Transfer molding apparatus and transfer molding method

A transfer molding method for transferring a decoration to molded product in synchronization with molding by a transfer molding apparatus comprising:

• a transfer molding section equipped with a stationary mold and a movable mold (*disposed so as to have a closed state and an open state, and an injection nozzle for injecting molten resin into a cavity formed between the stationary mold and the movable mold mutually closed while a transfer film having decoration portions to be transferred to a molded product and also having longitudinal direction positioning marks intermittently disposed in a longitudinal direction is positioned at a longitudinal direction transfer position thereof and while the transfer film is held between the stationary mold and the movable mold;
• a film moving section equipped with a film feeding roller for moving the transfer film in parallel with parting surfaces of the molds in the longitudinal direction, and a film take-up roller for taking up the transfer film having been fed by the film feeding roller, before transfer molding is carried out by the transfer molding section;
• and
• a longitudinal direction positioning mark detection section for detecting positions of the longitudinal direction positioning marks the transfer film that is moved by the film moving section,
• the method comprising:
• controlling the revolution angle of the film feeding roller so that the transfer film is moved in the feeding direction thereof by a feeding length being set larger than an interval between adjacent longitudinal direction positioning marks and then stopped before transfer molding is carried out by the transfer molding section;
• driving the film feeding roller to move the transfer film, having been moved in the feeding direction, in a returning direction, and then stopping the transfer film at the longitudinal direction transfer position by controlling the revolution angle of the film feeding roller after the longitudinal direction positioning mark detection section has detected the longitudinal direction positioning mark;
• and
• closing the stationary mold and the movable mold, injecting the molten resin into the cavity from the injection nozzle, and transferring the decoration to molded product in synchronization with molding.

A transfer molding apparatus comprising:

• a transfer molding section equipped with a stationary mold and a movable mold disposed so as to have a closed state and an open state, and an injection nozzle for injecting molten resin into a cavity formed between the stationary mold and the movable mold mutually closed while a transfer film having decoration portions to be transferred to molded products and also having longitudinal direction positioning marks intermittently disposed in a longitudinal direction thereof is positioned at a transfer position of one of the molds and while the transfer film is held between the stationary mold and the movable mold, for transferring the decoration portion to a molded product in synchronization with molding;
• a film moving section for moving the transfer film in parallel with parting surfaces of the molds in the longitudinal direction;
• a longitudinal direction positioning mark detection section for detecting the positions of the longitudinal direction positioning marks on the transfer film that is moved by the film moving section,
• a film feeding control section for controlling the film moving section to move the transfer film in a feeding direction thereof by a feeding length being set larger than an interval between adjacent longitudinal direction positioning marks and to stop the transfer film before transfer molding is carried out by the transfer molding section while detecting a feeding amount of the transfer film that is moved by the film moving section;
• and
• a film returning control section for controlling the moving section to move the transfer film which has been moved in the feeding direction by the film feeding control section, in a returning direction, and then stopping the transfer film after the longitudinal direction positioning mark detection section has detected the longitudinal direction positioning mark.