Injection Mold Positioning Device for Gap-Free Insert Overmolding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional injection molding processes leave gaps around components like bolts and screws, necessitating additional anti-corrosion coatings and increasing costs, as centering pins prevent complete encapsulation with plastic.

Innovation Solution

An injection mold design featuring a positioning device with a spring unit and pin unit that holds components in place during molding and releases as internal pressure from the injection material exceeds the spring force, ensuring complete encapsulation without additional post-processing steps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If centering pins are used to hold the molded part in the cavity, then the molded part can be positioned and kept at a distance from the tool wall, but gaps remain around the centering pin engagement areas preventing complete encapsulation with plastic

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidgaps and corrosion risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The centering pins are designed with elastic resilience, allowing them to be compressed during injection molding. This dynamic property enables the pins to yield to the injected plastic mass, allowing complete encapsulation of the molded part while maintaining positioning accuracy during the molding process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The physical state of the centering pins changes during the process - they transition from a rigid positioning state to a compressed state during injection. The elastic deformation parameter allows the pins to accommodate the plastic flow and enable full encapsulation while maintaining their positioning function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If the molded part is not completely encapsulated with plastic, then the positioning function is maintained, but additional anti-corrosion coating processes are required increasing manufacturing costs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning easeVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful effect of gaps is eliminated by allowing the centering pins to be completely encapsulated by the injected plastic. The pins are extracted from their traditional fixed position and allowed to move elastically, enabling the plastic to flow around and encapsulate them entirely, thus eliminating the need for separate anti-corrosion coating processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Object-generated harmful factors

If resilient centering pins are pressed against the molded part, then complete encapsulation becomes possible, but the positioning force must be sufficient to hold the part during injection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegap eliminationVSAvoidpositioning force
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The centering pins apply partial positioning force - sufficient to hold the molded part in position during molding, but not so excessive that they resist the injected plastic mass. This balanced force level allows both positioning functionality and complete encapsulation to be achieved simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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

Enables full overmolding of components without gaps, eliminating the need for additional anti-corrosion coatings and reducing manufacturing costs by ensuring complete encapsulation with injection molding material.

Implementation Method 1

a spring unit (9) which presses the pin unit (10) against the component (5)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic force: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the pin unit (10) is pushed away from the component (5) by the pressure of the injection molding material (14)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentEP3684584B1Fixation and overmolding of inserts
Publication Date: 2022.07.06 LISA DRAXLMAIER GMBH
  • EP3684584B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3684584B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3684584B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

The present invention relates to an injection molding tool (1) for the full-circumferential overmolding of components and to a corresponding method therefor. The injection molding tool (1) comprises a first tool component (2) and a second tool component (3), wherein a cavity (4) for inserting a component (5) is formed between the first tool component (2) and the second tool component (3), and wherein the second tool component (3) has at least one magnet (6) which, after insertion of the component (5) into the cavity (4), prefixes a holding element (7) of the molded part, and wherein the first tool component (2) comprises a positioning device (8) in order to exert pressure on the holding element (7) arranged in the component (5) during the closure of the two tool components (2, 3).