Apparatus and methods for modular preform mold system

• US 8,613,613 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2010
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amcor Rigid Plastics USA Incorporated (Amcor Plc)
• Original Assignee: Ecovision Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Gaiser, Karin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gupta, Yogendra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luk, Emmanuel S
• Application Number:
  US12/948,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20110062629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 425/185, 425/190, 425/191, 425/192.R, 425/562, 425/572, 425/588, 425/DIG.239, 425/DIG.247, 264/297.2, 264/39
• US Class Current: 425/190
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/04 for assembling or disassembling parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/2683 Plurality of independent mould cavities in a single mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/26 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/40 Removing or ejecting moulded articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/253 Preform
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for a preform mold system include multiple preform core side modules having preform mold cores, a core side clamp plate connectable to a moving platen of an injection mold machine and operable to receive the preform core modules, multiple preform cavity side modules having preform mold cavities, each of the preform cavity side modules operable to matingly engage a respective core side module to form multiple preform molds having a respective preform design, and multiple ejector housing assemblies for connecting the core side modules to an ejector platen of the mold machine, each of the ejector housing assemblies corresponding to a respective core side module. The preform mold system may also include a manifold and valve gate assembly connectable to a stationary platen of an injection mold machine and operable to receive the cavity side modules and place the mold cavities in fluid communication with an injector of the mold machine to control the injection of fluidized plastic in a uniform flow into the preform molds, simultaneously.

Claims

1. A modular preform mold system comprising:

a plurality of preform core side modules having a plurality of preform mold cores,

a core side clamp plate connectable to a moving platen of an injection mold machine and operable to receive the plurality of preform core modules;

a plurality of preform cavity side modules having a plurality of preform mold cavities disposed therein, each one of the plurality of preform cavity side modules corresponding to and operable to engage a respective one of the plurality of core side modules to form a plurality of preform molds having a respective preform design;

a plurality of ejector housing assemblies for connecting the plurality of core side modules to an ejector platen of the injection mold machine, each one of the plurality of ejector housing assemblies corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of core side modules; and

a manifold and valve gate assembly connectable to a stationary platen of an injection mold machine and operable to receive the plurality of preform cavity modules and place the plurality of preform mold cavities in fluid communication with an injector of the injection mold machine;

wherein the manifold and valve gate assembly is operable to control the injection of fluidized plastic in a uniform flow into the plurality of preform molds in fluid communication with the manifold and valve gate assembly;

wherein the plurality of ejector housing assemblies are operable to eject one or more different sized preforms from the plurality of preform molds.

2. The mold system of claim 1, wherein the mold system is adjustable such that is enables more than one preform design to be simultaneously formed on a single injection mold machine.

3. The mold system of claim 1, wherein the mold system is adjustable such that from two preforms to one hundred preforms on a single injection mold machine using the same core side clamp plate.

4. The mold system of claim 1, wherein the clamp plate is operable to receive and connect to from one to six core side modules and the manifold and valve gate assembly is operable to receive and connect to from one to six cavity side modules.

5. The mold system of claim 4, wherein each core side module comprises sixteen mold cores extending therefrom and each cavity side module comprises sixteen mold cavities disposed therein corresponding to respective ones of the sixteen mold cores.

6. The mold system of claim 5, wherein the mold system is adjustable such that the mold system is operable to form from sixteen preforms to ninety-six preforms on a single injection mold machine using the same core side clamp plate.

7. The mold system of claim 5, wherein the mold system is adjustable to injection mold from sixteen preforms to ninety-six preforms on a single injection mold machine without having to change out the core side clamp plate.

8. The mold system of claim 1, wherein the mold system is adjustable such that the mold system is operable to form from one to six preform designs and from two to one hundred preforms simultaneously.

9. The mold system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of core side modules and plurality of cavity side modules when matingly engaged form a plurality of first preform molds having a first preform design and a plurality of second preform molds having a second preform design.

10. The mold system of claim 9, wherein the mold system is operable such that the plurality of core side and cavity side modules having the first preform molds may be connected to the clamp plate to form a plurality of preforms having the first preform design, that plurality of core side and cavity side modules having the second preform molds may be connected to the clamp plate to form a plurality of preforms having the second preform design, or any combination thereof simultaneously on the single injection mold machine.

11. The mold system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of core side modules and plurality of cavity side modules when matingly engaged form a plurality of third preform molds having a third preform design and a plurality of fourth preform molds having a fourth preform design, and

wherein the mold system is operable such that

the plurality of core side and cavity side modules having the first preform molds may be connected to the clamp plate to form a plurality of preforms having the first preform design, that the plurality of core side and cavity side modules having the second preform molds may be connected to the clamp plate to form a plurality of preforms having the second preform design,

the plurality of core side and cavity side modules having the third preform molds may be connected to the clamp plate to form a plurality of preforms having the third preform design,

the plurality of core side and cavity side modules having the fourth preform molds may be connected to the clamp plate to form a plurality of preforms having the fourth preform design, or

any combination thereof simultaneously on the single injection mold machine.

12. The mold system of claim 9, wherein the first and second preform designs are distinct preform designs.

13. The mold system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of core side modules comprises two rows of eight mold cores, and each cavity side module comprises two row of eight mold cavities corresponding to each respective core.

14. The mold system of claim 13, wherein the mold cores are staggered with respect to each other and the mold cavities are staggered with respect to one another and correspond with the respective cores.

15. The mold system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of core side modules comprises two rows of ten mold cores, and each cavity side module comprises two row of ten mold cavities corresponding to each respective core.

16. A modular preform mold system comprising

a first core side module comprising a plurality of preform mold cores;

a second core side module comprising a plurality of preform mold cores;

a clamp plate for attaching to a moving platen of an injection mold machine and operable to receive both the first and second core side modules, individually or simultaneously;

a first cavity side module for connecting to a manifold and valve gate system, the first cavity side module comprising a plurality of preform mold cavities, wherein the first core side module and first cavity side module are operable to matingly engage one another to form a first preform mold stack-up module comprising a plurality of first preform molds having a first preform design;

a second cavity side module for connecting to the manifold and valve gate system, the second cavity side module comprising a plurality of preform mold cavities, wherein the second core side module and second cavity side module are operable to matingly engage one another to form a second preform mold stack-up module comprising a plurality of second preform molds having a second preform design;

a first ejector housing assembly for connecting the first preform mold stack-up module to an ejector platen and operable to eject a plurality of first preforms from the plurality of first preform molds; and

a second ejector housing assembly for connecting the second preform mold stack-up module to an ejector platen and operable to eject a plurality of second preforms from the plurality of second preform molds;

wherein the first and second ejector housing assemblies are operable to eject the respective first and second preforms.

17. The mold system of claim 16, wherein the first and second preform designs are different, and wherein the first and second ejector housing assemblies are operable to eject substantially simultaneously the respective first and second preforms having the respective first and second preform designs.

18. The mold system of claim 16, further comprising a manifold and valve gate assembly operable to receive the first and second cavity side modules and be in fluid communication with each of the plurality of first and second preform molds of the respective first and second preform mold stack-ups, wherein the manifold and valve gate is operable to control the substantially simultaneous injection of fluidized plastic in a uniform flow into each of the plurality of first and second preform molds.

19. The mold system of claim 16, further comprising:

a third core side module comprising a plurality of preform mold cores;

a fourth core side module comprising a plurality of preform mold cores;

a fifth core side module comprising a plurality of preform mold cores;

a sixth core side module comprising a plurality of preform mold cores;

the clamp plate operable to receive one or more of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth core side modules, individually or simultaneously;

third, fourth, fifth, and sixth cavity side modules for connecting to a manifold and valve gate system,

wherein the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth cavity side module comprise a plurality of preform mold cavities, and

wherein the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth core side modules and respective third, fourth, fifth, and sixth cavity side modules are operable to matingly engage one another to form respective third, fourth, fifth, and sixth preform mold stack-up modules comprising a plurality of respective third, fourth, fifth, and sixth preform molds; and

third, fourth, fifth, and sixth ejector housing assemblies for connecting respective third, fourth, fifth, and sixth preform mold stack-up modules to an ejector platen and operable to eject a plurality of preforms from the plurality of respective third, fourth, fifth, and sixth preform molds.