US 5,114,327 AGranted

Rapid cooling apparatus for an injection molding machine

OwnerJames T. Williamson, Michael A. Carterinventors

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Abstract

Rapid cooling of molded workpieces formed in an injection molding machine such as PET parisons is provided by a receiver receiving molded workpieces upon ejection from the molding machine, the receiver being transported out of the molding machine to an adjacent position where a cooling head coupled to a source of cooling fluid such as liquid CO.sub.2 directs the fluid toward the surfaces of each workpiece. The cooling head engages and is sealed to the receiver to inhibit the escape of cooling fluid into the atmosphere thereby reducing cost, environmental impact, etc. A sensor coupled to a control of the cooling fluid source permits the release of cooling fluid from said source to contact the workpieces only when the cooling head is engaged with and sealed to the receiver. A vacuum unit withdraws cooling fluid from the receiver subsequent to contact between the workpieces and the cooling fluid. The cooling fluid is then recooled and recycled for reuse.

Claims12

Dependent claims

Apparatus for use with an injection molding machine, the injection molding machine having a core unit and a cavity unit for rapidly cooling a set of molded workpieces, the apparatus comprising:

receiver means for receiving said molded workpieces upon ejection from said molding machine;
transporter means coupled to the receiver means for transporting the receiver means relative to said molding machine between a first position within said injection molding machine and a second position adjacent to said injection molding machine;
a source of cooling fluid and directing means for directing the cooling fluid toward a surface of each workpiece in the receiver means;
moving means coupled to the directing means for moving the directing means relative to the receiver means between an engaged position where the directing means and receiver means are engaged with each other and a disengaged position where the directing means and receiver means are spaced from each other by a minimum selected distance;
sealing means for sealing the directing means to the receiver means to restrict any escape of cooling fluid while the directing means and receiver means are engaged with each other;
control means coupled to the source of cooling fluid and responsive to the relative position of the receiver means and the directing means for releasing cooling fluid from said source only when the directing means is engaged with the receiver means at the engaged position;
and
vacuum means coupled to the receiver means for withdrawing cooling fluid from the receiver means subsequent to contact between the workpieces and the cooling fluid.

5 more elements

Apparatus for use with an injection molding machine, the injection molding machine having a core unit and a cavity unit for rapidly cooling a set of molded parisons, each parison including a support ring, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver frame and a plurality of chamber elements fixed to the frame for receiving said molded parisons upon ejection from said molding machine, each chamber element having an inside surface configured to generally mirror an outside surface of one of said parisons and a shoulder for engaging said parison support ring to retain the parison in spaced-apart relation from the chamber element inside surface;
a transporter coupled to the receiver frame for transporting the receiver frame relative to said molding machine between a first position within said injection molding machine and a second position adjacent to said injection molding machine;
a cooling head, a source of cooling fluid coupled to the cooling head, and a plurality of stem elements fixed to the cooling head, each stem element having an outside surface configured to generally mirror an inside surface of one of said parisons including an aperature for directing cooling fluid toward the parison inside surface, and a seal surrounding the stems for sealing the cooling head to the receiver frame to restrict any escape of cooling fluid;
a moving mechanism coupled to the cooling head for moving the cooling head relative to the receiver frame between an engaged position where the cooling head and receiver frame are engaged with each other and a disengaged position where the cooling head and receiver frame are spaced from each other by a minimum selected distance, and a discharge element coupled to the receiver frame for discharging the parisons from the receiver frame subsequent to cooling of the parisons by the cooling fluid;
a sensor for sensing the relative position of the receiver frame and the cooling head, and a valve coupled to the source of cooling fluid and the sensor for permitting flow of the cooling fluid through the cooling head toward said parisons only when the receiver frame and the cooling head are contiguous to each other;
and
a fluid chiller and a pump connected to the fluid chiller and the receiver frame for pumping cooling fluid from the receiver frame through the fluid chiller for re-cooling the cooling fluid to a preselected temperature subsequent to contact between the parisons and the cooling fluid, the pump being connected to the source of cooling fluid for recycling the cooling fluid for subsequent use.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/646,071Filed 25 Jan 1991
Granted: 19 May 1992
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B29C 45/7207
Heating or cooling: of the moulded articles
B29C 35/16
Heating, cooling or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanising; Apparatus therefor: cooling
B29C 37/0007
Discharging moulded articles from the mould: using means operable from outside the mould for moving between mould parts, e.g. robots
B29C 45/4225
Using means movable from outside the mould between mould parts , e.g. robots: take-off members or carriers for the moulded articles, e.g. grippers