Cincinnati Milacron Inc.

Ronald A Hertzer

Harold J Faig

Van Kent Joyner

Edward A Chorey

Jeffrey A Chappell

M Jay Moore

Movable platen for an injection molding machine

A method and apparatus for automatically setting the die height platen on a toggle-operated injection molding machine to achieve a desired mold clamping force. A control is provided and contains information relating a desired clamp tonnage with a toggle crosshead displacement, in order to permit setting the die height platen for a particular set of molds so that the clamp, when operated, will automatically provide the desired clamping force between the mold members. The adjustment is provided by moving the die height platen in response to deviations from a predetermined set of conditions, the die height platen being moved by an hydraulic motor and chain drive to shift the die height platen along guide rods that extend between the die height platen and a stationary mold platen.

Method of setting and maintaining a desired mold clamping force

A hydraulic injection molding machine incorporates a pump driven by a variable speed motor preferably of the brushless DC type. The machine controller outputs driving signals to adjust the speed of the motor so that the flow delivered by the pump substantially matches the hydraulic demand imposed during each phase of the machine operating cycle. The pump is preferably a variable displacement type and is connected to a fast responding pump control for selectively carrying out pressure compensation or flow compensation. The values of the motor driving signals are calculated so that the motor/pump combination is operated at or near maximum efficiency except when the pump control varies the displacement of the pump to effect pressure or flow compensation. Hydraulic transient response is further improved by connecting the output of the pump to an accumulator by way of a check valve.

Energy-conserving injection molding machine

An improved computer controlled hydraulic system for a conventional toggle-operated plastic injection molding machine comprising an injection assembly and a mold clamping assembly. The hydraulic system includes a first low volume pump and a second high volume pump connected between a reservoir of hydraulic fluid and a pressure and flow control manifold. The output of the pressure and flow control manifold is connected to an injection control manifold, in turn conected to and operating the instrumentalities of the injection assembly. The output of the pressure and flow control manifold is also connected to a clamping control manifold, in turn connected to and operating the cylinder of the clamping assembly. An isolation manifold is connected between the pressure and flow control manifold and the clamping control manifold. A third low volume pump is connected between the reservoir and the isolation manifold. The isolation manifold is also connected to the reservoir. When unactuated, the isolation manifold connects the output of the pressure and flow control manifold directly to the clamping control manifold and recirculates the third pump to reservoir, when the machine is to perform sequential cycles such as conventional injection molding or conventional coining. When actuated, the isolation manifold disconnects the clamping manifold from the pressure and flow control manifold and connects the third pump to the clamping control manifold, enabling the machine to perform a coining cycle with individual and simultaneous clamping and injection control, and precise and repeatable position and speed control of the coining step.

Growing community of inventors

Milford, OH, United States of America

Ronald A Hertzer