Display screen for injection device, injection device, and injection molding machine

Abstract

To provide a display screen for an injection device that allows users to grasp a positional relationship between heater groups and screws.SOLUTION: In an injection device (3), heaters (25) provided on a heating cylinder (19) and an injection nozzle (24) are divided into a plurality of heater groups (H1, H2, ...) with each group consisting of one or adjacent heaters. A display screen of the injection device displays the heating cylinder (19), the injection nozzle (24), and the plurality of heaters (25) in cross section, and a screw (20) in surface shape. The shapes and arrangements of each are displayed reduced to a scale substantially identical to actual dimensions in an axial direction. Furthermore, an identifier for identifying each of the heater groups (H1, H2, ...) is displayed near each of the heater groups (H1, H2, ...).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating cylinder, a screw, a heater, a display screen for displaying a temperature sensor, an injection device, and an injection molding machine of an injection device.

Background Art

[0002] An injection molding machine includes an injection device for injecting an injection material, a mold clamping device for clamping a mold, etc., and is controlled by a controller according to molding conditions set by a user. The controller is provided with a screen for setting molding conditions, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, and the user can set desired molding conditions from the screen.

[0003] Molding conditions set by the user include the temperatures of the heating cylinder and the injection nozzle. A plurality of heaters are provided in the heating cylinder over its axial direction. The plurality of heaters are divided into a plurality of heater groups with one or more heaters grouped together, and, for example, they are heater groups H1, H2,... from the upstream side with a hopper toward the downstream side where the injection nozzle is provided. The user sets a desired temperature for each of the heater groups H1, H2,.... One or more heaters are also provided for the injection nozzle, and these are also divided into one or more heater groups NH1, NH2, and the temperature is set by the user.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When considering the temperatures set by the user for each of the heater groups H1, H2, …, NH1, …, the so-called zones formed within the heating cylinder are taken into account. The inside of the heating cylinder is divided into a plurality of zones by a screw whose flight shape changes from the upstream side to the downstream side. For example, a supply zone where the injection material is melted in the upstream zone, a compression zone where the melted injection material is compressed on the downstream side of that, and a metering zone on the downstream side. Taking these zones into account, the user sets the temperatures of the heater groups H1, H2, …, NH1, …

[0006] By the way, the lengths of the heater groups H1, H2, …, NH1, … in the axial direction are not constant and vary in length. There is a problem that it requires skill for the user to take into account the axial lengths of the respective heater groups H1, H2, …, NH1, … and make temperature settings based on the relationship with the zones. Furthermore, attention must also be paid to the fact that the zones divided by the screw change their positions in the heating cylinder when the screw retracts due to metering. The user must set the temperatures of the heater groups H1, H2, …, NH1, … assuming that the zones change according to the screw position. However, there is a problem that temperature setting is difficult for a user with insufficient skill because the temperature setting screen provided in the controller does not have information associating the arrangement of the heater groups H1, H2, … and the position of the screw.

[0007] In the present disclosure, a display screen of an injection device capable of grasping the positional relationship between a heater group and a screw is provided.

[0008] Other problems and novel features will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] The present disclosure is configured as a display screen of an injection device in which a plurality of heaters provided in a heating cylinder and an injection nozzle are divided into a plurality of heater groups with one or a plurality of adjacent heaters grouped together. The display screen displays the heating cylinder, the injection nozzle, and the plurality of heaters in cross section, and the screw in surface shape, respectively. When the direction of the axis of the screw is taken as the axial direction, the respective shapes and arrangements are displayed at substantially the same scale as the actual dimensions in the axial direction. Further, an identifier for identifying the heater group is displayed in the vicinity of each of the plurality of heater groups.

Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present disclosure, the user can grasp the positional relationship between the heater group and the screw.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3A

Figure 3B

Figure 3C

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6A

Figure 6B

Figure 7

Figure 8

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, specific embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. For clarity of explanation, the following description and drawings are appropriately simplified. In each drawing, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same elements, and redundant explanations are omitted as necessary. Also, there are parts where hatching is omitted so that the drawings do not become complicated.

[0013] [First Embodiment] <Injection Molding Machine> As shown in FIG. 1, the injection molding machine 1 according to the first embodiment is composed of a mold clamping device 2, an injection device 3, etc. The injection molding machine 1 is provided with a controller, that is, a control device 4, and the mold clamping device 2 and the injection device 3 are controlled by the control device 4. A monitor 5 is provided in the control device 4. A cylinder temperature setting / display screen according to the first embodiment, which will be described later, and other screens are displayed on the monitor 5.

[0014] <Mold Clamping Device> The mold clamping device 2 includes a fixed platen 7 fixed to the bed B, a movable platen 8 slidably provided on the bed B, and a mold clamping housing 9. The fixed platen 7 and the mold clamping housing 9 are connected by a plurality of tie bars 11, 11,... The movable platen 8 is slidable between the fixed platen 7 and the mold clamping housing 9. A mold clamping mechanism, that is, a toggle mechanism 13 in this embodiment, is provided between the mold clamping housing 9 and the movable platen 8. Fixed-side molds 15 and movable-side molds 16 are provided on the fixed platen 7 and the movable platen 8, respectively. Therefore, when the toggle mechanism 13 is driven, the molds 15 and 16 are opened and closed.

[0015] <Injection Device> The injection device 3 includes a heating cylinder 19, a screw 20 provided in the heating cylinder 19, and a screw driving device 22. The heating cylinder 19 is supported by the screw driving device 22, and the screw 20 is driven by the screw driving device 22 in both the rotational direction and the axial direction. The heating cylinder 19 is provided with a hopper 23 and an injection nozzle 24.

[0016] Fig. 2 shows the heating cylinder 19, the screw 20, and the injection nozzle 24 of the injection device 3 according to the first embodiment, which are reduced in size at a certain scale. In Fig. 2, the screw 20 is shown in terms of its surface shape, and the heating cylinder 19 and the injection nozzle 24 are shown in cross-section, but no hatching is applied to indicate the cross-section.

[0017] A plurality of heaters 25, 25,... are provided in the heating cylinder 19 and the injection nozzle 24. These heaters 25, 25,... are divided into a plurality of heater groups H1, H2,... either individually or in groups of a plurality of adjacent ones. More specifically, in the first embodiment, in the heating cylinder 19, starting from the hopper attachment portion HP side, i.e., the upstream side, towards the downstream side, it is arranged as follows. That is, one heater 25 belongs to the heater group H1, the next one heater 25 belongs to the heater group H2, the next two adjacent heaters 25, 25 belong to the heater group H3, and finally the two adjacent heaters 25, 25 belong to the heater group H4. In the injection nozzle 24, one heater 25 on the upstream side belongs to the heater group NH1, and one heater 25 on the downstream side belongs to the heater group NH2.

[0018] The heating cylinder 19 and the injection nozzle 24 are embedded with temperature sensors S1, S2, …, NS2 so as to correspond to these heater groups H1, H2, …, NH2. That is, temperature sensors S1, S2, …, S4 are respectively embedded in the heating cylinder 19 so as to correspond to the heater groups H1, H2, …, H4, and temperature sensors NS1, NS2 are respectively embedded so as to correspond to the heater groups NH1, NH2. The heating cylinder 19 is also embedded with a temperature heater HPS in the hopper attachment portion HP.

[0019] The screw 20 is formed with flights 27. The shape of the flights 27 changes over the axial direction. As a result, the depth of the groove between the flights 27 is relatively deep on the upstream side, gradually becomes shallower in the middle stream, and becomes shallow on the downstream side. Thereby, the heating cylinder 19 according to the first embodiment has its interior divided into three zones. That is, it is divided into a supply zone Z1, a compression zone Z2, and a metering zone Z3 from the downstream side toward the upstream side.

[0020] <Cylinder Temperature Setting and Display Screen> The cylinder temperature setting and display screen 30 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C. As shown in FIG. 3A, the cylinder temperature setting and display screen 30 is composed of an upper injection device image display column 31 and a lower temperature setting and display column 32.

[0021] In the first embodiment, in the injection device image display column 31, an image of the injection device 3 (see FIG. 2) according to the first embodiment, reduced at a substantially constant scale, is displayed. To explain more precisely, the direction of the axis of the screw 20 (see FIG. 2) is the axial direction, and the direction orthogonal to the axial direction is the orthogonal direction. In the injection device image display column 31, images of the heating cylinder 19, the screw 20, the injection nozzle 24, the heaters 25, 25, …, and the temperature sensors S1, S2, … in FIG. 2 are shown reduced at substantially the same scale in the axial direction and the orthogonal direction.

[0022] In the injection unit image display field 31, identifiers "H1", "H2", ..., "NH2" indicating heater groups H1, H2, ..., NH2 are shown in association with a plurality of heaters 25, 25, ... (see FIG. 2). Also shown is an identifier "HP" indicating a hopper mounting part HP, although it is not a heater group. Furthermore, in the injection unit image display field 31, identifiers "S1", "S2", ..., "NS2", "HPS" indicating temperature sensors S1, S2, ..., NS2, HPS (see FIG. 2) are shown in association with the temperature sensors S1, S2, ... (see FIG. 2).

[0023] In the injection device image display field 31, an image of the screw 20 (see FIG. 2) is displayed, along with a number of zones associated with the screw 20 and the characters "supply", "compression", and "metering" that represent the zones. As will be described later, when the actual screw 20 (see FIG. 2) retracts within the heating cylinder 19 during metering, the image of the screw 20 (see FIG. 2) in the injection device image display field 31 is dynamically retracted in synchronization with the screw position and displayed. At this time, each zone and the characters "supply", "compression", and "metering" that represent the zones also retract together.

[0024] The temperature setting / display field 32 is a field that displays the set temperature and measured temperature for each of the heater groups H1, H2, ..., NH2 and the hopper mounting part HP. That is, for each of these fields, there are displayed set temperature input fields 35, 35, ... for inputting the set temperature, measured temperature display fields 36, 36, ... for displaying the measured temperature, and temperature indicators 37, 37, ... for showing in a graph the deviation of the measured temperature from the set temperature.

[0025] Furthermore, for each of the heater groups H1, H2, …, state lamps 38, 38, … indicating the ON / OFF state of the heaters 25, 25, … (see FIG. 2) belonging to the corresponding heater groups H1, H2, … are displayed. For example, if it is in the ON state, it is displayed in green, and if it is in the OFF state, it is displayed in gray, white, etc. Note that no heater 25 is provided in the hopper attachment portion HP. In the hopper attachment portion HP, although not shown, a temperature control medium, for example, cold water, is supplied / stopped by ON / OFF control. Therefore, the state lamp 38 for the hopper attachment portion HP indicates whether the medium is being supplied or the supply has stopped. The state lamps 38, 38, … are not an essential configuration and may not be provided.

[0026] In the temperature setting / display column 32, the display widths of each of the heater groups H1, H2, …, NH2 and the hopper attachment portion HP are adjusted based on the lengths in the axial direction of the corresponding actual heater groups H1, H2, …, NH2 (see FIG. 2) and the hopper attachment portion HP. That is, for the heater groups H1, H2 that are relatively long in the axial direction, the display width is long, and for the heater groups NH1, NH2 that are relatively short in the axial direction, the display width is short. Therefore, the user can set the set temperature while recognizing the lengths in the axial direction of the actual heater groups H1, H2, …, NH2. Note that the display columns of each of the heater groups H1, H2, … in the temperature setting / display column 32 do not necessarily have to be adjusted based on the lengths in the axial direction of the actual heater groups H1, H2, …, NH2 (see FIG. 2). For example, the horizontal widths can be made equal.

[0027] When performing a molding cycle in the injection molding machine 1 (see Fig. 1), as metering progresses in the metering process, the screw 20 (see Fig. 2) gradually retracts. At this time, in the injection device image display column 31 of the cylinder temperature setting / display screen 30 (see Fig. 3A) according to the first embodiment, the image of the screw 20 (see Fig. 2) being displayed also retracts as indicated by reference numeral 39 in Fig. 3B. At this time, in the injection device image display column 31, each zone and the characters "Supply", "Compression", and "Metering" indicating the zones also dynamically retract and are displayed. When the metering completion position set as the molding condition is reached, the image of the screw 20 (see Fig. 2) being displayed in the injection device image display column 31 also stops.

[0028] When the screw position at the completion of metering is set to the screw's final retraction position as a molding condition, in the metering process, the screw 20 (see Fig. 2) will retract to the screw's final retraction position. Then, as indicated by reference numeral 40 in the injection device image display column 31 of Fig. 3C, the image of the screw 20 (see Fig. 2) will be displayed retracting to the screw's final retraction position. Thus, the cylinder temperature setting / display screen 30 according to the first embodiment enables an intuitive understanding of the relationship with the heater groups H1, H2,..., NH2 when the screw 20 (see Fig. 2) moves and the positions of the zones "Supply", "Compression", and "Metering" change. Therefore, the user can easily perform temperature setting for the heater groups H1, H2,..., NH2.

[0029] [Comparative Example] To understand the operation of the cylinder temperature setting and display screen 30 according to the first embodiment, the cylinder temperature setting and display screen 80 according to the comparative example will be described with reference to FIG. 4. In the cylinder temperature setting and display screen 80 according to the comparative example, a contour line 81 schematically showing the heating cylinder 19 (see FIG. 2) is drawn. Above this contour line 81, characters of identifiers "H1", "H2",..., "NH2" (see FIG. 2) indicating the heater groups H1, H2,..., NH2 are displayed. Also, an identifier "HP" representing the hopper attachment portion HP is displayed. However, these "NH2", "NH1",..., "HP" are arranged at equal intervals. Inside the contour line 81, corresponding to the identifiers "NH2", "NH1",..., "H1", "HP", temperature setting input fields 84, 84,... for the respective heater groups NH2,..., measured temperature display fields 85, 85,..., temperature indicators 86, 86,... are displayed.

[0030] In the cylinder temperature setting and display screen 80 according to the comparative example, when setting the temperature for each heater group H1, H2,..., NH2 (see FIG. 2) and the hopper attachment portion HP, the relationship of the lengths in the axial direction of the respective heater groups H1, H2,..., NH2 is unclear. Also, the positional relationship between the heater groups H1, H2,..., NH2 and the screw 20 (see FIG. 2) is unclear. The user needs to set the temperature while imagining the lengths in the axial direction of the heater groups H1, H2,..., NH2 and the positional relationship with the screw 20 (see FIG. 2), which requires skill.

[0031] [Second Embodiment] <Injection Device> The second embodiment will be described. The injection molding machine according to the second embodiment is a large-sized injection molding machine, but it is configured in the same manner as the injection molding machine 1 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the description of the configuration will be omitted. FIG. 5 shows the injection device 3A of the injection molding machine according to the second embodiment. In the injection device 3A according to the second embodiment, the same members as those of the injection device 3 (see FIG. 2) according to the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

[0032] In the second embodiment, the heating cylinder 19 is provided with a larger number of heaters 25, 25, ... than in the first embodiment (see FIG. 2). These heaters 25, 25, ... are divided into heater groups H1, H2, ..., H5, NH1, NH2. In the second embodiment, the heater group H5 is added to the first embodiment. The same applies to the temperature sensors S1, S2, ..., and the temperature sensor S5 is added in the second embodiment. Further, in the second embodiment, not only the flights 27 but also the sub-flights 27a are formed in the compression zone Z2 and the metering zone Z3 of the screw 20. That is, in the compression zone Z2 and the metering zone Z3, they are so-called barrier flights.

[0033] <Cylinder Temperature Setting and Display Screen> The cylinder temperature setting and display screen 30A according to the second embodiment is shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. For the same configuration as the cylinder temperature setting and display screen 30 (see FIG. 3A) according to the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given and the description is omitted. In the second embodiment, the set temperature input field 35, the measured temperature display field 36, and the temperature indicator 37 for the heater group H5 are added. In the cylinder temperature setting and display screen 30A according to the second embodiment, in the image of the injection device 3A (see FIG. 5) shown in the injection device image display field 31, the identifiers "supply", "compression", and "metering" for each zone are not shown. That is, the image is simplified. And the screw 20 (see FIG. 5) displayed in the injection device image display field 31 is displayed as a screw partially composed of barrier flights.

[0034] When the screw 20 (see FIG. 5) retracts in the metering process, the image of the screw 20 also dynamically retracts and is displayed as indicated by the reference numeral 42 in FIG. 6B for the cylinder temperature setting and display screen 30A according to the second embodiment.

[0035] [Modification Example 1 of the First Embodiment] The first embodiment and the second embodiment can be variously modified. FIG. 7 shows a modified screen of the cylinder temperature setting / display screen 30 (see FIG. 3A) according to the first embodiment. That is, an injection device display screen 45 according to Modification Example 1 of the first embodiment is shown. The injection device display screen 45 is provided with an injection device image display column 31, but is not provided with a temperature setting / display column 32 (see FIG. 3A). That is, it is a screen that shows only the image of the injection device 3 (see FIG. 2). Also, in the image of the injection device 3 shown in the injection device image display column 31, each zone and the identifiers "supply", "compression", and "metering" indicating them are not shown. That is, the image is simple.

[0036] On the injection device display screen 45, the image of the screw 20 (see FIG. 2) is not dynamically moved and displayed. The image of the screw 20 is switched and displayed for two screw positions, the metering completion position and the forwardmost position, set by the molding conditions.

[0037] [Modification Example 2 of the First Embodiment] FIG. 8 shows a cylinder temperature setting / display screen 30' according to Modification Example 2 of the first embodiment, which is a modification of the cylinder temperature setting / display screen 30 (see FIG. 3A) according to the first embodiment. The cylinder temperature setting / display screen 30' according to Modification Example 2 is different from the cylinder temperature setting / display screen 30 (see FIG. 3A) according to the first embodiment in the following two points.

[0038] First, the image of the injection device 3 (see FIG. 2) displayed in the injection device image display column 31 is different in that the scale in the axial direction and the scale in the orthogonal direction are displayed differently. Specifically, it is displayed in a reduced manner such that the scale in the axial direction is larger than that in the orthogonal direction. Next, regarding the heating cylinder 19 (see FIG. 2) displayed in the injection device image display column 31, it is different in that the internal zones are distinguished and displayed by color-coding as indicated by reference numerals 48, 49, and 50. Also, in the cylinder temperature setting / display screen 30' according to the second modification, when the screw 20 (see FIG. 2) actually retracts during the metering process, the image of the screw 20 is dynamically retracted and displayed in the injection device image display column 31.

[0039] As described above, the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments already described, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the invention. The plurality of examples described above can also be implemented in appropriate combinations.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0040] 1 Injection molding machine 2 Mold clamping device 3 Injection device 4 Control device 5 Monitor 7 Fixed platen 8 Movable platen 9 Mold clamping housing 11 Tie bar 13 Toggle mechanism 15 Fixed-side mold 16 Movable-side mold 19 Heating cylinder 20 Screw 22 Screw drive device 23 Hopper 24 Injection nozzle 25 Heater 30 Cylinder temperature setting / display screen 31 Injection device image display column 32 Temperature setting / display column 35 Set temperature input column 36 Measured temperature display column 37 Temperature indicator 38 Status lamp 45 Injection device display screen

Claims

1. A heating cylinder, A screw placed inside the heating cylinder, An injection nozzle provided at the tip of the heating cylinder, A plurality of heaters provided on the heating cylinder and the injection nozzle, A control device, and is provided with, In an injection device in which a plurality of the heaters are divided into a plurality of heater groups with one or a plurality of adjacent heaters grouped together, When the axial direction of the screw is the axial direction and the direction orthogonal to the axial direction is the orthogonal direction, The heating cylinder, the injection nozzle, and the plurality of heaters are each displayed in cross-section, and the screw is displayed in surface shape, and the shape and arrangement of each are reduced and displayed at substantially the same scale as the actual dimensions in the axial direction, An identification number for identifying the heater group is displayed in the vicinity of each of the plurality of heater groups on the display screen of the injection device displayed on the control device.

2. On the display screen, the screw is displayed for each of the state in the most advanced position and the state in the metering completion position set under the molding conditions, the display screen of the injection device according to claim 1.

3. In conjunction with the operation of the actual screw that slides in the axial direction during metering, the screw is displayed on the display screen so that the screw position changes dynamically, the display screen of the injection device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The screw is divided into a plurality of zones in the axial direction, On the display screen, a plurality of the zones are displayed in relation to the display of the screw, the display screen of the injection device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The screw is formed with flights in a predetermined flight shape, and the flight shape is displayed in the display of the screw on the display screen, the display screen of the injection device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. On the display screen, each of the heating cylinder, the screw, the injection nozzle, and the plurality of heaters is displayed reduced at substantially the same scale as the axial direction with respect to the actual object also in the orthogonal direction, the display screen of the injection device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. On the display screen, a temperature setting / display column for setting the set temperature and displaying the measured temperature for each heater group is provided in a single row for the number of heater groups, The display screen of the injection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lengths of the display widths of the plurality of temperature setting / display columns are adjusted based on the lengths in the axial direction of the corresponding heater groups of the actual objects.

8. The display screen of the injection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein temperature sensors provided on the heating cylinder and the injection nozzle are displayed on the display screen.

9. A heating cylinder, A screw placed in the heating cylinder, An injection nozzle provided at the tip of the heating cylinder, A plurality of heaters provided on the heating cylinder and the injection nozzle, A control device, and is provided with, The plurality of heaters are divided into a plurality of heater groups with one or a plurality of adjacent ones grouped together, A predetermined display screen is displayed on the control device, When the axial direction of the screw is defined as the axial direction and the direction perpendicular to the axial direction is defined as the orthogonal direction, The display screen shows the heating cylinder, the injection nozzle, and the plurality of heaters in cross-section, and the screw in surface shape, and their respective shapes and arrangements are reduced and displayed at a scale substantially the same as the actual dimensions in the axial direction. An injection device, wherein an identifier for identifying each of the plurality of heater groups is displayed in the vicinity of each of the plurality of heater groups.

10. The injection device according to claim 9, wherein on the display screen, the screw is displayed for each of the state in the most forward position and the state in the metering completion position set under the molding conditions.

11. The injection device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the display screen displays the screw such that the screw position dynamically changes in conjunction with the operation of the screw that slides in the axial direction during metering.

12. An injection device, A mold clamping device, A control device, and is provided with, The injection device includes a heating cylinder, A screw placed in the heating cylinder, An injection nozzle provided at the tip of the heating cylinder, A plurality of heaters provided on the heating cylinder and the injection nozzle, and is provided with, The plurality of heaters are divided into a plurality of heater groups with one or a plurality of adjacent ones grouped together, A predetermined display screen is displayed on the control device, When the axial direction of the screw is defined as the axial direction and the direction perpendicular to the axial direction is defined as the orthogonal direction, The display screen shows, in cross-section, the heating cylinder, the injection nozzle, and the plurality of heaters, and shows the screw in surface shape, with each shape and arrangement being reduced and displayed at a scale substantially the same as the actual dimensions in the axial direction. An injection molding machine in which an identifier for identifying each of the plurality of heater groups is displayed in the vicinity of each of the plurality of heater groups.

13. The injection molding machine according to claim 12, wherein the screw is displayed on the display screen for each of the state in the most forward position and the state in the metering completion position set under molding conditions.

14. The injection molding machine according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the display screen displays the screw such that the screw position changes dynamically in conjunction with the operation of the screw that slides axially during metering.

Images