Thixo-molding shot located downstream of blockage

Abstract

Disclosed is a metal molding conduit assembly, a metal molding system, a metal molding process, a metal molding hot runner assembly, a molded article having a body made by a metal molding process, and a mold. The metal molding conduit assembly includes a conduit passageway configured to pass a volume of molten metal located downstream of a passageway blockage formed in the conduit passageway.

1 . A metal molding conduit assembly, comprising: 
 a conduit passageway configured to pass a volume of molten metal located downstream of a passageway blockage formable in the conduit passageway.    
     
     
         2 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passageway blockage is formable by a blockage-forming mechanism configured to cooperate with the conduit passageway.  
     
     
         3 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at a body member defines the conduit passageway.  
     
     
         4 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passageway blockage is an upstream blockage, and the volume of molten metal is a downstream volume -of molten metal.  
     
     
         5 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passageway blockage includes a plug that is formable in the conduit passageway by a blockage-forming mechanism.  
     
     
         6 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the volume of molten metal is maintained in a substantially non-drooling state within the conduit passageway so that the volume of molten metal is substantially prevented from drooling into a mold cavity of a mold before an injection pressure is applied onto the volume of molten metal.  
     
     
         7 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passageway blockage is configured to move downstream responsive to receiving an injection pressure having sufficient force to move the passageway blockage, and the passageway blockage pushes the volume of molten metal downstream and into a mold cavity of a mold.  
     
     
         8 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passageway blockage is configured to not become injected into a mold cavity of a mold but becomes stopped from moving and remains proximate to a downstream egress of the conduit passageway.  
     
     
         9 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passageway blockage is maintained engaged to the conduit passageway sufficiently enough to resist movement responsive to an application of a molten-metal residual pressure.  
     
     
         10 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passageway blockage gives way responsive to an application of an injection pressure onto the passageway blockage.  
     
     
         11 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passageway blockage is formable along a predetermined position of the conduit passageway to change a size of the volume of molten metal.  
     
     
         12 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passageway blockage is configured to release from the conduit passageway responsive to an injection pressure bearing thereon, travel downstream along the conduit passageway, and jam into an egress  126  of the conduit passageway leading into a mold cavity, the passageway blockage that is jammed bearing a pressure spike sufficiently enough to substantially prevent the pressure spike from entering the mold cavity and urging the volume of molten metal to flash from the mold cavity.  
     
     
         13 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the body member includes a machine nozzle.  
     
     
         14 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the body member includes a barrel of an injection unit, and the passageway blockage is formable in an area leading out from the barrel.  
     
     
         15 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the body member includes an injection unit, and the passageway blockage is formable in an area leading out from the injection unit.  
     
     
         16 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passageway blockage includes an upstream blockage, the upstream blockage is maintained soft enough to be extruded, at least in part, through an entrance of a mold cavity of a mold responsive to the upstream blockage experiencing an injection pressure.  
     
     
         17 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passageway blockage includes an upstream.*j blockage, the upstream blockage is maintained hard enough to resist becoming extruded through an entrance of a mold cavity of a mold responsive to the upstream blockage experiencing an injection pressure.  
     
     
         18 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein. the conduit passageway is defined by a plurality of body members.  
     
     
         19 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the body member includes a molten metal hot runner assembly.  
     
     
         20 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit passageway is defined by a body member that forms a plurality of drops configured to lead into a mold cavity defined by a mold.  
     
     
         21 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit passageway is configured to have a plurality of blockages formable therein and offset from one another.  
     
     
         22 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an assigned volume of molten metal is disposed between a selected set of a plurality of blockages.  
     
     
         23 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the body member includes a molten metal hot-sprue assembly.  
     
     
         24 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the body member includes a molten metal split-sprue bar assembly.  
     
     
         25 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the volume of molten metal is injected into a mold, the mold being passageway-blockage receiverless.  
     
     
         26 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the volume of molten metal is a metallic shot having a volume equal to a volume of a mold cavity.  
     
     
         27 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit passageway is configured to connect to a metal-molding system.  
     
     
         28 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit passageway is configured to connect to a thixo-molding system.  
     
     
         29 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit passageway is configured to connect to a metal injection molding system.  
     
     
         30 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the passageway blockage includes an upstream blockage, and the conduit passageway is configured to have a downstream blockage located downstream of the upstream blockage, the downstream blockage is formable in the conduit passageway.  
     
     
         31 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the volume of molten metal is located between e the downstream blockage and the upstream blockage.  
     
     
         32 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the downstream blockage includes a downstream plug, and the upstream blockage includes an upstream plug.  
     
     
         33 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the downstream blockage is frictionally engaged to the conduit passageway sufficiently enough to prevent the volume of molten metal from drooling out from the conduit passageway.  
     
     
         34 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the downstream blockage is maintained soft enough so that an injection pressure is sufficient enough to dislodge and push the downstream blockage away from the conduit passageway, and the injection pressure is sufficient enough to push the downstream blockage into a mold cavity of a mold.  
     
     
         35 . The metal molding conduit assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the downstream blockage is maintained soft enough to be extruded through an entrance of a mold cavity responsive to the downstream blockage experiencing an injection pressure.  
     
     
         36 . A metal molding system, comprising: 
 a metal molding conduit assembly having a conduit passageway configured to pass a volume of molten metal located downstream of a passageway blockage formable in the conduit passageway.    
     
     
         37 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the passageway blockage is formable by a blockage-forming mechanism configured to cooperate with the conduit passageway.  
     
     
         38 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein a body member defines the conduit passageway.  
     
     
         39 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the passageway blockage is an upstream blockage, and the volume of molten metal is a downstream volume of molten metal.  
     
     
         40 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the passageway blockage includes a plug that is formable in the conduit passageway by a blockage-forming mechanism.  
     
     
         41 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the volume of molten metal is maintained in a substantially non-drooling state within the conduit passageway so that the volume of molten metal is substantially prevented from drooling into a mold cavity of a mold before an injection pressure is applied onto the volume of molten metal.  
     
     
         42 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the passageway blockage is configured to move downstream responsive to receiving an injection pressure having sufficient force to move the passageway blockage, and the passageway blockage pushes the volume of molten metal downstream and into a mold cavity of a mold.  
     
     
         43 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the passageway blockage is configured to not become injected into a mold cavity of a mold but becomes stopped from moving and remains proximate to a downstream egress of the conduit passageway.  
     
     
         44 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the passageway blockage is maintained engaged to the conduit passageway sufficiently enough to resist movement responsive to an application of a molten-metal residual pressure.  
     
     
         45 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the passageway blockage gives way responsive to an application of an injection pressure onto the passageway blockage.  
     
     
         46 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the passageway blockage. is formable along a predetermined position of the conduit passageway to change a size of the volume of molten metal.  
     
     
         47 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the passageway blockage is configured to release from the conduit passageway responsive to an injection pressure bearing thereon, travel downstream along the conduit passageway, and jam into an egress of the conduit passageway leading into a mold cavity, the passageway blockage that is jammed bearing a pressure spike sufficiently enough to substantially prevent the pressure spike from entering the mold cavity and urging the volume of molten metal to flash from the mold cavity.  
     
     
         48 . The metal molding system of  claim 38 , wherein the body member includes a machine nozzle.  
     
     
         49 . The metal molding system of  claim 38 , wherein the body member includes a barrel of an injection unit, and the passageway blockage is formable in an area leading out from the barrel.  
     
     
         50 . The metal molding system of  claim 38 , wherein the body member includes an injection unit, and the passageway blockage is formable in an area leading out from the injection unit.  
     
     
         51 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the passageway blockage includes an upstream blockage, the upstream blockage is maintained soft enough to be extruded, at least in part, through an entrance of a mold cavity of a mold responsive to the upstream blockage experiencing an injection pressure.  
     
     
         52 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the passageway blockage includes an upstream blockage, the upstream blockage is maintained hard enough to resist becoming extruded through an entrance of a mold cavity of a mold responsive to the upstream blockage experiencing an injection pressure.  
     
     
         53 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the conduit passageway is defined by a plurality of body members.  
     
     
         54 . The metal molding system of  claim 38 , wherein the body member includes a molten metal hot runner assembly.  
     
     
         55 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the conduit passageway is defined by a body member that forms a plurality of drops configured to lead into a mold cavity defined by a mold.  
     
     
         56 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the conduit passageway is configured to have a plurality of blockages formable therein and offset from one another.  
     
     
         57 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein an assigned volume of molten metal is disposed between a selected set of a plurality of blockages.  
     
     
         58 . The metal molding system of  claim 38 , wherein the body member includes a molten metal hot-sprue assembly.  
     
     
         59 . The metal molding system of  claim 38 , wherein the body member includes a molten metal split-sprue bar assembly.  
     
     
         60 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the volume of molten metal is injected into a mold, the mold being passageway-blockage receiverless.  
     
     
         61 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the volume of molten metal is a metallic shot having a volume equal to a volume of a mold cavity.  
     
     
         62 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the conduit passageway is configured to connect to a metal-molding system.  
     
     
         63 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the conduit passageway is configured to connect to a thixo-molding system.  
     
     
         64 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the conduit passageway is configured to connect to a metal injection molding system.  
     
     
         65 . The metal molding system of  claim 36 , wherein the passageway blockage includes an upstream blockage, and the conduit passageway is configured to have a downstream blockage located downstream of the upstream blockage, the downstream blockage is formable in the conduit passageway.  
     
     
         66 . The metal molding system of  claim 65 , wherein the volume of molten metal is located between a the downstream blockage and the upstream blockage.  
     
     
         67 . The metal molding system of  claim 65 , wherein the downstream blockage includes a downstream plug, and the upstream blockage includes an upstream plug.  
     
     
         68 . The metal molding system of  claim 65 , wherein the downstream blockage is frictionally engaged to the conduit passageway sufficiently enough to prevent the volume of molten metal from drooling out from the conduit passageway.  
     
     
         69 . The metal molding system of  claim 65 , wherein the downstream blockage is maintained soft enough so that an injection pressure is sufficient enough to dislodge and push the downstream blockage away from the conduit passageway, and the injection pressure is sufficient enough to push the downstream blockage into a mold cavity of a mold.  
     
     
         70 . The metal molding system of  claim 65 , wherein the downstream blockage is maintained soft enough to be extruded through an entrance of a mold cavity responsive to the downstream blockage experiencing an injection pressure.  
     
     
         71 . A metal molding process, comprising: 
 passing, through a conduit passageway, a volume of molten metal located downstream of a passageway blockage formable in the conduit passageway.    
     
     
         72 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: using a blockage-forming mechanism to form the passageway blockage.  
     
     
         73 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 having a body member define the conduit passageway.    
     
     
         74 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 permitting the passageway blockage to be an upstream blockage; and    permitting the volume of molten metal to be a downstream volume of molten metal.    
     
     
         75 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 permitting the passageway blockage to include a thixo plug; and    using a blockage-forming mechanism to form the thixo plug in the conduit passageway.    
     
     
         76 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 maintaining the volume of molten metal in a substantially non-drooling state within the conduit passageway so that the volume of molten metal is substantially prevented from drooling into a mold cavity of a mold before an injection pressure is applied onto the volume of molten metal.    
     
     
         77 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 moving the passageway blockage downstream responsive to receiving an injection pressure having sufficient force to move the passageway blockage, and the passageway blockage pushes the volume of molten metal downstream and into a mold cavity of a mold.    
     
     
         78 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 stopping the passageway blockage from becoming injected into a mold cavity of a mold; and    maintaining the passageway blockage proximate to a downstream egress of the conduit passageway.    
     
     
         79 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 maintaining the passageway blockage engaged to the conduit passageway sufficiently enough to resist movement responsive to an application of a molten-metal residual pressure.    
     
     
         80 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 configuring the passageway blockage to give way responsive to an application of an injection pressure onto the passageway blockage.    
     
     
         81 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 forming the passageway blockage along a predetermined position of the conduit passageway to change a size of the volume of molten metal.    
     
     
         82 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 configuring the passageway blockage to: 
 release from the conduit passageway responsive to an injection pressure bearing thereon,  
 travel downstream along the conduit passageway, and  
 jam into an egress of the conduit passageway leading into a mold cavity, the passageway blockage that is jammed bearing a pressure spike sufficiently enough to substantially prevent the pressure spike from entering the mold cavity and urging the volume of molten metal to flash from the mold cavity.  
   
     
     
         83 . The metal molding process of  claim 73 , further comprising: 
 configuring the body member to be a machine nozzle.    
     
     
         84 . The metal molding process of  claim 73 , further comprising: 
 configuring the body member to include a barrel of an injection unit; and    forming the passageway blockage in an area leading out from the barrel.    
     
     
         85 . The metal molding process of  claim 73 , further comprising: 
 configuring the body member to include an injection unit; and    forming the passageway blockage in an area leading out from the injection unit.    
     
     
         86 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 configuring the passageway blockage to include an upstream blockage; and    maintaining the upstream blockage soft enough to be extruded, at least in part, through an entrance of a mold cavity of a mold responsive to the upstream blockage experiencing an injection pressure.    
     
     
         87 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 configuring the passageway blockage to include an upstream blockage; and    maintaining the upstream blockage hard enough to resist becoming extruded through an entrance of a mold cavity of a mold responsive to the upstream blockage experiencing an injection pressure.    
     
     
         88 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: defining the conduit passageway by a plurality of body members.  
     
     
         89 . The metal molding process of  claim 73 , further comprising: 
 defining the body member to include a molten metal hot runner assembly.    
     
     
         90 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 defining the conduit passageway by a body member that forms a plurality of drops configured to lead into a mold cavity defined by a mold.    
     
     
         91 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 configuring the conduit passageway to have a plurality of blockages formable therein and offset from one another.    
     
     
         92 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 disposing an assigned volume of molten metal between a selected set of a plurality of blockages.    
     
     
         93 . The metal molding process of  claim 73 , further comprising: 
 configuring the body member to include a molten metal hot-sprue assembly.    
     
     
         94 . The metal molding process of  claim 73 , further comprising: 
 configuring the body member to include a molten metal split-sprue bar assembly.    
     
     
         95 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 injecting the volume of molten metal into a mold, the mold being passageway-blockage receiverless.    
     
     
         96 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , wherein the volume of molten metal is a metallic shot having a volume equal to a volume of a mold cavity.  
     
     
         97 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 configuring the conduit passageway to connect to a metal-molding system.    
     
     
         98 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 configuring the conduit passageway to connect to a thixo-molding system.    
     
     
         99 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 configuring the conduit passageway to connect to a metal injection molding system.    
     
     
         100 . The metal molding process of  claim 71 , further comprising: 
 configuring the passageway blockage to include an upstream blockage;    configuring the conduit passageway to have a downstream blockage located downstream of the upstream blockage; and    forming the downstream blockage in the conduit passageway.    
     
     
         101 . The metal molding process of  claim 100 , further comprising: 
 locating the volume of molten metal between the downstream blockage and the upstream blockage.    
     
     
         102 . The metal molding process of  claim 100 , further comprising: 
 configuring the downstream blockage to include a downstream plug: and    configuring the upstream blockage to include an upstream plug.    
     
     
         103 . The metal molding process of  claim 100 , further comprising: 
 engaging the downstream blockage to the conduit passageway sufficiently enough to prevent the volume of molten metal from drooling out from the conduit passageway.    
     
     
         104 . The metal molding process of  claim 100 , further comprising: 
 maintaining the downstream blockage soft enough so that an injection pressure is sufficient enough to dislodge and push the downstream blockage away from the conduit passageway, and the injection pressure is sufficient enough to pushes the downstream blockage into a mold cavity of a mold.    
     
     
         105 . The metal molding process of  claim 100 , further comprising: 
 maintaining the downstream blockage -soft enough to be extruded through an entrance of a mold cavity responsive to the downstream blockage experiencing an injection pressure.    
     
     
         106 . A molded article having a body made by any one metal molding processee of  claims 71  to  105 .  
     
     
         107 . A molded article, comprising: 
 a body having a metal received from a metal molding conduit assembly including a conduit passageway configured to pass a volume of molten metal located downstream of a passageway blockage.    
     
     
         108 . The molded article  44  of  claim 107 , wherein the body includes: 
 a show side;    a non-show side; and    a vestige formed on any one of the show side, the non-show side and any combination and permutation thereof.    
     
     
         109 . The molded article of  claim 107 , wherein the body is a cover of a laptop computer.  
     
     
         110 . The molded article of  claim 107 , wherein the body is a cover of a cell phone.  
     
     
         111 . The molded article of  claim 107 , wherein a vestige  130  is positioned in a central zone of the body.  
     
     
         112 . A mold for forming an article from a molten metallic, comprising: 
 a mold body configured to cooperate with a metal molding conduit assembly, including: 
 a conduit passageway configured to pass a volume of molten metal into a mold cavity defined by the mold body, the volume of molten metal located downstream of a passageway blockage.  
   
     
     
         113 . The mold of  claim 112 , wherein the mold body includes a hot half and a cold half.  
     
     
         114 . The mold of  claim 112 , wherein the mold body includes: 
 a runner connecting the mold cavity to an entrance of the mold body.    
     
     
         115 . The mold of  claim 112 , wherein the mold body defines a gate entry leading into the mold cavity, the gate entry being about 18 millimeters wide in diameter, the mold cavity is about 0.65 millimeters thick.  
     
     
         116 . The mold of  claim 112 , wherein the mold body does not form a plug catcher.  
     
     
         117 . The mold of  claim 112 , wherein a gate entry is positioned in a central zone of the mold body.