall of the melt channel of the housing assembly, and an outer wall of a stationary assembly located inside the melt channel of the housing assembly, the opposite-facing surfaces configured to contact, in use and at part, opposite sides of the solidified resin particle, and spaced apart from each other, and defining, at least in part, a convergence channel configured to receive the solidified-resin particle, the opposite-facing surfaces and the convergence channel forming part of the melt channel; a mesh assembly positioned in the melt channel, the mesh assembly extending between the opposite-facing surfaces; and a plunger assembly movable, at least in part, relative to the opposite-facing surfaces the plunger assembly, configured to move, at least in part, the solidified-resin particle relative to the opposite-facing surfaces along, at least in part, the convergence channel, and in response to relative movement between the solidified-resin particle and the opposite-facing surfaces, the solidified-resin particle receives, in use, a plasticization-inducing effect from the opposite-facing surfaces, and the plasticization-inducing effect is configured to plasticize the solidified-resin particle into a flowable melt injected into a mold assembly.