US 6,312,628 B1 · Mold temperature control

Abstract

A method and system for controlling the temperature of a fluid cooled high temperature injection mold having fluid channels formed therein. A high temperature injection mold has an operating temperature above the boiling point of water. A flow of either elevated pressure or low pressure cooling water is passed through the fluid channels in the high temperature injection mold for a limited duration during the molding cycle to thereby reduce the temperature of the injection mold to a desired level. Elevated pressure cooling water is elevated to a pressure level such that the cooling water will remain in a liquid state while passing through the fluid channels. Low pressure cooling water is at a pressure level such that the cooling water enters the fluid channels in a liquid state and transitions to a vapor state within the fluid channels. The cooling water may be provided to the high temperature injection mold in a closed loop system, wherein cooling water which is treated to remove contaminants therefrom is stored in a cooling water supply tank. Used high temperature cooling water emerging from the fluid channels of the high temperature injection mold is preferably mixed with lower temperature cooling water from the cooling water supply tank before being returned to the cooling water supply tank. Elevated or low pressure cooling water may be passed through some fluid channels in an injection mold while high temperature heating water is passed simultaneously through other fluid channels in the same mold.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for controlling the temperature of a fluid cooled high temperature injection mold having fluid channels formed therein, comprising the steps of:

(a) injecting a molten material into the mold to thereby raise the temperature of the mold at the fluid channels to above the boiling point of water at normal atmospheric pressure;
(b) passing a flow of cooling water from a cooling water supply tank through the fluid channels in the high temperature injection mold for a limited duration during a molding cycle and at an elevated pressure level such that the cooling water remains in a liquid state while passing through the fluid channels to thereby reduce the temperature of the injection mold;
(c) mixing used high temperature cooling water emerging from the fluid channels of the high temperature injection mold with cooling water from the cooling water supply tank;
and
(d) returning the mixed cooling water to the cooling water supply tank.

2 more elements

A method for controlling the temperature of a fluid cooled high temperature injection mold having fluid channels formed therein, comprising the steps of:

(a) injecting a molten material into the mold to thereby raise the temperature of the mold to above the boiling point of water at normal atmospheric pressure;
(b) passing a flow of cooling water from a cooling water supply tank through the fluid channels in the high temperature injection mold for a limited duration during a molding cycle and at a pressure level such that the cooling water enters the fluid channels in a liquid state and transitions to a vapor state within the fluid channels to thereby reduce the temperature of the injection mold;
(c) mixing used high temperature cooling water emerging from the fluid channels of the high temperature injection mold with cooling water from the cooling water supply tank;
and
(d) returning the mixed cooling water to the cooling water supply tank.

2 more elements

A method for controlling the temperature of a fluid cooled injection mold having first and second mold parts, wherein the first and second mold parts have fluid channels formed therein, comprising the step of:

passing a flow of cooling water from a supply of low temperature cooling water through the fluid channels in a one of the first and second mold parts for a limited duration during a first portion of a molding cycle while simultaneously passing a flow of heating water from a supply of high temperature heating water through the fluid channels in an other of the first and second mold parts for a limited duration during the first portion of the molding cycle.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mold temperature control

Life of this patent

Mold temperature control

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18