Heater control device in injection molding machine

• US 5,582,756 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 12/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fanuc Ltd (Fanuc Corporation)
• Inventors: Koyama, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Paschall, Mark H.
• Application Number:
  US08/469,822
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 219/497, 219/499, 219/501, 219/505, 219/492, 219/491, 219/660, 363/34, 363/36
• US Class Current: 219/497
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/7666 of power or energy, e.g. integral function of force
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/78 of temperature

Abstract

A semiconductor switching circuit is connected to a DC power source for an inverter to control a servomotor in an injection molding machine, and a PWM signal controls an ON/OFF operation of a switching device in the semiconductor switching circuit so as to feed power to a heater of the injection molding machine. Since the DC power source feeds the heater with power, it is possible to overcome irregularity in power supply, and linearly vary a conducting time, thereby finely and accurately controlling a temperature. The DC power source for the inverter to control the servomotor also serves as a DC power source for the heater, resulting in no need for a special power source circuit.

Claims

1. A heater control device in an electrically-operated injection molding machine, comprising:

a direct current power source which converts alternating current from an alternating current power source into direct current;

a servo motor for driving a section of the injection molding machine;

a heater mounted on a part of the injection molding machine for supplying heat thereto;

an inverter which lies between said direct current power source and said servo motor, said inverter being provided with switching elements therein; and

a controller which controls ON/OFF operation of said switching elements in said inverter so as to control current supply to each phase of said servo motor;

wherein said heater is connected to said direct current power source through the medium of an electric current, voltage or power adjusting circuit; and

operation of said electric current, voltage or power adjusting circuit is controlled by means of temperature adjusting signals output from said controller;

whereby electric power from the direct current power source, which is used for the drive of the servo motor, is fed to the heater, and the amount of power to be fed to the heater is controlled for adjusting the temperature of the heater.

2. A control device in an injection molding machine according to claim 1, wherein said switching circuit adjusts power fed to said heater from said DC power source by controlling an ON time interval.

3. A control device in an injection molding machine according to claim 2, wherein the ON time interval of said switching circuit is controlled according to conditions including an actual heating temperature and a target heating temperature of a heating target object.

4. A control device in an injection molding machine according to claim 3, wherein:

the ON time interval of said switching circuit is controlled through feedback control in the controller according to the conditions; and

the controller generates a PWM signal so as to turn ON or OFF said switching circuit.

5. A control device in an injection molding machine according to claim 1, wherein said switching circuit includes an analog amplifier, and a value of the power fed to said heater is adjusted by supplying the amplifier with a signal to control its amplification degree.

6. A control device in an injection molding machine according to claim 5, wherein the amplification degree of said analog amplifier is controlled according to conditions including an actual heating temperature and a target heating temperature of a heating target object heated by the heater.

7. A heater control device in an injection molding machine according to claim 6, wherein said analog amplifier comprises:

a transistor having a base terminal receiving as input a power supply command obtained through feedback control from the controller, thereby setting the amplification degree of the transistor to a value.

8. A control device in an injection molding machine according to claim 1, wherein said switching circuit adjusts a value of voltage fed to said heater by controlling an ON time interval.

9. A control device in an injection molding machine according to claim 1, wherein said switching circuit includes an analog amplifier, and a value of voltage fed to said heater is adjusted by supplying the amplifier with a signal to control its amplification degree.

10. The heater control device according to claim 1, wherein the section of the injection molding machine is an injection shaft.

11. The heater control device according to claim 1, wherein the part of the injection molding machine on which the heater is mounted is a main body of an injection cylinder.

12. The heater control device according to claim 1, wherein the part of the injection molding machine on which the heater is mounted is a nozzle fixed at a distal end of the injection cylinder.

13. The heater control device according to claim 1, wherein the part of the injection molding machine on which the heater is mounted is a nozzle fixed inside a mold.

14. A control device in an injection molding machine, comprising:

a servomotor having N phases wherein N is an integer;

a DC power source which converts three-phase AC current into dc current through full-wave rectification;

an inverter which receives the DC current from said DC power source and outputs N-phase current to the servomotor in response to a first PWM control signal;

a heater which supplies heat to the injection molding machine;

a switching circuit interposed between the DC power source and the heater which controls DC current supplied to said heater in response to a second PWM control signal; and

a controller which outputs a first PWM control signal to control the inverter and a second PWM control signal to control the switching circuit.

15. A control device in an injection molding machine, comprising:

a servomotor;

a DC power source which converts three-phase AC current into DC current through full-wave rectification;

an inverter which receives the DC current from said DC power source and outputs phase current to the servomotor in response to a first PWM control signal;

a heater which supplies heat to the injection molding machine;

an analog transistor interposed between the DC power source and the heater which controls DC current supplied to said heater from said DC power source in response to a second PWM control signal; and

a controller which outputs a first PWM control signal to control the inverter and a second PWM control signal to control the analog transistor.

16. A control device in an injection molding machine, comprising:

a servomotor having a plurality of phases;

a DC power source which converts three-phase AC current into DC current through full-wave rectification;

an inverter which receives the DC current from said DC power source and outputs current to each phase of the servomotor in response to a received control signal;

a heater which supplies heat to the injection molding machine;

a switching circuit interposed between the DC power source and the heater which controls the heat supplied to the injection molding machine from said heater; and

a controller which controls said switching circuit to thereby control the heat supplied to the injection molding machine and which outputs a control signal to control the inverter.