Abstract:
An assembly and related process for mass producing a resin coated article including an input line transporting a plurality of inserts and an output line removing the resin coated articles. One or more mold supporting and closed loop conveyor lines extend between the input and output lines, the conveyor line including a mold assembly line and an empty mold return line. A first lift and transfer mechanism communicates between the input line and mold assembly line for collecting, in succession, an insert and an upper mold half for installation with a lower mold half supported upon the assembly line. A mixing and dispensing station communicates with each mold in succession to fill an interior thereof with a viscous and curable resin material. A second lift and transfer mechanism is communicable between the mold assembly line and output line for removing the finished articles from the mold and depositing upon the output line, concurrent with redirecting the empty mold halves along return lines for redelivery to said mold assembly line.
Abstract:
A method for injection molding comprises pre-positioning a clamp piston within a cylinder housing to a datum position axially intermediate a clamping position and an unclamped position, the clamp piston affixed to a tie bar, the clamp piston and cylinder housing cooperating to provide a clamp chamber and an unclamp chamber in a clamp cylinder housing on axially opposite sides of the clamp piston for urging the clamp piston towards the clamping and unclamped positions, respectively, when pressurized. Pre-positioning the clamp piston can include leaving a positioning gap between portions of a mold before releasably locking a tie bar to one of the moving or stationary platens, and then advancing the moving platen to substantially close the positioning gap after the releasable locking has been completed. Pre-positioning the clamp piston can include moving a stop member to an advanced position in the cylinder housing, and urging the clamp piston to bear against the stop member before the releasable locking step has been completed.
Abstract:
A cam slide retainer (10) for injection molds includes a hardened wear plate (20) with an elongated latch groove (24), mounted in a corresponding recess (22) formed in the lower surface of the cam slide (12). The wear plate (20) is aligned in the direction of travel of the cam slide (12) and has a length that is no less than the length of stroke of the slide (12). A conventional spring-loaded plunger (32) mounted adjacent the wear plate (20) remains in contact with the wear plate (20) throughout the stroke of the slide (12), so that the slide (12) itself is not subject to wear from contact with the plunger (32).
Abstract:
An injection molding machine comprises a first platen and a second platen, the first platen movable relative to the second platen in an axial direction between open and closed positions, and a plurality of tie bars extending generally between the first and second platens for coupling together the first and second platens. At least a first locking device is mounted to the first platen and associated with a first one of the tie bars for selectively locking and unlocking the moving platen relative to the tie bar. At least a first clamping mechanism is mounted to the second platen and associated with the first tie bar, the clamping mechanism including clamp and unclamp chambers on either side of a piston for moving the piston towards clamp and unclamp positions to exert a clamping force and a mold break force, respectively. The machine further includes a traverse actuator comprising one or more linear actuators coupled to at least one of the first and second platens for effecting said movement of the first platen relative to the second platen between the open and closed positions, the one or more linear actuators together being free of provision for applying a mold break force to the platens.
Abstract:
An assembly and related process for mass producing a resin coated article including an input line transporting a plurality of inserts and an output line removing the resin coated articles. One or more mold supporting and closed loop conveyor lines extend between the input and output lines, the conveyor line including a mold assembly line and an empty mold return line. A first lift and transfer mechanism communicates between the input line and mold assembly line for collecting, in succession, an insert and an upper mold half for installation with a lower mold half supported upon the assembly line. A mixing and dispensing station communicates with each mold in succession to fill an interior thereof with a viscous and curable resin material. A second lift and transfer mechanism is communicable between the mold assembly line and output line for removing the finished articles from the mold and depositing upon the output line, concurrent with redirecting the empty mold halves along return lines for redelivery to said mold assembly line.
Abstract:
An apparatus for manufacturing the ends of electric cables (10), which comprises a section (B) for injection moulding on at least one end, a first section (A) comprising means for applying electrical connection elements to one end of the cable and, optionally, a second section for applying further electrical connection elements to the remaining end of the cable, and means (5) for testing the cable prior to its output from the apparatus, in which retaining means for both ends of the cables in all the manufacturing sections and means (25) for moving said ends from the retaining means of one section to the retaining means of the next section are also present. The moulding section comprises a plurality of moulds (3), with an injector (6) for each mould, mounted on platform (4) with which they can be rotated along a circumference.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for moulding one or more thermoplastic package parts in association each to an end portion (20) of a packaging container body (12). The apparatus is of the type which includes an inner mould element (24) and an outer mould element (26) between which a mould cavity (30) per package part is formed. At least one of these mould elements is at least partly freely suspended. In the case when one package part is moulded with the mould elements, the apparatus is characterised in that a plastic melt (32) is injected in a first number > 1 of points (42) in the cavity (30), an island (45) of plastic melt for each point being formed inside the cavity, and that the distribution of said points (42) is such that a force centre (F) may be caused to pass through a surface (92) which is defined by a parallel projection (45', 45') of each one of said first number of islands (45) on a plane (P) which is orthogonal to a direction (D) of the compression force and, when said first number > 1, a second number of imaginary straight lines (90) which interconnect a third number of the parallel projections (45', 45') in such a manner that the surface (92) will be at its maximum.
Abstract:
An injection moulding machine (1) comprising: (a) a set of first mould parts (2) and a set of second mould parts (3), respective first and second mould parts of these sets being adapted to register together to form a series of moulds (18) to receive moulding material for forming articles; (b) a first endless conveyor (4) supporting the set of first mould parts (2) along the first endless conveyor (4); (c) a second endless conveyor (5) located opposite the first conveyor and supporting the set of second mould parts (3) along the second endless conveyor (5); the first conveyor (4) and the second conveyor (5) defining at least one common moulding path (8) along which respective first and second mould parts (2 and 3) register together to form the moulds (18) to receive moulding material; (d) a third endless conveyor (7) supporting a set of moulding material injectors (6), the third endless conveyor (7) defining an injection path extending generally parallel to the common moulding path (8); (e) a controller to coordinate the movement of the first, second and third conveyors (4, 5 and 7) such that: (i) movement of the first conveyor (4) and second conveyor (5) causes formation of the moulds (18) in the common moulding path (8); and (ii) movement of the third conveyor (7) causes at least one of the injectors (6) in the injection path to engage with at least one injection port of one of the moulds (18) for a predetermined distance of the common moulding path (8) and inject the moulding material into the mould (18); whereby the articles are formed in the moulds (18) over the common moulding path (8) and thereafter the respective first and second mould parts (2 and 3) disengage enabling the articles to be removed.