Sliding edge gate for a hot runner mold
AssigneeHusky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
InventorJacek Kalemba
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a substantially flat article, such as a smart card, having at least one substantially flat edge. The apparatus includes a mold for forming the substantially flat article, which mold includes an inlet gate for allowing molten plastic material to flow into a cavity space defined by the mold. The apparatus further includes a source of molten plastic material, a passageway communicating with the inlet gate and the source of molten plastic material, and a blade or pin for pushing residual plastic material in the passageway into the cavity space formed so as to form a side edge for the substantially flat article having substantially no gate vestige. A method for manufacturing the substantially flat article is also described.
Claims24
A method for manufacturing a substantially flat article having at least one substantially flat edge comprising the steps of:
- providing a mold for forming said substantially flat article having said at least one substantially flat edge, said mold including a mold cavity space formed at least in part by a mold cavity and an edge gate for allowing molten plastic material to flow into said cavity space;
- attaching an insert to said mold so that a passageway aligned with said edge gate is formed by said insert and a portion of said mold cavity plate;
- providing a source of molten plastic material having a hot runner assembly with an outlet which communicates with said passageway;
- creating a flow of hot molten plastic material from said source to said edge gate;
- substantially filling said cavity space with said hot molten plastic material;
- stopping flow of said molten plastic material into said passageway;
- providing a pushing device within said passageway which is aligned with said edge gate;
- and
- moving said pushing device towards said edge gate until a tip of said pushing device forms a portion of a side wall of said cavity space so as to push any residual plastic material into said cavity space and form an article having a substantially vestige free side wall.
An apparatus for manufacturing a substantially flat article having at least one substantially flat edge, said apparatus comprising:
- a mold for forming a substantially flat article having at least one said substantially flat edge;
- said mold including a cavity space and an inlet gate for allowing molten plastic material to flow into said mold;
- said mold being formed in part by a mold cavity;
- an insert attached to said mold and forming a passageway with a portion of said mold cavity;
- a source of molten plastic material communicating with said inlet gate via said passageway, said molten plastic material source comprising a hot runner assembly for feeding hot molten plastic material into said passageway;
- and
- a device for pushing any residual plastic material within said passageway into said cavity space so as to form a side edge for said substantially flat article having substantially no gate vestige, said pushing device being aligned with said inlet gate.
An apparatus for manufacturing a substantially flat article comprising:
- a mold cavity for forming a substantially flat article with at least one substantially flat side edge;
- said mold cavity having an edge gate for allowing molten plastic material to flow into the mold cavity;
- an insert attached to said mold cavity and forming a passageway with a portion of said mold cavity;
- a source of molten plastic material communicating with said edge gate, said molten plastic material source comprising a hot runner assembly for feeding hot molten plastic material into said passageway;
- and
- a device for pushing any residual plastic material created by operation of said molten plastic material source into said mold cavity via said edge gate so as to form a respective side edge for said substantially flat article having substantially no gate vestige requiring a subsequent smoothing operation, said pushing device being disposed within said passageway and being aligned with said edge gate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.