Hot runner injection molding apparatus with additional controller
First Claim
1. A hot runner injection molding system, comprising:
- an injection molding machine comprising an injection unit, a clamping unit, first and second machine platens, a plurality of moving elements, a plurality of injection molding machine temperature conditioning elements, and a plurality of processing sensors;
a first controller associated with the injection molding machine and configured to receive processing data from the plurality of processing sensors and to provide instructions to least one of the injection unit and the clamping unit, wherein the first controller comprises a first central processing unit, a first memory, a first operating system stored in the first memory, and a first display to monitor the processing data received from the plurality of processing sensors;
a hot half coupled to the first machine platen, comprising a hot runner apparatus, at least one hot runner nozzle, at least one hot half temperature conditioning element, and at least one hot half processing sensor;
a cold half coupled to the second machine platen, comprising at least a portion of a mold cavity and a mold cavity temperature conditioning element, wherein the at least a portion of the mold cavity is capable of receiving molten material from the injection unit through the at least one hot runner nozzle;
a second controller associated with the hot half and configured to receive hot half processing data from the at least one hot half processing sensor and to provide instructions to the at least one hot half temperature conditioning element, wherein the second controller is physically separated and independently operated from the first controller, and wherein the second controller comprises a second central processing unit, a second operating system, a second memory, and a second display to monitor hot half processing data received from the at least one hot half processing sensor;
a third controller comprising a third central processing unit, a third memory, a third display, and a user interface, wherein the third controller is configured to communicate wirelessly with both the first and second controllers to access processing data from each controller, display at least some of the processing data on the third display, and provide process operating data and processing commands to the first and second controllers to control the flow of molten material from the injection molding machine through the hot half and into the cold half;
wherein the third controller is configured to access or control a different set of parameters than the first and second controllers.
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Abstract
A control system for a hot runner injection molding system includes a first injection molding machine controller that receives signals from injection molding machine sensors and a second hot runner apparatus controller that receives signals from hot runner apparatus sensors. A third controller that is remote from the injection molding machine controller and the hot runner apparatus controller receives data from the other controllers that is related to the signals from the aforementioned sensors and to transmit commands to the controllers that are related to the operation of the injection molding machine and the hot runner apparatus. The third controller can be linked to several first hot runner controllers and several second injection molding machine controllers. The first hot runner controllers can be provided by the same manufacturer or different manufacturers. The second injection molding machine controllers can be provided by the same manufacturer or different manufacturers.
84 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A hot runner injection molding system, comprising:
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an injection molding machine comprising an injection unit, a clamping unit, first and second machine platens, a plurality of moving elements, a plurality of injection molding machine temperature conditioning elements, and a plurality of processing sensors; a first controller associated with the injection molding machine and configured to receive processing data from the plurality of processing sensors and to provide instructions to least one of the injection unit and the clamping unit, wherein the first controller comprises a first central processing unit, a first memory, a first operating system stored in the first memory, and a first display to monitor the processing data received from the plurality of processing sensors; a hot half coupled to the first machine platen, comprising a hot runner apparatus, at least one hot runner nozzle, at least one hot half temperature conditioning element, and at least one hot half processing sensor; a cold half coupled to the second machine platen, comprising at least a portion of a mold cavity and a mold cavity temperature conditioning element, wherein the at least a portion of the mold cavity is capable of receiving molten material from the injection unit through the at least one hot runner nozzle; a second controller associated with the hot half and configured to receive hot half processing data from the at least one hot half processing sensor and to provide instructions to the at least one hot half temperature conditioning element, wherein the second controller is physically separated and independently operated from the first controller, and wherein the second controller comprises a second central processing unit, a second operating system, a second memory, and a second display to monitor hot half processing data received from the at least one hot half processing sensor; a third controller comprising a third central processing unit, a third memory, a third display, and a user interface, wherein the third controller is configured to communicate wirelessly with both the first and second controllers to access processing data from each controller, display at least some of the processing data on the third display, and provide process operating data and processing commands to the first and second controllers to control the flow of molten material from the injection molding machine through the hot half and into the cold half; wherein the third controller is configured to access or control a different set of parameters than the first and second controllers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A hot runner injection molding system, comprising:
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an injection molding machine comprising an injection unit, a clamping unit, first and second machine platens, a plurality of moving elements, a plurality of injection molding machine temperature conditioning elements, and a plurality of processing sensors; a first controller associated with the injection molding machine and configured to receive processing data from the plurality of processing sensors and to provide instructions to least one of the injection unit and the clamping unit, wherein the first controller comprises a first central processing unit, a first memory, a first operating system stored in the first memory; a hot half coupled to the first machine platen, comprising a hot runner apparatus, at least one hot runner nozzle, at least one hot half temperature conditioning element, and at least one hot half processing sensor; a cold half coupled to the second machine platen, comprising at least a portion of a mold cavity and a mold cavity temperature conditioning element, wherein the at least a portion of the mold cavity is capable of receiving molten material from the injection unit through the at least one hot runner nozzle; a second controller associated with the hot half and configured to receive hot half processing data from the at least one hot half processing sensor and to provide instructions to the at least one hot half temperature conditioning element, wherein the second controller is physically separated and independently operated from the first controller, and wherein the second controller comprises a second central processing unit, a second operating system, a second memory; a third controller comprising a third central processing unit, a third memory, a third display unit, and a user interface, wherein the third controller is configured to communicate wirelessly with both the first and second controllers to access processing data from each controller, display at least some of the processing data on the third display, and provide process operating data and processing commands to the first and second controllers to control the flow of molten material from the injection molding machine through the hot half and into the cold half; wherein the third controller is configured to access or control a different set of parameters than the first and second controllers, and wherein either of the first and second controllers does not have a display. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification