Methods of injection molding an article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9868229-B2
Application number	US-201514925698-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2015
Priority date	Jan 12, 2011
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to injection mold components, assemblies, and molding system that include superhard materials. Such injection mold components, assemblies, and systems may decrease wear of certain injection mold components, which may result in improved productivity of the injection mold and molding systems that utilize such components.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An injection mold component for use in an injection mold assembly, the injection molding component comprising:
an injection molding element including a superhard material defining a wear-resistant surface, the superhard material including sintered polycrystalline diamond having a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions including a catalyst therein.

2. The injection mold component of claim 1 wherein the catalyst includes a metal-solvent catalyst.

3. The injection mold component of claim 1 wherein the superhard material is at least partially leached of the catalyst.

4. The injection mold component of claim 1 wherein the superhard material includes one or more segments defining at least a portion of the wear-resistant surface.

5. The injection mold component of claim 1 wherein the superhard material defines a substantially continuous layer.

6. The injection mold component of claim 1 wherein the superhard material exhibits a variable thickness.

7. The injection mold component of claim 1 , further comprising a cemented carbide substrate bonded to the superhard material.

8. The injection mold component of claim 1 wherein the superhard material is secured to a portion of the injection mold component using at least one of mechanical fasteners, welding, press fitting, or brazing.

9. The injection mold component of claim 1 wherein the wear-resistant surface defines at least a portion of a surface of at least one of an ejector sleeve, an ejector pin, a slide body, or a sprue bushing.

10. The injection mold component of claim 1 wherein the wear-resistant surface defines at least a portion of a surface of at least one of a hot runner system, a tunnel gate, a locating ring, an undercut relief system, or a slide retainer.

11. The injection mold component of claim 1 wherein at least one of:
the wear-resistant surface is moveable within the injection mold assembly; or
the wear-resistant surface defines at least a portion of a conduit for communicating a molding material into the injection mold assembly.

12. An injection mold assembly, comprising:
a first mold plate;
a second mold plate;
one or more molding elements located on one or more of the first or second mold plates; and
an injection mold component at least partially located on or in at least one of the first mold plate, the second mold plate, or the one or more molding elements, the injection mold component including:
a superhard material defining a wear-resistant surface, the superhard material including sintered polycrystalline diamond having a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions including a catalyst therein.

13. The injection mold assembly of claim 12 wherein the catalyst includes at least one metal-solvent catalyst.

14. The injection mold component of claim 12 wherein the superhard material includes one or more segments defining at least a portion of the wear-resistant surface.

15. The injection mold assembly of claim 12 further comprising a cemented carbide substrate bonded to the superhard material.

16. The injection mold assembly of claim 12 wherein:
the superhard material at least partially defines an insert; and
the insert is connected to the injection mold component.

17. The injection mold assembly of claim 12 wherein at least one of:
the wear-resistant surface is moveable within the injection mold assembly; or
the wear-resistant surface defines at least a portion of a conduit for communicating a molding material into the injection mold assembly.

18. An injection mold press, comprising:
an injection mold assembly including:
a first mold plate;
a second mold plate;
one or more molding elements located on one or more of the first or second mold plates; and
an injection mold component at least partially located on or in at least one of the first mold plate, the second mold plate, or the molding element, the injection mold component including:
a superhard material defining a wear-resistant surface, the superhard material including sintered polycrystalline diamond having a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions includes a catalyst therein; and
an injection system operably coupled to the injection mold assembly, the injection system configured to convey the material into the mold cavity of the injection mold assembly.

19. The injection mold press of claim 18 wherein the superhard material includes one or more segments defining at least a portion of the wear-resistant surface.

20. The injection mold press of claim 18 wherein at least one of:
the wear-resistant surface is moveable within the injection mold assembly; or
the wear-resistant surface defines at least a portion of a conduit for communicating a molding material into the injection mold assembly.

Assignees

• Us Synthetic Corp

Inventors

• Judd Robert Keith
• Lewis Terry Mitchell

Classifications

• B29C33/38 Primary

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

• B29K2909/04

  Carbides; Nitrides · CPC title

• B29C33/301

  Modular mould systems [MMS], i.e. moulds built up by stacking mould elements, e.g. plates, blocks, rods (B29C33/0088 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C45/37

  Mould cavity walls {, i.e. the inner surface forming the mould cavity, e.g. linings} · CPC title

• B29C45/2711

  Gate inserts · CPC title