Injection mold with thermoelectric elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10549465-B2
Application number	US-201515126930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2015
Priority date	Mar 19, 2014
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

In some embodiments, an injection molding apparatus comprises: a first mold section comprising a first molding surface, wherein the first mold section is configured for attachment to a presser; a second mold section and disposed opposite the first mold section, a thermoelectric device disposed in one of the first and second mold sections and in thermal communication with at least one of the first and second mold surfaces; an electrical control system disposed in electrical communication with the thermoelectric device; the presser in mechanical communication with the first mold section and configured to move at least one of the first and second mold sections toward the other to define a molding space; and an injector for introducing a material to be molded into the molding space; wherein at least one of the first and second mold sections is formed from a ceramic material.

First claim

We claim:

1. An injection molding apparatus comprising:
a first mold section comprising a first molding surface, wherein the first mold section is configured for attachment to a presser;
a second mold section comprising a second molding surface and disposed opposite the first mold section, wherein the first and second molding surfaces face one another;
a thermoelectric device disposed in one of the first and second mold sections and in thermal communication with at least one of the first and second mold surfaces;
an electrical control system disposed in electrical communication with the thermoelectric device;
the presser in mechanical communication with the first mold section and configured to move at least one of the first and second mold sections toward the other to define a molding space; and
an injector for introducing a material to be molded into the molding space;
wherein at least one of the first and second mold sections is formed from a ceramic material; and
a heat transfer fluid disposed in at least one of the first and second mold sections and in thermal communication with at least one of the first and second mold surfaces, wherein the thermoelectric device and the heat transfer fluid are configured to simultaneously exchange different thermal energies with at least one of the first and second molding surfaces, and wherein the thermoelectric device and the heat transfer fluid are configured to keep a portion of material in the molding space in a non-solid state for a period of time while another portion of material in the molding space is in a solid state.

2. The injection molding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the presser is configured to move the first mold section toward the second mold section, and wherein the second mold section is stationary.

3. The injection molding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the presser moves both the first and second mold sections together.

4. The injection molding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein both the first and second mold sections are formed from a ceramic material.

5. The injection molding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical control system is configured to reverse a direction of an electric current flow through the thermoelectric device.

6. The injection molding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second mold sections comprise a heat exchange fluid passage disposed in thermal communication with at least one of the first and second molding surfaces.

7. The injection molding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second mold sections comprise a heat exchange fluid passage and a metal material, and wherein the metal material is disposed in thermal communication with the thermoelectric device and the heat exchange fluid passage.

8. The injection molding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second mold sections comprise a metal material, and wherein the metal material is disposed in thermal communication with the thermoelectric device and the molding surface.

9. The injection molding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second mold sections further comprises a cavity therein, and wherein the thermoelectric device is disposed in the cavity.

10. The injection molding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first mold section comprises a thermoelectric device disposed therein and in thermal communication with the first mold surface and the second mold section comprises a thermoelectric device disposed therein and in thermal communication with the second mold surface.

11. The injection molding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical control system comprises a power source, a power controller, a controller, or a combination of at least one of the foregoing.

12. The injection molding apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric device comprises metals, ceramics, semiconductors, nanostructured superlattices, quantum wells, nano-materials, single crystal silicon nanowires, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

13. A method of injection molding using the injection molding apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
forming a molding space between the first mold section and the second mold section by pressing together using a presser, wherein at least one of the first mold section and the second mold section is made of a ceramic material;
heating at least one of the first mold section and the second mold section with the thermoelectric device by flowing an electric current through the thermoelectric device in a first direction;
introducing a material to be molded into the molding space;
simultaneously heating a portion of the material in the molding space while cooling another portion of the material in the molding space, wherein a portion of material in the molding space is kept in a non-solid state for a period of time while another portion of material in the molding space is in a solid state;
cooling the material to be molded to form a molded part; and
exiting the part from the part forming mold cavity.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein cooling the material to be molded comprises: flowing a heat transfer fluid through a heat transfer passage formed in at least one of the first mold section and the second mold section, flowing an electric current through the thermoelectric device in a second direction opposite the first direction, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein cooling the material to be molded comprises flowing an electric current through the thermoelectric device in a second direction opposite the first direction.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the material to be molded is a plastic material.

17. An injection molding apparatus comprising:
a first mold section comprising a first molding surface, wherein the first mold section is configured for attachment to a presser;
a second mold section comprising a second molding surface and disposed opposite the first mold section, wherein the first and second molding surfaces face one another;
a first thermoelectric device disposed in the first mold section and in thermal communication with the first mold surface;
a second thermoelectric device disposed in the second mold section and in thermal communication with the second mold surface;
an electrical control system disposed in electrical communication with both the first and second thermoelectric devices;
the presser in mechanical communication with the first mold section and configured to move the first mold section toward the second mold section to define a molding space, wherein the second molding surface is stationary; and
an injector for introducing a material to be molded into the molding space;
wherein at least one of the first and second mold sections is formed from a ceramic material;
a heat transfer fluid disposed in at least one of the first and second mold sections and in thermal communication with at least one of the first and second mold surfaces, wherein the thermoelectric devices and the heat transfer fluid are configured to simultaneously exchange different thermal energies with at least one of the first and second mold surfaces, and wherein the thermoelectric device and the heat transfer fluid are configured to keep a portion of material in the molding space in a non-solid state for a period of time while another portion of material in the molding space is in a solid state.

18. The injection molding apparatus of claim 17 wherein both the first and second mold section is formed from a ceramic material.

Assignees

• Sabic Global Technologies Bv

Inventors

• Wei Yan
• Cao Shipu
• Shen Qingya
• Kong Xin

Classifications

• B29C33/38

  characterised by the material or the manufacturing process (B29C33/44 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C33/02 Primary

  with incorporated heating or cooling means · CPC title

• B29C2045/7368

  combining a heating or cooling fluid and non-fluid means · CPC title

• B29K2909/02

  Ceramics · CPC title

• B29C45/7331 Primary

  Heat transfer elements, e.g. heat pipes · CPC title