Actuator apparatus and method enabling multiple piston velocities
First Claim
1. An injection molding apparatus comprising:
- a manifold that receives an injection fluid material from an injection molding machine, the manifold routing the injection fluid to a fluid delivery channel having a flow path that extends and delivers the injection fluid material under an injection pressure to a gate of a mold cavity,an actuator comprising a fluid sealed housing having a piston interconnected to a valve pin, the piston being slidably mounted within the housing for travel over a selected stroke length (SL) between an upstream fully gate open position and a downstream gate closed position,wherein the piston divides the enclosed actuator housing into upstream and downstream actuator drive chambers that are each interconnected to a source of drive fluid by respective upstream and downstream fluid source communication channels,a tube adapted to cooperate with the piston to route flow of drive fluid between the one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers and the source of drive fluid at a first low rate of flow over a selected first portion of the stroke length of the piston and at a second high rate of flow over a selected second portion of the stroke length of the piston.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An injection molding apparatus comprising a manifold, an actuator having a piston that divides an enclosed actuator housing into upstream and downstream actuator drive chambers, the piston having an internal piston chamber and a piston bore that communicates flow of the drive fluid between one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers and the internal piston chamber, a flow rate controller adapted to enable flow of drive fluid between one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers and a source of drive fluid at a first low rate of flow over a selected first portion of the stroke length of the piston and at a second high rate of flow over a selected second portion of the stroke length of the piston.
6 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An injection molding apparatus comprising:
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a manifold that receives an injection fluid material from an injection molding machine, the manifold routing the injection fluid to a fluid delivery channel having a flow path that extends and delivers the injection fluid material under an injection pressure to a gate of a mold cavity, an actuator comprising a fluid sealed housing having a piston interconnected to a valve pin, the piston being slidably mounted within the housing for travel over a selected stroke length (SL) between an upstream fully gate open position and a downstream gate closed position, wherein the piston divides the enclosed actuator housing into upstream and downstream actuator drive chambers that are each interconnected to a source of drive fluid by respective upstream and downstream fluid source communication channels, a tube adapted to cooperate with the piston to route flow of drive fluid between the one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers and the source of drive fluid at a first low rate of flow over a selected first portion of the stroke length of the piston and at a second high rate of flow over a selected second portion of the stroke length of the piston. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 19)
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5. An injection molding apparatus comprising:
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a manifold that receives an injection fluid material from an injection molding machine, the manifold routing the injection fluid to a fluid delivery channel having a flow path that extends and delivers the injection fluid material under an injection pressure to a gate of a mold cavity, an actuator comprising a fluid sealed housing having a piston interconnected to a valve pin, the piston being slidably mounted within the housing for travel over a selected stroke length between an upstream fully gate open position and a downstream gate closed position, wherein the piston divides the enclosed actuator housing into upstream and downstream actuator drive chambers that are each interconnected to a source of drive fluid by respective upstream and downstream fluid source communication channels, the piston having an internal piston chamber and a piston bore that communicates flow of the drive fluid between one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers and the internal piston chamber, the actuator including a drive fluid controller comprised of a drive fluid channel that communicates flow of the drive fluid between the enclosed piston chamber and the source of drive fluid, the drive fluid controller being adapted to enable flow of drive fluid between one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers and the source of drive fluid at a first low rate of flow over a selected first portion of the stroke length of the piston and at a second high rate of flow over a selected second portion of the stroke length of the piston. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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20. A method of mechanically driving a valve pin in an injection molding apparatus at a first low velocity and at a second higher velocity wherein the injection molding apparatus comprises:
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a manifold that receives an injection fluid material from an injection molding machine, the manifold routing the injection fluid to a fluid delivery channel having a flow path that extends and delivers the injection fluid material under an injection pressure to a gate of a mold cavity, an actuator comprising a fluid sealed housing having a piston interconnected to a valve pin, the piston being slidably mounted within the housing for travel over a selected stroke length between an upstream fully gate open position and a downstream gate closed position, wherein the piston divides the enclosed actuator housing into upstream and downstream actuator drive chambers that are each interconnected to a source of drive fluid by respective upstream and downstream fluid source communication channels, the piston having an internal piston chamber and a piston bore that communicates flow of the drive fluid between one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers and the internal piston chamber, the actuator including a drive fluid controller comprised of a drive fluid channel that communicates flow of the drive fluid between the enclosed piston chamber and the source of drive fluid, the drive fluid controller being adapted to enable flow of drive fluid between one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers and the source of drive fluid at a first low rate of flow over a selected first portion of the stroke length of the piston and at a second high rate of flow over a selected second portion of the stroke length of the piston, the method comprising; feeding the drive fluid into the one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers at an elevated pressure sufficient to drive the piston along the stroke length. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An injection molding apparatus comprising:
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a manifold that receives an injection fluid material from an injection molding machine, the manifold routing the injection fluid to a fluid delivery channel having a flow path that extends and delivers the injection fluid material under an injection pressure to a gate of a mold cavity, an actuator comprising a fluid sealed housing having a piston interconnected to a valve pin, the piston being slidably mounted within the housing for travel over a selected stroke length between an upstream fully gate open position and a downstream gate closed position, wherein the piston divides the enclosed actuator housing into upstream and downstream actuator drive chambers that are each interconnected to a source of drive fluid by respective upstream and downstream fluid source communication channels, a tube having a drive fluid channel that communicates flow of the drive fluid between an enclosed piston chamber and the source of drive fluid, the piston including a piston bore that communicates flow of fluid between the one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers and the enclosed piston chamber, the tube being adapted to enable flow of drive fluid between the one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers and the source of drive fluid at a first low rate of flow over a selected first portion of the stroke length of the piston and at a second high rate of flow over a selected second portion of the stroke length of the piston. - View Dependent Claims (23, 25)
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24. A method of mechanically driving a valve pin in an injection molding apparatus at a first low velocity and at a second higher velocity wherein the injection molding apparatus comprises:
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a manifold that receives an injection fluid material from an injection molding machine, the manifold routing the injection fluid to a fluid delivery channel having a flow path that extends and delivers the injection fluid material under an injection pressure to a gate of a mold cavity, an actuator comprising a fluid sealed housing having a piston interconnected to a valve pin, the piston being slidably mounted within the housing for travel over a selected stroke length between an upstream fully gate open position and a downstream gate closed position, wherein the piston divides the enclosed actuator housing into upstream and downstream actuator drive chambers that are each interconnected to a source of drive fluid by respective upstream and downstream fluid source communication channels, a tube having a drive fluid channel that communicates flow of the drive fluid between an enclosed piston chamber and the source of drive fluid, the piston including a piston bore that communicates flow of fluid between the one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers and the enclosed piston chamber, the tube being adapted to enable flow of drive fluid between the one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers and the source of drive fluid at a first low rate of flow over a selected first portion of the stroke length of the piston and at a second high rate of flow over a selected second portion of the stroke length of the piston, the method comprising; feeding the drive fluid into the one of the upstream or downstream actuator drive chambers at an elevated pressure sufficient to drive the piston along the selected stroke length.
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26. An injection molding apparatus comprising:
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a manifold that receives an injection fluid material from an injection molding machine, the manifold routing the injection fluid to a fluid delivery channel having a flow path that extends and delivers the injection fluid material under an injection pressure to a gate of a mold cavity, an actuator comprising a fluid sealed housing having a piston interconnected to a valve pin, the piston being slidably mounted within the housing for travel over a selected stroke length between an upstream fully gate open position and a downstream gate closed position, wherein the piston divides the enclosed actuator housing into upstream and downstream actuator drive chambers that are each interconnected to a source of drive fluid by respective upstream and downstream fluid source communication channels, the actuator including one or more internal channels, that communicate drive fluid between one or the other of the upstream and downstream actuator drive chambers, the one or more internal channels being adapted to communicate drive fluid between the upstream or downstream drive chamber and the source of fluid such that the piston is driven at a first low velocity of travel over the course of travel of a first portion of the stroke length and such that the piston is driven at a second high velocity of travel over the course of travel of a second portion of the stroke length. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification