Injection molding pressure relief and assist
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorKevin Lucka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An injection molding system and method of operating the system are disclosed. The system may include a hopper, a barrel configured to receive injection material from the hopper, a screw disposed within the barrel, and a mold defining a mold cavity configured to receive the injection material from the barrel. A pressure-balancing conduit may connect the mold cavity and a rear end of the barrel and be configured to allow air to flow from the mold cavity to the rear end of the barrel. A mold valve may be disposed between the pressure-balancing conduit and the mold cavity and a barrel valve may be disposed between the pressure-balancing conduit and the rear end of the barrel. The method may include opening the mold valve and injecting a material into the mold cavity from the barrel.
Claims20
An injection molding system comprising:
- a hopper;
- a barrel configured to receive injection material from the hopper;
- a screw disposed within the barrel;
- a mold defining a mold cavity configured to receive the injection material from the barrel;
- and
- a pressure-balancing conduit connecting the mold cavity and a rear end of the barrel and configured to allow air to flow from the mold cavity to the rear end of the barrel;
- wherein the pressure-balancing conduit is external to the barrel and the mold cavity.
A method of injection molding comprising:
- opening a mold valve connecting an injection mold cavity and a pressure-balancing conduit connecting the mold cavity and a rear end of an injection molding barrel to allow air to flow from the mold cavity to the rear end of the barrel;
- and
- injecting a material into the mold cavity from the barrel;
- wherein the pressure-balancing conduit is external to the barrel and the mold cavity.
An injection molding system comprising:
- a barrel configured to receive injection material;
- a screw disposed within the barrel;
- a mold defining a mold cavity configured to receive the injection material from the barrel;
- a pressure-balancing conduit external to the barrel and the mold cavity and fluidly connecting the mold cavity and a rear end of the barrel;
- and
- a mold valve disposed between the pressure-balancing conduit and the mold cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.