Device for marking a moulded or cast form

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12202038-B2
Application number	US-201917054117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2019
Priority date	May 15, 2018
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

A method and apparatus for real-time in-mould marking of a moulded or cast form with an identifier in which a configurable marking module ( 1 ) with phase change actuators ( 23 ) in the form of a multi-layered printed circuit board assembly ( 1 ) with a vertical element ( 33 ) having a marker ( 21 ) is installed in a mould ( 2 ), ( 35 ), the marker ( 21 ) being remotely configurable by a controller to create a unique identifier which is applied to the form in the mould.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for marking a moulded form with patterning comprising:
a marking module locatable in a mould, the marking module comprising:
a multi-layered printed circuit board; and
a plurality of phase change actuators, each phase change actuator being housed in a cell defined in the multi-layered printed circuit board,

wherein each phase change actuator comprises:
a sealed vertical tubular or cylindrical chamber containing a phase change material in the marking; and
a heating element contiguous with a vertical sidewall of the vertical tubular or cylindrical chamber,

wherein a first end of each phase change actuator is sealed by a flexible membrane that is configured to be displaced by the corresponding phase change material during phase transitions.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a sleeve.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the sleeve comprises a substantially cylindrical sleeve.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a resistive heating element.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the resistive heating element comprises a cured carbon/polymer material.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the heating element comprises a coil.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each phase change actuator further comprises a vertical heat conductor configured to conduct heat from the heating element to the first end of the each phase change actuator.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the phase change material comprises a pure unloaded phase change material.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the multi-layered printed circuit board comprises electrodes for the heating element.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the multi-layered printed circuit board comprises electrical conductors for the electrodes.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flexible membrane comprises a protective membrane that is configured to seal an array of phase change actuators comprising the plurality of phase change actuators.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flexible membrane comprises an elastomeric or polymeric material.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the elastomeric or polymeric material comprises a room temperature vulcanizing silicone adhesive.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a controller communicable with the marking module.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the controller is wirelessly communicable with the marking module.

16. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the marking module further comprises a mould recognizer to recognize individual moulds.

17. The device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the mould recognizer comprises a mechanical keying on the marking module responsive to the mould.

18. The device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the mould recognizer comprises at least one switch on the marking module responsive to a mechanical keying on the mould.

19. The device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the mould recognizer comprises an RFID chip reader on the marking module responsive to an RFID chip on the mould.

20. A phase change actuator in a matrix of phase change actuators, comprising:
a sealed tubular or cylindrical chamber formed in a cell defined in a printed circuit board;
a phase change material provided within the tubular or cylindrical chamber;
a flexible membrane configured to seal a first end of the tubular or cylindrical chamber, the flexible membrane being further configured to seal one end of each phase change actuator in the matrix of phase change actuators; and
a heating element provided in or contiguous with a vertical sidewall that encloses the tubular or cylindrical chamber, the heating element being coupled to connectors provided on the printed circuit board.

21. The phase change actuator of claim 20 , wherein the heating element comprises a vertical resistive heater coil formed as a coiled groove cut into the vertical sidewall.

Assignees

• Univ Limerick

Inventors

• Hennessy Jennifer
• Harris John
• Southern Mark

Classifications

• B29C45/374

  for displaying altering indicia, e.g. data, numbers · CPC title

• B29C33/428

  For altering indicia, e.g. data, numbers (for injection moulding B29C45/374) · CPC title

• B22C23/00

  Tools; Devices not mentioned before for moulding · CPC title

• B22D17/2245 Primary

  having walls provided with means for marking or patterning · CPC title