Grooved-Surface Air Conduit Injection Mold Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing injection molds require extensive and time-consuming drilling for air circuits, which is costly and can weaken the mold structure, while also complicating maintenance and accessibility.
Innovation Solution
The use of machined grooves on abutment surfaces of mold parts to create interior air conduits, connected by drilled bores, reduces machining time and enhances structural integrity by minimizing drilled holes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If extensive drilling is used to create air circuits in injection molds, then air delivery functionality is achieved, but machining time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from three-dimensional drilled holes to two-dimensional grooves machined on the abutment surface. By creating grooves on the surface that will be in contact with another mold part, the air circuits are formed in a different dimensional approach, eliminating the need for deep drilling through multiple levels of the mold.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines the air circuit creation with the mold part manufacturing process itself. The grooves are machined directly into the abutment surfaces during mold part fabrication, integrating the air circuit formation with the base manufacturing operation rather than requiring separate drilling operations.
2Ease of manufacture
If extensive drilling is used to create air circuits in injection molds, then air delivery functionality is achieved, but mold structural strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By moving the air circuit formation from volumetric drilling to surface grooving, the invention preserves the bulk material integrity of the mold parts. The grooves remain on the surface and do not penetrate through the mold structure, thereby maintaining structural strength while still providing functional air passages.
3Ease of manufacture
If numerous drilled holes are created in mold parts, then air circuit functionality is achieved, but the number of operations and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple separate drilling operations into a single groove machining operation. By creating continuous grooves on the abutment surface instead of drilling multiple discrete holes, the process reduces the number of operational steps and simplifies the manufacturing sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the air circuit system into surface-level grooves that can be independently machined on each mold part's abutment surface. This segmentation allows for simpler, more localized manufacturing operations rather than requiring complex through-drilling across multiple mold components.
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
This approach significantly reduces machining time and costs, increases mold robustness, and simplifies maintenance and cleaning by eliminating the need for extensive drilling, while maintaining functionality.
Implementation Method 1
one of said abutment surfaces having defined therein a groove... the groove defines at least part of the interior conduit in said each mold portion
Data Source
AI summary
An improved mold assembly for producing an article and for use with an air source is disclosed. The mold assembly is of the type including at least two mold portions configurable to form a mold having an interior mold cavity in the shape of said article, one or more of said mold portions each including an interior conduit for delivering air from said air source in use. The improvement comprises, for each of said one or more mold portions, a pair of mold parts each having an abutment surface, one of said abutment surfaces having defined therein a groove. The pair of mold parts is disposed in an operative configuration whereat they define at least in part said each mold portion, whereat the abutment surfaces lie flush against one another and whereat the groove defines at least part of the interior conduit in said each mold portion.