Detection and removal system for reducing cycle time of an injection molding apparatus

An injection molding machine comprising:

• a platen;
• a mold attached to said platen, said mold comprising at least one core pin extending perpendicular to a surface of said mold, said core pin having a longitudinal axis;
• a radiation emitting element adjacent said mold and positioned to emit a radiation beam adjacent said at least one core pin and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said at least one core pin;
• a radiation receiving element adjacent said mold and positioned directly opposite said radiation emitting element to receive the radiation beam emitted from said radiation emitting element;
• a machine controller connected to said radiation emitting and radiation receiving elements, said controller providing power and control signals to said emitting and receiving elements, said machine controller being configured to receive a sensing signal from said radiation receiving element;
• and
• a take-out controller connected to said radiation receiving element and configured to receive the sensing signal from said radiation receiving element, said take-out controller being configured to provide a command signal to a take-out plate when it is determined that no molded parts or portions of molded parts remain on said at least one core pin.

An apparatus for detecting the presence of an article on a mold core pin of an injection molding machine comprising:

• a radiation emitting element position adjacent said mold core pin to emit radiation proximate to said mold core pin and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said mold core pin;
• a radiation receiving element spaced apart from said radiation emitting element and positioned to receive the emitted radiation;
• a machine controller connected to said radiation emitting element and to said radiation receiving element, said machine controller being configured to provide power and control signals to said radiation emitting and receiving elements, said machine controller being configured to receive a sensing signal from said radiation receiving element;
• and
• a take-out controller connected to said radiation receiving element and configured to receive the sensing signal from said radiation receiving element, said take-out controller being configured to provide a take-out signal to a take-out plate when radiation received by said receiving element indicates that said article has been removed from a predetermined portion of said mold core pin.

A method of reducing the injection cycle time of an injection molding machine comprising the steps of:

• positioning a radiation transmitting element to transmit radiation adjacent a mold core pin and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said mold core pin;
• positioning a receiving element at a position spaced apart from said radiation transmitting element;
• determining that an article is not present on said mold core pin when the transmitted radiation is received by said radiation receiving element;
• transmitting a sensing signal from said radiation receiving element to both a machine controller and a take-out controller in response to the transmitted radiation being received by said radiation receiving element;
• and
• causing a take-out plate to move from a mold area in response to said take-out controller receiving the sensing signal.

An apparatus for removing a molded article from a mold of an injection molding machine comprising:

• a plate having at least first and second surfaces;
• at least one vacuum passage extending through said plate between the first and second surfaces, each said passage including a port on the first and second surfaces;
• at least one hollow receiving member attached to the second surface of said plate, wherein each said hollow member has two openings and one opening surrounds a vacuum passage port;
• a vacuum pressure source in fluid communication with each said port on the first surface of said plate;
• and
• a vacuum relief valve in fluid communication with each said port on the first surface of said plate, for varying vacuum pressure applied to the molded part from a first pressure to a second, lower pressure after the molded article begins to be removed from the mold.

An apparatus for removing an article from the mold of an injection molding machine comprising:

• a plate;
• a hollow tube attached to a first surface of said plate, said hollow tube having a hollow central portion for receiving said article from said mold;
• means for generating a vacuum pressure within said hollow tube, wherein the vacuum pressure develops a force urging said article from said mold toward said hollow central portion;
• vacuum pressure sensing means for sensing a magnitude of the vacuum pressure within said hollow tube and generating a control signal if the vacuum pressure reaches a first predetermined magnitude;
• and
• relief valve means for receiving the control signal from said sensing means and reducing the magnitude of the vacuum pressure to a second, lower magnitude after the article begins to be removed from the mold.

A method of removing a molded article from a mold of an injection molding machine comprising:

• connecting a vacuum pressure source to a receiving means for receiving said molded article, wherein said vacuum pressure source generates a vacuum pressure magnitude within said receiving means;
• moving said receiving means adjacent said molded article, such that the vacuum pressure within said receiving means draws said molded article into said receiving means;
• sensing the vacuum pressure magnitude within said receiving means;
• and
• reducing the vacuum pressure magnitude within said receiving means from a first magnitude to a second, lower magnitude after the molded article begins to be removed from the mold.

An injection molding machine comprising:

• a platen;
• a mold attached to said platen, said mold comprising at least one core pin;
• clamping means for applying a clamping load to said mold;
• injection means for injecting molten material into said mold;
• radiation emitting means positioned adjacent said mold for emitting radiation adjacent said at least one core pin;
• radiation receiving means positioned adjacent said mold for receiving the radiation emitted from said radiation emitting means;
• machine controller means for controlling operation of said clamping means and said injection means, said machine controller means further providing power and control signals to said radiation emitting and receiving means, said machine controller means receiving a sensing signal from said radiation receiving means;
• a movable take-out plate;
• a take-out controller means for controlling said movable take-out plate, said takeout controller receiving the sensing signal from said radiation receiving means and providing a take-out signal to move said take-out plate out of a mold area when the emitted radiation is received by said receiving means;
• a hollow tube attached to a first surface of said take-out plate, said hollow tube having a hollow central portion for receiving an article from said mold;
• means for moving said take-out plate such that the first surface of said take-out plate is adjacent the surface of said mold;
• means for generating a vacuum pressure within said hollow tube, wherein said vacuum pressure develops a force urging said article from said mold toward said hollow central portion;
• vacuum pressure sensing means for sensing a magnitude of the vacuum pressure within said hollow tube and generating a control signal if the vacuum pressure reaches a first predetermined magnitude;
• and
• relief valve means for receiving the control signal from said sensing means and reducing the magnitude of the vacuum pressure to a second, lower magnitude after the article begins to be removed from the mold.