Segmented Water Jacket Spacer Injection Molding
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water jacket spacers produced by injection molding for internal combustion engines have difficulty in selectively controlling coolant flow rates due to their shape, which extends along the entire circumference of the cylinder block, leading to an adhesion-to-slide phenomenon during mold opening, hindering normal operation.
Innovation Solution
The method involves producing water jacket spacers with shapes corresponding to parts of the groove-like coolant passage using an injection molding process that includes a stationary mold, a movable mold, and slide molds moving at specific angles, forming a bridge to link opposite sides of the spacers, preventing adhesion during mold opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a water jacket spacer with a shape surrounding the entirety of the cylinder bores is used, then the coolant flow can be controlled along the circumferential direction, but it is difficult to selectively and significantly change the flow rate of the coolant using such a water jacket spacer with respect to part of the groove-like coolant passage
Solution Approach 1:
The water jacket spacer is divided into multiple independent spacers, each corresponding to a specific region along the circumferential direction of the groove-like coolant passage. This segmentation allows each spacer to independently control coolant flow in its designated region, enabling selective flow rate adjustment without requiring a single complex spacer surrounding all cylinder bores.
2Temperature
If the water jacket spacer extends through the entirety of the groove-like coolant passage along the circumferential direction, then it provides comprehensive cooling coverage, but it causes an adhesion-to-slide phenomenon during mold opening that hinders normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of producing a single continuous spacer extending through the entire groove-like coolant passage, the invention produces multiple separate spacers that are inserted into different regions of the passage. This segmentation eliminates the adhesion-to-slide phenomenon during mold opening while still providing comprehensive cooling coverage when all spacers are installed together in the cylinder block.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a water jacket spacer with a shape corresponding to part of the groove-like coolant passage is used, then selective coolant flow control is enabled, but the production process becomes more complex due to the need for precise molding
Solution Approach 1:
The invention simplifies manufacturing precision requirements by segmenting the water jacket spacer into multiple smaller, standardized components. Each spacer can be produced using conventional injection molding techniques with standard tolerances, avoiding the need for highly complex and precise molding of a single large spacer with varying cross-sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes parameter changes in the injection molding process, specifically controlling the injection angle at ±15° or less relative to the normal direction of the movable mold. This parameter control prevents resin adhesion to the slide mold while maintaining the ability to produce spacers with precise shapes corresponding to specific regions of the coolant passage.
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 allows for the production of water jacket spacers with customized shapes for the coolant passage, preventing the adhesion-to-slide phenomenon and enabling efficient coolant flow control, thus improving engine performance by reducing thermal deformation differences.
Implementation Method 1
a solidification step that cools and solidifies the synthetic resin while keeping pressure
Implementation Method 2
at least one slide mold (1) that moves in a direction at an angle of ±15° or less with respect to a direction that is perpendicular to a direction in which the cylinder bores are arranged, and is perpendicular to a moving direction of the movable mold
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(A)~2(B)
Figure 3
AI summary
A method for producing a water jacket spacer includes effecting an injection molding process using an injection mold that includes a stationary mold, a movable mold, and at least one slide mold (1), and forms a molding space when clamped by a clamping step, the molding space producing an integrally molded product that includes at least a first water jacket spacer, a second water jacket spacer, and a bridge, the first water jacket spacer and the second water jacket spacer being provided so that the inner sides thereof are situated opposite to each other, and the bridge linking the inner side or the end of the first water jacket spacer, and the inner side or the end of the second water jacket spacer. The method for producing a water jacket spacer can produce a water jacket spacer having a shape that corresponds to half or part of half of the groove-like coolant passage along the circumferential direction by means of injection molding while preventing the occurrence of an adhesion-to-slide phenomenon when the mold is opened.