Casting apparatus and casting method of cylinder head

• US 6,422,294 B1
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Matsubayashi, Nobuyuki, Murata, Akira, Nakano, Akihiro, Nozaki, Tomoyuki, Yano, Shigeo, Shouju, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Kuang Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/719,741
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 164/113, 164/312, 164/125, 164/126, 164/348
• US Class Current: 164/113
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 18/04 Low pressure casting, i.e. making use of pressures up to a few bars to fill the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 27/04 Influencing the temperature of the metal, e.g. by heating or cooling the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 27/045 Directionally solidified castings

Abstract

To obtain a high-quality cast product of a cylinder head, a proper directivity to the cooling process of the molten metal after a pouring process by utilizing the shape of a cylinder head is discussed. In a process where molten metal is injected to a casting mold cavity formed between upper and lower molds to fill it therewith so that the molten metal is solidified to form a cylinder head of an engine, a plurality of core protrusions corresponding to holes (plug holes and bolt holes) are formed in the upper mold, and a cooling means is attached to each of the core protrusions. With respect to cooling means attached to the plurality of core protrusions, those attached to the inner core protrusions comparatively closer to the center of the casting mold are designed so as to have a greater cooling capability than those attached to the outer core protrusions; therefore, with respect to the center portion and the outer portion of the casting mold cavity.

Claims

1. A casting apparatus of a cylinder head, which comprises a pair of upper and lower molds that are separably joined to each other and which cast-molds a cylinder head of an engine by injecting molten metal into a casting mold cavity formed between the two molds so as to fill it with the molten metal to be solidified, through a gate formed in the lower mold, wherein

a plurality of core protrusions corresponding to holes are formed on the upper mold with cooling means being attached to each of the core protrusions, the cooling means attached to inner core protrusions comparatively closer to the center of the mold being designed so as to have a greater cooling capability than those attached to outer core protrusions comparatively closer to the periphery of the mold.

2. The casting apparatus of a cylinder head according to claim 1, wherein a cooling medium of the cooling means attached to the inner core protrusions is liquid and a cooling medium of the cooling means attached to the outer core protrusions is gas.

3. The casting apparatus of a cylinder head according to claim 2, wherein a removing means is installed so as to remove residual cooling medium inside the core protrusions after stoppage of the cooling operation of the cooling means attached the inner core protrusions.

4. The casting apparatus of a cylinder head according to claim 1, wherein the core protrusions correspond to at least a plug hole located comparatively closer to the center of the cylinder -head and a bolt hole located comparatively closer to the periphery of the cylinder head.

5. A casting apparatus of a cylinder head according to claim 1, wherein side walls are provided so as to form a casting mold cavity with the upper and lower molds, and a spot cooling means, which restricts thermal conduction so as not to be exerted in any direction other than a specific direction, is installed at least in either the upper or lower mold.

6. The casting apparatus of a cylinder head according to claim 1, wherein first and second elongated cores are to be assembled in a mold before molten metal is injected into a casting mold cavity, wherein core prints are placed on both ends of each of the two cores;

the first core is assembled in the casting mold through the core prints; and

the second core is assembled in the casting mold with core prints thereof being supported by the core prints of the first core.

7. The casting apparatus of a cylinder head according to claim 6, wherein a suction means is installed so as to suck, through at least either of the core prints of the two cores, gas generated in the core or the other core at the time of a casting process.

8. The casting apparatus of a cylinder head according to claim 1, wherein side wall casting molds which form the side walls are supported by the upper mold;

a mold cooling means is installed on the upper mold so as to cool the mold in accordance with the temperature thereof;

the side wall casting molds are installed in a manner so as to be switched between a mold-closed state for forming a sealed volume section and a mold-opened state for allowing the volume section to open; and

under conditions that all the side wall casting molds are set in the mold-closed state and that the upper mold is cooled to a temperature in a predetermined temperature range, a mold wash is applied to inner faces of the side wall casting molds and the upper mold.

9. A casting apparatus of a cylinder head, which comprises a pair of upper and lower molds that are separably joined to each other and side walls, and which cast-molds a cylinder head of an engine by injecting molten metal into a casting mold cavity formed by the two molds and the side walls so as to fill it with the molten metal to be solidified, through a gate formed in the lower mold, wherein

a plurality of core protrusions corresponding to holes are formed on the upper mold with cooling means being attached to each of the core protrusions, the cooling means attached to inner core protrusions comparatively closer to the center of the mold being designed so as to have a greater cooling capability than those attached to outer core protrusions comparatively closer to the periphery of the mold, and in that a spot cooling means, which restricts thermal conduction so as not to be exerted in any direction other than a specific direction, is installed in the-lower mold.

10. A casting method for a cylinder head, which comprises the steps of preparing a pair of upper and lower molds that are separably joined to each other and cast-molding a cylinder head of an engine by injecting molten metal into a casting mold cavity formed between the two molds so as to fill it with the molten metal to be solidified, through a gate formed in the lower mold, wherein

a plurality of core protrusions corresponding to holes are formed on the upper mold with cooling means being attached to each of the core protrusions, the cooling means attached to inner core protrusions comparatively closer to the center of the mold being designed so as to have a greater cooling capability than those attached to outer core protrusions comparatively closer to the periphery of the mold.

11. A casting method for a cylinder head according to claim 10, wherein side walls are provided so as to form a casting mold cavity with the upper and lower molds, and a spot cooling means, which restricts thermal conduction so as not to be exerted in any direction other than a specific direction, is installed at least in either the upper or lower mold.

12. The casting method for a cylinder head according to claim 10, wherein first and second elongated cores are to be assembled in a mold before molten metal is injected into a casting mold cavity, wherein core prints are placed on both ends of each of the two cores;

the first core is assembled in the casting mold through the core prints; and

the second core is assembled in the casting mold with core prints thereof being supported by the core prints of the first core.

13. The casting method for a cylinder head according to claim 12, wherein a suction means is installed so as to suck, through at least either of the core prints of the two cores, gas generated in the core or the other core at the time of a casting process.

14. The casting method for a cylinder head according to claim 10, wherein side wall casting molds which form the side walls are supported by the upper mold;

a mold cooling means is installed on the upper mold so as to cool the mold in accordance with the temperature thereof;

the side wall casting molds are installed in a manner so as to be switched between a mold-closed state for forming a sealed volume section and a mold-opened state for allowing the volume section to open; and

under conditions that all the side wall casting molds are set in the mold-closed state and that the upper mold is cooled to a temperature in a predetermined temperature range, a mold wash is applied to inner faces of the side wall casting molds and the upper mold.

15. A casting method for a cylinder head, which comprises the step of preparing a pair of upper and lower molds that are separably joined to each other and side walls, and which cast-molds a cylinder head of an engine by injecting molten metal into a casting mold cavity formed by the two molds and the side walls so as to fill it with the molten metal to be solidified, through a gate formed in the lower mold, wherein

a plurality of core protrusions corresponding to holes are formed on the upper mold with cooling means being attached to each of the core protrusions, the cooling means attached to inner core protrusions comparatively closer to the center of the mold being designed so as to have a greater cooling capability than those attached to outer core protrusions comparatively closer to the periphery of the mold, and in that a spot cooling means, which restricts thermal conduction so as not to be exerted in any direction other than a specific direction, is installed in the lower mold.