Flow of hydraulic fluid from accumulator assembly and from pump assembly to actuator where higher flow is required

• US 10,059,048 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2013
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Limited
• Inventors: Schultz, Gregory Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Minskey, Jacob T
• Application Number:
  US14/371,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20150037448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,029 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/824 Accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76859 Injection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76869 Mould clamping, compression of the cavity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76896 Ejection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/76 Measuring, controlling or regulating measuring in general G01; controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/7626 the ejection or removal of moulded articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/7653 mould clamping forces
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/82 Hydraulic or pneumatic circuits

Abstract

A memory assembly (800), comprising: a storage media (802) tangibly embodying executable commands configured to direct a molding-system controller (114) to send a command signal to the first accumulator-control valve (106) and the first actuator control valve (110), the command signal configured to request: (i) the first accumulator-control valve (106) to permit flow of hydraulic fluid from the first accumulator assembly (108) to the first actuator assembly (112), and (ii) the first actuator control valve (110) to permit flow of hydraulic fluid from the first pump assembly (104) to the first actuator assembly (112) for the case where the molding-system controller (114) determines that the first actuator assembly (112) requires the flow from both the first pump assembly (104) and the first accumulator assembly (108) during a portion of a molding cycle.

Claims

1. A memory assembly, comprising:

a storage media tangibly embodying executable commands configured to direct a molding-system controller to send a command signal to a first accumulator-control valve and to a first actuator control valve,

the command signal configured to request;

where the molding-system controller determines that the hydraulic fluid flow requirements of a first actuator assembly are within the capacity of a first pump assembly;

(i) the first actuator control valve to permit flow of hydraulic fluid from the first pump assembly; and

(ii) the first accumulator-control valve to prevent flow of hydraulic fluid from a first accumulator assembly; and

where the molding-system controller determines that a first actuator assembly requires flow of hydraulic fluid from both the first pump assembly and the first accumulator assembly during a portion of a molding cycle;

(i) the first accumulator-control valve to permit flow of hydraulic fluid from a first accumulator assembly to a first actuator assembly, and

(ii) the first actuator control valve to permit flow of hydraulic fluid from a first pump assembly to the first actuator assembly, and

a molding system having;

the first accumulator-control valve operatively connected to the molding-system controller, and

the first actuator control valve operatively connected to the molding-system controller and operatively connected to a reservoir for pumping hydraulic fluid to the first accumulator-control valve and to the first actuator-control valve.

2. The memory assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory-interface assembly configured to interface with the molding-system controller, the molding-system controller having;

a first controller output configured to operatively connect to the first accumulator-control valve,

a second controller output configured to operatively connect to the first actuator control valve, and

a third controller output configured to operatively connect to the first pump assembly.

3. The memory assembly of claim 2, wherein:

the molding-system controller is operatively connected to the memory-interface assembly.

4. The memory assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the molding-system controller is configured to vary hydraulic pressure in the first accumulator assembly during or within the molding cycle for the case where the first actuator assembly is not operating, then the first accumulator assembly is recharged.

5. The memory assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the molding system includes;

a first hydraulic circuit, includes;

the reservoir,

the first pump assembly,

the first accumulator-control valve,

the first accumulator assembly,

the first actuator control valve, and

the first actuator assembly,

the first pump assembly is operatively connected to the reservoir, the first accumulator-control valve is operatively connected to the first pump assembly, the first accumulator assembly is operatively connected to the first accumulator-control valve, the first actuator control valve is operatively connected to the first pump assembly, and the first actuator assembly is operatively connected to the first actuator control valve.

6. The memory assembly of claim 5, wherein:

the molding-system controller is configured to receive inputs), the inputs include;

a first input signal configured to indicate an amount of hydraulic flow from the first pump assembly,

a second input signal is configured to indicate an amount of pressure in the first accumulator assembly, and is configured to indicate the amount of pressure in the first actuator control valve,

a third input signal configured to indicate any one of a position an amount of velocity of the first actuator assembly, and

a fourth input signal configured to provide an indication of whether the first actuator control valve and whether the first accumulator-control valve is in a flow position or in a no-flow position.

7. The memory assembly of claim 6, wherein:

the molding-system controller is configured to provide outputs, the outputs configured to provide command signals to the first actuator control valve (110) and to the first accumulator-control valve, the outputs include;

a first output signal configured to control operation of the first pump assembly,

a second output signal configured to control operation of the first actuator control valve, and

a third output signal configured to control operation of the first accumulator-control valve.

8. The memory assembly of claim 7, wherein:

the first hydraulic circuit includes;

a second actuator control valve, and a second actuator assembly,

the molding-system controller is configured to control operation of the second actuator assembly, and

the outputs further include a fourth output signal configured to control operation of the second actuator control valve.

9. The memory assembly of claim 5, wherein:

the molding system further includes;

a second hydraulic circuit, including;

a second pump assembly,

a second accumulator-control valve, and

a second accumulator assembly, and (d) a second motor assembly,

the second pump assembly is operatively connected to the reservoir,

the second pump assembly is operatively connected to the second motor assembly,

the second accumulator-control valve is operatively connected to the second pump assembly,

a mold-stroke actuator control valve is operatively connected to the first pump assembly,

an ejector actuator control valve operatively connected to the first pump assembly,

a clamp-up actuator control operatively connected to the first pump assembly,

an injection actuator control valve operatively connected to the second pump assembly, and

a transfer actuator control valve operatively connected to the second pump assembly,

the second accumulator assembly operatively connected to the injection actuator control valve and to the transfer actuator control valve,

a mold-stroke actuator configured to move a movable platen of the molding system,

an ejector actuator configured to move ejector rods that urge molded articles to move out from a mold assembly of the molding system,

a clamp-up actuator configured to apply a clamping force to rod assembly of the molding system,

an injection actuator configured to apply an injection force to an extruder assembly of the molding system,

a first transfer actuator and a second transfer actuator configured to move the extruder assembly of the molding system,

the molding-system controller is operatively connected to the second accumulator-control valve, the mold-stroke actuator control valve, the ejector actuator control valve the clamp-up actuator control valve, the injection actuator control valve and, the transfer actuator control valve,

the molding-system controller is configured to send the command signal to the second accumulator-control valve, the mold-stroke actuator control valve, the ejector actuator control valve the clamp-up actuator control valve, the injection actuator control valve and, the transfer actuator control valve,

the command signal is configured to request;

(i) the first accumulator-control valve to permit flow of hydraulic fluid from the first accumulator assembly to any one of the mold-stroke actuator control valve, the ejector actuator control valve, and the clamp-up actuator control valve, and (ii) any one of the mold-stroke actuator control valve, the ejector actuator control valve, and the clamp-up actuator control valve to permit the flow of hydraulic fluid from the first pump assembly to any one of the mold-stroke actuator, the ejector actuator, the clamp-up actuator, for the case where the molding-system controller determines that any one of the mold-stroke actuator, the ejector actuator and the clamp-up actuator requires flow of hydraulic fluid from both the first pump assembly and the first accumulator assembly during the portion of the molding cycle of the molding system, and

the command signal is configured to request;

(i) the second accumulator-control valve to permit the flow of hydraulic fluid from the second accumulator assembly to any one of the injection actuator, the transfer actuator and the transfer actuator, and (ii) any one of the injection actuator control valve and the transfer actuator control valve to permit the flow of hydraulic fluid from the second pump assembly to any one of the injection actuator, the transfer actuator and the transfer actuator, for the case where the molding-system controller determines that any one of the injection actuator, the transfer actuator and the transfer actuator requires the flow from both the second pump assembly and the second accumulator assembly during the portion of the molding cycle of the molding system.