Injection molding system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12049030-B2
Application number	US-202217975680-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2022
Priority date	Oct 29, 2021
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

An injection molding system includes a first unit that has a first injection molding machine configured to inject a first molding material into a first cavity partitioned by a first fixed mold and a movable mold, a second unit that includes a second injection molding machine configured to inject a second molding material into a second cavity partitioned by a second fixed mold and the movable mold, and a movement mechanism configured to, after the first molding material is injected into the first cavity, move the movable mold filled with the first molding material from the first injection molding machine to the second injection molding machine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An injection molding system comprising:
a first unit that includes a first injection molding machine configured to inject a first molding material into a first cavity partitioned by a first fixed mold and a movable mold;
a second unit that includes a second injection molding machine configured to inject a second molding material into a second cavity partitioned by a second fixed mold and the movable mold; and
a movement mechanism configured to, after the first molding material is injected into the first cavity, move the movable mold filled with the first molding material from the first injection molding machine to the second injection molding machine, the movement mechanism including:
a first robot configured to take the movable mold from the first injection molding machine;
a slider on which the first robot places the movable mold when the slider is located at a first position, the slider being configured to move the movable mold from the first position directly adjacent to the first injection molding machine to a second position directly adjacent to the second injection molding machine; and
a second robot configured to grip the movable mold from the slider when the slider is located at the second position and place the movable mold in the second injection molding machine,

wherein a heater is placed at the slider, and
the heater is configured to adjust a temperature of the movable mold while the movable mold moves from the first position to the second position on the slider.

2. The injection molding system according to claim 1 , wherein
the movement mechanism is provided in a third unit disposed between the first unit and the second unit.

3. The injection molding system of claim 1 , wherein
the movable mold includes an ejector pin that extrudes a molded article.

4. The injection molding system according to claim 1 , wherein
at least one of the first molding material and the second molding material is a thermosetting resin.

5. The injection molding system according to claim 4 , wherein
at least one of the first injection molding machine and the second injection molding machine includes a nozzle that injects the thermosetting resin, and a cooler configured to cool the nozzle.

6. The injection molding system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first fixed mold and the movable mold define a plurality of the first cavities,
the second fixed mold and the movable mold define a plurality of the second cavities,
the first fixed mold has a plurality of first openings communicating with the plurality of the first cavities,
the second fixed mold has a plurality of second openings that communicate with the plurality of the second cavities,
the first injection molding machine has a plurality of first nozzles that inject the first molding material into the plurality of first openings, and
the second injection molding machine has a plurality of second nozzles that inject the second molding material into the plurality of second openings.

7. The injection molding system according to claim 2 , wherein
the second unit is disposed between the third unit and a fourth unit,
the forth unit includes an inspection device having a camera for capturing an image of a molded article that includes a portion made from the first molding material and a portion made from the second molding material, and
the fourth unit includes a third robot configured to take out the molded article from the movable mold attached to the second injection molding machine and move the molded article to the inspection device.

8. The injection molding system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a clamping device that fixes the movable mold to the first injection molding machine,
a memory configured to store a program; and
a processor configured to execute the program so as to control the clamping device to release the movable mold from the first injection molding machine after the first robot grips the movable mold.

9. The injection molding system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third robot configured to take out a molded article from the movable mold attached to the second injection molding machine, the molded article including a portion made from the first molding material and a portion made from the second molding material,
a memory configured to store a program; and
a processor configured to execute the program so as to control the movement mechanism to move the movable mold from the second injection molding machine to the first injection molding machine after the third robot takes out the molded article from the movable mold attached to the second injection molding machine.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Maruyama Hidenobu
• Anegawa Kenta

Classifications

• B29C45/74

  of the injection unit · CPC title

• B29C2945/76531

  Temperature · CPC title

• B29C2945/76732

  Mould · CPC title

• B29C2945/76862

  Holding, dwelling · CPC title

• B29C2045/135

  selectively injecting different materials in the same mould for making different articles in the same mould · CPC title