Molds having cooling behind insert technology and related methods

A method for creating one or more optical articles, the method comprising:

• moving a first mold portion and a second mold portion relative to one another from an open position to a closed position in which the first and second mold portions cooperate to define one or more chambers, each of the one or more chambers comprising
• a first cooling body coupled to the first mold portion,
• a second cooling body coupled to the second mold portion,
• a first insert removably coupled to the first cooling body, and
• a second insert removably coupled to the second cooling body such that the first and second inserts cooperate to define a mold cavity of one or more mold cavities;
• receiving, at each of the one or more mold cavities, a thermoplastic material;
• and
• cooling the received thermoplastic material with the first and second cooling bodies,
• wherein each of the first and second cooling bodies comprises opposing first and second faces, an inlet, and an outlet, the first face of the respective first and second cooling bodies being coupled to one of the first and second mold portions and the second face of the respective first and second cooling bodies being removably coupled to one of the first and second inserts, each of the first and second cooling bodies defining a fluid cavity closer to the second face than the first face,
• wherein the one or more chambers comprise two or more chambers,
• wherein, for each of one or more sets of a plurality of the chambers,
• the first cooling bodies are in fluid communication with one another via one or more first conduits, each of the one or more first conduits having a first diameter, and
• the second cooling bodies are in fluid communication with one another via one or more second conduits, each of the one or more second conduits having a second diameter, each of the one or more second cooling bodies being movable within a respective recess of the second mold portion between a first position and a second position in which the second cooling body is closer than when in the first position to the face of the second mold portion that, when the mold portions are in the closed position, faces the first mold portion,
• wherein, for each of the one or more sets of the chambers, the first cooling bodies are connected in parallel such that:
• the inlet of each of the first cooling bodies is coupled to a common supply conduit in fluid communication with a fluid source, and
• the outlet of each of the first cooling bodies is coupled to a common exhaust conduit in fluid communication with an exhaust,
• wherein, for each of the sets of the chambers, the second cooling bodies are connected in series such that:
• a supply conduit in fluid communication with a fluid source is coupled to the inlet of one of the second cooling bodies,
• an exhaust conduit in fluid communication with an exhaust is coupled to the outlet of one of the second cooling bodies, and
• the one or more second conduits are disposed between the second cooling bodies such that when fluid flows from the supply conduit, the fluid flows consecutively through each of the second cooling bodies before flowing through the exhaust conduit,
• wherein the cooling comprises, at each of the first and second cooling bodies:
• receiving, at the inlet, fluid from the fluid source,
• conveying the received fluid to the fluid cavity,
• conducting, through one of the first and second inserts, heat from the thermoplastic material to the cooling body to thereby heat the conveyed fluid, and
• transmitting, through the outlet, the heated fluid outside of the cooling body.