Flexible hot manifold assembly for injection molding machines
First Claim
1. A manifold assembly for providing a flow path for plastic material from a source of molten plastic to a mold assembly in an injection molding machine, the manifold assembly comprising:
- a base, a manifold inlet coupled to the base and adapted to be coupled to said source, a plurality of manifold outlets coupled to the base and adapted to be fixed to inlets of said mold assembly, at least one flow divider coupled to the manifold inlet, and a plurality of flexible manifold conduits connected between the flow divider and the manifold outlets, each conduit including at least one flexible curved portion for permitting thermally induced changes in conduit length, each end of each conduit being maintained at a constant position at the flow divider and the manifold outlet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A manifold assembly for supplying plastic material from a plastic source to a mold assembly in an injection molding machine includes a flexible manifold having an interior conduit connected between the plastic source and the mold assembly. The flexible manifold is configured to define an input connector, a first curved segment attached to the input connector, a second curved segment, an output connector attaching the second curved segment to the mold assembly, and an intermediary segment connecting the first and second curved segments. This provides the flexible manifold with a generally S-shaped configuration that flexes with temperature changes to maintain a substantially constant positioning between the input connector and the output connector, preventing thermally induced movement of the mold assembly with respect to the input connector as heated plastic is injected through the conduit.
62 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A manifold assembly for providing a flow path for plastic material from a source of molten plastic to a mold assembly in an injection molding machine, the manifold assembly comprising:
- a base, a manifold inlet coupled to the base and adapted to be coupled to said source, a plurality of manifold outlets coupled to the base and adapted to be fixed to inlets of said mold assembly, at least one flow divider coupled to the manifold inlet, and a plurality of flexible manifold conduits connected between the flow divider and the manifold outlets, each conduit including at least one flexible curved portion for permitting thermally induced changes in conduit length, each end of each conduit being maintained at a constant position at the flow divider and the manifold outlet.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A manifold assembly for supplying plastic material from a source of molten plastic to a mold assembly in an injection molding machine, the manifold assembly comprising:
- a base plate adapted to be fixed in the molding machine in spaced relation from the mold assembly, a manifold inlet portion fixed to the base and adapted to be coupled to said source of molten plastic, the manifold inlet portion providing at least one flow channel for molten plastic terminating in a flow channel outlet, a plurality of manifold outlets fixed to the base and adapted to be fixed to inlets of said mold assembly, at least one flow divider coupled to the flow channel outlet of the manifold inlet portion at a position spaced by a minimum distance from the manifold outlets, and a plurality of flexible manifold conduits connected between the flow divider and the manifold outlets, each conduit comprising a seamless metal tube, all of the tubes being of uniform preselected length exceeding said minimum distance and including at least one flexible curved portion for permitting thermally induced changes in conduit length while each end of each conduit is maintained at a constant position at the flow divider and the manifold outlet.
- View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
Specification