Dating system for moldings

Abstract

To provide a dating system for molds which allows the information to be read much more clearly on a component.SOLUTION: A dating system for molds comprises a marking element which engraves a fixed date. The marking element comprises an exchangeable insertion part which indicates the fixed date, and the fixed date is regulated by characters and / or numerals aligned on a straight line. Thus, an advantage such that information reading is significantly clear compared as to a conventional date stamp, an advantage such that since a required space is minimum, this system can be substantially adapted to any molds, and an advantage such that since the system can provide date information in a plurality of formats such as numerals of date and month or week and year, or combination thereof and so on, the system is significantly kinetic compared to as a conventional date stamp.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dating system for moldings. [Background technology]

[0002] In the production of plastic parts by injection, it is common to mark the injected parts with the date of production in order to ensure the actual traceability of the production process at any time, as well as to know the complete history of both the materials used and a guarantee of their origin.

[0003] For this purpose it is customary to mark the date in relief during injection.

[0004] For this purpose, there are various models of markers that are imprinted with a cylinder with various numbers in a row, which are imprinted around the circumference of the cylinder depending on whether you want to imprint the day, week, month, year, etc.

[0005] For example, in the month and year model, the numbers 1 to 12 are engraved on the circumference as a clock, and inside the same cylinder, so that it can rotate on its own axis, is another cylinder of smaller diameter, which contains an arrow pointing to the date.

[0006] The particularity of this arrow is that it is recessed and engraved to the required depth so that it can be turned with a screwdriver to indicate the desired number position.

[0007] This marking device is not suitable for thin plastic parts as the arrow is deep enough for a screwdriver, nor is it suitable for picking up dirt that accumulates in the arrow area over time.

[0008] Marking devices exist that use raised numbers, but to allow for these operations the arrows are similarly recessed and stamped, thus eliminating functionality.

[0009] Furthermore, when the marking device indicates 12 months, it is common for the smaller diameter cylinder to contain the last two digits of the corresponding year, in which case at the end of the year the entire smaller diameter cylinder must be replaced with a new one corresponding to the new year.

[0010] In all cases, the use of a screwdriver is unavoidable to rotate the central shaft so that the arrow points to the corresponding number.

[0011] The cylinder of the marking device is obviously of small diameter since it must be inserted into a portion of the mold corresponding to the contoured surface, which is usually any portion of the mold's punch.

[0012] To change the date of the month or the day of the week, injection of the part must be stopped and a directional arrow must be turned with a screwdriver, whereas to change the year, production must be stopped for the time needed to change the corresponding cylinder.

[0013] If additional information is required besides the month and year, it is common to use more marking devices to mark the product with all the required information in the same injection process.

[0014] In either case, both in single marking machines and in several marking machines, a temporary halt in production and opening of the mold is necessary to allow the operator to perform the rotation of the arrow.

[0015] If the mold has more than one cavity, some specialization may be required for the location of the marking device and a screwdriver appropriate to the size of the pivot slot.

[0016] In these cases, sometimes due to lack of operator skill, poor visibility due to the position of the marking device, or misuse of the screwdriver, the molding may be damaged or one or more arrows may be marked in the wrong position, resulting in incorrect data being marked on the part.

[0017] As a result, changing the marking device data becomes a cumbersome task, and it is predictable that parts will not be controlled according to product requirements. Moreover, it is practically impossible for all parts to reflect the accuracy of the data specified as a guarantee of manufacturing control.

[0018] Another drawback of conventional molding marking devices is that the information they provide is limited and can sometimes be difficult to understand.

[0019] This is because such information changes depending on the direction of the arrow, which can be difficult to see.

[0020] Furthermore, the information that can be provided is limited, usually the month and year, but takes up a significant amount of space in the part, since all the months of the year are included and the arrow points to one of them. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0021] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dating system for moldings which allows for significantly more clearly readable information on the part. [Means for solving the problem]

[0022] The dating system for moldings of the present invention overcomes the above-mentioned shortcomings and provides other advantages which are described below.

[0023] The reason for this invention is to completely change the geometry of the dating system for moldings: instead of a circular shape with an arrow pointing to only one piece of information, the dating system of the present invention contains only date information, e.g. month and year, preferably in a linear arrangement, i.e. letters and / or numbers in a straight line to indicate the date.

[0024] The dating system according to the invention is a new traceability element which allows the marking of the production date on plastic parts with great accuracy, minimal dimensions and unprecedented read quality, which is a crucial issue for production control.

[0025] A dating system for a molding according to the present invention comprises a marking element for imprinting a determined date, the marking element having a plurality of interchangeable inserts indicating the determined date, the determined date being defined by letters and / or numbers.

[0026] Preferably, the letters and / or numbers are arranged in a straight line, the letters and / or numbers indicating, for example, date numbers, months, week numbers and / or years.

[0027] Advantageously, the replaceable insert is removably mounted on a support, the support preferably comprising a housing provided with a locking element for locking the insert in position, and according to a preferred embodiment the housing extends to the end of the support furthest from the axis.

[0028] Preferably, the locking element is located in the center of the housing, with two through holes on either side of it.

[0029] Advantageously, the insert comprises a cavity complementary to the locking element, for example, such a cavity has a trapezium-shaped profile, but may have any suitable shape.

[0030] According to a preferred embodiment, the marking element comprises two or more interchangeable inserts.

[0031] The dating system for moldings according to the present invention also preferably includes a manipulation tool for placing and removing the replaceable inserts.

[0032] According to a preferred embodiment, the handling tool comprises recesses for one or more replaceable inserts and stops for holding the replaceable inserts in the recesses.

[0033] Furthermore, the dating system for moldings according to the present invention also preferably comprises an insert storage element in which inserts not currently being used in the molding are placed.

[0034] According to a preferred embodiment, the storage element comprises a storage area having a complementary contour to the cavity of each insert.

[0035] Advantageously, the locking element, the manipulation tool, and / or the storage element comprise one or more magnets sufficiently polarized to prevent accidental loss of the replaceable insert and to secure the replaceable insert in place.

[0036] Additionally, the marking element is movable by a shaft between a use position and a position for removal and placement of the replaceable insert.

[0037] By means of the dating system for moldings according to the invention, inter alia at least the following advantages are achieved: The information is significantly clearer to read than a traditional date stamp. Since it requires minimal space, it can accommodate virtually any molded object. It is significantly more dynamic than a traditional date stamp because it can provide date information in multiple formats, such as day and month, or week and year number, or a combination thereof.

[0038] Furthermore, this makes it possible to guarantee that the parts do not protrude at all and have a perfectly sharp and functional appearance, which is particularly important for very thin-walled parts, for example in the cosmetics or pharmaceutical industry. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0039] For a better understanding of what is disclosed, some drawings are presented in which practical cases of embodiments are illustrated diagrammatically and by way of non-limiting example only.

[0040] [Figure 1] 1 is a comparison of the date shown by a conventional date stamp and the date shown by the date-writing system according to the present invention, where the difference in reading can be seen. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an operating tool and storage element of the dating system according to the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a storage element of the dating system according to the invention; [Figure 4] 13 illustrates the process of placing two interchangeable inserts using the manipulation tool of the dating system according to the invention. [Diagram 5] 13 illustrates the process of placing two interchangeable inserts using the manipulation tool of the dating system according to the invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view of a marking element of a dating system according to the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0041] As mentioned above and shown in Figure 1, the date system of the present invention completely changes the geometry of a molding date system. Instead of a circular shape with an arrow pointing to only one of the circular pieces of information (right side of Figure 1), the date system of the present invention contains only date information, e.g., month and year, preferably in a linear arrangement (left side of Figure 1), i.e., letters and / or numbers in a straight line to indicate the date.

[0042] For this purpose, the dating system for mouldings according to the invention comprises a marking element 1 for imprinting the date on the moulded part.

[0043] The date indicates the date of manufacture of the molded part and may consist of letters and / or numbers, which may include the month and year, or the day, month and year, or the week number and year, or any combination of such information, to indicate the date.

[0044] Preferably, it is textual and / or linearly aligned and contains only information for a specific date, as opposed to a traditional date stamp which contains all the days of a month or all the months of a year and also includes an arrow pointing to the desired date.

[0045] For simplicity, one embodiment of a marking device according to the present invention is shown having a single marking element, however, it should be noted that the number of marking elements may be any appropriate number to provide the desired information.

[0046] The marking element 1 comprises two or more interchangeable inserts 2 carrying the desired information, such as the month and year. The information is preferably engraved on both ends.

[0047] The marking element 1 defines a substantially rectangular outline at the front end, is radiated at the ends to facilitate machining of the moulding and has a specific height, which can be seen in FIG.

[0048] The replaceable insert 2 is removably mounted to a support 3 which is mounted to the end of a shaft 4 .

[0049] For assembling the replaceable insert 2, the support 3 is provided with an inverted U-shaped housing 5 defining a locking element 6. According to the embodiment shown, the housing 5 extends from one end of the support 3, the locking element 6 being positioned in a central position of the housing 5 such that two through holes are defined on each side of the locking element 6.

[0050] For retention of the inserts 2 within the housing 5, each insert 2 is provided with a cavity 7 whose shape is complementary to the shape of the locking element 6. For example, according to the embodiment shown, the cavity 7 has a trapezoidal outer shape.

[0051] Furthermore, the locking element 6 advantageously includes one or more magnets 14 which hold the replaceable insert 2 in place.

[0052] For removal and placement, the dating system according to the invention is equipped with a handling tool 8. The handling tool 8 includes a recess 9 for placing two or more inserts 2 and a stop 10 for holding one or more inserts 2 in place within the recess 9.

[0053] The manipulation tool 8 also includes one or more magnets to hold the replaceable insert 2 in place and prevent accidental loss of the insert 2 .

[0054] The dating system according to the invention also comprises a storage element 11 for storing in an organized manner the series of inserts 2 which are not currently in use.

[0055] The storage element 11 comprises a storage zone 12 in which a number of inserts 2 arranged side by side are placed and which also comprises one or more magnets for holding the replaceable inserts 2 in place and preventing accidental loss of the inserts 2.

[0056] The process of placing the two inserts 2 into the support 3 in the use position is shown in the figure.

[0057] 2, the handling tool 8 and the storage element 11 are interconnected. Once they are separated, the handling tool 8 can be used to remove the insert 2 from the storage element 11.

[0058] For placement on the support 3, the insert 2 can be placed in position in a recess 9 of a handling tool 8, as shown in FIG.

[0059] Once in position, the insert 2 can be placed into the housing 5 using a manipulation tool 8, as shown in FIG.

[0060] Once the insert 2 is placed in the support 3, the manipulation tool 8 is removed, leaving the insert 2 in the position of use, as shown in FIG.

[0061] To remove the insert 2, the above described deployment process is reversed.

[0062] For dating the part, the marking element 1 is moved to a suitable position in the mold (not shown in the figures), specifically a position that protrudes slightly from the punch of the mold. To achieve this, the insert 2 of the marking element 1 includes a chamfer 13 that corresponds to the protruding position of the marking element 1. In Figure 3, one of the chamfers is shown, which acts as a ramp to avoid possible misalignment during assembly.

[0063] The shaft 4 allows the marking element 1 to be placed in a position for use or for the insertion and removal of an insert. This movement by the shaft 4 can be driven in any suitable manner, for example by a pneumatic piston.

[0064] In the position for inserting and removing the insert, the marking element 1 is removed from the housing in the mould, for example by half its height. Once the insert has been changed, the marking element 1 is returned to the use position.

[0065] Although reference has been made to a particular embodiment of the present invention, it will be clear to anyone skilled in the art that numerous variations and modifications are possible in the described dating system for moldings, and that all the above-mentioned details can be replaced by other technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A dating system for mouldings, comprising a marking element (1) for imprinting a determined date, said marking element (1) having an exchangeable insert (2) for indicating said determined date, said determined date being defined by aligned letters and / or numbers, said exchangeable insert (2) being removably mounted on a support (3), a manipulation tool (8) for placing and removing the replaceable insert (2); A dating system for mouldings, wherein said handling tool (8) has recesses (9) for one or more of said replaceable inserts (2).

2. 2. The dating system for moldings according to claim 1, wherein the letters and / or numbers indicate numbers of days, months, weeks and / or years.

3. 2. Dating system for mouldings according to claim 1, wherein the support (3) comprises a housing (5) provided with a locking element (6) for locking the replaceable insert (2) in position.

4. A dating system for a molding as described in claim 3, wherein the locking element (6) comprises one or more magnets.

5. 5. Dating system for mouldings according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the locking element (6) is positioned in the centre of the housing (5).

6. 6. Dating system for mouldings according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the replaceable insert (2) comprises a cavity (7) complementary to the locking element (6).

7. 7. Dating system for mouldings according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the marking element (1) comprises two or more of the interchangeable inserts (2).

8. 8. Dating system for mouldings according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the handling tool (8) has a stop (10) for holding the replaceable insert (2) in the recess (9).

9. 9. Dating system for mouldings according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a storage element (11) for said replaceable insert (2).

10. A dating system for moldings according to claim 9 when dependent on claim 6, wherein the storage element (11) comprises a storage area (12) having a complementary contour to the cavity (7) of each of the replaceable inserts (2).

11. A dating system for mouldings as described in claim 9 or 10, wherein the storage element (11) is provided with one or more magnets.

12. A dating system for moldings described in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the operating tool (8) is provided with one or more magnets.

13. 13. A dating system for mouldings according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the marking element (1) is movable between a use position and a position for removal and placement of the replaceable insert (2).

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