Automatic mold changing structure suitable for injection molding machine and operation method of automatic mold changing structure

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of injection molding machines, and discloses an automatic mold changing structure suitable for an injection molding machine, the automatic mold changing structure comprises an injection molding machine body and an injection molding module, the injection molding module comprises a forming part and a frame, the top surface of the frame is provided with a groove for inserting the forming part, and the frame is provided with a locking mechanism; the forming part is provided with a clamping part used for being matched with the locking mechanism, the inserting part is designed on the end face of the first locking part to be inserted into the inserting groove of the rotating part so that the first locking part can drive the rotating part to rotate subsequently, and by means of the stress mode, local stress concentration possibly generated by side edge clamping can be effectively eliminated; and mold inclination or rotation torque generation caused by eccentric stress can be avoided, so that stable contact between the mold and the machine table base is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of injection molding machines, and particularly to an automatic mold-changing structure applicable to an injection molding machine and an operation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In the design of large injection molding machines, a notch for installing a mold is usually reserved on the top surface of the base to facilitate the rapid installation and removal of the mold. As an important component that bears high pressure and transmits injection force during the injection molding process, the positioning accuracy and fixing state of the mold are directly related to the product molding quality and the safe and stable operation of the equipment. For large injection molding machines, their weight can reach more than 200 tons, and the corresponding mold itself is very heavy. Therefore, when changing the mold, it is necessary to use professional lifting equipment for handling and installation. However, due to the complex design of the mold and the often uneven weight distribution, there may be slight tilting or offset during the lifting and installation process. To avoid collision with the injection molding machine due to the offset of the mold during the lifting process, the installation slot reserved on the injection molding machine usually has a certain tolerance space for redundant protection; In actual working conditions, under the action of multiple factors such as high pressure, high-frequency vibration, and temperature change in the injection molding machine, the mold is fixed only by the structural cooperation between the installation slot on the base, which has certain limitations. During the long-term and high-load operation of the mold, there will be slight displacement or loosening, which will affect the dimensional accuracy of the injection molded parts and may even lead to increased mold wear or safety accidents. Therefore, to ensure that the mold always maintains a stable and reliable installation state during the injection molding process, a special fixing device is usually required to be set after the installation slot is installed; In order to solve the problem of mold offset, the existing fixing device needs to apply a certain clamping force or downward pressure to the mold from both sides and the top of the mold at the same time. However, for the mold, if pressure is applied to the mold from both sides and the top of the mold at the same time, it will cause stress to be too concentrated, and the stress concentration area may become the starting point of cracks or fatigue damage, especially under the high-frequency vibration and repeated cyclic load described above, it is more likely to be damaged. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic mold-changing structure applicable to an injection molding machine and an operation method thereof to solve the problem that in the existing large injection molding machines, due to the heavy weight of the mold, slight dimensional deviation is likely to occur during mold replacement, which affects subsequent injection molding. The specific technical solutions are as follows: An automatic mold-changing structure applicable to an injection molding machine, comprising an injection molding machine body and an injection molding module. The injection molding module includes a molding part and a frame. A groove is provided on the top surface of the frame to insert the molding part. The frame is provided with a locking mechanism, and the molding part is provided with a clamping part for cooperating with the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a first locking part and a second locking part. The first locking part is rotatably connected to the frame and is configured to expand and contract in the horizontal direction. When the first locking part changes from a contracted state to an extended state, the first locking part is detachably spliced with the clamping part. By rotating the first locking part to drive the clamping part to rotate, the clamping part rotated to a predetermined position is buckled with the second locking part, and the second locking part is triggered by the clamping part to move in the vertical direction, thereby driving the clamping part to clamp the middle part of the molding part.

[0004] As an improvement of the above technical solution, a first cylinder is connected to the frame, the first cylinder is connected with a motor, and the motor is connected with the first locking part.

[0005] As an improvement of the above technical solution, a second cylinder is connected to the frame, and the second cylinder is connected with the second locking part.

[0006] As an improvement of the above technical solution, the clamping part includes a rotating part and a movable part. The rotating part is cylindrical, and a protruding part is provided on the side surface of the rotating part. The movable part is arranged at an interval from the rotating part, and the movable part is hinged to the protruding part. A limiting part is provided on the side surface of one end of the rotating part. The limiting part is in a hook shape to limit the movable part. A plugging groove is provided on the end surface of the other end of the rotating part, and a protruding plugging part is provided on the end surface of the first locking part to cooperate with the plugging groove.

[0007] As an improvement of the above technical solution, one end of the movable part extends into the limiting part, and a receiving groove in an inverted "T" shape is provided on the side surface of the other end of the movable part. A splicing part is provided on the end surface of the second locking part, and the splicing part is in a "T" shape to cooperate with the receiving groove.

[0008] As an improvement of the above technical solution, an elastic buffer block is connected to the side surface of one end of the movable part, and the elastic buffer block is arranged between the movable part and the rotating part.

[0009] As an improvement of the above technical solution, the forming part is provided with an L-shaped channel for accommodating the linkage member. The first locking member is cylindrical. A plugging channel is provided on the side surface of the forming part to communicate with the L-shaped channel. The plugging channel is used for accommodating the first locking member. A radially protruding locking block is provided on the side surface of the first locking member. A sliding groove is provided on the inner wall of the plugging channel to cooperate with the locking block. An annular groove is provided at the connection between the L-shaped channel and the plugging channel.

[0010] As an improvement of the above technical solution, an induction switch is connected to the frame. The induction switch is electrically connected to the second cylinder. The clamping member rotated to a predetermined position triggers the induction switch.

[0011] As an improvement of the above technical solution, one end of the movable part is lighter than the other end of the movable part.

[0012] An operation method is applied to the above automatic die-changing structure applicable to an injection molding machine, and includes the following steps: S1. Drive the first locking member to be in a contracted state; S2. Plug the forming block into the groove of the frame; S3. Drive the first locking member to change from a contracted state to an extended state, and make the first locking member be spliced with the clamping member; S4. Rotate the first locking member to drive the clamping member to rotate. The clamping member rotated to a predetermined position is latched with the second locking member. The clamping member rotated to a predetermined position will trigger the second locking member. The second locking member will move in the vertical direction and drive the clamping member to clamp the forming part.

[0013] The beneficial effects of the present invention: By inserting the first locking member into the forming part from the side, multi-directional support and fixation of the forming part can be formed, avoiding possible loosening or displacement problems caused by solely relying on the groove in the frame, thereby improving the assembly stability of the forming part. The first locking member inserted laterally can increase the contact area and provide additional locking points, avoiding loosening or displacement of the forming part caused by the force during the production process; Secondly, using the second locking member to cooperate with the linkage member can apply additional pressure to the forming part, and the forming part can be locked in a predetermined position. In order to enable the clamping member to cooperate with the first locking member and the second locking member to limit the forming part from different directions, a protruding plugging portion is provided on the end surface of the first locking member to cooperate with the plugging groove. By designing the plugging portion on the end surface of the first locking member to insert into the plugging groove of the rotating part, it is convenient for the first locking member to drive the rotating part to rotate later. Such a force application method can not only effectively eliminate the local stress concentration that may be generated by side clamping, but also avoid the mold from tilting or generating a rotational torque due to eccentric force, thereby ensuring the stable contact between the mold and the machine base.

[0014] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description, will become apparent in part from the following description, or will be learned through the practice of the present invention. Of course, it is not necessary to achieve all the above-mentioned advantages simultaneously when implementing any product or method of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the clamping member of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of the locking mechanism of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of the frame of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of the induction switch of the present invention.

[0021] In the figure: forming part 1, frame 2, locking mechanism 3, clamping member 4, first cylinder 5, second cylinder 6, induction switch 7, first locking member 31, second locking member 32, motor 33, rotating part 41, movable part 42, convex part 411, limiting member 412, inserting groove 413, receiving groove 421, elastic buffer block 422. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0022] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, rather than all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] Please refer to Figures 1-5 , in the embodiments of the present invention, an automatic mold changing structure applicable to an injection molding machine includes an injection molding machine body and an injection molding module. Since the molds of existing injection molding machines include a front injection molding template and a rear injection molding template, and generally the rear injection molding template is mainly slidably connected to the injection molding machine, the present invention is mainly designed for replacing the rear injection molding template; The injection molding module includes a molding part 1 and a frame 2. Among them, the frame 2 is slidably connected to the injection molding machine body. Only by replacing the molding part 1 can the mold be replaced. Specifically, a groove is provided on the top surface of the frame 2 to insert the molding part 1. The frame 2 is provided with a locking mechanism 3, and the molding part 1 is provided with a clamping part 4 for cooperating with the locking mechanism 3. The locking mechanism 3 includes a first locking part 31 and a second locking part 32. The first locking part 31 is rotatably connected to the frame 2, and the first locking part 31 is configured to expand and contract in the horizontal direction. When the first locking part 31 changes from the contracted state to the extended state, the first locking part 31 is detachably spliced with the clamping part 4. By rotating the first locking part 31 to drive the clamping part 4 to rotate, the clamping part 4 rotated to a predetermined position is buckled with the second locking part 32, and the second locking part 32 is triggered by the clamping part 4 to move in the vertical direction, thereby driving the clamping part 4 to clamp the molding part 1; The locking mechanism 3 and the clamping part 4. When replacing the mold of a large injection molding machine, professional lifting equipment must be used for handling and installation. However, the design of the mold is complex and the weight distribution is often uneven, which may cause slight tilting or offset during the lifting and installation process. In order to avoid collision with the injection molding machine due to the offset of the mold during the lifting process, the installation slot reserved by the injection molding machine usually has a certain tolerance space for redundant protection. Therefore, corresponding locking mechanism 3 and clamping part 4 need to be designed to position and lock the mold.

[0024] The first locking part 31 is inserted into the molding part 1 from the side. Usually, existing molding parts 1 or molds will have holes reserved for fixation. Through the molding part 1, multi-directional support and fixation of the molding part 1 can be achieved, avoiding problems such as loosening or displacement that may occur by simply relying on the groove inside the frame 2, thereby improving the assembly stability of the molding part 1. The first locking part 31 inserted laterally can increase the contact area and provide additional locking points, avoiding loosening or displacement of the molding part 1 caused by the force during the production process; Secondly, using the second locking part 32 and the linkage part can apply additional pressure to the molding part 1, and the molding part 1 can be locked in a predetermined position, firmly fixing it in the groove, avoiding loosening or displacement caused by vibration, impact or external force, especially during the demolding process.

[0025] Preferably, a first cylinder 5 is connected to the frame 2, and the first cylinder 5 is connected to a motor 33. Specifically, the telescopic rod of the first cylinder 5 is connected to the motor 33. The motor 33 is driven by the first cylinder 5 to extend and retract in the horizontal direction. The end of the rotating shaft of the motor 33 is coaxially connected to the first locking member 31. The motor 33 is used to drive the first locking member 31 to rotate. Through the telescopic movement of the first cylinder 5, the motor 33 can be driven to move back and forth in the horizontal direction. The rotation of the motor 33 drives the first locking member 31 to rotate through the rotating shaft. The combination of the rotation of the motor 33 and the movement of the telescopic rod enables the first locking member 31 to perform precise rotation control according to requirements. A second cylinder 6 is connected to the frame 2. The first cylinder 5 and the second cylinder 6 are perpendicular to each other. The telescopic rod of the second cylinder 6 is connected to the second locking member 32. The second cylinder 6 is used to drive the second locking member 32 to move in the vertical direction. Through the cooperation of these two sets of cylinders and the motor 33, the entire device can be precisely controlled and operated in the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0026] In order to enable the clamping member 4 to cooperate with the first locking member 31 and the second locking member 32 to limit the forming portion 1 from different directions, the present invention also provides some embodiments. Specifically, the clamping member 4 includes a rotating portion 41 and a movable portion 42. The rotating portion 41 is cylindrical, and a protruding portion 411 is provided on the side surface of the rotating portion 41. The movable portion 42 is arranged at an interval from the rotating portion 41. The movable portion 42 is hinged to the protruding portion 411. A limiting member 412 is provided on one end side surface of the rotating portion 41. The limiting member 412 is in a hook shape to limit the movable portion 42. A plugging groove 413 is provided on the end surface of the other end of the rotating portion 41. A protruding plugging portion is provided on the end surface of the first locking member 31 to cooperate with the plugging groove 413. In this embodiment, when the first locking member 31 changes from a contracted state to an extended state in the horizontal direction, the first locking member 31 will gradually approach the rotating portion 41 and finally abut against the rotating portion 41. Therefore, by designing a plugging portion on the end surface of the first locking member 31 to insert into the plugging groove 413 of the rotating portion 41 (the plugging portion is in a cuboid shape, and the plugging groove 413 is in a rectangular shape and is adapted to the plugging portion), it is convenient for the first locking member 31 to drive the rotating portion 41 to rotate subsequently; Preferably, one end of the movable part 42 extends into the limiting part 412. A receiving groove 421 in an inverted "T" shape is provided on the side surface of the other end of the movable part 42. A splicing part is provided on the end surface of the second locking part 32. The splicing part is in a "T" shape to cooperate with the receiving groove 421. By default, the splicing part is on the rotation path of the rotating part 41. It can be understood that when the first locking part 31 drives the rotating part 41 to rotate, the rotating part 41 will also drive the movable part 42 to rotate. When the movable part 42 rotates to a predetermined position, the splicing part on the second locking part 32 will be inserted into the receiving groove 421 from the side. At this time, by driving the second locking part 32 to lift upward in the vertical direction, the movable part 42 can be pulled. Since the movable part 42 is hinged to the convex part 411, when one end of the movable part 42 is pulled upward by the second locking part 32, the other end of the movable part 42 will move downward. Furthermore, the movable part 42 will press the forming part 1 and apply a downward force to the forming part 1, so that the forming part 1 is firmly placed in the groove of the frame 2. It can be understood that when the second locking part 32 starts to lift upward, one end of the movable part 42 will be driven upward with the pulling action, while the other end of the movable part 42 will tend to move downward due to the action of the hinge structure. At this time, the other end of the movable part 42 will move downward, thereby applying a downward pressure to the forming part 1 and pushing the forming part 1 firmly into the groove of the frame 2. Through the above precise actions, the forming part 1 can be firmly fixed in the frame 2 and withstand a certain external pressure without displacement or loosening.

[0027] Adopting the solution of the above embodiment will inevitably cause wear between the movable part 42 and the forming part 1. For this reason, the present invention also provides an embodiment to solve the above problem. Specifically, an elastic buffer block 422 is connected to the side surface of one end of the movable part 42. The elastic buffer block 422 is arranged between the movable part 42 and the rotating part 41. Specifically, when the rotating part 41 rotates to a predetermined position, the elastic buffer block 422 will be placed between the movable part 42 and the forming part 1. At this time, when the movable part presses the forming part, the elastic buffer block 422 on the movable part will first contact the forming part, avoiding wear of the movable part 42 or the forming part 1.

[0028] After the rotating part 41 rotates to a predetermined position, the splicing part can accurately enter the receiving groove 421. The present invention also provides an embodiment. Specifically, one end of the movable part 42 is lighter than the other end of the movable part 42. It can be understood that since the movable part 42 is hinged to the convex part 411, the movable part 42 may be in a shaking state during the rotation process. It is difficult to accurately splice the receiving groove 421 on the shaking movable part 42 with the splicing part. Therefore, limiting one end of the movable part to be heavier than the other end of the movable part can ensure that the movable part will only tilt to one side without external force, and the relatively fixed position of the movable part can ensure the accurate insertion of the receiving groove 421 and the splicing part. That is, in order to ensure that after the rotating part 41 rotates to a predetermined position, the splicing part can accurately enter the receiving groove 421 on the movable part 42, the present invention further optimizes the design of the movable part 42. In order to avoid the shaking and instability of the movable part 42 during the rotation process, one end of the movable part 42 is heavier than the other end, so as to ensure that the movable part 42 tends to maintain a certain fixed position during the rotation process through the action of gravity.

[0029] Since the movable part 42 is hinged to the convex part 411, during the rotation process, the movable part 42 may generate a certain degree of shaking or instability. Especially during the cooperation process between the splicing part and the receiving groove 421, the shaking state will make it difficult for the two to be accurately docked. By designing one end of the movable part 42 to be heavier than the other end, this shaking phenomenon can be effectively prevented. This design makes the movable part 42 always tend to tilt towards the heavier end without external interference, thus ensuring that the movable part 42 is always at a relatively fixed tilt angle during rotation.

[0030] In the present invention, the first locking parts 31 on both sides of the forming part 1 will first clamp and position the forming part 1, and then use the movable part 42 to press the middle part of the forming part 1. This order of first clamping and then pressing down is necessary because during the pressing down process, if the mold is not fixed in advance, problems such as tilting and uneven local stress are likely to occur, thus affecting the accuracy and stability during the injection molding process. By first clamping and stably fixing the mold and then pressing down and locking, it can be ensured that the mold always maintains an ideal position and stress state throughout the injection molding cycle, effectively improving the product quality and extending the service life of the equipment and the mold.

[0031] In some embodiments, an induction switch 7 is connected to the frame 2, and the induction switch 7 is electrically connected to the second cylinder 6. The clamping part 4 that rotates to a predetermined position triggers the induction switch 7. The induction switch 7 can be a pressure sensor. When the pressure sensor is triggered by the rotating part 41, the second cylinder 6 will drive one end of the movable part 42 to move upward after receiving the signal from the pressure sensor.

[0032] In some embodiments, the forming part 1 is provided with an L-shaped channel for accommodating the linkage member. The first locking member 31 is cylindrical. The side surface of the forming part 1 is provided with an insertion channel for communicating with the L-shaped channel. The insertion channel is used for accommodating the first locking member 31. The side surface of the first locking member 31 is provided with a radially protruding locking block. The inner wall of the insertion channel is provided with a chute for cooperating with the locking block. An annular groove is provided at the connection between the L-shaped channel and the insertion channel.

[0033] Since the existing fixing device applies a certain clamping force or downward pressure to the mold simultaneously from both sides and the top of the mold, that is, applies pressure to the mold simultaneously from both sides and the top of the mold, it will cause excessive stress concentration. The stress concentration area may become the starting point of cracks or fatigue damage. Especially under high-frequency vibration and repeated cyclic loads, it is more likely to cause damage. Compared with the existing fixing device, the movable part 42 provided by the present invention can apply pressure to the mold above the middle section close to the mold, away from both sides of the mold, and can avoid excessive stress concentration during clamping or locking.

[0034] An operation method is applied to the above-mentioned automatic mold-changing structure suitable for an injection molding machine, including the following steps: S1. Drive the first locking member 31 to be in a contracted state; S2. Insert the forming block into the groove of the frame 2; S3. Drive the first locking member 31 to change from the contracted state to the extended state, and splice the first locking member 31 with the clamping member 4; S4. Rotate the first locking member 31 to drive the clamping member 4 to rotate. When the clamping member 4 rotates to a predetermined position, it is latched with the second locking member 32. When the clamping member 4 rotates to a predetermined position, it will trigger the second locking member 32. The second locking member 32 will move in the vertical direction and drive the clamping member 4 to clamp the forming part 1.

[0035] For those skilled in the art, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the details of the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments, and can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or basic characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, from any point of view, the embodiments should be regarded as exemplary and non-limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the above description. Therefore, it is intended to include all changes falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalent elements of the claims in the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic mold changing structure suitable for an injection molding machine, characterized in that: The invention comprises an injection molding machine body and an injection molding module, wherein the injection molding module comprises a molding part and a frame, wherein a groove is provided on the top surface of the frame to insert the molding part, the frame is provided with a locking mechanism, and the molding part is provided with a clamping member for cooperating with the locking mechanism, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a first locking member and a second locking member, wherein the first locking member is rotatably connected to the frame, the first locking member is configured to be retracted and extended in a horizontal direction, and when the first locking member is changed from a contracted state to an extended state, the first locking member and the clamping member are detachably spliced, and the clamping member is driven to rotate by rotating the first locking member, and the clamping member rotated to a predetermined position is buckled with the second locking member, and the second locking member is triggered by the clamping member to make the second locking member move in a vertical direction, thereby driving the clamping member to clamp the middle part of the molding part.

2. The automatic mold changing structure suitable for an injection molding machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frame is connected to a first cylinder, the first cylinder is connected to a motor, and the motor is connected to the first locking member.

3. The automatic mold changing structure suitable for an injection molding machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frame is connected with a second cylinder, and the second cylinder is connected with the second locking member.

4. The automatic mold changing structure suitable for an injection molding machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The clamping member includes a rotating part and a movable part, the rotating part is cylindrical, a protrusion is provided on the side of the rotating part, the movable part and the rotating part are spaced apart, the movable part and the protrusion are hinged, a limiting member is provided on the side of one end of the rotating part, the limiting member is in a hook shape to limit the movable part, an insert groove is provided on the other end face of the rotating part, and a raised insert portion is provided on the end face of the first locking member to match the insert groove.

5. The automatic mold changing structure suitable for an injection molding machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: One end of the movable part extends into the limiting member, and the other end side of the movable part is provided with an inverted "T" shaped receiving groove, and a splicing piece is provided on the end surface of the second locking member, and the splicing piece is in a "T" shape to match the receiving groove.

6. The automatic mold changing structure suitable for an injection molding machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: An elastic buffer block is connected to a side surface of one end of the movable part, and the elastic buffer block is arranged between the movable part and the rotating part.

7. The automatic mold changing structure for an injection molding machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The forming portion is provided with an L-shaped channel to accommodate the linkage member, the first locking member is cylindrical, and a plug-in channel is provided on the side of the forming portion to connect to the L-shaped channel. The plug-in channel is used to accommodate the first locking member, and a radially protruding locking block is provided on the side of the first locking member. A sliding groove is provided on the inner wall of the plug-in channel to cooperate with the locking block, and an annular groove is provided at the connection between the L-shaped channel and the plug-in channel.

8. The automatic mold changing structure for an injection molding machine according to claim 7, characterized in that: The frame is connected with an induction switch, which is electrically connected to the second cylinder. The clamping member rotated to a predetermined position triggers the induction switch.

9. The automatic mold changing structure for an injection molding machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: One end of the movable portion is lighter than the other end of the movable portion.

10. An operating method, applied to the automatic mold changing structure for an injection molding machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1, driving the first locking member to be in a retracted state; S2, inserting the forming block into the groove of the frame; S3, driving the first locking member to change from a contracted state to an extended state, and splicing the first locking member with the clamping member; S4. Rotate the first locking member to drive the clamping member to rotate. The clamping member rotated to a predetermined position engages with the second locking member. The clamping member rotated to a predetermined position triggers the second locking member. The second locking member moves in a vertical direction and drives the clamping member to clamp the forming portion.

Images