Patent Publication Number: US-2004043092-A1

Title: Injection molding device with at least two controls

Description:
[0001] The invention relates to an injection molding device, in particular for plastics, with at least two controls, which are connected to data display units via data display lines.  
       [0002] EP 0 199 823 B1 discloses a control device comprising a display unit of an injection molding machine, which device displays different states of the machine on a screen of a display unit. Only data of the single injection molding machine connected to the display unit are processed.  
       [0003] WO 00/08606 discloses an injection molding machine with an operator control device which has a touch screen, on which a receiving device which receives an identification code in a contactless manner is assigned.  
       [0004] This touch screen is connected to a single injection molding machine.  
       [0005] In previously known configurations of injection molding machines, where extended peripheral controls are also interconnected in addition to the machine control, each control has in each case an assigned data display unit. In addition to the high space requirement of the individual data display units, it is onerous for the operator to register centrally the display at a given time of all the important data of the individual machines.  
       [0006] The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a device and a method which ensures the input and monitoring of setting data on controls of injection molding machines reliably, clearly and especially conveniently for the operator.  
       [0007] The invention achieves this object by the features of the device claim 1 and the method claim 5.  
       [0008] According to the invention, the individual data display lines have controllable switches, which can be controlled by means of a control device. In the closed state, the individual control data are displayed on a central data display unit. Apart from the machine control, peripheral controls such as that of the handling equipment, hot runner device, temperature control units and similar units are included in the input and monitoring of the setting data on injection molding machines.  
       [0009] According to the method, there are predetermined selection criteria by which the display data are selected and activated and displayed on a single data display unit.  
       [0010] The up-to-dateness of the display data and the degree of change of the individual operating data are used as selection criteria.  
       [0011] The reduction to only one data display unit with selection of the displayed data from the various controls brings about a previously unencountered overall clarity, special convenience for the operator and particularly high reliability when operating injection molding machines.  
       [0012] Furthermore, this type of configuration eliminates the necessity for the programmer for a networking interconnection. This applies in particular in the ever recurring case of extensions created by additional interfaces, which can be easily carried out without great expenditure.  
       [0013] In an advantageous development of the invention it is proposed to carry out the activation of the individual computers and retrieval of the corresponding data via a touch screen. After touching the screen, this command goes to the corresponding hardware switch, which connects the data display lines to the computer called up.  
       [0014] In a further advantageous configuration, a printer is connected to the data display unit. This printer has a memory for rapidly recording selected data. These individual data can be prepared at a given time independently of the data display unit and be printed out. 
     
    
    
     [0015] An example of the invention is presented in the accompanying drawing. In it, FIG. 1 shows a data display unit  11 , that is connected to a control device  31  via a data line  71 . In the present case, the data display unit has a touch-screen functional unit  12 . 
    
    
     [0016] The control device  31  has a control element  32 , which are connected via control lines  61 - 64  to switches  21 - 23  and also a possible switch extension or a reserve switch  24 .  
     [0017] The switches  21 - 24  are arranged in data display lines  51 - 54 , which are connected at one end to a machine control  81 , a hot runner control  82 , a hot runner control  83  and a temperature control unit control  84  and are connected at the other end to a main data line  55 . The main data line  55  is in direct connection with the data display unit  11 .  
     [0018] Connected to the data display unit  11  is a printer  41 , which has a memory unit  42 , in which the data to be printed later are stored.  
     [0019] List of Items  
     [0020] Data Display  
     [0021] 11  data display unit  
     [0022] 13  touch-screen functional unit  
     [0023] Switch Units  
     [0024] 21 - 23  switches  
     [0025] 24  reserve switch  
     [0026] Controls  
     [0027] 31  control device  
     [0028] 32  control element  
     [0029] Documentation  
     [0030] 41  printer  
     [0031] 42  memory unit  
     [0032] Power Lines  
     [0033] 51 - 54  data display line  
     [0034] 55  main data line  
     [0035] Control  
     [0036] 61 - 64  control lines  
     [0037] Connecting Unit  
     [0038] 71  data line  
     [0039] Controls  
     [0040] 81  machine control  
     [0041] 82  hot runner control  
     [0042] 83  hot runner control  
     [0043] 84  temperature control unit control