Dial Blank Support Plate Molding for Clean, Damage-Free Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing dial blanks in measuring instruments, such as watches, involve risks of damage and contamination during separation from molds, complicating finishing operations and increasing production costs.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for manufacturing dial blanks using a mold with a reversible assembly of first and second pieces, incorporating a support plate with central and peripheral cavities, ensuring secure attachment elements, and controlled material injection and removal processes to minimize damage and contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If blanks are separated from molds using cutting, stamping, or machining tools, then the blanks can be extracted from the mold cavity, but the risk of damaging the blank increases and the blank may become contaminated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the blank with the support plate by injecting material that forms attachment elements directly connecting the blank to the plate. This combination allows the blank to be extracted from the mold as a single integrated unit with the support plate, eliminating the need for separate cutting or stamping operations that could damage or contaminate the blank.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment elements are constructed during the injection molding process itself, before the blank extraction occurs. The material is injected to form both the blank and the attachment elements simultaneously, preparing the blank for safe extraction by pre-establishing its connection to the support plate that will facilitate handling during removal from the mold.
2Ease of manufacture
If blanks are produced in molds using injection molding, then production costs are reduced and large series can be manufactured, but the blanks require separation from constituent parts which complicates finishing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The blank is merged with the support plate through injection-molded attachment elements, creating a single integrated unit. This combination simplifies finishing operations because the blank can be handled and processed together with the support plate, eliminating the need for separate handling and reducing the complexity of finishing operations compared to traditional methods where blanks must be separated from mold constituents.
3Strength
If attachment elements are constructed in peripheral cavities, then the blank is securely fixed to the support plate, but the mold structure becomes more complex with multiple cavities
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is segmented into multiple cavities: a central cavity for forming the blank and peripheral cavities for forming the attachment elements. This segmentation allows each cavity to be optimized for its specific function while working together as an integrated system. The peripheral cavities are strategically positioned around the central cavity to provide secure attachment points that distribute stress and ensure strong fixation of the blank to the support plate.
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 method simplifies the handling and extraction of dial blanks, reducing the risk of damage and contamination, and facilitates efficient production with improved structural integrity and ease of finalization operations.
Implementation Method 1
a step of constructing said dial blank in the central cavity and attachment elements in the peripheral cavities, and a step of removing the support plate of said mold the plate having the dial blank and the attachment elements constructed which attachment elements ensuring the fixing of said blank in said plate
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
One aspect of the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a blank dial of a measuring device mounted in a support plate (3a, 3b) comprising: - a forming step (34) in an enclosure of said mold (2) of a central cavity (9a) and peripheral cavities (9b) defined around this central cavity (9a), said step (34) providing for an arrangement (35) of the support plate (3a, 3b) in this enclosure formed by a reversible assembly of first and second parts (7a, 7b) of this mold (2); - a construction step (36) of said dial blank (4a, 4b) in the central cavity (9a) and of attachment elements (10) in the peripheral cavities (9b), and - a removal step (40) of the support plate (3a, 3b) of said mold (2) the plate having the dial blank (4a, 4b) and the attachment elements constructed which attachment elements (10) ensuring the fixing of said blank (4a, 4b) in said plate (3a, 3b).