High pressure mixing head and reactive component injection valve
AssigneeAdmiral Equipment Company
InventorsHubert Mayr, Shirley Leidal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A high pressure mixing head for mixing reactive components in reaction injection molding includes a mixing chamber discharging into a quieting chamber and an injection valve for injecting reactive component into the mixing chamber. Recirculation passages for the reactive component are provided in the mixing chamber and internally of the injection valve. The recirculation passage internally of the injection valve is selectably opened and closed as is the outlet from the injection valve into the mixing chamber. Both the injection valve outlet and the recirculation passage internally of the injection valve are selectably throttleable.
Claims36
A high pressure mixing head for mixing reactive components for reaction injection molding or reinforced reaction injection molding processes, comprising:
- A. A mixing head body, having
- 1. means defining a first bore, said first bore defining an elongated mixing chamber having first and second opposite ends and a longitudinal axis, said mixing chamber being closed at one end and having an outlet opening at the other end;
- 2. at least one inlet port to said bore, for introducing a reactive component into said mixing chamber by injection therethrough;
- 3. at least one outlet passage from said first bore, axially aligned with and axially spaced from said inlet port;
- 4. means defining a second bore, said second bore defining an elongated quieting chamber having a longitudinal axis, said quieting chamber communicating with, and extending approximately normal to, said mixing chamber at said outlet opening, said quieting chamber having a discharge end remote from said outlet opening;
- B. A first, metering plunger closely and slidably received in said first bore, mounted for reciprocal axial movement along the longitudinal axis of the mixing chamber between a retracted, injection position, wherein a mixture of said reactive components is formed in said mixing chamber, and an extended, recirculation position, wherein said plunger is advanced adjacent to said outlet opening to drive said mixture from said mixing chamber, said first, metering plunger having at least one axially extending by-pass channel, which provides fluid communication between said inlet port and said outlet passage when said first, metering plunger is in the recirculation position;
- C. A second, clean-out plunger closely and slidably received in said quieting chamber, mounted for reciprocal axial movement along the longitudinal axis of the quieting chamber between a retracted position, wherein said mixture of said reactive components flow into said quieting chamber from said outlet opening in said mixing chamber, and an extended, clean out position wherein said second plunger is advanced adjacent to said discharge end to drive said mixture from said quieting chamber;
- D. First motive means for reciprocably and selectably moving said first, metering plunger between its recirculation and injection positions;
- E. Second motive means for reciprocably and selectably moving said second, clean-out plunger between its retracted and clean-out positions;
- F. At least one reaction component injection valve means for injecting a reactive component through said inlet port into said mixing chamber, said injection valve means comprising:
- 1. A valve body;
- 2. injection nozzle means disposed in said body;
- 3. reactive component supply passage means disposed in said valve body, having intermittent fluid communication with said nozzle means;
- 4. first reciprocating means, disposed within said reactive component supply passage means in said valve body, selectably positionable to open, partially open or close said nozzle means, thereby varying the flow of reactive component through said supply passage means into and through said nozzle means, whereby the pour pressure of said component may be set;
- 5. reactive component recirculation passage means disposed in said valve body, having intermittent fluid communication with said supply passage means;
- 6. second reciprocating means, disposed within said recirculation passage means in said valve body, selectably positionable to open, partially open or close said recirculation passage means, thereby varying the flow of reactive component through said recirculation passage, whereby the recirculation pressure of said component may be set and recirculation effected internally to said valve.
A high pressure metering head for mixing reactive components comprising:
- a metering chamber communicating with a quieting chamber, a reactive component injection valve communicating with said metering chamber, a first plunger in said metering chamber movable between a retracted position in which reactive component is injectable into said metering chamber through said injection valve and an extended position in which material in said metering chamber is discharged into said quieting chamber, first recirculation passage means in said metering chamber and first plunger for recirculating reactive component injected into said metering chamber through said injection valve when said first plunger is in said extended position, first reciprocating means selectively movable between open and closed positions for selectively starting and stopping discharge of reactive component from said injection valve, and second recirculation passage means within said injection valve for recirculating reactive component when said first reciprocating means is in said closed position blocking discharge of reactive component from said injection valve into said metering chamber, whereby selective operation of said first reciprocating means provides selective use of only one or the other of said first and second recirculation passage means.
An injection valve including a nozzle having a nozzle outlet, first reciprocating means for selectively opening and closing said nozzle outlet, recirculation passage means in said valve for recirculating material therethrough when said nozzle outlet is closed, said recirculation passage means including an orifice axially spaced from and axially aligned with said nozzle outlet, a material supply chamber between said orifice and said nozzle outlet, and flow of material through said nozzle outlet from said supply chamber being in one axial direction when said nozzle outlet is open and said orifice is closed, and being in an opposite axial direction from said supply chamber through said orifice when said nozzle outlet is closed and said orifice is open.
A reaction component injection valve for high pressure mixing of reactive components for reaction injection molding or reinforced reaction injection molding processes, comprising:
- a. a valve body;
- b. injection nozzle means disposed in said body;
- c. reactive component supply passage means disposed in said body, having intermittent fluid communication with said nozzle means;
- d. first reciprocating means, disposed within said reactive component supply passage means in said body, selectably positionable to open, partially open or close said nozzle means, thereby varying the flow of reactive component through said supply passage means into and through said nozzle means, whereby the pour pressure of said component may be set;
- e. reactive component recirculation passage means disposed in said body, having intermittent fluid communication with said supply passage means;
- f. second reciprocating means, disposed within said recirculation passage means in said body, selectably positionable to open, partially open or close said recirculation passage means, thereby varying the flow of reactive component through said recirculation passage, whereby the recirculation pressure of said component may be set and recirculation effected internally to said valve;
- g. said injection nozzle means, said first reciprocating means and said second reciprocating means being coaxially disposed.
A reaction component injection valve for high pressure mixing of reactive components for reaction injection molding or reinforced reaction injection molding processes, comprising:
- a. a valve body;
- b. injection nozzle means disposed in said body;
- c. reactive component supply passage means disposed in said body, having intermittent fluid communication with said nozzle means;
- d. first reciprocating means, disposed within said reactive component supply passage means in said body, selectably positionable to open, partially open or close said nozzle means, thereby varying the flow of reactive component through said supply passage means into and through said nozzle means, whereby the pour pressure of said component may be set;
- e. reactive component recirculation passage means disposed in said body, having intermittent fluid communication with said supply passage means;
- f. second reciprocating means, disposed within said recirculation passage means in said body, selectably positionable to open, partially open or close said recirculation passage means, thereby varying the flow of reactive component through said recirculation passage, whereby the recirculation pressure of said component may be set and recirculation effected internally to said valve;
- g. said first and second reciprocating means being shuttle valves;
- and
- h. said first and second reciprocating means being coaxially disposed.
A reactive component injection valve for high pressure mixing of reactive components for reaction injection molding or reinforced reaction injection molding processes, comprising:
- a. a valve body;
- b. injection nozzle means disposed in said body;
- c. reactive component supply passage means disposed in said body, having intermittent fluid communication with said nozzle means;
- d. first reciprocating means, disposed within said reactive component supply passage means in said body, selectably positionable to open, partially open or close said nozzle means, thereby varying the flow of reactive component through said suppIy passage means into and through said nozzle means, whereby the pour pressure of said component may be set;
- e. reactive component recirculation passage means disposed in said body, having intermittent fluid communication with said supply passage means;
- f. second reciprocating means, disposed within said recirculation passage means in said body, selectably positionable to open, partially open or close said recirculation means, thereby varying the flow of reactive component through said recirculation passage, whereby the recirculation pressure of said component may be set and recirculation effected internally to said valve;
- and
- g. said first reciprocating means including a longitudinal bore therethrough, in which bore said second reciprocating means is disposed.
A reaction component injection valve for high pressure mixing of reactive components for reaction injection molding or reinforced reaction injection molding processes, comprising:
- a. a valve body;
- b. injection nozzle means disposed in said body;
- c. reactive component supply passage means disposed in said body, having intermittent fluid communication with said nozzle means;
- d. first reciprocating means, disposed within said reactive component supply passage means in said body, selectably positionable to open, partially open or close said nozzle means, thereby varying the flow of reactive component through said supply passage means into and through said nozzle means, whereby the pour pressure of said component may be set;
- e. reactive component recirculation passage means disposed in said body, having intermittent fluid communication with said supply passage means;
- f. second reciprocating means, disposed within said recirculation passage means in said body, selectably positionable to open, partially open or close said recirculation passage means, thereby varying the flow of reactive component through said recirculation passage, whereby the recirculation pressure of said component may be set and recirculation effected internally to said valve;
- g. said first and second reciprocating means being shuttle valves;
- and
- h. said first and second reciprocating means having substantially frustoconical surfaces disposed towards said nozzle means.
An injection valve including a nozzle having a nozzle outlet, first reciprocating means for selectively opening and closing said nozzle outlet, recirculation passage means in said valve for recirculating material therethrough when said nozzle outlet is closed, said recirculation passage means including an orifice, second reciprocating means for selectively opening and closing said orifice and said recirculation passage means, and said nozzle outlet, said orifice, said first reciprocating means and said second reciprocating means being coaxially disposed.
An injection valve including a nozzle having a nozzle outlet, a first shuttle valve for selectively opening and closing said nozzle outlet, recirculation passage means in said valve for recirculating material therethrough when said nozzle outlet is closed, a second shuttle valve for selectively opening and closing said recirculation passage means and said first and second shuttle valves having substantially frustoconical surfaces disposed towards said nozzle outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.