Injection Mold Slide Retainer With Roller for Reliable Demolding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current devices for locking and releasing injection molds in plastic injection molding lack reliability and safety, particularly in handling undercuts during demolding, leading to potential demolding issues.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a sliding catch with a rotatably mounted roller, a resilient pressure piece, and locking screws that securely latch into a recessed area of the molded part, ensuring precise positioning and secure holding without excessive tightening torque, allowing for reliable demolding and assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional locking mechanisms are used for injection molds, then the structure is simple, but the reliability and safety during demolding are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is divided into modular components: a locking element with roller, a separate housing, and a spring-loaded pressure piece. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function reliably while maintaining overall system manageability and reducing failure points.
Solution Approach 2:
A housing is introduced as an intermediary component that guides and stabilizes the locking element during engagement with the molded part's recess. This mediator ensures precise positioning and reliable locking without requiring complex alignment mechanisms.
2Force
If heavy slides are used to handle undercuts, then the locking force is sufficient, but the device becomes difficult to control and requires excessive tightening torque
Solution Approach 1:
A spring-loaded pressure piece acts as a counterweight system that automatically applies the necessary locking force to engage the sliding detent with the recess. This eliminates the need for excessive tightening torque while providing sufficient holding force for heavy slides and undercuts.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism transitions from a static, torque-dependent connection to a dynamic spring-loaded system. The spring automatically adjusts the locking force based on the engagement state, providing sufficient force for heavy loads while maintaining ease of assembly and disassembly.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional locking mechanisms are used, then the structure is compact, but precise positioning and stable holding are difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The housing serves as a guiding intermediary that precisely positions the locking element during engagement. It includes guiding surfaces and constraints that ensure the roller and sliding detent align correctly with the recess, achieving accurate positioning without complex external guiding structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is self-aligning through the interaction between the roller, sliding detent, and housing guiding surfaces. The geometry of these components automatically ensures precise positioning during engagement, eliminating the need for additional external alignment or positioning mechanisms.
4Ease of operation
If lubrication is used to reduce friction, then the operation is smoother, but it is unsuitable for clean room environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces lubrication-based friction reduction with a lubrication-free mechanical design. The roller rotates on its axis during engagement and operation, providing smooth movement through pure rolling contact without requiring any lubricants, making it fully compatible with clean room environments.
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
The solution provides a reliable and safe mechanism for locking and releasing injection molds, ensuring flawless demolding processes, maintaining secure holding even with high slide weights, and allowing for easy tuning with interchangeable springs, suitable for clean room environments without the need for lubrication.
Implementation Method 1
a spring-loaded pressure piece comprising the housing and a sliding detent spring pressing against the housing
Implementation Method 2
a roller rotatably mounted in a housing for rolling over the slidable mold part area
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a device for securing and/or releasing injection moulds for plastics injection moulding, the moulds having two complementary, opposing injection mould portions, in particular a die portion and an ejector portion, said portions comprising displaceable regions having mould regions that can slide away. Also disclosed is: a slide retainer that is located in a receiving mould region, can be pushed into predefined, complementary regions of the corresponding sliding mould region and that comprises a roller which is rotatably mounted in a housing and over which the sliding mould region can roll; a spring-loaded pressure piece comprising the housing and a slide retainer spring that presses against the housing, for engaging in an opening, in particular a groove or cut-out, in the sliding mould region, the housing having a pre-loading projection in a peripheral region for pre-loading by means of the slide retainer spring; and one or more fixing screws which run through the housing and is/are screwed into a complementary opening in the receiving mould region. A central lead-through means, located in the housing, is provided and each of the one or more fixing screws runs through one through-opening of the lead-through means, said lead-through means making contact, by means of a contact projection provided on its periphery, with a corresponding continuous projection in an inner region of the housing, and resting with a lower face region against a corresponding seat region, an edge region of the engagement being in the receiving mould region.