Injection molding system with transfer device for inserting or removing mold

Abstract

To provide an injection molding system with a transfer device for inserting or removing a mold.SOLUTION: An injection molding system includes: an injection molding device configured to perform injection molding with a mold; a transport device configured to move the mold along a support plane; and a cable carrier configured to cover a cable connected to the mold. A shape of the cable carrier changes to guide the cable based on movement of the mold by the transport device, and at least one of a first end of the cable carrier and a second end of the cable carrier is positioned below the support plane in a direction perpendicular to the support plane.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] An injection molding system equipped with a conveying device for inserting or removing a mold

[0002] [Cross - reference to related applications] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 832,703, filed on April 11, 2019.

Background Art

[0003] The manufacture of molded parts by an injection molding machine includes a process of injecting resin into a mold after clamping (fixing) the mold, a process of pushing the resin into the mold under high pressure to compensate for the volume reduction due to solidification of the resin, a process of holding the molded part in the mold until the resin solidifies, and a process of taking out the molded part from the mold.

[0004] In this type of molding approach, a method of using two molds with one injection molding machine to improve productivity has been proposed. For example, US2018 / 0009146 / Japanese Patent Application 2018 - 001738 / VN20160002505 discuss a system in which conveying devices 3A, 3B are arranged on both sides of an injection molding machine 2. In this system, molded parts are manufactured while replacing a plurality of molds with the conveying devices 3A, 3B for one injection molding machine 2. FIG. 18 shows the injection molding system of US2018 / 0009146 / Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018 - 001738 / VN20160002505.

[0005] After a predetermined number of moldings are performed with one mold, that mold is taken out from the injection molding machine, the next mold is set up and inserted into the injection molding machine, and a predetermined number of injection moldings are performed with the next mold. The setup process may often consume time and resources, and during the setup process, the injection molding machine may be in an "idle" state. This can have an adverse effect on the overall productivity.

[0006] In order to perform maintenance on the nozzle mounted on the injection molding machine, the injection molding machine may be moved from the position for injection molding. A transfer device for inserting a mold into the injection molding machine and removing the mold from the injection molding machine is arranged beside the injection molding machine. As a result, there is a possibility of interference with the transfer device when the injection molding machine is moved to perform nozzle maintenance.

Summary of the Invention

[0007] An injection molding system includes an injection molding device configured to perform injection molding with a mold, a transfer device configured to move the mold along a support plane, and a cable carrier configured to cover a cable connected to the mold. The shape of the cable carrier changes to guide the cable based on the movement of the mold by the transfer device, and at least one of the first end of the cable carrier and the second end of the cable carrier is arranged below the support plane in a direction perpendicular to the support plane.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and forming a part of this specification illustrate various embodiments, objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure.

[0009]

Figure 1

[0010]

Figure 2

[0011]

Figure 3

[0012]

Figure 4

[0013]

Figure 5

[0014]

Figure 6

[0015]

Figure 7

[0016]

Figure 8

[0017]

Figure 9

[0018]

Figure 10

[0019]

Figure 11

[0020]

Figure 12

[0021]

Figure 13

[0022]

Figure 14

[0023]

Figure 15a

[0024]

Figure 15b

[0025]

Figure 16

[0026]

Figure 17

[0027]

Figure 18

[0028] Throughout the drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals and characters are used to denote similar features, elements, components, or parts of the illustrated embodiments. The present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, but is done so in connection with exemplary illustrative embodiments. It is intended that changes and modifications can be made to the described exemplary embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the disclosure of the subject matter defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The present disclosure has several embodiments, and for details known to those skilled in the art, reference is made to patents, patent applications, and other references. Accordingly, when a patent, patent application, or other reference is cited or repeated herein, it should be understood that it is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes and for the purpose of the problems described.

[0030] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, an injection molding system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The arrow symbols X and Y in each figure indicate horizontal directions orthogonal to each other, and the arrow symbol Z indicates a direction perpendicular (upright) to the ground.

[0031] FIG. 18 and FIGS. 2 to 4 show an injection molding system described in US2018 / 0009146 / Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-001738 / VN20160002505, and are provided herein only for the purpose of information / explanation.

[0032] The injection molding system 1 includes a horizontal injection molding machine 2 (IMM2) and transfer devices 3A, 3B. The injection molding system 1 is configured to manufacture molded parts while inserting and removing a plurality of molds by the transfer devices 3A, 3B. Two molds 100A, 100B are used.

[0033] The mold 100A / 100B is a pair of a fixed mold 101 and a movable mold 102 that opens and closes with respect to the fixed mold 101. The molded part is molded by injecting molten resin into a cavity formed between the fixed mold 101 and the movable mold 102. Clamp plates 101a, 102a are fixed to the fixed mold 101 and the movable mold 102, respectively. The clamp plates 101a, 102a are used to lock the mold 100A / 100B at the molding operation position 11 (mold clamping position) of the IMM2.

[0034] Regarding the molds 100A / 100B, an automatic closing part 103 is provided to maintain a closed state between the fixed mold 101 and the movable mold 102. The automatic closing part 103 enables preventing the mold 100A / 100B from opening after the mold 100A / 100B is carried out from the IMM2. The automatic closing part 103 uses magnetic force to maintain the mold 100A / 100B in a closed state. Also, the automatic closing part 103 is located at a plurality of positions along the opposing surfaces of the fixed mold 101 and the movable mold 102. This automatic closing part 103 is a combination of an element on the side surface of the fixed mold 101 and an element on the side surface of the movable mold 102. In the case of the automatic closing part 103, typically, two or more pairs are installed for one of the molds 100A, 100B.

[0035] The transfer device 3A carries the mold 100A into the molding operation position 11 of the IMM2 and carries it out from the molding operation position 11. The transfer device 3B carries the mold 100B into the molding operation position 11 and carries it out from the molding operation position 11. The transfer device 3A, the IMM2, and the transfer device 3B are arranged side by side in this order in the X-axis direction. In other words, the transfer device 3A and the transfer device 3B are arranged laterally with respect to the IMM2 so as to sandwich the IMM2 in the X-axis direction. The transfer devices 3A and 3B are arranged to face each other, with the transfer device 3A on one lateral side of the IMM2 and the transfer device 3B on the adjacent other side respectively arranged. The molding operation position 11 is located between the transfer device 3A and the transfer device 3B. The transfer device 3A includes a frame 30, a plurality of rollers 32, and a plurality of rollers 33. The transfer device 3B includes a frame 30, a transfer part 31B, a plurality of rollers 32, and a plurality of rollers 33. The transfer device controller 42A controls the transfer device 3A, and the transfer device controller 42B controls the transfer device 3B.

[0036] Frame 30 is the framework of the transfer devices 3A / 3B, and supports the transfer unit 31B and a plurality of rollers 32, 33. The transfer unit 31B is a device that moves the molds 100A / 100B back and forth in the X-axis direction to remove and insert the molds 100A / 100B with respect to the molding operation position 11. The transfer unit 31B is controlled by the transfer device control unit 42B.

[0037] The plurality of rollers 32 form a roller row arranged in the X-axis direction, and the two rows are separated in the Y-axis direction. The plurality of rollers 32 rotate around the rotation axis in the Z-axis direction, contact the side surfaces of the molds 100A / 100B (the side surfaces of the clamp plates 101a and 102a), support the molds 100A / 100B from the side, and guide (guide) the movement of the molds 100A / 100B in the X-axis direction. The plurality of rollers 33 form a roller row arranged in the X-axis direction, and the two rows are separated in the Y-axis direction. The plurality of rollers 33 rotate around the rotation axis in the Y-axis direction, support the bottom surfaces of the molds 100A / 100B (the bottom surfaces of the clamp plates 101a and 102a), support the molds 100A / 100B from below, and smooth the movement of the molds 100A / 100B in the X-axis direction.

[0038] The controller (control unit) 41 controls the IMM2, the controller (control unit) 42A controls the transfer device 3A, the controller (control unit) 42B controls the transfer device 3B, and each of the controllers 41, 42A, and 42B includes, for example, a processor such as a CPU, a storage device such as a RAM, a ROM, and a hard disk, and an interface connected to a sensor or an actuator (not shown). The processor executes a program stored in the storage device. Hereinafter, an example of the program (control) executed by the control unit 41 will be described. The controller 41 is communicably connected to the controllers 42A, 42B, and provides commands regarding the transfer of the molds 100A / 100B to the controllers 42A, 42B. When the loading and unloading of the molds 100A / 100B are completed, the controllers 42A, 42B send a signal indicating the completion of the operation to the controller 41. Further, the controllers 42A, 42B send an emergency stop signal to the controller 41 when an abnormality occurs.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the IMM2. FIG. 3 is an end view of the fixed platen 61 and is a view seen from the direction of the arrow of line I-I in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 shows a partial perspective view for explaining the configuration around the molding operation position 11.

[0040] Referring to FIGS. 18 and 2, the IMM2 includes an injection device 5, a clamping device 6, a take-out robot 7 for taking out the molded parts, and a controller 41. The injection device 5 and the clamping device 6 are arranged on the frame 10 in the Y-axis direction.

[0041] The injection device 5 includes an injection cylinder 51 arranged to extend in the Y-axis direction. The injection cylinder 51 includes a heating device (not shown) such as a band heater and melts the resin introduced from the hopper 53. A screw 51a is integrated with the injection cylinder 51. By rotating the screw 51a, the resin introduced into the injection cylinder 51 is plasticized and measured, and by moving the screw 51a in the axial direction (Y-axis direction), the molten resin can be injected from the injection nozzle 52.

[0042] A shut-off nozzle for opening and closing the discharge port can be used as the nozzle 52. However, any mechanism that enables the implementation of the function of the nozzle 52 is applicable. In FIG. 2, an example of the shut-off nozzle is shown. In the opening and closing mechanism 56, a pin 56a for opening and closing the discharge port 52a is arranged. The pin 56a is connected to an actuator (cylinder) 56c via a link 56b, and the discharge port 52a is opened and closed by the operation of the actuator 56c.

[0043] The injection cylinder 51 is supported by the drive unit 54. In the drive unit 54, a motor for rotationally driving the screw 51a to plasticize and measure the resin and a drive motor for moving the screw 51a back and forth in the axial direction are arranged. The drive unit 54 can move back and forth in the Y-axis direction along the rail 12 on the frame 10. Also, in the drive unit 54, an actuator (for example, an electric cylinder) 55 for moving the injection device 5 back and forth in the Y-axis direction is arranged.

[0044] The clamping device 6 clamps and opens / closes the molds 100A / 100B. In the clamping device 6, a fixed platen 61, a movable platen 62, and a movable platen 63 are arranged in that order in the Y-axis direction. A plurality of tie-bars 64 pass through the platens 61 to 63. Each of the tie-bars 64 is an axis extending in the Y-axis direction, and one end thereof is fixed to the fixed platen 61. Each of the tie-bars 64 is inserted into respective through-holes formed in the movable platen 62. The other end of each of the tie-bars 64 is fixed to the movable platen 63 via an adjustment mechanism 67. The movable platens 62 and 63 are movable in the Y-axis direction along the rails 13 on the frame 10, and the fixed platen 61 is fixed to the frame 10.

[0045] A toggle mechanism 65 is arranged between the movable platen 62 and the movable platen 63. The toggle mechanism 65 moves the movable platen 62 back and forth in the Y-axis direction with respect to the movable platen 63 (in other words, with respect to the fixed platen 61). The toggle mechanism 65 includes links 65a to 65c. The link 65a is rotatably connected to the movable platen 62. The link 65b is rotatably connected to the movable platen 63. The link 65a and the link 65b are rotatably connected to each other. The link 65c and the link 65b are rotatably connected to each other. The link 65c is rotatably connected to an arm 66c.

[0046] The arm 66c is fixed to a ball nut 66b. The ball nut 66b engages with a ball screw shaft 66a extending in the Y-axis direction and moves back and forth in the Y-axis direction by the rotation of the ball screw shaft 66a. The ball screw shaft 66a is supported by the movable platen 63 so as to rotate freely, and the motor 66 is supported by the movable platen 63. The motor 66 rotationally drives the ball screw shaft 66a while detecting the rotation amount of the motor 66. By driving the motor 66 while detecting the rotation amount of the motor 66, the clamping and opening / closing of the molds 100A / 100B become possible.

[0047] IMM2 includes a sensor 68 for measuring the clamping force. Each sensor 68 is, for example, a strain gauge provided on the tie bar 64, and calculates the clamping force by detecting the strain of the tie bar 64.

[0048] The adjustment mechanism 67 includes a nut 67b rotatably supported on the movable platen 63, a motor 67a as a drive source, and a transmission mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the motor 67a to the nut 67b. Each of the tie bars 64 passes through a hole formed in the movable platen 63 and engages with the nut 67b. By rotating the nut 67b, the engagement position in the Y-axis direction between the nut 67b and the tie bar 64 changes. That is, the position where the movable platen 63 is fixed with respect to the tie bar 64 changes. Thereby, the space between the movable platen 63 and the fixed platen 61 can be changed, and thereby the clamping force and the like can be adjusted.

[0049] The molding operation position 11 is an area between the fixed platen 61 and the movable platen 62.

[0050] The molds 100A / 100B introduced into the molding operation position 11 are sandwiched between the fixed platen 61 and the movable platen 62 and are thereby clamped. The opening and closing are performed based on the movement of the movable mold 102 due to the movement of the movable platen 62.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows an opening 61a in the central portion of the fixed platen 61 where the nozzle 52 moves back and forth. On the surface of the fixed platen 61 on the side of the movable platen 62 (referred to as the inner surface), a plurality of rollers BR are supported so as to rotate freely. The plurality of rollers BR rotate around the rotation axis in the Y-axis direction, support the bottom surface of the mold 100A / 100B (the bottom surface of the clamping plate 101a), support the mold 100A / 100B from below, and smooth the movement of the mold 100A / 100B in the X-axis direction. Roller supports 620 are fixed to both sides of the fixed platen 61 in the X-axis direction, and the plurality of rollers BR are supported by the roller supports 620.

[0052] On the inner surface of the fixed platen 61, a groove 61b extending in the X-axis direction is formed.

[0053] The grooves 61b are formed in two vertically separated rows. A roller part 640 is arranged in each of the groove parts 61b. For the roller part 640, a plurality of rollers SR are supported so as to rotate freely. The plurality of rollers SR rotate around the rotation axis in the Z-axis direction, contact the outer surface (the outer surface of the clamp plate 101a) of the mold 100A / 100B, support the mold 100A / 100B from the side, and guide the movement of the mold 100A / 100B in the X-axis direction. As shown in the cross-sectional view taken along line II-II, the roller part 640 is positioned at a position where the roller SR protrudes from the groove 61b due to the biasing of the spring 641, and retracts into the groove 61b when clamping, and is positioned at a position where the roller SR does not protrude from the groove 61b. The roller part 640 can prevent the inner surfaces of the mold 100A / 100B and the clamp 61 from being damaged when contacting the inner surface when replacing the mold 100A / 100B, and the roller part 640 does not interfere with the inner surfaces of the fixed platen 61 and the mold 100A / 100B that are closed when clamping.

[0054] On both sides of the fixed platen 61 in the X-axis direction, roller supports 630 are fixed, and a plurality of rollers SR are supported by the roller supports 630.

[0055] On the fixed platen 61, a plurality of fixing mechanisms (clamps) 610 are arranged to fix the fixed mold 101 to the fixed platen 61. Each fixing mechanism 610 includes an engaging portion 610a that engages with the clamp plate 101a and a built-in actuator (not shown) that moves the engaging portion 610a between an engaged position and a disengaged position.

[0056] Note that for the movable platen 62 as well, similar to the fixed platen 61, a plurality of rollers BR, roller supports 620, 630, roller parts 640, and fixing mechanisms 610 are arranged to fix the movable mold 102.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 4, the periphery of the clamping device 6 is surrounded by a cover (outer plate) 60 for safety, and an opening 60B through which the molds 100A / 100B pass is formed on the side of the molding operation position 11 for replacing the molds 100A / 100B. Each opening 60B is typically continuously open, enabling free removal from the molding operation position 11 of the molds 100A / 100B and free insertion into the molding guide placement 11.

[0058] Here, returning to FIG. 2, the take-out robot 7 will be described. The take-out robot 7 includes a rail 71 extending in the X-axis direction and a movable rail 72 movable in the X-axis direction on the rail 71. The movable rail 72 is arranged to extend in the Y-axis direction, and a slider 73 is arranged on the movable rail 72. The slider 73 is guided by the movable rail 72 to move in the Y-axis direction and raises and lowers a lifting shaft 73a in the Z-axis direction. A vacuum head 74 is arranged at the lower end of the lifting shaft 73a, and a chuck plate 75 specialized for the molded part is attached to the vacuum head 74.

[0059] After opening, the take-out robot 7 moves the vacuum head 74 between the stationary mold 101 and the movable mold 102 as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2 by the rail 71, the movable rail 7, and the slider 73, adheres to the molded part, and conveys the molded part outside the molds 100A / 100B.

[0060] FIG. 5 is a side view of the conveying device 3B, and the mold 100B is moved by the drive of the actuator 3010.

[0061] By moving the slide 3032 for the actuator 3010, the mold 100B linked (connected) to the slide 3032, the plate 3031, and the link part (connecting part) 3020 can be made movable. Since the actuator 3010 is fixed to the frame 30B, the actuator 3010 and the frame 30B do not move based on the movement of the mold 100B. The mold 100B moves relative to the actuator 3010 and the frame 30B.

[0062] FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the link portion 3020 located between the mold 100B and the actuator 3010. The link portion 3020 includes a base plate 3024 attached to the mold 100B, four link brackets 3023, two shafts 3022 having cam followers (not shown) at their tips, and a base plate 3031 having a slot attached to the slider 3032. The mold 100B and the actuator 3010 are linked by inserting the cam follower 3021 into the slot together with the base plate 3031.

[0063] The following description is directed to the situation where the mold 100B moves along the X-axis direction and the central position of the actuator 3010 in the Y-axis direction and the central position of the mold 100B in the Y-axis direction are displaced in the Y-axis direction. More specifically, it describes the case where, due to the movement of the mold 100B, the central position of the mold 100B in the Y-axis direction is displaced with respect to the central position of the actuator 3010 in the Y-axis direction.

[0064] When the positions of the mold 100B and the actuator 3010 are displaced in the Y-axis direction when moving the mold 100B, the sliding of the cam follower 3021 accompanied by the sliding of the link bracket 3023 moving along the inserted slot of the base plate 3031 in the Y-axis direction can result in the absorption of the load of the displacement in the Y-axis direction between the actuator 3010 and the mold 100B. That is, the movement of the mold 100B in the Y-axis direction results in the rotation of the roller of the cam follower 3021, and the load on the actuator 3010 and the link portion 3020 can be reduced. The greater the displacement of the mold 100B and the actuator 3010 in the Y-axis direction, the greater the load on the link components and the actuator 3010. Thus, by reducing the shift in the Y-axis direction, the load can be reduced or eliminated.

[0065] When there is no mechanism for the link portion 3020 and when simply linked, the center of the mold 100B in the Y-axis direction may deviate from the center of the actuator 3010 in the Y-axis direction. This can result in the weight of the mold 100B and the load from the amount of the moving part in the Y-axis direction applied to the actuator 3010 and the link area. Therefore, the link area may warp in the Y-axis direction, and an additional load may be applied to the actuator 3010 in the Y-axis direction. By forming the link portion 3020 as shown in FIG. 5, the cam follower 3021 can move in the Y-axis direction with respect to the base plate 3031, and for the link portion 3020 and the actuator 3010, the load from the mold 100B that shifts in the Y-axis direction will be reduced or eliminated.

[0066] Also, FIG. 5 shows the center position of the actuator 3010 in the Z-axis direction as Z10 and the center position of the mold 100B in the Z-axis direction as ZA. As shown in FIG. 5, the origin in the Z-axis direction is the surface of the frame 30B. Since the actuator 3010 is fixed to the frame 30B, when the center of the actuator 3010 in the Z-axis direction is Z10 (reference position) and the center of the mold 100B in the Z-axis direction is ZA (reference position), the actuator 3010 and the mold 100B will not deviate in the Z-axis direction.

[0067] The following description is directed to a situation where the mold 100B moves in the X-axis direction and the center of the mold 100B in the Z-axis direction is displaced in the Z-axis direction from ZA. When the mold 100B moves, if the reference position in the Z-axis direction for the actuator 3010 and the reference position in the Z-axis direction for the mold 100B change, that is, if the center position of the mold 100B in the Z-axis direction is displaced in the Z-axis direction, the cam follower 3021 of the link bracket 23 inserted into the slot of the base plate 3031 will move in the Z-axis direction along the slot. As a result, the load from the displacement in the Z-axis direction between the mold 100B and the actuator 3010 can be absorbed. The cam follower 3021 can move in the Z-axis direction of the slot. This makes it possible to reduce or eliminate the load applied to the actuator 3010 and the link area.

[0068] In the case where there is no mechanism for the link portion 3020 and in the case of simple linking, the center of the mold 100B in the Z-axis direction can be displaced in the Z-axis direction from ZA. This can result in the weight of the mold 100B and the load from the amount of the moving part in the Z-axis direction applied to the actuator 3010 and the link area. Therefore, the link area warps in the Z-axis direction, and an additional load can be applied to the actuator 3010 in the Z-axis direction. By forming the link portion 3020 as shown in FIG. 5, the cam follower 3021 can move in the Z-axis direction, and for the link portion 3020 and the actuator 3010, the load from the mold 100B that shifts in the Y-axis direction can be reduced or eliminated.

[0069] The above exemplary embodiment is composed of two cam followers 3021 and slots on the base plate 3031. This enables reduction of the load with respect to the misalignment in the Z-axis direction and the Y-axis direction between the mold 100B and the actuator 3010. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the application of excessive load to the actuator 3010 / the application of load reduction, and reduce the possibility of damage to the link portion 3020. Preventing damage to the actuator 3010 enables the selection of a larger actuator that can handle a larger load, which may result in an overall cost reduction. With the above configuration, excessive position adjustment for the frame 30B or excessive position accuracy of the side guide roller 3091 and the bottom guide roller 3092 for the IMM2 become unnecessary, and the cost can be reduced by facilitating the accuracy of mechanical parts and reducing the man-hours during assembly.

[0070] The shape of the cam follower 3021 can be, for example, a round shape without a rotating mechanism or a square shape, enabling the cam follower 3021 to move with a low coefficient of friction against the inner surface of the slot hole. In the exemplary embodiment, four link brackets 3023 are shown, but other shapes that enable the execution of the exemplary embodiment are also applicable. In another exemplary embodiment, one or more shafts 3022 and cam followers 3021 can be used, and a shape having dimensions that enable the cam follower 3021 and the slot of the base plate 3031 to overlap can be used.

[0071] The wiring configuration of the cable connected to the mold 100A / 100B will be described. FIG. 6 shows a cross section of the injection molding system 1 viewed from the Y-axis direction.

[0072] The mold 100A is positioned at the molding operation position 11 within the IMM2. The mold 100A is positioned on the rollers BR installed on the fixed platen 61 and the movable platen 62. The mold 100A is linked to the mold 100B by the link portion 3030 and moves in the same direction as the mold 100B when the mold 100B moves in the X-axis direction. The link portion 3030 includes a link bracket 3025 fixed to the mold 100B and a base plate 3026 fixed to the mold 100A. The mold 100A moves from the molding operation position 11 in the direction of the transfer device 3A. After arriving at the transfer device 3A, it moves along the upper panel of the frame 30A.

[0073] On the side of the mold 100A opposite to the side where the link portion 3030 is connected in the X-axis direction, a metal mounting stay 490 is installed. One end 410A of the manifold 470 and the carrier 400A is fixed to the mounting stay 490. The other end 420A of the cable carrier 400A is fixed to the upper panel of the frame 30A of the transfer device 3A. In other words, both the end 410A and the end 420A of the cable carrier 400A are located above the upper panel of the frame 30A. The cable carrier 400A is a component that covers various cables described below and guides the movement of each cable. The cooling tube for temperature control, the heater required for temperature control / operation of the hot runner, the thermocouple, and the air tube are located inside the mold 100A. The cooling tube inside the mold 100A is connected to the temperature control hose 3402.

[0074] Figure 7 is a top view of Figure 6, showing an enlargement of the IMM2 and the transfer devices 3A, 3B. The temperature control hose 3402 extending from the cooling tube is connected along the Y-axis direction to a coupler 4701 installed in the manifold 470. The coupler 4701 includes an inlet point and an outlet point, and the outlet point is connected to the temperature control hose 3404. The temperature control hose 3404 enters the end 410A of the cable carrier 400A. The temperature control hose 3404 is guided by the cable carrier 400A and exits from the end 420A of the cable carrier 400A.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 6, the cable carrier 400A is bent with a curvature that is sufficiently larger than the minimum radius of curvature of the temperature control hose 3404. The minimum radius of curvature refers to the minimum possible radius of curvature that will allow the fluid inside the temperature control hose 3404 to flow smoothly without damaging the temperature control hose 3404, and varies according to the material of the temperature control hose 3404 or the radius of the cross-section of the temperature control hose 3404. Of the temperature control hose 3404, the portion that exits through the end 420A of the cable carrier 400A passes through the upper panel of the frame 30A and proceeds to the bottom of the upper panel of the frame 30A through the gap 495 formed in the IMM2. The portion of the temperature control hose 3404 located at the bottom of the upper panel of the frame 30A is connected along the X-axis direction to a coupler 4601 installed in the manifold 460. The coupler 4601 includes an inlet point and an outlet point, and the outlet point is connected to the temperature control hose 3401. The temperature control hose 3401 is connected to a temperature controller 320 installed below the IMM2. The temperature controller 320 adjusts the temperature of the cooling water flowing inside the temperature control hose 3404 and also feeds the cooling water into the mold 100A.

[0076] The heater inside the mold 100A is connected to the heater cable 3412 via a heater connector. The thermocouple is connected to the thermocouple cable 3422 via a thermocouple connector. The air tube is connected to the air hose 3432. The heater cable 3412, the thermocouple cable 3422, and the air hose 3432 are bundled together with cable nets, tie wraps, and straps, and include the hot runner cable 3442. As shown in FIG. 7, the hot runner cable 3442 enters the end 410A of the cable carrier 400A. The hot runner cable 3442 is guided by the cable carrier 400A and exits from the end 420A of the cable carrier 400A.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 6, the cable carrier 400A is bent with a curvature that is sufficiently larger than the minimum radius curvature of the hot runner cable 3442. The portion of the hot runner cable 3442 that exits from the end 420A of the cable carrier 400A passes through the upper panel of the frame 30A and proceeds to the bottom of the upper panel of the frame 30A via the gap 495 formed in the IMM2. The portion of the hot runner cable 3442 located at the bottom of the upper panel of the frame 30A is connected to the hot runner controller 330 installed below the IMM2. The hot runner controller 330 adjusts the temperature of the heater and monitors that temperature with a thermocouple.

[0078] The mold 100B is positioned on the transfer device 3B and placed on top of a plurality of rollers 33 installed on the transfer device 3B. The mold 100B is connected to the slide 3032 by the link portion 3020. The link portion 3020 is connected to the slide 3032. As shown in FIG. 5, since the slide 3032 is connected to the actuator 3010, the mold 100B is connected to the actuator 3010. The manifold 430 and the guide component 450 are connected to the slide 3032.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 7, the guide component 450 is a cylindrical cable that is guided under the upper panel of the frame 30B by the guide component 450. The end 420B of the cable carrier 400B is fixed to the bottom panel of the frame 30B of the transfer device 3B. The end 410B of the cable carrier 400B is fixed to the side of the guide component 450 on the side opposite to the side where the frame 30B is located. In other words, the end 410B and the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B are located below the upper panel of the frame 30B. The cooling tube for temperature control, the heater necessary for temperature control / operation of the hot runner, the thermocouple, and the air tube are located inside the mold 100B. The cooling tube inside the mold 100B is connected to the temperature control hose 3302.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 7, the temperature control hose 3302 extending from the cooling tube is connected along the Y-axis direction at a coupler 4301 installed on the manifold 430. The coupler 4301 includes an inlet point and an outlet point, and the outlet point is connected to the temperature control hose 3340. As shown in FIG. 7, a slit 480 is formed in the upper panel of the frame 30B of the conveying device 3B, and its configuration is such that the guide component 450 can move in the X-axis direction based on the drive of the actuator 311. FIG. 8 shows an enlarged view of the manifold 430 and the guide component 450.

[0081] The temperature control hose 3340 is fixed to the guide component 450 with a tie wrap or a strap. The end 410B of the cable carrier 400B is fixed to the other side of the guide component 450. After the temperature control hose 3340 is guided by the guide component 450, it is fixed by a structure that draws a circle 3303 having a radius larger than the minimum radius curvature of the temperature control hose 3340. The temperature control hose 3340 enters the end 410B of the cable carrier 400B.

[0082] In FIG. 6, the temperature control hose 3340 is guided by the cable carrier 400B and exits from the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B. The cable carrier 400B is bent with a curvature sufficiently larger than the minimum radius curvature of the temperature control hose 3340. The portion of the temperature control hose 3340 exiting from the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B is connected along the X-axis direction to a coupler 4401 installed on the manifold 440. The coupler 4401 includes an inlet point and an outlet point, and the outlet point is connected to the temperature control hose 3301. The temperature control hose 3301 is connected to a temperature controller 320 installed below the IMM2.

[0083] The heater inside the mold 100B is connected to the heater cable 3312 via a heater connector. The thermocouple is connected to the thermocouple cable 3322 via a thermocouple connector. The air tube is connected to the air hose 3332. The heater cable 3312, the thermocouple cable 3322, and the air hose 3332 are bundled by cable nets, tie wraps, and straps and include the hot runner cable 3342. The hot runner cable 3342 is fixed to the link bracket 3023 with a tie wrap or a strap and is guided by the guide part 450. The hot runner cable 3342 is fixed to the guide part 450 with a tie wrap or a strap. After the hot runner cable 3342 is guided by the guide part 450, it is fixed by a structure that draws a circle 3313 having a radius larger than the minimum radius curvature of the hot runner cable 3342. The hot runner cable 3342 enters the end 410B of the cable carrier 400B. The hot runner cable 3342 is guided by the cable carrier 400B and exits from the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B. The cable carrier 400B is bent with a curvature sufficiently larger than the minimum radius curvature of the hot runner cable 3342. The portion of the hot runner cable 3342 exiting from the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B is connected to the hot runner controller 330 attached to the bottom panel of the frame 30B.

[0084] FIG. 9 shows a situation where the mold 100A has finished moving from the IMM2 to the transfer device 3A, and the mold 100B has finished moving from the transfer device 3B to the IMM2 by driving the actuator 3010 from the situation shown in FIG. 6. The mold 100B moves on the roller 33 installed on the transfer device 3B. When the mold 100B moves from the transfer device 3B to the fixed platen 61 and the movable platen 62 installed in the IMM2, it passes over the roller BR at the upper part of the roller support 620. The movement of the mold 100B is completed when the mold 100B is at a position where the center 100 of the mold 100B coincides with the center 610 of the fixed platen 61 (the molding operation position 11). The mold 100A passes over the roller BR at the upper part of the roller support 620. When the mold 100A moves from the platen 61 to the transfer device 3A, it passes over the roller BR on the upper part of the roller support 620 installed on the fixed platen 61 and then passes over the roller 33 installed on the transfer device 3A. The movement of the mold 100A stops simultaneously with the stop of the movement of the mold 100B.

[0085] The manifold 470 fixed on the mounting stay 490 and the end 410A of the cable carrier 400A also move in the same direction in which the mold 100A is moved by the actuator 3010. The relative positional relationship between the mold 100A, the manifold 470, and the end 410A of the cable carrier 400A does not change. In other words, the length of each cable between the mold 100A, the manifold 470, and the end 410A of the cable carrier 400A does not change. Since the end 420A of the cable carrier 400A is fixed to the upper panel of the frame 30A, the length of the cable between the end 420A of the cable carrier 400A and the temperature controller 320 and the hot runner controller 330 does not change. The shape of the cable can change because various cables are guided by the cable carrier 400A so as to follow the movement of the mold 100A. Since the end 410A is fixed to the mounting stay 490 and the end 420A is fixed to the upper panel of the frame 30A, the loop formed in the X-axis direction of the cable carrier 400A becomes larger or smaller to adjust the length of each cable.

[0086] The manifold 430 and the guide component 450 fixed on the slide 3032 also move in the same direction in which the mold 100B is moved by the actuator 3010. The relative positional relationship between the mold 100B, the manifold 430, and the guide component 450 does not change. In other words, the lengths of various cables between the mold 100B, the manifold 430, and the guide component 450 do not change. Since the end 410B of the cable carrier 400B is connected to the guide component 450, the lengths of various cables between the mold 100B and the one end 410B of the cable carrier 400B do not change. Also, since the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B is fixed to the bottom panel of the frame 30B, the lengths of various cables between the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B and the temperature controller 320 and the hot runner controller 330 do not change. Since the cable carrier 400B guides various cables as the mold 100B moves, the shape of the cable changes. Since the end 410B is fixed to the guide component 450 and the end 420A is fixed to the bottom panel of the frame 30B, the loop formed in the X-axis direction of the cable carrier 400B becomes larger or smaller to adjust the lengths of various cables.

[0087] Based on the above configuration, the cable carriers 400A / 400B operate along with the movement of the molds 100A / 100B. Since the movement of a plurality of cables extending from the molds 100A / 100B is respectively controlled by the cable carriers 400A / 400B, the possibility that any cable obstructs the movement of the molds 100A / 100B is reduced. Also, since the end 410B and the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B are located below the upper panel of the frame 30B where the mold 100B moves, the possibility that any cable obstructs the movement of the mold 100B is further reduced.

[0088] According to the above exemplary embodiments, the temperature controller 320 and the hot runner controller 330 are attached to the lower part of the IMM 2. However, this configuration is not considered limiting. In another exemplary embodiment, the temperature controller 320 and the hot runner controller 330 can be installed at the lower part of the frame 30A or the lower part of the frame 30B. In another exemplary embodiment, the temperature controller 320 and the hot runner controller 330 can be installed outside the IMM 2, the frame 30A, or the frame 30B. In yet another exemplary embodiment, instead of using a single / common temperature controller 320 and a single / common hot runner controller 330 for the transfer devices 3A and 3B, each transfer device can utilize its own temperature controller and hot runner controller. In yet another exemplary embodiment, instead of the hot runner controller 330, an air hose can be connected to an air circuit individually installed in the IMM 2 for temperature control / operation of the hot runner.

[0089] According to the above exemplary embodiments, the temperature control hose of this embodiment is divided into three temperature control hoses (3302, 3340, 3301) via the manifolds 430 and 440. However, the heater cable 3312, the thermocouple cable 3322, and the air hose 3332 are not wired via the manifolds 430 and 440. The configuration of the temperature control hose is different from that of other cables and hoses because the temperature control hose is typically replaced more frequently, and having three separate temperature control hoses facilitates the replacement task. However, this configuration is not considered limiting, and other types of cables can be constructed by wiring the cables via the manifold 430 or the manifold 440. In another exemplary embodiment, the temperature control hose can be directly connected to the cable carrier 400B.

[0090] The manifold 430 is arranged to be parallel to the XZ plane, and the manifold 440 is arranged to be parallel to the YZ plane in order to prevent interference with the roller 32 when the manifold 430 moves in the X-axis direction. However, this configuration is not considered to be limited, for example, in a situation where the size of the manifold 430 is small.

[0091] FIG. 10 shows a cross-section of the injection molding system 1 viewed from the Y-axis direction according to another exemplary embodiment. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the wiring configuration of the cables on the conveyor device 30A side is the same as that of the aforementioned embodiment shown in FIG. 6. In the exemplary embodiment, the difference lies in the wiring configuration of the cables on the conveyor device 30B side.

[0092] The mold 100B is located on the conveyor device 3B and is placed on top of a plurality of rollers 33 installed on the conveyor device 3B. The mold 100B is connected to the slide 3032 by the link portion 3020. As shown in FIG. 5, since the slide 3032 is connected to the actuator 3010, the mold 100B is connected to the actuator 3010. The manifold 430 and the end portion 410B of the cable carrier 400B are connected to the slide 3032. In this embodiment, no guide component is provided, and the end portion 420B of the cable carrier 400B is directly connected to the slide 3032. The end portion 420B of the cable carrier 400B is fixed to the bottom panel of the frame 30B of the conveyor device 3B. In other words, the end portion 410B of the cable carrier 400B is located above the upper panel of the frame 30B, and the end portion 420B is located below the upper panel of the frame 30B.

[0093] Inside the mold 100B, cooling tubes for temperature control, heaters for temperature control / operation of the hot runner, thermocouples, and air tubes are arranged. The cooling tubes are connected to the temperature control hose 3302. The portion of the temperature control hose 3302 extending from the cooling tubes is connected to the coupler 4301 installed on the manifold 430. The coupler 4301 has an inlet point and an outlet point, and the outlet point is connected to the temperature control hose 3304. The temperature control hose 3304 enters the end 410B of the cable carrier 400B. The temperature control hose 3304 is guided by the cable carrier 400B and exits from the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B. The cable carrier 400B is bent with a curvature sufficiently larger than the minimum curvature radius of the temperature control hose 3304. The portion of the temperature control hose 3304 present at the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B is connected to the coupler 4401 installed on the manifold 440. The coupler 4401 includes an inlet point and an outlet point, and the outlet point is connected to the temperature control hose 3301. The temperature control hose 3301 is connected to the temperature controller 320 installed below the IMM2.

[0094] The heater inside the mold 100B is connected to the heater cable 3312 via a heater connector. The thermocouple is connected to the thermocouple cable 3322 via a thermocouple connector. The air tube is connected to the air hose 3332. The heater cable 3312, the thermocouple cable 3322, and the air hose 3332 are bundled by cable nets, tie wraps, and straps, and include the hot runner cable 3342. The hot runner cable 3342 is fixed to the link bracket 3023 with a tie wrap or a strap and enters the end 410B of the cable carrier 400B. The hot runner cable 3342 is guided by the cable carrier 400B and exits from the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B. The cable carrier 400B is bent with a curvature sufficiently larger than the minimum curvature radius of the hot runner cable 3342. The portion of the hot runner cable 3342 emerging from the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B is connected to the hot runner controller 330 attached to the bottom panel of the frame 30B.

[0095] FIG. 11 shows the completion of the transfer of the mold 100A from the IMM2 to the transfer device 3A and the completion of the transfer of the mold 100B from the transfer device 3B to the IMM2 by driving the actuator 3010 from the position shown in FIG. 10.

[0096] The mold 100B moves on the roller 33 installed on the transfer device 3B. When moving from the transfer device 3B to the fixed platen 61 installed in the IMM2, the mold 100B passes over the upper roller BR of the roller support 620 installed on the fixed platen 61 and passes over the roller BR installed on the platen 61. Finally, the movement of the mold 100B is completed at a position where the center 110 of the mold 100B coincides with the center 610 of the fixed platen 61 (molding operation position 11). The mold 100A moves on the roller BR installed on the fixed platen 61. When moving from the fixed platen 61 to the transfer device 3A, the mold 100A passes over the roller BR on the roller support 620 installed on the fixed platen 61 and passes over the roller 33 installed on the transfer device 3A. The mold 100A stops moving when the movement of the mold 100B stops.

[0097] The manifold 430 fixed to the slide 3032 and the end 410B of the cable carrier 400B also move in the same direction in which the mold 100B is moved by the actuator 3010. The relative positional relationship between the mold 100B, the manifold 430, and the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B does not change. In other words, the lengths of the various cables between the mold 100B, the manifold 430, and the cable carrier 400B do not change. Since the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B is fixed to the bottom panel of the frame 30B, the lengths of the various cables between the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B, the temperature controller 320, and the hot runner controller 330 do not change. Since the cable carrier 400B guides the various cables so as to follow the movement of the mold 100B, the shape of the cable changes. Since the end 410B is fixed to the slide 3032 and the end 420B is fixed to the bottom panel of the frame 30B, the loop formed in the X-axis direction of the cable carrier 400B becomes larger or smaller, and the lengths of the various cables are adjusted.

[0098] As a result of the above-described configuration, the cable carriers 400A / 400B operate in accordance with the movement of the molds 100A / 100B. Since the movement of the cables extending from the molds 100A / 100B is controlled by the cable carriers 400A / 400B, the possibility that any cable will interfere with the movement of the molds 100A / 100B is reduced. Since the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B is located below the upper panel of the frame 30B in which the mold 100B moves, the possibility that any cable will interfere with the movement of the mold 100B is further reduced. In the exemplary embodiment, since the guide component 450 of the exemplary previous embodiment is not used, a configuration that can be regarded as having a lower cost than the configuration of the exemplary previous embodiment is provided.

[0099] According to the configuration of the exemplary embodiment described above, the cable connected to the mold 100B is divided into three regions. This region is the region from the mold 100B to the end 410B of the cable carrier 400B. The second region is the region from the end 410B of the cable carrier 400B to the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B. The third region is the region from the end 420B of the cable carrier 400B to the temperature controller 320 or the hot runner controller 330. The first region moves with respect to the frame 30B as the mold 100B moves, but the shape of the cable does not change. The second region moves with respect to the frame 30B, and the shape of the cable changes. The third region does not move with respect to the frame 30B, but is fixed to the frame 30B.

[0100] Since the shape of the cable in the second region changes, the cable in the second region may wear out earlier than the cables in other regions. By arranging the second region as low as possible below the frame 30B, even if the temperature control hose wears out and cooling water leaks out, the possibility of the cooling water contacting the rollers 32 / 33 or the conveying unit 31B can be reduced.

[0101] Based on the configuration of the exemplary embodiment described above, the cable carriers 400A / 400B are installed to protect the second region where a load is applied to the cable. However, this configuration is not considered to be limiting. In another exemplary embodiment, if various cables have sufficient strength, it is not necessarily required to install the cable carriers 400A / 400B.

[0102] Here, a configuration and procedure for performing maintenance on the nozzle 52 of the injection device 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 12. Maintenance of the nozzle 52 is performed by replacing the screw 51a located inside the injection cylinder 51. Maintenance is required when replacing the molding resin or when a problem occurs in the injection device 5.

[0103] To perform maintenance, first, it is necessary to remove the molds 100A and 100B from the IMM2, the transfer device 3A, and the transfer device 3B respectively. At this time, the molds 100A and 100B can be accessed by opening at least one of the safety doors 302A - E. Therefore, the size of the safety doors 302A - E needs to be larger than the size of the molds 100A and 100B.

[0104] After the molds 100A and 100B are removed, the temperature of the nozzle 52 can be raised to the specified temperature. While the temperature is rising or after the temperature has risen, the safety door 302E can be opened towards the safety wall 301D having the rotation center RCE at the center. After opening the safety door 302E, the injection device 5 is rotated towards the operation side around the rotation center RCF. This position is regarded as the maintenance position. Before the above - described rotational movement occurs, the injection device 5 retracts in the forward direction along the Y - axis from the position shown in FIG. 1 to create a state where the nozzle 52 does not contact other components. The position shown in FIG. 1 is regarded as the injection position. After the rotation of the injection device 5, the tip of the nozzle 52 is removed. Then, the screw 51a and the drive unit 54 are separated.

[0105] FIG. 13 shows the screw 51a removed from the cylinder 51. When the tip of the nozzle 52 is removed, the screw 51a pops out from the cylinder 51. The screw 51a is typically made of steel and is thus heavy. Therefore, it is necessary to lift the screw 51a with a crane (not shown). After the screw 51a is lifted by the crane, the screw 51a can be removed through different methods such as manual labor or special jigs, although not limited thereto. The center of gravity of the screw 51a is considered when the crane changes the lifting position or increases the lifting position.

[0106] After the screw 51a is removed, the screw 51a is lifted upward by a crane and placed at a specific position. After the necessary cleaning work is completed, a screw 51a' different from the screw 51a is lifted by a crane and installed in parallel with the cylinder 51 as shown in FIG. 13. After installing the screw 51a' in parallel with the cylinder 51, the screw 51a' is gradually inserted into the cylinder 51 using a crane. The insertion of the screw 51a' is considered to be completed when the screw 51a' contacts the drive unit 54. When the insertion is completed, the screw 51a' and the drive unit 54 are linked, and the tip of the nozzle 52 is attached. After attaching the tip of the nozzle 52, the injection device 5 is rotated to the non-operating side around the rotation center RCF to be parallel to the frame 10. When the injection device 5 becomes parallel to the frame 10, the safety door 302E is closed to the IMM2 side around the rotation center RCE.

[0107] The safety door 302E is always open before the injection device 5 is rotated to the operating side, and is always closed after the injection device 5 is rotated to the non-operating side. This prevents the screw 51a removed from the rotated injection device 5 from interfering with the safety door 302E.

[0108] Specifying the rotation direction of the injection device 5, the opening and closing direction of the safety door 302E, and the order when performing maintenance on the injection device 5 as described above eliminates interference between the injection device 5 and the safety door 302E.

[0109] Returning to FIG. 12, the safety door 302A is opened to the IMM2 side around the rotation center RCA. The safety door 302B is opened to the IMM2 side around the rotation center RCB. The safety door 302C is opened to the side opposite to the IMM2 around the rotation center RCC. The safety door 302D is opened to the IMM2 side around the rotation center RCD. This configuration is not limiting.

[0110] In another exemplary embodiment, the safety doors 302A, 302 / B, and 302D can open on the opposite side of the IMM2, while the safety door 302C can open on the IMM2 side. In another exemplary embodiment, if the screw 51a is long and there is a possibility that the screw 51a is removed from the cylinder 51, the screw 51a will interfere with the safety doors 302E, 302B, and 302C, and the safety doors 302B and 302C are configured to open and close in the direction shown in FIG. 12.

[0111] The above configuration can also be applied to a situation where the injection device 5 in the maintenance position interferes with the safety door 302E when trying to open the safety door 302E.

[0112] FIG. 14 shows an IMM2 equipped with a sliding door that can be opened when the safety door 302E is on the side of the safety wall 301D. In another exemplary embodiment, the sliding door can be completely removed.

[0113] FIGS. 15a and 15b show a configuration in which the safety door 302E rotates about the X axis. FIG. 15 is an explanatory view of the configuration as viewed from the Z-axis direction. FIG. 15b is an explanatory view of the configuration as viewed from the X-axis direction. The configurations shown in FIGS. 15a and 15b enable the safety door 302E to rotate downward about the X axis. In another exemplary embodiment, the configuration is such that the safety door 302E rotates upward.

[0114] As shown in FIG. 16, the rotation direction of the safety door 302D is set in the opposite direction to the position of the injection device 5. This ensures that the movement of the safety door 302D does not interfere with the injection device 5. In another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the rotation direction of the injection device 5 can be the opposite direction to the direction shown in FIG. 12. This makes it possible to address the same subject by applying the opening direction and its sequence of the safety door 302E to the safety door 302D.

[0115] FIG. 1 shows a configuration according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure and provides an improvement over the configuration shown in FIG. 18. As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer devices 3A and 3B are each surrounded by a safety wall 301A and a safety wall 301B. The safety walls 301A / 301B include two parallel walls (hereinafter referred to as "first walls") arranged along the X-axis direction and a wall (hereinafter referred to as "second wall") arranged along the Y-axis direction. One end of the first wall is fixed to the second wall, and the other end of the first wall is fixed to the outer cover plate 60 (see FIG. 4) of the IMM2.

[0116] As shown in FIG. 1, the safety walls 301A, 301B, together with the outer cover plate, define a rectangular area (hereinafter referred to as "transfer area") that surrounds the transfer devices 3A, 3B respectively. The transfer devices 3A, 3B are used to move the molds 100A, 100B, and it is necessary to keep the operator away from the transfer devices 3A, 3B when moving the molds 100A, 100B. The height of the first wall, the height of the second wall, and the size of the transfer area are specific to the situation and are designed as needed for safety and productivity purposes. In another exemplary embodiment, the transfer area does not need to be a closed area. However, in such a configuration, if there are gaps between the devices, components, etc., the size of these gaps is made narrow to prevent the insertion of the operator's finger, etc.

[0117] The warning devices 350A / 350B provide notifications related to the safety and production status / conditions associated with the conveying devices 3A / 3B and the IMM 2. The warning devices 350A / 350B can be a buzzer, one or more LEDs, a display, any combination thereof, or any other device, component, method that enables the notification of information related to safety and productivity. The warning device 350A is controlled by the conveying device controller, while the warning device 350B is controlled by the conveying device controller 42B. The warning devices 350A / 350A are typically placed in a position easily accessible to the operator. In one exemplary embodiment, the warning devices 350A / 350B are placed on the upper surface of the safety walls 301A / 301B. In another exemplary embodiment, the injection molding system 1 includes one warning device that provides the operator with notifications of the status / conditions of all the conveying devices and the injection molding machines.

[0118] The safety walls 301A / 301B include safety doors 302A / 302B having door locks (not shown). The safety walls 301A / 301B and the safety doors 302A / 302B are placed on the upper panel of the frame 30A / 30B. The safety doors 302A / 302B can be opened, for example, when the operator unloads the molds 100A / 100B from the conveying devices 3A / 3B, and can be closed and locked (latched) while the molds 100A, 100B are being moved by the conveying devices 3A, 3B. The safety doors 302A / 302B can be manually unlocked from the inside or outside of their respective conveying areas. The safety doors 302A / 302B in combination with the mold doors 390A / 390B provide additional safety to the operator working on the conveying devices 3A, 3B. The safety doors 302A / 302B and / or the door locks can be electronically controlled by the conveying controllers 42A / 42B. In another exemplary embodiment, while the conveying devices 3A, 3B are moving the molds 100A, 100B, the conveying controllers 42A / 42B close and / or lock the safety doors 302A / 302B to keep the operator away from the conveying area.

[0119] When the mold door 390B is opened and the opening 60B is exposed, removal of the mold 100B from the molding operation position 11 and insertion of the mold 100B into the molding operation position 11 can occur. The mold door 390B is slidable, manually openable and closable, and closes the opening 60B when closed. In the present embodiment, although the mold door 390B is slidable, this moving method is not considered limited, and any method enabling opening and closing of the mold door 390B is applicable. When performing preparatory work such as replacing the mold 100B with another mold, the opening 60B can be closed by the mold door 390B. Another opening (not shown) is formed on the opposite side of the IMM2.

[0120] In another exemplary embodiment, the safety doors 302A / 302B include sensors that detect the open / closed state of the door locks. In another exemplary embodiment, when the safety door 302B is opened, the controller 42B prevents the transfer unit 31B from removing / inserting the mold 100B. Thereby, the possibility that an operator contacts any moving part such as any part of the mold 100B or the transfer unit 31B is reduced.

[0121] In another exemplary embodiment, when one mold is inserted from one side surface of the IMM2, the mold door on that side surface of the IMM2 typically remains open for the transfer unit 31B to enter the IMM2 there for inserting the mold. The safety door 302B should be kept closed to prevent the operator from touching the mold 100A when moving intermittently. The controller 42B stops the injection molding process when the safety door 302B is opened.

[0122] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the controllers 42A / 42B cause the warning devices 350A / 350B to issue a warning in response to detecting openings of both the safety doors 302A / 302B and the mold doors 390A / 390B on the same side of the IMM2. In addition to issuing the warning, the injection molding process can be stopped.

[0123] As described above, the mold doors 390A / 390B can be opened and closed manually. In another exemplary embodiment, the injection molding system 1 can include sensors for detecting the open / closed state of the mold doors 390A / 390B. The mold doors 390A / 390B on one side of the IMM 2 should remain closed while injection molding is being performed with the mold inserted from the other side of the IMM 2. When the mold 100A is removed by the transfer device 3A and the mold 100B is removed by the transfer device 3B, since the transfer unit 31B is linked to the mold 100B via the link unit 3020, the mold door 390B should be opened. When the mold 100A is removed, the operator can carry out the mold 100A and prepare another mold, so the mold door 390A should remain closed for the safety of the operator. If the mold door 390A is opened while injection molding is being performed within the IMM 2, the controller 41 detects that the mold door 390A is open and stops the injection molding process.

[0124] In the above configuration where the mold doors 390A / 390B are manually opened and closed and the injection molding system 1 includes sensors for detecting the open / closed state of the mold doors 390A / 390B, in another exemplary embodiment, the warning devices 350A / 350B can issue a warning or an alarm in the following cases: (1) The mold 100A is removed by the transfer device 3A, (2) Injection molding is being performed or about to be performed with the mold 100B, (3) The mold door 390A is open.

[0125] The warning notifies the operator that the mold door 390A is open while injection molding is being executed. The warning can be stopped when the mold door 390A is closed or when the injection molding system 1 detects that the mold replacement or the mold removal process is completed.

[0126] In another exemplary embodiment, the mold doors 390A / 390B are opened and closed by an actuator controlled by the controller 41. In this exemplary embodiment, when injection molding is performed with the mold 100B after the mold 100A has been removed, the mold door 390A is forcibly closed after the mold 100A has been removed. This improves the safety of the operator during the removal / exchange of the mold 100A.

[0127] In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure can be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus including a computer-executable instruction (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (also referred to as a “non-transitory computer-readable storage medium”) to execute one or more functions of the above-described embodiments, and / or one or more circuits (e.g., an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) for executing one or more functions of the above-described embodiments, and, for example, by a method executed by a computer of a system or apparatus by reading out and executing computer-executable instructions from a storage medium to execute one or more functions of the above-described embodiments, and / or by controlling one or more circuits for executing one or more functions of the above-described embodiments. The computer may include one or more processors (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessing unit (MPU)), and may include a separate computer or a network of separate processors for reading out and executing computer-executable instructions. The computer-executable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or a storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a storage device of a distributed computing system, an optical disk (such as a compact disk (CD), a digital versatile disk (DVD), or a Blu-ray disk (BD) (registered trademark)), a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like. The I / O interface can be used to provide a communication interface to input devices and output devices including a keyboard, a display, a mouse, a touch screen, a touchless interface (e.g., a gesture recognition device), a printing device, a light pen, an optical storage device, a scanner, a microphone, a camera, a drive, a communication cable, and a network (either wired or wireless).

[0128] Definition Specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments when referring to the description. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits are not described in detail so as not to unnecessarily lengthen the present disclosure.

[0129] When an element or component is referred to herein as being "on," "against," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or component, it can be directly on, against, connected to, or coupled to the other element or component, or intervening elements or components can be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or component, no intervening elements or components are present. As used herein, the term "and / or," when so provided, includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0130] Spatial relative terms such as "beneath," "below," "lower," "under," "above," "upper," "proximal," "distal," etc. are used herein for ease of description to explain the relationship of one element or feature to another as shown in various figures. However, it is to be understood that the spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation shown in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, an element described as "beneath" or "below" another element or feature would then be oriented "above" the other element or feature. Thus, spatial relative terms such as "beneath" can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative terms used herein should be interpreted accordingly. Similarly, the spatial relative terms "proximal" and "distal" may be interchangeable if applicable.

[0131] As used herein, the term "about" means, for example, within 10%, within 5%, or less. In some embodiments, the term "about" may mean within the measurement error.

[0132] Terms such as first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, parts, and / or sections. It should be understood that these elements, components, regions, parts, and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, part, or section from another region, part, or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, part, or section described below can be referred to as a second element, component, region, part, or section without departing from the teachings of this specification.

[0133] The terms used in this specification are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to be limiting. The use of the terms "a," "an," and "the," and similar references in the context of the disclosure (in particular, the context of the following claims) should be construed to include both the singular and the plural unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by the context. The terms "comprising," "having," "including," "containing," and "including" should be construed as non-limiting terms (i.e., meaning "including, but not limited to") unless otherwise indicated. Specifically, when used in this specification, these terms specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof that are not explicitly stated. The recitation of numerical ranges in this specification is intended, unless otherwise specifically indicated herein, merely as a shorthand way of referring individually to each value falling within the range, and each value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. For example, if the range 10-15 is disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed. All methods described in this specification may be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by the context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein is merely intended to make the disclosure clearer and does not present a limitation to the scope of the disclosure unless otherwise claimed. No language in this specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the disclosure.

[0134] The methods and compositions of the present disclosure can be incorporated in the form of various embodiments, and it will be understood that only some of these are disclosed herein. Those skilled in the art will appreciate the variations of these embodiments upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect those skilled in the art to appropriately use such variations, and the inventors intend for the present disclosure to be practiced in ways other than as specifically described herein.

[0135] Accordingly, the present disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Further, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is included in the present disclosure.

Claims

1. 1. An injection molding system comprising: an injection molding apparatus configured to perform injection molding with a mold; a conveying device configured to move the mold along a support plane; Equipped with The improvement to the injection molding system includes a cable carrier configured to cover a cable connected to the mold; a shape of the cable carrier changes to guide the cable based on the movement of the mold by the conveying device; 11. The injection molding system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first end of the cable carrier and the second end of the cable carrier is disposed below the support plane in a direction perpendicular to the support plane.

2. 2. The injection molding system of claim 1, wherein both the first end and the second end are disposed below the support plane in the direction perpendicular to the support plane.

3. 2. The injection molding system according to claim 1, wherein the transport device moves the mold between a first position where an injection process is performed and a second position different from the first position.

4. The injection molding system of claim 1 , wherein the cable is at least one of a heater cable, a thermocouple cable, or an air hose.

5. 2. The injection molding system of claim 1, wherein the cable connects between the mold and a controller for regulating a temperature of the mold.

6. 6. The injection molding system of claim 5, wherein the cable is divided into at least three portions by at least two connectors, and the cable carrier covers one of the at least three portions of the cable.

7. 1. An injection molding system comprising: an injection molding apparatus configured to perform injection molding with a mold; a conveying device configured to move the mold along a support plane; A cable connected to the mold; Equipped with The improvement to the injection molding system includes a shape of the cable that changes based on the movement of the mold by the conveying device; and at least one of a first end of the cable being positioned above the support plane in a direction perpendicular to the support plane and a second end of the cable being positioned below the support plane in a direction perpendicular to the support plane.

8. 8. The injection molding system of claim 7, wherein the first end and the second end are disposed below the support plane in the direction perpendicular to the support plane.

9. 8. The injection molding system according to claim 7, wherein the transport device moves the mold between a first position where an injection process is performed and a second position different from the first position.

10. The injection molding system of claim 7 , wherein the cable is at least one of a heater cable, a thermocouple cable, or an air hose.

11. 8. The injection molding system of claim 7, wherein the cable connects between the mold and a controller for regulating a temperature of the mold.

12. 12. The injection molding system of claim 11, wherein the cable is divided into at least three portions by at least two connectors, and the first end and the second end are one end of the at least three portions of the cable.

Images