Mold inserts for tube forming molding equipment

Abstract

We provide improved molds for forming equipment for polymer products. [Solution] A mold or mold insert is introduced into or installed in a molding apparatus for forming polymer products such as tubes. The mold includes an outer and an inner component. The outer component defines a first inner cavity having a first diameter, and the inner component is positioned at least partially inside the inner cavity of the outer component. The inner component has an inner surface that defines a second inner cavity having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. In certain examples, the inner component is a single, integrated piece. In some examples, the inner component includes first and second subcomponents, which, when joined together, define a second inner cavity through which polymer material passes during the forming of the polymer product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 471,797, filed on June 8, 2023, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 531,976, filed on August 10, 2023, and the entire disclosure of the U.S. Provisional Patent Applications is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

[0002] This disclosure relates to an apparatus for forming, molding, or welding polymeric products, and more particularly, to mold components that can be used in such an apparatus.

Background Art

[0003] For plastic molding tools for shaping / molding / welding plastic products such as plastic tubes, heating elements are often used for heating. Induction heating systems are also commonly used. In a common mold design with deep and narrow orifices known in the art, the choice of coating materials and applications may be limited.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The mold components of a molding tool are generally housed in a mold assembly. When different mold components are required depending on the type of molding operation to be performed (e.g., shaping, molding, or welding) and the configuration of the product on which the molding process is to be carried out, a different mold component must be provided and replaced with the original mold component.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] Disclosed herein are molds or mold inserts introduced into or installed in a molding apparatus for forming (e.g., shaping, molding, or welding) polymer products such as tubes. In some examples, the mold has a single, one-piece design. An advantage of the single-piece design is that the amount of burrs or polymer inflow into the mold seams or interfaces can be reduced or eliminated. In some examples, the mold has a multi-piece design, which allows the entire cavity within the mold to be coated with a coating material and then assembled to form the forming cavity. An advantage of the multi-piece design is that the process of coating the inner surface of the cavity through which polymer materials such as thermoplastic tubes can pass during tube forming is simplified. Such advantages can be achieved by coating each piece of the mold separately and individually and then assembling the pieces together to form the mold, as will be further described herein. Release agents can generally be used in the molding process to ensure that the formed member is released from the molding tool.

[0006] According to one example ("Example 1"), a mold for a polymer product forming apparatus includes an outer component and an inner component. The outer component defines a first inner cavity having a first diameter, and the inner component is located at least partially inside the first inner cavity of the outer component. The inner component has an inner surface, which defines a second inner cavity having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. The inner component is a single, integrated piece including the inner surface, which defines a second inner cavity for containing polymer material during the molding of the polymer product.

[0007] According to another example ("Example 2"), a mold for a polymer product forming apparatus comprises an outer component and an inner component. The outer component defines a first inner cavity having a first diameter, and the inner component is located at least partially inside the first inner cavity of the outer component. The inner component has an inner surface which defines a second inner cavity having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. The inner component comprises a first subcomponent having a first inner surface and a second subcomponent having a second inner surface. The first and second subcomponents are configured to be joined together, and the first and second inner surfaces are configured to define a second inner cavity for containing polymer material during molding of the polymer product.

[0008] According to another example following Example 2 ("Example 3"), the inner component further includes a third subcomponent having a third inner surface. The first, second, and third subcomponents are configured to join together, and the first, second, and third inner surfaces are configured to define a second inner cavity.

[0009] According to another example following one of the aforementioned examples ("Example 4"), the inner surfaces of each subcomponent of the inner component are coated separately and individually with the coating material before the second inner cavity is defined by joining them together.

[0010] According to another example following Example 4 ("Example 5"), the coating material comprises one or more of titanium nitride, titanium carbonitride, titanium aluminum carbonitride, zirconium nitride, chromium nitride, titanium aluminum nitride, aluminum chromium and silicon, or chromium aluminum nitride.

[0011] According to another example following one of the aforementioned examples ("Example 6"), the outer component includes an outer elongated portion and an outer flange portion extending radially outward from the outer elongated portion.

[0012] According to another example following Example 6 ("Example 7"), the outer flange portion includes multiple flanges, at least one of which includes a notch that extends less radially outward than the other flanges.

[0013] In another example following Example 7 ("Example 8"), multiple flanges form a spool configured to support a coil for inductive heating of the mold.

[0014] According to another example following any of Examples 6-8 ("Example 9"), the inner component includes an inner elongated portion and an inner flange portion extending radially outward from the inner elongated portion.

[0015] According to another example following one of the aforementioned examples ("Example 10"), the second inner cavity has a first end having one opening and a second end having multiple openings.

[0016] According to another example following Example 10 ("Example 11"), one opening at the first end of the second inner cavity has a larger diameter than any one of the multiple openings at the second end.

[0017] According to another example following Example 10 or 11 ("Example 12"), the multiple openings at the second end have different diameters.

[0018] According to another example following any of Examples 10–12 ("Example 13"), the inner surface of the inner component includes a transition portion configured such that the diameter transitions between the first and second ends of the second inner cavity.

[0019] According to another example following Example 13 ("Example 14"), the transition section includes a tapered section.

[0020] According to another example following one of the aforementioned examples ("Example 15"), at least one of the outer or inner components is made of one or more of the following: stainless steel, nitrogen-reinforced duplex stainless steel, molybdenum-based high-speed steel, nickel, or nickel-iron alloy.

[0021] According to one example ("Example 16"), a molding apparatus for forming a tube includes a mold of any of the above examples, and further includes a housing configured to securely support the mold, a support and supply unit configured to insert and withdraw a mandrel, supported by the housing and supporting a tube, into the mold, an air supply unit configured to supply air for cooling the mold, and a controller configured to control the operation of the support and supply unit and to supply energy for heating the mold.

[0022] According to one example ("Example 17"), a method for forming a mold for a polymer product forming apparatus includes coating a first inner surface of a first subcomponent, coating a second inner surface of a second subcomponent, joining the first and second subcomponents to form an inner component, thereby defining a second inner cavity for containing polymer material during molding of the polymer product, and positioning the inner component at least partially inside the first inner cavity of the outer component.

[0023] According to another example following Example 17 ("Example 18"), coating the first and second inner surfaces includes applying a coating material to the first and second inner surfaces.

[0024] The above examples are illustrative only and should not be construed as limiting or narrowing the scope of the inventive concepts separately provided by the present disclosure. Although multiple examples are disclosed, other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The following detailed description presents examples for illustration and explanation purposes. Therefore, the drawings and the detailed description should be construed as illustrative and not restrictive in nature.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure, are incorporated herein by reference and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate each embodiment, and together with the specification serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0026] [Figure 1A] A perspective view of a mold or mold insert according to an embodiment disclosed herein. [Figure 1B] A perspective view of a mold or mold insert according to an embodiment disclosed herein.

[0027] [Figure 1C] A front view of the mold.

[0028] [Figure 1D] A rear view of the mold.

[0029] [Figure 1E] A perspective view of the mold with the inner component removed from the outer component.

[0030] [Figure 1F] A perspective view of the mold with the inner component separated into two sub-components.

[0031] <� [Figure 1G]This is a perspective view of the inner component of a mold made of a single, integrated piece according to embodiments disclosed herein.

[0032] [Figure 2A] This is a perspective view of the outer components of the mold.

[0033] [Figure 2B] This is a side view of the outer component.

[0034] [Figure 2C] This is a front view of the outer component.

[0035] [Figure 2D] This is a rear view of the outer component.

[0036] [Figure 3A] This is a perspective view of the internal components of the mold.

[0037] [Figure 3B] This is a front view of the internal component.

[0038] [Figure 3C] This is a rear view of the inner component.

[0039] [Figure 3D] This is a side view of the internal component.

[0040] [Figure 3E] This is a perspective view of the inner component, separated into two subcomponents.

[0041] [Figure 3F] This is a perspective view of each subcomponent of the inner component. [Figure 3G] This is a perspective view of each subcomponent of the inner component.

[0042] [Figure 4] This is a side cross-section of the mold.

[0043] [Figure 5A] This is a rear view of an inner component having three subcomponents according to an embodiment disclosed herein. [Figure 5B] This is a rear view of an inner component having three subcomponents according to an embodiment disclosed herein.

[0044] [Figure 6] This is a front view of a mold incorporated into a platform or housing of a molding apparatus according to embodiments disclosed herein.

[0045] [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram of a mold assembly into which a mold according to an embodiment disclosed herein has been introduced. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0046] Detailed explanation Definitions and Terminology

[0047] This disclosure is not intended to be confined to any particular extent. For example, the terminology used in this application should be interpreted broadly in the context of the meanings that a person skilled in the art would give to that terminology.

[0048] With regard to terminology that may involve inaccuracies, the terms “about” and “approximately” may be used interchangeably to refer to measurements that include not only the stated measurements but also measurements that are reasonably close to the stated measurements. Measurements that are reasonably close to the stated measurements deviate reasonably slightly from the stated measurements to the extent that they are understandable and readily identifiable to a person skilled in the art. Such deviations may result from, for example, measurement errors, differences in the calibration of measuring instruments and / or manufacturing equipment, human errors in reading and / or setting measurements, minor adjustments made to optimize performance and / or structural parameters to account for differences in measurements related to other components, specific implementation scenarios, or inaccurate adjustments and / or manipulation of the object by a person or machine. Where a person skilled in the art would not readily identify such a reasonably small difference, the terms “about” and “approximately” may be understood to mean ±10% of the stated value. Description of various embodiments

[0049] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that various aspects of this disclosure can be realized by any number of methods and apparatus configured to perform the intended functions. It should also be noted that the accompanying drawings referenced herein are not necessarily drawn to scale and may be exaggerated to illustrate various aspects of this disclosure, and therefore should not be interpreted restrictively.

[0050] This disclosure relates to a mold or mold insert that can be introduced into or installed in a molding apparatus for forming polymer products such as tubes. The mold includes an outer component and an inner component. The outer component defines a first inner cavity having a first diameter, and the inner component is located at least partially inside the inner cavity of the outer component. The inner component has an inner surface which defines a second inner cavity having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. The inner component includes a first subcomponent having the first inner surface and a second subcomponent having the second inner surface. The first and second subcomponents are bonded together to define a second inner cavity through which polymer material passes during the forming of the polymer product.

[0051] Figures 1A to 1F show a mold 100 including module pieces (e.g., separately manufactured), namely an outer component 102 and an inner component 104. The outer component 102 defines a first inner cavity 106 (Figure 1E) that penetrates the component 102 and extends, for example, along the longitudinal length of the outer component 102. The inner component 104 is located at least partially inside the first inner cavity 106. The inner component 104 has an inner surface 110 that defines a second inner cavity 108. The first inner cavity 106 has a first width or diameter D1, and the second inner cavity 108 has a second width or diameter D2 that is smaller than the first diameter D1. The diameters D1 and D2 can be measured at the ends of the respective cavities. In some examples, if the cavities are generally tubular in shape, the width may be referred to as the diameter. Even for non-circular objects, the term diameter is sometimes used to refer to the smallest diameter circle through which the object can pass. In some cases, the diameter may be the average diameter calculated along the entire cavity. In other cases, the diameter may be the maximum diameter measured at any point in the cavity.

[0052] The inner component 104 may be a single component or may be divided into at least two subcomponents. In the example shown in the figure, there are two subcomponents 104A and 104B (Figure 1F), but it should be understood that there may be additional subcomponents, such as three subcomponents 104A, 104B, and 104C, as shown in Figures 5A and 5B, or, as appropriate, more subcomponents. The inner component 104 is formed by joining subcomponents 104A and 104B together, and a second inner cavity 108 is defined at the time of joining. In some examples, referring to Figures 3F and 3G, “joining” may mean that the configuration of the interface 302A of subcomponent 104A substantially matches the configuration of the interface 302B of subcomponent 104B. In some examples, subcomponents 104A and 104B can be formed by cutting or dividing a pre-fabricated inner component 104 into separate subcomponents, for example, by cutting the inner component 104 substantially along the longitudinal axis of the inner component 104 in a planar direction.

[0053] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 1G, the inner component 104 may be a single, integrated piece formed from a single component (i.e., not divided into two or more subcomponents), and the inner component 104 may be positioned as a single integrated piece within the first inner cavity 106. Introducing a single integrated piece as the inner component 104 can offer numerous potential benefits or advantages.

[0054] For example, as shown in Figures 3F and 3G above, a one-piece design for the inner component 104 may be preferable or beneficial in order to reduce or eliminate the amount of burrs or polymer inflow into the seams or interfaces 302A and 302B where subcomponents 104A and 104B fit or connect. Injection molding burrs are defects that occur when molten polymers, such as plastics, flow out of the mold and solidify during injection. Even with tight fit tolerances between the two subcomponents 104A and 104B, excessive burrs may be observed in some cases. In some cases, due to the complex geometry within the cavity, the machining / fabrication process for a one-piece design of the inner component 104 may be easier to achieve than a multi-piece design.

[0055] Furthermore, in cases where tight tolerances are required due to product specifications related to the mold, forming multiple subcomponents, each with individual tolerances based on different drawings, and then mating or joining them together to create a cavity with the desired fit to form the inner component 104, can be more challenging or difficult than manufacturing the inner component 104 as a single piece whose features are attributed to only one design drawing or a single tolerance requirement. This is because manufacturing complex cavities with the aforementioned tight tolerances can be difficult in such multi-piece designs.

[0056] Referring to Figures 2A to 2D, the outer component 102 is shown to include an outer elongated portion 112 and an outer flange portion 114 extending radially outward from the outer elongated portion. The radial direction may be approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis CC of the outer component 102 (Figure 2B). In some examples, the outer flange portion 114 includes multiple flanges. These flanges may extend at different distances from the central axis CC. For example, the outer flange portion 114 in the shown example may be divided into four flanges 114A, 114B, 114C, and 114D. This is for illustrative purposes only, and it should be understood that any number of flanges can be formed as appropriate. Of the four specific flanges shown, flange 114A generally extends over the shortest radial distance from the central axis CC, while flanges 114B and 114D extend over the longest distances. This distance can be measured based on the maximum distance measured for the flange, or based on the average distance calculated for the flange.

[0057] In some examples, one or more flanges may have a notch 200 (Figure 2B). This notch 200 is a portion of the flange that extends less radially outward than other flanges or other portions of the flanges. In the example shown, flange 114B includes a notch 200, which may be formed for any purpose, for example, to allow the outer component 102 to be properly aligned or positioned with respect to the housing, or to allow air to flow between the flanges. Flanges 114B and 114D extend over a longer distance than flange 114C, which is positioned between flanges 114B and 114D. These three flanges 114B-114D can form a spool 202. This spool 202 has a central portion defined by the shorter flange 114C and two edges or ridges defined by the longer flanges 114B and 114D.

[0058] The spool 202 may be configured to support a coil 708 (Figure 7), which may be wound around a shorter flange 114C located between longer flanges 114B and 114D. The coil 708 may be made of any suitable material that can inductively generate heat to heat the mold 100 upon receiving electrical energy. In some examples, the outer component 102 is formed as a single, integrated piece for efficient assembly. In other examples, the outer component 102 is formed by assembling several separate components together. In some examples, the flange portion 114 of the outer component 102 includes a recess 204 that accommodates the flange portion 118 of the inner component 104, thereby limiting the extent to which the inner component 104 can be inserted into the first inner cavity 106 of the outer component 102 (Figure 4).

[0059] Referring to Figures 3A to 3G, the inner component 104 of the multi-piece includes an inner elongated portion 116 and an inner flange portion 118 extending radially outward from the inner elongated portion 116. The radial direction may be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis CC (Figure 4) of the inner component 104. For example, if the two components 102 and 104 are concentric, as shown in Figure 4, the longitudinal central axis CC may be common to both the outer component 102 and the inner component 104. In some examples, the flange portion 118 may include a notch 200 to assist in the alignment of the inner component 104 with respect to the outer component 102.

[0060] The inner component 104 includes a second inner cavity 108, which extends between the first end 120 and the second end 122. The first end 120 may be defined by one opening, and the second end 122 may have multiple openings, for example, two openings 122A and 122B as shown. In some examples, there may be three or more openings in the second end 122 of the second inner cavity 108. In some examples, a single opening in the first end 120 may have a larger diameter than any one of the multiple openings in the second end 122. In some examples, the multiple openings in the second end 122 may have a variety of different sizes. For example, the second or bottom opening 122B may have a larger diameter than the first or top opening 122A, and both openings 122A and 122B may have smaller diameters and sizes than the single opening in the first end 120.

[0061] The configuration of the cavity 108 is defined by the inner surface 110 of the inner component 104. This inner surface 110 may be divided into two (or more) inner surfaces 110A (Figure 3F) and 110B (Figure 3G), each separate inner surface defining a portion of the cavity 108 and a portion of the openings at the first end 120 and the second end 122. For example, Figures 3B and 3C show the separation of two subcomponents 104A and 104B, as indicated by a black line running vertically through the center of the inner component 104, with the left half of the opening at the first end 120 and the opening at the second end 122 (122A and 122B) belonging to subcomponent 104A, and the other half of these openings belonging to the other subcomponent 104B.

[0062] As shown in Figure 4, in some examples, the inner surface 110 of the inner component 104 includes a transition portion 300 in which the diameter changes between the first end 120 and the second end 122 of the second inner cavity 108. The transition portion 300 may be divided into two transition portions 300A (Figure 3F) and 300B (Figure 3G) in subcomponents 104A and 104B, respectively. The transition portion 300 can define the transition of the inner cavity 108 from a first configuration defined by the first end 120 to a second configuration defined by the second end 122. The first configuration may include a single substantially tubular cavity, in which case the diameter of this cavity remains substantially the same. The second configuration may include two (or more) substantially tubular cavities, in which case the diameters of these cavities are smaller than the diameter of the single tubular cavity of the first configuration. In some examples, the transition portion 300 includes a tapered portion. As shown in Figure 4, the tapered portion can define a decrease in the diameter of a single cavity in the first configuration toward a smaller diameter toward one of the multiple cavities in the second configuration, and the remaining one (or more) cavities of the second configuration can extend from the tapered portion.

[0063] Referring to Figures 5A and 5B, the inner component 104 includes three subcomponents 104A, 104B, and 104C, which may be separated in two different configurations. In the first configuration shown in Figure 5A, this separation defines the opening 122A as defined by all three subcomponents 104A, 104B, and 104C, and the opening 122B as defined by two subcomponents 104B and 104C. In the second configuration shown in Figure 5B, the opening 122B is defined by all three subcomponents 104A, 104B, and 104C, and the opening 122A is defined by two subcomponents 104A and 104B. In some examples, the number of subcomponents may exceed three, in which case the openings 122A and 122B may be defined by more subcomponents as appropriate.

[0064] Referring to Figures 6 and 7, a housing 600 is shown, in which a mold 100 is introduced. The housing 600 can also be called a platform supporting the mold 100 within a molding apparatus 700, which is capable of molding (e.g., forming, welding, or shaping) a tube, and the tube may be an intravenous (IV) tube made of a polymer or thermoplastic material. The mold 100 may be attached to, connected, fixed, or otherwise joined to the housing 600 using any suitable means such as screws. The apparatus 700 includes a support and supply unit 702, which is supported by the housing 600 and configured to insert a mandrel 710 supporting a tube into and out of the mold 100. The apparatus 700 includes an air supply unit 704 for supplying air to cool the mold. The apparatus 700 includes an energizer or controller 706 for controlling the operation of the support and supply unit 702 and supplying energy for heating the mold 100.

[0065] In some examples, the insertion of the mandrel 710 into and withdrawal from the mold 100, as well as the insertion of the tube to be molded into and withdrawal from the mold 100, are provided by a support and supply unit 702. This unit 702 can also support the mandrel 710 before and after insertion into the mold 100. Air for the purpose of cooling the mold is supplied to the mold 100 by an air supply unit 704 that transmits air under pressure, for example, through a lumen. An energizer / controller 706 may be a radio frequency (RF) generator and control circuit, and may be operably connected to the support and supply unit 702, for example, through one or more conductors. Signals transmitted by the controller 706 can control the transport of the mandrel-supported tube into the mold 100, the period of time the tube is inside the mold 100, and the withdrawal of the tube. By supplying RF energy to a coil 708 coupled to the spool 202 of the mold 100, induction heating of the mold 100 by the coil 708 can be produced. By introducing additional conductors, feedback signals can be provided from the mold 100 to the controller 706. Such feedback signals may be of various types, including temperature indications at one or more locations, signals reflecting the position of one or more movable components, and signals reflecting airflow and / or temperature.

[0066] In contrast to a one-piece molded design (i.e., a design in which the internal cavity is defined by a single, integrated component), the segmented or modular approaches described herein allow for complete coating of the internal cavity. For example, in a one-piece molded design, the coating method is applied from the ends of the cavity. This allows for coating of the ends of the cavity, but penetration into the intermediate section (or central part) is limited, which may hinder proper coating of the intermediate section of the cavity, and at the very least, may make effective coating considerably difficult. This may be particularly due to the small size or diameter of the cavity, which may be less than 3 mm, less than 1 mm, less than 0.5 mm, less than 0.3 mm, or less than 0.1 mm, depending on the size of the tube or catheter formed using the cavity. This is particularly problematic when considering the length of the cavity, which can be 1cm–1.5cm, 1.5cm–2cm, 2cm–2.5cm, 2.5cm–3cm, 3cm–4cm, 4cm–5cm, or any suitable range between these, or a combination thereof. In some cases, only a portion of the entire cavity (e.g., less than 10%) can be properly coated, whereas the modular or segmented mold designs described herein facilitate coating. In a one-piece design, attempting to coat as much of the intermediate or central section of the cavity as possible may result in excessive coating at the edges, potentially narrowing the opening size or diameter at the cavity edges compared to the intermediate or central section. For example, with low-friction coatings, properly coating the entire cavity is advantageous for process performance because the coating provides protection, preventing the cavity walls from degrading over time due to continuous wear or other factors.

[0067] Therefore, by providing the subcomponents 104A and 104B disclosed herein (including 104C in some examples, and any additional subcomponents as appropriate), it is beneficial that the entire inner surface 110 can be properly coated, thereby improving the coating process of the second inner cavity 108 (or more specifically, the inner surface 110 defining the cavity 108). Benefitingly, the mold 100 is also replaceable, and more specifically, the inner component 104 can be removed and replaced without removing the outer component 102 from the housing 600. Thus, when the coating of the inner component 104 deteriorates, the old inner component 104 can be replaced with another new inner component 104 having a newly coated cavity 108, allowing the molding apparatus 700 to continue operating by replacing the old inner component 104 with another new inner component 104 having a newly coated cavity 108, without having to replace the entire mold with a new mold.

[0068] For example, before the second inner cavity 108 is defined by bonding together, the inner surfaces 110A and 110B of the subcomponents 104A and 104B of the inner component 104 are separately and individually coated with a coating material using an appropriate process. The coating material referred to herein may be any suitable coating, including, but not limited to, one or more of the following: metal nitrides, silicone-based materials, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coatings and their derivatives, and / or diamond-like coatings (DLC) and their derivatives. Examples of metal nitrides include, but are not limited to, titanium nitride (TiN), titanium carbonitride (TiCN), titanium aluminum carbonitride (TiAlCN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), chromium nitride (CrN), titanium aluminum nitride (AlTiN), and / or chromium aluminum nitride (AlCrN). Examples of silicone-based materials include, but are not limited to, polysiloxane and / or polysilazane-based crosslinking materials.

[0069] The coating methods introduced herein include, but are not limited to, any one or more of the following: physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), sputtering, thermal evaporation, carbon coating, electron beam evaporation (EBE), molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), pulsed laser deposition (PLD), ion beam deposition (IBD), and / or any other suitable method or technique of coating application known in the art, such as other thin-film coating techniques. In some examples, the coating applied may be a liquid coating or any suitable form of coating mixture or solution that can be applied directly to a surface as described above, including, but not limited to, spray coating and / or dip coating. The coating methods or applications introduced herein are not limited to those disclosed herein, and it should be understood that different coating methods may be employed for different types of coatings and / or to achieve different properties or characteristics as described above.

[0070] Different coatings can provide different properties, characteristics, and / or applications. For example, metal nitrides can be used in forming medical devices, including plastic moldings, thereby providing high hardness, increased abrasion resistance, and increased toughness of the product. Furthermore, metal nitrides can provide abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, and oxidation resistance. Silicone-based and PTFE-based coating materials can provide low friction and / or low adhesion. In some examples, such coatings can further provide corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, and / or abrasion resistance. Different coating materials can also have different levels or values ​​of microhardness, coefficient of friction, and thermal threshold. Coating materials may also be biocompatible. Therefore, based on the needs or requirements of the application, different coating materials can be used in combination with different materials forming the inner surface 110 of the tube or inner component 104. In some examples, applying multiple coating layers of the same or different materials can improve specific properties or provide additional properties to the coated material.

[0071] The materials used to form the internal component 104 (and subcomponents) include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: stainless steel, nitrogen-reinforced duplex stainless steel, molybdenum-based high-speed steel, nickel, or nickel-iron alloys. Examples of stainless steel include various alloys such as 420 and 440C stainless steel. Examples of nitrogen-reinforced duplex stainless steel include duplex 2205 stainless steel. Examples of molybdenum-based high-speed steel include tungsten-molybdenum high-speed steel such as M2 steel. Examples of nickel-iron alloys include 80% nickel-iron-molybdenum alloys such as HyMu 80.

[0072] The above list of materials is not exhaustive, and any other suitable type of material appropriate for the application can be introduced. Mold 100 can be used in any suitable catheter tip forming machine and / or any suitable catheter manufacturing machine, including, but not limited to, the Vante SAFFIRE® system, the Vante RUBY® system, and the Vante Jade® system, and can also be used in any other type of tip forming machine that incorporates an RF induction coil heating function.

[0073] The disclosures of this application have been described above in general and with respect to specific embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various combinations, modifications, and changes are possible for each embodiment without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, if any combinations, modifications, and changes of the disclosure are included in the scope of the appended claims and equivalents, each embodiment shall cover such modifications and changes.

Claims

1. A mold for a forming apparatus for polymer products, wherein the mold is An outer component defining a first inner cavity having a first diameter, An inner component, which is configured to be positioned at least partially inside the first inner cavity of the outer component. A mold comprising, wherein the inner component has an inner surface, the inner surface defines a second inner cavity having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, and the inner component is a single, integrated piece including the inner surface, the inner surface defining the second inner cavity for housing polymer material during molding of the polymer product.

2. A mold for a forming apparatus for polymer products, wherein the mold is An outer component defining a first inner cavity having a first diameter, An inner component, which is configured to be positioned at least partially inside the first inner cavity of the outer component. The inner component includes an inner surface which defines a second inner cavity having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, and the inner component is A first subcomponent having a first inner surface, A second subcomponent having a second inner surface and A mold comprising the first and second subcomponents configured to be joined together, wherein the first and second inner surfaces are configured to define the second inner cavity for housing the polymer material during molding of the polymer product.

3. The mold according to claim 2, wherein the inner component further comprises a third subcomponent having a third inner surface, the first, second, and third subcomponents are configured to be joined together, and the first, second, and third inner surfaces are configured to define the second inner cavity.

4. The mold according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the inner surfaces of each subcomponent of the inner component are separately and individually coated with a coating material before the second inner cavity is defined by being joined together.

5. The mold according to claim 4, wherein the coating material comprises one or more of titanium nitride, titanium carbonitride, titanium aluminum carbonitride, zirconium nitride, chromium nitride, titanium aluminum nitride, aluminum chromium and silicon, or chromium aluminum nitride.

6. The mold according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the outer component includes an outer elongated portion and an outer flange portion extending radially outward from the outer elongated portion.

7. The mold according to claim 6, wherein the outer flange portion includes a plurality of flanges, and at least one of the flanges includes a notch portion that extends radially outward less than the other flanges.

8. The mold according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of flanges form a spool configured to support a coil for inductive heating the mold.

9. The mold according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the inner component includes an inner elongated portion and an inner flange portion extending radially outward from the inner elongated portion.

10. The mold according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the second inner cavity has a first end having one opening and a second end having a plurality of openings.

11. The mold according to claim 10, wherein the one opening at the first end of the second inner cavity has a larger diameter than any one of the plurality of openings at the second end.

12. The mold according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the plurality of openings at the second end have different diameters.

13. The mold according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the inner surface of the inner component includes a transition portion configured to have a diameter transition between the first end and the second end of the second inner cavity.

14. The mold according to claim 13, wherein the transition portion includes a tapered portion.

15. The mold according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein at least one of the outer component or the inner component is made of one or more of stainless steel, nitrogen-reinforced duplex stainless steel, molybdenum-based high-speed steel, nickel, or nickel-iron alloy.

16. A molding apparatus for forming tubes, wherein the apparatus is A mold according to any one of claims 1 to 15, A housing configured to reliably support the mold, A support and supply unit is configured to insert a mandrel, which is supported by the housing and supports the tube, into the mold and pull it out of the mold, An air supply unit configured to supply air for cooling the mold, A controller configured to control the operation of the support and supply unit and to supply energy for heating the mold, A device including a device.

17. A method for forming a mold for a polymer product forming apparatus, wherein the method is: Coating the first inner surface of the first subcomponent, Coating the second inner surface of the second subcomponent, The first subcomponent and the second subcomponent are joined together to form an inner component, thereby defining a second inner cavity for housing polymer material during molding of the polymer product. The inner component is positioned at least partially inside the first inner cavity of the outer component. Methods that include...

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein coating the first and second inner surfaces comprises applying a coating material to the first and second inner surfaces.

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