FAUCET SPOUT AND OTHER FAUCET COMPONENTS HAVING AN INJECTION MOLDED PLASTIC INSERT

摘要

A faucet spout or other component has a metal housing with a plastic liner in an opening in the housing. The faucet component is made by first molding a plastic insert having an elongated body and an opening extending through the elongated body from a first end to a second end. The plastic insert is secured inside of a metal mold. The metal mold is heated (or cooled) to a temperature below the melting temperature of the molded plastic and molten metal is poured in the mold. The molded melting temperature of the plastic is high enough and the metal mold temperature is low enough so that the insert does not melt during the metal molding process.

主权项

1. A method for manufacturing a faucet component comprising:
molding a plastic insert having an elongated body and an opening extending through the elongated body from a first end to a second end, the plastic having a plastic melting temperature after the plastic insert is molded; establishing a metal mold to a temperature below the plastic melting temperature and sufficient to reduce the curing time of molten metal to less than five seconds; securing the plastic insert in the heated metal mold; and molding a housing in the metal mold by pouring molten metal into the metal mold, the housing being made of a metal having a metal melting temperature higher than the temperature of the metal mold and the plastic melting temperature, wherein the plastic melting temperature is high enough and the metal mold temperature is low enough so that the plastic is not melted by the molten metal.