Actuator cooling apparatus and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An injection molding apparatus comprising a clamp plate mounted to a mold in spaced relationship, a heated manifold, an actuator comprising a housing body, and a cooling device that cools the actuator, wherein the manifold is disposed between the clamp plate and the mold and the housing body of the actuator is mounted in thermally conductive communication with the manifold,the cooling device comprising:
- a heat transmitter comprising a distal arm or member and a proximal base or member mounted in heat conductive contact to the housing body of the actuator,the distal arm or member comprising a rod or tube slidably disposed within a complementary bore disposed within the proximal base or member, the complementary bore and the rod or tube being configured such that an exterior surface of the rod is slidably engaged in thermally conductive contact with and against an interior surface of the complementary bore,the rod or tube being comprised of a thermally conductive material having a distal end surface, the rod transmitting heat from the proximal base or member to the distal end surface via engagement of the exterior surface of the rod with the interior surface of the complementary bore,the rod or tube being mounted within the complementary bore via a spring loadable interconnection disposed between the proximal base or member and the rod such that the spring loadable interconnection can exert a spring load between the proximal base or member and the rod,the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and the heat transmitter being assemblable together in an arrangement wherein the spring loadable interconnection is loaded urging the distal end surface of the rod into compressed engagement with the clamp plate at least when the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and heat transmitter are assembled and the manifold is heated to an elevated operating temperature.
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Abstract
An injection molding apparatus comprising a clamp plate, a heated manifold, an actuator, a mold and a cooling device,
- wherein the cooling device comprises:
- a heat transmitter comprising a distal arm or member and a proximal base or member, the distal arm or member being mounted by a spring loadable interconnection or engagement to or with the proximal base or member,
- the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and the heat transmitter being assemblable together in an arrangement wherein the spring loadable interconnection is loaded urging the distal end surface of the distal arm or member into compressed engagement with the clamp plate.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. An injection molding apparatus comprising a clamp plate mounted to a mold in spaced relationship, a heated manifold, an actuator comprising a housing body, and a cooling device that cools the actuator, wherein the manifold is disposed between the clamp plate and the mold and the housing body of the actuator is mounted in thermally conductive communication with the manifold,
the cooling device comprising: -
a heat transmitter comprising a distal arm or member and a proximal base or member mounted in heat conductive contact to the housing body of the actuator, the distal arm or member comprising a rod or tube slidably disposed within a complementary bore disposed within the proximal base or member, the complementary bore and the rod or tube being configured such that an exterior surface of the rod is slidably engaged in thermally conductive contact with and against an interior surface of the complementary bore, the rod or tube being comprised of a thermally conductive material having a distal end surface, the rod transmitting heat from the proximal base or member to the distal end surface via engagement of the exterior surface of the rod with the interior surface of the complementary bore, the rod or tube being mounted within the complementary bore via a spring loadable interconnection disposed between the proximal base or member and the rod such that the spring loadable interconnection can exert a spring load between the proximal base or member and the rod, the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and the heat transmitter being assemblable together in an arrangement wherein the spring loadable interconnection is loaded urging the distal end surface of the rod into compressed engagement with the clamp plate at least when the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and heat transmitter are assembled and the manifold is heated to an elevated operating temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of cooling an actuator in an injection molding apparatus comprising a clamp plate mounted to a mold in spaced relationship, a heated manifold, an actuator comprising a housing body, and a cooling device that cools the actuator, wherein the manifold is disposed between the clamp plate and the mold and the housing body of the actuator is mounted in thermally conductive communication with the manifold,
characterized in that the method comprises: -
mounting a cooling device to a lateral surface of a housing of the actuator, the cooling device comprising a distal arm or member and a proximal base or member mounted in heat conductive contact to the housing body of the actuator, wherein the distal arm or member comprises a rod slidably disposed within a complementary bore disposed within the proximal base or member, the complementary bore and the rod being configured such that an exterior surface of the rod is slidably engaged in thermally conductive contact with and against an interior surface of the complementary bore, the rod being comprised of a thermally conductive material having a distal end surface, the rod transmitting heat from the proximal arm or member to the distal end surface via engagement of the exterior surface of the rod with the interior surface of the complementary bore, the rod being mounted within the complementary bore via a spring loadable interconnection disposed between the proximal base or member and the rod such that the spring loadable interconnection can exert a spring load between the proximal base or member and the rod, assembling the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and the heat transmitter together in an arrangement wherein the spring loadable interconnection is loaded urging the distal end surface of the rod into compressed engagement with the clamp plate at least when the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and heat transmitter are assembled and the manifold is heated to an elevated operating temperature.
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Specification