Flow stream channel splitter devices for multi-coinjection nozzle injection molding machines
AssigneeAmerican Can Company
InventorsFrederick G. Kudert, Maurice G. Latreille, William A. Tennant
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Polymer melt material flow stream splitter devices, including runner extensions, T-splitters and Y-splitters are provided, for splitting an incoming flow stream channel for each melt material, into first and second branched flow channels of equal length which communicate with sets of first and second branched exit ports, each set in an axially aligned, spaced pattern in different peripheral surface portions of the respective splitter devices.
Claims93
An elongated polymer stream flow channel splitter device for use in a runner block of a multi-coinjection nozzle, injection molding machine, comprised of
- a polymer flow stream entrance surface portion,
- a plurality of polymer flow stream exit surface portions,
- a plurality of spaced polymer stream flow channels extending through a portion of the device, and
- a plurality of spaced flow channel entrance ports positioned along the entrance surface portion and communicating with the flow channels, each of said flow channels having a portion which branches at a branch point within the device whereat the flow channel splits into first and second branched exit flow channels of substantially equal length and which communicate with and terminate at respective first and second exit ports each positioned in different exit surface portions, the plurality of first exit ports for the first branched exit flow channels and the plurality of second exit ports for the second branched exit flow channels is each arranged in its own respective axially-aligned spaced pattern of exit ports, for communication with corresponding polymer stream flow channel entrances in a runner block of the multi-coinjection nozzle, injection molding machine.
An elongated, polymer stream flow channel splitter device for a multi-coinjection nozzle, injection molding machine, said device having
- a rearward end,
- a forward end portion, and
- a plurality of spaced substantially axially bored polymer stream flow channels each having a branch point in said forward end portion, the flow channels being arranged in an overall pattern which, when viewed in vertical section through various vertical planes of the device, and by virtue of the redirection of the channels as they extend axially forward through the device, changes from a radial pattern at the rearward end of the device where each channel passes through a common vertical plane, to an axially-spaced pattern of branch points in said forward end portion where each branch point is located in a different vertical plane, and where at the branch point of each flow channel, the channel is split into first and second branched flow channels, each of which is bored at an angle relative to the flow channel from which it is split, is substantially equal in length, and communicates with and terminates at respective first and second exit ports in different portions of the periphery of the forward end portion, wherein each of the first exit ports is in a different vertical plane, each of the second exit ports is in a different vertical plane, and wherein the plurality of first exit ports for the first branched flow channels and the plurality of second exit ports for the second branched flow channels is each arranged in its own respective axially-aligned spaced final pattern of exit ports in the different peripheral surface portions of the device, for communication with and passage of polymer flow streams to corresponding polymer stream flow channel entrances in a runner block of the multi-coinjection nozzle, injection molding machine.
An elongated, polymer stream flow channel splitter device for a multi-coinjection nozzle, injection molding machine, said device having
- a rearward end,
- a forward end portion,
- a central polymer stream flow channel, and
- a plurality of other polymer stream flow channels, all of the flow channels being spaced from each other and being substantially axially bored through a portion of the device, the central flow channel having an axial portion, an axial end portion, and a branch point which splits the central flow channel into first and second central branched flow channels, each of the flow channels of said plurality of other flow channels having an axial portion, an axial end portion, a branch point which splits the flow channel into first and second branched flow channels, and a connecting channel portion connected between and communicating with an axial end portion and branch point, the connecting channel portion being connected to the axial end portion at a connecting point, the axial end portions, connecting points, connecting channel portions and branch points for all flow channels being located in said forward end portion of the device, all of the flow channels being arranged in an overall pattern which, when viewed in vertical section through various vertical planes of the device, and by virtue of the redirection of the flow channels as they extend axially forward through the device, changes from a radial pattern at the rearward end of the device where each channel passes through a common vertical plane, to an axially-spaced and substantially coplanar pattern of connecting points and connecting channel portions for said other flow channels, and an axially-spaced substantially coplanar pattern of branch points for all of the flow channels, all said axially-spaced patterns being located in said forward end portion, where the connecting point, connecting channel portion, and branch point for each flow channel is located in the same vertical plane, wherin each of said first and second branched flow channels split from the same axial flow channel is substantially equal in length and communicates with and terminates at respective first and second exit ports in different portions of the periphery of the forward end portion, wherein each first exit port is in a different vertical plane, each second exit port is in a different vertical plane, and wherein the plurality of first exit ports for the first branched flow channels and the plurality of second exit ports for the second branched flow channels is each arranged in its own respective axially-aligned spaced pattern of exit ports in different peripheral portions, for communication with and passage of polymer flow streams to corresponding polymer stream flow channel entrances in a runner block of a multi-coinjection nozzle, injection molding machine.
An elongated, polymer stream flow channel splitter device for a multi-coinjection nozzle, injection molding machine, said device having
- a rearward end,
- a forward end portion, and
- a plurality of spaced substantially aligned substantially axially-extending polymer stream flow channels bored through a portion of the device, the flow channels each having an axial portion, an axial end portion, a branch point which splits the flow channel into first and second branched flow channels, and a substantially vertical connecting channel portion connected between and communicating with an axial end portion and a branch point, the connecting channel portion being connected to the axial end portion at a connecting point, the axial end portions, connecting points, connecting channel portions and branch points for all flow channels being located in said forward end portion of the device, the flow channels being arranged in an overall pattern which, when viewed in vertical section through various vertical planes of the device, and by virtue of the redirection of the channels as they extend axially forward through the device, changes from an aligned pattern at the rearward end of the device where each channel passes through a common vertical plane, to an axially-spaced and vertically spaced pattern of connecting points, an axially-spaced pattern of connecting channels and an axially-spaced vertically-spaced pattern of branch points, all of said axially-spaced patterns being located in said forward end portion, where the connecting point, connecting channel portion and branch point for each axial flow channel is located in a different vertical plane relative to those for each of the other axial flow channels, wherein said first and second branched flow channels split from the same axial flow channel is substantially equal in length and communicates with and terminates at respective first and second exit ports in different portions of the periphery of the forward end portion, wherein the first and second exit ports for a flow channel are in the same vertical plane, and wherein the plurality of first exit ports for the first branched flow channels and the plurality of second exit ports for the second branched flow channels is each arranged in its own respective axially-aligned spaced pattern of exit ports in different peripheral portions, for communication with and passage of polymer flow streams to corresponding polymer flow stream flow channel entrances in a runner block of a multi-coinjection nozzle, injection molding machine.
A cylindrical polymer stream flow channel splitter device for a multi-coinjection nozzle, injection molding machine, comprised of
- a polymer stream entrance surface portion,
- a plurality of polymer flow stream exit surface portions,
- a plurality of spaced substantially radially and transaxially extending polymer stream flow channels bored through a portion of the device, and a plurality of spaced axially aligned flow channel entrance ports positioned along the entrance surface portion and communicating with the flow channels, each of said entrance ports being in a different vertical plane, each of said flow channels having a branch point within the device whereat the flow channel is split into first and second branched flow channels of substantially equal length and which communicate with and terminate at respective first and second exit ports positioned in different exit surface portions, wherein the plurality of first exit ports for the first branched flow channels and the plurality of second exit ports for the second branched flow channels is each arranged in its own respective pattern of spaced exit ports in different exit surface portions, for presentation to and communication with corresponding polymer stream flow channel entrances in a runner block of a multi-coinjection nozzle, injection molding machine.
Apparatus for simultaneously injection molding a plurality of multi-layered structures having at least two layers of different composition, said apparatus comprising a plurality of molding nozzles, one for each of said structures, a plurality of ducts, one for each of said layers, first splitting means connecting with each of said ducts for receiving a stream of molding material from each duct and dividing said stream into a plurality of branches, and second splitting means connecting with each of said branches for receiving a stream of molding material from each branch and dividing it into sub-branches, the angle between each branch and its associated duct, at any first splitting means, being substantially the same, the angle between each sub-branch and its associated branch at any second splitting means being substantially the same and the length of each branch between each first splitting means and the second splitting means connected thereto being equal, thereby to promote equal treatment of each moiety of the same molding material in its travel from its duct to each of said nozzles.
Apparatus for simultaneously injection molding a plurality of structures having a plurality of layers formed from streams of molding materials having compositions corresponding to the layers of said structure, said apparatus comprising a series of molding nozzles, a plurality of supply duct means corresponding to the layers of said structures and means connecting said supply duct means with said nozzles, said means comprising a series of branched channels extending from each of said supply duct means, the length and branch angles of the channels connecting with any one supply duct means being substantially equal, thereby to insure identical treatment of molding material being delivered to each of said molding nozzles.
Apparatus for simultaneously injection molding a plurality of structures each having a plurality of layers formed from streams of molding materials having compositions corresponding to the layers of said structure, said apparatus comprising a series of molding nozzles, a plurality of essentially parallel supply duct means for directing the flow of said molding materials and means connecting said nozzles with said duct means, said means comprising runner extension means for dividing the stream of molding material from each of said ducts and reorienting said divided streams for further division, said runner extension means comprising an elongated block having a plurality of primary channels each connecting to a supply duct means, said channels each having a portion extending generally axially of the block, each of said channels being of different lengths and connecting to a plurality of branches, said branches extending from said channel to the surface of the block, each of the branches extending from each channel being of the same length and making substantially the same angle with the channel to which it is connected.
A method for simultaneously injection molding by means of molding nozzles, a plurality of multi-layered structures, which comprises establishing a plurality of streams of molding material of compositions corresponding to the layers of said structure, for delivery to the molding nozzles, dividing each of said streams into a plurality of branches a plurality of times, the angle between each branch and the stream prior to branching, at any point of branching, being substantially the same for each branch, and the distance between points of branching after the first branching, being substantially the same for each branch, whereby each moiety of molding material in its travel to a molding nozzle follows a path substantially identical to the path of every other moiety of the same material.
A method for simultaneously injection molding multi-layered structures by means of molding nozzles which comprises establishing a plurality of substantially parallel streams of molding material of compositions corresponding to the layers of said structure, angularly directing each of said streams to first division points, splitting each of said streams at said first division points into two branches, each of the branches at any division point making substantially the same angle with the stream from which it originated as any other branch, conveying each of said branches to second division points, splitting each of said branches into two sub-branches, each of said sub-branches being at approximately a right angle to the branch from which it originated, conveying each of said sub-branches to third division points, splitting each of said sub-branches into two end lines, each of the end lines at a third division point making the same angle with the sub-branch from which it originated as any other end line, and conveying each of the end lines to a nozzle, to a nozzle feed block means located between the end line and the nozzle, or to a fourth division point, the length of each branch, sub-branch and end line for the molding material of a layer of the multi-layered structure being substantially the same as every other respective branch, sub-branch and end line for that material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.