Patent Application
20130316039
An aspect generally relates to (but is not limited to) molding systems and or mold-tool system.
The inventors have researched a problem associated with known molding systems that inadvertently manufacture bad-quality molded articles or parts. After much study, the inventors believe they have arrived at an understanding of the problem and its solution, which are stated below, and the inventors believe this understanding is not known to the public.
A current problem is that hot runner cooling is not adequately balanced. The current cooling layouts may result in outer drops being subjected to increased cooling when compared to the inner drops on a hot runner. Also, given the current technology of gundrilling for cooling lines, it may be difficult to eliminate this feature. The final result may be for the outer drops to have smaller part weights than the inner drops. The non-uniform cooling may result in a large temperature variation in the hot runner plates. This variation may result in temperature differences in the manifold and nozzle housing, which may adversely affect the balance of the hot runner.
According to one aspect, there is provided a mold-tool system (100), comprising: a runner assembly (102) having: a nozzle assembly (104); and a cooling-insert assembly (106) being positioned proximate to the nozzle assembly (104), the cooling insert (106) being configured to provide, in use, uniform cooling to the nozzle assembly (104).
Several potential advantages may be realized with the above arrangement: (i) improvement of hot runner balance by creating a more uniform temperature on all drops, (ii) reduction of energy usage in the hot runner by giving ability to include insulating features, geometry, or materials between the cooling medium and the hot components, and/or (iii) simplification of design since water lines may now be inline with nozzle assemblies.
Other aspects and features of the non-limiting embodiments will now become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description of the non-limiting embodiments with the accompanying drawings.
The non-limiting embodiments will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of the non-limiting embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The drawings are not necessarily to scale and may be illustrated by phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details not necessary for an understanding of the embodiments (and/or details that render other details difficult to perceive) may have been omitted.
The definition of the mold-tool system (100) is as follows: a system that may be positioned and/or may be used in an envelope defined by a platen system of the molding system, such as an injection-molding system for example. The platen system may include a stationary platen and a movable platen that is moveable relative to the stationary platen.
In accordance with the example depicted in
In accordance with the example depicted in
In accordance with the example depicted in
The nozzle assembly (104) may include, by way of example (and is not limited to) the following components: a spring assembly (300), a nozzle Locating insulator (302), a nozzle housing (308) defining a nozzle melt channel (304), a nozzle heater (306) connected with the nozzle housing (308), a nozzle tip (310), an anti-rotation tab (312) configured to prevent rotation of the nozzle housing (308); the components identified in this paragraph are known to persons of skill in the art, and so will not be further described in any further detail. The manifold-plate assembly (122) may define a plate cooling mechanism (314) having a cooling fluid.
It will be appreciated that according to an option, the cooling-insert assembly (106) may include both the backing-plate cooling insert assembly (110) and the nozzle-drop cooling insert (112) being used or installed at same time.
In accordance with another option, as depicted in
In accordance with another option, the cooling-insert assembly (106) may include (and is not limited to): a backing-plate cooling insert assembly (110). The backing-plate cooling insert assembly (110) may be configured for: (i) placement, at least in part, in a backing plate (120) of the runner assembly (102), and (ii) positioning proximate to the nozzle assembly (104). IN addition, the cooling-insert assembly (106) may include (and is not limited to): a thermal-barrier coating (124). The thermal-barrier coating (124) may be applied, at least in part, to a surface of the cooling-insert assembly (106). The thermal-barrier coating (124) may be configured to minimize, in use, heat transfer between the cooling-insert assembly (106) and the back-up pad (212).
An example of the thermal-barrier coating (124) is NitroCoat (TRADEMARK), which is manufactured by Toefco Engineered Coating Systems, Inc., 1220 N. 14th Street, Niles, Mich. 49120 USA, telephone (269) 683-0188.
It will be appreciate that the nozzle-drop cooling insert (112) may include the thermal-barrier coating (124) in accordance with one option. It will be appreciate that the backing-plate cooling insert assembly (110) may include the thermal-barrier coating (124) in accordance with another option.
It will also be appreciated that in accordance with another option, the cooling-insert assembly (106) (as depicted in
According to another option, the cooling-insert assembly (106) includes (and is not limited to: a relatively lower thermal conductivity material. The relatively lower thermal conductivity material may have a relatively lower thermal conductivity than the thermal conductivity of a material of the back-up pad (212). The relatively lower conductivity material may be configured to minimize, in use, heat transfer between the back-up pad (212) and the backing plate (120).
It will be appreciated that the assemblies and modules described above may be connected with each other as may be required to perform desired functions and tasks that are within the scope of persons of skill in the art to make such combinations and permutations without having to describe each and every one of them in explicit terms. There is no particular assembly, components, or software code that is superior to any of the equivalents available to the art. There is no particular mode of practicing the inventions and/or examples of the invention that is superior to others, so long as the functions may be performed. It is believed that all the crucial aspects of the invention have been provided in this document.
It is understood that the scope of the present invention is limited to the scope provided by the independent claim(s), and it is also understood that the scope of the present invention is not limited to: (i) the dependent claims, (ii) the detailed description of the non-limiting embodiments, (iii) the summary, (iv) the abstract, and/or (v) description provided outside of this document (that is, outside of the instant application as filed, as prosecuted, and/or as granted). It is understood, for the purposes of this document, the phrase “includes (and is not limited to)” is equivalent to the word “comprising”. It is noted that the foregoing has outlined the non-limiting embodiments (examples). The description is made for particular non-limiting embodiments (examples). It is understood that the non-limiting embodiments are merely illustrative as examples.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US12/24948 | 2/14/2012 | WO | 00 | 7/25/2013 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61443536 | Feb 2011 | US |
