Patent Application
20140124985
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2012-0125370 and 10-2012-0129401, filed on Nov. 7, 2012 and Nov. 15, 2012, respectively, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The following description relates to a method for molding a core of a vacuum insulation panel, for example, to a method for molding a core of a vacuum insulation panel capable of efficiently mass-producing an enlarged core.
Insulation panels are used to limit transference of heat in buildings, pipes, and ice boxes where there is temperature difference between the interior and exterior thereof. General insulation panels or vacuum insulation panels are mostly used for the above purpose.
A general insulation panel has an insulation performance of 30 mW/mK, whereas a vacuum insulation panel has a high insulation performance of 3˜10 mW/mK, that is, approximately 3 to 10 times that of a general insulation panel. Such vacuum insulation panels are not widely used due to high material costs and difficulty of manufacturing technologies despite their excellent insulation performance.
Recently, due to significant advance of manufacturing technologies, various countries such as Germany, Great Britain, Japan, USA, Canada, Korea, and China etc. are making efforts to commercialize vacuum insulation panels, but high material costs and manufacturing process costs are becoming a burden.
A vacuum insulation panel consists of a molded insulation body made of inorganic substances and a gas insulation film covering the molded insulation body. The biggest feature of a vacuum insulation panel is that the interior of the molded insulation body is prepared in a vacuum condition. Herein, the molded insulation body that fills the inside of the vacuum insulation panel is called a core. One way to manufacture a core is to use a glass fiber compressed material or mixed powder including silica.
Registered Patent Publication no. 10-0314431 discloses a method for manufacturing a core of a vacuum insulation panel. Herein below is explanation on a manufacturing method of Registered Patent Publication no. 10-0314431 with reference to
With reference to
However, there occurs a problem where the core bends due to the difference between the core density of the upper surface that contacts the molding plate 10 and the core density of a lower surface that contacts the molding cast 20, and the so-called spring back effect where the core material tends to return to its original condition as the molding plate 10 that applies pressure to the core material is distanced from the core upon completion of a core molding process.
Accordingly, there is a limitation to enlarging the core since the size of the core is limited due to the range free of the spring back effect.
In addition, the air inside the molding cast 20 that failed to be discharged causes an attenuating effect, and thus extends the time it takes for the molding plate 10 to approach the core material to press the core material. This extends the time of the press-molding process and decreases the total output per time unit.
Therefore, a purpose of the present disclosure is to resolve the aforementioned problems of prior art, that is, to provide a method for molding a core of a vacuum insulation panel capable of inhibiting deformation of a core and embodying an enlarged core but within a reduced process time.
In one general aspect, there is provided a method for molding a core of a vacuum insulation panel, the method comprising: supplying core material into a molding space of a molding apparatus comprising a pair of molding plates facing each other and providing a molding space where a core is to be molded, and a molding cast closing the molding space from outside; press-molding a core material by moving the pair of molding plates along their approaching direction to press the core material; moving the press-molded core outside the molding cast while maintaining a certain distance between the pair of molding plates; and discharging the molded core.
In the general aspect of the method, the molding plates may comprise an upper molding plate and lower molding plate, and the press-molding may comprise moving the lower molding plate to approach an upper side of the molding cast with an upper side of the molding space opened; closing the upper side of the molding space by moving the upper molding plate downwards when the lower molding plate reaches a predetermined location; and pressing the core material by moving the lower molding plate towards an upper side of the predetermined location.
In the general aspect of the method, at the press-molding, the distance between the upper molding plate and lower molding plate may be narrower than a predetermined thickness of a core.
In the general aspect of the method, the distance between the upper molding plate and lower molding plate may be 80% to 97% of the predetermined thickness of a core.
In the general aspect of the method, at the moving, the pair of molding plates may move along the same direction at the same time.
In the general aspect of the method, the pair of molding plates may be synchronized-controlled.
In the general aspect of the method, the molding apparatus may further comprise a presser connected to each of the pair of molding plates; and a controller controlling the presser to perform a synchronized-control on the pair of molding plates.
In the general aspect of the method, the presser may be a hydraulic cylinder of a servo-control system or comprises a servo-motor and ball screw.
According to the present disclosure, there is provided a method for molding a core of a vacuum insulation panel capable of applying pressure to a core right before the core is discharged so as to inhibit deformation of the core by the spring back effect, and inhibiting deformation of the core, thereby efficiently manufacturing a core of a desired size by a user.
In addition, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the time of the press-molding process by minimizing the resistance due to the air inside the molding space.
Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, since the volume of the apparatus for molding a core can be reduced, it is possible to save space that the molding apparatus occupies while mass-producing cores.
Other features and aspects may be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings, and the claims.
Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, unless otherwise described, the same drawing reference numerals will be understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures. The relative size and depiction of these elements may be exaggerated for clarity, illustrating, and convenience.
The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein. Accordingly, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the systems, apparatuses and/or methods described herein will be suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. Also, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions may be omitted for increased clarity and conciseness.
Herein below is detailed description of a method for molding a core of a vacuum insulation panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to the attached drawings.
Prior to explaining a method for molding a core of a vacuum insulation panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure (S100), herein below is explanation on an apparatus for molding a core of a vacuum insulation panel where the method for molding a core of a vacuum insulation panel is performed.
With reference to
The molding cast 110 is provided in plural disposed along one direction, and provides a molding space M where core material is supplied and pressed. The molding cast 110 comprises a lower molding plate 111, molding cast 112, and lower presser 113.
When provided on the raw material supplier 120 to be explained herein below, the lower molding plate 111 is provided with core material on the upper surface, and when provided on the press-molder 130 to be explained herein below, the lower molding plate 111 is a plate member that transmits the pressing force to the core material provided on the upper surface.
In other words, when the molding cast part 110 is provided with core material from the raw material supplier 120 to be explained herein below, the lower molding plate 111 is provided with core material on its upper surface and then the core material is prepared ready to be pressed by the press-molder 130 to be explained herein below, that is the upper portion of the core material is disposed in parallel with the upper surface of the lower molding plate 110.
Meanwhile, there may be further performed a planarization process for planarizing the upper portion of the core material.
The molding cast 112 forms a molding space M which is the space where the core material is supplied and press-molded, and closes the exterior surface of the molding space M from outside and thus when the core material is pressed by the press-molder to be explained herein below, supports the pressing force applied to the core. It is a member that determines the shape of the core being press-molded.
That is, the shape of the molding space M formed in the molding cast 112 has a big effect on the shape of the core being press-molded, and thus the core is molded practically the same as the shape of the molding space M. Of course, the volume may expand due to the spring back effect caused by the air gap inside the core and the elasticity of the raw material itself.
Meanwhile, in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in the molding cast 112, the lower molding plate 111 is accommodated, and thus the lower molding plate 111 is moveable along the inner surface of the molding cast 112.
Furthermore, the cross-sectional area of the molding cast 112 is smaller than the surface facing the molding space M on the upper molding plate 131 so that the upper molding plate 131 contacts the upper surface of the molding cast 112 and the movement is limited.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the molding cast 112 may be provided as a square cast where its upper side and lower side are open.
The lower presser 113 is connected to the lower molding plate 111 and applies pressure to the lower molding plate 111 to press the core material.
That is, the lower presser 113 sends the force to the lower molding pate 111 so that the lower molding plate 111 can move upwards, and when the movement of the lower molding plate 111 is limited by the core material and the upper molding plate 131 to be explained herein below, the lower presser presses the core material with the force sent to the lower molding plate 111.
Meanwhile, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, when moving the press-molded core to the molding cast 112, more exactly to the exterior of the molding space M, the lower molding plate 111 and the upper molding plate 131 to be explained herein below move in the same direction while maintaining a practically same distance from each other.
To embody the aforementioned, the lower presser 113 may desirably be a hydraulic cylinder of a servo-control system or comprise a servo motor and ball screw.
That is, in the case where the lower presser 113 is a hydraulic cylinder of a servo-control system, it is possible to make fine manipulation of 0.1 mm unit, and thus it is possible to control fine movements of the lower molding plate 111.
In addition, in the case where the lower presser 113 is a servo-motor and ball screw, it is also possible to make fine manipulation as aforementioned, and thus it is possible to control fine movements of the lower molding plate 111 as well.
The raw material supplier 120 is provided on the upper side of the molding cast part 110 to provide core material to the molding space M.
Meanwhile, the raw material supplier 120 is a well-known technology, and thus detailed explanation thereof is omitted.
The press-molder 130 is provided on the upper side of the molding cast part 110 between the raw material suppliers 120, and receives the molding cast part 110 where core material is supplied to the molding space M through the raw material supplier 120 and presses the molding space M. The press-molder 130 comprises an upper molding plate 131, upper presser 132, and guide 133.
The upper molding plate 131 is a member provided on the upper side of the molding cast part 110 to close the upper side of the frame 112.
According to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cross-sectional area of the surface on the molding plate 131 facing the molding cast part 110 is bigger than the cross-sectional area of the molding cast part 110.
The upper presser 132 is connected to the upper molding plate 131 and applies force to the upper molding plate 131.
That is, when the force is applied to the upper molding plate 131 through the upper presser 132, the upper molding plate 131 moves downwards, and in the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the upper molding plate 131 moves until the lower surface contacts the frame 112 and closes the upper side of the frame 112.
According to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the upper presser 132 may be a hydraulic cylinder of a servo-control system or comprise a servo-motor and ball screw just as in the lower presser 113 to make fine manipulations of the movement of the upper molding plate 131.
In addition, in the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the upper molding plate 131 contacts the frame 112, and thus when the upper side of the frame 112 is closed, the lower molding plate 111 moves upwards to press the core material.
A plurality of guides 133 are extended in a gravity direction but to penetrate the upper molding plate 131, thereby guiding the movement of the upper molding plate 131 so that the upper molding plate 131 can move in a gravity direction.
For the core to be manufactured in a predetermined shape, more specifically, in a shape practically the same as the shape of the molding space M, a predetermined pressure must be applied with the location of the core material secured, and when the upper molding plate 131 makes a movement other than along the gravity direction, the location of the core material may change during the press-molding.
Therefore, in the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in the case where a plurality of guides 133 that extend along the gravity direction that is perpendicular to the upper surface of the core material guide the movement path of the upper molding plate 133, the upper molding plate 131 may be guided to make only the movements perpendicular to the upper surface of the core material.
However, the movement of the upper molding plate 131 through the guide 133 may obviously be adjusted differently according to the shape of the core material.
In addition, when discharging the press-molded core from the molding space M, the spring back effect may occur, that is a phenomenon where the volume increases due to the air gap inside the core and the elasticity of the core material itself, and thus, in consideration of this spring back effect, it is possible to provide the distance between the lower molding plate 111 and upper molding plate 131 that is narrower than the thickness of the predetermined core in the process of press-molding in the press-molder 130.
Meanwhile, in the case where a press-molding process is performed by the press-molder 130, a core may be molded by performing a step of sending the lower molding plate 111 near the upper side with the upper side of the molding space M opened (S121); a step of closing the upper side of the molding space M by moving the upper molding plate 131 downwards when the lower molding plate 111 reaches a predetermined location (S122); and a step of pressing the core material by moving the lower molding plate 111 towards the upper side of the predetermined location (S123). These operations will be explained herein below.
The carrier 140 is disposed on the lower side of the raw material supplier 120 and the press-molder 130, and supplies the core material and transfers the plurality of molding cast parts 110 that are press-molded to the press-molder 130 and to the raw material supplier 120.
Herein, the carrier 140 transfers the molding cast part 110 along one direction, and makes each molding cast part 110 to supply and press-mold the core material before and after the transfer.
The receiver 150 is a place connected to the press-molder 130 where the press-molded core is received through the press-molder 130.
That is, since the molding cast part 110 that completed the process in the press-molder 130 must be provided to the raw material supplier 120 and receive core material, it is desirable to discharge the molded core from the molding space M.
Consequently, the completed core is discharged from the molding space M, and the molding cast part 110 is transferred from the press-molder 130 to the raw material supplier 120 to be supplied with core material.
Meanwhile, in the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the molded core receives force so as to move as high as the lower molding plate 111 is exposed from the frame 112 and then to move towards the receiver 150.
Meanwhile, in the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a controller 150 may be further provided to perform a synchronized control on the movement of the lower molding plate 111 and upper molding plate 131.
Herein, a synchronization control is a method of making a precise control of the flow of controls between the processes when a plurality of processes are being made within a particular period of time.
That is, for the lower molding plate 111 and upper molding plate 131 to move while maintaining a certain the distance there between, as the lower molding plate 111 moves a predetermined length through the lower presser 113, the upper molding plate 131 must move a predetermined length through the upper presser 132 at the same time.
Therefore, by making a precise control of the movement of the upper molding plate 131 and lower molding plate 111 through the synchronization control by the controller 160, it becomes possible to move the upper molding plate 131 and lower molding plate 111 in the same direction while maintaining practically the same distance there between.
With reference to
That is, the aforementioned are disposed in the order of the first raw material supplier 120a, followed by first press-molder 130a, followed by second raw material supplier 120b, followed by second press-molder 130b, and followed by third raw material supplier 120c, and on the lower end of the first raw material supplier 120a to the second press-molder 130b, the molding cast parts 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d are provided.
Herein, for convenience of explanation, the direction from the first raw material supplier 120a towards the third raw material supplier 120c is defined as a first direction, while the direction from the third raw material supplier 120c towards the first raw material supplier 120a is defined as a second direction.
Meanwhile, it is desirable that the first raw material supplier 120a, first press-molder 130a, second raw material supplier 120b, second press-molder 130b, and third raw material supplier 120c are disposed by an equal distance from one another so as to efficiently transfer the molding cast part 110 through the carrier 140.
Meanwhile, the number of the molding cast parts 110 may be one less than the number of the raw material supplier 120 and the number of the press-molder 130 combined, and the molding cast parts 130 may be disposed successively along the first direction.
This is to perform the process of manufacturing a core successively, and depending on the transferring direction of the molding cast parts 110, only one of the first raw material supplier 120a and third raw material supplier 120c is selectively operated.
Herein, the first raw material supplier 120a and third raw material supplier 120c perform their original function of supplying the core material to the molding space M only when the molding cast parts 110 are provided on the lower portion thereof, and the number of the molding cast parts 110 are one less than the number of the raw material supplier 120 and the number of the press-molder 130 combined, and thus the molding cast part 110 is disposed on the lower portion of only one of the two, so that the first raw material supplier 120a and third raw material supplier 120c do not operate at the same time.
That is, in the case where the molding cast part 110 is not transferred, the third raw material supplier 120c does not operate, and in the case where the molding cast part 110 is transferred in the first direction by the carrier 140, the first raw material supplier 120a does not operate. Likewise, in the case where the molding cast part 110 is transferred along the second direction through the carrier 140, the third raw material supplier 120c does not operate, and subsequent process is repeated.
The carrier 140 is disposed on the lower side of the molding cast part 110 to support the molding cast part 110.
In addition, the receiver 150 is provided on the front or rear side of where the press-molder 130 is to be installed to provide a place for receiving the press-molded core, and as long as it is located within a range that does not affect transferring the molding cast part 110, there is no particular limitation to the location.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure for convenience of explanation, and there is no limitation to the specific numbers, or installation location thereof.
Herein below is explanation on a method for molding a core of a vacuum insulation panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure that may be performed through the aforementioned apparatus for manufacturing a core of a vacuum insulation panel.
With reference to
With reference to
By this step, the core material supplied inside the molding space M is supported by the lower molding plate 111 accommodated inside the molding cast 112.
Meanwhile, the step of supplying raw material (S110) may further include a planarization process of planarizing the core material.
With raw material supplied inside the molding space M through the step of supplying raw material (S110), the closer to the point where the core material is supplied, the core material is concentrated, whereas the farther away from the point where core material is supplied, the amount decrease, and thus there is a need to evenly disperse the core material and planarize the upper surface of the core material.
Therefore, with the core density evenly dispersed by further performing a planarization step to evenly dispersing the upper surface of the core material, it is possible to perform the step of press-molding (S120) to be explained herein below.
The step of press-molding (S120) is a step where when the molding cast part 110 where the core material is supplied through the carrier 140 is provided to the press-molder 130, the upper molding plate 131 and lower molding plate 111 move in their approaching direction, thereby press-molding the core material provided inside the molding space M. The step of press-molding (S120) comprises a step of approaching (S121), closing (S122), and pressing (S123).
With reference to
With reference to
Herein, it is desirable that the predetermined location is a location where the core material contacts both the lower molding plate 111 and upper molding plate 131, and more desirably the predetermined location may be lower than the aforementioned predetermined location.
Meanwhile, when the lower molding plate 111 reaches the predetermined location, the upper side is closed by the upper molding plate 131, and thus even when the air inside the molding space M is discharged easily, it is possible to proceed to the step of pressing (S123) to be explained herebelow.
With reference to
Meanwhile, the step of pressing (S120) is performed through the aforementioned step of approaching (S121), closing (S122), and pressing (S123), thereby reducing the time necessary in a press-molding process than in prior art.
That is, in prior art where the upper molding plate is lowered to perform a press-molding process with the lower side closed, the movement of the upper molding plate is limited by the resistance of air inside the molding space, which caused a problem of increasing the time necessary in a press-molding process, but according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, with the upper side of the molding space M opened, the lower upper molding plate 111 is moved upwards until the predetermined location, thereby reducing the section affected by air resistance and reducing the time necessary in a press-molding process.
With reference to
In addition, it is desirable that the distance between the lower molding plate 111 and upper molding plate 131 is narrower than the predetermined thickness considering that the volume will partially expand due to the repulsive force between the atoms of the core material.
Herein, the distance between the lower upper molding plate 111 and upper molding plate 131 may be 3 to 20% narrower than the thickness of the predetermined core, that is, 80 to 97% thickness.
Meanwhile, at the step of press-molding (S120), the upper and lower side of the core material inside the molding space M are closed by the lower and upper molding plates 111, 131, respectively, while the exterior surface is closed by the molding cast, and accordingly, the core material hardens.
With reference to
At this step of moving (S130), it is desirable that the upper molding plate 131 and lower molding plate 111 move along the same direction while maintaining a certain there between so as to inhibit deformation of the core by the spring back effect.
That is, it is desirable that the upper molding plate 131 and lower molding plate 111 both move upwards but at a same speed.
That is, as the controller 160 makes a synchronized control on the pressers 113, 132, the upper molding plate 131 and lower molding plate 111 are synchronized-controlled, thereby maintaining practically a same distance between the upper molding plate 131 and lower molding plate 111.
In the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the lower presser 113 and upper presser 132 are provided as hydraulic cylinders of servo-control system capable of adjusting the fine movement by 0.1 mm unit, but this may change depending on the thickness of the predetermined core.
Meanwhile, in the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the step of moving (S130) moves the lower molding plate 111 and upper molding plate 131 until at least the upper surface of the lower molding plate 111 and the upper surface of the molding cast 112 are located on the same surface.
The step of discharging (S140) is a step of discharging the core moved to the exterior of the molding cast 112 at the step of moving (S130).
Herein, the step of discharging (S140) is a well known technology, and thus detailed description is omitted.
A number of examples have been described above. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different matter and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2012-0125370 | Nov 2012 | KR | national |
| 10-2012-0129401 | Nov 2012 | KR | national |
