APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING AN INJECTION MOLDED FRAME HAVING A PANEL INSERT

摘要

Tooling for forming an article which includes an injection molded peripheral frame defining an opening closed by a panel insert. The panel insert is struck from sheet material and together with an associated punch or carrier cooperates with a split mold to completely define the cavity for injection molding of the article. Inasmuch as the panel insert is heat bondable to the injection molded frame and forms a portion of the walls of the cavity, it is automatically bonded to the injection molded frame. The panel insert may be peelable from the frame and include a pull tab for effecting the same. The pull tab may be formed by the same punch which cuts out the panel insert, or the pull tab may be separately formed from sheet material adjacent an intended position of a panel insert and folded into overlying relation to the intended position of the panel insert and staked to the sheet material, after which the panel insert is cut from the sheet material by a punch. The pull tab is initially connected to the sheet material along an elongated fold line, after which not all of the pull tab connected to the sheet material is removed by the punch so as to define a centrally located pull tab which is aligned with the projecting part of the punch to effect a completely sealed mold cavity utilizing the panel insert with a previously formed and folded over pull tab staked thereto.