Masco Corporation

Lloyd Ramsey

Gerard Jay Bellasalma

Joon Taek Kim

A valve assembly for a molding system includes a plurality of sequentially activated valves. The valves suppress the initial surge of each individual fluid material component such that a proper quantity of each component is supplied to the mix head at the beginning of each cycle. Each of the valves includes a respective opening. The feed assembly continues to force fluid material against a first valve until the pressure is above a predetermine value. Once the pressure is above the predetermined value, the controller releases the pressure from an actuator associated with the first valve such that the valve opens. Fluid material can now flow through the valve assembly at a rate suppressed by the first valve. As the feed assembly continues to build toward it operational pressure, each remaining partially closed valve is opened in sequence. The restriction of one valve is thereby replaced by a lesser restriction. By opening the valves at a predetermined pressures the pressure buildup can be readily controlled.

Surge suppressor for a mixer head assembly

A low-pressure mold valve assembly includes a coupler to removably attach a mix head to a mold assembly in an assembly line environment. A first piston which is rectilinear in cross section is movable within the first flow passage along a first axis by an actuator. A second piston is movable along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis by a second actuator. After injection is complete, the second piston seals a mix chamber of the mix head while remnants of the matrix that remain in a flow passage are driven into the first flow passage by the piston. The first piston is then driven toward the mold port such that matrix remnants are further driven into the mold cavity. The coupler is thus cleared of remnants without flushing.

Flushless mold valve assembly

A lock assembly for a low pressure mold assembly includes a pin which extends from the first mold portion to be received into a female lock member. The female lock member includes a movable lock plate having a key-hole shaped opening. An actuator selectively moves the lock plate relative to the second mold portion between an unlocked and a locked position. In another embodiment, the lock assembly includes a female lock member mounted to the first mold portion and a male lock member mounted to the second mold portion. The female lock member includes a fixed bracket having a pair of parallel plates each having a substantially hook-shaped opening. The male lock member includes a linear actuator to drive an engagement member into and out of the hook-shaped opening to provide a locked and an unlocked position. A swing actuator drives the linear actuator through an arc such that the engagement portion of the linear actuator clears the female lock member to separate the mold portions.

Growing community of inventors

Winters, CA, United States of America

Lloyd Ramsey