Patent ID: 7931847

Claim:
An injection molding device for molding a part having a nonuniform thickness, the injection molding device comprising: one or more side walls; a first mold surface intersecting the one or more side walls and being stationary with respect to the one or more side walls; and a second mold surface intersecting the one or more side walls so as to define with the one or more side walls and the first mold surface, a closed cavity configured to receive a metered amount of injected molten thermoplastic material, the second mold surface being moveable toward the first mold surface via linear motion during a first molding phase and via rotational motion during a second molding phase, wherein the linear motion comprises the second mold surface moving linearly toward the first mold surface in such a manner that a first end of the second mold surface moves a same physical travel distance as does a second end of the second mold surface while maintaining the closed cavity, and wherein the rotational motion comprises the second mold surface moving toward the first mold surface in such a manner that the first end of the second mold surface moves a larger physical travel distance toward the first mold surface than does the second end of the second mold surface while maintaining the closed cavity when molding the thermoplastic material.