The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 07, 1995
Filed:
Apr. 07, 1993
Timothy I Mahoney, Ridgecrest, CA (US);
Kirk E Newman, Yorktown, VA (US);
James A Gusack, Williamsburg, VA (US);
George J Sallade, Springville, IN (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
Apparatus for injection molding highly viscous materials in which incoming high-viscosity material flows through a supply conduit (24) and is divided into strands by splitter plates (58) as it flows into an evacuated chamber (52) and is degassed. When the chamber is full, the supply of high-viscosity material is interrupted and the chamber (52) is rotated to an injecting station while another chamber (54) swings to the degassing station for filling. At the injecting station, a piston (100) is lowered to engage the high-viscosity material in the first chamber (52), and a mold table is rotated to register a mold with a vacuum shroud (128') and the mold is lifted into the shroud. The piston (100) is further lowered in controlled increments to inject a quantity of high-viscosity material sufficient to fill a mold, then stop in place while the filled mold is removed and empty molds are sequentially inserted for filling. When the chamber has insufficient high-viscosity material remaining to fill another mold, the piston is retracted and the chamber (52) is rotated back to the degassing station while the filled chamber (54) swings to the injecting station for another cycle of loading additional molds. Flow passages for the high-viscosity material, which has a viscosity of at least about 8 kilopoise, have a minimum orifice diameter of at least about 0.5 inch. Flow stagnation and clogging of the high-viscosity material are avoided. Operations such as degassing and injecting can be separately controlled. High driving forces are avoided. Rapid, effective degassing, and enhanced production, are achieved.