A heater and hot runner system

Abstract

The utility model belongs to injection molding technical field discloses a kind of heater and hot runner system.The hot runner system includes nozzle, shunt plate and heater, nozzle is connected with shunt plate, and the outer surface of heater and nozzle is detachably connected;And / or;The outer surface of heater and shunt plate is detachably connected.The heater heater includes mounting plate and heating assembly, mounting plate and the heating piece to be detachably connected are connected, mounting plate is equipped with heating groove to the side end surface of heating piece, heating groove and the surface of heating piece form heating passage, heating assembly is set in heating passage, and heating assembly is used to heat the heating piece.This avoids the surface slotting of heating piece, facilitates the replacement of heating assembly, improves the stability, reliability and maintenance convenience of hot runner system, guarantees injection quality and production continuity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of injection molding technology, and in particular to a heater and hot runner system. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of injection molding, the hot runner system is a core component for achieving precise melt delivery and temperature control. Its performance directly affects the molding quality, production efficiency, and material utilization of plastic parts. With the surge in demand for high-precision, multi-cavity plastic parts such as automotive components, electronic housings, and medical devices, stringent requirements have been placed on the stability and uniformity of melt temperature in the hot runner system. It is necessary to ensure that the melt in the manifold and nozzle areas is always in an optimal melting state to avoid defects such as runner blockage, short parts, or weld lines caused by localized cooling. The manifold is responsible for evenly distributing the melt from the main gate to each nozzle; the nozzles are used to inject the melt into the mold cavity. The manifold and nozzles directly determine the melt filling speed and molding accuracy, and their heating efficiency and temperature consistency are key to the design of the hot runner system.

[0003] In existing technologies, the heating of manifolds and nozzles generally employs a surface grooving method: grooves are machined on the outer side of the manifold channel and the outer peripheral wall of the nozzle, and heating wires (resistance wires), heating rods, and other components are embedded in them. Heating is then achieved by filling with insulating material or sealing with a cover plate. The machining of complex grooves requires high-precision processes, which not only weakens the substrate strength due to uneven groove depth but also significantly increases manufacturing costs. Furthermore, when heating components are damaged, the entire manifold or nozzle must be disassembled for replacement, resulting in long downtime for disassembly and reassembly. Repeated disassembly and reassembly can also cause wear on the channel sealing surface, increasing the risk of melt leakage and severely impacting production continuity. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a heater and hot runner system that avoids slotting on the surface of the workpiece to be heated, facilitates the replacement of heating components, improves the stability, reliability and maintenance convenience of the hot runner system, and ensures injection molding quality and production continuity.

[0005] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A heater is provided for heating a component to be heated, the component being heated being a flow divider and / or a nozzle. The heater includes a mounting plate and a heating assembly. The mounting plate is detachably connected to the component to be heated. A heating groove is provided on one end face of the mounting plate facing the component to be heated. The heating groove and the surface of the component to be heated form a heating channel. The heating assembly is disposed in the heating channel and is used to heat the component to be heated.

[0007] As an alternative heater, the outer surface of the component to be heated is provided with a plurality of protrusions at intervals, and the side end face of the mounting plate facing the component to be heated is provided with a plurality of sliding grooves at intervals, and the plurality of sliding grooves correspond one-to-one with the plurality of protrusions and slide in engagement.

[0008] As an alternative to the heater, one end of the chute passes through the corresponding end face of the mounting plate to form an open end, and the other end of the chute is a closed end used to limit the protrusion.

[0009] As an alternative to the heater, the heater also includes a fastener, the part to be heated having a threaded hole, the mounting plate having a through hole, and the fastener passing through the through hole and threadedly connected to the threaded hole.

[0010] As an alternative to the heater, the mounting plate is made of a thermally conductive metal, such as copper or a copper alloy.

[0011] As an alternative heater, the heating assembly includes a heating wire arranged along the extension direction of the heating tank, the heating wire being made of a nickel-chromium alloy.

[0012] As an alternative heater, the heating assembly also includes an insulating layer that covers the outer surface of the heating wire.

[0013] As an alternative to the heater, the insulation layer is made of magnesium oxide.

[0014] As an alternative heater, the heating assembly also includes a temperature sensor fixed to the inner wall of the heating tank for detecting the heating temperature of the heating wire.

[0015] A hot runner system includes a nozzle, a manifold, and the aforementioned heater, wherein the nozzle is connected to the manifold, and the heater is detachably connected to the outer surface of the nozzle; and / or; the heater is detachably connected to the outer surface of the manifold.

[0016] Beneficial effects:

[0017] This utility model provides a heater and a hot runner system. A heating groove is opened on the mounting plate, and the heating groove and the surface of the workpiece to be heated form a heating channel. The heating component is set in the heating channel. The mounting plate and the workpiece to be heated are detachably connected. While ensuring the heating effect, it avoids opening a complex heating groove on the surface of the workpiece to be heated, and facilitates the replacement of the heating component. This helps to improve the stability, reliability and maintenance convenience of the hot runner system, and ensures injection molding quality and production continuity. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a first schematic diagram of the heater provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a second schematic diagram of the heater provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the component to be heated provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0021] In the picture:

[0022] 100. Component to be heated; 101. Protrusion;

[0023] 1. Mounting plate; 11. Heating groove; 12. Slide groove; 121. Open end; 122. Closed end;

[0024] 2. Heating components. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings show only the parts relevant to the present invention, not the entire structure.

[0026] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part of the device. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0028] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper" and "lower," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0029] This embodiment provides a hot runner system, which includes a nozzle, a manifold, and a heater. The nozzle is connected to the manifold, and the heater is detachably connected to the outer surface of the nozzle; and / or the heater is detachably connected to the outer surface of the manifold. In this hot runner system, maintenance does not require disassembling the entire manifold or nozzle; only the faulty heater needs to be replaced. This shortens downtime, reduces wear on the sealing surfaces of the nozzle and manifold, and minimizes the risk of melt leakage. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for complex heating tanks 11, saving high-precision machining steps, reducing substrate strength loss and scrap rate, and saving manufacturing costs. Only the corresponding component needs to be replaced when a single heater is damaged, further reducing maintenance costs. Simultaneously, the heater directly contacts the outer surface, resulting in efficient heat transfer, more uniform heat distribution, stable melt state, and improved plastic part quality. Moreover, installation and debugging are flexible; the heater can be adjusted or replaced as needed, enhancing system applicability.

[0030] Optionally, the heater is detachably connected to the outer surface of the nozzle. When the heater is detachably connected only to the outer surface of the nozzle, the maintenance problem of the nozzle heating assembly 2 can be specifically solved. The heater can be replaced without disassembling the nozzle, shortening the maintenance downtime of the nozzle heating part, reducing the risk of sealing surface wear and melt leakage caused by nozzle disassembly and assembly, while avoiding the need to process complex heating grooves 11 on the nozzle surface, reducing nozzle manufacturing costs and substrate strength loss. Moreover, the heater directly contacts the outer surface of the nozzle, improving heat transfer efficiency and temperature uniformity at the nozzle, and ensuring the stability of the melt state inside the nozzle. It is worth noting that the outer wall surface of the nozzle here is rectangular or square, not curved.

[0031] Optionally, the heater is detachably connected to the outer surface of the manifold. When the heater is detachably connected only to the outer surface of the manifold, the focus can be on optimizing the heating maintenance of the manifold. The heater can be replaced without disassembling the entire manifold, reducing downtime for manifold maintenance and wear on the sealing surface. It also eliminates the need for machining the complex heating grooves 11 on the manifold surface, reducing manufacturing costs and strength loss, enhancing the uniformity of heat distribution at the manifold, and ensuring stable melt flow. It is worth noting that the outer surface of the manifold here is rectangular or square, not curved.

[0032] Optionally, heaters can be detachably connected to the outer surfaces of both the nozzle and the manifold. When heaters are detachably connected to the outer surfaces of both the nozzle and the manifold, the heating and maintenance advantages of both can be combined, comprehensively reducing the overall system maintenance downtime, lowering overall manufacturing costs and leakage risks, while improving the heat transfer efficiency and temperature consistency of the nozzle and the manifold, more comprehensively ensuring the stability of the melt during distribution and injection, and enhancing the overall applicability of the system.

[0033] like Figures 1-3As shown, the heater is used to heat the workpiece 100 to be heated, which is a manifold and / or nozzle. The heater includes a mounting plate 1 and a heating assembly 2. The mounting plate 1 is detachably connected to the workpiece 100 to be heated. A heating groove 11 is provided on one end face of the mounting plate 1 facing the workpiece 100 to be heated. The heating groove 11 and the surface of the workpiece 100 to be heated form a heating channel. The heating assembly 2 is disposed in the heating channel and is used to heat the workpiece 100 to be heated. The heating groove 11 is provided on the mounting plate 1, and the heating groove 11 and the surface of the workpiece 100 to be heated form a heating channel. The heating assembly 2 is disposed in the heating channel. The detachable connection between the mounting plate 1 and the workpiece 100 to be heated ensures the heating effect while avoiding the creation of complex heating grooves 11 on the surface of the workpiece 100 to be heated, and facilitates the replacement of the heating assembly 2. This helps to improve the stability, reliability and maintenance convenience of the hot runner system, and ensures injection molding quality and production continuity.

[0034] Specifically, the mounting plate 1 is a rectangular or square plate-shaped piece. The shape of the mounting plate 1 is adapted to the shape of the workpiece 100 to be heated, so that the workpiece can be heated evenly and comprehensively.

[0035] In an alternative embodiment, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, the outer surface of the component to be heated 100 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 101 spaced apart, and the end face of the mounting plate 1 facing the component to be heated 100 is provided with a plurality of sliding grooves 12 spaced apart. The plurality of sliding grooves 12 correspond one-to-one with the plurality of protrusions 101 and slide in engagement. The plurality of protrusions 101 on the outer surface of the component to be heated 100 and the plurality of sliding grooves 12 on the end face of the mounting plate 1 slide in engagement, which can achieve rapid positioning of the mounting plate 1 and the component to be heated 100 through precise matching of concave and convex surfaces, ensuring the relative positional accuracy of the two during assembly, and avoiding the impact of misalignment on the bonding effect of the heating component 2.

[0036] Specifically, the protrusion 101 and the groove are in matching dovetail or T-shape shapes. With their own structural characteristics, they can form a mechanical lock along the direction perpendicular to the mating surface after sliding fit, effectively preventing the mounting plate 1 and the heated part 100 from separating or loosening during operation due to factors such as vibration and thermal expansion and contraction, and significantly improving connection stability. This shape fit can also ensure close contact between the two in the mating direction, reduce gaps to reduce thermal resistance, and facilitate the efficient transfer of heat from the heater to the heated part 100 through the mounting plate 1, thereby improving heating uniformity.

[0037] like Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown, one end of the slide groove 12 passes through the corresponding end face of the mounting plate 1 to form an open end 121, and the other end of the slide groove 12 is a closed end 122 used to limit the protrusion 101. The open end 121 provides a clear sliding path for the protrusion 101, which can realize the quick alignment and assembly of the mounting plate 1 and the heating element 100 without complicated alignment operations, greatly improving the installation efficiency. The closed end 122 can form a rigid limit after the protrusion 101 slides into place, preventing it from slipping off from the other end of the slide groove 12 due to vibration, thermal deformation and other factors, ensuring the stability of the connection. At the same time, the limiting function of the closed end 122 can also ensure the matching position accuracy of the protrusion 101 and the slide groove 12, avoiding the impact of displacement deviation on the tightness of the fit between the heater and the heating element 100, thereby ensuring the stability of the heat transfer efficiency. In addition, the unidirectional sliding assembly method combined with the limiting of the closed end 122 makes the disassembly and assembly process only require operation along the direction of the open end 121, simplifying the loading and unloading steps during maintenance and further improving the maintenance convenience of the equipment.

[0038] In another optional embodiment, the heater further includes a fastener. The element to be heated 100 has a threaded hole, and the mounting plate 1 has a through hole. The fastener passes through the through hole and is threadedly connected to the threaded hole. After passing through the through hole, the fastener is threadedly connected to the threaded hole, directly fixing the mounting plate 1 to the element to be heated 100. This connection method ensures a tight fit between the two through the preload of the thread, reducing gaps and lowering thermal resistance, thus ensuring efficient heat transfer. Simultaneously, the detachability of the threaded connection allows the heater to be disassembled and reassembled without damaging the component structure, facilitating individual replacement or maintenance. This ensures connection reliability, improves equipment maintenance convenience, and helps reduce long-term operating costs. Optionally, the fastener is a bolt or screw.

[0039] In this embodiment, the mounting plate 1 is made of a thermally conductive metal, specifically copper or a copper alloy. Due to the excellent thermal conductivity of copper or copper alloys, the heat generated by the heater can be efficiently transferred, reducing heat loss within the mounting plate 1 and ensuring rapid and uniform heat transfer to the heated component 100, thus improving heating efficiency. Simultaneously, copper and copper alloys possess good ductility and machinability, facilitating the fabrication of high-precision groove 12 structures to ensure a tight fit with the protrusions 101 of the heated component 100, reducing contact gaps and lowering thermal resistance. Furthermore, copper alloys (such as brass and bronze) possess certain strength and corrosion resistance, enabling long-term stable operation in heating environments and preventing structural failure due to high-temperature oxidation or media corrosion, thereby maintaining long-term, efficient heat transfer stability.

[0040] In this embodiment, as Figure 1As shown, the heating component 2 includes a heating wire, which is arranged along the extension direction of the heating groove 11. The heating wire is made of nickel-chromium alloy. Nickel-chromium alloy has high resistivity and good oxidation resistance. After being energized, it can efficiently convert electrical energy into heat energy and is durable at high temperatures, thus extending its service life. The heating wire is arranged along the heating groove 11, which makes the heat distribution uniform when energized, reduces heat loss, ensures stable heating of the part to be heated 100, and avoids excessive local temperature differences.

[0041] In this embodiment, the heating groove 11 is serpentine or S-shaped, which significantly increases the heating path length through its meandering structure. This allows the heating wire to cover a limited space, resulting in a denser and more uniform heat distribution and preventing temperature dead zones caused by insufficient heating coverage in certain areas. Simultaneously, this tortuous shape guides heat to gradually diffuse along the path, reducing localized overheating caused by concentrated heat. This ensures a more consistent temperature rise rate across all areas of the component 100 to be heated. Especially when adapting to irregular or large-area components 100, the shape adaptation enables heating without dead zones, significantly improving heating uniformity and applicability. The heating groove 11 avoids the connection point between the mounting plate 1 and the component 100 to be heated, preventing material degradation at the connection point due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures. This also prevents fasteners or connection structures from loosening due to overheating, ensuring the stability and reliability of the connection. Furthermore, it allows heat to be more concentrated on the core heating area of ​​the component 100, reducing ineffective heat loss at the connection point and further improving heating efficiency.

[0042] In this embodiment, the heating assembly 2 also includes an insulating layer, which covers the outer surface of the heating wire. The insulating layer covering the outer surface of the heating wire in the heating assembly 2 directly isolates the current conduction between the heating wire and the mounting plate 1, fundamentally avoiding the risk of short circuits and ensuring electrical safety during the heating process. Simultaneously, the insulating layer also provides a physical barrier for the heating wire, resisting corrosion from external dust, moisture, etc., reducing damage to the heating wire caused by environmental factors, and extending its service life.

[0043] Furthermore, the insulation layer is made of magnesium oxide. Magnesium oxide has excellent insulation properties, which can directly isolate the current conduction between the heating wire and external metal components, ensuring electrical safety during the heating process. At the same time, magnesium oxide is resistant to high temperatures and has strong chemical stability, providing a reliable physical barrier for the heating wire to resist corrosion from external dust, moisture, etc. It is not easily deteriorated even in high-temperature working environments, which can effectively reduce damage to the heating wire caused by environmental factors and significantly extend its service life.

[0044] In this embodiment, the heating assembly 2 also includes a temperature sensor fixed to the inner wall of the heating tank 11, used to detect the heating temperature of the heating wire. The temperature sensor can acquire accurate temperature data of the heating area in real time, providing timely feedback on the actual operating temperature of the heating wire. This facilitates dynamic adjustment of the heating power through the control system, preventing the heating wire from burning out or the heated object 100 from overheating due to excessive temperature. It also prevents insufficient temperature from affecting the heating effect, thus ensuring the stability and accuracy of the heating process. Simultaneously, the sensor is directly fixed to the inner wall of the heating tank 11, close to the heat source of the heating wire, resulting in data that more closely reflects the actual heating state. Compared to indirect temperature measurement methods, it has a faster response and smaller error, providing a reliable basis for temperature control. Specifically, the temperature sensor is a thermocouple sensor or a resistance temperature detector (RTD) sensor.

[0045] Obviously, the above embodiments of this utility model are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present utility model, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present utility model. Those skilled in the art can make various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions without departing from the protection scope of this utility model. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A heater for heating an element (100) to be heated, said element (100) being a manifold and / or a nozzle, characterized in that, The heater includes a mounting plate (1) and a heating assembly (2). The mounting plate (1) is detachably connected to the part to be heated (100). The mounting plate (1) has a heating groove (11) on one end face facing the part to be heated (100). The heating groove (11) and the surface of the part to be heated (100) form a heating channel. The heating assembly (2) is disposed in the heating channel and is used to heat the part to be heated (100).

2. The heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the component to be heated (100) is provided with a plurality of protrusions (101) spaced apart. The mounting plate (1) is provided with a plurality of sliding grooves (12) spaced apart on one side end face facing the component to be heated (100). The plurality of sliding grooves (12) correspond one-to-one with the plurality of protrusions (101) and slide in contact.

3. The heater according to claim 2, characterized in that, One end of the groove (12) passes through the corresponding end face of the mounting plate (1) to form an open end (121), and the other end of the groove (12) is a closed end (122) used to limit the protrusion (101).

4. The heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heater also includes fasteners, the heating element (100) is provided with a threaded hole, the mounting plate (1) is provided with a through hole, and the fastener passes through the through hole and is threadedly connected to the threaded hole.

5. The heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting plate (1) is made of thermally conductive metal, which is copper or a copper alloy.

6. The heater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating assembly (2) includes a heating wire, which is arranged along the extension direction of the heating groove (11), and the material of the heating wire is a nickel-chromium alloy.

7. The heater according to claim 6, characterized in that, The heating assembly (2) also includes an insulating layer, which covers the outer surface of the heating wire.

8. The heater according to claim 7, characterized in that, The insulating layer is made of magnesium oxide.

9. The heater according to claim 6, characterized in that, The heating assembly (2) also includes a temperature sensor, which is fixed to the inner wall of the heating tank (11) and is used to detect the heating temperature of the heating wire.

10. A hot runner system, characterized in that, The device includes a nozzle, a flow divider, and a heater as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the nozzle is connected to the flow divider, and the heater is detachably connected to the outer surface of the nozzle; and / or the heater is detachably connected to the outer surface of the flow divider.

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