Molding system and method of manufacturing molded article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10093048-B2
Application number	US-201715441548-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2017
Priority date	May 15, 2013
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

A molding system 10 for manufacturing a molded article Q by integrally molding a sheet-shaped insert member S and a molding material R, the molding system comprising: a sheet supply part 20 configured to supply the insert member S; a sheet heating part 30 configured to heat the insert member S; a molding apparatus 100 configured to form the molded article Q by integrally molding the insert member S and the molding material R; an ejector 200 including a delivery position 222 and configured to transfer the insert member S between the sheet heating part 30 and the molding apparatus 100 and to eject and transfer the molded article Q from the molding apparatus; and a transfer robot configured to transfer the insert member S or the molded article Q between the sheet supply part 20 and the ejector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a molded article by integrally molding a sheet-shaped insert member and a molding material, the method of manufacturing the molded article comprising:
supplying the insert member from a sheet supply part arranged around a predetermined reference position;
heating the insert member by a sheet heating part;
transferring the insert member from the sheet heating part by an ejector including a delivery position arranged around the reference position;
forming the molded article by integrally molding the insert member that has been heated and the molding material by a molding apparatus;
ejecting the molded article from the molding apparatus by the ejector and transferring the molded article; and
transferring at least one of the insert member and the molded article between the sheet supply part and the ejector by a transfer robot arranged at the reference position.

2. The method of manufacturing the molded article according to claim 1 , further comprising:
conveying the molded article by a conveyor apparatus arranged around the reference position; and
transferring at least one of the insert member and the molded article between the sheet supply part, the ejector, and the conveyor apparatus by the transfer robot arranged at the reference position.

3. The method of manufacturing the molded article according to claim 1 , further comprising:
cutting off a gate attached to the molded article by a gate cutting apparatus arranged around the reference position; and
transferring at least one of the insert member and the molded article between the sheet supply part, the ejector, and the gate cutting apparatus by the transfer robot arranged at the reference position.

4. The method of manufacturing the molded article according to claim 2 , further comprising:
cutting off a gate attached to the molded article by a gate cutting apparatus arranged around the reference position; and
transferring at least one of the insert member and the molded article between the sheet supply part, the ejector, the gate cutting apparatus, and the conveyor apparatus by the transfer robot arranged at the reference position.

Assignees

• Toshiba Machine Co Ltd

Inventors

• Momono Masamichi
• Asanuma Nobuyuki

Classifications

• B29C45/42

  using means movable from outside the mould between mould parts {, e.g. robots} · CPC title

• B29C45/382

  disposed outside the mould · CPC title

• B29C2045/425

  Single device for unloading moulded articles and loading inserts into the mould · CPC title

• B29C45/0084 Primary

  General arrangement or lay-out of plants (B29C45/1468 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C45/0053

  combined with a final operation, e.g. shaping (injection-compression moulding B29C45/561) · CPC title