Post-mold cooling method and apparatus
AssigneeHusky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
InventorWitold Neter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an innovative cooling pin for cooling molded articles, a system which incorporates same, and a method for cooling a molded article which utilizes the cooling pin. The cooling pin of the present invention has a central pin structure with a head portion, a cooling fluid channel within the central pin structure terminating in an outlet in the head portion, and a plurality of fins positioned along the length of the central pin structure. Adjacent ones of the fins are preferably separated by a spacer. Each of the fins is preferably formed from a flexible material such as a flexible plastic material. The fins force and maintain cooling fluid introduced into the interior of the molded article in close proximity to the interior surfaces of the molded article.
Claims40
A method for cooling a molded article comprising:
- positioning said molded article within a receptacle;
- providing a cooling pin with a central pin structure, a cooling fluid channel with an outlet in said central pin structure, and a plurality of fins positioned along said central pin structure;
- introducing said cooling pin within an interior of said molded article;
- and
- introducing a cooling fluid into the interior of said molded article via said cooling fluid channel and said outlet and forcing and maintaining said cooling fluid in close proximity to interior surfaces of said molded article with said fins.
A method for cooling a plurality of molded articles comprising:
- removing a plurality of molded articles from a mold using a carrier and transporting said molded articles to a cooling position;
- providing a frame having a plurality of cooling pins mounted thereto with each of said cooling pins having a central pin structure, a cooling fluid channel with an outlet in said central pin structure, and a plurality of flexible fins positioned along the central pin structure;
- introducing said cooling pins into the interiors of said molded articles by moving said frame relative to said carrier;
- and
- cooling the interiors of said molded articles by introducing a cooling fluid into the interior of each molded article via the cooling fluid channel and outlet of a respective cooling pin and forcing and maintaining the cooling fluid in close proximity to interior surfaces of the molded article with said flexible fins.
A cooling pin for cooling a molded article, which cooling pin comprises:
- a central pin structure terminating in a head portion;
- a fluid channel in said central pin structure terminating in an cutlet in said head portion for causing a cooling fluid to be introduced into the interior of the molded article;
- and
- a plurality of fins positioned along said central pin structure for causing cooling fluid flowing in said molded article to be in close proximity to interior surfaces of the molded article.
A system for cooling molded articles comprising:
- a carrier for removing at least one molded article from a mold and for transporting said at least one molded article to a cooling position;
- and
- at least one cooling pin for insertion into the interior of said at least one molded article, said at least one cooling pin having a central pin structure and a plurality of fins positioned about an exterior surface of said central pin structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.