Deep grip mechanism within blow mold hanger and related methods and bottles

Abstract

Mold hanger for supporting a bottle mold in a molding station, the mold hanger comprising a piston and piston sleeve fully contained within the mold hanger configured to push a moveable insert into the mold. Also disclosed is a method of retrofitting an original rotatable blow molding module having multiple existing blow molding stations, each existing mold hanger defining an existing outer envelope. The disclosed method may include providing an improved mold hanger substantially contained within the respective existing outer envelope and including low-profile drive mechanisms configured opposably to drive moveable inserts into the mold. Further disclosed is a method of manufacturing a blow molded bottle with a deep pinch grip, the method including providing within a mold hanger a drive mechanism to drive a moveable insert into the mold. A bottle made by such methods is also disclosed.

1 . A method of retrofitting an original rotatable blow molding module having multiple existing blow molding stations affixed to the rotatable blow molding module, each existing blow molding station having an existing mold hanger for supporting and encasing a mold for a bottle, each existing mold hanger defining an existing outer envelope, the method comprising:
 providing in each blow molding station an improved mold hanger, the improved mold hanger substantially contained within the respective existing outer envelope and configured to support and encase a mold for blow molding a bottle from plastic; and   providing in each improved mold hanger a pair of low-profile drive mechanisms configured to opposably drive a respective pair of moveable inserts at least one half inch into a cavity of the mold while the plastic is molten.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a fluid pressure source in fluid communication with the drive mechanisms. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid pressure source is configured to provide hydraulic pressure. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid pressure source is configured to provide pneumatic pressure. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid pressure source comprises a low profile, high pressure, canister. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein providing a fluid pressure source comprises securing a low profile, high pressure, canister in each blow molding station below the respective mold in fluid communication with the respective drive mechanisms. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein providing the fluid pressure source comprises redirecting fluid pressure pre-existing on each existing blow molding station. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing an improved mold hanger comprises replacing the existing mold hanger. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing an improved mold hanger comprises reusing the existing mold hanger in altered form. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each improved mold hanger laterally extends beyond the respective existing outer envelope by a cumulative total of less than 66 millimeters. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each improved mold hanger laterally extends beyond the respective existing outer envelope by a cumulative total of less than 41 millimeters. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each improved mold hanger laterally extends beyond the respective existing outer envelope by a cumulative total of less than 26 millimeters. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each improved mold hanger does not extend laterally beyond the respective existing outer envelope. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a slotted cam. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the drive mechanism comprises a piston. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the piston has a cross-sectional area larger than a cross-sectional area of the moveable insert. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism is configured to drive the moveable insert within an insert pocket in the mold. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the original rotatable blow molding module before the retrofitting has less than about 66 millimeters clearance between respective existing blow molding stations in operation. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the moveable insert is configured to move at least about one half inch into an interior cavity inside the mold. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable blow molding module is a ten-station Sidel-type GUPM wheel. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable blow molding module is a sixteen-station Sidel-type GUPM wheel. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the original rotatable blow molding module before the retrofitting has no moveable mold inserts.