Cooling plate assembly for an injection molding machine
AssigneeNiigon Machines Ltd.
InventorsRobert D. Schad, Roberto Sicilia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for receiving and ejecting molded articles includes: (a) drawing air from a cooling tube cavity into an air channel through a plate bore to draw at least a portion of a molded article into the cavity; (b) moving a valve within the plate bore from a first position for conducting air from the cavity to the air channel to a second position for reducing air flow through the plate bore relative to the first position; and (c) when the valve is in the second position, urging pressurized air from the air channel to the cavity through the plate bore to assist ejection of the molded article from the cavity.
Claims13
A method for receiving and ejecting molded articles, comprising:
- (a) drawing air from a cooling tube cavity into an air channel through a plate bore to draw at least a portion of a molded article into the cavity;
- (b) moving a valve within the plate bore from a first position for conducting air from the cavity to the air channel to a second position for reducing air flow through the plate bore relative to the first position;
- and
- (c) when the valve is in the second position, urging pressurized air from the air channel to the cavity through the plate bore to assist ejection of the molded article from the cavity.
A method for receiving and ejecting molded articles, comprising:
- a) drawing air from a cavity of a cooling tube into an air channel of a cooling plate to draw a portion of a molded article into the cavity, the air drawn through an air flow gap between a movable closure member and a valve seat fixed to a movable ejector member;
- and
- b) after step (a), urging pressurized air from the air channel toward the cavity, the pressurized air moving the closure member into engagement with the valve seat to close the air flow gap, and the pressurized air advancing the ejector member relative to the cooling tube to assist ejection of the molded article from the cavity.
A cooling tube for an injection molding machine, comprising:
- a) a cavity for receiving at least a portion of a molded article;
- b) a tube bore extending lengthwise along a tube bore axis between a tube bore first end open to the cavity and a tube bore second end spaced apart from the tube bore first end;
- and
- c) an ejector member movable relative to the cavity between an ejector retracted position for accommodating receipt of the portion of the molded article in the cavity and an ejector advanced position for assisting ejection of the molded article from the cavity, the ejector member comprising:
- a leading portion slidably received within the tube bore and a trailing portion connected to the leading portion;
- an internal first conduit extending between a first conduit first end open to the cavity and a first conduit second end spaced apart from the first conduit first end for fluid communication with an air channel of a cooling plate to which the cooling tube is attachable;
- and
- a closure member within the ejector flow conduit, the closure member movable relative to a valve seat fixed to the ejector member between an open position and a closed position, wherein when in the open position the closure member is spaced apart from the valve seat and an air flow gap is provided between the closure member and the valve seat for conducting air from the cavity to the air channel to draw the molded article into the cavity, and when in the closed position the closure member is in engagement with the valve seat and the air flow gap is closed for reducing air flow between the air channel and the cavity relative to the open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.