Safety cover and vertical injection molding machine

Abstract

To provide a safety cover that is easy to maintain, and to provide an injection molding device equipped with the safety cover.SOLUTION: A safety cover 6 includes: a lower cover 40 attached to a movable plate 5 where a lower mold 7 is installed; and an upper cover 41 provided above the lower cover 40. The upper cover 41 includes: a fixed cover 41A; a lifting cover 41B attached to the fixed cover 41A so as to be movable in a vertical direction; and holding means for holding a position of the lifting cover 41B in the vertical direction. Furthermore, lifting means for raising and lowering the lifting cover 41B is provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a safety cover for a vertical injection molding machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vertical injection molding apparatus having an injection unit, a rotary table rotatably mounted on a fixed plate, a lower mold placed on the rotary table, and a mold clamping unit equipped with an upper mold vertically movable above the lower mold. This vertical injection molding apparatus is provided with a safety cover to prevent part of the worker's body from being caught in the mold during mold clamping.

[0003] The safety cover of Patent Document 1 is configured to include a lower cover that is attached to the upper surface of the rotary table and rotates together with the rotary table, and an upper cover that is provided above the lower cover and fixed to the lower platen.

[0004] In addition, in a modified example of Patent Document 1, the safety cover has a lifting cover that rises and falls together with the upper platen, and the lifting cover is fixed to the upper platen and is configured to have a fixed cover that protrudes downward from the upper platen, and a movable cover that is suspended movably upward from the fixed cover. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-177683 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The safety cover of the prior art is composed of a lower cover fixed to the rotary table and an upper cover fixed to the lower platen. Therefore, when changing the mold or adjusting or maintaining the mold clamping device, the upper cover must be attached and detached, which poses a problem of poor maintainability.

[0007] Similarly, the safety cover according to the modified example of the prior art is configured to have a fixed cover that is fixed to the upper platen and protrudes downward from the upper platen, and a movable cover that is suspended above the fixed cover so that it can be moved upward. Therefore, when changing the mold or adjusting or maintaining the mold clamping device, the fixed cover and the movable cover must be attached and detached, which poses a problem of poor maintainability.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a safety cover that is easy to maintain, and to provide an injection molding machine that is equipped with this safety cover. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention provides a safety cover provided in a vertical injection molding machine including a frame, an injection unit, and a mold clamping unit, The mold includes a lower cover attached to a mounting table on which a lower mold is mounted, and an upper cover provided above the lower cover, The upper cover includes a fixed cover fixed to the frame, a lift-up cover attached to the fixed cover so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, and a holding means for holding the vertical position of the lift-up cover, The safety cover is characterized by having a lifting means for lifting and lowering the lifting cover.

[0010] In the present invention, a guide groove extending in a vertical direction is formed in the fixed cover, The lift-up cover is characterized in that a slider that moves along the guide groove is attached to the lift-up cover.

[0011] The present invention also provides an injection molding apparatus equipped with the safety cover. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the safety cover includes a lower cover attached to an installation base and an upper cover provided above the lower cover, and the upper cover is configured to include a fixed cover fixed to a frame, a lift-up cover attached to the fixed cover so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, a holding means for holding the vertical position of the lift-up cover, and a lift-up means for raising and lowering the lift-up cover. Therefore, when changing molds or adjusting and maintaining the mold clamping device, the lift-up cover can be raised and lowered to retract upward. This makes it possible to easily ensure work space for workers, thereby providing a safety cover that is easy to maintain.

[0013] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a guide groove extending in the vertical direction is formed in the fixed cover, and a slider that moves along the guide groove is attached to the lift-up cover, so that the lift-up cover can be slid smoothly, and a safety cover that is easy to maintain can be provided.

[0014] Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the injection molding apparatus is provided with the safety cover, it is possible to provide an injection molding apparatus equipped with a safety cover that is easy to maintain. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an injection molding apparatus. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the injection molding device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the safety cover 6 as seen from the rear. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing a modified example of the injection molding device. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing a modified example of the injection molding device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an injection molding apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the injection molding apparatus 1. In the following description, when the injection molding apparatus 1 is viewed from the front, the front-to-rear direction is defined as the X direction, the left-to-right direction perpendicular to the X direction and horizontal is defined as the Y direction, and the vertical direction perpendicular to the X and Y directions is defined as the Z direction.

[0017] The injection molding apparatus 1 includes a frame 2, an injection unit 3, and a mold clamping unit 4. The injection molding apparatus 1 is a vertical injection molding apparatus in which the injection unit 3 is provided extending in the Z direction.

[0018] The frame 2 forms the outer shell of the injection molding apparatus 1 and is configured to include vertical frames 20 extending in the Z direction and wall members 21 provided between the vertical frames 20. The injection molding apparatus 1 also has safety covers 22 adjacent to the wall members 21. The safety covers 22 are each provided in the Y direction of the injection unit 3 when viewed from the front. The safety covers 22 are attached so as to be able to be opened and closed freely by hinges and prevent workers from entering the mold clamping area P.

[0019] The injection unit 3 is a device that injects molten resin into a cavity defined by an upper mold and a lower mold 7. The injection unit 3 is provided in the mold clamping area P above a movable plate 5, which will be described later (see FIG. 2).

[0020] The mold clamping unit 4 opens and closes the upper mold by raising and lowering the upper platen, clamping the upper mold and lower mold 7 together to prevent the mold from opening due to the pressure of the injected resin. The mold clamping unit 4 has an upper platen to which the upper mold is attached, and a movable plate 5 to which the lower mold 7 is attached. The upper platen is provided so that it can move between a mold clamping position where the upper mold and lower mold 7 abut against each other, and a mold open position where the upper mold is retracted upward.

[0021] The movable plate 5 receives torque from a drive source and is provided so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis R. A central pillar 30 extending in the Z direction is provided at the center of the movable plate 5. The movable plate 5 rotates around the rotation axis R with the central pillar 30 as its axis.

[0022] 2, the injection molding apparatus 1 has an ejection area Q formed on one side (front) of the central pillar 30 in the X direction, and a mold clamping area P formed on the other side (rear) of the X direction from the ejection area Q. A safety cover 6 is provided in an intermediate area S between the ejection area Q and the mold clamping area P.

[0023] The safety cover 6 is a device that prevents the worker's body from entering the mold clamping area P from the removal area Q. The provision of the safety cover 6 prevents the worker's body from entering the mold clamping area P during mold clamping and being caught between the molds.

[0024] 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the safety cover 6 as seen from the rear. The safety cover 6 includes a lower cover 40 attached to a movable plate 5, which is an installation base on which the lower mold 7 is installed, and an upper cover 41 provided above the lower cover 40.

[0025] The lower cover 40 is a plate-like cover extending in the Z direction. A pair of lower covers 40 are formed with the same shape and axially symmetrical about the central column 30. Therefore, even if the movable plate 5 rotates 180° from the 0° position, the other lower cover 41 will be positioned below the upper cover 41. This allows the lower cover 40 to always be positioned below the upper cover 41, even if the lower mold 7 placed on the movable plate 5 is rotated 180° from the mold clamping area P and moved to the removal area Q.

[0026] The upper cover 41 includes a fixed cover 41A fixed to the frame 2, and a lift-up cover 41B attached to the fixed cover 41A so as to be slidable in the Z direction.

[0027] The fixed cover 41A is formed in a plate shape, and each end in the Y direction is fixed to the frame 2. A guide groove 42 having a concave cross section extending in the Z direction is formed at each end in the Y direction of the fixed cover 41A.

[0028] The lift-up cover 41B is formed in the same shape as the fixed cover 41A, and sliders 43 that fit into guide grooves 42 are attached to each end in the Y direction. The lift-up cover 41B is formed with a plurality of openings 44 that penetrate in the thickness direction. Transparent members are fitted into the openings 44. By providing the openings 44, the mold clamping area P can be observed from the removal area Q.

[0029] A flat bar 32 extending in the Y direction is fixed to the lift-up cover 41B. One end of a chain 50 is connected to the flat bar 32.

[0030] A locking air cylinder 51 is attached to the base end of the flat bar 32 as a holding means for holding the position of the lift-up cover 41B in the Z direction. The air cylinder 51 is raised by receiving air from a supply source (not shown). The air cylinder 51 is lowered by releasing air from a discharge valve. The flat bar 32 moves in the Z direction as the air cylinder 51 rises and falls.

[0031] Movement of the flat bar 32 causes the lift-up cover 41B to slide in the Z direction. The supply of air to the air cylinder 51 and the opening and closing of the exhaust valve are controlled by control signals from the control unit. The air cylinder 51 is equipped with a locking mechanism, which controls the air pressure based on the control signal and fixes the position in the Z direction. The locking mechanism corresponds to the holding means.

[0032] A horizontal frame 52 extending in the Y direction is provided above the fixed cover 41A. Two rollers 53 are attached to the horizontal frame 52 with a gap in the Y direction. A weight housing portion 54 extending in the Z direction is provided at the base end of the horizontal frame 52. The weight housing portion 54 is a hollow body in the shape of a rectangular pillar or a cylinder, and a housing space for housing a balance weight 55 is formed inside.

[0033] A balance weight 55 is accommodated inside the weight accommodating section 54. An opening for inserting the chain 50 is formed in the upper lid of the weight accommodating section 54. One end of the chain 50 is connected to the flat bar 32, and is inserted into the opening via two rollers 53, with the other end connected to the balance weight 55. The connection of the balance weight 55 allows the lift-up cover 41B to slide smoothly along the guide groove 42.

[0034] Since the safety cover 6 has the above-described configuration, the lift-up cover 41B can be moved in the Z direction and can be held at a desired position in the Z direction. Therefore, when changing the mold or when adjusting or maintaining the mold clamping unit 4, the lift-up cover 41B can be raised and lowered to retreat upward.

[0035] Furthermore, when the height position of the lower mold 7 is changed due to a change in the mold, the Z-direction position of the lift-up cover 41B can be adjusted to reliably separate the removal area Q from the mold clamping area P. This makes it possible to easily ensure a working space for the worker, thereby providing a safety cover 6 that is easy to maintain.

[0036] Furthermore, safety cover 6 has guide groove 42 and slider 43 that fits into guide groove 42, so that lift-up cover 41B can slide smoothly along guide groove 42 without rattle at either end in the Y direction. This allows lift-up cover 41B to be moved accurately in the Z direction and held in a desired position, providing an easy-to-maintain safety cover 6. Since injection molding apparatus 1 has safety cover 6, it is possible to realize an injection molding apparatus equipped with an easy-to-maintain safety cover.

[0037] In this embodiment, the lift-up cover 41B is configured to slide by an air cylinder 51, which is a lifting means, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, a pulley, a wire, or a winder may be used to move the flat bar 32 to make it movable in the Z direction, or a locking mechanism may be provided so that the lift-up cover 41B can be moved by a hydraulic lifting means and held at a desired position.

[0038] Fig. 4 is a schematic side view showing a modified example of the injection molding apparatus, and Fig. 5 is a schematic plan view showing a modified example of the injection molding apparatus. In the above-described embodiment, the injection molding apparatus 1 is configured to include the movable plate 5 as the installation base, but this is not limited to this.

[0039] Injection molding apparatus 100 includes an installation table 8. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, safety cover 6 is installed in an intermediate area S between mold clamping area P and removal area Q. The configuration of safety cover 6 is the same as that of injection molding apparatus 1, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0040] The installation table 8 is configured to be slidable in the X direction. The installation table 8 can move from the mold clamping area P through the intermediate area S to the removal area Q. The safety cover 6 can also be used in an injection molding apparatus such as the injection molding apparatus 100 that has a sliding type installation table 8. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1 Injection molding equipment 2 frames 3 Injection device 4 Mold clamping device 5 Movable Plate 6 Safety Cover 7 Lower mold 8 Installation stand 32 Flat Bar 40 Lower cover 41 Upper cover 41A Fixed cover 41B Lifting cover 42 Guide groove 43 Slider 50 Chain 51 Air cylinder P mold clamping area Q Extraction area S intermediate area 100 injection molding equipment

Claims

1. A safety cover provided in a vertical injection molding machine including a frame, an injection unit, and a mold clamping unit, The mold includes a lower cover attached to a mounting table on which a lower mold is mounted, and an upper cover provided above the lower cover, The upper cover includes a fixed cover fixed to the frame, a lift-up cover attached to the fixed cover so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and a holding means for holding the vertical position of the lift-up cover, A safety cover characterized by having a lifting means for lifting and lowering the lifting cover.

2. The fixed cover is formed with a guide groove extending in the vertical direction, 2. The safety cover according to claim 1, wherein a slider that moves along the guide groove is attached to the liftable cover.

3. An injection molding apparatus comprising the safety cover according to claim 1 or 2.

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