Injection molding apparatus

Provided is an injection molding apparatus including a first mold and a second mold, an ejector plate provided on the first mold to reciprocate and configured to eject an injection molded object between the first mold and the second mold, and a sensor device having a moving sensor detachably attached to the ejector plate, and configured to detect a position of the ejector plate, wherein the sensor device is detachably attached to the first mold and the ejector plate by a magnetic force.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a 371 National Stage of International Application No. PCT/KR2018/014650, filed Nov. 26, 2018, which claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0021991, filed Feb. 23, 2018, the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

The disclosure relates to an injection molding apparatus, and more specifically, to an injection molding apparatus with an improved mounting structure.

2. Description of Related Art

In general, an injection molding apparatus refers to an apparatus that is designed to inject a molten resin into a cavity formed in a mold to manufacture an injection object corresponding to the cavity.

The mold includes upper and lower cores provided to be coupled to each other and forming a cavity therebetween that corresponds a shape of an injection object to be manufactured, and an injection device for injecting a molten resin into the cavity.

The injection molding apparatus is provided with an injection object ejecting member to separate a molded injection object from the injection mold. Over the injection molding processes, the injection object ejecting member makes a reciprocating motion, and in order to detect the original position of the injection object ejecting member, a sensor device may be provided. However, since the sensor device needs to be installed on each injection molding apparatus to be operated, the time and cost are additionally incurred for sensor device installation. In addition, when the sensor device is not installed or incorrectly installed, the injection molding apparatus may have malfunction or failure, resulting in a lot of time and cost for recovery.

SUMMARY

Therefore, it is an object of the disclosure to provide an injection molding apparatus having a sensor device with an improved mounting structure.

It is another object of the disclosure to provide an injection molding apparatus for preventing the malfunction of an ejector plate.

According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an injection molding apparatus including: a first mold and a second mold; an ejector plate provided on the first mold to reciprocate and configured to eject an injection molded object between the first mold and the second mold; and a sensor device having a moving sensor detachably attached to the ejector plate, and configured to detect a position of the ejector plate.

The moving sensor may be detachably attached to the ejector plate by a magnetic force.

The sensor device may include a fixed sensor located on the first mold to detect the moving sensor, and detachably attached to the ejector plate.

The sensor device may include a mounting device allowing the fixed sensor and the moving sensor to be detachably attached to the first mold and the ejector plate, respectively.

The mounting device may include: a mounting bracket fixedly disposed on the fixed sensor and the moving sensor; and a mounting magnet coupled to the mounting bracket, the mounting magnet allowing the fixed sensor and the moving sensor to be detachably attached to the first mold and the ejector plate, respectively.

When an attractive force of the mounting magnet is released, the moving sensor and the fixed sensor movable may be allowed to move.

The mounting bracket may include: a bracket body; and a mounting groove formed on one surface of the bracket body facing a contact target surface of the first mold or the ejector plate, the mounting groove into which the mounting magnet is inserted.

The mounting device may include a first mounting bracket and a second mounting bracket fixed to the fixed sensor and the moving sensor, and the fixed sensor may include: a first fixed sensor body fixed to the first mounting bracket and a second fixed sensor body protruding from the first fixed sensor body toward the ejector plate; and a first sensor located on a lower surface of the second fixed sensor body.

The moving sensor may include: a moving sensor body fixed to the second mounting bracket; and a second sensor located on an upper surface of the moving sensor body, configured to be detected by the first sensor.

The ejector plate may move between a standby position and a separation position to which the ejector plate is moved from the standby position to press the molded object to thereby separate the molded object from the first mold, and the first sensor and the second sensor may be provided to face each other on the standby position.

The first mold may include: a core forming one surface of a cavity configured to form an injection object; a stand supporting the core; and a base spaced apart from the stand to form an accommodation space that allows the ejector plate to be movable, wherein the fixed sensor may be provided to be located on the base.

The mounting device may include a mounting magnet having one surface come into contact with a lower surface of the fixed sensor and an other surface come into contact with a contact target surface of the first mold or the ejector plate.

The mounting device may include: a mounting bracket including an insertion space and a cover covering the insertion space, and fixedly disposed on the sensor device; and a mounting magnet disposed in the insertion space, the mounting magnet disposed to be hidden by the cover without being exposed to an outside.

The mounting device may include an adhesive.

As is apparent from the above, the mounting structure of the sensor device is improved, so that the efficiency of the injection molding operation can be enhanced.

The efficiency of the injection molding operation is enhanced, so that the productivity can be improved.

The time required for installation of the injection molding apparatus is reduced, so that the operating time of the injection molding apparatus can be increased.

One sensor device can be applied to injection molding apparatuses of various shapes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments set forth herein and illustrated in the configuration of the present disclosure are only the most preferred embodiments and are not representative of the full the technical spirit of the present disclosure, so it should be understood that they may be replaced with various equivalents and modifications at the time of the disclosure.

Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals refer to parts or components having like features.

The terms including ordinal numbers like “first” and “second” may be used to explain various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are only for the purpose of distinguishing a component from another. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the disclosure. Descriptions shall be understood as to include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items when the items are described by using the conjunctive term “˜ and/or ˜,” or the like.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG.1is a front view illustrating an injection molding apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure,FIG.2is a cross-sectional view illustrating an injection molding apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure,FIG.3is a front view illustrating an injection molding apparatus in a mold opening process according to an embodiment of the disclosure,FIG.4is a cross-sectional view illustrating an injection molding apparatus in a mold opening process according to an embodiment of the disclosure,FIG.5is a front view an injection molding apparatus in an ejecting process according to an embodiment of the disclosure, andFIG.6is a cross-sectional view illustrating an injection molding apparatus in an ejecting process according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

An injection molding apparatus1may include first and second molds10and50. The injection molding apparatus1may injection-mold a molded object through the first and second molds10and50.

The first mold10may be provided as a moving-side mold that is provided to be movable. The second mold50may be provided as a fixed-side mold restrained in position. However, the arrangement of the first and second molds10and50is not limited.

The first mold10includes a first core12, a first mold plate14located at a periphery of the first core12to accommodate the first core12, and a support plate16supporting the first core12and the first mold plate14. In addition, the first mold10may include a first base20and a space block18located between the base plate16and the first base20to support the base plate16.

The first mold10has an accommodating portion19in which an ejecting device30is movably accommodated. The accommodating portion19may be located between the base plate16and the first base20and may be formed by the space block18.

The ejecting device30may include an ejector plate32. The ejector plate32may be configured to reciprocate in the accommodating portion19. The ejecting device30may include an ejector pin34provided on the ejector plate32so as to make contact with an injection object. One end of the ejector pin34is fixed to the ejector plate32, and the other end of the ejector pin34is configured to press a molded object during an ejecting process of the injection molding apparatus1to separate the molded object from the first mold10. The ejector pin34may be provided in plural.

The second mold50includes a second core52, a second mold plate54located at the periphery of the second core52to accommodate the second core52, and a second base60supporting the second core52and the second mold plate54.

The first core12and the second core52may be provided at opposite positions. One of the first core12and the second core52may be movably provided. In the present embodiment, the first mold10is movably provided, and thus the first core12is movably provided.

The first core12and the second core52may be coupled to each other to form a cavity having a shape corresponding to that of an injection object to be manufactured. The first core12and the second core52may include a first molding surface12aand a second molding surface52a, respectively, that form the cavity.

The injection molding apparatus1may include an injection device70. The injection device70is configured to inject a molten resin into the cavity. The injection device70may be installed on the second mold50and configured to inject a molten resin into the cavity.

With such a configuration, the injection molding apparatus1produces an injection object through processes, including mold closing, injection, cooling, mold opening, and ejecting. The mold closing is a process of allowing the first mold14to come into close contact with the second mold54, and the injection is a process of injecting a molten resin into the cavity through the injection device70. The cooling is a process of cooling the molten resin injected into the cavity, and the mold opening is a process of separating the first mold plate14from the second mold plate54. The ejecting is a process of separating the injection object from the mold by moving the ejecting device30to separate the injection object away from the cavity13.

FIG.7is a perspective view illustrating a sensor device of an injection molding apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure,FIG.8is an exploded perspective view illustrating a sensor device of an injection molding apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure, andFIG.9is a cross-sectional view illustrating an injection molding apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

The injection molding apparatus1may include a sensor device80. The sensor device80is configured to detect the movement of the ejector plate32in the process of ejecting the injection object. The ejector plate32may move from a standby position30aand a separation position30bto which the ejector plate32is moved from the standby position30ato press the molded object to separate the molded object from the first mold10.

The sensor device80may include a fixed sensor82disposed on the first mold10and a moving sensor86disposed on the ejector plate32.

The fixed sensor82may include a fixed sensor body84and a first sensor85. The fixed sensor body84may be located on the first mold10. The fixed sensor body84may be configured to support the first sensor85. In addition, the fixed sensor body84may include a first fixed body84aand a second fixed body84bthat is bent from the first fixed body84aand protrudes toward the ejector plate32. The first sensor85may be located on a lower surface of the second fixed body84b.

The fixed sensor82may include a fixed sensor base83coupled to a mounting device90, which will be described below. The first fixed body84amay be configured to protrude from the fixed sensor base83. The fixed sensor base83is configured to have a cross-sectional area larger than that of the fixed sensor body84such that the fixed sensor82is stably mounted on the first mold10. With the large area of the fixed sensor base83and the mounting device90, an installation space of a fixed magnet97may be provided to be large, so that the fixed sensor82may be stably installed on the first mold10.

The moving sensor86may include a moving sensor body88and a second sensor89.

The moving sensor body88may be located on the ejector plate32. The moving sensor body88may be configured to support the second sensor89. The second sensor89may be located on an upper surface of the moving sensor body88. With such a configuration, when the ejector plate32is in the standby position30a, the first and second sensors85and89may be configured to face each other. In the process of the ejector plate32moving between the standby position30aand the separation position30b, the first and second sensors85and89detect the distance between each other to determine whether the ejector plate32has returned to the original position. The first and second sensors85and89may be provided as a contact type. When provided as a non-contact type, the first and second sensors85and89may employ a magnetic sensor.

The moving sensor86may include a moving sensor base87coupled to the mounting device90, which will be described below. The moving sensor body88may be configured to protrude from the moving sensor base87. The moving sensor base87is configured to have a cross-sectional area larger than that of the moving sensor body88such that the moving sensor86is stably mounted on the ejector plate32. With the large area of the moving sensor base87and the mounting device90, an installation space of a moving magnet98is provided to be large, so that the moving sensor86may be stably installed on the ejector plate32.

The sensor device80may include the mounting device90. Whenever the injection molding apparatus1is installed or dismantled, the sensor device80needs to be installed or dismantled together with the injection molding apparatus1, which may reduce the operating time of the injection molding apparatus1in proportion to the added installation time. In addition, when the sensor device80is not mounted, the injection molding apparatus1may have a failure or shortened life in association with malfunction of the ejector plate32. The mounting device90is configured such that the sensor device80is attached to and detached from a mold by a magnetic force, thereby facilitating installation and removal of the sensor device80. As a result, the time required for installing the sensor device80on the mold may be reduced, and an additional configuration, such as a coupling hole for mounting or installing the sensor device80to the injection molding apparatus1, may be omitted

The mounting device90includes a fixed mounting device90afor mounting the fixed sensor82to the first mold10and a moving mounting device90bfor mounting the moving sensor86to the ejector plate32. The mounting device90may be configured such that the sensor device80is detachable from each of the first mold10and the ejector plate32.

The mounting device90may include a mounting magnet96such that the sensor device80is easily separated from and mounted to the first mold10and the ejector plate32. The mounting device90may be configured to be detachable from the first mold10and the ejector plate32by the mounting magnet96. That is, through the magnetic force of the mounting magnet96, the fixed sensor82is attached to the first mold10, and the moving sensor86is attached to the ejector plate32. In the present embodiment, the mounting device90is illustrated as being configured to separate or mount the sensor device80using the magnetic force of the mounting magnet96. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the mounting device90may include an adhesive. The adhesive may include a double-sided tape.

The mounting device90may include a mounting bracket92. The mounting bracket92is configured such that the mounting magnet96is fixed to the fixed sensor82and the moving sensor86. The mounting bracket92may include a fixed bracket93fixed to the fixed sensor82and a moving bracket94fixed to the moving sensor86. The fixed bracket93and the moving bracket94may be screwed to the fixed sensor82and the moving sensor86, respectively. However, the method of coupling the fixed sensor82, the moving sensor86, and the mounting bracket92is not limited thereto. The mounting bracket92may be variously configured as long as it can fix the mounting magnet96to the fixed sensor82and the moving sensor86.

The fixed bracket93is illustrated as being coupled to the fixed sensor base83, but is not limited thereto. For example, the fixed bracket93may be directly coupled to the fixed sensor body84without the configuration of the fixed sensor base83. In addition, the moving bracket94is illustrated as being coupled to the moving sensor base87, but is not limited thereto. For example, the moving bracket94may be directly coupled to the moving sensor body88without the configuration of the moving sensor base87.

The mounting bracket92may include bracket bodies93aand94aand mounting grooves93band94bforming concave spaces in the bracket bodies93aand94ainto which the mounting magnet96is inserted. The bracket bodies93aand94amay include a fixed bracket body93aforming the body of the fixed bracket93and a moving bracket body94aforming the body of the moving bracket94. The mounting grooves may include a first mounting groove93bformed in the fixed bracket93and a second mounting groove94bformed in the moving bracket94. The mounting grooves93band94bmay be formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the mounting magnet96.

The mounting magnet96is configured to be inserted into the mounting grooves93band94band fixed to the mounting bracket92. The mounting magnet96may include a fixed magnet97disposed on the fixed bracket93and a moving magnet98disposed on the moving bracket94.

The sensor device80may include a connection line (5inFIG.7). The connection line5may connect the sensor device80to a control unit. Information about detecting a return of the ejector plate32to the original position by the sensor device80is transmitted to the control unit through the connection line5. The control unit may control the repetitive movement of the ejector plate32through the corresponding information. The connection line5may be connected to a connection coupling portion82aformed at one side of the fixed sensor82.

The sensor device80may include a tester (not shown). The tester (not shown) may be connected to the connection line5and is configured to check whether the sensor device80is operating normally.

The sensor device80may be connected to the tester through the connection line5such that the normal operation is checked, or may be connected to the control unit through the connection line5to transmit information regarding the operation of the injection molding apparatus1.

Hereinafter, an injection molding apparatus according to another embodiment of the disclosure will be described. In the description, configurations identical to those described in the above will be omitted.

FIG.10is a cross-sectional view illustrating an injection molding apparatus according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

A sensor device180may include a mounting device.

The mounting device may include a mounting magnet190that allows the sensor device180to be easily separated from and mounted to the first mold10and the ejector plate32. The mounting device may be configured to be detachable from the first mold10and the ejector plate32by the mounting magnet190. That is, through the magnetic force of the mounting magnet190, the mounting device may allow the fixed sensor82and the moving sensor86to be attached to the first mold10and the ejector plate32, respectively.

The mounting magnet190may include a fixed magnet197for mounting the fixed sensor82to the first mold10and a moving magnet198for mounting the moving sensor86to the ejector plate32. The mounting magnet190may be configured such that the sensor device180is detachable from each of the first mold10and the ejector plate32. The mounting magnet190may be fixedly disposed on each of the fixed sensor82and the moving sensor86.

One surface of the fixed magnet197is fixed to a lower surface of the fixed sensor82, and the other surface of the fixed magnet197is configured to be attached to the base of the first mold10by an attractive force. One surface of the moving magnet198is fixed to a lower surface of the moving sensor86, and the other surface of the moving magnet198is configured to be attached to the ejector plate32by an attractive force.

With such a configuration, the installation and removal of the sensor device180may be facilitated. As a result, the time required for installing the sensor device180in the mold may be reduced, and an additional configuration, such as a coupling hole for mounting or installing the sensor device180in the injection molding apparatus1, may be omitted.

Hereinafter, an injection molding apparatus according to still another embodiment of the disclosure will be described. In the description, configurations identical to those described as above will be omitted.

FIG.11is a cross-sectional view illustrating an injection molding apparatus according to still another embodiment of the disclosure.

A sensor device280may include a mounting device290.

The mounting device290includes a fixed mounting device290afor mounting the fixed sensor82to the first mold10and a moving mounting device290bfor mounting the moving sensor86to the ejector plate32. The mounting device290may be configured such that the sensor device280is detachable from each of the first mold10and the ejector plate32.

The mounting device290may include a mounting magnet296that allows the sensor device280to be easily separated from and mounted to the first mold10and the ejector plate32. The mounting device290may be configured to be detachable from the first mold10and the ejector plate32by a mounting magnet296. That is, through the magnetic force of the mounting magnet296, the mounting device290allows the fixed sensor82and the moving sensor86to be attached to the first mold and the ejector plate32.

The mounting device290may include a mounting bracket292. The mounting bracket292is configured such that the mounting magnet296is fixed to the fixed sensor82and the moving sensor86. The mounting bracket292may include a fixed bracket293fixed to the fixed sensor82and a moving bracket294fixed to the moving sensor86. The fixed bracket293and the moving bracket294may be screwed to the fixed sensor82and the moving sensor86, respectively. However, the method of coupling the fixed sensor82, the moving sensor86, and the mounting bracket292is not limited thereto. The mounting bracket292may be variously configured as long as it can allow the mounting magnet296to be fixed to the fixed sensor82and the moving sensor86.

The mounting bracket292may include bracket bodies293aand294aand mounting grooves293band294bforming concave spaces in the bracket bodies293aand294ainto which the mounting magnet296is inserted. The mounting grooves293band294bmay include a first mounting groove293bformed in the fixed bracket293and a second mounting groove294bformed in the moving bracket294. The mounting grooves293band294bmay be formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the mounting magnet296.

The mounting magnet296is configured to be inserted into the mounting grooves293band294b, and fixed to the mounting bracket292. The mounting magnet296may include a fixed magnet297disposed on the fixed bracket293and a moving magnet298disposed on the moving bracket294.

The mounting bracket292may include covers293cand294ccovering mounting spaces formed by the mounting grooves293band294b. The covers293cand294cmay be configured such that the mounting magnet296inserted into the mounting space is not exposed to the outside. In addition, since the covers293cand294care configured to prevent exposure of the mounting magnet296, the mounting magnet296is prevented from making direct contact with the mold or the ejector plate32. The covers293cand294care rotatably disposed on the bracket bodies293aand294ato open and close the mounting spaces, allowing the mounting magnet296to be inserted into or withdrawn from the mounting space. The method of the covers293cand294copening and closing the mounting space is not limited thereto. For example, guide rails may be installed on the bracket bodies293aand294aat surfaces that face the covers293cand294cso that the covers293cand294care provided to be movable.

Although few embodiments of the disclosure have been shown and described, the above embodiment is illustrative purpose only, and it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and scope of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claim