# US 11,897,173 B2 · Injection molding apparatus with load-balancing mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,173 B2 - Document ID: US11897173B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/317,288 - Filed: 2021-05-11 - Published: 2022-11-17 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-11 - Assignees: Mold-Masters (2007) Limited - Applicants: Mold-Masters (2007) Limited - Inventors: Martin Kestle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897173B2 ## CPC - B29C 45/1761: {Means for guiding movable mould supports or injection units on the machine base or frame; Machine bases or frames (B29C45/1747 takes precedence)} - B29C 45/07: using movable injection units - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) ## Abstract An apparatus for injecting a molten material including an injector, a rail, a bell crank, and a frame supporting the injector via the rail for guiding the linear translation of the injector along the frame. The apparatus includes a first guide and a second guide slideably coupled to the rail, the second guide attached to the injector and spaced from the first guide along the rail, and a bell crank coupled to the first guide and second guide to provide a load-balancing mechanism. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for injecting a molten material comprising: an injector for injecting the molten material; a frame supporting the injector; a rail for guiding the linear translation of the injector along the frame, the rail supported by the frame; a first guide and a second guide slideably coupled to the rail, the second guide attached to the injector and spaced from the first guide along the rail; and a bell crank including a first location, a second location, and a third location arranged in a triangle, the bell crank rotateably coupled to the first guide at the first location, the bell crank rotateably coupled to the second guide at the second location such that applying a linear force at the third location in a first direction from the second guide towards the first guide translates the first and second guides in the first direction along the rail. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rail includes two lateral opposite sides and the apparatus further comprising an another bell crank, each of the bell crank and the another bell crank is located on a respective one of the two lateral opposite sides of the rail; the another bell crank including a fourth location, a fifth location, and a sixth location arranged in a triangle, the another bell crank rotateably coupled to the first guide at the fourth location, the another bell crank rotateably coupled to the second guide at the fifth location such that applying a linear force at the sixth location in the first direction translates the first and second guides in the first direction along the rail. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at any location along the rail, the first guide is substantially restricted from distancing from the rail in a second direction along a line not substantially parallel to the rail. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the rail includes two longitudinal protrusions, one on each respective lateral sides of the rail, the first guide includes a body having two flanges defining a space for partially receiving the rail, each flange adjacent a respective lateral sides of the rail, each flange including a protrusion engaging a respective one of longitudinal protrusions of the rail thereby substantially restricting the first guide from distancing from the rail in the second direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the bell crank is rotateably coupled to the first guide at the first location via a pin joint and the another bell crank is rotateably coupled to the first guide at the fourth location via a pin joint. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the bell crank is rotateably coupled to the second guide at the second location via a pin joint and the another bell crank is rotateably coupled to the second guide at the fifth location via a pin joint. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the rail is a linear slide rail. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first guide includes a carriage block. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second guide is a trunnion including two pins one on each opposing sides of the trunnion extending away from the rail. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a linear actuator rotateably coupled to the bell crank at the third location via a pin joint and rotateably coupled to the another bell crank at the sixth location via pin joint to translate the injector along the rail. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the linear actuator includes a motor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a third guide slideably coupled to the rail, upstream of the second guide, supporting and attached to the injector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the bell crank is rotateably coupled to the first guide at the first location via a pin joint and the another bell crank is rotateably coupled to the first guide at the fourth location via a pin joint. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the bell crank is rotateably coupled to the second guide at the second location via a pin joint and the another bell crank is rotateably coupled to the second guide at the fifth location via a pin joint. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the rail is a linear slide rail. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first guide includes a carriage block. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second guide is a trunnion including two pins one on each opposing sides of the trunnion extending away from the rail. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a linear actuator rotateably coupled to the bell crank at the third location via a pin joint and rotateably coupled to the another bell crank at the sixth location via pin joint to translate the injector along the rail. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the linear actuator includes a motor.