IS Machine Mold Assembly with Elastic Compensators for Uniform Closure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mold assemblies in IS machines face challenges in ensuring uniform and gap-free closure of mold halves due to manufacturing tolerances and thermal expansions, leading to inconsistent mold formation and increased wear.
Innovation Solution
A mold assembly with primary and secondary compensators, comprising elastically deformable metallic omega springs, is introduced to uniformly close mold halves, using a toggle lever mechanism with adjustable holding inserts and cooling air ducts, to compensate for tolerances and wear, and minimize stress peaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If mold halves are brought together using a rigid closing mechanism, then the closing force is sufficient to ensure form-fitting closure, but manufacturing tolerances and thermal expansions cause inconsistent closure and gaps between mold halves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces compensators that change their physical state (elastic deformation) in response to thermal expansion and manufacturing tolerances. These compensators dynamically adjust their parameters (length, force) to maintain uniform closure pressure across all mold cavities despite variations in mold half dimensions and thermal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The compensators are pre-installed in the closing mechanism to anticipate and compensate for tolerances and thermal effects before they cause closure problems. The elastic elements are designed with predetermined spring rates and pre-loads that counteract expected dimensional variations and thermal expansions, ensuring consistent closure from the start.
2Productivity
If a plurality of molds are formed simultaneously by bringing mold halves together, then productivity is increased, but it becomes difficult to ensure that each individual closed mold is tight and form-fitting
Solution Approach 1:
The closing mechanism is segmented into multiple independent closing lines, each with its own compensator. This allows each mold cavity to be closed independently with uniform force, even while multiple molds are formed simultaneously. The segmentation enables localized adjustment and compensation for each mold half pair.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates equipotential closing conditions by using identical compensator designs and spring rates across all closing lines. This ensures that all mold halves experience equivalent closing forces and conditions, maintaining uniform closure quality across all simultaneously formed molds despite variations in position and thermal state.
3Manufacturing precision
If mold halves are closed tightly in a form-fitting manner, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the mechanical action of the closing mechanism causes increased wear on the mold halves
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic compensators serve as cushioning elements that absorb shock and distribute closing forces gradually. By pre-loading the spring elements and designing them with appropriate spring rates, the mechanism cushions the impact of closing, reducing peak stresses and mechanical shocks that cause wear on mold halves while still achieving tight form-fitting closure.
Solution Approach 2:
The compensators dynamically adjust the closing force parameters through elastic deformation, transforming the rigid high-stress closing action into a more gradual, controlled force application. This parameter change reduces mechanical冲击 and wear on mold surfaces while maintaining the necessary closure tightness for precision molding.
4Adaptability or versatility
If compensators are introduced to compensate for tolerances and wear, then adaptability and closure uniformity are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible elastic elements (springs, bellows, or membrane structures) as compensators instead of complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms. These flexible components provide tolerance and wear compensation through their inherent elasticity and deformability, achieving adaptability with simpler, more reliable structures that require minimal maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The compensators are designed as self-adjusting elements that automatically compensate for tolerances and wear without requiring external control systems or manual adjustment. The elastic elements self-regulate the closing force based on their deformation, providing adaptive compensation that simplifies the overall control system while maintaining high closure uniformity.
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
Ensures uniform closure of mold halves with defined force, reduces wear, and minimizes material and storage costs by adapting to varying mold sizes and thermal conditions, while maintaining rapid operation.
Implementation Method 1
primary compensators, which are elastically deformable when the mold halves of the two rows are brought together
Implementation Method 2
Channels lead from the gob distributor to the sections which guide the gobs to the preforms of the section. In the section a container is formed from the glass gob in a two-step process
Data Source
AI summary
A mold assembly for an IS machine includes a first row of mold halves and a second row of mold halves, wherein the mold halves of the two rows face one another and a mold half of the first row and a mold half of the second row are assigned to one another such that together they can form a closed mold, and a mold closing mechanism with which the mold halves of the first row and the mold halves of the second row can be brought together reversibly from a position of assigned mold halves that are at a distance from one another to a position in which assigned mold halves form a closed mold, wherein the mold closing mechanism has a first transfer device with which a force can be exerted on the mold halves of the first row to bring together the mold halves of the two rows, characterized in that primary compensators are arranged between the first transfer device and the mold halves of the first row, which are elastically deformable when the mold halves of the two rows are brought together. In this way, a mold assembly for an IS machine is provided which exhibits improved closing characteristics.