Patent ID: 7611346

Claim:
A clamp actuator of a molding system having a rod, the clamp actuator comprising: a first actuator configured to apply a clamping force to the rod, the first actuator including a piston coupled to the rod; and a housing configured to receive the piston and accommodate sliding movement of the piston and the rod, the piston, the housing and the rod defining, in combination, a chamber, the chamber configured to accommodate a pressurizable fluid that is abuttable against the piston; a second actuator configured to apply a force opposing the clamping force to the first actuator, the second actuator including: a spring interactable with the first actuator, the spring biasing the first actuator so as to urge the first actuator away from a force application position, responsive to the chamber being pressurized by a first amount of fluid pressure, the pressurizable fluid urges the piston toward the spring, and the spring reacts to maintain the piston in a home position; a piston stop plate coupled to an entrance of the housing, the piston is abuttable, at least in part, against the piston stop plate; a reset stop coupled to the piston; and a reset plate, the reset plate abutting the piston stop plate, the reset stop, and the spring; and wherein responsive to actuating the first actuator, the rod is drivable between: (i) the home position in which the clamping force is not applicable to the rod; and (ii) the force application position in which the clamping force is applicable to the rod; and responsive to a mold flash occurring which exceeds the clamping force, the rod moves into a mold flash position located on a side of the home position opposite the force application position.