Injection molding machine system, mold, and molding method for molded article

A mold comprising one mold half, which is a first mold half, and another mold half, which is a second mold half,

• wherein the first mold half is slidable relative to the second mold half such that the mold is clamped at two or more mold clamping positions including a first mold clamping position and a second mold clamping position,
• wherein the first mold half has at least one one-side recessed portion in which a pressing device is provided, and the second mold half has at least one other-side recessed portion,
• wherein when the first mold half and the second mold half are clamped in the first mold clamping position, at least one primary molding cavity is formed by the one-side recessed portion, and at least one primary molding cavity is formed by the other-side recessed portion,
• wherein when the first mold half and the second mold half are clamped in the second mold clamping position, a secondary molding cavity is formed by the one-side recessed portion and the other-side recessed portion,
• wherein the primary molding cavity is for molding a primary molded article having a bonding end surface by injection molding, and
• wherein the pressing device is configured to press, in the secondary molding cavity, the primary molded article placed in the one-side recessed portion against the primary molded article placed in the other-side recessed portion.

A molding method for molding a molded article in an injection molding machine system,

• the injection molding machine system including:
• an injection molding machine;
• a mold provided in the injection molding machine;
• a heater device;
• and
• a pressing device,
• the mold being configured such that one mold half is slidable relative to the other mold half and is configured to clamp at two or more mold clamping positions including a first mold clamping position and a second mold clamping position,
• the one mold half having at least one one-side recessed portion in which the pressing device is provided, and the other mold half having at least one other-side recessed portion,
• when the mold is clamped in the first mold clamping position, at least one primary molding cavity being formed by the one-side recessed portion, and at least one primary molding cavity being formed by the other-side recessed portion, and
• when the mold is clamped in the second mold clamping position, a secondary molding cavity being formed by the one-side recessed portion and the other-side recessed portion,
• the molding method comprising:
• an injection molding step comprising molding two or more primary molded articles each having a bonding end surface by clamping the mold in the first mold clamping position and injecting resin into the two or more primary molding cavities;
• a mold opening step comprising opening the mold, leaving at least one of the primary molded articles in the one-side recessed portion and one of the primary molded articles in the other-side recessed portion;
• a melting step of melting the bonding end surfaces of the two or more primary molded articles by the heater device;
• a mold closing step comprising retracting the heating device, and closing or clamping the mold at the second mold clamping position to align the one primary molded article placed in the one-side recessed portion and the primary molded article placed in the other-side recessed portion in the secondary molding cavity;
• and
• a press-fusion step comprising pressing the primary molded article placed in the one-side recessed portion against the primary molded article placed in the other-side recessed portion by the pressing device to fuse the bonding end surfaces of the primary molded articles together, resulting in the molded article.