Injection mold insert and method of manufacturing an injection mold insert

Abstract

The present application discloses an injection mold insert and a manufacturing method thereof. The injection mold insert comprises a shell of a first material and an inner core of a second material sealed in the shell of the first material. The mechanical strength of the first material is superior to that of the second material, the heat conduction performance of the second material is superior to that of the first material, and the inner core is formed by a molten second material solution poured into an inner cavity of the shell. In the present application, the high-heat-conduction inner core of the injection mold insert is formed by pouring, which is more suitable for the manufacturing of injection mold inserts with complex structures and small sizes. In addition, the present application also simplifies the manufacturing process of the injection mold insert and reduces the manufacturing cost of the injection mold insert. Furthermore, the heat of the hot spot area inside the injection mold insert can be transferred to the outside more quickly through the high-heat-conduction inner core, greatly improving the cooling efficiency of the injection mold insert.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an injection mold insert and a method for manufacturing the injection mold insert. Background Technology

[0002] In existing technologies, connector products typically consist of terminals and a plastic housing. The plastic housing is usually manufactured using injection molding, which employs injection mold inserts to shape the housing. The molding cycle of the injection molding process is crucial to the production efficiency of the connector housing. Cooling time often accounts for the majority of the entire molding cycle, sometimes even exceeding 50%. Therefore, effectively reducing cooling time while ensuring product quality and production stability is essential for shortening the molding cycle.

[0003] In existing technologies, injection mold inserts are typically made of steel, but steel has generally poor thermal conductivity. To improve the cooling efficiency of injection mold inserts, cooling channels, such as water-cooling channels, are usually formed within them. However, for connector housings with complex structures, cooling water channels often struggle to reach certain hot spots within the injection mold insert, resulting in poor cooling in these areas and impacting the quality and molding cycle of the connector housing. Furthermore, for connector housings with even more complex structures and limited space, sometimes there is insufficient space to machine cooling channels in hot spots, leading to poor cooling in these areas and reducing the product's injection molding cycle time. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to solve at least one aspect of the aforementioned problems and defects existing in the prior art.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, an injection mold insert is provided, comprising: a shell of a first material; and an inner core of a second material, sealed within the shell of the first material, wherein the first material has a higher mechanical strength than the second material, the second material has a higher thermal conductivity than the first material, and the inner core is formed by molten second material liquid poured into the inner cavity of the shell.

[0006] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the housing includes: a main body component having an inner cavity and an opening communicating with the inner cavity; and a capping component for closing the opening on the main body component, wherein, during the formation of the inner core, molten second material is injected into the inner cavity of the main body component through the opening on the main body component.

[0007] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, during the formation of the inner core, the main body component is immersed in a molten second material, such that the molten second material is poured into the cavity of the main body component.

[0008] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, after the inner core is formed, the capping member is formed on the body component to close the opening on the body component.

[0009] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the main body component and the cap component are formed by 3D printing.

[0010] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the main body component is formed by direct metal laser sintering printing or selective laser melting printing, and the cap component is formed by grafting printing.

[0011] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the opening is formed on the end face of the end of the main body component and / or on the side face of the side portion of the main body component.

[0012] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the main body component has a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, and the maximum dimension of the cross-section of the main body component is less than 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm or 1 mm.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing an injection mold insert is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0014] S10: Provide a main body component, the main body component being made of a first material and having an inner cavity and an opening communicating with the inner cavity;

[0015] S20: Injecting molten second material into the cavity of the main body component through the opening; and

[0016] S30: A sealing member formed of the first material is provided on the main body component to close the opening, thereby obtaining a mold part.

[0017] The first material has better mechanical strength than the second material, while the second material has better thermal conductivity than the first material.

[0018] The mold component includes a closed shell consisting of the main body component and the capping component, and an inner core consisting of a second material infused into the main body component.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first material is mold steel, the second material is copper, and the inner core is formed by molten copper liquid poured into the inner cavity of the main body component.

[0020] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in step S20, the main body component is immersed in molten second material, such that the inner cavity of the main body component is filled with molten second material.

[0021] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, prior to step S30, excess second material attached to the exterior of the main body component is removed.

[0022] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the main body component includes an end face and a side face; and prior to step S30, excess second material attached to the end face and side face of the main body component is cut off and the end face of the main body component is ground flat.

[0023] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the method for manufacturing the injection mold insert further includes the step of:

[0024] S40: The obtained mold part is heat-treated to increase the hardness of the shell.

[0025] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first material is mold steel, and step S40 includes:

[0026] S41: The mold part is heat-treated at 1070°C for 30-60 minutes; and

[0027] S42: After the mold part has cooled, the mold part is then heat-treated at 570°C for 3 hours.

[0028] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, after step S40, the outer surface of the mold part is precision machined to obtain an injection mold insert having a predetermined shape and predetermined size.

[0029] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the main body component and the cap component are formed by 3D printing.

[0030] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the main body component is formed by direct metal laser sintering printing or selective laser melting printing, and the cap component is formed by grafting printing.

[0031] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in step S10, a plurality of main body components are provided simultaneously; and in step S20, molten second material is simultaneously poured into the plurality of main body components.

[0032] In the foregoing exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the present invention employs a casting method to form a high thermal conductivity inner core for injection mold inserts, which is more suitable for manufacturing injection mold inserts with complex structures and small sizes. Furthermore, the present invention simplifies the manufacturing process of injection mold inserts and reduces their manufacturing costs. In addition, heat from hot spots inside the injection mold insert can be transferred to the outside more quickly through the high thermal conductivity inner core, greatly improving the cooling efficiency of the injection mold insert.

[0033] Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, and will help to provide a comprehensive understanding of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 A perspective view of the main components according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0035] Figure 2 A longitudinal sectional view of the main body component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0036] Figure 3 Displayed Figure 1 and Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the filling of molten second material into the inner cavity of the main component;

[0037] Figure 4 Show removal Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the excess second material on the exterior of the main component;

[0038] Figure 5 Displayed Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing a cover component forming a closed opening on the main body component;

[0039] Figure 6 Showing Figure 5 The diagram shows an injection mold insert formed after the mold part has undergone heat treatment and precision machining. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below through embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this specification, the same or similar reference numerals indicate the same or similar components. The following description of the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings is intended to explain the overall inventive concept of the present invention and should not be construed as a limitation thereof.

[0041] Furthermore, in the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth for ease of explanation to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein. However, it will be apparent that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and apparatuses are illustrated to simplify the figures.

[0042] According to an overall technical concept of the present invention, an injection mold insert is provided, comprising: a shell of a first material; and an inner core of a second material, sealed within the shell of the first material, wherein the mechanical strength of the first material is superior to that of the second material, the thermal conductivity of the second material is superior to that of the first material, and the inner core is formed by molten liquid of the second material poured into the inner cavity of the shell.

[0043] According to another general technical concept of the present invention, a method for manufacturing an injection mold insert is provided, comprising the following steps: providing a main body component, the main body component being made of a first material and having an inner cavity and an opening communicating with the inner cavity; pouring molten second material into the inner cavity of the main body component through the opening; and providing a capping component formed of the first material on the main body component to close the opening on the main body component to obtain a mold component; wherein the mechanical strength of the first material is superior to that of the second material, and the thermal conductivity of the second material is superior to that of the first material; the mold component includes a closed shell formed by the main body component and the capping component and an inner core formed by the second material poured into the main body component.

[0044] Figure 1 A perspective view of the main component 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 2 This shows a longitudinal sectional view of the main body component 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 Displayed Figure 1 and Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the filling of molten second material 20 into the inner cavity 101 of the main component 10; Figure 4 Show removal Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the excess second material 20a, 20b on the exterior of the main body component 10; Figure 5 Displayed Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a capping component 11 forming a closed opening 101a on the main body component 10; Figure 6 Showing Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the injection mold insert 100 formed after heat treatment and precision machining of the mold part 100' shown.

[0045] like Figures 1 to 6As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the injection mold insert mainly comprises: a shell 1 made of a first material and an inner core 2 made of a second material. The inner core 2 made of the second material is sealed within the shell 1 made of the first material. The mechanical strength of the first material is superior to that of the second material, and the thermal conductivity of the second material is superior to that of the first material. For example, the thermal conductivity of the second material can be higher than 70 W / mK.

[0046] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, in the illustrated embodiment, the inner core 2 is formed from molten second material poured into the inner cavity 101 of the housing 1. That is, the present invention uses a pouring method to form the inner core 2 of the injection mold insert 100, simplifying the manufacturing process of the injection mold insert 100 and reducing its manufacturing cost. Furthermore, heat from hot spots inside the injection mold insert 100 can be transferred to the outside more quickly through the highly thermally conductive inner core 2, greatly improving the cooling efficiency of the injection mold insert 100.

[0047] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the first material is mold steel, the second material is copper, and the inner core 2 is formed by molten copper liquid poured into the inner cavity 101 of the housing 1.

[0048] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the housing 1 includes a main body component 10 and a cover component 11. The main body component 10 has an inner cavity 101 and an opening 101a communicating with the inner cavity 101. The cover component 11 closes the opening 101a on the main body component 10.

[0049] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, during the formation of the inner core 2, molten second material is injected into the inner cavity 101 of the main body 10 through an opening 101a on the main body 10.

[0050] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, during the formation of the inner core 2, the main body component 10 is immersed in molten second material, such that the molten second material is poured into the inner cavity 101 of the main body component 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other suitable methods may be used to pour the molten second material into the inner cavity 101 of the main body component 10.

[0051] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, after the inner core 2 is formed, a capping member 11 is formed on the main body member 10 to close the opening 101a on the main body member 10. In this way, the entire inner core 2 is sealed in the housing 1.

[0052] like Figures 1 to 6As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the main body component 10 and the cap component 11 are formed using 3D printing. For example, the main body component 10 can be formed using direct metal laser sintering printing or selective laser melting printing. The cap component 11 can be formed using grafting printing.

[0053] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, in the illustrated embodiment, an opening 101a is formed on the end face 10a at the end of the main body component 10 and / or the side face 10b of the side portion of the main body component 10.

[0054] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the main body component 10 has a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, and the maximum dimension of the cross-section of the main body component 10 is less than 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm or 1 mm.

[0055] The following will refer to the appendix. Figures 1 to 6 To illustrate a method for manufacturing an injection mold insert according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the method may include the following steps:

[0056] S10: As Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a main body component 10 is provided, which is made of a first material and has an inner cavity 101 and an opening 101a communicating with the inner cavity 101;

[0057] S20: As Figure 3 As shown, molten second material is poured into the cavity 101 of the main body component 10 through the opening 101a; and

[0058] S30: As Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, a first material capping member 11 is provided on the main body member 10 to close the opening 101a on the main body member 10, so as to obtain the mold part 100'.

[0059] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, in the illustrated embodiment, the mechanical strength of the first material is superior to that of the second material, and the thermal conductivity of the second material is superior to that of the first material. The mold component 100' includes a closed shell 1 composed of a main body component 10 and a capping component 11, and an inner core 2 composed of a second material 20 injected into the main body component 10.

[0060] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the first material is mold steel, the second material is copper, and the inner core 2 is formed by molten copper liquid poured into the inner cavity 101 of the main body component 10.

[0061] like Figures 1 to 6As shown in the illustrated embodiment, in step S20, the main body component 10 is immersed in molten second material, such that the inner cavity 101 of the main body component 10 is filled with molten second material.

[0062] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, prior to step S30, excess second material 20a, 20b attached to the exterior of the main body component 10 is removed.

[0063] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, in the illustrated embodiment, the main body component 10 includes an end face 10a and a side face 10b. As... Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, before step S30, excess second material 20a attached to the end face 10a of the main body component 10 and excess second material 20b attached to the side face 10b are cut off, and the end face 10a of the main body component 10 is ground flat.

[0064] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the aforementioned method for manufacturing the injection mold insert further includes the step of:

[0065] S40: The obtained mold part 100' is heat-treated to increase the hardness of the shell 1.

[0066] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, in the illustrated embodiment, the first material is mold steel, and step S40 includes:

[0067] S41: Heat-treat mold part 100' at 1070℃ for 30–60 minutes; and

[0068] S42: After the mold part 100' has cooled, the mold part 100' is then heat-treated at 570°C for 3 hours.

[0069] In this way, after two heat treatments, the surface hardness of shell 1 can reach 48-54 HRC.

[0070] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, after step S40, the outer surface of the mold part 100' is precision machined to obtain an injection mold insert 100 having a predetermined shape and predetermined size.

[0071] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the main body component 10 and the cap component 11 are formed using 3D printing. For example, the main body component 10 can be formed using direct metal laser sintering printing or selective laser melting printing. The cap component 11 can be formed using grafting printing.

[0072] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, multiple main components 10 can be provided simultaneously in step S10, and molten second material liquid can be poured into the multiple main components 10 simultaneously in step S20. This can improve manufacturing efficiency.

[0073] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the manufacturing process of its injection mold insert is as follows:

[0074] 1. Based on the design of the injection mold insert, design a hollow main component 10 and an appropriate outer frame. Due to the small size of the main component (e.g., diameter <4mm, or even <1mm), the wall thickness can be appropriately increased. Multiple main components can also be designed onto a single base for easy fabrication at once. Appropriate machining allowances should be added to the main component design. The designed structure is then printed using 3D printing. 3D printing can utilize DMLS (Direct Laser Metal Sintering) or SLM (Selective Laser Melting) processes.

[0075] 2. Pure copper is melted at high temperature using a heating furnace, such as an electric furnace or a medium-frequency electromagnetic induction heating furnace, and the copper is placed in a graphite crucible.

[0076] 3. Slowly immerse the printed steel main body into the molten pure copper. As the copper rises and covers the top of the main body, slowly lift the main body out of the pure copper. Because the lifted part is cooled and sealed, and because the internal pure copper filling is thinner and the upper part has been cooled, the internal copper is prevented from flowing down when it is removed.

[0077] 4. After cooling, trim off the excess machining material from both ends of the main component and grind the ends flat.

[0078] 5. Using a grafting printing method, seal the end openings of the main body component by printing the sealing cap component 11 on both ends, and leave room for post-processing.

[0079] 6. Heat treatment process: The mold part 100' obtained above is heat-treated at 1070 degrees Celsius for 30-60 minutes. After cooling, it is then heat-treated at 570 degrees Celsius for 3 hours to harden the mold steel. The final surface hardness reaches 48-54 HRC.

[0080] 7. After heat treatment, the mold part 100' is precision machined to achieve the required structure and dimensions of the injection mold insert 100.

[0081] The present invention has the following advantages:

[0082] 1) In this invention, 3D printing combined with copper molten casting, machining and heat treatment can realize the production of pure copper molds for steel ladles.

[0083] 2) It facilitates the manufacturing of molds with pure copper as the inner core and steel as the outer shell. It boasts high thermal conductivity and high surface hardness, making it wear-resistant.

[0084] 3) Molten copper pouring not only achieves the combination of copper and steel, making it suitable for the production of steel-clad copper molds with complex structures, but also for the manufacture of small-sized, high thermal conductivity mold inserts.

[0085] 4) 3D grafting printing technology enables the sealing and bonding of pure copper and steel materials.

[0086] 5) The solution of the present invention is easy to realize the fabrication of high thermal conductivity mold inserts with small size or complex structure.

[0087] The thermal conductivity of a mold has a significant impact on the injection molding cycle and product performance. The thermal conductivity of commonly used injection mold insert steel is 20-30 W / mC. Conventional manufacturing methods, even 3D printing, struggle to produce high thermal conductivity molds with a steel-clad copper structure, especially for small or complex mold inserts. This invention provides a solution for fabricating a high thermal conductivity steel-clad copper mold with a pure copper core using 3D printing combined with molten pure copper infusion, machining, and heat treatment. The invention first prints a hollow mold body from mold steel material. This printed body is then immersed in molten pure copper for infusion. The pure copper-filled insert is then machined. Finally, the remaining structure is printed using a grafting printing method to tightly seal the entire pure copper part within the steel shell. Two heat treatment steps sinter the steel and copper, increasing the steel's hardness. Finally, the mold surface is finished using machining to obtain the desired mold part. This solution differs from existing direct energy deposition 3D printing methods, which cannot print pure copper for bimetallic parts. It also enables the manufacture of small-sized, high-thermal-conductivity mold inserts, a capability unattainable by other methods.

[0088] Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments described above are exemplary and can be improved upon. The structures described in the various embodiments can be freely combined without causing structural or principle conflicts, and these changes should fall within the protection scope of this invention.

[0089] Although the invention has been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the embodiments disclosed in the drawings are intended to illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0090] While some embodiments of the general concept of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general concept of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

[0091] It should be noted that the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the words "a" or "an" do not exclude multiple elements. Furthermore, any reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an injection mold insert, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S10: Provide a main body component (10) made of a first material and having an inner cavity (101) and an opening (101a) communicating with the inner cavity (101). S20: Molten second material is injected into the cavity (101) of the main body component (10) through the opening (101a); and S30: A capping component (11) formed of the first material is provided on the main body component (10) to close the opening (101a) in order to obtain a mold component (100'). The first material has better mechanical strength than the second material, while the second material has better thermal conductivity than the first material. The mold component (100') includes a closed shell (1) formed by the main body component (10) and the capping component (11) and an inner core (2) formed by a second material (20) injected into the main body component (10). In step S20, the main body component (10) is immersed in molten second material, such that the inner cavity (101) of the main body component (10) is filled with molten second material. The main body component (10) has longitudinal and transverse dimensions, and the maximum cross-sectional dimension of the main body component (10) is less than 4 mm, 3 mm, 2 mm or 1 mm.

2. The method for manufacturing an injection mold insert according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first material is mold steel, the second material is copper, and the inner core (2) is formed by molten copper liquid poured into the inner cavity (101) of the main body component (10).

3. The method for manufacturing an injection mold insert according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before step S30, excess second material (20a, 20b) attached to the exterior of the main body component (10) is removed.

4. The method for manufacturing an injection mold insert according to claim 3, characterized in that: The main body component (10) includes an end face (10a) and a side face (10b); and Before step S30, excess second material (20a, 20b) attached to the end face (10a) and side face (10b) of the main body component (10) is cut off and the end face (10a) of the main body component (10) is ground flat.

5. The method for manufacturing an injection mold insert according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps: S40: The obtained mold part (100') is heat-treated to increase the hardness of the shell (1).

6. The method for manufacturing an injection mold insert according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first material is mold steel, and step S40 includes: S41: The mold part (100') is heat-treated at 1070°C for 30-60 minutes; and S42: After the mold part (100') has cooled, the mold part (100') is then heat-treated at 570°C for 3 hours.

7. The method for manufacturing an injection mold insert according to claim 5, characterized in that: After step S40, the outer surface of the mold part (100') is precision machined to obtain an injection mold insert (100) with a predetermined shape and predetermined size.

8. The method for manufacturing an injection mold insert according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main body component (10) and the cover component (11) are formed by 3D printing.

9. The method for manufacturing an injection mold insert according to claim 8, characterized in that: The main body component (10) is formed by direct metal laser sintering printing or selective laser melting printing, and the capping component (11) is formed by grafting printing.

10. The method for manufacturing an injection mold insert according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S10, multiple main body components (10) are provided simultaneously; and In step S20, molten second material is simultaneously poured into the plurality of main body components (10).

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