Actuator with eccentric pin drive
AssigneeSynventive Molding Solutions, Inc.
InventorChristopher Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An injection molding apparatus (5) comprising an electrically driven actuator (200) having a driven rotatable rotor drivably rotatably interconnected to an output shaft (12) or to an output rotation device (16, 430, 500) that is rotatably driven around an output rotation axis (12a, R3a) and a cam device or surface (600) that is eccentrically disposed or mounted off center a selected distance (ED) from the output rotation axis (12a, R3a) in an arrangement such that when the shaft (12) or rotation device (16, 430, 500) is rotatably driven, the cam member or surface (600) is eccentrically rotatably driven around the output rotation axis (12a, R3a).
Claims13
An injection molding apparatus (5) comprising an injection molding machine (IMM), a heated manifold (60) that receives injection fluid (9) from the injection molding machine and distributes the injection fluid through a fluid distribution channel (120), a mold (70) having a cavity (80) and one or more valves (50) having a valve pin or shaft (100) that controls injection of the injection fluid (9) into the mold cavity, the one or more valves (50) being comprised of:
- an electrically driven actuator (200) having a driven rotatable rotor drivably rotatably interconnected to an output shaft (12) or to an output rotation device (16, 430, 500) that is rotatably driven around an output rotation axis (12a, R3a),
- the pin or shaft (100) being interconnected to or interengaged with the output shaft (12) or the output rotation device (16, 430, 500) in an arrangement such that the pin or shaft (100) is driven reciprocally along a linear path of travel (A),
- wherein the one or more valves include a rotational speed reducing mechanism (46) interconnected to the output shaft or rotor (12) of the actuator (200),
- the rotational speed reducing mechanism (46) being comprised of a rotatably driven body having a generally elliptical or other noncircular shaped outer circumferential surface (430, 472) interconnected to the output shaft or rotor (12) in an arrangement such that rotation of the output shaft or rotor (12) is transmitted to the output rotation device (16, 430, 500) to cause the output rotation device (16, 430, 500) to be rotatably driven at a selected lower rotational speed relative to a rotational speed of the output shaft or rotor (12).
A method of injecting a selected injection fluid (9) into a cavity (80) of a mold (70) in an injection molding apparatus (5) comprised of an injection molding machine (IMM), a heated manifold (60) that receives injection fluid (9) from the injection molding machine and distributes the injection fluid through a fluid distribution channel (120), a mold (70) having a cavity (80) and one or more valves (50) having a valve pin (100) that controls injection of the injection fluid (9) into the mold cavity, the method comprising:
- selecting an electrically driven actuator (200) having a driven rotatable rotor drivably rotatably interconnected to an output shaft (12) or to an output rotation device (16, 430, 500) that is rotatably driven around an output rotation axis (12a, R3a),
- interconnecting a rotational speed reducing mechanism (46) to the output shaft or rotor (12) or output rotation device (16, 430, 500) of the actuator (200),
- disposing or mounting a cam device or surface (600) eccentrically off center a selected distance (ED) from the output rotation axis (12a, R3a) in an arrangement such that when the shaft (12) or rotation device (16, 430, 500) is rotatably driven, the cam member or surface (600) is eccentrically rotatably driven around the output rotation axis (12a, R3a),
- interconnecting to or interengaging with the pin or shaft (100) the driven cam device or surface (600) in an arrangement such that the pin or shaft (100) is drivable reciprocally along a linear path of travel (A) as the cam member (600) is eccentrically rotatably driven,
- controllably operating the electrically driven actuator to drive the pin or shaft (100),
- wherein the rotational speed reducing mechanism is selected to comprise a rotatably driven body having a generally elliptical or other noncircular shaped outer circumferential surface (430, 472) interconnected to the output shaft or rotor (12) in an arrangement such that rotation of the output shaft or rotor (12) is transmitted to the output rotation device (16, 430, 500) to cause the output rotation device (16, 430, 500) to be rotatably driven at a selected lower rotational speed relative to a rotational speed of the output shaft or rotor (12).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.