Injection molding machine and injection molding system

Abstract

To form a space for performing purge operation or the like between the injection device of an injection molding machine and a mold without largely deforming a part of a connection pipe for directly inputting an output molten resin to the injection molding machine by sliding or the like.SOLUTION: An injection molding machine 10 includes a mold 50 for molding a molten resin, an injection device 11 having an injection port 133 for injecting the molten resin, and a tubular connection member 40 which is disposed between the mold 50 and the injection port 133 and inputs the molten resin injected from the injection port 133 from an input port 45 of an end portion 41 and outputs the molten resin from an output port 46 of an end portion 42 toward the mold 50.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an injection molding machine and an injection molding system. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to directly input the molten resin output from a device that decontaminates contaminants contained within the resin to be recycled into an injection molding machine that performs injection molding using the molten resin as a material, the device that outputs the molten resin and the injection molding machine are sometimes connected by piping.In this case, in order to absorb positional movement that occurs due to purging operations and the like of the injection unit of the injection molding machine, for example, a connecting pipe that includes a sleeve-type expansion joint that serves as a piping joint may be provided (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2022 / 056618 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a connecting pipe including a sleeve-type expansion joint is installed, the sleeve slides in accordance with the movement of the injection unit, moving back and forth between the inside and outside of the pipe. This can cause the molten resin passing through the inside of the pipe to adhere to the surface of the sleeve and become exposed to the outside of the pipe. In this case, when the sleeve slides, the exposed molten resin may rub against each other and carbonize, potentially contaminating the molten resin as solid foreign matter. To address this issue, when performing a purging operation or the like of the injection unit, it is necessary to form a predetermined space between the injection unit and the mold.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to form a space between the injection unit of an injection molding machine and the mold in which purging operations, etc. can be performed, without significantly deforming, due to sliding, part of the connecting pipe for directly inputting the output molten resin into the injection molding machine. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The injection molding machine of the present invention, which was completed with this objective in mind, comprises a mold for molding molten resin, an injection device having an injection port for injecting the molten resin, and a tubular connecting member that is arranged between the mold and the injection port and through which the molten resin injected from the injection port is input from one end and output toward the mold from the other end, and is characterized in that when the injection device moves slightly in a direction away from the mold, a gap is formed between the injection device and the mold that allows the connecting member to be attached and detached. Here, the injection device may be characterized in that it moves slightly in a direction away from the mold due to elastic deformation of the piping through which the molten resin flows, and by returning the injection device in a slightly moved state to its original position, the piping through which the molten resin flows is returned to a state that is not elastically deformed. The connecting member may be detachably fixed to the mold when the injection unit moves slightly in a direction away from the mold. Furthermore, the mold may be characterized in that a hemispherical recess formed at the entrance of a sprue that can fit into the rounded shape of the tip of the injection port and a hemispherical recess formed at the one end of the connecting member have approximately the same shape, and the rounded shape of the tip of the injection port and the rounded shape of the other end of the connecting member have approximately the same shape. Furthermore, the injection molding system of the present invention, which has been completed with this objective in mind, is an injection molding machine comprising: a mold for molding molten resin; an injection device having an injection port for injecting the molten resin; and a tubular connecting member that is arranged between the mold and the injection port and through which the molten resin injected from the injection port is input from one end and output from the other end toward the mold, wherein when the injection device moves slightly in a direction away from the mold, a space is formed between the injection device and the mold that allows the connecting member to be attached and detached; an output device that outputs the molten resin; and a connecting pipe that connects the output device and the injection device and through which the molten resin output from the output device flows toward the injection device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a space in which purging operations, etc. can be performed can be formed between the injection unit of the injection molding machine and the mold without significantly deforming, due to sliding, part of the connecting pipe for directly inputting the output molten resin into the injection molding machine. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an injection molding system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 2 is a diagram showing a state of a purge operation of an injection unit of an injection molding machine that constitutes the injection molding system of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a connecting member. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a state in which an injection cylinder, a connecting member, and a mold are connected to each other. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the connecting member is removed. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing a process flow when the injection device performs a purge operation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. <Configuration of Injection Molding System 1> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an injection molding system 1 according to this embodiment. 1 is a system configured to include an injection molding machine 10 that performs injection molding using molten resin, an output device 20 that outputs the molten resin toward the injection molding machine 10, and a connecting pipe 30 that connects the output device 20 to the injection molding machine 10. In the injection molding system 1, the molten resin is output from the output device 20 toward the injection molding machine 10, so the injection molding machine 10 is a device located downstream from the output device 20.

[0010] The injection molding machine 10 and the output device 20 are connected by a connecting pipe 30. The connecting pipe 30 is a bent metal pipe having a space 31 formed therein that serves as a flow path for the molten resin. Therefore, the connecting pipe 30 has the heat resistance and pressure resistance required for the flow of the molten resin. Furthermore, the inner surface of the connecting pipe 30 is smooth, providing a structure that prevents the molten resin from accumulating. The upstream end of the connecting pipe 30 is connected to the output device 20, and the downstream end of the connecting pipe 30 is connected to the injection molding machine 10. Therefore, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 1 , the molten resin output from the output device 20 flows through the connecting pipe 30 and is input to the injection molding machine 10.

[0011] (injection molding machine 10) The injection molding machine 10 is a molding machine used to manufacture molded articles using molten resin as a material. The injection molding machine 10 is connected to the output device 20 via a connecting pipe 30, and is therefore able to receive the molten resin output from the output device 20 and manufacture molded articles using the molten resin as a material.

[0012] The injection molding machine 10 includes an injection device 11 that heats molten resin, which is a material, and injects it into the inside of a mold 50. The injection device 11 includes a heating cylinder 12 that heats the molten resin and delivers the required amount of molten resin, and an injection cylinder 13 that injects the molten resin delivered from the heating cylinder 12 into the inside of the mold 50. The heating cylinder 12 includes a screw 121 that heats the molten resin input via the connecting pipe 30, and a band heater 122 that heats the heating cylinder 12.

[0013] The heating cylinder 12 heats the molten resin using shear heat generated by the screw 121 rotating and heat emitted from the band heater 122. The band heater 122 is configured, for example, as a lightweight, thin cylindrical heater made of nichrome wire insulated with a heat-resistant mica plate and sheathed with a stainless steel plate, and is arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the heating cylinder 12.

[0014] At the downstream end of the heating cylinder 12 in the centerline direction, a pipe 123 is arranged for sending the molten resin heated by the heating cylinder 12 toward the injection cylinder 13. The pipe 123 is a metal pipe with a bent portion, and a space 124 is formed inside to serve as a flow path for the molten resin. Therefore, the pipe 123 has the heat resistance and pressure resistance required for the molten resin to flow. Furthermore, the inner surface of the pipe 123 is smooth, providing a structure that prevents molten resin from remaining inside.

[0015] The injection cylinder 13 includes a plunger 131 that pressurizes the molten resin sent from the heating cylinder 12 through the piping 123 toward the downstream side in the centerline direction, and an injection port 133 for injecting the pressurized molten resin into the inside of the mold 50. Here, in the past, the entire injection device 11 was moved downstream in the centerline direction to bring the injection port 133 into contact with the inlet 52 of the sprue 51, which is a flow path through which the molten resin flows into the inside of the mold 50, and in this state, the molten resin was injected from the injection port 133. In contrast, in the present embodiment, a connecting member 40 is attached between the injection port 133 and the mold 50, so that the molten resin is injected into the inside of the mold 50 via the connecting member 40.

[0016] (output device 20) The output device 20 is a device that outputs molten resin. The output device 20 decontaminates contaminants contained inside the resin of PET bottles or the like to be recycled by, for example, mechanical recycling (physical recycling method) or chemical recycling (chemical recycling method), and outputs the decontaminated resin as molten resin. The output device 20 is connected to a connecting pipe 30 and is fixed in position. The molten resin output from the output device 20 is input to the injection molding machine 10 via the connecting pipe 30.

[0017] Here, "mechanical recycling" refers to a series of processes, such as exposing the resin of collected used PET bottles and the like to high temperatures to turn it into molten resin, and then decontaminating the contaminants remaining inside by diffusing them into the vacuum inside the output device 20. Also, "chemical recycling" refers to a series of processes, such as sorting, chemically decomposing, and repolymerizing the resin of collected used PET bottles and the like to decontaminate the contaminants.

[0018] (Connecting member 40) The connecting member 40 is a straight metal tube having a space 43 formed therein that serves as a flow path for molten resin to flow through. An upstream end 41 of the connecting member 40 contacts a downstream end 132 of the injection cylinder 13. The downstream end 42 of the connecting member 40 is detachably fixed to an inlet 52 of a sprue 51 of the mold 50. Therefore, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1 , the molten resin injected from an injection port 133 of the end 132 of the injection cylinder 13 flows through the space 43 inside the connecting member 40 and is injected into the mold 50. The configuration of the connecting member 40 will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 3 .

[0019] (Mold 50) The mold 50 molds the molten resin inside by opening and closing the mold, and then cools and solidifies it to complete a molded product (for example, a product or a preform for a product). The opening and closing operations of the mold 50 are performed by a mold clamping device (not shown).

[0020] <Purge Operation of Injection Unit 11> FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the purging operation of the injection unit 11 of the injection molding machine 10 that constitutes the injection molding system 1 of FIG. Carbonized matter accumulates inside the injection unit 11 of the injection molding machine 10. Carbonized matter accumulation is a phenomenon in which molten resin input into the injection unit 11 accumulates, burns, and carbonizes, accumulating on the screw 121 inside the heating cylinder 12. When carbonized matter accumulates, the accumulated carbonized matter peels off, causing molding defects. For this reason, in order to eliminate carbonized matter accumulation, the injection unit 11 periodically performs a purging operation, which is an operation of squeezing and discharging deteriorated molten resin and carbonized matter from the injection cylinder 13 to the outside.

[0021] In order for the injection unit 11 to perform a purge operation, it is necessary to secure a space between the injection cylinder 13 and the mold 50 for the purge operation. Conventionally, this space is secured by moving the entire injection unit upstream. Since the position of the output unit 20 is fixed, a cylindrical sleeve is provided on a portion (the portion extending in the centerline direction in FIG. 2 ) of the connecting pipe connecting the output unit 20 to the injection unit, and the movement of the injection unit is absorbed by sliding the sleeve. However, as described above, when the sleeve of the connecting pipe slides, the molten resin exposed to the outside may carbonize and become a solid foreign body, which may be mixed into the molten resin inside the connecting pipe.

[0022] In contrast, in the injection molding system 1 according to this embodiment, the connecting pipe 30 connecting the output device 20 and the injection device 11 is a metal pipe with a bent portion as described above, and does not have a sleeve like a conventional connecting pipe. Therefore, the positional relationship between the upstream end (the portion connecting to the output device 20) of the connecting pipe 30 and the downstream end (the portion connecting to the heating cylinder 12) changes only slightly. Here, the reason why it is said to change only slightly is that the connecting pipe 30 is partially bent, which allows the entire connecting pipe 30 to bend slightly due to elastic deformation.

[0023] Furthermore, in the injection molding system 1, the pipe 123 arranged at the downstream end of the heating cylinder 12 constituting the injection device 11 is a metal pipe with a bent portion as described above. Therefore, the positional relationship between the upstream end of the pipe 123 (the portion connected to the heating cylinder 12) and the downstream end (the portion connected to the injection cylinder 13) changes only slightly. Here, the reason why it is said to change only slightly is that the pipe 123 is partially bent, and thus, like the connecting pipe 30, the entire pipe 123 is configured to be allowed to bend slightly due to elastic deformation.

[0024] As described above, the injection molding system 1 is configured to allow the connecting pipe 30 and the piping 123 to be slightly elastically deformed and bent as a whole. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2 , the gap d required to remove the connecting member 40 from the mold 50 can be secured by slightly moving the injection cylinder 13 of the injection device 11 upstream in the centerline direction. Specifically, the connecting pipe 30 and the piping 123 are slightly elastically deformed while the injection cylinder 13 is moved upstream in the centerline direction so as to form the gap d. The length of the gap d in the centerline direction is not particularly limited and may be, for example, approximately 20 mm (millimeters). The injection cylinder 13 is configured to include a drive unit (e.g., a motor) (not shown) that allows it to move in the centerline direction in response to an input operation by an operator.

[0025] The injection device 11 moves the injection cylinder 13 slightly upstream in the centerline direction until the gap d is formed. Then, the connecting member 40, which was detachably fixed to the mold 50, is removed. This creates a space 200 for performing the purging operation between the injection cylinder 13 and the mold 50. This allows the injection device 11 to perform the purging operation. While the purging operation is being performed, the injection cylinder 13, which had moved slightly upstream in the centerline direction, is returned to its original position. That is, the injection device 11 moves the injection cylinder 13 slightly downstream in the centerline direction to return it to its original position, thereby returning the connecting pipe 30 and the piping 123, which are in an elastically deformed state, to their non-elastically deformed states. This relieves stress associated with the elastic deformation of the connecting pipe 30 and the piping 123.

[0026] <Configuration of connecting member 40> FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the connecting member 40. As shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the injection cylinder 13, the connecting member 40, and the mold 50 are connected. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the connecting member 40, which is detachably fixed to the mold 50, is a straight metal tube having a space 43 formed therein that serves as a flow path for the molten resin to flow through. Therefore, the connecting member 40 has the heat resistance and pressure resistance required for the flow of the molten resin. Furthermore, the inner surface 44 of the connecting member 40 is smooth, providing a structure that prevents molten resin from accumulating. The length of the connecting member 40 in the center line direction is not particularly limited. As long as there is enough space to perform purging operations and the like when the connecting member 40 is removed, the length of the connecting member 40 in the center line direction is approximately several centimeters to several tens of centimeters.

[0027] The upstream end 41 of the connecting member 40 in the centerline direction has a hemispherical recess formed therein, and is shaped so as to fit into the rounded shape of the downstream end 132 of the injection cylinder 13 of the injection device 11. This facilitates alignment of the downstream end 132 of the injection cylinder 13 of the injection device 11 with the upstream end 41 of the connecting member 40 in the centerline direction. The downstream end 42 of the connecting member 40 in the centerline direction also has an output port 46 for injecting the molten resin that has flowed through the space 43. The end 42 including the output port 46 has a rounded shape so as to fit into a hemispherical recess formed in the inlet 52 of the sprue 51 of the mold 50.

[0028] The connecting member 40 is provided with a fixing portion 47 for detachably fixing the connecting member 40 to the mold 50. The fixing portion 47 is a block-shaped metallic member through which a bolt 48 passes, and the bolt 48 detachably fixes the connecting member 40 to the mold 50. The fixing portion 47 may be molded integrally with the connecting member 40, or may be fixed to the outer wall of the connecting member 40 by welding or the like. Note that the fixing portion 47 is omitted in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the injection molding machine 10 performs injection molding in a state where the injection cylinder 13, the connecting member 40, and the mold 50 are connected to each other.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the connecting member 40 is removed. 4 described above, the connecting member 40 can be removed by slightly moving the injection cylinder 13 upstream in the center line direction while slightly elastically deforming each of the connecting pipe 30 and the piping 123. Here, "slightly moving" means moving the injection cylinder 13 upstream in the center line direction by a distance (gap d in FIG. 2) that allows the connecting member 40, from which the bolt 48 of the fixing part 47 has been removed, to be removed from the mold 50.

[0030] 5, a space 200 is formed between the injection cylinder 13 and the mold 50, and this space 200 is used to perform a purging operation for the injection unit 11. In other words, the purging operation can be performed by simply moving the injection unit 11 slightly toward the upstream side in the center line direction and removing the connecting member 40, without moving the entire injection unit 11 significantly.

[0031] <Processing flow of injection unit 11> FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when the injection device 11 performs a purge operation. 4, when the injection device 11 performs a purge operation, the coupling member 40 is removed in the following procedure. That is, when an operation to retract the injection cylinder 13 is performed (YES in step 61), the injection device 11 slightly moves the injection cylinder 13 upstream in the center line direction while slightly elastically deforming each of the connecting pipe 30 and the piping 123 (step 62). On the other hand, when an operation to retract the injection cylinder 13 is not performed (NO in step 61), the injection device 11 repeats the determination process of step 61.

[0032] Next, the operator removes the bolts 48 of the fixing portions 47 of the connecting member 40 (step 63), and removes the connecting member 40 (step 64). Then, when an operation to start the purging operation is performed (YES in step 65), the injection device 11 returns the injection cylinder 13 to its original position (step 66). Then, the injection device 11 starts the purging operation (step 67). On the other hand, when an operation to start the purging operation is not performed (NO in step 65), the injection device 11 repeats the determination process of step 65.

[0033] When an operation to retract the injection cylinder 13 is performed (YES in step 68) after the purging operation by the injection cylinder 13 is completed, the injection device 11 performs the following process. That is, the injection device 11 slightly moves the injection cylinder 13 upstream in the center line direction while slightly elastically deforming each of the connecting pipe 30 and the piping 123 (step 69). On the other hand, when an operation to retract the injection cylinder 13 is not performed (NO in step 68), the injection device 11 repeats the determination process of step 68.

[0034] When the operator manually attaches the connecting member 40 to the mold 50 (step 70) and performs an operation to advance the injection cylinder (YES in step 71), the injection device 11 performs the following process. That is, the injection device 11 returns the injection cylinder 13, which has moved slightly upstream in the centerline direction, to its original position (step 72). This causes the downstream end 132 of the injection cylinder 13 in the centerline direction to fit with the upstream end 41 of the connecting member 40 in the centerline direction, making it possible to start injection molding. On the other hand, if the operation to advance the injection cylinder has not been performed (NO in step 71), the injection device 11 repeats the determination process of step 71.

[0035] <Modification> As described above, the injection device 11 according to this embodiment is a so-called pre-plunger type (also called a pre-plastication type) injection device that combines the independent heating cylinder 12 and injection cylinder 13. Therefore, the axis of the heating cylinder 12 and the axis of the injection cylinder 13 are not coaxial. However, the pre-plunger type injection device 11 is merely an example. For example, the injection device may be an in-line screw type injection device in which the screw and the injection cylinder are coaxial and the molten resin is heated and injected coaxially. In this case, as in the above-described embodiment, the injection port of the in-line screw type injection device is configured to contact the upstream end of the connecting member 40 detachably fixed to the mold 50.

[0036] 3 and 4, the radial diameter of space 43, which serves as a flow path for molten resin and is formed inside connecting member 40 according to this embodiment, is constant along the centerline, but is not limited to this. For example, the radial diameter of space 43 may be gradually reduced from the upstream side toward the downstream side along the centerline. This allows the pressure of the molten resin output from output port 46 at the downstream end of connecting member 40 along the centerline to be efficiently increased.

[0037] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, when all of the bolts 48 of the connecting member 40 fixed to the mold 50 are removed, the connecting member 40 can be completely separated from the mold 50, but this is not limiting. The connecting member 40 may not be completely separated from the mold 50. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which a part of the mold 50 and a part of the connecting member 40 are rotatably connected using a member such as a hinge. In this case, the end 42 of the connecting member 40 can be fitted into the inlet 52 of the sprue 51 of the mold 50 with a single touch, and can also be separated with a single touch.

[0038] Furthermore, although the connecting member 40 according to the present embodiment is configured to be fixed to the mold 50 side, the connecting member 40 may be configured to be fixed to the injection cylinder 13 side.

[0039] In addition, in this embodiment, the connecting pipe 30 connecting the output device 20 and the injection device 11 is a metal pipe with a bent portion. Therefore, when the injection cylinder 13 is moved slightly upstream in the centerline direction, the degree of deformation of the connecting pipe 30 is such that the positional relationship between the upstream end (the portion connected to the output device 20) and the downstream end (the portion connected to the heating cylinder 12) of the connecting pipe 30 changes slightly. That is, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the shape of the connecting pipe 30 is not significantly deformed, but this is not a limitation. A sleeve may be provided on the connecting pipe 30. This allows the injection device 11 to be moved significantly upstream in the centerline direction, thereby further widening the space 200 formed by removing the connecting member 40.

[0040] The process flow shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 is an example and is not particularly limited. For example, in the flowchart of FIG. 6, the injection cylinder 13 is slightly moved upstream in the centerline direction (step 62), and then the bolt 48 of the fixing portion 47 of the connecting member 40 is removed (step 63). This prevents the connecting member 40 from falling when the injection cylinder 13 is slightly moved. However, this order of processes is not limited. For example, the injection cylinder 13 may be slightly moved upstream in the centerline direction after the bolt 48 of the fixing portion 47 of the connecting member 40 is removed. This allows the connecting member 40 to be removed while slightly moving the injection cylinder 13, thereby shortening the time required for elastic deformation of the connecting pipe 30 and the piping 123. As a result, stress associated with the elastic deformation of the connecting pipe 30 and the piping 123 can be reduced.

[0041] In summary, the injection molding machine 10 according to this embodiment only needs to have the following configuration, and can take on a variety of different embodiments. In other words, the injection molding machine 10 comprises a mold 50 for molding molten resin, an injection device 11 having an injection port 133 for injecting the molten resin, and a tubular connecting member 40 arranged between the mold 50 and the injection port 133, which inputs the molten resin injected from the injection port 133 through an input port 45 at an end 41 and outputs it from an output port 46 at an end 42 toward the mold 50, and is an injection molding machine characterized in that when the injection device 11 moves slightly in a direction away from the mold 50, a gap d is formed between the injection device 11 and the mold 50, which makes the connecting member 40 detachable.

[0042] As a result, the connecting member 40, which is disposed between the mold 50 and the injection port 133, receives the molten resin injected from the injection port 133 through the input port 45 at the end 41 and outputs it toward the mold 50 through the output port 46 at the end 42. When the injection unit 11 moves slightly away from the mold 50, a gap d is formed between the injection unit 11 and the mold 50, making it possible to remove the connecting member 40. When the connecting member 40 is removed, a space 200 is formed for performing a purging operation of the injection unit 11. As a result, a space for performing a purging operation or the like can be formed between the injection unit 11 and the mold 50 without significantly deforming, due to sliding or the like, a portion of the connecting pipe 30, which directly inputs the output molten resin into the injection molding machine 10. Specifically, a space 200 of several centimeters to several tens of centimeters can be formed, which corresponds to the length of the connecting member 40 in the centerline direction.

[0043] Here, the injection device 11 can be characterized in that it moves slightly in a direction away from the mold 50 due to elastic deformation of the piping through which the molten resin flows (e.g., the connecting pipe 30 and the piping 123), and by returning the injection device 11 in the slightly moved state to its original position, the piping through which the molten resin flows (e.g., the connecting pipe 30 and the piping 123) is returned to its non-elastically deformed state. As a result, the injection unit 11 can be moved slightly in a direction away from the mold 50 due to elastic deformation of the piping through which the molten resin flows, and a gap d is formed between the injection unit 11 and the mold 50, allowing the connecting member 40 to be attached and detached. When the connecting member 40 is detached, a space 200 is formed for performing a purging operation of the injection unit 11. As a result, a space large enough to perform a purging operation or the like can be formed between the injection unit 11 and the mold 50 without causing significant deformation, due to sliding or the like, of a portion of the connecting pipe 30 for directly inputting the output molten resin into the injection molding machine 10. In addition, stress associated with the elastic deformation of the connecting pipe 30 and the piping 123 can be relieved.

[0044] Furthermore, the connecting member 40 may be characterized in that it is detachably fixed to the mold 50 when the injection device 11 moves slightly in a direction away from the mold 50 . This allows the connecting member 40 to be fixed to the mold 50 while injection molding is being performed, and allows the connecting member 40 to be easily removed from the mold 50 while the purging operation is being performed.

[0045] Furthermore, the mold 50 may be characterized in that a hemispherical depression formed at the inlet 52 of the sprue 51, which can fit into the rounded shape of the tip (downstream end 132) of the injection port 133, and a hemispherical depression formed at the end 41 of the connecting member 40 have substantially the same shape, and that the rounded shape of the tip of the injection port 133 and the rounded shape of the end 42 of the connecting member 40 are substantially the same shape. Here, "the hemispherical depression formed at the inlet 52 of the sprue 51 and the hemispherical depression formed at the end 41 of the connecting member 40 have substantially the same shape" means that the hemispherical depression formed at the inlet 52 of the sprue 51 and the hemispherical depression formed at the end 41 of the connecting member 40 have the same shape, or that they are not the same shape but are identical enough in shape to prevent leakage of the injected resin. Furthermore, the phrase "the rounded shape of the tip of the injection port 133 and the rounded shape of the end 42 of the connecting member 40 are approximately the same shape" means that the rounded shape of the tip of the injection port 133 and the rounded shape of the end 42 of the connecting member 40 are the same shape, or that they are not the same shape but are similar enough that the resin does not leak when injected. This makes it easy to align the downstream end 132 of the injection cylinder 13 of the injection device 11 with the upstream end 41 in the center line direction of the connecting member 40. Furthermore, it is not necessary to newly design the shape of the injection port 133 of the injection device 11 and the shape of the inlet 52 of the sprue 51 of the mold 50 that fits into the injection port 133; it is sufficient to simply manufacture the connecting member 40 to match these shapes.

[0046] Furthermore, the injection molding system 1 according to this embodiment only needs to have the following configuration, and can be implemented in a variety of different ways. That is, the injection molding system 1 is an injection molding machine 10 including: a mold 50 for molding molten resin; an injection device 11 having an injection port 133 for injecting the molten resin; and a tubular connecting member 40 arranged between the mold 50 and the injection port 133, which receives the molten resin injected from the injection port 133 through an input port 45 at an end 41 and outputs the molten resin from an output port 46 at an end 42 toward the mold 50, and which forms a gap d between the injection device 11 and the mold 50 when the injection device 11 moves slightly away from the mold 50, allowing the connecting member 40 to be attached and detached; an output device 20 that outputs the molten resin; and a connecting pipe 30 that connects the output device 20 and the injection device 11 and allows the molten resin output from the output device 20 to flow toward the injection device 11. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1... injection molding system, 10... injection molding machine, 11... injection device, 12... heating cylinder, 13... injection cylinder, 20... output device, 30... connecting pipe, 40... connecting member, 41, 42... end portion, 50... mold, 51... sprue, 52... inlet

Claims

1. a mold for molding molten resin; an injection device having an injection port for injecting the molten resin; a tubular connecting member that is disposed between the mold and the injection port, and through which the molten resin injected from the injection port is input from one end and output from the other end toward the mold; Equipped with an injection molding machine, characterized in that, when the injection unit moves slightly in a direction away from the mold, a gap is formed between the injection unit and the mold, which allows the connecting member to be attached and detached.

2. the injection unit moves slightly in a direction away from the mold due to elastic deformation of a pipe through which the molten resin flows, and the injection unit in the slightly moved state is returned to its original position, thereby returning the pipe through which the molten resin flows to a state that is not elastically deformed.

2. The injection molding machine according to claim 1.

3. the connecting member is detachably fixed to the mold when the injection unit moves slightly in a direction away from the mold.

2. The injection molding machine according to claim 1.

4. a hemispherical recess formed at an inlet of a sprue that can fit into the rounded shape of the tip of the injection port in the mold and a hemispherical recess formed at the one end of the connecting member have substantially the same shape, and the rounded shape of the tip of the injection port and the rounded shape of the other end of the connecting member have substantially the same shape.

2. The injection molding machine according to claim 1.

5. a mold for molding molten resin; an injection device having an injection port for injecting the molten resin; a tubular connecting member that is disposed between the mold and the injection port, and through which the molten resin injected from the injection port is input from one end and output from the other end toward the mold; Equipped with an injection molding machine that forms a space between the injection unit and the mold when the injection unit moves slightly in a direction away from the mold, allowing the connecting member to be attached and detached; an output device that outputs the molten resin; a connecting pipe that connects the output device and the injection device and through which the molten resin output from the output device flows toward the injection device; An injection molding system comprising:

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