Actuator cooling apparatus and method
First Claim
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1. An injection molding apparatus comprising a clamp plate, a heated manifold, an actuator, a mold and a cooling device that cools the actuator, wherein when assembled the clamp plate and the mold are interconnected and spaced apart from each other, the manifold is disposed between the clamp plate and the mold and the actuator is mounted in thermally conductive communication with the manifold,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 or spring loadable interconnection or engagement to or with the proximal base or member, the distal arm or member being comprised of a thermally conductive material having a distal end surface for engaging the clamp plate under a spring load,the actuator comprising a housing body that is thermally conductive and mounted in thermal communication with the manifold,the proximal base or member being mounted to the housing body of the actuator in an arrangement wherein the distal end surface of the distal arm or member is movable through the spring or spring loadable interconnection toward and away from the actuator,the distal arm or member having a proximal surface adapted to be disposed in sliding contact with a complementary surface of the actuator for transmitting heat from the proximal surface to the distal end surface,the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and the heat transmitter being assemblable together in an arrangement wherein the proximal surface slides along the complementary surface and the spring or spring loadable interconnection is loaded urging the distal end surface of the distal arm or member into compressed engagement with the clamp plate at least when the manifold is heated to an elevated operating temperature;
wherein the spring or spring loadable interconnection has an amount or degree of mass that renders the spring or spring loadable interconnection substantially non-heat conductive between the proximal and distal members.
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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
20 Claims
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1. An injection molding apparatus comprising a clamp plate, a heated manifold, an actuator, a mold and a cooling device that cools the actuator, wherein when assembled the clamp plate and the mold are interconnected and spaced apart from each other, the manifold is disposed between the clamp plate and the mold and the actuator is mounted in thermally conductive communication with the manifold,
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 or spring loadable interconnection or engagement to or with the proximal base or member, the distal arm or member being comprised of a thermally conductive material having a distal end surface for engaging the clamp plate under a spring load, the actuator comprising a housing body that is thermally conductive and mounted in thermal communication with the manifold, the proximal base or member being mounted to the housing body of the actuator in an arrangement wherein the distal end surface of the distal arm or member is movable through the spring or spring loadable interconnection toward and away from the actuator, the distal arm or member having a proximal surface adapted to be disposed in sliding contact with a complementary surface of the actuator for transmitting heat from the proximal surface to the distal end surface, the clamp plate, the mold, the manifold, the actuator and the heat transmitter being assemblable together in an arrangement wherein the proximal surface slides along the complementary surface and the spring or spring loadable interconnection is loaded urging the distal end surface of the distal arm or member into compressed engagement with the clamp plate at least when the manifold is heated to an elevated operating temperature; wherein the spring or spring loadable interconnection has an amount or degree of mass that renders the spring or spring loadable interconnection substantially non-heat conductive between the proximal and distal members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20)
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18. A method of cooling an actuator in an injection molding apparatus comprising a clamp plate, a heated manifold, an actuator having a housing body, a mold and a cooling device that cools the actuator, wherein when assembled the clamp plate and the mold are interconnected and spaced apart from each other, the manifold is disposed between the clamp plate and the mold and the actuator is mounted in thermally conductive communication with the manifold,
the method being characterized in that: -
the cooling device is mounted to the actuator housing body such that a proximal surface of a distal arm or member is disposed in sliding contact with a complementary surface of the actuator for transmitting heat from the proximal surface to a distal end surface of the distal arm or member, the distal arm or member being mounted by a spring or spring loadable interconnection or engagement to or with a proximal base or member, the distal arm or member being comprised of a thermally conductive material, mounting the actuator in thermal communication with the manifold, mounting the proximal base or member to the housing body of the actuator in an arrangement wherein the distal end surface of the distal arm or member is movable through the spring or spring loadable interconnection toward and away from the actuator, assembling the manifold, the actuator and the heat transmitter together in an arrangement wherein the proximal surface slides along the complementary surface and the spring or spring loadable interconnection is loaded urging the distal end surface of the distal arm or member into compressed engagement with the clamp plate under a spring load at least when the manifold is heated to an elevated operating temperature; wherein either the spring or spring loadable interconnection has an amount or degree of mass that renders the spring or spring loadable interconnection substantially non-heat conductive between the proximal and distal members, or the spring or spring loadable interconnection has engagement surfaces that engage against complementary opposing engagement surfaces of the proximal and distal arms or members having a selected area of engagement that renders the spring or spring loadable interconnection substantially non-heat conductive between the proximal and distal arms or members. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification