Timothy Barrett Howell

US Patent:

20040195729, Oct 7, 2004

Filed:

Sep 9, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/237922

Inventors:

Timothy Howell - Rochester Hills MI, US
Robert Rowley - Lowell MI, US
John Murphy - Imlay City MI, US

International Classification:

B29C045/00

US Classification:

264/328600, 425/568000

Abstract:

A mold for use in a reaction injection molding method and system to make a reinforced polymeric article having reduced surface defects includes a novel gating system. The mold includes a pair of mold sections which define a closed, article-forming cavity, an injection aperture, and an after-mixer which helps to form a plurality of flow paths which extend downstream from the injection aperture toward the article-forming cavity to further mix a curable, multi-component, reaction fluid mixture including a filler. The flow paths are also at least partially defined by an elongated film gate and an elongated runner which extends along and is in fluid communication with the film gate along substantially the entire length of the film gate. The runner has a closed end and an open end into which a fluid mixture for the article flows for distribution by the runner into the film gate.