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US 6,475,415 B1Granted
Preform post-mold cooling method and apparatus
AssigneeHusky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
InventorsWitold Neter, Faisal Oueslati, Tiemo Brand, Gordon Elliott, Richard Unterlander, Gheorghe Olaru
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for injection molding and cooling molded articles such as preforms so as to avoid crystallinity. The apparatus and method make use of a take-off plate for removing articles from a mold, which plate may include heat transfer devices for cooling exterior surfaces of the molded articles or preforms, and a system for cooling in a controlled manner interior surfaces of the molded articles or preforms.
Claims59
A method for cooling a molded article, comprising the steps of:
- removing a molded article from a mold while said article retains an amount of heat;
- directing a flow of cooling fluid toward an interior region of said molded article;
- said directing step comprising creating an annular flow of Cooling fluid in the region of a dome portion of said molded article;
- sensing the temperature of said molded article;
- and
- adjusting the flow of said cooling fluid into the interior of said molded article in response to said sensed temperature.
3 more elements
A method for cooling molded articles, comprising the steps of:
- forming a plurality of molded articles in a mold;
- removing said molded articles from said mold using a take-off device having receptacles for said molded articles:
- directing a flow of cooling fluid toward an interior region of each of said molded articles;
- said directing step comprising creating an annular flow of said cooling fluid in the region of a dome portion of each said molded article;
- and
- said directing step further comprising directing the cooling fluid into the interiors of said molded articles at a first rate of flow during a first portion of a cooling cycle and at a second rate of flow during a second portion of said cooling cycle.
3 more elements
A method for cooling a molded article, comprising the steps of:
- removing a molded article from a mold while said article retains an amount of heat;
- directing a flow of cooling fluid toward an interior region of said molded article where crystallization may occur so as to substantially prevent any crystallization in said interior region;
- said directing step comprising inserting a cooling pin within the interior of said molded article and positioning said cooling in with respect to an interior surface of said molded article so as to create an annular flow of cooling fluid within said interior which impinges on said interior surface of said molded article when said cooling fluid is expelled through said cooling pin;
- and
- said directing step further comprising directing the cooling fluid into the interior of said molded article at a first rate of flow during a first portion of a cooling cycle and at a second rate of flow during a second portion of said cooling cycle.
2 more elements
An apparatus for cooling a molded article which comprises:
- means for removing a molded article from a mold while said article retains an amount of heat;
- means for directing a flow of cooling fluid toward an interior region of said molded article;
- said directing means comprising means for creating an annular flow of cooling fluid in the region of a dome portion of said molded article;
- means for sensing the temperature of the molded article in said means for removing;
- and
- means for controlling the amount of fluid supplied to said means for directing in response to the sensed temperature of said molded article.
3 more elements
An apparatus for cooling a molded article, comprising:
- means for removing a molded article from a mold while said article retains an amount of heat;
- means for directing a flow of cooling fluid toward an interior region of said molded article where crystallization may occur so as to substantially prevent any crystallization in said interior region;
- said directing means comprising a cooling pin inserted within said molded article and positioned with respect to a surface of said interior region so as to create an annular flow of cooling fluid within said interior region when said cooling fluid is expelled from a rip portion of said cooling pin;
- means for sensing the temperature of said molded article;
- and
- means for adjusting the flow of said cooling fluid into the interior of said molded article in response to said sensed temperature.
3 more elements
An apparatus for cooling a molded article, comprising:
- a take-off device for removing a molded article from a mold while said article retains an amount of heat, said take-off device withdrawing said molded article from between mold halves of said mold;
- a cooling pin which is inserted into said molded article after said take-off device has withdrawn said molded article from between said mold halves of said mold;
- said cooling pin having an internal passageway terminating in an outlet nozzle in a tip portion of said cooling pin;
- said internal passageway and said outlet nozzle being aligned along an axis coincident with a central axis of said molded article;
- said internal passageway being connected to a source of cooling fluid;
- and
- said cooling pin being positioned within said molded article so that an annular flow of said cooling fluid is created and impinges directly on a dome portion of said molded article, said cooling fluid being directed into the interior of said molded article at a first rate of flow during a first portion of a cooling cycle and at a second rate of flow during a second portion of said cooling cycle.
4 more elements
An apparatus for cooling a plurality of molded articles, comprising:
- a take-off device for removing a plurality of molded articles from a mold while said articles retain an amount of heat, said take-off device withdrawing said molded articles from between mold halves of said mold;
- a plurality of cooling pins mounted to a support;
- each of said cooling pins having an internal passageway terminating in an outlet nozzle in a tip portion thereof;
- each of said cooling pins being inserted into one of said molded articles after said take-off device has withdrawn said molded articles from between said mold halves of said mold;
- each of said cooling pins having its internal passageway and outlet nozzle aligned along an axis coincident with a central axis of the molded article in which it has been inserted;
- each of said cooling pins being positioned within said molded article so that an annular flow of cooling fluid expelled through said outlet nozzle is created which impinges on a dome portion of said molded article;
- a sensor which senses the temperature of said molded article;
- and
- structure that adjusts the flow of said cooling fluid into the interior of said molded article in response to said sensed temperature.
6 more elements
A method for cooling a molded article, comprising the steps of:
- removing a molded article from a mold while said article retains an amount of heat;
- directing a flow of cooling fluid toward an interior region of said molded article where crystallization occurs so as to substantially prevent crystallization in said interior region;
- said directing step comprising creating an annular flow of cooling fluid in the region where said crystallization occurs and causing said annular flow to impinge upon an interior surface of said molded article in said region in an amount sufficient to substantially prevent said crystallization;
- and
- said directing step further comprising directing the cooling fluid into the interior of said molded article at a first rate of flow during a first portion of a cooling cycle and at a second rate of flow during a second portion of said cooling cycle.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.