Liquid Elastomer Molding with Vertical Cavity Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for molding multiple gaskets using a metal mold are inefficient due to the enlargement of the mold size and increased material disposal, which hinders manufacturing efficiency and requires a larger installation area.
Innovation Solution
A molding method utilizing a metal mold with multiple product cavity spaces arranged side by side, featuring a sprue, orthogonal, and parallel runner portions that are communicated with the cavity spaces, allowing for simultaneous injection molding of gaskets while maintaining a compact mold size and enabling insert molding with a cold runner system to reduce material waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple product cavity spaces are arranged side by side in a direction orthogonal to mold clamping and opening direction, then multiple molded articles can be simultaneously molded, but the metal mold is enlarged in size on the plane
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from arranging multiple product cavity spaces in a planar configuration (orthogonal to mold clamping direction) to stacking them in the vertical direction (mold clamping and opening direction). This dimensional change allows multiple gaskets to be molded simultaneously while maintaining a compact mold footprint, as the cavities are arranged one above another rather than side by side on the same plane.
2Loss of substance
If injection molding is used to reduce material disposal, then manufacturing efficiency improves, but the mold structure becomes more complex requiring sprue, runners and gates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the mold into multiple independently controllable heating zones, each corresponding to a specific product cavity space. This segmentation allows for localized temperature control and material injection, enabling efficient material utilization through injection molding while managing the complexity through modular zone control rather than a monolithic system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements independent temperature control for each heating zone, allowing parameter optimization for each cavity. This enables precise control of material flow and curing for each product cavity space, improving material efficiency while managing structural complexity through parameterized control rather than physical complexity.
3Productivity
If multiple gaskets are molded simultaneously to improve manufacturing efficiency, then productivity increases, but the installation area required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension (mold clamping and opening direction) to arrange multiple product cavity spaces in a stacked configuration. This allows multiple gaskets to be produced simultaneously in a compact vertical arrangement, thereby increasing productivity while maintaining a small horizontal installation footprint.
Data Source
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AI summary
In order to provide a liquid elastomer molding method which enables a reduction in the volume of discarded molding material and, moreover, does not involve an increase in the planar size of a mold when using the mold to simultaneously mold a plurality of molded articles and thus has excellent production efficiency, this method uses a mold to mold a molded article comprising a liquid elastomer, the mold (1) being an injection molding mold, with a plurality of product cavity spaces (51) being provided in a line in the clamping and opening direction of the mold and a plurality of molded articles being molded simultaneously using the mold. The mold is provided with a sprue (21), runners (31), and gates (41) which lead to the plurality of product cavity spaces, and the runners are provided with perpendicular runner sections (32) extending from the sprue in a direction perpendicular to the clamping and opening direction of the mold and parallel runner sections (33) extending from the perpendicular runner sections in a direction parallel to the clamping and opening direction of the mold, the parallel runner sections being disposed on the outer side of the plurality of product cavity spaces.