Injection molding apparatus

In combination, a multiple nozzle thermosetting injection molding machine and a mold;

• said thermosetting injection molding machine comprising an injector chamber, a distribution platen, a heating platen, and a plurality of distribution nozzles;
• said injector chamber and distribution platen and heating platen and mold being disposed along a longitudinal axis, said distribution platen being disposed between said injector chamber and said heating platen, and said heating platen, and said heating platen being disposed between said distribution platen and said mold;
• said injector chamber being adapted to be filled with a thermosetting material having a predetermined curing temperature, said injector chamber having a piston for pressurizing thermosetting material in said injector chamber;
• said mold having a plurality of mold clusters, said mold clusters being spaced from one another, each of said mold clusters including a plurality of separate mold cavities and a runner extending between said mold cavities;
• said distribution platen being a generally flat plate having a first side facing said injector chamber and a second side facing said mold and two pairs of opposite peripheral edge portions facing outwardly away from said longitudinal axis, a supply chamber extending from said first side of said distribution platen into said distribution platen, said supply chamber being adjacent said injector chamber and being constructed and arranged to receive thermosetting material from said injector chamber;
• said distribution platen further including a first distribution chamber extending between one of said two pairs of opposite edge portions, a second distribution chamber extending between the other of said two pairs of opposite edge portions, each of said distribution chambers intersecting said supply chamber to receive thermosetting material from said supply chamber, four nozzle bores extending from said second side of said distribution platen with two of said nozzle bores intersecting each of said first and second distribution chambers, said nozzle bores each being disposed between said supply chamber and one of said edge portions, all of said nozzle bores being equidistant from said supply chamber, one of said distribution nozzles being in each of said nozzle bores for receiving thermosetting material from its associated one of said first and second distribution chambers, said distribution nozzles each having a nozzle chamber extending from said distribution chamber toward said mold for carrying thermosetting material from said distribution chamber to a single one of said mold clusters;
• said heating platen having a generally flat plate having heating means providing a source of heat;
• said nozzle chambers each extending through said heating platen from said distribution platen toward said mold;
• first temperature control means maintaining the temperature of said first and second distribution chambers below said predetermined curing temperature;
• second temperature control means maintaining the temperature of a major portion of each of said nozzle chambers below said predetermined curing temperature;
• third temperature control means including said heating platen maintaining the temperature of said mold cavities at a temperature of at least said curing temperature under normal operating conditions.

In combination, a multiple nozzle thermosetting injection molding machine and a mold;

• said thermosetting injection molding machine comprising an injector chamber, a distribution platen, at least two distribution nozzles, and a heating platen;
• said injector chamber and distribution platen and mold being disposed along a longitudinal axis with said distribution platen being disposed between said injector chamber and said mold;
• said injector chamber being adapted to be filled with a thermosetting material having a predetermined curing temperature;
• said distribution platen being a generally flat plate having a first side facing said injector chamber and a second side facing said mold, a supply chamber extending from said first side of said distribution platen in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis into said distribution platen, said longitudinal supply chamber being adjacent said injector chamber and being constructed and arranged to receive thermosetting material from said injector chamber;
• said distribution platen further including a distribution chamber extending in a direction away from said longitudinal axis through said distribution platen and intersecting said supply chamber to receive thermosetting material from said supply chamber, a nozzle bore in said distribution platen on each side of said supply chamber, said nozzle bores each extending in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis from said second side of said distribution platen through said distribution chamber, one of said distribution nozzles being in each of said nozzle bores for receiving thermosetting material from said distribution chamber, said distribution nozzles each having a nozzle chamber extending in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis from said distribution chamber toward said mold for carrying thermosetting material from said distribution chamber to said mold;
• first temperature control means maintaining the temperature of said distribution chamber below said predetermined curing temperature;
• second temperature control means maintaining the temperature of at least a major portion of each of said nozzle chambers below said predetermined curing temperature;
• third temperature control means maintaining the temperature of said mold at a temperature of at least said predetermined curing temperature;
• said heating platen being a generally flat plate disposed along said longitudinal axis between said mold and said distribution platen, said heating platen including heating means providing a source of heat, said third temperature control means including said heating platen, said distribution nozzles extending through said heating platen toward said mold;
• said distribution platen further including a liquid media flow passage extending through said distribution platen substantially coextensively with said distribution chamber for maintaining said distribution chamber at a temperature below said predetermined curing temperature, said first temperature control means including said liquid media flow passage;
• each of said distribution nozzles including a generally cylindrical core and a generally cylindrical jacket, said core including said nozzle chamber, said core having a first portion disposed within said distribution platen and a second portion disposed within said heating platen, said jacket being concentrically disposed on the outer peripheral surface of said core, said jacket engaging said outer peripheral surface of said second portion of said core, said jacket including a head portion extending into said distribution platen nozzle bore, said heat portion having a predetermined area engaging said distribution platen, said predetermined area being sufficient to transfer enough heat from said jacket through said distribution platen to said liquid media flow passage to maintain the temperature of at least a major portion of said nozzle chamber in said heating platen nozzle bore below said curing temperature, said second temperature control means including said jacket.

In combination, a multiple nozzle thermosetting injection molding machine and a mold;

• said thermosetting injection molding machine having a longitudinal axis and comprising an injector chamber, a distribution platen, a heating platen, and at least two distribution nozzles;
• said injector chamber being adapted to be filled with a thermosetting material having a predetermined curing temperature;
• each of said distribution nozzles having a nozzle chamber extending in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis from said distribution platen through said heating platen toward said mold to carry thermosetting material from said injector chamber to said mold;
• first temperature control means maintaining the temperature of said injector chamber below said predetermined curing temperature;
• second temperature control means maintaining the temperature of at least a portion of each of said nozzle chambers below said predetermined curing temperature;
• third temperature control means maintaining the temperature of said mold at a temperature of at least said predetermined curing temperature;
• said heating platen being a generally flat plate disposed along said longitudinal axis between said mold and said distribution platen, said heating platen including heating means providing a source of heat, said third temperature control means including said heating means;
• each of said distribution nozzles including a generally cylindrical core and a generally cylindrical jacket, said core including said nozzle chamber, said core having a portion disposed within said heating platen, said jacket being concentrically disposed on the outer peripheral surface of said portion of said core, said jacket engaging said outer peripheral surface of said portion of said core, said jacket having a predetermined area engaging said distribution platen to transfer heat from said jacket to said distribution platen to maintain the temperature of at least a portion of said nozzle chamber below said curing temperature, said second temperature control means including said jacket.

In combination, a multiple nozzle thermosetting injection molding machine and a mold;

• said thermosetting injection molding machine having a longitudinal axis and comprising an injector chamber, a distribution platen, a heating platen, and at least two distribution nozzles;
• said injector chamber being adapted to be filled with a thermosetting material having a predetermined curing temperature;
• each of said distribution nozzles having a nozzle chamber extending in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis from said distribution platen through said heating platen toward said mold to carry thermosetting material from said injector chamber to said mold;
• first temperature control means maintaining the temperature of said injector chamber below said predetermined curing temperature;
• second temperature control means maintaining the temperature of at least a portion of each of said nozzle chambers below said predetermined curing temperature;
• third temperature control means maintaining the temperature of said mold at a temperature of at least said predetermined curing temperature;
• said heating platen being a generally flat plate disposed along said longitudinal axis between said mold and said distribution platen, said heating platen including heating means providing a source of heat, said third temperature control means including said heating means;
• each of said distribution nozzles including a generally cylindrical core and a generally cylindrical jacket, said core including said nozzle chamber, said core having a portion disposed within said heating platen, said jacket being concentrically disposed on the outer peripheral surface of said portion of said core, said jacket engaging said outer peripheral surface of said portion of said core, said jacket having a predetermined area engaging said distribution platen to transfer heat from said jacket to said distribution platen to maintain the temperature of at least a portion of said nozzle chamber below said curing temperature, said second temperature control means including said jacket, said core and said jacket each having a predetermined coefficient of thermal conductivity, said coefficient of said jacket being substantially greater than said coefficient of said core.

In combination, a multiple nozzle thermosetting injection molding machine and a mold;

• said thermosetting injection molding machine comprising an injector chamber, a distribution platen, a heating platen and at least two distribution nozzles;
• said injector chamber and distribution platen and heating platen and mold being disposed along a longitudinal axis, said distribution platen being disposed between said injector chamber and said heating platen, and said heating platen being disposed between said distribution platen and said mold;
• said injector chamber being adapted to be filled with a thermosetting material having a predetermined curing temperature;
• said distribution platen being a generally flat plate having a first side facing said injector chamber and a second side facing said heating platen, a supply chamber extending from said first side of said distribution platen into said distribution platen, said supply chamber being adjacent said injector chamber and being constructed and arranged to receive thermosetting material from said injector chamber;
• each of said distribution nozzles being constructed and arranged to carry thermosetting from said supply chamber to said mold;
• said heating platen being a generally flat plate having heating means providing a source of heat;
• said distribution nozzles each extending through said heating platen from said distribution platen toward said mold;
• first temperature control means maintaining the temperature of said distribution platen below said predetermined curing temperature;
• second temperature control means maintaining the temperature of a portion of each of said distribution nozzles below said predetermined curing temperature;
• third temperature control means including said heating means maintaining the temperature of said mold at a temperature of at least said predetermined curing temperature;
• each of said distribution nozzles including a generally cylindrical core and a generally cylindrical jacket, said core including a nozzle chamber extending from said distribution platen toward said mold to carry said thermosetting material from said distribution platen to said mold, said core having a first portion disposed within said distribution platen and a second portion disposed within said heating platen, said jacket being concentrically disposed on the outer peripheral surface of said second portion of said core, said jacket engaging said outer peripheral surface of said second portion of said core, said jacket having a predetermined area engaging said distribution platen to transfer heat from said jacket to said distribution platen to maintain the temperature of at least a portion of said nozzle chamber below said curing temperature, said second temperature control means including said jacket.

In combination, a multiple nozzle thermosetting injection molding machine and a mold;

• said thermosetting injection molding machine comprising an injector chamber, a distribution platen, a heating platen, and at least two distribution nozzles;
• said injector chamber and distribution platen and mold being disposed along a longitudinal axis with said distribution platen being disposed between said injector chamber and said mold;
• said injector chamber being adapted to be filled with a thermosetting material having a predetermined curing temperature;
• said distribution platen being a generally flat plate having a first side facing said injector chamber and a second side facing said mold, a supply chamber extending from said first side of said distribution platen in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis into said distribution platen, said supply chamber being adjacent said injector chamber and being constructed and arranged to receive thermosetting material from said injector chamber;
• at least two nozzle bores extending from said second side of said distribution platen into said distribution platen, one of said distribution nozzles being in each of said nozzle bores, each of said distribution nozzles extending from said distribution platen toward said mold to carry said thermosetting material from said supply chamber to said mold;
• first temperature control means maintaining the temperature of a portion of said distribution platen below said predetermined curing temperature;
• second temperature control means maintaining the temperature of at least a portion of each of said distribution nozzles below said predetermined curing temperature;
• third temperature control means maintaining the temperature of said mold at a temperature of at least said predetermined curing temperature under normal operating conditions;
• said heating platen being a generally flat plate disposed along said longitudinal axis between said mold and said distribution platen, said heating platen including heating means providing a source of heat, said third temperature control means including said heating platen, at least two nozzle bores extending through said heating platen in alignment with said distribution platen nozzle bores, said distribution nozzles extending through said heating platen toward said mold;
• each of said distribution nozzles including a generally cylindrical core and a generally cylindrical jacket, said core including a nozzle chamber extending from said distribution platen toward said mold to carry thermosetting material from said distribution platen to said mold, said core having a first portion disposed within said distribution platen nozzle bore and a second portion disposed within said heating platen nozzle bore, said jacket being concentrically disposed on the outer peripheral surface of said second portion of said core, said jacket engaging said outer peripheral surface of said second portion of said core, said jacket having a predetermined area engaging said distribution platen to transfer heat from said jacket to said distribution platen to maintain the temperature of at least a portion of said nozzle chamber below said curing temperature, said jacket having a substantially greater coefficient of thermal conductivity than said core.