Method for injection molding a sealed connector assembly

Claim 1

A method for molding a housing member for a sealed electrical connector, the housing member having an insulated body including a first relatively rigid portion and a second relatively flexible portion joined along a common interfacial surface, the method comprising the steps of: selecting a thermoplastic material having a melting temperature of T 1 ; selecting a thermoset material having a curing temperature of T 2 , wherein T 2 is less than T 1 ; selecting a mold apparatus defining a first mold cavity, a portion of said first cavity being defined by an inner face of a selected mold portion in a first position, said selected portion being retractable to at least a second position to define at least a second, larger mold cavity while the mold apparatus remains closed, said mold apparatus remaining closed continuously during said retracting of said selected portion; injecting said thermoplastic material into said first mold cavity; cooling said injected thermoplastic material to a temperature lower than T 1 and higher than T 2 thereby forming a solid first body portion, while maintaining a mold temperature at a level lower than T 1 and higher than T 2 ; moving said selected mold portion while maintaining said mold apparatus closed, to form said at least second mold cavity adjacent said first mold cavity, said second mold cavity being at least partially defined by at least a section of a surface of the first body portion; and injecting said selected thermoset material into said at least second cavity, said thermoset material being injected at a temperature below said curing temperature T 2 ; whereby heat is transmitted across said common interfacial surface from said first body portion to said thermoset material adjacent thereto, facilitating rapid curing, in cooperation with heat transmitted to other portions of said thermoset material from the mold surfaces without opening said mold apparatus until after said thermoset material has been molded.

Claim 2

A method for molding a housing member for a sealed electrical connector, the housing member having an insulated body including a first relatively rigid portion and a second relatively flexible portion joined along a common interfacial surface, the method comprising the steps of: selecting a thermoplastic material having a melting temperature of T 1 ; selecting a thermoset material having a curing temperature of T 2 , wherein T 2 is less than T 1 ; selecting a mold apparatus defining a first mold cavity, a portion of said first cavity being defined by an inner face of a selected mold portion in a first position, said selected portion being retractable to at least a second position to define at least a second, larger mold cavity while the mold apparatus remains closed, said mold apparatus remaining closed continuously during said retracting of said selected portion; injecting said thermoplastic material into said first mold cavity; cooling said injected thermoplastic material to a temperature lower than T 1 and higher than T 2 thereby forming a solid first body portion, while maintaining a mold temperature at a level lower than T 1 and higher than T 2 ; moving said selected mold portion while maintaining said mold apparatus closed, to form said at least second mold cavity adjacent said first mold cavity, said second mold cavity being at least partially defined by at least a section of a surface of the first body portion; and injecting said selected thermoset material into said at least second cavity, said thermoset material being injected at a temperature below said curing temperature T 2 ; whereby heat is transmitted across said common interfacial surface from said first body portion to said thermoset material adjacent thereto, facilitating rapid curing, in cooperation with heat transmitted to other portions of said thermoset material from the mold surfaces without opening said mold apparatus until after said thermoset material has been molded.