# US 2014/0156059 A1 · Operating unit for an injection molding machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0156059 A1 - Document ID: US20140156059A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/088,819 - Filed: 2013-11-25 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-26 - Assignees: Engel Austria GmbH - Applicants: ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH - Inventors: Gerhard DIMMLER; Josef GIESSAUF; Rainer HOELZL; Albin KERN; Friedrich MAIRHOFER; Helmut STEINPARZER; Johann VOGGENEDER; Karl WIESINGER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156059A1 ## CPC - B29C 45/76: Measuring, controlling or regulating {(measuring in general G01; controlling or regulating in general G05)} - G05B 19/409: characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters (G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence) - B29C 2045/7606: {Controlling or regulating the display unit} - 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) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract An operating unit includes a touch-sensitive display screen for displaying an operating program, a control or regulating unit for communicating operating signals to injection molding machine elements, and the operating program is stored in the control or regulating unit, and at least one operating button, upon the actuation of which the control or regulating unit triggers an action of an injection molding machine element. The operating program has a hierarchical system architecture with at least one upper installation-specific level and an upper task-specific level. A selection can be made between different installation regions in the installation-specific central level, between different task regions in the task-specific central level, and a plurality of sublevels. Process-relevant program pages associated only with the selected installation region or only with the selected task region can be displayed in each selected sublevel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An operating unit (1) for an injection molding machine (2), comprising an in particular touch-sensitive display screen (3) for displaying an operating program (B), a control or regulating unit (4) for communicating operating signals (S) to injection molding machine elements (5), wherein the operating program (B) is stored in the control or regulating unit (4), and at least one operating button (6), upon the actuation of which the control or regulating unit (4) triggers an action of an injection molding machine element (5), characterised in that the operating program (B) has a hierarchical system architecture with at least one upper installation-specific level (Ml), wherein a selection can be made between different installation regions (L1-L5) in the installation-specific level (M1), and an upper task-specific level (M2), wherein a selection can be made between different task regions (F1-F5) in the task-specific level (M2), and a plurality of sublevels (U1-U6), wherein process-relevant program pages (P) associated only with the selected installation region (L1-L5) or only with the selected task region (F1-F5) can be displayed in each selected sublevel (U1-U6). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An operating unit as set forth in claim 1 characterised by a main level (H1) in which a selection can be made between an installation-specific menu (N1) and a task-specific menu (N2). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An operating unit as set forth in claim 2 characterised in that the main level (H1) and at least one of the upper levels (N1, N2) can be simultaneously represented. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An operating unit as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that the upper installation-specific level (M1) and the upper task-specific level (M2) are of equal rank in the hierarchical system architecture. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An operating unit as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that at least one trigger symbol (A) can be displayed on each process-relevant program page (P), wherein a corresponding action of an injection molding machine element (5) can be triggered by actuation of an operating button (6) associated with the trigger symbol (A). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An operating unit as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that machine-specific parameters (R) can be displayed on the process-relevant program pages (P). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An operating unit as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that the process-relevant program pages (P) of a selected installation region (L) or of a selected task region (F) can be displayed in succession only in a given sequence. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An operating unit as set forth in claim 7 characterised in that navigation buttons (7) can be displayed in the sublevel (U), wherein by actuation of the navigation buttons (7) the program pages (P) can be displayed in accordance with the given sequence in succession or in the reversed sequence. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An operating unit as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that hierarchy buttons (8) can be displayed at least in the upper level (N) and the sublevel (U), wherein a higher level (H, M) can be displayed by actuation of the hierarchy button (8). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An operating unit as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that new program pages (P) or program pages (P) of other installation regions (L1-L5) or other task regions (F1-F5) can be allocated to an installation region (L1-L5) or a task region (F1-F5). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An operating unit as set forth in claim 1 characterised in that the hierarchical system architecture has a metalevel (Z) which can be selected independently of the displayed level (H, M, U). ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An injection molding machine (2) having a plurality of activatable injection molding machine elements (5) and an operating unit (1) as set forth in claim 1. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A method of operating an operating unit (1) of an injection molding machine (2), in particular as set forth in claim 12, comprising an in particular touch-sensitive display screen (3) on which an operating program (B) with a hierarchical system architecture is displayed, a control or regulating unit (4) by which operating signals (S) are communicated to injection molding machine elements (5), wherein the operating program (B) is stored in the control or regulating unit (4), and at least one operating button (6), upon the actuation of which an action of an injection molding machine element (5) is triggered by the control or regulating unit (4), characterised by the steps: displaying an upper installation-specific level (M1) or an upper task-specific level (M2) in dependence on a previously selected menu (N1, N2) or a preset selection, selecting an installation region (L) from various displayed installation regions (L1-L5) or a task region (F) from different displayed task regions (F1-F5), displaying a sublevel (U1-U6) in dependence on the selected installation region (L1-L5) or the selected task region (F1-F5), wherein process-relevant program pages (P) associated only with the selected installation region (L1-L5) or only with the selected task region (F1-F5) are displayed in each selected sublevel (U1-U6). ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A method as set forth in claim 13 characterised by at least one of the further steps: selecting a trigger symbol (A) displayed on the program page (P), whereby a corresponding action of an injection molding machine element (5) is triggered, or selecting or altering a machine-specific parameter (R) displayed on the program page (P), or navigating by way of navigation buttons (7) to a next or a preceding program page (P) of the selected installation region (L1-L5) or the selected task region (F1-F5), or navigating by way of hierarchy buttons (8) to another level (H, M, U) of the operating program (B), or selecting a metalevel (Z) of the operating program (B).