Mould sealing unit for an injection moulding machine

Abstract

The invention describes a mould sealing unit having two outer platens (2, 3) and at least one further mould carrier (4) arranged therebetween, wherein the further mould carrier (4) has at least one plate (6a, 6b) having a plurality of grooves (15, 17, 18) introduced into a surface of the plate (6a, 6b). The further mould carrier (4) has two plates (6a, 6b) which are parallel to one another and interconnected such that there is a sandwich plate (7) formed from these two plates (6a, 6b), wherein the two plates (6a, 6b) enclose a plane of separation (8) between them. In the two plates (6a, 6b), a plurality of grooves (15, 17, 18) are formed and arranged such that when the two plates (6a, 6b) are in the joined state, grooves of the one plate (6a) and grooves of the other plate (6b) lie opposite one another and together form a channel (13) which lies in the plane of separation (8) in the sandwich plate (7). Hoses (14) for supplying the mould halves (9a, 9b) with liquid media can be laid in the channels (13).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Mold clamping unit for an injection molding machine

[0003] The invention relates to a mold clamping unit with two outer mold clamping plates and at least one additional mold carrier arranged therebetween, as well as to an injection molding machine equipped with such a mold clamping unit. Mold clamping units and injection molding machines of this type are known in various embodiments from the prior art (EP1264674B1, EP0922556A1, WO2005 / 077637A1). Channels can be provided in the mold carrier for the supply and discharge of media (EP0922556A1, WO2005 / 077637A1). Such embodiments are comparatively complex and accordingly expensive.

[0004] Based on this, the invention is based on the object of specifying an injection molding machine with one or more central mold carriers, wherein the mold carriers are characterized by a comparatively simple structure with regard to the supply of the mold halves mounted thereon with a medium, and wherein the production of such mold carriers is associated with comparatively low costs.

[0005] This object is achieved by a mold closing unit having the features of claims 1 and 6 and by an injection molding machine having the features of claim 8. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are specified in the further claims.

[0006] According to a core concept of the present invention, the further mold carrier has at least one plate with a plurality of grooves in one of the surfaces of the plate, wherein the grooves are preferably cast or milled. Such a plate can be produced relatively easily using a casting process. By means of a casting process, the plate, including the grooves required therein, can be produced in a single operation. In contrast to known mold carriers, subsequent machining of the mold carrier can be dispensed with. This applies in particular to the complex machining of bores in the mold carrier for laying hoses or for the use of channels. If necessary, additional elements such as a stabilizing element can be molded onto such a plate in the same casting process.For example, such a stabilizing element could form a 90° angle with the plate and be essentially circular, semicircular, or rectangular. Grooves can also be milled into it if necessary.

[0007] According to the invention, the further mold carrier comprises two plates arranged parallel to each other and connected to each other. When assembled, these two plates form a sandwich plate, with the two plates enclosing a parting plane between them. The grooves are provided in at least one of the plates, specifically in the surface facing the parting plane.

[0008] According to an advantageous embodiment, several grooves can be arranged in the two plates such that the grooves of one plate and the grooves of the other plate are opposite each other when the two plates are joined together and, together, form a channel that lies in the parting plane of the sandwich panel. This has the advantage that the thickness of each of the plates can be made smaller than if the grooves were present in only one of the plates. This allows the thickness of the mold carrier to be reduced to the minimum required for secure retention of the mold halves attached to it.

[0009] The panels can be aligned vertically and a plurality of grooves can be arranged in an arc shape in the panels such that there are grooves which end with one end on a vertical side and with their other end on the lower horizontal side. It can be provided that two or more grooves are merged at suitable points on their run towards the lower horizontal side of a panel to form an extension groove of the first type with a groove width identical to the width of a groove at its end on a vertical side of the panel or to form an extension groove of the second type with a width that is larger in comparison. In particular in the area of ​​the lower horizontal side of a panel, it can be useful to provide extension grooves of the second type.

[0010] Furthermore, there can be grooves or channels in which media lines are contained, wherein one or more media lines can be contained in a groove or in a channel. The media lines can each have a section that projects beyond the edge of a plate into the space, wherein the end of this section is designed for connection to a mold half fastened to a plate. In particular, several media lines or sections of media lines can be contained in extension grooves of the first and / or second type or in the relevant sections of the channels formed from these extension grooves. Hoses or pipes for liquid or gaseous media, electrical cables, and / or data lines can be provided as media lines. Water or hydraulic oil, for example, can be considered as a liquid medium. Compressed air, for example, can be considered as a gaseous medium.

[0011] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the further mold carrier is designed as a cube-shaped support block. On the outer sides of the support block, a plate with a plurality of grooves provided in a surface of the plate is attached. The surface with the grooves faces the outer side of the support block. In this embodiment, media lines can be contained in a plurality of grooves. These media lines each have a section that projects beyond the edge of a plate into the space, wherein the end of this section is designed for connection to a mold half fastened to the plate. The media lines can be hoses or pipes for liquid or gaseous media, electrical cables, and / or data lines.An injection molding machine according to the invention comprises a closing unit according to the invention, at least one plasticizing unit, mold halves on the mold clamping platens and further mold halves on the plates of the further mold carrier(s).

[0012] An injection molding machine according to the invention can preferably comprise a stationary outer mold clamping plate, a movable outer mold clamping plate, and a movable additional mold carrier arranged therebetween. According to a preferred embodiment, the additional mold carrier can be designed as a sandwich plate with grooves or channels in the parting plane between the two plates. Media lines contained in grooves or channels can be connected or connectable to mold halves mounted on the sandwich plate by their portions projecting beyond the edge of the sandwich plate.

[0013] Several grooves or channels can be arranged in an arcuate manner in the plates, such that one end of these grooves or channels terminates on a vertical side and the other end on the lower horizontal side of the plate. An end piece of the media lines contained in the grooves or channels is preferably located in the area of ​​the lower horizontal side of the plate. An interface for transferring media can also be provided there, to which the end piece(s) of the media lines is / are connected. The interface can be designed as a connector to enable connection to a rotary distributor or an energy chain.

[0014] In an alternative embodiment of an injection molding machine according to the invention, one or more cube-shaped support blocks can be provided as additional mold carriers, each of which is equipped on its outer side with a plate having a plurality of grooves recessed into a surface of the plate. The surface with the grooves should face the outer side of the respective support block so that channels are formed between the plate and the support block. Media lines can be contained in the grooves or channels, wherein the media lines contained in the grooves or channels, with their section projecting beyond the edge of the respective plate, are connected or connectable to mold halves fastened to this plate. Bores can be provided in the interior of the support blocks, which are connected or connectable to media lines contained in the grooves or channels, or in which media lines run.For example, hoses or pipes connected to the holes can form a fluidic connection for the passage of liquid or gaseous media between the mold halves and the holes. Hoses, pipes, electrical cables, and / or data lines can also be installed in holes and in grooves or channels.

[0015] The invention will be described in more detail below using exemplary embodiments and with reference to the figures. They show, in perspective view:

[0016] Fig. 1 shows a locking unit according to the invention;

[0017] Fig. 2 a mold carrier as a sandwich panel;

[0018] Fig. 3 shows the mold carrier from Fig. 2, wherein the front plate with the mold half located thereon is omitted;

[0019] Fig. 4 shows a single plate according to the present invention;

[0020] Fig. 5 a cube-shaped mold carrier;

[0021] Fig. 6 View according to Figure 5 with an exposed outer side;

[0022] Fig. 7 View according to Figure 6 with schematic representation of internal bores.

[0023] The injection molding machine shown in Figure 1 comprises a machine bed 1, a fixed mold clamping plate 2 fastened thereon, and a movable mold clamping plate 3 that can be moved on the machine bed. Between the two outer mold clamping platens 2 and 3, another mold carrier 4 is arranged, which can be moved on a sliding table 5 in the longitudinal direction of the machine and rotated about an orthogonal axis. The mold carrier 4 comprises a sandwich plate 7 composed of two individual plates 6a and 6b, with a parting plane 8 resulting between the two plates 6a and 6b. Further details of the mold carrier 4 can be seen in Figure 2. Mold halves 9a and 9b are mounted on the sandwich plate 7. The plates 6a and 6b have cast-in semicircular stabilizing elements 10a, 10b at their lower ends, which ensure sufficient stability of the sandwich plate 7 when the plates 6a and 6b are joined together.In addition, these stabilizing elements 10a, 10b serve to fasten the sandwich panel 7 to a turntable 11. A rotary distributor 12 is mounted beneath the sandwich panel 7, via which liquid media can be fed into and discharged from the mold halves 9a, 9b. For this purpose, several grooves (see Figures 3 and 4, reference numeral 15) are arranged in the two plates 6a, 6b in such a way that the grooves of one plate and the grooves of the other plate lie opposite one another when the two plates 6a, 6b are joined together and, when taken together, each form a channel 13 which lies in the parting plane 8 in the sandwich panel 7. Hoses 14 are laid in these channels 13, each having a section which projects beyond the edge of the sandwich panel 7 into the room. The end of this section is designed for connection to the mold halves 9a, 9b.

[0024] Figure 3 shows the path of the grooves 15 and the hoses 14. Furthermore, a connector 16 can be seen on the lower horizontal side of the plate 6b. This connector forms an interface for connecting the end of the hoses 14 located there to channels of the rotating part of the rotary distributor 11 (not shown here). Instead of a rotary distributor, an energy chain can also be connected to the interface or connector 16.

[0025] Figure 4 shows the plate 6b with a total of twelve (12) grooves 15. Some of these grooves 15 run in an arc shape in the plate 6b, such that these grooves end with their one end on a vertical side of the plate 6b, i.e. left and right, and with their other end on the lower horizontal side of the plate 6b, where the connecting piece 16 is provided. It can be provided that two or more of the grooves 15 are combined at suitable locations to form an extension groove 17 of the first type with a groove width identical to the width of a groove 15 at its end on a vertical side of the plate 6b or to form an extension groove 18 of the second type with a width that is larger in comparison.

[0026] Figures 5 to 7 show a variant of the invention, according to which the further mold carrier is designed as a cube-shaped support block 19, on whose four vertical outer sides 20 a plate 21 with a plurality of grooves 15 is attached. The grooves 15 are recessed in that surface of the plate 21 which faces the corresponding outer side 20 of the support block 19. Hoses (not shown here) are laid in one or more of the grooves 15. The sections of these hoses projecting beyond the edge of a plate 21 can be connected to a mold half attached or to be attached to this plate. Bores 22 are provided inside the support blocks 19, which are connected or connectable to the hoses contained in the grooves 15 such that the hoses form a fluidic connection for the passage of liquid media between the mold halves attached to the plates 21 and the bores 22.Figure 6 shows the openings 23 of the bores 22 on the outside. Figure 7 shows schematically how the bores 22 are guided diagonally downwards inside the support block and end with openings 24 on the underside of the support block 19. Suitable connectors can be provided there to enable a fluidic connection of the bores 22 to an energy chain or the rotating part of a rotary distributor. In this way, liquid media can be led to the mold halves via the bores 22 and the hoses and can be led back out again from there. It is also possible, however, for the hoses located in the grooves to be routed through the bores 22 and connected to the aforementioned connectors. List of reference symbols.

[0027] machine bed

[0028] Fixed mold clamping plate

[0029] Movable mold clamping plate

[0030] Middle mold carrier

[0031] Sliding table a Front plate b Rear plate

[0032] Sandwich panel

[0033] Parting line a Front mold half b Rear mold half 0a Front stabilizing element 0b Rear stabilizing element 1 Turntable 2 Rotary distributor 3 Channels 4 Hoses 5 Grooves 6 Connector 7 Extension groove of the first type 8 Extension groove of the second type 9 Cube-shaped support block 0 Outer sides 1 Plates 2 Holes 3 Openings on the outer wall 4 Openings on the underside

Claims

Claims 1. Mold closing unit with two outer mold clamping plates (2, 3) and at least one further mold carrier (4) arranged therebetween, wherein the further mold carrier (4) has at least one plate (6a, 6b) with a plurality of grooves (15, 17, 18) in one of the surfaces of the plate (6a, 6b), wherein the grooves (15, 17, 18) are preferably cast or milled, characterized in that the further mold carrier (4) has two plates (6a, 6b) which are arranged parallel to one another and are connected to one another in such a way that a sandwich plate (7) formed from these two plates (6a, 6b) is present, wherein the two plates (6a, 6b) enclose a parting plane (8) between them, wherein the grooves (15, 17, 18) are provided in at least one of the plates (6a, 6b) in the surface lying towards the parting plane (8).

2. Mold closing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of grooves are formed and arranged in the two plates (6a, 6b) in such a way that grooves of one plate (6a) and grooves of the other plate (6b) are opposite one another in the joined state of the two plates (6a, 6b) and, when taken together, form a channel (13) which lies in the parting plane (8) in the sandwich plate (7).

3. Mold closing unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plates (6a, 6b) are aligned vertically and that a plurality of grooves (15) are arranged in an arcuate manner in the plates (6a, 6b), such that there are grooves (15) which end with their one end on a vertical side of a plate (6a, 6b) and with their other end on the lower horizontal side of this plate (6a, 6b).

4. Mould closing unit according to claim 3, characterized in that two or more grooves (15) on their course in the direction of the lower horizontal Side of a plate (6a, 6b) to form an extension groove (17) of the first type with a groove width identical to the width of a groove (15) at its end on a vertical side of the associated plate (6a, 6b) or to form an extension groove (18) of the second type with a width that is enlarged in comparison, wherein extension grooves (18) of the second type are provided in particular in the region of the lower horizontal side of a plate (6a, 6b).

5. Mold closing unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there are grooves (15, 17, 18) or channels (13) in which media lines (14) are contained, wherein one or more media lines (14) are contained in a groove (15, 17, 18) or in a channel (13), wherein the media lines (14) each have a section which projects beyond the edge of a plate (6a, 6b) into the space, and wherein the end of this section is designed for connection to a mold half (9a, 9b) fastened to the plate (6a, 6b), wherein hoses or pipes for liquid or gaseous media, electrical cables, and / or data lines are preferably provided as media lines.

6. Mold closing unit according to the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that the further mold carrier (4) is designed as a cube-shaped carrier block (19), wherein on the vertical outer sides (20) of the carrier block (4) a plate (21) with a plurality of grooves (15) is attached, which are provided in a surface of the plate (21), wherein the surface with the grooves (15) faces the outer side (20) of the carrier block (19).

7. Mold closing unit according to claim 6, characterized in that there are grooves (15) in which media lines (14) are contained, wherein the media lines (14) each have a section which projects beyond the edge of a plate (21) into the space, and wherein the end of this section is designed for connection to a mold half fastened to the plate (21), wherein hoses or pipes for liquid or gaseous media, electrical cables, and / or data lines are preferably provided as media lines.

8. Injection molding machine with a clamping unit according to one of the preceding claims, with at least one plasticizing unit, with mold halves on the mold clamping platens and with mold halves on the plates of the further mold carrier(s).

9. Injection molding machine according to claim 8 with a fixed outer mold clamping plate (2), a movable outer mold clamping plate (3) and with a movable further mold carrier (4) arranged between them, which is designed as a sandwich plate (7), wherein the media lines (14) contained in grooves (15, 17, 18) or channels (13) are connected or connectable with their section projecting beyond the edge of the sandwich plate (7) to mold halves (9a, 9b) fastened to the sandwich plate (7).

10. Injection molding machine according to claim 9, characterized in that a plurality of grooves (15, 17, 18) or channels (13) are arranged in the plates in an arcuate manner, such that these grooves (15) or channels (13) end with their one end on a vertical side and / or on the upper side of a plate (6a, 6b) or the sandwich plate (7), and end with their other end on the lower horizontal side of the plate (6a, 6b) or the sandwich plate (7), and that an end piece of the media lines (14) contained in the grooves (15, 17, 18) or channels (13) lies in the region of the lower horizontal side of the plate (6a, 6b) or the sandwich plate (7) and is preferably connected to an interface or a connecting piece (16) for transferring media.

11. Injection molding machine according to claim 10, characterized in that one or more cube-shaped support blocks (19) are provided as further mold carrier(s), which are each equipped on their vertical outer sides (20) with a plate (21) with a plurality of grooves (15) embedded in a surface of the respective plate (21), wherein preferably the surface with the grooves (15) of the outer side (20) of the respective support block (19) facing, wherein media lines are contained in the grooves (15), wherein the media lines contained in the grooves are connected or connectable with their section projecting beyond the edge of the respective plate (21) to mold halves fastened to this plate (21), and wherein bores (22) are provided in the interior of the support blocks (19), which bores are connected or connectable to media lines contained in the grooves (15), or in which media lines run.

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