Rapid cooling and heat exchange device for intake manifold casting mold

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of casting molds, and discloses a rapid cooling and heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold. The mold comprises an upper mold, a lower mold, an internal snakelike heat dissipation channel and a cooling liquid conveying assembly. A plurality of groups of connecting pipes with one-way valves are uniformly distributed in front of the interiors of the upper mold and the lower mold and are communicated with the serpentine channel; the transmission shaft is driven by the motor to drive the shell to slide along the shaft, and the worm, the worm gear and the sector gear mechanism in the transmission shaft accurately control the movement, insertion and extraction of the conveying butt joint valve, so that cooling liquid injection points are sequentially switched from the two sides of the mold to the center. The device can actively establish a temperature gradient from outside to inside, ensures that the thick and large area of the flange is finally solidified and fully fed, effectively eliminates the shrinkage cavity defect, and remarkably improves the casting quality and the production efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of casting mold technology, and in particular to a rapid cooling heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold. Background Technology

[0002] As a critical connecting component, the intake manifold exhaust flange is designed with a thick wall structure to withstand high temperatures and bolt loads. During casting, shrinkage defects are prone to occur. In the mainstream low-pressure casting process of aluminum alloy, heat is difficult to dissipate quickly, and the shrinkage of the molten metal cannot be effectively compensated. The resulting shrinkage cavities will reduce the flange's sealing performance and strength, requiring additional rework and repair, and may even lead to the scrapping of the casting, increasing production costs.

[0003] The main root cause of the above problems lies in the uneven heat dissipation of the mold and the loss of control over the solidification sequence. Traditional molds generally use straight-line drilled cooling channels, which have a rigid layout and cannot fit the complex cavity surface, resulting in low heat dissipation efficiency of the flange and the inability to form an ideal temperature gradient from the edge to the shrinkage opening. Therefore, there are too many defects in the existing intake manifold flanges. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is the shortcomings of the prior art. To address this, we propose a rapid cooling heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution: a rapid cooling heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold, comprising a mold and a serpentine heat dissipation channel disposed inside the mold, and further comprising a coolant delivery assembly. The mold comprises an upper mold and a lower mold, the gate being located in the middle of the upper mold. A serpentine heat dissipation channel is disposed inside both the upper mold and the lower mold. A liquid inlet is provided on both sides of the front of the upper mold and the lower mold, and a liquid outlet is provided on both sides of the rear of the upper mold and the liquid inlet. The liquid outlet is connected to both ends of the serpentine heat dissipation channel. Connecting pipes are evenly distributed inside the front of the upper mold and the lower mold. The connecting pipes correspond to the front bends of the serpentine heat dissipation channel and are connected to the serpentine heat dissipation channel. A one-way valve is provided in the middle of the connecting pipe. The upper and lower molds are equipped with a shell that slides laterally inside. There are two sets of shells. A delivery docking valve is movably installed inside the shell. One end of the delivery docking valve corresponds to the end of the connecting pipe away from the serpentine heat dissipation channel. Delivery pipes are provided on both sides inside the upper mold. One end of the delivery pipe is connected to the liquid inlet, and the other end of the delivery docking valve is connected to the other end of the delivery pipe. The upper mold is also equipped with a moving component and a plugging / unplugging component. The plugging / unplugging mechanism is used to connect the delivery docking valve to the connecting pipe or to pull the delivery docking valve out of the connecting pipe. The moving mechanism is used to drive the two sets of housings to move to the positions corresponding to the delivery docking valve and other connecting pipes.

[0006] Preferably, the moving component includes a motor mounted on the outside of the upper mold and the lower mold, the motor output end extending into the interior of the upper mold and fixedly connected to a drive shaft, the drive shaft having a hexagonal cross-section.

[0007] Preferably, racks are also fixedly installed inside the upper and lower molds, and both the drive shaft and the racks pass through the outer shell laterally.

[0008] Preferably, a worm and a worm wheel are rotatably connected at the bottom of the inner part of the housing. The worm has a sliding groove arranged laterally inside. The worm is fitted and slidably connected to the outside of the drive shaft through the sliding groove. The worm and the worm wheel are meshed together.

[0009] Preferably, a third sector gear is fixedly installed on the top of the worm gear. The third sector gear is a half-sector gear. The third sector gear is intermittently meshed with the rack. The third sector gear is configured such that the distance the housing moves when the third sector gear meshes with the rack and rotates once is equal to the distance between the two sets of connecting pipes.

[0010] Preferably, the upper mold is rotatably connected to a drive gear, a first transmission gear, and a second transmission gear in the middle, wherein the drive gear is located between the first transmission gear and the second transmission gear, the drive gear is meshed with the first transmission gear and the second transmission gear, the drive gear is fixedly connected to a third sector gear and a worm gear, and the top of the first transmission gear and the second transmission gear are respectively fixedly mounted with the first sector gear and the second sector gear.

[0011] Preferably, both the first sector gear and the second sector gear are quarter sector gears, and a toothed plate is slidably connected inside the housing. The two sides of the toothed plate are intermittently meshed with the first sector gear and the second sector gear, respectively. The toothed plate is fixedly connected to the conveying docking valve through a connecting plate.

[0012] Preferably, the one-way valve includes a housing mounted on a connecting pipe, with a movable inner cavity inside the housing. A one-way valve plate is rotatably connected to the inner corner of the movable inner cavity via a rotating shaft. The width of the one-way valve plate corresponds to the width of the inner wall of the movable inner cavity. A torsion spring is installed between the inside of the housing and the rotating shaft.

[0013] Preferably, the coolant delivery assembly includes a coolant tank and an air cooler installed on the outside of the coolant tank, with inlet and outlet pipes on the air cooler extending into the coolant tank.

[0014] Preferably, the coolant tank is equipped with a coolant pump inside, which is connected to the inlet of the upper and lower molds through a delivery pipe. The coolant tank is also equipped with a return pipe, which is connected to the outlet of the upper and lower molds.

[0015] The technical effects and advantages of this invention are as follows: In this invention, a serpentine heat dissipation channel and multiple sets of connecting pipes evenly distributed within the upper and lower molds are arranged. A motor-driven, gear and rack mechanism precisely controls the fluid injection in a mobile manner, allowing the injection point to automatically and sequentially switch along a predetermined path from the mold edge to the central gate. This structure effectively ensures a high degree of matching between the cooling surface and the solidification requirements of the casting, achieving an ideal temperature gradient from both sides of the flange to the central feeding port. This ensures that the flange area always receives sufficient liquid metal feeding, fundamentally eliminating shrinkage cavities and porosity defects, and greatly improving the density and mechanical properties of the casting. Furthermore, it automates and intelligentizes the cooling process, significantly improving production efficiency and process stability while reducing rework rates and production costs. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The disclosure of this invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same parts: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the coolant delivery assembly structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the mold structure of the present invention; Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the mold structure of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the mold structure of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the moving component and pluggable component structure of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the moving component and plug-in component of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a partial structural cross-sectional view of the movable component and plug-in component of the present invention; Figure 9 This is an exploded view of the movable component and plug-in component of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the one-way valve structure of the present invention.

[0017] Legend: 1. Upper mold; 2. Lower mold; 3. Liquid inlet; 4. Liquid outlet; 5. Serpentine heat dissipation channel; 6. Connecting pipe; 7. Housing; 8. Movable inner cavity; 9. One-way valve plate; 10. Rotating shaft; 11. Torsion spring; 12. Motor; 13. Drive shaft; 14. Rack; 15. Conveyor docking valve; 16. Conveyor pipe; 17. Worm gear; 18. Sliding groove; 19. Worm wheel; 20. Drive gear; 21. First transmission gear; 22. Second transmission gear; 23. First sector gear; 24. Second sector gear; 25. Third sector gear; 26. Gear plate; 27. Connecting plate; 28. Coolant tank; 29. ​​Air cooler; 30. Housing. Detailed Implementation

[0018] It is readily understood that, based on the technical solution of this invention, those skilled in the art can propose various interchangeable structural methods and implementations without altering the essential spirit of the invention. Therefore, the following detailed embodiments and accompanying drawings are merely illustrative examples of the technical solution of this invention and should not be considered as the entirety of the invention or as limitations or restrictions on the technical solution of this invention.

[0019] Example 1: Please refer to Figures 1 to 6 The present invention provides a rapid cooling heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold, which is mainly used for casting intake manifolds, especially their flange parts. The device includes a mold and a serpentine heat dissipation channel 5 disposed inside the mold, as well as a coolant delivery assembly.

[0020] like Figures 3-4 As shown, the mold includes an upper mold 1 and a lower mold 2. The gate is located in the middle of the upper mold 1. Both the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 are provided with serpentine heat dissipation channels 5. Both sides of the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 are provided with liquid inlets 3 for the entry of coolant. Both sides of the upper mold 1 and the liquid inlets 3 are provided with liquid outlets 4, and the liquid outlets 4 are connected to both ends of the serpentine heat dissipation channels 5 for the return of coolant.

[0021] like Figures 5-6 As shown, in order to achieve precise cooling of specific areas inside the mold, connecting pipes 6 are evenly distributed at the front of the interior of the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2. The connecting pipes 6 correspond to the front bends of the serpentine heat dissipation channel 5 and are connected to the serpentine heat dissipation channel 5. Each connecting pipe 6 corresponds to a cooling area in the serpentine heat dissipation channel 5. A one-way valve is provided in the middle of each connecting pipe 6. The one-way valve is used to ensure that the coolant can only flow into the serpentine heat dissipation channel 5 in one direction to prevent backflow, thereby ensuring the cooling effect and the directional flow of the coolant.

[0022] To enable dynamic switching of coolant injection points, two sets of outer shells 30 are laterally slidably installed inside the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2. Each set of outer shells 30 has a movable delivery docking valve 15 inside. One end of the delivery docking valve 15 corresponds to the end of the connecting pipe 6 away from the serpentine heat dissipation channel 5. That is, when the delivery docking valve 15 is docked with the connecting pipe 6, coolant can enter the connecting pipe 6 through the delivery docking valve 15. A pressure valve can be installed inside the end of each connecting pipe 6 and the docking valve 15 that is close to each other to prevent coolant leakage from the connecting pipe 6 and the docking valve 15. Delivery pipes 16 are provided on both sides inside the upper mold 1. One end of the delivery pipe 16 is connected to the liquid inlet 3, and the other end of the delivery docking valve 15 is connected to the other end of the delivery pipe 16. Coolant can enter the connecting pipe 6 from the liquid inlet 3 through the delivery pipe 16 and then through the delivery docking valve 15.

[0023] In order to drive the movement and docking of the housing 30 and the delivery docking valve 15, the upper mold 1 is also provided with a moving component and a plugging component. The plugging component is used to dock the delivery docking valve 15 with the connecting pipe 6 or to pull the delivery docking valve 15 out of the connecting pipe 6 to realize the on / off of the coolant. The moving component is used to drive the two sets of housings 30 to move laterally so that the delivery docking valve 15 inside can correspond to different connecting pipes 6, thereby realizing the switching of cooling zones.

[0024] Example 2: Based on Example 1, this example further describes the structure of the moving component in detail.

[0025] Please see Figures 6-9 The moving component includes a motor 12 mounted on the outside of the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2. The motor 12 serves as a power source to drive the entire moving mechanism. The output end of the motor 12 extends into the interior of the upper mold 1 and is fixedly connected to a transmission shaft 13. The transmission shaft 13 has a hexagonal cross-section. This non-circular cross-section design ensures that the transmission shaft 13 can reliably drive the components that cooperate with it to rotate synchronously when rotating, while allowing these components to slide along the axial direction of the transmission shaft 13.

[0026] Racks 14 are also fixedly installed inside the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2. Both the drive shaft 13 and the rack 14 extend laterally through the outer shell 30. The rack 14 provides a fixed guide rail for the outer shell 30, while the drive shaft 13 provides power input for the movement of the outer shell 30.

[0027] The worm 17 and worm wheel 19 are rotatably connected at the bottom of the inner casing 30. The worm 17 has a horizontal sliding groove 18 inside. The worm 17 is fitted and slidably connected to the outside of the drive shaft 13 through the sliding groove 18. This connection method allows the worm 17 to rotate with the drive shaft 13, while allowing the outer casing 30 and the worm 17 to slide along the axial direction of the drive shaft 13. The worm 17 is meshed with the worm wheel 19. When the worm 17 rotates, it drives the worm wheel 19 to rotate.

[0028] A third sector gear 25 is fixedly mounted on the top of the worm gear 19. The third sector gear 25 is a half-sector gear, and its design allows it to intermittently mesh with the rack 14. The configuration of the third sector gear 25 is key: the distance that the housing 30 moves when the third sector gear 25 meshes with the rack 14 and rotates once is equal to the distance between two adjacent sets of connecting pipes 6. Whenever the third sector gear 25 completes one meshing rotation with the rack 14, the housing 30 will move precisely above the next connecting pipe 6, thereby achieving precise switching of the cooling zone.

[0029] Example 3: Based on Example 2, this example further describes the structure of the plug-in assembly in detail.

[0030] Please see Figure 8 and Figure 9 Inside the upper mold 1, a drive gear 20, a first transmission gear 21, and a second transmission gear 22 are rotatably connected. The drive gear 20 is located between the first transmission gear 21 and the second transmission gear 22. The drive gear 20 is meshed with the first transmission gear 21 and the second transmission gear 22. The drive gear 20 is fixedly connected to the third sector gear 25 and the worm gear 19. When the worm gear 19 rotates, it will drive the drive gear 20 and the third sector gear 25 to rotate simultaneously. The top of the first transmission gear 21 and the second transmission gear 22 are respectively fixedly mounted with the first sector gear 23 and the second sector gear 24.

[0031] Both the first sector gear 23 and the second sector gear 24 are quarter-sector gears. This sector gear design allows them to intermittently mesh with the toothed plate 26. The toothed plate 26 is slidably connected inside the housing 30. The two sides of the toothed plate 26 are intermittently meshed with the first sector gear 23 and the second sector gear 24, respectively. When the first sector gear 23 rotates and meshes with the toothed plate 26, it drives the toothed plate 26 to move in one direction; when the second sector gear 24 rotates and meshes with the toothed plate 26, it drives the toothed plate 26 to move in the opposite direction. The toothed plate 26 is fixedly connected to the conveying docking valve 15 through a connecting plate 27. Therefore, the reciprocating sliding of the toothed plate 26 can drive the conveying docking valve 15 to perform insertion and extraction actions, realizing docking and separation with the connecting pipe 6.

[0032] Example 4: Based on Example 1, this example further describes the structure of the one-way valve in detail.

[0033] Please see Figure 10The one-way valve includes a housing 7 mounted on the connecting pipe 6. The housing 7 has a movable inner cavity 8. A one-way valve plate 9 is rotatably connected to the inner corner of the movable inner cavity 8 via a rotating shaft 10. The width of the one-way valve plate 9 corresponds to the width of the inner wall of the movable inner cavity 8, ensuring effective prevention of coolant backflow when closed. A torsion spring 11 is installed between the housing 7 and the rotating shaft 10. The torsion spring 11 provides a preload force, keeping the one-way valve plate 9 closed when there is no coolant pressure. When coolant enters the connecting pipe 6 from the delivery valve 15 and generates sufficient pressure, the one-way valve plate 9 is pushed open, allowing coolant to flow into the serpentine heat dissipation channel 5. When the coolant pressure disappears, the torsion spring 11 resets the one-way valve plate 9 to close, preventing coolant backflow.

[0034] Example 5: Based on Example 1, this example further describes in detail the structure of the coolant delivery assembly.

[0035] Please see Figures 1-2 The coolant delivery assembly includes a coolant tank 28 and an air cooler 29 installed on the outside of the coolant tank 28. The inlet and outlet pipes on the air cooler 29 extend into the coolant tank 28. The air cooler 29 is used to cool the coolant that takes away heat from the mold, so that it can be recycled after its temperature is reduced.

[0036] The coolant tank 28 is equipped with a coolant pump, which is connected to the inlet 3 outside the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2 through a delivery pipe. The coolant pump is responsible for pumping the coolant from the coolant tank 28 to the inlet 3 of the mold. The coolant tank 28 is also equipped with a return pipe, which is connected to the outlet 4 outside the upper mold 1 and the lower mold 2. The return pipe is used to collect the coolant that has completed the cooling task from the mold and return it to the coolant tank 28, forming a closed-loop cooling cycle system.

[0037] Working principle: When the motor 12 starts, it drives the transmission shaft 13 to rotate. In the initial state, the two outer shells 30 are located on both sides of the mold, and the conveying docking valve 15 inside them is docked with the outermost connecting pipe 6. The rotation of the drive shaft 13 drives the worm gear 17 to rotate on one hand, and on the other hand, it acts as a guide rail, supporting the housing 30 so that it can slide along its own axis. The worm gear 17 drives the worm wheel 19 to rotate slowly. The rotation of the worm wheel 19 drives the coaxial drive gear 20 and the third sector gear 25 to rotate together. When the third sector gear 25 rotates and meshes with the fixed rack 14, it generates a reaction force, pushing the entire housing 30 to move along the drive shaft 13 and the rack 14 towards the center of the mold by a fixed distance. This distance is equal to the interval between two adjacent connecting pipes 6. The drive gear 20 simultaneously drives the first drive gear 21 and the second drive gear 22 to rotate, thereby driving the first sector gear 23 and the second sector gear 24 at their top to rotate. During the intermittent movement, the first sector gear 23 first meshes with the toothed plate 26, driving the toothed plate 26 to push the delivery docking valve 15 forward through the connecting plate 27, so that it is tightly docked with the current connecting pipe 6. The coolant pump starts, and coolant flows in from the inlet 3, through the delivery pipe 16, the delivery docking valve 15, and the one-way valve in the connecting pipe 6, into the serpentine heat dissipation channel 5, and finally flows back to the coolant tank 28 from the outlet 4, completing the forced cooling of the current area. Subsequently, the second sector gear 24 meshes with the toothed plate 26, driving the delivery docking valve 15 to move backward, so that it is separated from the current connecting pipe 6, and the coolant injection stops. The above process is repeated. The motor 12 rotates continuously, driving the two outer shells 30 to carry the valve core 15 step by step towards the central gate. The injection point of the coolant also moves from both sides of the mold towards the center step by step and alternately. Finally, when the injection point moves to the central connecting pipe 6, the middle part of the flange is cooled last and solidifies under the feeding of the liquid metal at the gate, thereby effectively preventing the formation of shrinkage cavities.

[0038] The technical scope of this invention is not limited to the content described above. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the above embodiments without departing from the technical concept of this invention, and all such modifications and variations should fall within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A rapid cooling heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold, characterized in that, The device includes a mold and a serpentine heat dissipation channel inside the mold, as well as a coolant delivery assembly. The mold includes an upper mold and a lower mold. The gate is located in the middle of the upper mold. Both the upper mold and the lower mold have serpentine heat dissipation channels inside. Both sides of the upper mold and the lower mold have inlets at the front. Both sides of the upper mold and the inlets have outlets at the rear. The outlets are connected to both ends of the serpentine heat dissipation channel. Connecting pipes are evenly distributed inside the front of the upper mold and the lower mold. The connecting pipes correspond to the front bends of the serpentine heat dissipation channel and are connected to the serpentine heat dissipation channel. A one-way valve is provided in the middle of the connecting pipe. The upper mold and the lower mold are laterally slidably equipped with a shell, and there are two sets of shells. A conveying docking valve is movably installed inside the shell. One end of the conveying docking valve corresponds to the end of the connecting pipe away from the serpentine heat dissipation channel. Conveying pipes are provided on both sides inside the upper mold. One end of the conveying pipe is connected to the liquid inlet, and the other end of the conveying docking valve is connected to the other end of the conveying pipe. The upper mold is also equipped with a moving component and a plugging / unplugging component. The plugging / unplugging mechanism is used to connect the delivery docking valve to the connecting pipe or to pull the delivery docking valve out of the connecting pipe. The moving mechanism is used to drive the two sets of housings to move to the positions corresponding to the delivery docking valve and other connecting pipes.

2. The rapid cooling heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold according to claim 1, characterized in that: The moving component includes a motor mounted on the outside of the upper and lower molds. The output end of the motor extends into the interior of the upper mold and is fixedly connected to a drive shaft with a hexagonal cross-section.

3. The rapid cooling heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper and lower molds are also fixedly installed with racks, and the drive shaft and racks both pass through the outer shell laterally.

4. The rapid cooling heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold according to claim 1, characterized in that: The worm and worm wheel are rotatably connected at the bottom of the inner shell. The worm has a horizontal sliding groove inside, and the worm is fitted and slidably connected to the outside of the drive shaft through the sliding groove. The worm and worm wheel are meshed together.

5. The rapid cooling heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold according to claim 4, characterized in that: A third sector gear is fixedly installed on the top of the worm gear. The third sector gear is a half-sector gear. The third sector gear is intermittently meshed with the rack. The third sector gear is configured such that when the third sector gear meshes with the rack, the distance that the outer casing moves in one revolution is equal to the distance between the two sets of connecting pipes.

6. The rapid cooling heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold according to claim 5, characterized in that: The upper mold is rotatably connected to a drive gear, a first transmission gear, and a second transmission gear. The drive gear is located between the first and second transmission gears and meshes with them. The drive gear is fixedly connected to a third sector gear and a worm gear. The tops of the first and second transmission gears are respectively fixedly mounted with a first sector gear and a second sector gear. Both the first and second sector gears are quarter-sector gears. A toothed plate is slidably connected inside the outer shell. The two sides of the toothed plate intermittently mesh with the first and second sector gears. The toothed plate is fixedly connected to the conveying docking valve via a connecting plate.

7. The rapid cooling heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold according to claim 1, characterized in that: The one-way valve includes a housing mounted on a connecting pipe. The housing has a movable inner cavity inside. A one-way valve plate is rotatably connected to the inner corner of the movable inner cavity via a rotating shaft. The width of the one-way valve plate corresponds to the width of the inner wall of the movable inner cavity. A torsion spring is installed between the inside of the housing and the rotating shaft.

8. The rapid cooling heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coolant delivery assembly includes a coolant tank and an air cooler installed on the outside of the coolant tank, with inlet and outlet pipes on the air cooler extending into the coolant tank.

9. A rapid cooling heat exchange device for an intake manifold casting mold according to claim 8, characterized in that: The coolant tank is equipped with a coolant pump, which is connected to the inlet of the upper and lower molds through a delivery pipe. The coolant tank is also equipped with a return pipe, which is connected to the outlet of the upper and lower molds.

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