Patent Publication Number: US-2018036927-A1

Title: Injection moulding machine for producing a multiplicity of different injection mouldings

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of German Application No. 102016214589.4 priority date of Aug. 5, 2016, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an injection moulding machine for producing a multiplicity of different injection mouldings. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Injection moulding machines designed to produce injection mouldings are known from the prior art. For this purpose, the injection moulding machine known from the prior art has an injection unit for discharging a plasticized material via an outlet opening of the injection unit. Furthermore, the injection moulding machine known from the prior art has two injection mould halves, which are movable towards one another in the direction of a closed position and away from one another in the direction of an open position. Given an appropriate design, the injection moulding machine can produce a multiplicity of identical injection mouldings. If different injection mouldings are to be produced by means of the injection moulding machine known from the prior art, the injection mould halves must be replaced. For this purpose, the production process must be interrupted and the injection mould halves replaced in a complex process by appropriately trained personnel. A corresponding process of replacing the injection mould halves can take several hours. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is an underlying object of the invention to provide an injection moulding machine by means of which different injection mouldings can be produced, wherein a pause in the production time of the injection moulding machine when changing production from a first injection moulding to a second injection moulding is to be reduced. 
     The object underlying the present invention is achieved by an injection moulding machine having the features of claim  1 . Advantageous embodiments of the injection moulding machine are described in the dependent claims. 
     More precisely, the object underlying the present invention is achieved by an injection moulding machine for producing a multiplicity of different injection mouldings, wherein the injection moulding machine has an injection unit for discharging a plasticized material via at least one first outlet opening of the injection unit. The injection moulding machine furthermore has a first injection mould half and a second injection mould half, wherein the first injection mould half and/or the second injection mould half is/are movable towards one another in the direction of a closed position and away from one another in the direction of an open position along a first motion axis. The injection moulding machine according to the invention is characterized in that the first injection mould half and the second injection mould half each have a multiplicity of partial cavities, wherein, in the closed position, the partial cavities of the first injection mould half, together with corresponding partial cavities of the second injection mould half, form at least a multiplicity of different mould cavities corresponding to the multiplicity of injection mouldings to be produced, each of said cavities having an injection opening. In this case, the first and second injection mould halves are movable relative to the injection unit along a second motion axis, wherein the second motion axis is perpendicular to the first motion axis. The at least one first outlet opening of the injection unit can be brought into fluid communication with each injection opening of each mould cavity by moving/displacing/traversing the first and second injection mould halves along the second motion axis. 
     By means of the injection moulding machine according to the invention, it is possible to produce different injection mouldings, wherein a pause in the production time of the injection moulding machine when changing production from a first injection moulding to a second injection moulding is considerably reduced. This is because, to adapt the injection moulding machine to produce a different injection moulding, all that is required is to displace/traverse/move the first and second injection mould halves, whereupon the production process for the other injection moulding can be continued directly. By displacing the first and second injection mould halves, it is thus possible to inject plasticized material from the outlet opening into the corresponding mould cavities, enabling different injection mouldings to be produced. The complex process of removing the injection mould halves and replacing them with other injection mould halves is thus unnecessary. 
     There is fluid separation between the mould cavities formed by the partial cavities of the injection mould halves in the closed position, and therefore, when plasticized material is injected into the injection opening in fluid communication with the outlet opening of the injection moulding unit, only this mould cavity is filled with plasticized material. 
     The injection moulding unit is preferably also designed to plasticize the plasticizable material. The injection unit can also be referred to as an injection moulding unit. The injection moulding unit can have a hot-runner nozzle and/or a cold secondary runner, for example. 
     The injection mould halves can also be referred to as die halves. In the closed position of the injection mould halves, they are in contact with one another. The shapes of the mould cavities correspond to the shapes of the multiplicity of injection mouldings to be produced. 
     The first and second injection mould halves advantageously move synchronously. 
     The first motion axis can also be referred to as the direction of the opening and closing movement or as the first direction of motion. 
     The injection moulding machine is preferably designed in such a way that the injection unit has a plurality of mutually spaced first outlet openings, wherein mutually adjacent first outlet openings have a first spacing with respect to one another in the direction of the second motion axis, wherein the first injection mould half and the second injection mould half are designed in such a way that, in the closed position, they form a plurality of identically designed mould cavities corresponding to the plurality of first outlet openings. The injection openings of the identically designed mould cavities are arranged spaced apart, wherein mutually adjacent injection openings of identically designed mould cavities have the first spacing with respect to one another in the direction of the second motion axis. In a predetermined position of the first and second injection mould halves, the plurality of first outlet openings can be brought into fluid communication with all the injection openings of the identically designed mould cavities. 
     By appropriate design of the injection moulding machine, it is possible to produce a multiplicity of injection mouldings simultaneously, thus considerably reducing the production time required to produce a predetermined number of injection mouldings. 
     The injection unit can have two, three, four or more outlet openings, for example. 
     The identically designed mould cavities are formed by the partial cavities of the first and second injection mould halves. Consequently, the first injection mould half has a plurality of identically designed partial cavities corresponding to the plurality of outlet openings. The second injection mould half furthermore has a plurality of identically designed partial cavities corresponding to the plurality of outlet openings. In the closed position of the first and second injection mould halves, these partial cavities form the plurality of identically designed mould cavities corresponding to the plurality of outlet openings. 
     The correspondingly designed injection moulding machine consequently has the following features:
         the injection unit has a plurality of outlet openings, which are arranged spaced apart along the second motion axis;   the first injection mould half and the second injection mould half are designed in such a way that, in the closed position, they form a plurality of identically designed mould cavities corresponding to the plurality of outlet openings;   the injection openings of the identically designed mould cavities are arranged spaced apart along the second motion axis; and   a spacing along the second motion axis of the injection openings of the mould cavities is identical with a spacing of the injection openings of the identically designed mould cavities, with the result that, in one position of the first and second injection mould halves, the plurality of outlet openings can be brought into fluid communication with all the injection openings of the identically designed mould cavities.       

     As a further preference, the injection moulding machine is designed in such a way that the injection unit has at least one second outlet opening, wherein the second outlet opening is spaced apart from the first outlet opening along a direction oriented perpendicularly to the first motion axis and perpendicularly to the second motion axis. In this case, an outlet direction of the plasticized material from the first outlet opening is opposed to an outlet direction of the plasticized material from the second outlet opening. The injection moulding machine has a third injection mould half and a fourth injection mould half, wherein the third injection mould half and/or the fourth injection mould half is/are movable towards one another in the direction of a closed position and away from one another in the direction of an open position along the first motion axis. The third injection mould half and the fourth injection mould half each have a multiplicity of partial cavities, wherein in the closed position, the partial cavities of the third injection mould half, together with corresponding partial cavities of the fourth injection mould half, form at least a multiplicity of different mould cavities corresponding to the multiplicity of injection mouldings to be produced, each of said cavities having an injection opening. The third and fourth injection mould halves are movable relative to the injection unit along the second motion axis, and the second outlet opening of the injection unit can be brought into fluid communication with each injection opening of each mould cavity by moving the third and fourth injection mould halves along the second motion axis. 
     By appropriate design of the injection moulding machine, it is possible to produce an even greater number of injection mouldings simultaneously, and there is thus a further considerable reduction in the production time required to produce a predetermined number of injection mouldings. 
     Here, the injection moulding machine is preferably designed in such a way that the injection unit has a plurality of mutually spaced second outlet openings, wherein mutually adjacent second outlet openings have a first spacing with respect to one another in the direction of the second motion axis. The third injection mould half and the fourth injection mould half are designed in such a way that, in the closed position, they form a plurality of identically designed mould cavities corresponding to the plurality of second outlet openings. The injection openings of the identically designed mould cavities are arranged spaced apart, wherein mutually adjacent injection openings of identically designed mould cavities have the first spacing with respect to one another in the direction of the second motion axis. In a predetermined position of the third and fourth injection mould halves, the plurality of second outlet openings can be brought into fluid communication with all the injection openings of the identically designed mould cavities. 
     By appropriate design of the injection moulding machine, it is possible to produce an even greater number of injection mouldings simultaneously, and there is thus a further considerable reduction in the production time required to produce a predetermined number of injection mouldings. 
     The injection unit can have two, three, four or more first and second outlet openings, respectively, for example. 
     The identically designed mould cavities are formed by the partial cavities of the first and second injection mould halves and by the partial cavities of the third and fourth injection mould halves. Consequently, the first, second, third and fourth injection mould halves have a plurality of identically designed partial cavities corresponding to the plurality of outlet openings. In the closed position of the first and second injection mould halves, these partial cavities form the plurality of identically designed mould cavities corresponding to the plurality of outlet openings. In the closed position of the third and fourth injection mould halves, these partial cavities form the plurality of identically designed mould cavities corresponding to the plurality of outlet openings. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the injection moulding machine has at least one first holding device for holding the first injection mould half, wherein the first holding device is traversable/displaceable/movable between a release position and a fixing position. The first injection mould half is movable along the second motion axis in the release position of the first holding device, and the first holding device blocks a movement/displacement or traverse of the first injection mould half along the second motion axis in the fixing position of the first holding device. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the injection moulding machine has at least one second holding device for holding the second injection mould half, wherein the second holding device is traversable/displaceable/movable between a release position and a fixing position. The second injection mould half is movable along the second motion axis in the release position of the second holding device, and the second holding device blocks a movement/displacement of the second injection mould half along the second motion axis in the fixing position of the second holding device. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the injection moulding machine has at least one third holding device for holding the third injection mould half, wherein the third holding device is traversable/displaceable/movable between a release position and a fixing position. The third injection mould half is movable along the second motion axis in the release position of the third holding device, and the third holding device blocks a movement/displacement of the third injection mould half along the second motion axis in the fixing position of the third holding device. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the injection moulding machine has at least one fourth holding device for holding the fourth injection mould half, wherein the fourth holding device is traversable/displaceable/movable between a release position and a fixing position. The fourth injection mould half is movable along the second motion axis in the release position of the fourth holding device, and the fourth holding device blocks a movement/displacement of the fourth injection mould half along the second motion axis in the fixing position of the fourth holding device. 
     The holding devices are preferably traversable along the third direction, which is oriented perpendicularly to the first motion axis and perpendicularly to the second motion axis. 
     The injection mould halves preferably have a rack-like lateral edge or toothing extending along the second motion axis and facing away from the injection openings. The holding devices preferably have a likewise rack-like lateral edge or toothing which faces the rack-like lateral edge. In the fixing position of the holding devices, the rack-like lateral edges of the holding devices engage in the corresponding rack-like lateral edges of the injection mould halves. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further advantages, details and features of the invention will become apparent below from the illustrative embodiments explained. In particular: 
         FIG. 1 : shows a disassembled injection moulding machine according to the present invention opened through 180°; 
         FIG. 2 : shows an enlargement of the part of the injection moulding machine shown on the right in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3 : shows a perspective view of an interior of the injection moulding machine; 
         FIG. 4 : shows a perspective view of an injection unit of the injection moulding machine; 
         FIG. 5 : shows a section through the injection unit shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6 : shows an enlargement of the injection unit shown in  FIG. 5  in the region of outlet openings of the injection unit; and 
         FIG. 7 : shows an enlargement of the region of the injection moulding machine shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the description which now follows, identical reference signs denote identical components or identical features, and therefore a description of a component given with reference to one figure also applies to the other figures, thus avoiding repeated description. Moreover, individual features which have been described in connection with one embodiment can also be used separately in other embodiments. 
       FIG. 1  shows an injection moulding machine according to the invention for producing a multiplicity of different injection mouldings in the disassembled and opened state. On the left-hand side,  FIG. 1  shows an ejection side of the injection moulding machine and, on the right-hand side, it shows a nozzle side of the injection moulding machine. The nozzle side of the injection moulding machine is shown on an enlarged scale in  FIG. 2 . It is apparent that the injection moulding machine has, on the nozzle side thereof, an injection unit  10  for discharging plasticized material via first outlet openings  11  and second outlet openings  12 . The first outlet openings  11  are arranged on the right-hand side in the injection unit  10 , and the second outlet openings  12  are arranged on the injection unit  10  on the left-hand side of the injection unit  10  in the illustration according to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In the illustrative embodiment shown, the injection unit  10  has four first outlet openings  11  and four second outlet openings  12 . 
     In the embodiment shown, the injection moulding machine has four injection mould halves, namely a first injection mould half  21 , a second injection mould half  22 , a third injection mould half  23  and a fourth injection mould half  24 . Each of the injection mould halves  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  has a multiplicity of partial cavities  30 . 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 3 , the first injection mould half  21  and the second injection mould half  22  are arranged opposite one another. Moreover, the third injection mould half  23  and the fourth injection mould half  24  are likewise arranged opposite one another. The first injection mould half  21  and/or the second injection mould half  22  is/are movable towards one another in the direction of a closed position shown in  FIG. 3  and away from one another in the direction of an open position along a first direction of motion R 1 . The third injection mould half  23  and/or the fourth injection mould half  24  is/are likewise movable towards one another in the direction of a closed position and away from one another in the direction of an open position along the first direction of motion R 1 . In the open position, injection mouldings produced can be ejected from the injection moulding machine. The third injection mould half  23  and/or the fourth injection mould half  24  is/are likewise movable towards one another in the direction of a closed position and away from one another in the direction of an open position along the first direction of motion R 1 . 
     In the closed position, the partial cavities  30  of the first injection mould half  21 , together with corresponding partial cavities  30  of the second injection mould half  22 , form at least a multiplicity of different mould cavities corresponding to the multiplicity of injection mouldings to be produced. Each of the mould cavities has an injection opening  31  (see  FIG. 6 ). Moreover, in the closed position of the third injection mould half  23  and fourth injection mould half  24 , the partial cavities  30  of the third injection mould half  23 , together with corresponding partial cavities  30  of the fourth injection mould half  24 , form at least a multiplicity of different mould cavities corresponding to the multiplicity of injection mouldings to be produced, each of said cavities likewise having an injection opening  31 . 
     In the illustrative embodiment shown, in which there are in each case four first outlet openings  11  and four second outlet openings  12  arranged on each side of the injection unit  10 , the partial cavities  30  of the first injection mould half  21 , together with the partial cavities  30  of the second injection mould half  22 , are four times greater in number than the multiplicity of injection mouldings to be produced. The partial cavities  30  of the third injection mould half  23 , together with the partial cavities  30  of the fourth injection mould half  24 , are likewise four times greater in number than the multiplicity of injection mouldings to be produced. 
     If the injection moulding machine is provided for the production of ten different injection mouldings, for example, the injection mould halves  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  each have forty partial cavities. In this case, four partial cavities of the forty partial cavities are of identical design in each case. Thus, the first and second injection mould halves  21 ,  22 , each situated in the closed position, then form forty mould cavities, wherein four mould cavities are of identical design in each case. Thus, the first injection mould half  21 , together with the second injection mould half  22 , in each case forms ten different mould cavities implemented four times over. The same applies to the third and fourth injection mould halves  23 ,  24  situated in the closed position, which likewise have forty mould cavities in the closed position, wherein four mould cavities are of identical design to one another in each case. Thus, the third injection mould half  23 , together with the fourth injection mould half  34 , in each case forms ten different mould cavities implemented four times over. 
     The first and second injection mould halves  21 ,  22  are movable relative to the injection unit  10  along a second motion axis R 2  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). Here, the second motion axis R 2  is aligned perpendicularly to the first motion axis R 1 . The third and fourth injection mould halves  23 ,  24  are also movable relative to the injection unit  10  along the second motion axis R 2 . From  FIGS. 4 to 6 , it can be seen that the first outlet openings  11  and the second outlet openings  12  of the injection unit  10  can be brought into fluid communication with each injection opening  31  of each mould cavity by moving the injection mould halves along the second motion axis R 2 . 
     From  FIGS. 4 and 6 , it can be seen that the first outlet openings  11  are spaced apart. Here, two mutually adjacent first outlet openings  11  have a first spacing dy in the direction of the second motion axis R 2 . 
     The first injection mould half  21  and the second injection mould half  22  are designed in such a way that, in the closed position, they form a plurality of identically designed mould cavities corresponding to the plurality of first outlet openings  11 . The injection openings  31  of the identically designed mould cavities are arranged spaced apart, wherein mutually adjacent injection openings  31  of identically designed mould cavities have the first spacing dy with respect to one another in the direction of the second motion axis R 2 . In a predetermined position of the first and second injection mould halves  21 ,  22 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 to 6  for example, all the first outlet openings  11  are in fluid communication with all the injection openings  31  of the identically designed mould cavities. 
     The second outlet openings  12  are likewise spaced apart. In this case, two mutually adjacent second outlet openings  12  have a first spacing dy with respect to one another in the direction of the second motion axis R 2 . 
     The third injection mould half  23  and the fourth injection mould half  24  are designed in such a way that, in the closed position, they form a plurality of identically designed mould cavities corresponding to the plurality of second outlet openings  12 . The injection openings  31  of the identically designed mould cavities are arranged spaced apart, wherein mutually adjacent injection openings  31  of identically designed mould cavities have the first spacing dy with respect to one another in the direction of the second motion axis R 2 . In a predetermined position of the third and fourth injection mould halves  23 ,  24 , as can be seen in from  FIGS. 5 and 6  for example, all the second outlet openings  12  are in fluid communication with all the injection openings  31  of the identically designed mould cavities. 
     From  FIG. 5 , in particular, it can be seen that the second outlet openings  12  are spaced apart from the first outlet openings  11  in direction R 3 . In this case, an outlet direction of the plasticized material from the first outlet openings  11  is opposed to an outlet direction of the plasticized material from the second outlet openings  12 . 
     The injection moulding machine furthermore has holding devices  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44  for holding the injection mould halves  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 . In this case, the first holding device  41  is designed to hold the first injection mould half  21 . The second holding device  42  is designed to hold the second injection mould half  22 . The third holding device  43  is designed to hold the third injection mould half  23 . The fourth holding device  44  is designed to hold the fourth injection mould half  44 . The respective holding devices  41 - 44  are traversable between a release position and a fixing position. In the release position of the respective holding devices  41 - 44 , the corresponding injection mould halves  21 - 24  are movable along the second motion axis R 2 , whereas, in the fixing positions of the holding devices  41 - 44 , the holding devices  41 - 44  block a movement of the injection mould halves  21 - 24  along the second motion axis R 2 . In this case, the holding devices  41 - 44  are traversable along the third direction R 3 . 
     The respective injection mould halves  21 - 24  have rack-like lateral edges extending along the second motion axis R 2  and facing away from the injection openings  31 . The respective holding devices  41 - 44  each have a likewise rack-like lateral edge or toothing which face the rack-like lateral edge of the injection mould halves. In the fixing position of the holding devices  41 - 44 , the rack-like lateral edges of the holding devices  41 - 44  engage in the corresponding rack-like lateral edges of the injection mould halves  21 - 24 . 
     LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 
     
         
           10  injection unit 
           11  first outlet opening 
           12  second outlet opening 
         dy first spacing between two adjacent outlet openings 
           21  first injection mould half 
           22  second injection mould half 
           23  third injection mould half 
           24  fourth injection mould half 
           30  partial cavity 
           31  injection opening (of a mould cavity) 
           41  first holding device 
           42  second holding device 
           43  third holding device 
           44  fourth holding device 
         R 1  first motion axis/direction of motion/direction of opening and closing 
         R 2  second motion axis 
         R 3  third direction