The present application relates to and claims the priority of German patent application 10 2020 112 590.9 filed on May 8, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby explicitly incorporated by reference into the subject matter of the present application.
The invention relates to an injection moulding unit for an injection moulding machine for processing plastics and other plasticisable substances.
Injection moulding machines for processing plastics and other plasticisable substances regularly have a mould closing unit for receiving injection moulds, into which plasticised material is injected by means of a plasticiser unit received in an injection moulding unit. The injection moulding unit is for this purpose supported on a machine base by means of a carrier block, in which a plasticiser cylinder can be received replaceably. In the plasticiser cylinder itself there is provided a feeding means, such as a feeding screw, which is displaceable along an injection axis and by means of which the material to be plasticised is plasticised and injected as the result of an injection operation.
In order to receive the plasticiser cylinder replaceably and releasably in the receiving bore of the carrier block, a locking device is provided, which on the one hand is intended to hold reliably the plasticiser cylinder in the receiving bore, and on the other hand must transfer reliably the forces occurring during the injection moulding process from the plasticiser cylinder to the carrier block.
EP 0 200 962 B1 discloses such an injection moulding unit, in which a plasticiser cylinder is held by means of bolts. During the locking process, bevel surfaces of bolts guided in guide tracks engage with the rear, bevelled end face of the plasticiser cylinder.
EP 0 548 704 A1 discloses a plastics injection moulding unit with a locking device for the plasticiser cylinder, in which the locking is achieved by means of a threaded connection by means of a motorised drive. The plasticiser cylinder has a locking thread, which is arranged symmetrically to the injection axis on the plasticiser cylinder. The nut connected thereto has a toothing in which a spindle drive meshes for actuation.
JP S58-187 323 A describes an apparatus for locking a plasticiser cylinder on an injection moulding machine, in which wedges are inserted into correspondingly shaped grooves of the plasticiser cylinder by means of cylinder units. The plasticiser cylinder is released from the injection moulding unit by removing the wedges from the grooves.
DE 40 21 857 A1 describes an injection moulding machine with an injection moulding unit and a replaceable plasticiser cylinder. The plasticiser cylinder is secured to the injection moulding machine or can be coupled thereto by means of mechanically or hydraulically actuatable clamping apparatuses. The plasticiser cylinder is provided with an adapter plate, which is acted on by the apparatuses of the injection moulding machine. The locking is achieved by means of wedge-shaped clamping elements.
DE 37 35 701 C1 describes an automated locking device for locking a plasticiser cylinder to the carrier block of an injection moulding unit. Slides are inserted into U-shaped recesses of the plasticiser cylinder by means of a hydraulically actuatable mechanism and the plasticiser cylinder is thus clamped to the carrier block.
Proceeding from this prior art, the object of the present invention is to develop an injection moulding unit of this kind such that even relatively large forces can be transferred reliably between the plasticiser cylinder and the carrier block and, simultaneously, a low-wear locking is created in respect of the plasticiser cylinder.
The injection moulding unit comprises a carrier block with a central receiving bore, in which a plasticiser cylinder of a plasticiser unit can be received releasably. A locking device is provided for alternately locking the plasticiser unit on the carrier block and unlocking the plasticiser unit from the carrier block by relative movement of bevel surfaces running transversely to the injection axis on operatively connected locking elements. A bearing nut is provided on the outer surface of the plasticiser cylinder, the surface of said bearing nut oriented in the direction of the carrier block forming at least one bearing surface for the locking elements.
In principle, a plurality of locking elements are provided, the locking elements in one embodiment having bevel surfaces which are oriented toward each other, independently of the carrier block and plasticiser cylinder, and which slide on each other during the locking movement and during the unlocking movement. This has the advantage that the bevel surfaces exposed to greater wear are not provided on the carrier block and the plasticiser unit, but on the more easily replaceable locking elements, since the bearing surfaces relative to the bearing nut and thus the plasticiser unit and the carrier block do not come into contact with said bevel surfaces. At the same time, a force introduction is achieved symmetrically to the injection axis, in particular of the forces created during the injection moulding process, such as the injection forces, which is advantageous on account of the higher forces in particular in large machines and also reduces the wear on the plasticiser cylinder as well as the introduction of forces into the bearing nut.
Alternatively, the plurality of locking elements are arranged on the bearing nut such that they have, on the side spaced from the bearing surface of the bearing nut, oppositely inclined bevel surfaces. The force is thus introduced in the direction of the bearing nut associated with the plasticiser cylinder. At the same time, a force introduction symmetrical to the injection axis is ensured, so that the wear in particular at the plasticiser cylinder as a result of the locking and unlocking movement of the plasticiser cylinder at the carrier block and as a result of the cyclical micro-movements during pressure build-up and pressure reduction during the injection cycle is significantly reduced.
The bearing surfaces of bearing block and/or bearing nut are preferably arranged at a right angle to the injection axis. Since these bearing surfaces are at the same time the surfaces along which the locking elements slide, these bearing surfaces are not loaded by transverse forces in comparison to the locking bevel surfaces, since merely a fully normal force acts on these surfaces. By contrast, at the bevel surfaces a transverse force can also be created in the surface and contributes to the wear.
In a preferred embodiment the locking elements are formed by at least two wedges guided diametrically to the injection axis between the carrier block and bearing nut. This has the advantage that the locking can be ensured easily and reliably with few elements, without the need for a complex rearrangement of components or any vulnerable mechanical connection points.
The bevel surfaces which are oriented toward each other, independently of the carrier block and bearing nut, are preferably formed as bevel surfaces of rising and falling inclined surfaces of at least two rotary wedges formed as locking elements. Forces can thus be introduced advantageously symmetrically to the injection axis and circumferentially around the plasticiser cylinder, so that a uniform loading is ensured.
The inclined surfaces preferably run around the plasticiser cylinder in a manner spaced from the circumference of the plasticiser cylinder, so that advantageously a symmetrical force introduction is achieved around the plasticiser cylinder. This contributes to a low-wear force introduction.
In a preferred exemplary embodiment, it is also possible that at least one of the rotary wedges has a toothed ring externally. This allows the rotary wedge to be actuated directly on its outer side, whereby a mechanical or motorised drive can be effected reliably and easily, even with high torque.
In a preferred embodiment a toothed rack meshes with the toothed ring of the rotary wedge so that, when the toothed rack moves axially relative to the carrier block, a rotation can be effected at the rotary wedge. This allows a mechanically simple and yet reliable force introduction of a torque for locking and unlocking of the plasticiser cylinder on the carrier block. At the same time, the fundamental structural preconditions for performing an actuation of this kind in a motorised manner are thus also created.
In order to advantageously introduce the forces symmetrically into the plasticiser cylinder and also ensure reliable locking at the carrier block, the bevel surfaces of the locking elements are then arranged on the side spaced from the bearing surface of the bearing nut, and the bevel surfaces of the two locking elements, said bevel surfaces thus bearing against the carrier block, are of equal area. Due to the configuration with equal area, equal forces are transferred on both sides, so that a uniform loading and symmetrical force introduction in respect of the carrier block are provided. Due to the force introduction at the bearing surface of the bearing nut, it is additionally ensured that the forces are transferred gently at the plasticiser cylinder.
In order to actuate the locking elements, adjustment elements are preferably provided, which are mounted on the carrier block and are actuatable in a manner mounted adjustably on the locking elements, or alternatively and additionally are also mounted adjustably relatively to one another between the locking elements. These locking elements can thus be set and adjusted individually in order to thus also ensure a symmetrical force introduction.
A symmetrical force introduction has the advantage, in principle, that the created forces are not only dissipated reliably, but also without any influence on the injection moulding process and thus the quality of the injection moulded parts to be produced.
Further advantages will become apparent from the dependent claims and the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments.
The invention will be explained in greater detail hereinafter on the basis of the exemplary embodiments shown in the appended Figures, in which:
The invention will now be explained in greater detail by way of example with reference to the appended drawings. The exemplary embodiments, however, are merely examples that are not intended to limit the inventive concept to a specific arrangement. Before the invention is described in detail, it should be noted that it is not limited to the various component parts of the apparatus or the various method steps, since these component parts and method may vary. The terms used here are merely intended to describe particular embodiments and are not used in a limiting sense. If, in addition, the singular or indefinite article are used in the description or in the claims, thus also refers to the plurality of these elements, provided the general context does not dearly state otherwise.
The Figures show four exemplary embodiments of an injection moulding unit for an injection moulding machine for processing plastics and other plasticisable substances, such as powdered, metal, or ceramic substances. In these exemplary embodiments, the same reference signs are used for the same components, unless the different components are being discussed expressly hereinafter.
An injection moulding unit of this kind is part of a (plastics) injection moulding machine which generally comprises a mould closing unit and an injection moulding unit. A cyclically opening and closing injection mould, in the cavity of which the injection moulded part to be produced is manufactured, is received in the mould closing unit. For this purpose, material to be plasticised is homogenised and plasticised in the injection moulding unit, specifically in the plasticiser cylinder 14 of the plasticiser unit 12. A feeding means 16 displaceable along an injection axis a-a and provided usually in the form of a feeding screw or a feeding piston, which injects the plasticised material into the mould cavity on account of an injection movement, is received in the plasticiser cylinder 14. For the injection movement, injection units E (
The injection moulding unit in accordance with
The locking elements 18 operatively connected to one another are guided on bearing surfaces 10b, 20b of the carrier block 10 and/or bearing nut 20 on the plasticiser cylinder 14. In accordance with
In principle, a plurality of locking elements are provided in all exemplary embodiments and in the first, second and fourth exemplary embodiment have bevel surfaces 18a which are oriented toward each other, independently of the carrier block 10 and plasticiser unit. The locking elements 18 slide on one another, i.e. relative to one another, along these bevel surfaces 18a during the locking and unlocking movements. Alternatively the bevel surfaces 18a in the third exemplary embodiment, on the side of the locking elements 18 spaced from the bearing surface 20b and the bearing nut 20, are provided as oppositely inclined bevel surfaces 18a. These slide during the locking and unlocking movements synchronously on bevel surfaces 10d (
A feature common to both alternatives is that they allow a symmetrical force introduction of the forces occurring during the injection moulding process for the transfer from the plasticiser cylinder 14 to the carrier block 10, with a low-wear mounting in relation to the attachment to the plasticiser cylinder being achieved at the same time by the bearing nut 20. There is thus no need for stronger engagement in the wall of the plasticiser cylinder 14 in the form of cut-outs or recesses, and instead the bearing nut 20 can be arranged on the outer surface 14a of the plasticiser cylinder 14 and can offer support to the locking elements 18 by way of its bearing surface. This makes it possible to provide a reliable force introduction that can be easily generated, even in large machines, without wear-prone mounting on the plasticiser cylinder.
In the first exemplary embodiment of
In principle, the plasticiser cylinder 14 is locked to the carrier block 10 as follows: In the starting state, the carrier block 10 has the receiving bore 10a. The plasticiser 14 is introduced into this receiving bore, in
The bearing nut 20 is tightened at the start of the locking process by means of an external thread until it “blocks” against the locking elements 18 formed as wedges. The wedges are then displaced vertically by means of the adjustment elements 24, The vertical displacement leads to a horizontal clamping force between the carrier block 10 and bearing nut 20. If the system is under “load” by means of the locking elements, it is no longer possible to turn the bearing nut 20. Operation of the plasticiser unit 12 is possible in this locked position.
If the locking is to be released again, the adjustment elements 24 are first released, so that the adjustment elements 24 no longer bear against the locking elements 18. In the next step the adjustment elements 26 are then actuated, in order to transfer the locking elements 18 actively from their clamped position into an unlocked position in accordance with
The further structure is, in principle, the same as in the first exemplary embodiment, in particular with regard to the fixing of the plasticiser cylinder 14 in the receiving bore 10a of the carrier block 10. Here too, the shoulder 14b in accordance with
The inclined surfaces of the rotary wedges 18′ are spaced from the circumference of the plasticiser cylinder 14 and run around the plasticiser cylinder. Here too, a symmetrical force introduction into the plasticiser cylinder 14 is thus ensured by means of the bearing nut 20, which is mounted on the outer face 14a of the plasticiser cylinder 14 and which additionally acts in a force-transferring manner over a sufficiently large area over the entire circumference of the plasticiser cylinder.
In accordance with
In accordance with
It can be seen in
Both the arrangement relative to the injection axis a-a and the configuration with equal areas contribute to a symmetrical force introduction and, in particular, to the fact that no negative influence is produced in particular at the carrier block 10 in the region of the feed opening for the material to be plasticised. This contributes both to careful treatment of the plasticiser cylinder 14 and also to a uniform loading of the connection parts, which, besides the arrangement of the locking elements 18, further reduces the wear of the parts operatively connected to one another.
In a fourth exemplary embodiment,
A feature common to the exemplary embodiments is that a symmetrical force introduction into the carrier block 10 of the forces created during the injection moulding process, in particular during the injection, is ensured. In addition, due to the selected arrangement of the locking elements 18, 18′, a low-wear implementation and arrangement of the parts interacting with one another can be achieved.
Besides the manual actuation of the locking elements, a hydraulic, electric, pneumatic, or otherwise assisted movement of the locking elements and of the locking device is also possible.
It goes without saying that this description may be subject to the most diverse modifications, changes and adaptations which are within the range of equivalents to the attached claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2020 112 590.9 | May 2020 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2021/061898 | 5/5/2021 | WO |