Injection molding machine and connection member, and methods of adjusting and modifying injection molding machine

An injection molding machine, comprising:

• a fixed platen on which a fixed mold is mounted;
• an injection cylinder that includes an injection nozzle;
• a lifting/lowering device that vertically moves said injection cylinder so that said injection nozzle can assume a plurality of height positions;
• a movement cylinder that moves said injection cylinder so that said injection nozzle can move toward and away from said fixed mold;
• and
• a plurality of connection members that can be mounted on said fixed platen and that can connect to said movement cylinder, wherein
• each of said plurality of connection members can connect with said movement cylinder at least one connection position, and
• by selecting any of said connection members, each of said plurality of connection members can connect to said movement cylinder at a plurality of said connection positions such that said movement cylinder is oriented in the horizontal direction at each of said plurality of height positions.

A connection member, comprising:

• a fixed platen on which a fixed mold is mounted;
• an injection cylinder that includes an injection nozzle;
• a lifting/lowering device that vertically moves said injection cylinder so that said injection nozzle can assume a plurality of height positions;
• and
• a movement cylinder that moves said injection cylinder so that said injection nozzle can move toward and away from said fixed mold, wherein
• said connection member is fixed to said fixed platen,
• said connection member can connect to said movement cylinder at a plurality of said connection positions such that said movement cylinder is oriented in the horizontal direction at each of said plurality of height positions.

A method of adjusting an injection molding machine, said injection molding machine comprising:

• a fixed platen on which a fixed mold is mounted;
• an injection cylinder that includes an injection nozzle;
• a lifting/lowering device that vertically moves said injection cylinder so that said injection nozzle can assume a plurality of height positions;
• and
• a movement cylinder that moves said injection cylinder so that said injection nozzle can move toward and away from said fixed mold, said method comprising steps of:
• (A) adjusting the position of said injection cylinder by means of said lifting/lowering device to align with a height of an injection position of an injection material into said fixed mold;
• and
• (B) connecting said movement cylinder to said fixed platen via a connection member such that said movement cylinder is oriented in the horizontal direction, wherein said connection member can connect to said movement cylinder at a plurality of connection positions such that said injection cylinder is oriented in the horizontal direction at each of said plurality of height positions.

A method of modifying an injection molding machine, said injection molding machine comprising:

• a fixed platen on which a fixed mold is mounted;
• an injection cylinder that includes an injection nozzle;
• a lifting/lowering device that vertically moves said injection cylinder so that said injection nozzle can assume a plurality of height positions;
• and
• a movement cylinder that moves said injection cylinder so that said injection nozzle can move toward and away from said fixed mold, said method comprising a step of:
• (A) replacing said movement cylinder with a new movement cylinder and connecting said new movement cylinder to said fixed platen via a connection member,
• wherein said connection member can connect to said new movement cylinder at a plurality of connection positions such that said new movement cylinder is oriented in the horizontal direction at each of said plurality of height positions, and said new movement cylinder is shorter than said movement cylinder before replacement by the thickness of said connection member.