Patent ID: 8348657
Filing Date: 2013-01-08
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
1. A tonnage regulating structure for use in a mold of a molding machine to perform the function of absorbing and re-distributing a portion of a clamp force, the mold being associated with an opening clearance between mold faces in a mold closed and clamped configuration, the opening clearance being a distance between a cavity side mold face and a core side mold face, the tonnage regulating structure comprising: a body having a first height in a resting configuration, the first height selected to be larger than the opening clearance between the mold faces in a mold closed and clamped configuration; the body including a compensating structure, the compensating structure for regulating, in use under applied clamp tonnage, the body to a second height, the second height being smaller than the first height; wherein said compensating structure comprises a plurality of cut-out portions defined in the body, the plurality of cut-out portions is spaced along a height of the body such as to provide a degree of resiliency to the body.