Patent ID: 6152721
Filing Date: 2000-11-28
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
An injection molding machine comprising:a mold having at least two mold cavities, each said mold cavity having a respective shooting pot for charging with an injectable material into the respective mold cavity, each said shooting pot having an injection plunger for expressing said material from said shooting pot into its respective mold cavity;a clamp unit for clamping the mold, said clamp unit including a stationary platen and a movable platen disposed on opposite sides of said mold;an injection unit for supplying said material to said shooting pots;a shooting pot actuator exterior to said clamping unit and extending through one of said platens, said shooting pot actuator including a pusher for each shooting pot, each pusher having (i) a retracted position limiting rearward movement of said injection plunger as said each shooting pot is charged, and (ii) movable to a second position to advance said injection plunger and express a metered amount of material from said each shooting pot;a linear position sensor operably attached to a control system, for detecting the position of said actuator; anda drive means responsive to said control system and operable to separately move the actuator pushers between said retracted and second positions,wherein said injection molding machine includes at least four shooting pots grouped in at least first and second sets of at least two shooting pots each, and wherein said actuator includes corresponding first and second groups of pushers for each said set and said drive means is operable to independently move each group between said retracted and second positions.