Molded article production system and molded article production method

A molded article production system including:

• a mold having at least a lower mold and an upper mold facing the lower mold;
• a cavity provided in the lower mold;
• a bottom member having an inner bottom surface forming a bottom surface of the cavity;
• a circumferential member having an inner circumferential surface forming a side surface of the cavity;
• and a mold-driving mechanism provided for opening and closing the mold, the system configured to produce a molded article including a cured resin formed by curing a fluid resin filling the cavity while holding the mold in a closed state, and the system comprising:
• a lower base;
• a support member vertically provided on the lower base;
• an upper base provided in an upper portion of the support member and facing the lower base;
• an elevating platen mounted on a middle portion of the support member in a vertically moveable manner;
• a first driving mechanism included in the mold-driving mechanism and attached to the lower base;
• a second driving mechanism included in the mold-driving mechanism and attached to the elevating platen;
• a main connecting member connecting the first driving mechanism and the elevating platen;
• a first auxiliary connecting member connected to the circumferential member;
• and
• a second auxiliary connecting member connected to the bottom member,
• wherein:
• the upper mold is attached to the upper base;
• the first auxiliary connecting member is connected to the second driving mechanism;
• the second auxiliary connecting member is connected to the elevating platen;
• the bottom member is vertically driven by the elevating platen which is vertically driven by the first driving mechanism;
• and
• the circumferential member is vertically driven by the second driving mechanism.

A molded article production method for producing a molded article including a cured resin, using a molded article production system including:

• a mold having at least a lower mold and an upper mold facing the lower mold;
• a cavity provided in the lower mold;
• a bottom member having an inner bottom surface forming a bottom surface of the cavity;
• a circumferential member having an inner circumferential surface forming a side surface of the cavity;
• and a mold-driving mechanism provided for opening and closing the mold, the method including processes of filling the cavity with a fluid resin, closing the mold, and forming the cured resin by curing the fluid resin in the cavity while holding the mold in a closed state, and the method comprising processes of:
• elevating both the circumferential member connected to a first auxiliary connecting member and the bottom member connected to a second auxiliary connecting member;
• bringing the circumferential member into contact with a member present on the upper mold and further elevating the bottom member;
• forming the cavity by stopping the bottom member at a predetermined position;
• detaching an outer circumferential surface of the cured resin from the inner circumferential surface of the circumferential member by lowering the circumferential member while a top surface of the cured resin is held by the inner bottom surface of the bottom member, after the process of molding the cured resin;
• detaching the top surface of the cured resin from the inner bottom surface of the bottom member by lowering the bottom member while the outer circumferential surface of the cured resin is held by the inner circumferential surface of the circumferential member, after the process of molding the cured resin;
• lowering both the circumferential member and the bottom member;
• and
• removing the molded article,
• wherein:
• the circumferential member connected to an elevating platen with the first auxiliary connecting member is elevated or lowered by vertically driving the elevating platen via a main connecting member by means of a first driving mechanism provided in a lower base included in the molded article production system;
• and
• the bottom member connected to a second driving mechanism with the second auxiliary connecting member is elevated or lowered by means of a second driving mechanism provided in the elevating platen.

A molded article production method for producing a molded article including a cured resin, using a molded article production system including:

• a mold having at least a lower mold and an upper mold facing the lower mold;
• a cavity provided in the lower mold;
• a bottom member having an inner bottom surface forming a bottom surface of the cavity;
• a circumferential member having an inner circumferential surface forming a side surface of the cavity;
• and a mold-driving mechanism provided for opening and closing the mold, the method including processes of filling the cavity with a fluid resin, closing the mold, and forming the cured resin by curing the fluid resin in the cavity while holding the mold in a closed state, and the method comprising processes of:
• elevating both the circumferential member connected to a first auxiliary connecting member and the bottom member connected to a second auxiliary connecting member;
• bringing the circumferential member into contact with a member present on the upper mold and further elevating the bottom member;
• forming the cavity by stopping the bottom member at a predetermined position;
• detaching an outer circumferential surface of the cured resin from the inner circumferential surface of the circumferential member by lowering the circumferential member while a top surface of the cured resin is held by the inner bottom surface of the bottom member, after the process of molding the cured resin;
• detaching the top surface of the cured resin from the inner bottom surface of the bottom member by lowering the bottom member while the outer circumferential surface of the cured resin is held by the inner circumferential surface of the circumferential member, after the process of molding the cured resin;
• lowering both the circumferential member and the bottom member;
• and
• removing the molded article,
• wherein:
• the bottom member connected to an elevating platen with the second auxiliary connecting member is elevated or lowered by vertically driving the elevating platen via a main connecting member by means of a first driving mechanism provided in a lower base included in the molded article production system;
• and
• the circumferential member connected to a second driving mechanism with the first auxiliary connecting member is elevated or lowered by means of a second driving mechanism provided in the elevating platen.