Apparatus and method for proportionally controlling fluid delivery to stacked molds

In an injection molding machine having first and second flow channels for delivering melt material to first and second mold cavities of first and second molds mounted in stacked relationship in the molding machine, apparatus for separately controlling a rate of delivery of the melt material to each the first and second mold cavities, the apparatus comprising first and second sensors each sensing a condition of the melt material flowing to the first and second mold cavities respectively and a computer having an algorithm utilizing values indicative of signals generated by the first and second sensors, the computer controlling first and second flow controllers associated with the first and second flow channels respectively according to the algorithm.

In an injection molding machine having first and second nozzles for delivering melt material to first and second mold cavities of first and second molds respectively, apparatus for controlling delivery of the melt material from the nozzles to the mold cavities, each nozzle having an exit aperture communicating with a gate of a cavity of a respective mold and being associated with an actuator interconnected to a melt flow controller, the apparatus comprising:

• A sensor for sensing a selected condition of the melt material through at least one of the nozzles;
• An actuator controller interconnected to each actuator, the actuator controller interconnected to the actuator associated with the at least one nozzle comprising a computer interconnected to the sensor, the computer receiving a signal representative of the selected condition sensed by the sensor, the computer including an algorithm utilizing a value corresponding to a signal received from the sensor as a variable for controlling operation of the actuator for the at least one nozzle;
• Wherein the first and second molds are mounted in stacked relationship in the machine and the melt material is delivered to the first and second cavities during a single injection cycle.

In an injection molding machine having first and second flow channels for delivering melt material to first and second mold cavities of first and second molds mounted on the machine, wherein a third flow channel communicates between the first and second channels, an apparatus for controlling flow of the melt material between the first and second flow channels, the apparatus comprising:

• a first housing and a second housing containing first and second portions of the third flow channel wherein the first and second housings are engageable to mate the first and second portions of the third flow channel;
• wherein the first and second housings are maintained in engagement by a spring mechanism and are disengageable by compression of the spring mechanism.

A process for controlling the manufacture of two or more injection molded parts during a single injection molding cycle in an injection molding apparatus comprising the steps of:

• injecting a first cavity of a first mold with a fluid material from a single source of fluid to form a first molded part from the fluid material during a single injection cycle;
• injecting a second cavity of a second mold with the fluid material from the single source of fluid to form a second molded part from the fluid material during the single injection cycle;
• controlling the rate of flow of fluid material injected into at least one of the cavities according to an algorithm which uses a variable determined by a sensed condition of the fluid material injected during the single injection cycle.