Variable dimension cooling chamber

A cooling assembly for use in receiving molded plastic articles having an outer surface of substantially fixed geometry from an injection molding machine comprising

• an frame unit including connections to a source of fluid coolant and to a source of vacuum,
• at plurality of sleeves fixed to the frame unit, the number and position of sleeves being equal to the number of the hollow plastic articles which are released at one time by the molding machine,
• an insert, situated within each sleeve, the insert having an inner surface defining a cooling chamber for receiving a molded article, each insert having an outer surface confronting a corresponding body inner surface to define a volume for receiving fluid coolant, and
• at least one connection between said volume and a source of fluid coolant for filling the volume with the fluid coolant,
• the insert including at least one movable portion having a biasing means, the movable portion movable between a first position defining a first cooling chamber size and a second position defining a second cooling chamber size larger than the first cooling chamber size, whereby the insert is disposed in conforming contact with said molded article outer surface to enhance heat transfer between the molded article and the fluid coolant across the insert when the movable portion is disposed in the second position, the biasing means biasing the movable portion to return to the first position upon removal of the molded article from the insert.

A storage receiver coupled adjacent to a molding machine for cooling molded articles manufactured in sets by the molding machine, the molded articles having an outer surface of substantially fixed geometry, the storage receiver comprising a base, a body coupled to the base including at least two sets of cooling chambers for cooling the molded plastic articles while they are being stored by the storage receiver, each set of cooling chambers being equal in number to the number of plastic articles released at one time by the injection molding machine, each cooling chamber comprising a body inner surface, an insert situated within each body inner surface, each insert having an insert inner surface defining a cooling chamber for receiving a molded article, each insert having an outer surface confronting a corresponding body inner surface to define a volume for receiving fluid coolant, and at least one connection between said volume and a source of fluid coolant for filling the volume with the fluid coolant, the insert including at least one movable portion having a biasing means, the movable portion movable between a first position defining a first cooling chamber size and a second position defining a second cooling chamber size larger than the first cooling chamber size, whereby the insert is disposed in conforming contact with said molded article outer surface to enhance heat transfer between the molded article and the fluid coolant across the insert when the movable portion is disposed in the second position, the biasing means biasing the movable portion to return to the first position upon removal of the molded article from the insert.

A cooling assembly for cooling a molded article having an outer surface of known geometry, the cooling assembly comprising:

• a base including connections to a source of fluid coolant and to a source of vacuum,
• at least one sleeve fixed to the base,
• an insert, situated within each sleeve, the insert having an outer surface defining within the sleeve a fluid coolant path coupled to the source of fluid coolant, the insert having an interior surface matching, but slightly larger than, a portion of the molded article outer surface, and an open end permitting insertion of the molded article within the insert,
• a spool situated within each sleeve having an outer surface defining within the sleeve a restricted path coupled to the source of vacuum, the spool being movable upon contact by a surface of the molded article from a first position restricting the vacuum access to a second position enhancing the vacuum access so that the spool and the interior surface of the insert are disposed in conforming contact with the molded article outer surface to enhance heat transfer between the molded article and fluid coolant across the insert and the spool when the spool is disposed in the second position, and
• a biasing element biasing the spool toward the first position so that vacuum access is restricted in the absence of a molded article within the insert.