Patent Application
20080089969
A better understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention (including alternatives and/or variations thereof) may be obtained with reference to the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention along with the following drawings, in which:
The drawings are not necessarily to scale and are sometimes illustrated by phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the embodiments or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted.
According to the first exemplary embodiment, the outer portion 20 is attachable to the second conduit 18 by way of bolts 17, and the inner portion 22 is rotatably mountable to the outer portion 20 by way of threads 24. The inner portion 22 is mounted to the outer portion 20 and then the outer portion 20 is connected to the second conduit 18. Alternatively, the outer portion 20 is mounted to the second conduit 18 and then the inner portion 22 is connected to the outer portion 20. Bolts 23 are used to mount a machine nozzle (not depicted) to the inner portion 22. Preferably, the inner portion 22 forms, at least in part, a sealing surface 40 that is sealable against the second conduit 18. The sealing surface 40 is located proximate of the outer circumferential surface of the second conduit 18. After the outer portion 20 and the inner portion 22 are assembled and the outer portion 20 is connected to the second conduit 18, a connection force acts (or is transmitted) through the bolt 17 to connect the outer portion 20 to the second conduit 18; also, the connection force acts or is transmitted through the threads 24 and along (directly) toward the sealing surface 40. The inner portion 22 is configured to: (i) receive a connection force from the outer portion 20, and (ii) transmit the connection force that was received from the outer portion 20 directly toward a sealing surface 40.
According to a variant, first conduit body 16 includes a barrel head 160. According to another variant, the second conduit 18 includes a barrel 180.
According to a variant, the system 14 is used to mold a metallic molding material, such as a magnesium alloy, a zinc alloy and/or an aluminum alloy. In this case, the second conduit 18 includes a liner 19 that is disposed along the inner circumferential surface of the second conduit 18; and as well, the inner portion 22 includes a liner 21 that is disposed or placed along the inner circumferential surface of the inner portion 22. The liners 21, 19 are, preferably, made of Stellite™ supplied by the Deloro Stellite Company (www.stellite.com) located in Goshen, Ind., USA. The second conduit 18 and the outer portion 20 and the inner portion 22 are made of Inconel™ supplied by the Special Metals Corporation located in Huntington, W. Va., USA (www.specialmetals.com). The sealing surface 40 is located along, at least in part, the liners 21, 19 (which are disposed proximate of the inner circumferential surface of the second conduit 18. However, according to another variant, the system 14 is used to mold polypropylene (or other plastic-based resin), and as such, the liners 21, 19 are not used, and the sealing surface 40 is located proximate of the inner circumferential surface of the second conduit 18.
The second conduit 18 defines a passageway 28 that extends through the second conduit 18 (at least in part); the inner portion 22 defines a channel 29 that extends through the inner portion 22. An egress 34 of the inner portion 22 permits a molding material to pass through over to a machine nozzle (not depicted).
Preferably, the barrel 180 defines a groove 38 on an outer surface 39 of the barrel 180. A heating wire 37 is placed in the groove 38. Alternatively, a heater band (not depicted) is used in place of the heating wire 37.
The system 14 includes a stationary platen 44 that is configured to support a stationary mold portion 46 of the mold 42. The system 14 also includes a movable platen 48 that is configured to support a movable mold portion 50 of the mold 42. The system 14 also includes the extruder 12. The extruder 12 and the molding system 14 may be sold or supplied separately.
Preferably, the system 14 further includes, amongst other things, tangible subsystems, components, sub-assemblies, etc, that are known to persons skilled in the art (these items are not depicted and not described in detail since they are known). These other things may include: (i) a hot runner 90 (used if so required) that is mounted to the stationary platen 44 and the stationary mold portion 48 is then mounted to the hot runner 90 instead of being mounted to the stationary platen 44, (ii) tie bars (not depicted) that operatively couple the platens 44, 48 together, (iii) a clamping mechanism (not depicted) coupled to the tie bars and used to generate a clamping force that is transmitted to the platens 44, 48 via the tie bars (so that the mold 42 may be forced to remain together while a molding material is being injected in to the mold 42), (iv) a mold break force actuator (not depicted) coupled to the tie bars and used to generate a mold break force that is transmitted to the platens 44, 48 via the tie bars (so as to break apart the mold 42 once an article has been molded in the mold 42), (v) a platen stroking actuator (not depicted) coupled to the movable platen 48 and used to move the movable platen 48 away from the stationary platen 44 so that the molded article may be removed from the mold 42, (vi) hydraulic and/or electrical control equipment, and (vii) a controller (not depicted) that is operatively coupled to the system 14 so as to control and coordinate the processes associated with the system 14, etc.
The description of the exemplary embodiments provides examples of the present invention, and these examples do not limit the scope of the present invention. It is understood that the scope of the present invention is limited by the claims. The exemplary embodiments described above may be adapted for specific conditions and/or functions, and may be further extended to a variety of other applications that are within the scope of the present invention. Having thus described the exemplary embodiments, it will be apparent that modifications and enhancements are possible without departing from the concepts as described. It is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments illustrate the aspects of the invention. Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claims themselves recite those features regarded as essential to the present invention. Preferable embodiments of the present invention are subject of the dependent claims. Therefore, what is to be protected by way of letters patent are limited only by the scope of the following claims:
