Abstract: A method and an apparatus for injection-molding plastic material articles, in particular articles consisting of a plurality of components, are disclosed. An injection molding machine has a mold, e.g. a stack mold. The mold is adapted to be temperature-controlled differently in different areas of the mold. A center platen of the stack mold on a first side thereof cooperates with a first mold portion via a first separation plane and, on a second side thereof cooperates with a second mold portion via a second separation plane. The stack mold is provided with a plurality of first, smaller cavities as well as with a plurality of second, larger cavities. Means are provided for injection-molding the first components of the plastic material article in first cavities located in the first separation plane and injection-molding the second components on the first components within the second cavities.

Abstract: A plastic material injection molding machine comprises a mold with at least one movable mold portion and a movable handling system. The handling system is adapted to be moved along a predetermined trajectory and to enter between mold portions when the mold is in an open operational position. The movable mold portion has a front surface facing the handling system and defines a collision contour with respect to the handling system when the latter is moved along the trajectory during movement of the mold portion. The handling system is adapted to pass by the collision contour after the movable mold portion has moved away from the trajectory. The handling system is moved along a first path section of the trajectory before passing by the collision contour and is accelerated up to a predetermined maximum velocity. Thus, the handling system is at the maximum velocity when passing by the collision contour.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed for controlling a motional sequence of a first movable component of a plastic material injection molding machine having a first trajectory spatially overlapping at least partially a second trajectory of a second movable component of the plastic material injection molding machine. Motion of the first movable component is initiated depending on an enabling signal indicative for a motional state of the second movable component.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are used for injection molding composite devices comprised of a plastic material and a component being at least partially embedded in the plastic material. A mold is provided having a cavity therein. The cavity has a surface and an access bore is provided in the mold which ends in the cavity surface via an opening. The component is fed through the access bore and via the opening to the cavity. The component is configured to positively cover with overlap the opening upon transition thereof while coming to rest on the surface. Molten plastic material is injected into the cavity to enclose the component, thus forming the composite device. After solidifying of the plastic material the composite device is ejected from the cavity.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for unloading plastic material products from a plastic material injection molding machine are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of unmolding the products from a mold of the injection molding machine and, after the step of unmolding, cooling the products on two product surfaces by contacting the two product surfaces with two corresponding cooling surfaces of a cooling apparatus. The apparatus is provided with corresponding unmolding devices and cooling plates.

Abstract: A method for injection molding plastic material items and an appropriate mold are disclosed. The mold comprises at least one cavity and a gate channel for feeding molten plastic material to the cavity. The gate channel is connected to the cavity through an opening. The molten plastic material is injected into the gate channel and through the opening into the cavity. A piston may be displaced along the gate channel and over the opening for interrupting flow of molten plastic material into the cavity and for shearing off the molten plastic material along the opening, thereby closing the cavity.

Abstract: A method for producing a plastic material composite component and a corresponding component are disclosed. The component is typically a smart card having a semiconductor chip embedded in plastic material. The component is provided with a contact area on an outer component surface. Electrical interconnection between the contact area and the chip is effected during injection molding the component.

Abstract: A method and a semi-finished article for producing plastic material objects, in particular smart cards, are disclosed. At least two surfaces of the object are constituted by films, preferably by labels. The labels are applied to surfaces of a cavity in a mold of a plastic material injection molding machine. The cavity is then filled by injecting molten plastic material. The labels are connected one to the other prior to being introduced into the cavity.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for handling inserts to be placed into a plurality of cavities of a mold of a plastic material injection molding machine are disclosed. The plurality of inserts comprises at least one first insert having a first position and a first orientation when placed into an associated first cavity in the mold, and at least one second insert having a second position and a second orientation when placed into an associated second cavity in the mold. The inserts are assembled into a group of inserts where they are arranged to have a position and an orientation relative to each other corresponding to the positions and orientations within the mold. The inserts are then placed from the group of inserts into the cavity.

Abstract: A method for injection-molding workpieces in a mold of an injection-molding machine is disclosed. The method provides a means of conducting test cycles during the initial setup of the machine at reduced speed. In a multi-cavity mold all of the workpieces are demolded by means of a handling system having a workpiece carrier system receiving and holding all workpieces in a regular pattern. The workpieces are inspected on the workpiece carrier system for determining whether all of the cavities have been filled with plastic material and whether the workpieces are of a predetermined quality. If this is not the case, the necessary adjustments are made and the test cycle is repeated. If all of the workpieces are of a predetermined quality, the machine is switched to automatic production at high nominal speed.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus comprises an elongate lancet portion and an elongate sleeve portion for receiving and axially guiding the lancet portion. The lancet portion has a knob section on one end thereof and protruding lancet cutting edge section on the other end thereof. The lancet portion is held in the sleeve portion via a preset breaking point. In a first operational position the protruding lancet cutting edge section is entirely enclosed within the sleeve portion. Upon exertion of a predetermined amount of axial force between the lancet portion and the sleeve portion the preset breaking point is broken and a transition occurs in the relative position between the lancet portion and the sleeve portion to make the lancet cutting edge section protrude from the sleeve portion, thus cutting into a patient's skin and causing blood to exit therefrom.

Abstract: In the case of an injection-molding machine with mold-protecting device, every time the machine is started up a predetermined number N of injection-molding cycles are run at a greatly reduced machine speed in order to allow the mold-protecting device to be operated with increased sensitiveness during these cycles. If no trouble occurs during the said N cycles, the machine speed is increased to operating speed, either abruptly or continuously, and the mold-protecting device is either switched off or operated thereafter with adapted sensitivity.

Abstract: An injection molding machine has a stack mold (10). Stack mold (10) has two outer mold portions (3, 7) enclosing a center platen (13) between them. Center platen (13) and mold portions (3, 7) define form hollow cavities and are provided with a connector opening (27) and feed ducts (15) for the form hollow cavities. The injection molding machine, further, has a drive-and-close unit (11) for effecting a relative movement between the mold portions (3, 7) and the center platen (13) for opening and closing the form hollow cavities, respectively. Moreover, the injection molding machine has an injection molding device (29) that may be coupled to connector opening (27) and remains coupled to the connector opening (27) during the relative movement between the mold portions (3, 7) and the center platen (13). The injection molding device (29) is directly connected to the center platen (13).

Abstract: When removing a molded part (7), particularly from an injection mold, the part is moved to an intermediate position in a first partial movement (a) at low speed, then to the final position in a second partial movement (b) at higher speed. The first partial movement (a) can take place while the injection mold is opening and/or while a gripping tool (14) or handling device is being introduced. The injection mold used in the process has pressure operated stops (21) which act on the front face of an ejection plate (13) and hold it in the intermediate position or release it for the second partial movement (b) to take place.

Abstract: In order to control the opening and closing movement of an injection mold (1, 3) and the feed and extraction movement of a handling device (7) for the removal of the molding in a manner which is optimally concerted with no delay, the opening movement of the mold and/or the extraction movement of the handling device is detected in relation to position and speed; if the speed lies in a reference range, a release signal is generated which triggers the feed movement of the gripping device or the closing movement of the mold.