Cooling Mold with Off-Center Air Suction for Accurate Gate Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blow molding processes face challenges in accurately removing the gate portion from the bottom of resin preforms and extending the molding cycle time due to the mechanical cutting process, which is difficult under restrictive molding conditions.
Innovation Solution
A cooling mold with an accommodating space that follows the preform's shape and air sucking holes positioned off-center to draw the preform into close contact, allowing for precise gate removal during cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If mechanical cutting process is added to remove gate portion, then gate removal accuracy is improved, but molding cycle time is lengthened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the gate removal process with the cooling process by using a cooling mold that simultaneously performs both functions. The cooling mold includes a gate removal structure that mechanically removes the gate portion while the cooling medium circulates through the mold, eliminating the need for a separate mechanical cutting process and thus not extending the molding cycle time.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling mold is designed to serve multiple functions: cooling the preform and removing the gate portion. The bottom portion of the mold includes both cooling channels and a gate removal structure, allowing one component to perform what would traditionally require separate operations.
2Manufacturing precision
If air sucking hole is positioned at center of preform bottom, then preform contact with mold is improved, but gate portion cannot be removed accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the air sucking hole asymmetrically relative to the gate portion. Specifically, the air sucking hole is located at a position shifted from the center of the preform bottom, creating an asymmetric configuration that allows the gate portion to be accurately removed while maintaining sufficient preform contact with the mold for reliable cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold design incorporates different characteristics in different regions: the gate removal structure is positioned to target the gate portion specifically, while the air sucking hole is positioned to create sufficient contact in the overall preform-mold interface. This local differentiation allows both gate removal accuracy and contact reliability to be achieved simultaneously.
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
Accurate gate removal without extending the molding cycle time, improving container appearance and reducing manufacturing costs by integrating gate removal into the cooling process.
Implementation Method 1
an air sucking hole that sucks air is formed in the bottom region at a position shifted from the center of the bottom portion of the preform
Implementation Method 2
a cooling mold for cooling a resin preform
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling mold for cooling a resin preform that has a gate portion protruding outward from a center of a bottom portion, in which an accommodating space that accommodates the preform is formed in the cooling mold, a bottom region facing the bottom portion of the preform in the accommodating space has a shape following the bottom portion of the preform, and an air sucking hole for sucking air is formed in the bottom region at a position shifted from the center of the bottom portion of the preform. In the accommodating space, a region facing a body portion of the perform and a bottom region facing the bottom portion of the perform are formed as a single member.