Insert molding apparatus and insert molding method

An insert molding apparatus for molding a product having an insert embedded therein, the insert molding apparatus comprising:

• a die drive means;
• a die arrangement that is driven by the die drive means to open and close the die arrangement and includes a plurality of die bodies, wherein:
• at least two of the plurality of die bodies are engageable with one another through a die closing drive operation of the die arrangement by the die drive means and are disengageable from one another through a die opening drive operation of the die arrangement by the die drive means;
• and
• the at least two of the plurality of die bodies cooperate together to define a die cavity for receiving the insert and for molding the product when the at least two of the plurality of die bodies are engaged with one another;
• and
• a supply means for supplying the insert into the die cavity in advance of injection of a molding material into the die cavity after initiation of the die closing drive operation of the die arrangement, wherein;
• one of the plurality of die bodies other than the at least two of the plurality of die bodies is a first die body;
• one of the at least two of the plurality of die bodies is a second die body;
• the first die body and the second die body are engageable with each other through the die closing drive operation of the die arrangement and are disengageable from each other through the die opening drive operation of the die arrangement;
• the supply means includes:
• a through hole, which extends through the second die body in a relative moving direction of the first die body relative to the second die body and communicates between the die cavity and a die engaging surface of the second die body, which engages a die engaging surface of the first die body upon the die closing drive operation of the die arrangement;
• and
• a pusher, which protrudes from the die engaging surface of the first die body toward the second die body and ureas the insert fed into the through hole of the second die body to the die cavity in the die closing drive operation of the die arrangement;
• the supply means further includes a feed means for automatically feeding the insert to the through hole of the second die body;
• the insert is one of a plurality of inserts fed in the insert molding apparatus;
• the feed means includes:
• a holding means for holding the plurality of inserts in such a manner that the inserts are aligned one after another;
• and
• a guide means for guiding an end one of the plurality of aligned inserts to a feed position in the through hole of the second die body;
• the holding means includes a receiving hole, which receives the plurality of inserts in such a manner that the inserts are aligned generally in a vertical direction;
• and
• the guide means includes a movable body, which has a recess on a top of the movable body for receiving the end one of the plurality of aligned inserts and is reciprocably movable generally in a horizontal direction, which is generally perpendicular to the vertical direction and is also generally perpendicular to the relative moving direction of the first die body, to place the recess between the feed position and a position, which is immediately below the receiving hole.

An insert molding apparatus for molding a product having an insert embedded therein, the insert molding apparatus comprising:

• a die drive means;
• a die arrangement that is driven by the die drive means to open and close the die arrangement and includes a plurality of die bodies, wherein:
• at least two of the plurality of die bodies are engageable with one another through a die closing drive operation of the die arrangement by the die drive means and are disengageable from one another through a die opening drive operation of the die arrangement by the die drive means;
• and
• the at least two of the plurality of die bodies cooperate together to define a die cavity for receiving the insert and for molding the product when the at least two of the plurality of die bodies are engaged with one another;
• and
• a supply means for supplying the insert into the die cavity in advance of injection of a molding material into the die cavity after initiation of the die closing drive operation of the die arrangement, wherein;
• one of the plurality of die bodies other than the at least two of the plurality of die bodies is a first die body;
• one of the at least two of the plurality of die bodies is a second die body;
• the first die body and the second die body are engageable with each other through the die closing drive operation of the die arrangement and are disengageable from each other through the die opening drive operation of the die arrangement;
• the supply means includes:
• a through hole, which extends through the second die body in a relative moving direction of the first die body relative to the second die body and communicates between the die cavity and a die engaging surface of the second die body, which engages a die engaging surface of the first die body upon the die closing drive operation of the die arrangement;
• and
• a pusher, which protrudes from the die engaging surface of the first die body toward the second die body and urges the insert fed into the through hole of the second die body to the die cavity in the die closing drive operation of the die arrangement;
• the supply means further includes a feed means for automatically feeding the insert to the through hole of the second die body;
• the insert is one of a plurality of inserts fed in the insert molding apparatus;
• the feed means includes:
• a holding means for holding the plurality of inserts in such a manner that the inserts are aligned one after another;
• and
• a guide means for guiding an end one of the plurality of aligned inserts to a feed position in the through hole of the second die body;
• the holding means includes a receiving hole, which receives the plurality of inserts in such a manner that the inserts are aligned generally in a vertical direction;
• the guide means includes a rotatable body, which has a recess on an outer peripheral side of the rotatable body for receiving the end one of the plurality of aligned inserts;
• and
• the rotatable body is intermittently rotatable about a generally horizontally extending rotational axis to place the recess between the feed position and a position, which is immediately below the receiving hole.

An insert molding method for molding a product having an insert embedded therein, the insert molding method comprising:

• supplying the insert into a die cavity of a die arrangement after initiation of a die closing drive operation of the die arrangement;
• and
• injecting a molding material into the die cavity after completion of the die closing drive operation of the die arrangement, wherein the supplying of the insert into the die cavity includes:
• urging a first type insert element of the insert by a first urging means, so that the first type insert element is positioned in the die cavity;
• and
• urging a second type insert element of the insert by a second urging means, so that a journal portion of the second type insert element is inserted into a hole of the first type insert element previously positioned in the die cavity by the first urging means.

An insert molding method for molding a product having an insert embedded therein, the insert molding method comprising:

• supplying the insert into a die cavity of a die arrangement after initiation of a die closing drive operation of the die arrangement;
• and
• injecting a molding material into the die cavity after completion of the die closing drive operation of the die arrangement, wherein the supplying of the insert into the die cavity includes:
• urging a second type insert element of the insert by a second urging means, so that the second type insert element is positioned in the die cavity;
• and
• urging a first type insert element of the insert by a first urging means, so that a hole of the first type insert element receives a journal portion of the second type insert element previously positioned in the die cavity by the second urging means.