Blow Mold Quick Coupling System for Rapid Half-Mold Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blow mold systems require lengthy replacement times for half-molds due to heavy components and complex fixing mechanisms, necessitating external tools and not fully meeting the needs of modern blow mold machines.
Innovation Solution
A blow mold design featuring a quick coupling system with rotating bars and locking fins, integrated within the half-mold holders, allowing for simpler and quicker replacement of half-molds without external tools, and providing elastic pretensioning to ensure secure locking and minimize wear and tear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional nut-screw joints and threaded joints are used to fix half-molds to half-mold holders, then the fixing mechanism can support the heavy weight of half-molds (about 20 kg), but the replacement time becomes very long (about 10 minutes per mold)
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing mechanism is segmented into multiple locking fins (at least three) distributed around the circumference, each independently engaging with corresponding locking surfaces on the half-mold. This segmentation allows the heavy half-mold to be securely held through distributed contact points while enabling quick release by actuating the bar, resolving the contradiction between reliable fixing and fast replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing mechanism transitions from static nut-screw joints to a dynamic bar-based system with locking fins that can rapidly move between locked and unlocked positions. The bar rotates about an axis to engage or disengage the locking fins from the half-mold, providing dynamic control over the fixing state and enabling quick replacement while maintaining secure holding during operation.
2Strength
If multiple nut-screw joints and threaded joints are used to support heavy half-molds, then the fixing strength is sufficient, but the device complexity increases with many joints and the need for external tools
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple locking fins are merged onto a single rotating bar, consolidating what would have been multiple separate fixing elements into one integrated component. The bar acts as a common actuator for all locking fins, reducing the number of independent joints and eliminating the need for external tools, while the distributed locking fins maintain sufficient fixing strength for heavy half-molds.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking fins are designed to automatically engage with the half-mold when the bar is rotated into the locked position, and to automatically disengage when the bar is rotated to the unlocked position. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external tools to manipulate multiple joints, simplifying the device while maintaining strong fixing capability.
3Loss of time
If locking tabs are moved radially outwards using quick coupling devices, then the replacement time is reduced to 5 minutes, but external tools are still required to loosen screws and the device complexity remains high
Solution Approach 1:
The screw-loosening operation is extracted from the quick coupling process entirely. Instead of requiring external tools to loosen screws before moving locking tabs, the invention uses a bar that directly actuates the locking fins without any intermediate screw-loosening step. This extraction of the troublesome screw-loosening operation achieves both fast replacement and ease of operation by eliminating the need for external tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical system of screws and threaded joints is replaced with a simpler bar rotation mechanism that directly moves the locking fins radially. This substitution eliminates the need for external tools while maintaining the quick coupling functionality, achieving both fast replacement and ease of operation through a more direct mechanical action.
4Loss of time
If a quick coupling device with locking tabs is used, then the replacement process is faster, but the assurance of closing and reliability decrease due to wear and tear and construction tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The locking fins are designed with specific local geometric features including inclined surfaces that guide engagement and positioning surfaces that ensure precise alignment with corresponding features on the half-mold. These localized quality enhancements at critical contact points compensate for wear and construction tolerances, maintaining reliable closing assurance while preserving the fast replacement capability of the quick coupling device.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly reduces replacement times, eliminates the need for external tools, and enhances the assurance of secure locking, even with wear and tear, by using integrated quick coupling devices with rotating bars and locking fins, thus improving operational efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
there are provided elastic tensioning means for pretensioning said at least one locking fin
Implementation Method 2
a bar, parallel to the longitudinal axis, inserted in one of the two longitudinal edges of the half-mold holder and adapted to move only by rotation about an axis thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A blow mold provided with a locking system for mutually locking each half-mold with the related half-mold holder, thus allowing a simpler and quicker replacement of the side half-impressions of the mold. The blow mold of the invention provides for the side half-impression of each half-mold to be fixed in a cavity of the corresponding mold holder by actuating at least one quick coupling device comprising a bar (23) inserted in one of the two longitudinal edges of the half-mold holder (3) and adapted to move only by rotation about an axis thereof; actuation means (22) adapted to actuate a rotation of said bar; and at least one locking fin (21) fixed along said bar (23) and adapted to move, by rotating the bar (23), from an unlocking position to a locking position in which said locking fin interacts with the respective half-mold (2).