Insert molding of a liquid-containing member, such as a level vail, and an article of manufacture formed thereby

Abstract

A liquid-containing member is insert molded into a body. The liquid-containing member may be in the form of a level vial, which can be insert molded in a mold cavity having a shape corresponding to a vial retainer or corresponding to a level. The mold cavity is defined by a pair of mold sections which are configured to form an opening in the body, and the level vial is positioned to extend across the areas of the mold sections defining the opening. The ends of the level vial extend into an area of the mold cavity adapted to receive moldable material, such that injection of moldable material into the mold cavity surrounds and encapsulates the ends of the level vial. The vial is thus mounted to the body by means of the moldable material surrounding and encapsulating the ends of the vial, to securely engage the vial with the body and to eliminate a previously-required assembly step of mounting a vial to a body such as a vial retainer or a level.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A tool, comprising a body having at least one opening, and a level vial defining a pair of spaced ends and extending across the opening, wherein the body is formed of a molded material and wherein the molded material of the body surrounds and encapsulates the ends of the level vial to maintain the level vial in position relative to the body.  
     
     
         2 . The tool of    claim 1   , wherein the body is formed to define a level having at least one gauging surface arrangement in a predetermined orientation relative to the level vial.  
     
     
         3 . The tool of    claim 2   , wherein the level defines a series of openings, and wherein a level vial extends across each of the openings and is maintained in position by molded material of the level surrounding and encapsulating the ends of each level vial.  
     
     
         4 . The tool of    claim 1   , wherein the body is formed by a molding process by which the material of the body is supplied in a flowable state to a cavity having a shape corresponding to the desired shape of the body, and wherein the level vial is placed into the cavity prior to the supply of the flowable material of the body to the cavity, whereby the flowable material when supplied to the cavity flows about end portions of the level vial.  
     
     
         5 . A composite level, comprising a frame having at least one opening, a vial having a pair of ends, each of which is engaged with the frame and extends across the opening, and molded material surrounding at least the portion of the frame adjacent the opening and the ends of the vial so as to maintain the vial in position relative to the frame.  
     
     
         6 . The composite level of    claim 5   , wherein the frame opening includes a pair of opposed notches, and wherein each vial end is engaged within one of the notches, wherein the notches are configured to position the vial in a predetermined orientation relative to the frame.  
     
     
         7 . The composite level of    claim 6   , wherein the frame includes at least one flange and a web within which the at least one opening is formed, and wherein the molded material overlies each of first and second side surfaces defined by the web, and wherein the molded material is formed at the web opening so as to define an opening in the molded material across which the vial extends.  
     
     
         8 . The composite level of    claim 7   , wherein the opening in the molded material is bounded by one or more edges located inwardly of one or more edges defined by the frame and which form the at least one opening in the frame.  
     
     
         9 . The composite level of    claim 8   , wherein the molded material is formed so as to define an expanded area at opposite sides of the opening in the molded material, wherein each expanded area overlies and encapsulates one of the vial ends and has a transverse dimension greater than that of the frame web and the molded material which overlies each of the first and second side surfaces defined by the web.  
     
     
         10 . The composite level of    claim 7   , wherein the frame defines at least one end, and wherein the molded material extends past the frame end to define an integrally molded end portion for the composite level.  
     
     
         11 . A vial mounting component for use in mounting a level vial to a level frame having an opening, comprising a vial retainer adapted for placement within the opening and formed of a moldable material, wherein the material of the vial retainer is molded about spaced ends defined by the vial so as to form a molded subassembly in which the vial and the vial retainer are molded together.  
     
     
         12 . The vial mounting component of    claim 11   , wherein the retainer defines a pair of interconnected spaced walls between which the level vial extends.  
     
     
         13 . The vial mounting component of    claim 12   , wherein the retainer comprises an integrally molded member including a protrusion associated with each of the spaced walls, wherein each protrusion surrounds and encapsulates an end portion of the level vial.  
     
     
         14 . The vial mounting component of    claim 13   , wherein each protrusion extends outwardly from an outer surface defined by one of the spaced walls, and wherein the spaced walls define the edges of an open area across which the level vial extends.  
     
     
         15 . The vial mounting component of    claim 13   , wherein the vial retainer is formed by injection molding a flowable material into a cavity defined by a pair of mold sections, and wherein the vial is inserted into the mold cavity prior to injection of the flowable material into the mold cavity such that the vial is insert molded with the flowable material to form the vial mounting component.  
     
     
         16 . The vial mounting component of    claim 12   , wherein the vial retainer is configured such that a pair of vial retainers are matingly engageable with each other to form a closed vial retaining subassembly adapted for engagement within an opening defined in the level frame to mount a pair of vials to the level frame.  
     
     
         17 . An article of manufacture, comprising a molded body defining an opening, and a liquid-filled member insert molded along with the body and including a portion which extends into the opening.  
     
     
         18 . The article of    claim 17   , wherein the molded body defines an opening bounded by a pair of spaced edges, and wherein the liquid-filled member spans across the opening and defines a pair of spaced end portions, wherein each end portion is molded into the body at one of the spaced edges of the opening.  
     
     
         19 . The article of    claim 18   , wherein the liquid-filled member comprises a level vial in the form of a closed cylindrical member defining an internal cavity partially filled with liquid.  
     
     
         20 . The article of    claim 19   , wherein the body comprises a level defining at least one gauging surface and a web within which the opening is formed and across which the level vial extends in a predetermined orientation relative to the gauging surface.  
     
     
         21 . The article of    claim 18   , wherein the body comprises a vial mounting member separate from and adapted for engagement with a level frame.  
     
     
         22 . A method of forming a molded member, comprising the steps of: 
 positioning a liquid-containing member within a mold cavity, and injecting moldable material into the mold cavity, wherein the moldable material surrounds at least a portion of the liquid-containing member.    
     
     
         23 . The method of    claim 22   , wherein the mold cavity is formed by a pair of mold sections, wherein the mold sections include structure for forming an opening in the molded member and located between a pair of mold cavity areas adapted to receive the moldable material, wherein the liquid-containing member extends across the structure of the mold sections for forming an opening in the molded member and into the pair of mold cavity areas adapted to receive the moldable material, whereby injection of moldable material into the pair of mold cavity areas is operable to maintain the liquid-containing member in position relative to the molded member.  
     
     
         24 . The method of    claim 23   , wherein the liquid-containing member defines a first end portion which extends into a first one of the pair of mold cavity areas, and a second end portion extending into a second one of the pair of mold cavity areas, wherein injection of the moldable material into the first and second mold cavity areas functions to surround and encapsulate the first and second end portions of the liquid-containing member with moldable material.  
     
     
         25 . The method of    claim 24   , wherein the liquid-containing member comprises a level vial in the form of a closed cylindrical member defining an internal cavity partially filled with liquid.  
     
     
         26 . The method of    claim 25   , further comprising the step of engaging a level frame with the mold sections prior to injecting the moldable material into the mold cavity wherein the level frame includes notches for receiving the end portions of the level vial, and wherein the mold cavity is configured so as to locate moldable material about the level frame at the notches and about the end portions of the level vial.  
     
     
         27 . The method of    claim 25   , wherein the mold cavity is configured to form a level having one or more openings and at least one gauging surface, wherein a level vial extends across each opening.  
     
     
         28 . The method of    claim 25   , wherein the mold cavity is configured to form a vial mounting component adapted for engagement with a level frame.  
     
     
         29 . A method of forming a composite body, comprising providing forming tooling defining a mold cavity and configured to form an opening in the body, positioning a liquid-containing member within the forming tooling so as to extend across the portion of the tooling adapted to form the opening, and injecting moldable material into the mold cavity to form the body, wherein the moldable material surrounds spaced ends defined by the liquid-containing member so as to maintain the liquid-containing member in position relative to the body, wherein the forming tooling functions to provide an opening in the body across which the liquid-containing member extends.