Plasticizing Device Material Sensor for Injection Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
In injection molding devices, material often gets stuck near the feed port of the rotor, leading to unstable plasticization due to incomplete feeding, which hampers the consistent delivery of plasticized material to the molding die.
Innovation Solution
A plasticizing device with a material reservoir, a screw-based plasticizer, a coupling pipe, a light-based material sensor, and a controller that feeds material to the coupling path when the detected amount falls below a reference value, ensuring stable plasticization and preventing material sticking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If material is continuously fed to the rotor without monitoring, then the feeding process is simple, but material gets stuck near the feed port leading to unstable plasticization
Solution Approach 1:
The light emitter and light receiver are installed to detect material presence before it enters the rotor through the feed port. The system performs preliminary detection of material accumulation and triggers feeding action in advance, preventing material from getting stuck near the feed port and ensuring stable plasticization.
2Reliability
If material feeding is controlled based on real-time detection, then material sticking is prevented, but the control system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The light emitter emits light toward the feed port area, and the light receiver detects reflected light to determine whether material is present. This feedback information is used by the control unit to adjust the feeding mechanism, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains consistent material feeding while preventing accumulation and sticking.
3Measurement precision
If a light-based detection system is added to monitor material remaining amount, then feeding accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical material level detection mechanisms with a light-based detection system. The light emitter and light receiver use optical principles to detect material presence and remaining amount non-contactly, providing high measurement precision while avoiding the complexity of mechanical sensors and moving parts.
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 configuration stabilizes the plasticization process by preventing material sticking and ensuring consistent feeding, reducing the likelihood of clogging and improving the quality of the plasticized material delivery.
Implementation Method 1
a light receiver configured to receive reflected light of the light
Data Source
AI summary
A plasticizing device includes a material reservoir which has an input port and is configured to retain a material, a plasticizer which has a screw and a case housing the screw and provided with a feed port communicated with the input port, and which is configured to plasticize the material to generate a plasticized material, a coupling pipe having a coupling path configured to connect the input port and the feed port to each other, a material sensor which has a light emitter configured to emit light toward the screw via the feed port, and a light receiver configured to receive reflected light of the light, and which is configured to detect a remaining amount of the material, and a controller configured to control the material reservoir, wherein the material reservoir has a material feed mechanism configured to feed the material to the coupling path, and the controller controls the material feed mechanism to feed the material to the coupling path when the remaining amount of the material detected by the material sensor is smaller than a reference value.