Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7033159?ie=ISO-8859-1&dq=7,468,661
Timestamp: 2014-07-31 22:18:26
Document Index: 394190231

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 22']

Patent US7033159 - Method for part-forming machine having an in-mold integrated vision system - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsA part-forming machine having an in-mold integrated vision system and method therefor for verifying the presence, absence and quality of molded parts therein. The image of the mold and/or part is acquired at a substantially parallel angle relative to the image-capturing source thereby allowing the imaging...http://www.google.com/patents/US7033159?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7033159 - Method for part-forming machine having an in-mold integrated vision systemAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7033159 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/441,338Publication dateApr 25, 2006Filing dateMay 20, 2003Priority dateDec 16, 2000Fee statusLapsedAlso published asCA2447469A1, CA2447469C, CN1489514A, CN100421901C, EP1360051A1, EP1360051A4, US6592355, US6699413, US20020074676, US20030094717, US20030206986, WO2002047884A1Publication number10441338, 441338, US 7033159 B2, US 7033159B2, US-B2-7033159, US7033159 B2, US7033159B2InventorsEdward F. KachnicOriginal AssigneeAvalon Vision Solutions, LlcExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (30), Referenced by (2), Classifications (7), Legal Events (6) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMethod for part-forming machine having an in-mold integrated vision systemUS 7033159 B2Abstract A part-forming machine having an in-mold integrated vision system and method therefor for verifying the presence, absence and quality of molded parts therein. The image of the mold and/or part is acquired at a substantially parallel angle relative to the image-capturing source thereby allowing the imaging of the mold while the mold is opening thus increasing the resolution, speed and accuracy of part-forming machine imaging systems.
CROSS-REFERENCE AND PRIORITY CLAIM TO RELATED APPLICATION To the full extent permitted by law, the present application claims priority to and the benefit as a divisional application to non-provisional patent application entitled �Part-Forming Machine Having and In-Mold Integrated Vision System and Method Therefor� filed on Dec. 16, 2000, having assigned Ser. No. 09/738,602, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,592,355.
To better understand the present system and method of this invention, a rudimentary knowledge of a typical prior-art injection molding machine and process is helpful. Therefore, referring first to FIGS. 1�3, a conventional automated injection molding machine 10 is shown equipped with a mold 12 comprising two mold halves 14, 16, a sliding rod-type ejector system 18, and camera 20 for acquiring visual images of the open mold half 14 in electronic format that can be digitized, stored in memory, and processed to detect presence or absence of a plastic part or material in the mold half 14.
After the liquid or molten plastic 40 is injected into the mold 12 to fill the mold cavity 50, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and after the plastic 40 in the mold cavity has solidified as described above, the ram 38 is actuated to pull the mold half 16 away from the mold half 14 so that the hard plastic part 22 can be ejected from mold cavity 50. Once the mold halves 14, 16 are completely separated, the part-forming machine controller 72 sends a signal to the camera 20 to acquire a first image of the mold half 16, wherein the image is analyzed to ensure the presence of the part 22 in the mold half 16. Ejection of the hard plastic part 22, as mentioned above, can be accomplished by a variety of mechanisms or processes that can be made more efficient and effective by this invention, and the ejector system 18 illustrated in FIGS. 1�3 is but one example that is convenient for describing this invention. The ejector system 18 includes two slidable ejector rods 56, 58 that extend through the moveable platen 26 and through mold half 16 into mold cavity 50. When the mold 12 is closed for filling the mold cavity 50 with plastic 40, as shown in FIG. 2, the ejector rods 56, 58 extend to, but not into the mold cavity. However, when the mold 12 is opened, as shown in FIG. 3, an ejector actuator 60, which comprises two small hydraulic cylinders 62, 66 and a cross bar 68 connected to the ejector rods 56, 58, pushes the ejector rods 56, 58 into the mold cavity 50 to hit and dislodge the hard plastic part 22 and push it out of the cavity 50. Because one hit or push by the ejector rods 56, 58 is occasionally not enough to dislodge and push the hard plastic part 22 all the way out of the cavity 50, it is a common practice to cycle the ejector actuator 60 several times to cause the ejector rods 56, 58 to reciprocate into and out of the cavity 50 repetitively so that, if the hard plastic part 22 is still in the cavity, it will get hit and pushed several times, thus reducing instances when the hard plastic part 22 does not get completely ejected to a minimum. Next the part-forming machine controller 72 sends a signal to the camera 20 to acquire an image of the mold half 16, including the cavity 50, and then the image is sent in electronic form to an image processing system, where it is digitized and compared by a computer or microprocessor to an ideal image of the mold half 16 and empty mold cavity 50. If the image comparison shows that the mold cavity 50 is empty and that the hard plastic part 22 has been cleared from the mold half 16, the ram 38 is actuated to close the mold 12 to start a new molding cycle. On the other hand, if the image comparison shows that the hard plastic part 22 has not been dislodged from the cavity 50 or cleared from the mold half 16, then the ram 38 is not allowed to close the mold 12, and a signal is generated to notify an operator to check the mold, clear any residual plastic or the hard plastic part 22 from the cavity 50 and mold 12, and then restart the plastic injection molding machine 10.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 7�8, sensoring system 300 comprises an image capture source 310, a linking member 320, a sensor device 330 and a analyzing means 340, wherein the analyzing means 340 is preferably a computer or microprocessor. Image capture source 310 is positioned preferably at the center of mold half 14 facing to the surface of mold half 16 such that mold half 16 and any parts therein are generally at an approximately parallel angle relative to the image capture source 310. However, it should be noted that in alternate embodiments image capture source 310 may be positioned at various locations within the mold such that various parts or specific areas of parts may be imaged at a substantially parallel angle. It is also contemplated that any number of image capture sources 310 may be positioned at various positions within the mold to increase resolution and/or to improve the image analysis process. Image capture source 310 is, preferably, a coherent fiber optic bundle, wherein light waves and/or radiation can be captured thereby and allowed to travel therethrough to sensor device 330 via linking member 320. Linking member 320 is also preferably coherent fiber optic bundles. The coherent fiber optic bundles allow the image of the mold half 16 and/or part 22 to be viewed remotely by sensor device 330, thus preventing the sensor device from being exposed to the high temperatures of the mold. Preferably the sensor device 330 is positioned on the exterior of the mold half 14; however, in alternate embodiments, the sensor device 330 may be positioned at a further remote location or within one of the mold halves 14, 16 at a lower temperature point from the part-forming area such that the sensor device 330 is not damaged by the high temperatures. It is also contemplated that the sensor device 330 may be thermally insulated and/or have various known heat removal systems to protect the sensor device 330 and thus allow it to be positioned within the mold.
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