An injection molded article includes: (a) an article first portion having internal threading extending helically about an article axis, the threading configured to be formed by a thread mold in a mold core; and (b) an article second portion spaced radially apart from the article first portion and connected to the article first portion by a connection portion. The article second portion has at least one ejection-assist rib configured to be formed by at least one rib mold feature in the mold core. The ejection-assist rib defines a helical slide surface extending helically about the article axis. During an initial unscrewing rotation of the molded article relative to the mold core, the rib mold feature of the mold core bears against the slide surface of the ejection-assist rib to urge the article second portion axially away from the mold core during ejection of the molded article from the mold core.

An injection-molding method for manufacturing a sleeve (1) comprising a cylindroconical body comprising at least one deformable bellows portion (2) arranged in line with a base (3), by means of tooling comprising a mold (8) formed of at least two portions (81, 82) defining a mold cavity and a core that can be inserted into the mold cavity, and comprising a first cylindroconical portion (11) provided externally with a helical thread that is complementary to a helical thread of the mold (8) and a second portion (15) that is complementary to a recessed portion of the mold (8), said method comprises a step of filling the mold spaces left free between the core and the inside of the mold cavity (9), a step of opening the mold (8) during which, or at the end of which, the second portion (15) of the core is moved axially in a direction parallel to the winding axis (XX′) of the threads of the helical thread going away from the first portion (11) of the core, and a step of driving relative turning movement of the sleeve (1) and of the first part (11) of the core.

A threaded mold decoupling system comprises a set of unscrewing assemblies, each unscrewing assembly disposed in proximity to a corresponding threaded core of a set of threaded cores and having an unscrewing element defining an unscrewing element circumference and a driving element disposed in operative communication with an unscrewing assembly of the at least one set of unscrewing assemblies. The driving element defines a driving element circumference, a ratio of the driving element circumference to the unscrewing element circumference defining a number of rotations of each unscrewing element relative to a number of rotations of the driving element. The driving element is configured to rotate each unscrewing element in a first direction between a first position and a second position to decouple each threaded core from a corresponding molded article and in a second direction between the second position and the first position to reset each unscrewing assembly.

A tool for driving a threaded fastener includes a driver head, a motor, and an injector. The driver head includes a spindle rotatable about an axis. A distal end of the spindle defines a plurality of drive surfaces configured to engage mating drive surfaces on the fastener to rotate the fastener about the axis. The driver head defines a fluid passage having an outlet proximate to the distal end of the spindle. The motor is drivingly coupled to the spindle to rotate the spindle about the axis. The injector is coupled to an inlet of the fluid passage and configured to feed a liquid insulator through the fluid passage.

A mold apparatus for producing a molded article by injection molding includes (a) a base plate for mounting to a platen of an injection molding machine; and (b) a core plate movably coupled to the base plate and axially translatable relative to the base plate between a plate advanced position and a plate retracted position. A method of resetting the core plate includes energizing a mechanical actuator in a retraction direction to exert a retraction force against the core plate and axially translate the core plate relative to a base plate from the plate advanced (molded part ejection) position to a plate retracted (mold injection) position; and then, prior to applying clamping tonnage, relieving the retraction force to axially unload the mechanical actuator, wherein the actuator is isolated from axial force exerted across the mold during application of the clamping tonnage.

An apparatus and process for molding workpieces usable for consumer products. The workpieces may be injection molded with a cavity formed by a core pin and have an undercut, such as internal threads, in the cavity. The apparatus has a drive system with a stripper plate mounted for alternatingly forward and retracting axial movement. The stripper plate is axially driven and drives a stripper sleeve barrel cam and a core pin base barrel cam, each having respective cam followers. The respective motions of the cam followers are superimposed on a stripper sleeve insert, which drives a core pin sleeve. The core pin sleeve is subjected to responsive three dimensional motion, allowing an internally threaded workpiece to be unscrewed from the core pin sleeve. The system does not require separate drives for the core pin sleeve, a single stripper plate drive being sufficient.

A mold apparatus for producing a molded article by injection molding includes (a) a base plate for mounting to a platen of an injection molding machine; (b) a core plate movably coupled to the base plate and axially translatable relative to the base plate between a plate advanced position and a plate retracted position; (c) a lead screw rotatably supported by, and axially fixed relative to, the base plate; and (d) a lead nut coupled to the lead screw and rotationally fixed relative to the core plate. The lead nut is translatable in response to rotation of the lead screw between a first and a second abutment surface fixed relative to the core plate. The lead nut alternately bears against the first abutment surface for moving the core plate to the plate advanced position and the second abutment surface for moving the core plate to the plate retracted position.

A threaded mold decoupling system includes at least one unscrewing assembly configured to remove a molded article a threaded core of an injection mold, an elevator assembly, and a driving element disposed in operative communication with the at least one unscrewing assembly and with the elevator assembly. The driving element is configured to actuate the at least one unscrewing assembly to rotate a molded article about a longitudinal axis of the threaded core and actuate the elevator assembly to linearly translate the molded article along the longitudinal axis of the threaded core.

A tool for driving a threaded fastener includes a driver head, a motor, and an injector. The driver head includes a spindle rotatable about an axis. A distal end of the spindle defines a plurality of drive surfaces configured to engage mating drive surfaces on the fastener to rotate the fastener about the axis. The driver head defines a fluid passage having an outlet proximate to the distal end of the spindle. The motor is drivingly coupled to the spindle to rotate the spindle about the axis. The injector is coupled to an inlet of the fluid passage and configured to feed a liquid insulator through the fluid passage.

A molding system for assembling a part by moving a workpiece gripped by a hand of a robot toward a mold of an injection molding machine, while rotating a molded article supported on the mold and the workpiece relative to each other, whereby the molded article and the workpiece are screw-engaged. The molding system includes a rotation detector for detecting a rotational amount between the molded article and the workpiece, an assembled state judging unit for judging if the assembled part is in a predetermined state, and a control unit for relatively rotating and displacing the molded article and the workpiece until the rotational amount exceeds a predetermined rotational amount and the assembled state becomes the predetermined state.