Melt dispenser for plastic molding
AssigneeHusky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
InventorAlex Teng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A melt dispenser for plastic molding comprises a barrel unit removably mountable to a drive unit. A feed screw is received within a barrel of the barrel unit and is rotated by the drive unit to dispense molten molding material through an outlet of the barrel. A coupling mechanism can be engaged to hold the barrel unit against the drive unit and on to connect the screw to the drive. The coupling mechanism is operable by an actuator.
Claims28
A melt dispenser for plastic molding comprising:
- a barrel unit comprising:
- a barrel having an internal cavity for receiving molding material;
- and
- a feed screw rotatably received within said barrel for dispensing molten molding material through an outlet of said barrel;
- and
- a drive unit comprising a drive for rotating said feed screw;
- a coupling mechanism holding said barrel unit against said drive unit by mating engagement with said drive unit and to rotationally coupling said screw to said drive unit;
- and
- an actuator operable to release said mating engagement and said coupling of said screw and said drive unit, wherein said coupling mechanism comprises a spline insert coupled to said feed screw, wherein said spline insert is retractable to disengage from said feed screw;
- the spline insert mates to splines of a driveshaft of the drive unit and splines of the feed screw, the spline insert moveable along a longitudinal axis relative to both the driveshaft and the feed screw between an engaged position and a retracted position.
A melt dispenser for plastic molding, comprising:
- a barrel having an internal cavity for receiving molding material;
- a feed screw rotatably received within said barrel for dispensing molten molding material through an outlet of said barrel, said screw having a drive coupling connectable to a drive unit by operation of an actuator to rotationally couple said screw to said drive unit;
- and
- a retaining coupling for mating engagement with the drive unit to retain the barrel against the drive unit, wherein said mating engagement is releasable by an actuator to release said barrel from said drive unit, wherein said drive coupling comprises a spline insert for connecting said feed screw to said drive unit;
- the spline insert mates to splines of a driveshaft of the drive unit and splines of the feed screw, the spline insert moveable along a longitudinal axis relative to both the driveshaft and the feed screw between an engaged position and a retracted position.
A set up method for a plastic molding machine, comprising a first barrel unit for holding molding material and a drive unit for rotating a first screw within said barrel unit to dispense molten molding material, the method comprising:
- positioning said first barrel unit adjacent said drive unit;
- operating a drive mechanism actuator to rotationally couple said first screw to said drive unit, wherein a spline insert mates to splines of a driveshaft of the drive unit and splines of the feed screw with movement of the spline insert moveable along a longitudinal axis relative to both the driveshaft and the feed screw between a retracted position and an engaged position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.