US5800757A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for molding a basketball backboard
Assignee: Composite Technologies Co LLC
•
Filing: 1996-09-17
•
Granted: 1998-09-01
•
Expires: 2016-09-17
Abstract
Abstract A system and method are disclosed for molding a part, such as a point-of-purchase display, is shown. The system includes a plasticator and press. The molded part comprises an in-molded graphics sheet which becomes molded integral with the part.
Inventors
- 👤 Fredric Louis Abrams
- 👤 Robert F. Freund
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:42
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C43/00; B29C43/32; B29C43/34; B29B; B29B11/00; B29B11/06; B29B11/10; B29B17/00; B29B17/0026; B29B7/00; B29B7/30; B29B7/34; B29B7/38; B29B7/40; B29B7/42; B29B7/58; B29B7/72; B29B7/726; B29B7/728; B29B7/74; B29B7/7476; B29B7/7485; B29B7/80; B29B7/82; B29B7/823; B29B7/826; B29B7/88; B29B7/90; B29C43/003; B29C48/00; B29C48/022; B29C48/25; B29C48/36; B29C48/395; B29C48/45; B29C48/50; B29C48/505; B29C48/53; B29C48/535; B29C48/585; B29C48/78; B29C48/793; B29C48/80; B29C48/83; B29C48/832; B29C48/86; B29C48/865; B29C48/92; B29B7/422; B29B7/423; B29C2043/3433; B29C2948/00; B29C2948/92; B29C2948/92504; B29C2948/92514; B29C2948/92704; B29C48/001; B29C48/0011; B29C48/0018; B29C48/0022; B29C48/0023; B29C48/03; B29C48/07; B29C48/08; B29C48/12; B29C48/15; B29C48/16; B29K; B29K2023/00; B29K2023/04; B29K2023/06; B29K2023/08; B29K2023/083; B29K2023/10; B29K2023/12; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/06; B29K2105/12; B29K2105/26; B29K2423/00; B29K2423/04; B29K2423/08; B29K2423/083; B29K2709/00; B29K2709/08; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/723; B29L2031/7232; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W30/00; Y02W30/50; Y02W30/62; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/31
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for molding a part comprising the steps of: loading a barrel of a plasticator with a plurality of molding materials comprising a plurality of thermoplastic polymers and long reinforcing fibers, said barrel having a screw rotatable mounted therein; heating said barrel; rotatable driving said screw to blend said plurality of molding materials together to create a molten suspension in a storage area of said barrel such that a majority of said long reinforcing fibers remain intact; axially retracting said screw in a first direction as said molten suspension is accumulated in said storage area; axially driving said screw in a second direction to force said molten suspension out of said barrel, said second direction being opposite said first direction; severing said molten suspension to provide a billet; laying a sheet into a mold, said sheet comprises a graphic image on a side thereof; placing said billet onto said sheet; and integrally molding said sheet into said part.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for molding a part comprising the steps of: loading a barrel of a plasticator with a plurality of molding materials comprising a plurality of thermoplastic polymers and long reinforcing fibers, said barrel having a screw rotatable mounted therein; heating said barrel; rotatable driving said screw to blend said plurality of molding materials together to create a molten suspension in a storage area of said barrel such that a majority of said long reinforcing fibers remain intact; axially retracting said screw in a first direction as said molten suspension is accumulated in said storage area; axially driving said screw in a second direction to force said molten suspension out of said barrel, said second direction being opposite said first direction; severing said molten suspension to provide a billet; laying a sheet into a mold, said sheet comprises a graphic image on a side thereof; placing said billet onto said sheet; and integrally molding said sheet into said part.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process as recited in claim 1 wherein said method further comprises the step of: using a press having a capacity of at least 250 tons to form the billet into said part.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process as recited in claim 2 wherein said method further comprises the step of: molding the billet into the part having graphic images molded into a surface of the part.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process as recited in claim 3 wherein said method further comprises the step of: using a compression press.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process as recited in claim 3 wherein said process further comprises the step of: cleaning some of the molding materials before loading.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process as recited in claim 3 where said part is a basketball backboard.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process as recited in claim 3 where said part is a point-of-purchase display.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process as recited in claim 2 wherein said molding step further comprises the step of: using a compression press to mold the billet into the part.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process as recited in claim 2 wherein said loading step comprises the step of: loading a plurality of thermoplastic polymers and long reinforcing fibers into the plasticator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process as recited in claim 9 wherein said plurality of materials comprise about 60-95% thermoplastic polymers and 5-40% reinforcing fibers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process as recited in claim 9 wherein said thermoplastic polymers are contaminated.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process as recited in claim 11 wherein said contamination is on the order of about 10%.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process as recited in claim 2 wherein said molding step further comprises the step of: molding a surface texture onto the part.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process as recited in claim 1 wherein said loading step includes the step of: loading a compatibility enhancing agent into the plasticator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process as recited in claim 14 wherein said compatibility enhancing agent is an olefinic polymer grafted with polar functional moieties such as acrylic acid or maleic anhydride.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process as recited in claim 1 wherein said process further comprises the step of: molding the part with a predetermined surface characteristic.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process as recited in claim 16 wherein said predetermined surface characteristic is a preselected pigment.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process as recited in claim 1 wherein said process further comprises the step of: printing information on the part.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process as recited in claim 2 wherein said process further comprises the step of molding a predetermined feature into the part.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process as recited in claim 19 wherein said predetermined feature is a wood finish.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process as recited in claim 19 wherein the predetermined feature is a reinforcement.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process as recited in claim 1 wherein said process further comprises the step of: applying a finish to said sheet before said sheet is placed in said mold.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process as recited in claim 22 wherein said process further comprises the step of applying an acrylic finish to said sheet before said sheet is placed in said mold.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process as recited in claim 1 wherein said process further comprises the step of molding a symbol on the part.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process as recited in claim 24 wherein said process further comprises the step of: molding a part having a graphic image molded into a surface of the part.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process as recited in claim 25 where said part is a basketball backboard.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process as recited in claim 25 where said part is a point-of-purchase display for use in a store.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
56 words
The process as recited in claim 1 wherein said process further comprises the step of: using a mold having a first mold member having a surface and a complementary mold member which cooperates with said first mold member to mold said part; said surface being textured to facilitate preventing said sheet from slipping in said mold.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process as recited in claim 1 wherein said process further comprises the step of: blending said billet using a plurality of thermoplastic polymers and a plurality of reinforcing fibers into the plasticator.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process as recited in claim 29 wherein said blending step further comprises the step of: blending about 60-95% thermoplastic polymers with about 40-5% reinforcing fibers.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process as recited in claim 29 wherein said thermoplastic polymers are contaminated.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process as recited in claim 1 wherein said sheet comprises a graphic.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process as recited in claim 1 wherein said process further comprises the step of: compression molding said sheet and said billet to produce a part having a graphic image molded into its surface.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process as recited in claim 33 wherein said process further comprises the step of: using a sheet comprising basketball graphics.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process as recited in claim 33 wherein said process further comprises the step of: blending said billet using a plurality of thermoplastic polymers and a plurality of reinforcing fibers.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process as recited in claim 35 wherein said blending step further comprises the step of: blending approximately 60-95% polymers with about 40-5% reinforcing fibers.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process as recited in claim 35 wherein at least one of said thermoplastic polymers are contaminated.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process as recited in claim 35 where said part is a basketball backboard.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process as recited in claim 35 where said part is a point of purchase display.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process as recited in claim 1 wherein said process further comprises the step of: compression molding said part such that a border is situated around said sheet.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process as recited in claim 40 wherein said process further comprises the step of: compression molding said part such that said border is co-planar with said sheet after said part is molded.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process as recited in claim 1 wherein said process further comprises the step of cutting said sheet such that it comprises dimensions which generally correspond to the dimensions of said mold.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process as recited in claim 1 where said part is a basketball backboard.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process as recited in claim 1 where said part is a point-of-purchase display.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the long reinforcing fibers have a length over one-eighth inch.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the long reinforcing fibers are longer than one-quarter inch.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-08-31 | 2002-03-02 | 2002-09-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-08-31 | 2006-03-02 | 2006-09-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-08-31 | 2010-03-02 | 2010-09-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |