Split Sprue Bar Leakage Seal via Axial-to-Radial Force Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
In injection molding, components that move relative to each other often experience leakage due to clearance between contacting surfaces, especially under high injection pressure or when using resins with lower viscosity, which existing designs fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a collar that receives an axial force created by springs and redirects it into a radial force, which engages tightly with the nozzle or bushing to seal off clearance areas, thereby preventing leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If clearance is provided between contacting surfaces to allow movement, then ease of operation is improved, but leakage occurs under injection pressure
Solution Approach 1:
A collar is introduced as an intermediary component between the nozzle and sprue bushing. The collar includes a sealing surface that contacts the nozzle, creating a sealing interface that prevents leakage through the clearance while allowing the nozzle to move axially and rotationally.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar acts as a flexible sealing element that can accommodate movement of the nozzle while maintaining contact with the nozzle surface to prevent leakage. The collar's design allows it to flex and adapt to the nozzle's position changes.
2Reliability
If clearance between components is reduced to prevent leakage, then reliability is improved, but movement capability is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The collar serves as a mediator that decouples the sealing function from the movement function. It provides a dedicated sealing interface with the nozzle while the nozzle retains full movement capability within the sprue bushing clearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is segmented from the movement function by introducing a separate collar component. The collar handles sealing while the nozzle-bushing interface handles movement, allowing both functions to be optimized independently.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If tight engagement between nozzle and sprue bushing is used to prevent leakage, then leakage is reduced, but movement and alignment capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is positioned between the nozzle and sprue bushing to provide the sealing function. This allows the nozzle to move freely within the bushing clearance while the collar maintains a sealing contact with the nozzle, preventing leakage without restricting movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing contact is moved to a different dimensional interface - the collar's inner sealing surface contacts the nozzle's outer sealing surface, while the nozzle moves within the bushing's larger clearance. This separates the sealing dimension from the movement dimension.
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
Effectively reduces or eliminates leakage by ensuring a secure engagement between moving components, even under high pressure and with lower viscosity resins, enhancing the reliability of injection molding processes.
Implementation Method 1
The collar is designed to receive the axial force AF and redirect at least a portion of the axial force AF to a radial force RF
Data Source
AI summary
A collar for reducing or eliminating leakage between components that moves with respect to each other in the field of injection molding. The collar has an outer portion for receiving an inner portion. The outer portion has a tapered, partial spherical, concave, or convex surface on its inside diameter, and the inner portion has a tapered or partial spherical, convex, or concave surface on its outside diameter. In the preferred embodiment, the inner portion of the collar is operatively assembled into a cavity of the outer portion of the collar, such that the tapered surface of the inner portion is slidably mounted to the tapered surface of the outer portion. The collar is operatively mounted around the outside diameter or circumference of, preferably, a cylindrical device and between two components that move with respect to each other.