Controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system and an associated method of use

• US 20070216055A1
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Limited
• Inventors: Pilavdzic, Jim
• Granted Patent: US 7,618,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/40.600
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/7604 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76274 runners, nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76518 Energy, power
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76531 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76752 runners, nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76929 Controlling method
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14598 Coating tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/2737 Heating or cooling means therefor B29C45/7331 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/78 of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means

Abstract

A controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system, which includes a regulated voltage supply that is electrically connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system, at least one sensor operatively associated with at least one heater and utilized in a hot runner injection molding system, at least one digital signal processor that is operatively connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system, the regulated voltage supply and the sensor operatively associated with the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system based on feedback from the at least one sensor.

Claims

1. A controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system comprising:

a regulated voltage supply that is electrically connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system;

at least one temperature sensor located distal proximate to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system; and

at least one digital signal processor that is operatively connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system, the regulated voltage supply and the at least one temperature sensor for regulating temperature of the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system based on feedback from the at least one temperature sensor.

2. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one output switching module electrically connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system and the regulated voltage supply, wherein the at least one output switching module varies at least one of voltage and frequency to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system through at least one of pulse width modulation and zero crossing detection.

3. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 2, further comprising at least one trigger control module that transmits command signals to the output switching module, wherein the at least one trigger control module is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor and the regulated voltage supply.

4. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one controller interface that is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor.

5. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one current sensor that is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor.

6. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one voltage sensor that is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor.

7. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor, which is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor, to provide input, wherein the sensor selected from the group consisting of a material state change sensor, a pressure sensor, a resistance shift sensor, a capacitance sensor, an inductance sensor, a material phase change sensor, a permeability sensor, a density sensor, a viscosity sensor, a shear feedback sensor, a material flow sensor, a polymerization response sensor, a strain sensor, a stress sensor, and a transformation function sensor.

8. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 1, wherein the regulated voltage supply is capable of receiving alternating current voltage in a range from about 110 Volts to about 600 Volts in a frequency range from about 50 Hz to about 400 Hz in at least one phase.

9. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one digital signal processor utilizes zero crossing time proportioning control and phase fired voltage control.

10. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one digital signal processor utilizes control features selected from the group consisting of automatic tuning, PID feedback loop, feed forward, slope control, or cut back.

11. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 1, further including a voltage filtering stage that is electrically connected to the regulated voltage supply to smooth rectified voltage coming from the regulated voltage supply.

12. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one controller interface further includes an electronic display.

13. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 1, further comprising a digital communications module that is connected to a computer network.

14. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 13, wherein the computer network includes a global computer network.

15. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 13, further comprising a wireless interface device that is in electronic communication with the digital communications module.

16. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 15, wherein the wireless interface can communicate with a wireless device selected from the group consisting of a hand-held unit, a radio frequency controlled unit, a personal digital assistant, a portable processor or a radio frequency link over power wire communication.

17. A controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system comprising:

a regulated voltage supply that is electrically connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system;

at least one first sensor from the group consisting of a temperature sensor located distal proximate to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system, a current sensor utilized in a hot runner injection molding system and a voltage sensor utilized in a hot runner injection molding system;

at least one second sensor from the group consisting of a material state change sensor, a pressure sensor, a resistance shift sensor, a capacitance sensor, an inductance sensor, a material phase change sensor, a permeability sensor, a density sensor, a viscosity sensor, a shear feedback sensor, a material flow sensor, a polymerization response sensor, a strain sensor, a stress sensor and a transformation function sensor; and

at least one digital signal processor that is operatively connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system, the regulated voltage supply, the at least one first sensor utilized in a hot runner injection molding system and the at least one second sensor utilized in a hot runner injection molding system.

18. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 17, further comprising at least one output switching module electrically connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system and the regulated voltage supply, wherein the at least one output switching module varies at least one of voltage and frequency to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system through at least one of pulse width modulation and zero crossing detection.

19. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 18, further comprising at least one trigger control module that transmits command signals to the output switching module, wherein the at least one trigger control module is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor and the regulated voltage supply.

20. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 17, further comprising at least one controller interface that is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor.

21. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 20, wherein the at least one controller interface further includes an electronic display.

22. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 17, further comprising a digital communications module that is connected to a computer network.

23. The controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 22, further comprising a wireless interface device that is in electronic communication with the digital communications module.

24. A controller for at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system comprising:

a regulated voltage supply that is electrically connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system;

at least one first sensor from the group consisting of a temperature sensor located distal proximate to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system, a current sensor utilized in a hot runner injection molding system and a voltage sensor utilized in a hot runner injection molding system;

at least one second sensor from the group consisting of a material state change sensor, a pressure sensor, a resistance shift sensor, a capacitance sensor, an inductance sensor, a material phase change sensor, a permeability sensor, a density sensor, a viscosity sensor, a shear feedback sensor, a material flow sensor, a polymerization response sensor, a strain sensor, a stress sensor and a transformation function sensor;

at least one digital signal processor that is operatively connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system, the regulated voltage supply, the at least one first sensor utilized in a hot runner injection molding system and the at least one second sensor utilized in a hot runner injection molding system;

at least one output switching module electrically connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system and the regulated voltage supply, wherein the at least one output switching module varies at least one of voltage and frequency to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system through at least one of pulse width modulation and zero crossing detection;

at least one trigger control module that transmits command signals to the output switching module and the at least one trigger control module is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor and the regulated voltage supply; and

at least one controller interface that is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor.

25. A method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system comprising:

receiving an input voltage with a regulated voltage supply that is electrically connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system;

obtaining at least one temperature value from at least one temperature sensor located distal proximate to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system; and

regulating temperature of the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system with at least one digital signal processor that is operatively connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system, the regulated voltage supply and the at least one temperature sensor.

26. The method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 25, further comprising varying at least one of voltage and frequency to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system through at least one of pulse width modulation and zero crossing detection with at least one output switching module that is electrically connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system and the regulated voltage supply.

27. The method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 25, further comprising transmitting command signals to the output switching module, wherein the at least one trigger control module is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor and the regulated voltage supply.

28. The method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 25, further comprising providing user input and receiving output with at least one controller interface that is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor.

29. The method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 25, further comprising receiving input from at least one of a current sensor and a voltage sensor that is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor.

30. The method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 25, further comprising utilizing zero crossing time proportioning control and phase fired voltage control with the at least one digital signal processor.

31. The method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 25, further comprising utilizing at least one of a digital communications module and a wireless interface.

32. The method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 31, wherein the digital communications module is operatively connected to a global computer network.

33. The method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 31, wherein the wireless interface can communicate with a wireless device selected from the group consisting of a hand-held unit, a radio frequency controlled unit, a personal digital assistant, a portable processor or a radio frequency link over power wire communication.

34. A method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system comprising:

receiving an input voltage with a regulated voltage supply that is electrically connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system;

obtaining at least one first input value from a first sensor selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor located distal proximate to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system, a current sensor utilized in a hot runner injection molding system and a voltage sensor utilized in a hot runner injection molding system;

obtaining at least one second input value from a second sensor selected from the group consisting of a material state change sensor, a pressure sensor, a resistance shift sensor, a capacitance sensor, an inductance sensor, a material phase change sensor, a permeability sensor, a density sensor, a viscosity sensor, a shear feedback sensor, a material flow sensor, a polymerization response sensor, a strain sensor, a stress sensor and a transformation function sensor; and

regulating a hot runner injection molding system with at least one digital signal processor that is operatively connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system, the regulated voltage supply, the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor.

35. The method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 34, further comprising varying at least one of voltage and frequency to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system through at least one of pulse width modulation and zero crossing detection with at least one output switching module that is electrically connected to the at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system and the regulated voltage supply.

36. The method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 34, further comprising transmitting command signals to the output switching module, wherein the at least one trigger control module is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor and the regulated voltage supply.

37. The method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 34, further comprising providing user input and receiving output with at least one controller interface that is electrically connected to the at least one digital signal processor.

38. The method for controlling temperature of at least one heater utilized in a hot runner injection molding system according to claim 34, further comprising utilizing at least one of a digital communications module and a wireless interface, wherein the wireless interface can communicate with a wireless device selected from the group consisting of a hand-held unit, a radio frequency controlled unit, a personal digital assistant, a portable processor or a radio frequency link over power wire communication.