Mold clamping apparatus, injection molding machine and injection molding method

A mold clamping apparatus comprising:

• a fixed platen fixed to a base,
• a movable platen arranged, being opposed to said fixed platen, to be movable forward and backward,
• a plurality of tie bars making said fixed platen and movable platen linkable to each other,
• a mold clamping means causing a tensile force to act on said tie bars to clamp together a mold comprising a fixed mold fitted to said fixed platen and a movable mold fitted to said movable platen and
• a side pusher comprising a quadrangular frame formed by two vertical members forming a mold right side and left side pair and upper and lower two horizontal members, said vertical members having their respective end portions pin-jointed with respective end portions of said horizontal members, said frame being arranged surrounding said plurality of tie bars with a small gap being maintained between said frame and said plurality of tie bars, a moving and positioning means linking said frame to said fixed platen or movable platen and moving said frame to be positioned at a predetermined position and a lateral clamping means provided on each of said two vertical members to push a side face of said fixed mold or movable mold.