Glazing Insert Overmolding with Receiving Housing Positioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overmolding devices and processes face challenges in precisely positioning and immobilizing inserts during the injection of polymeric material, leading to complex and time-consuming operations with high risks of pin breakage and visible housings post-overmolding.
Innovation Solution
An overmolding device with a lower mold part featuring a receiving housing designed to complement the insert's referencing member, allowing for quick and secure immobilization along a vertical axis, and a slide system for easy ejection, reducing the need for pins and minimizing visible housings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If five retractable pins are used to immobilize the insert, then the insert can be kept in position during injection, but the positioning process becomes complex and time-consuming with high risk of pin breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex five-pin immobilization system and replaces it with a single integrated receiving housing structure. This extraction of unnecessary components simplifies the device while maintaining the essential function of insert positioning and immobilization during injection.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving housing serves multiple functions simultaneously: it positions the insert, immobilizes it during injection, and provides structural support. This multi-functional design replaces the specialized five-pin system, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If tight tolerances are used between pin diameter and orifice diameter, then insert immobilization is improved, but the risk of pin breakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving housing is designed as a robust, replaceable component that can withstand the stresses of injection without the fragility issues of thin-walled pins. If damage occurs, the entire housing can be replaced as a single unit rather than repairing fragile pin components.
3Ease of operation
If the operator positions the insert manually, then flexibility is maintained, but the positioning time exceeds 10 seconds
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving housing is pre-configured with the exact geometry and positioning features needed for the insert. This preliminary preparation of the housing structure enables rapid insert placement without manual measurement or adjustment, reducing positioning time below 10 seconds while maintaining ease of operation.
4Manufacturing precision
If pins are used for immobilization, then insert positioning is achieved, but visible housings remain after overmolding
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving housing is merged with the overmolding process itself, becoming an integral part of the final assembly. The housing structure is designed to be either fully encapsulated by the overmolding material or positioned such that only necessary reference features remain visible, eliminating the appearance issues of traditional pin systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly is formed by an insert and an overmolding device including a lower mold part and an upper mold part that are movable with respect to one another between an open position, which is suitable for the arrangement and removal of a glass pane and of the insert to be overmolded, and a closed position, in which the two mold parts delimit at least one cavity for injection of the overmolding material, wherein the lower part includes a receiving housing that is designed, on account of having a complementary shape to a referencing member of the insert, to form a stop for the member in a direction of insertion of the insert, and to immobilize the member along a vertical axis.