Patents Examined by Tim Heitbrink
  • Patent number: 9302417
    Abstract: In an injection molding machine, a control instruction value change unit decreases a control instruction value for each axis when a power outage is detected by a power outage detection unit and returns the control instruction value for each axis to an original value when a power recovery is detected by the power outage detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junpei Maruyama
  • Patent number: 9302416
    Abstract: An in-line single nozzle valve gate apparatus for injection molding comprises upper and lower matable annular cylinder bodies that house an annular dual sided piston having opposed pressure bearing upper and lower surfaces. The piston has a cross beam to which a valve gate pin is attached for movement therewith. The valve gate pin passes through a sprue bushing flow path to selectively open and close a part cavity gate. An interface is provided to receive molten plastic from the injection machine nozzle and pass it into the sprue bushing flow path. The cylinder bodies reside largely outside of the mold plate architecture to lessen thermal damage too piston seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: POLYSHOT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Douglas C Hepler
  • Patent number: 9296141
    Abstract: The hot runner nozzle (1) for injecting plastic material into a molding tool comprises a needle valve with a nozzle needle (19) for closing the discharge opening (25). The nozzle needle (19) has the same diameter as the cylindrical bore in the discharge opening (25) and is inserted therein in order to close the cylindrical bore in the discharge opening (25). During the injection process the nozzle needle (19) is outside the melt flow and cannot cause said melt flow to swirl and is not radially loaded by the melt flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: HUSKY INJECTION MOLDING SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventor: Willi Manz
  • Patent number: 9296139
    Abstract: Injection-molding nozzles having any one or more of improved heat transfer, wear resistance, and melt transfer from a manifold to a mold. The operation and durability of a nozzle can be improved by integrally layering multiple materials to create a multi-property nozzle that is a unitary, monolithic, and seamless structure. For example, the heat transfer properties of a nozzle is improved by integrally layering certain materials in the nozzle housing such that heat is more effectively dissipated or transferred throughout the nozzle to maintain and promote melt flow. One or more components of the nozzle can be merged and thus seamlessly formed to improve melt flow by reducing joints that would cause the melt to hang up within the nozzle and, concomitantly, reducing manufacturing and assembly time. The process used to unitarily form some or all of the nozzle may also be used to create complex geometric configurations therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Husky Injection MOLDING SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: Patrice Fabien Dezon-Gaillard, Sami Samuel Arsan
  • Patent number: 9289933
    Abstract: A melt pressure regulating mechanism for an injection molding apparatus having a melt holder for pressurizing molten plastic prior to injection into a mold, the molten plastic having a melt pressure, and an injection element for advancing the molten plastic from the melt holder through a nozzle and into the mold, the melt pressure regulating mechanism comprising a pressure regulating device, comprising at least one of a fluid pressure regulating valve and a pressure relief valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: iMFLUX Inc.
    Inventors: Gene Michael Altonen, Ralph Edwin Neufarth, Gary Francis Schiller, Charles John Berg, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9289932
    Abstract: A heating cylinder protection cover that covers an entire circumference of a heating cylinder of an injection molding machine is configured from a plurality of protection cover members. Cutouts for cable passing section formation are provided in one or both of a pair of cover members joined to each other among the plurality of protection cover members. A cable is drawn out to the outer side of the heating cylinder protection cover through the cutouts for cable passing section formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Imamura
  • Patent number: 9283705
    Abstract: A pusher plate is divided into two parts, first and second pusher plates, which can be connected to and disconnected from each other by a bolt. The first pusher plate is fitted with an injection screw and supported on a base by a position adjustment mechanism. The second pusher plate is fitted with a drive unit capable of moving the first pusher plate in a longitudinal direction and supported by a tie bar connecting a front plate and a rear plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Yano
  • Patent number: 9272454
    Abstract: Disclosed is a side gate nozzle assembly (108) having a nozzle body (210) and at least one side gate nozzle tip assembly (112) wherein the nozzle body (210) and the at least one side gate nozzle tip assembly (112) are slidably engaged to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Sarah Kathleen Overfield, George Leigh Stuart
  • Patent number: 9272453
    Abstract: An injection molding machine comprises a manifold plate, a nozzle extending through the manifold plate, and a gate pad. A valve stem is disposed within the nozzle and is movable between a first position in which the valve stem extends through an outlet of the nozzle, and a retracted position. The gate pad has an inlet end with an inlet opening and an outlet end with a gate aperture. The inlet end is removably attachable to the manifold plate so that the nozzle is received through the inlet opening and the outlet of the nozzle is in communication with the gate aperture, wherein the valve stem seals the gate aperture in the extended position. The outlet end of the gate pad abuts a mold insert and molding material is delivered from the nozzle to a cavity defined by the mold insert through the gate aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: William Steven Keir, Hakimuddin Boxwala
  • Patent number: 9272455
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement between hot runner components includes a sealing component positioned between a first hot runner component and a second hot runner component having a molding material channel extending therebetween. The sealing component includes an opening through which the molding material channel extends. The sealing component is received in a bore in the second hot runner component such that a portion of the sealing component projects beyond the second hot runner component to create a gap between the first hot runner component and the second hot runner component. The sealing component has a hardness that is greater than a hardness of the second hot runner component and less than a hardness of the first hot runner component. Further, the sealing component has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is proximate to a coefficient of thermal expansion of the second hot runner component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Mold-Masters (2007) Limited
    Inventor: Payman Tabassi
  • Patent number: 9266265
    Abstract: An in-mold shutter for embedding in an injection mold is described herein. The in-mold shutter includes a shutter actuator that is configured to selectively engage a first mold shoe of the injection mold with a platen of a mold clamping assembly to hold the first mold shoe in an extended position, along a mold-stroke axis, during a step of molding a first molded article in the injection mold. Also described herein is a molded article transfer device for use with the injection mold. The molded article transfer device includes a shuttle that is slidably arranged, in use, within the injection mold. The shuttle defines a first aperture, at least in part, that alternately accommodates: a first mold stack arranged therein; and (ii) a first molded article received therein with opening of the first mold stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: HUSKY INJECTION MOLDING SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: Christophe Halter, Pierre Glaesener, François Styga
  • Patent number: 9259871
    Abstract: An injection device includes a plunger that has a cylindrical portion formed in an outermost diameter. A nozzle adapter is provided with a molding material charge port. A pressure control device injects a molding material into a barrel through the molding material charge port and moves the plunger backward while applying a set back pressure thereto in a metering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wataru Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 9254593
    Abstract: An injection molding machine is provided with an injection device, a mold clamping device, an electric storage device configured to supply electric power to the injection device and/or the mold clamping device, and a machine base. The machine base is provided with an upper frame, a lower frame, and support means supporting the upper frame on the lower frame, the injection device and the mold clamping device are disposed on the upper frame of the machine base, and the electric storage device is disposed on the lower frame. The electric storage device is formed of a case body and an electric storage unit therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keisuke Sugahara
  • Patent number: 9248594
    Abstract: A hot runner injection molding apparatus may comprise a machine injection unit with a machine nozzle, a first machine platen adjacent the machine nozzle, and a hot runner system. The first machine platen may include a multi-segment chamber. The hot runner system may include a movable plate, a manifold, a plurality of hot runner nozzles, and one or more actuators. The movable plate may be located in a first segment of the multi-segment chamber. The manifold and the plurality of hot runner nozzles may be located in a second segment of the multi-segment chamber. The one or more actuators may be located in a third segment of the multi-segment chamber. The movable plate may drive the plurality of valve pins and the manifold. The one or more actuators may drive the movable plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Otto Männer Innovation GmbH
    Inventors: Swen Spuller, Fabian Ehret
  • Patent number: 9248593
    Abstract: An injection unit positioning apparatus is disclosed that includes a positioning assembly interconnecting the injection unit to the molding machine. The positioning assembly includes an angular positioning assembly that permits rotation of the injection unit through a sweep plane that extends from an axis that is perpendicular to an inlet surface of a mold. The positioning assembly also includes a linear positioning assembly that permits linear translation of the injection unit on the sweep plane, and the height of the outlet relative to the inlet surface remains substantially constant during rotation and translation of the positioning assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Mold-Masters (2007) Limited
    Inventors: Martin Kestle, John Di Simone, David Allan Shantz
  • Patent number: 9248598
    Abstract: A mold having a first part with a carcass with a molding zone added thereto to provide a mechanical interface between the molding zone and the carcass. Inductors of the mold extend along a longitudinal direction in cavities between the mechanical interface and the molding zone. A cooling device of the mold extends at the mechanical interface between the molding zone and the carcass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: ROCTOOL
    Inventors: Alexandre Guichard, Jose Feigenblum
  • Patent number: 9248595
    Abstract: A hot runner apparatus for a mold assembly of an injection molding machine includes a hot runner plate assembly having a first end portion and a second end portion and a machine axis extending therebetween. At least one insert coupling having an axial bore is secured to the first end portion of the hot runner plate assembly, for separable sealed engagement with a gate insert affixed to a cold half of the mold assembly. The insert coupling includes a coupling interface for contacting a mating interface of the gate insert in sealed contact during an injection cycle of the injection molding machine. The coupling interface includes a primary side surface that is inclined relative to the machine axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: ATHENA AUTOMATION LTD.
    Inventors: Robert D. Schad, Roberto Sicilia
  • Patent number: 9238323
    Abstract: An injection molding machine for producing molded parts has a machine table with a base frame on which three supporting elements with a baseplate disposed thereon are arranged. The base plate has a temperature-control element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Otto Männer Innovation GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Peter Männer
  • Patent number: 9227351
    Abstract: Disclosed is an edge gating injection molding apparatus for delivering a moldable material to an array of mold cavities, the array can have a first column and a last column of mold cavities, the edge gating injection molding apparatus comprising: a unidirectional delivery body for delivering a first stream of the moldable material to a different one of each mold cavity of the first column and the last column of mold cavities, via a first location of the different one of each mold cavity of the first column and the last column of mold cavities; and a bidirectional delivery body for delivering a second stream of the moldable material to the different one of each mold cavity of the first column and the last column of mold cavities, via a second location of the different one of each mold cavity of the first column and the last column of mold cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Mold-Masters (2007) Limited
    Inventors: Payman Tabassi, Kenneth Jacob
  • Patent number: 9216531
    Abstract: A ring valve gate mold device includes: a stationary mold and a movable mold that are disposed so as to be allowed to be joined together and separated from each other; an annular cavity used to form an annular product, the cavity being formed in a mating face that is an upper face of the movable mold; a supply passage through which molten resin is supplied via a circular gate connected to the entire circumference of the annular cavity; and a valve body that opens and closes the circular gate of the supply passage. The valve body is a tubular sleeve body that moves in the axial direction of the ring valve gate mold device to open and close the circular gate. The sleeve body is disposed at a position radially outward of the supply passage connected to the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kutsumi, Kinichi Yokoyama