Undercut die casting and injection molding systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016151835-A1
Application number	US-201414556353-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 1, 2014
Priority date	Dec 1, 2014
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Method and system for producing a part using die casting or injection molding with a top die and undercut dies that are independently moveable from the top die. In one particular form, the method and system can include a top die and one or more undercut dies that can have a protrusion. The undercut dies can be lowered into a base of the system and moved away from each other, and the top die can be lowered into a receiving portion between the undercut dies. A molten liquid can be introduced into a space between the undercut dies and additional aspects of the system, and after cooling to form a part, the top die can be moved vertically to allow space for the undercut dies to be moved toward each other. The undercut dies can be moved vertically and the part can be removed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for producing a part with an undercut feature using die casting comprising:
providing a system comprising:
a top die; and
a plurality of undercut dies, wherein at least one of the plurality of undercut dies has a protrusion for producing the undercut feature;
lowering the plurality of undercut dies into a receiving portion of a base of the system; moving the plurality of undercut dies away from each other; lowering the top die into the receiving portion and between the plurality of undercut dies; introducing a molten liquid into a space between the plurality of undercut dies and additional aspects of the system; cooling the molten liquid forming the part in a solid form where a portion of the part is directly above a portion of the protrusion; retracting the top die substantially vertically allowing space for the undercut dies to retract; moving the plurality of undercut dies toward each; and moving the plurality of undercut dies substantially vertically.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising producing the part comprising an oil pan comprising a bottom flare.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the top die further comprises ball bearings attached to a side of the top die.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the molten liquid comprises at least one of a metal and a plastic.

5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the metal comprises aluminum.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the metal comprises from about 40 percent to about 100 percent aluminum.

7 . A die casting system for producing a part with undercut features, the system comprising:
a top die; a plurality of undercut dies each having at least one protrusion; a moving mechanism configured to move the plurality of undercut dies substantially laterally substantially and vertically; wherein the top die is vertically placeable between the plurality of undercut dies, the top die matching a shape of a space between the plurality of undercut dies so as to produce a form fit useable in the die casting.

8 . The die casting system of claim 7 wherein said plurality of undercut dies consists of two undercut dies of a first undercut die and a second undercut die, at least one of which defines said at least one protrusion.

9 . The die casting system of claim 7 wherein the at least one protrusion comprises one protrusion extending laterally from at least one of the plurality of undercut dies, such that the protrusion extends laterally beyond the perimeter of any other portion of the at least one of the plurality of undercut dies.

10 . The die casting system of claim 7 wherein the at least one protrusion comprises one bottom protrusion and one top protrusion on each of the plurality of undercut dies.

11 . The die casting system of claim 7 wherein the top die comprises a taper such that a top surface has a largest surface area for any surface of the top die and a bottom surface of the top die has a smallest surface area for the any surface of the top die.

12 . The die casting system of claim 7 wherein the top die further comprises ball bearings attached to a side of the top die.

13 . The die casting system of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of undercut dies has two top openings for coupling to the moving mechanism, and a cylindrical portion of the moving mechanism extends into each of the openings so as to support and move the undercut dies.

14 . The die casting system of claim 7 wherein the moving mechanism is hydraulically powered.

15 . The die casting system of claim 7 wherein the top die comprises an end projection and comprises a notch at each of the four corners of the top die.

16 . The die casting system of claim 7 wherein when the top die and the undercut dies are configured to be placed together with two side dies, each of the bottom protrusions configured to be placed under a portion of one of the side dies.

17 . A method for producing an oil pan with undercut features using die casting comprising:
providing a system comprising a top die, a plurality of undercut dies each having a bottom protrusion, side dies, and a bottom die, the top die configured to be moveable in a substantially vertical direction, and each of the plurality of undercut dies being configured to be moveable in a substantially lateral direction and the substantially vertical direction; placing a lower die in a receiving portion of a base of a moving mechanism of the system, placing each of the side dies in the receiving portion of the base of the moving mechanism of the system and on top of the bottom die, moving each of the undercut dies into the receiving portion and between the side dies by vertically lowering the undercut dies into the receiving portion of the base; moving the undercut dies substantially laterally away from each other such that each of the undercut die bottom protrusions move under a portion of one of the side dies and there is a space between each of the undercut dies and each of the side dies for receiving aluminum; lowering the top die substantially vertically between each of the plurality of undercut dies so as to contact each of the undercut dies; injecting the aluminum into the system; cooling the aluminum to produce the oil pan; retracting the top die vertically allowing a space for the undercut dies to retract; moving the undercut dies toward each other, freeing them from the undercut feature; retracting the undercut dies vertically from the oil pan; retracting the side dies; and removing the oil pan.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the undercut dies are each moved laterally away from each other more than 0.1 inch.

19 . The method of claim 17 further comprising performing the lowering of the top die with a separate mechanism from the moving mechanism.

20 . The method of claim 17 further comprising sliding a guide bar through an opening in each of the undercut dies to provide support.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Inc

Inventors

• Ferrand Michael S
• Pike Joel H
• Ciani Dominick M

Classifications

• B22D25/02 Primary

  by its peculiarity of shape; of works of art {(cylinders, pistons B22D15/02)} · CPC title

• B22D17/22

  Dies (manufacture, see the appropriate class, e.g. B23P15/24); Die plates; Die supports; Cooling equipment for dies; Accessories for loosening and ejecting castings from dies · CPC title

• B22D21/04

  Casting aluminium or magnesium {(no material; see B22D21/007)} · CPC title

• B22D17/266

  hydraulically · CPC title

• B29C45/2602 Primary

  Mould construction elements · CPC title