Injection mold mounted process control and data acquisition apparatus
First Claim
1. An injection mold mounted process control and data acquisition apparatus comprising:
- an injection mold;
a process control and data acquisition system mounted on said injection mold; and
at least one injection mold-located sensor providing information from said injection mold to the mold mounted process control and data acquisition system;
said mold mounted process control and data acquisition system comprising;
at least one sensor input circuit;
at least one control output circuit;
at least one switched power device;
at least one microprocessor or logic device necessary for control of a process;
at least one analog-digital signal converter for converting analog sensor signals located within the injection mold to digital signals;
at least one multiplexing device to deliver an analog signal to an input device within the mold mounted process control and data acquisition apparatus;
at least one data transmission device to send and receive data in analog or digital format to an attached or remote communicating device;
at least one memory device located within the mold mounted process control and data acquisition apparatus to store data for use in or in conjunction with control processes, control algorithms, or data storage; and
a cooling system located within the process control and data acquisition system comprised of an electronic circuit with a cooling medium to remove heat from the process control and data acquisition system using water or air.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to injection mold hot runner control devices and more particularly to an injection molding control device which eliminates the conventional control cables to improve the quality of feedback signals received by the controller and the safety of the environment in which such systems are used. The present invention utilizes a signal processor to convert analog signals received from the mold temperature sensors into a digital feedback signal in the vicinity of the mold and to transmit such feedback signal to a receiver connected to a controller at a location remote from the mold. The mold controller processes the feedback signal and generates a corresponding control signal. The control signal is transmitted from the remotely located controller to the controlled device, typically the mold heaters. A single controller and a single mold signal processor may be used to be able to control numerous molds by utilizing signals on different lines or frequencies or in other means of signal differentiation known to those skilled in the art. The system of the present invention enables the injection mold user to eliminate the numerous problems, difficulties and repair costs of the prior art as well as enabling the user to gain an improved feedback loop that was not feasible under control systems of the prior art.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An injection mold mounted process control and data acquisition apparatus comprising:
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an injection mold;
a process control and data acquisition system mounted on said injection mold; and
at least one injection mold-located sensor providing information from said injection mold to the mold mounted process control and data acquisition system;
said mold mounted process control and data acquisition system comprising;
at least one sensor input circuit;
at least one control output circuit;
at least one switched power device;
at least one microprocessor or logic device necessary for control of a process;
at least one analog-digital signal converter for converting analog sensor signals located within the injection mold to digital signals;
at least one multiplexing device to deliver an analog signal to an input device within the mold mounted process control and data acquisition apparatus;
at least one data transmission device to send and receive data in analog or digital format to an attached or remote communicating device;
at least one memory device located within the mold mounted process control and data acquisition apparatus to store data for use in or in conjunction with control processes, control algorithms, or data storage; and
a cooling system located within the process control and data acquisition system comprised of an electronic circuit with a cooling medium to remove heat from the process control and data acquisition system using water or air. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An injection mold-mounted process control and data acquisition apparatus, comprising:
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an injection mold having associated controllable parameters;
at least one controlled element mounted on said injection mold which varies a respective one of said controllable parameters in response to a control signal;
at least one injection mold-located sensor which produces an output that varies with a respective one of said controllable parameters;
a thermally-isolated enclosure mounted to said injection mold; and
processing circuitry positioned within said thermally-isolated enclosure, said circuitry coupled to said at least one injection mold-located sensor output and said at least one controlled element and arranged to provide at least one of said control signals. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) which converts said at least one injection mold-located sensor output to a digital signal; and
a microprocessor which receives said digital signal and is arranged to provide at least one of said control signals.
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12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said at least one controlled element comprises a plurality of controlled elements and said at least one injection mold-located sensor comprises a plurality of injection mold-located sensors, said processing circuitry further comprising a multiplexer which selectively connects one of said sensor outputs to said ADC, said microprocessor arranged to produce a plurality of said control signals to respective ones of said controlled elements.
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13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising at least one connector mounted to said thermally-isolated enclosure and an equal number of mating connectors mounted to said injection mold such that said at least one connector and said mating connectors are mated together and couple said processing circuitry to said sensor outputs and said controlled elements when said thermally-isolated enclosure is mounted to said injection mold.
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14. An injection mold-mounted process control and data acquisition apparatus, comprising:
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an injection mold having associated controllable parameters;
at least one controlled element mounted on said injection mold which varies a respective one of said controllable parameters in response to a control signal;
at least one injection mold-located sensor which produces an output that varies with a respective one of said controllable parameters;
a thermally-isolated enclosure mounted to said injection mold;
processing circuitry positioned within said thermally-isolated enclosure; and
at least one connector mounted to said thermally-isolated enclosure and an equal number of mating connectors mounted to said injection mold such that said at least one connector and said mating connectors are mated together and couple said processing circuitry to said sensor outputs and said controlled elements when said thermally-isolated enclosure is mounted to said injection mold;
said controlled elements, said sensors, and said processing circuitry arranged to provide closed-loop control of at least one of said controllable parameters.
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15. An injection mold-mounted process control and data acquisition apparatus, comprising:
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an injection mold having a plurality of associated controllable parameters;
a plurality of controlled elements mounted on said injection mold which vary respective ones of said controllable parameters in response to respective control signals;
a plurality of injection mold-located sensors which produces respective outputs that vary with respective ones of said controllable parameters;
a thermally-isolated enclosure mounted to said injection mold;
processing circuitry positioned within said thermally-isolated enclosure; and
at least one connector mounted to said thermally-isolated enclosure and an equal number of mating connectors mounted to said injection mold such that said at least one connector and said mating connectors are mated together and couple said processing circuitry to said sensor outputs and said controlled elements when said thermally-isolated enclosure is mounted to said injection mold;
said controlled elements, said sensors, and said processing circuitry arranged to provide closed-loop control of at least one of said controllable parameters.
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Specification