PROCESS FOR INJECTION MOLDING ARCUATELY-SHAPED HOLLOW ARTICLES

摘要

A process for injection molding arcuately-shaped hollow articles is disclosed. The process includes the steps of positioning a stack mold into an injection molding machine. The stack mold has first, second and third mold blocks with the first mold block positioned between the second and third mold blocks. Each of the mold blocks has a plurality of cavities formed therein. The cavities formed in the first mold block are designed to mate with the cavities formed in the second and third mold blocks when the stack mold is closed to form a plurality of arcuately-shaped cavities. The stack mold further contains a pair of slide carriers movably connected to each of the second and third mold blocks and a plurality of inner cores secured to each of the slide carriers. The stack mold is closed by first moving both of the pairs of slide carriers such that each of the inner cores is positioned within one of the arcuately-shaped cavities to form a hollow interior in each of the molded articles. The first and second mold blocks are then moved against the third mold block. Molten material is introduced into the arcuately-shaped cavities and is allowed to solidify. The stack mold is opened by moving the first and second movable blocks away from the third mold block and then moving both of the pairs of slide carriers outward to remove the inner cores from the arcuately-shaped cavities. The injection molded articles are then removed from the stack mold.