Blow molded case with retaining structure and system for creating same

Abstract

A method and apparatus for blow molding a case for housing an object, such as a tool, is disclosed generally comprising first and second mold portions located adjacent each other to create separate cavities for forming base and lid portions of a case. The second mold surface includes a protuberance for creating a protrusion on an outer wall of the case during blow molding, which serves to restrain the movement of an object that is received in a hole in the corresponding inner wall of the case. In certain embodiments, the protrusion corresponds to at least part of the outline of the object or an aperture in the object. In some embodiments, the protrusion is positioned to engage an edge of the object to prevent movement.

1 . An apparatus for creating a blow-molded case for housing an object, comprising: 
 a mold comprising first and second mold portions that, when located adjacent each other, at least partially define first and second cavities having first and second cavity surfaces, respectively, against which first and second parts of a blow molded case are blown during blow molding, respectively;    wherein said first mold portion has a first mold surface against which inner walls of the first and second parts of the blow molded case are blown;    wherein said second mold portion has a second mold surface against which outer walls of the first and second parts of the blow molded case are blown;    wherein said second mold surface includes a protuberance extending into said first cavity, around which the outer wall of the first part of the blow-molded case is formed during blow molding to create at least one protrusion extending from the outer wall toward the inner wall of the first part of the blow molded case; and    a punch having a punching surface, wherein, when said punch is in an unactivated position, the first cavity surface includes at least part of the first mold surface and at least part of said punch and, when said punch is in an activated position, at least part of said punch is extended past the inner wall of the first part of the blow-molded case and inside said first cavity such that a hole is created in the inner wall of the first part of the blow-molded case.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of said protuberance corresponds to at least part of the outline of the object.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the outline of the object is the outline of a tool.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of said protuberance corresponds to the outline of an aperture in the object.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said protuberance is located at a position in said second mold surface such that the corresponding protrusion formed therearound is positioned to engage an edge of the object to prevent movement of the object within the case.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the position of said protuberance corresponds to at least one of a length and a width of the object.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of the punching surface of said punch corresponds to at least part of the outline of the object, such that the first hole created in the first wall of the blow-molded case corresponds to at least part of the outline of the object.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the blow-molded case comprises a base portion formed in said first cavity and a lid portion formed in said second cavity.  
     
     
         9 . A method for creating a blow-molded case for housing an object, the method comprising: 
 providing a first mold portion having a first mold surface;    providing a second mold portion having a second mold surface with at least one protuberance;    moving the first mold portion adjacent to the second mold portion, thereby at least partially enclosing first and second cavities having first and second cavity surfaces, respectively;    blowing a first wall of the blow-molded case against the first cavity surface, thereby creating a first case portion comprising an inner wall and an outer wall having a protrusion extending towards the inner wall;    blowing a second wall of the blow-molded case against the second cavity surface, thereby creating a second case portion comprising an inner wall and an outer wall; and    creating a hole in the inner wall of the first case portion.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of providing a punch, wherein the step of creating a hole comprises extending at least part of the punch through the inner wall of the first case portion and into the first cavity.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the punch includes a punching surface, at least part of which corresponds to at least part of the outline of the object, such that the hole corresponds to at least part of the outline of the object.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the outer surface of the protuberance corresponds to at least part of the outline of the object.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the outline of the object is the outline of a tool.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the outer surface of the protuberance corresponds to the outline of an aperture in the object.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the protuberance is located at a position in the second mold surface such that the corresponding protrusion formed therearound is positioned to engage an edge of the object to prevent movement of the object within the case.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the position of the protuberance corresponds to at least one of a length and a width of the object.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of creating a first case portion comprises creating a base portion and the step of creating a second case portion comprises creating a lid portion.  
     
     
         18 . A blow-molded case for housing an object, comprising: 
 a double wall base portion having an inner wall and an outer wall; and    a double wall lid portion connected to said base portion, said lid portion having an inner wall and an outer wall;    wherein the inner wall of at least one of said portions has a hole for receiving the object; and    wherein the outer wall of the at least one portion having the hole in the inner wall thereof includes a protrusion for engaging the object extending toward the inner wall having the hole therein.    
     
     
         19 . The case of  claim 18 , wherein the outer surface of said protrusion corresponds to at least part of the outline of the object.  
     
     
         20 . The case of  claim 19 , wherein the outline of the object is the outline of a tool.  
     
     
         21 . The case of  claim 18 , wherein the outer surface of said protrusion corresponds to the outline of an aperture in the object.  
     
     
         22 . The case of  claim 18 , wherein said protrusion is positioned to engage an edge of the object to prevent movement of the object within the case.  
     
     
         23 . The case of  claim 22 , wherein the position of said protrusion corresponds to at least one of a length and a width of the object.  
     
     
         24 . The case of  claim 18 , wherein the hole is a punched hole.  
     
     
         25 . The case of  claim 24 , wherein the hole corresponds to at least part of the outline of the object.  
     
     
         26 . The case of  claim 18 , wherein said lid portion is integrally formed with said base portion.