A drinking straw has an elongated body with a longitudinal flow channel. The user end of the body is closed and rounded for safety. A pair of lateral channels open onto the body adjacent the user end and provide fluid communication to the flow channel. The straw is injection molded, and a mold is provided which accommodates thermal expansion of a rod forming the flow channel. A pair of opposed cavity inserts form the lateral channels. To reduce bending stresses on the rod upon removal of the cavity inserts, one cavity insert is formed longer to the other. This longer cavity insert is removed prior to opening of the mold plates, and as such the straw and rod are supported against bending during this removal.

The invention relates to a method for producing a syringe with an integrated closure element, which method comprises the following method steps: a) making available an injection moulding tool which comprises a first, a second and a third tool portion, wherein the first tool portion has a mould cavity open at both sides and extending along an axial direction (X), and wherein the second tool portion has a first injection moulding core and the third tool portion has a second injection moulding core; b) closing the injection moulding tool such that the first tool portion contacts the second and third tool portion, and the first and second injection moulding core each enter the mould cavity of the first tool portion through an opening and finally contact each other, as a result of which these tool portions form a first structural cavity; c) injecting a first plastic material into the first structural cavity, as a result of which a hollow cylindrical syringe body is formed with an end region at its distal end, wherein the end region has an attachment element, provided with an inner thread, and a hollow cylindrical endpiece which is at least partially bounded by the attachment element; d) cooling the tool portions, as a result of which the syringe body cools and hardens; e) bringing the first tool portion into contact with a fourth tool portion provided with a mould cavity closed at one end, as a result of which a second structural cavity is formed at the distal end of the syringe body; f) injecting a second plastic material into the second structural cavity, as a result of which the closure element is integrally formed on the attachment element, wherein the first and the second plastic material do not enter into a cohesive connection.

According to the present invention there is provided a preform suitable for subsequent blow molding, and a mold stock for producing the preform. The preform comprises a base having an elliptical inner face with a first flat circular bottom portion, and an elliptical outer face with a second flat circular bottom portion. The first and second flat circular bottom portions each have a center on a vertical center axis of the preform and a radius of equal size. The mold stack comprises a core insert comprising a first cavity defining portion with a gate defining portion, and a gate insert comprising a second cavity defining portion. The gate defining portion has a first elliptical curvature with a first flat circular bottom portion, and the second cavity defining portion has a second elliptical curvature with a second flat circular bottom portion. The first and second flat circular bottom portions each have a center on a vertical axis of the mold stack and a radius of equal size.

A control valve includes a housing, a valve body arranged in a valve chamber of the housing, and a support portion slidably supporting an outer surface of the valve body in the valve chamber. The valve body is slidable on the support portion between an open position at which an outlet port is open and a closed position at which a seat surface of the valve body closes the outlet port. The valve body includes a skin layer forming the outer surface of the valve body, and a core layer under the skin layer. The outer surface of the valve body, other than the seat surface and a slidable area, includes a core exposed portion where the core layer is exposed without being covered with the skin layer.

A cartridge for a medium to be dispensed includes a head part having a dispensing outlet and a film forming a cartridge wall, with the film bounding a cartridge chamber for the medium to be dispensed, extending at least partially in a longitudinal direction of the cartridge and having a front end that is connected to the head part. The head part has a collar, the collar surrounding the dispensing outlet in a radially outer region of the head part and extending in the longitudinal direction. The front end of the film is sealingly and non-releasably connected to the collar of the head part. The collar of the head part has an inner surface extending in the longitudinal direction and includes at least one projection projecting radially inwardly.

A molding apparatus includes a mold comprising a stationary outer mold with a substantially tubular mold cavity, a moveable end mold with an end mold cavity alignable with the tubular mold cavity, and a stationary elongated mold core with a fluid channel therethrough, the mold core extending through the tubular cavity into the end mold cavity. A method of using the apparatus includes injecting a molding material at a material flow rate into the mold, moving the end mold at a speed in a linear direction from a first position to a second position, supplying a fluid at a fluid flow rate to the fluid channel, and varying at least one of the material flow rate, the end mold speed and the fluid flow rate as the end mold moves from the first position to the second position.

A process is provided for making a walled structure using an injection molding apparatus. The apparatus has a molding space formed between a mold cavity and an inner core disposed within the mold cavity. The molding space defines a shape of the structure. The process includes injecting molding material into the molding space, moving or retaining a portion of a movable impression member protruding from the inner core within a portion of the molding space so as to create a recess within an inner wall of the structure, and retracting the impression member into the inner core such that the impression member is cleared from the molding space. Precision control in forming the impression member is provided by a closed-loop configuration using a sensor that measures a molding space parameter (e.g., temperature), optionally in combination with a servo drive for activating the impression member.

The invention relates to a system for manufacturing polymer parts, comprising: a material-injection portion, a mould movable between at least one open position and a closed position, the mould comprising an outer mould portion, wherein the injection portion is suitable for injecting material into the closed mould so as to form at least one part when the injection portion is connected to the closed mould, and wherein the system is suitable for moving the injection portion relative to the mould after injection, the outer portion being kept in contact with the part formed by injection in order to cool the part during the movement of the injection portion.

A method of manufacturing an optical obturator includes providing an injection mold including a mold cavity defining an outer surface of the optical obturator and a core pin centrally positioned within the mold cavity. The core pin defines an inner surface of the optical obturator. In particular, the core pin may be cantilevered to the injection mold. The method further includes injecting a first material between the core pin and the mold cavity to form the tubular shaft and injecting a second material between a distal portion of the core pin and a distal portion of the mold cavity to form the optical tip.

Improved apparatus for use with medication in fluid form, which is particularly beneficial for medications having a relatively high viscosity, and method(s) of manufacturing and/or method(s) of using same. The disclosed syringe adapter has an opening that is relatively large, as compared to a conventional needle, and thus affixing the disclosed syringe adapter to a syringe improves syringeability of higher-viscosity medications. In some embodiments, the syringe adapter will be replaced with a needle prior to injecting the medication, while in some other embodiments, the needle is affixed to the in-place syringe adapter for the injection. In yet other embodiments, the needle is affixed to a needle holder that, in turn, is affixed to the in-place syringe adapter for the injection.