# US 2014/0197561 A1 · Detection of change in orientation of central axis of platen assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197561 A1 - Document ID: US20140197561A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/117,142 - Filed: 2012-05-29 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-20 - Inventors: Roman Robert Pirog - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197561A1 ## CPC - B29C 33/303: {centering mould parts or halves, e.g. during mounting} - B29C 45/80: of relative position of mould parts - B29C 45/84: Safety devices {(B29C45/7626 takes precedence)} - B29C 2945/76083: Position - B29C 2945/76093: Angular position - B29C 2945/76224: Closure or clamping unit - B29C 2945/76254: Mould - 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) ## Abstract A molding system (100), comprising: a platen assembly (102) having: (i) a mold-support face (104), and (ii) a central axis (106) extending orthogonally from the mold-support face (104); and a detection assembly (108) being positioned relative to the central axis (106), the detection assembly (108) being configured to detect, at least in part, an amount of change in orientation of the central axis (106). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A molding system (100), comprising: a platen assembly (102) having: (i) a mold-support face (104), and (ii) a central axis (106) extending orthogonally from the mold-support face (104); and a detection assembly (108) being positioned relative to the central axis (106), the detection assembly (108) being configured to detect, at least in part, a change in orientation of the central axis (106). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The molding system (100) of claim 1, further comprising: a cantilevered member (110) extending from the platen assembly (102) along the central axis (106), and wherein the detection assembly (108) is positioned set apart from the platen assembly (102), and the detection assembly (108) is positioned relative to the cantilevered member (110), the detection assembly (108) is configured to detect, at least in part, the change in orientation of the cantilevered member (110). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The molding system (100) of claim 1, wherein: the mold-support face (104) includes: (i) a stationary mold-support face (206); and (ii) a movable mold-support face (204) facing the stationary mold-support face (206), and detection of change in orientation of the central axis (106) is a measure of mold-face parallelism between the stationary mold-support face (206) and the movable mold-support face (204). ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The molding system (100) of claim 2, wherein: the mold-support face (104) includes a movable mold-support face (204) facing a stationary mold-support face (206), the movable mold-support face (204) and the stationary mold-support face (206) configured to support a mold assembly (207); the platen assembly (102) includes: (i) a movable platen (224) having the movable mold-support face (204), (ii) a stationary platen (226) having the stationary mold-support face (206), the movable platen (224) being movable relative to the stationary platen (226), and (iii) a clamp-column supporting platen (228); and the cantilevered member (110) includes a clamp column (230) extending between the movable platen (224) and the clamp-column supporting platen (228). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The molding system (100) of claim 1, wherein: the detection assembly (108) includes: a sensor assembly (900); and a controller assembly (902) being connected with the sensor assembly (900). ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The molding system (100) of claim 5, wherein: the controller assembly (902) includes: a controller-usable medium tangibly embodying controller-executable instructions being configured to direct the controller assembly (902) to: (i) receive an indication signal from the sensor assembly (900), the indication signal being configured to provide detection of change in orientation of the central axis (106); and (ii) provide a warning alarm indication indicating that detection of the change in orientation of the central axis (106) is outside of an acceptable tolerance range. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The molding system (100) of claim 1, wherein: the detection assembly (108) includes: a sensor assembly (900) having a proximity sensor assembly (950). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The molding system (100) of claim 1, wherein: the detection assembly (108) includes: a sensor assembly (900) having a laser assembly (952). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The molding system (100) of claim 1, wherein: the detection assembly (108) operates to detect the change in orientation of the central axis (106) only during mold engagement. ### Claim 10 A method of operating a molding system (100), the method comprising: detecting an amount of change in orientation of a central axis (106) relative to a mold-support face (104) of a platen assembly (102) having the central axis (106) extending orthogonally from the mold-support face (104). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A controller assembly (902) configured to interface with the detection assembly (108) of the molding system (100) of claim 1. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A controller assembly (902) for the molding system (100) of claim 1, the controller assembly (902) including: a controller-usable medium tangibly embodying controller-executable instructions being configured to direct the controller assembly (902) to: (i) receive an indication signal from the detection assembly (108), the indication signal being configured to provide detection of change in orientation of the central axis (106); and (ii) provide a warning alarm indication indicating that the detection of change in orientation of the central axis (106) is outside of an acceptable tolerance range.