Valve gate assembly
AssigneePlastic Engineering & Technical Services, Inc.
InventorsPatrick A. Tooman, Bruce Casey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve gate assembly for regulating a flow of molten material into a mold. The valve gate assembly includes a movable valve that can move between a fully closed position and a fully open position. The valve gate assembly further includes an actuating system operatively cooperating with the valve to move the valve and infinitely position the valve between the fully closed position and the fully open position.
Claims27
A valve gate assembly for regulating a flow of molten material into a mold comprising:
- a movable valve that can move between a fully closed position and a fully open position;
- and
- an actuating system including an actuator operatively attached to said valve and an encoder operatively attached to said valve, said actuating system operatively cooperating with said valve to move said valve and infinitely position said valve between the fully closed position and the fully open position.
A valve gate assembly for regulating a flow of molten material into a mold comprising:
- a movable pin that can move between a fully closed position and a fully open position;
- an actuator operatively attached to said pin for moving said pin and infinitely positioning said pin between the fully closed position and the fully open position;
- an encoder operatively attached to said pin;
- a sensing device spaced from said encoder for detecting a position of said encoder and translating the position of said encoder into an encoder signal;
- and
- a controller electrically connected to said actuator and said sensing device for receiving the encoder signal, translating the encoder signal into a control signal, and sending the control signal to said actuator, the control signal causing said actuator to move said pin and position said pin between the fully closed position and the fully open position.
A valve gate assembly for regulating a flow of molten material into a mold comprising:
- a movable pin that can move between a fully closed position and a fully open position;
- an actuator operatively attached to said pin for moving said pin and infinitely positioning said pin between the fully closed position and the fully open position;
- said actuator comprising a core connected to said pin, at least one permanent magnet disposed about said core, and at least one electromagnet disposed about said permanent magnet for moving said pin;
- an encoder operatively attached to said pin;
- a sensing device spaced from said encoder for detecting a position of said encoder and translating the position of said encoder into an encoder signal;
- and
- a controller electrically connected to said actuator and said sensing device for receiving the encoder signal, translating the encoder signal into a control signal, and sending the control signal to said actuator, the control signal causing said actuator to move said pin and infinitely position said pin between the fully closed position and the fully open position.
A valve gate assembly for regulating a flow of molten material into a mold comprising:
- a movable pin that can move between a fully closed position and a fully open position;
- an actuator operatively attached to said pin for moving said pin and infinitely positioning said pin between the fully closed position and the fully open position;
- said actuator comprising a core attached to said pin, a ball screw disposed about said core, a rotatable nut threadably engaged with said screw, and at least one electromagnet disposed about said nut and being operable to rotate said nut for moving said pin;
- an encoder operatively attached to said pin;
- a sensing device spaced from said encoder for detecting a position of said encoder and translating the position of said encoder into an encoder signal;
- and
- a controller electrically connected to said actuator and said sensing device for receiving the encoder signal, translating the encoder signal into a control signal, and sending the control signal to said actuator, the control signal causing said actuator to move said pin and infinitely position said pin between the fully closed position and the fully open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.