Apparatus for closing a hinged molded part
An apparatus and method for folding a hinged molded part in a molding machine. As a part-removal apparatus, preferably a swing arm mechanism, grips one of the lid portion or the base portion of the molded part and moves the molded part away from the mold, a deflector connected to a portion of the mold engages the other portion of the part and initially folds the part at the hinge. The deflector further folds the part as the mold closes. The portions of the part are pushed together and latched in one embodiment by the swing arm mechanism that grips and moves the molded part against the deflector, and in another embodiment by a closing actuator operated separately from the swing arm mechanism.
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This patent application is a divisional patent application of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/243,002, filed Sep. 13, 2002. This patent application also claims the benefit of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/243,002, filed Sep. 13, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to apparatus for automatic handling of molded parts. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus used on a molding machine for closing a lid on a molded part, having a base portion and a lid portion, immediately after the part is molded.
2. Background Information
The state of the art includes various devices and methods for removing molded parts from multicavity molds. When the molded part has a base portion and a hinged lid portion, sometimes it is desirable that the lid portion be closed onto the base portion before the part is processed further. Reasons for closing the hinged lid on a base immediately after molding include maintaining the sterility of the interior of a container comprising the base and the lid, folding the hinge while it is warm so it will be unstressed in a closed position, and simply to eliminate the need for that separate step later. A device that closes the lid portion of a molded part while the part is still in the mold is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,340,352 and 4,351,630. These patents show a separately-actuated closing mechanism that moves transverse to the mold while the mold is open. Such a mechanism is relatively complex and expensive and can add to the cycle time since it must move in, close the lid and move out of the way before the part is ejected and another molding cycle performed. Alternatively, robots are used to capture molded parts and move them out of the molding area where they are closed by a separate apparatus. Such a robot is disclosed in an article on page 170 of the May 1997 issue of Plastics Technology. Though this has minimal impact on cycle time, the robot and separate closing apparatus are separate machines in addition to the molding machine and again can be relatively complex and expensive.
A relatively simple and inexpensive mechanism for removing molded parts which does not significantly reduce molding cycle time is a mechanism that uses pivoting arms with suction devices at the end of each arm to unload molded parts as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,976,603, 5,518,387 and 5,709,833 hereby incorporated herein by reference. These patents are directed solely to part ejection and teach using a pivoting arm attached to one of the mold plates to enter an open mold space, capture an ejected molded part and transport it to a position adjacent the mold so that the part can be released.
There is a need for a simple, inexpensive mechanism to close a lid on a molded part without significantly adding to the cycle time.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides an apparatus and method for folding a hinged molded part formed in a mold with portions that open and close in a molding machine. The part has a base portion and a lid portion that engages the base portion when the part is folded at a hinge located between the base portion and the lid portion.
In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a part-removal apparatus proximate the mold and at least one deflector connected to a portion of the mold. The part removal apparatus has a portion that, in use, grips one of the base portion or the lid portion of the part and moves the part away from a portion of the mold when the mold is open. In use, the deflector engages the other of the base portion or the lid portion of the part as the part is moved to initially fold the part at the hinge. The deflector further folds the part as the mold closes.
The part-removal apparatus is preferably a swing arm mechanism that includes an arm with a gripping device attached to a rotatable shaft, located adjacent a portion of the mold, that selectively rotates to pivot the arm between a first position at which the swing arm mechanism is clear of the mold so the mold can open and close without interfering with the swing arm mechanism, and a second position at which the gripping device engages and grips the portion of the molded part.
In another embodiment, the apparatus further provides a closing actuator having a portion that selectively moves to engage the portion of the part gripped by the part-removal apparatus to push the base portion and the lid portion together, thereby latching the lid portion and the base portion together.
The method comprising the steps of moving the molded part away from a portion of a mold that formed the part so that as the part moves, one of the lid portion or the base portion engages a deflector connected to a portion of the mold, thereby initially folding the part at the hinge; moving the deflector by closing the mold so that the deflector continues to engage the portion engaged by the deflector and further fold the part; and pushing the base portion and the lid portion together so that the lid portion and base portion latch.
In one embodiment, the pushing is done by a swing arm mechanism that grips and moves the part. In another embodiment, the pushing is done by a device operated separately from the swing arm mechanism.
The features and benefits of this invention will become clear to those skilled in the art by reference to the following exemplary description and illustrative drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Injection molding machines and their operation with molds to produce molded plastic parts are well known. While the embodiments described are illustrated with respect to a single-cavity mold forming a single part, the invention can be applied to multicavity molds simply by providing a lid closing apparatus as described at each mold cavity.
Referring to
The part removal apparatus is located proximate the mold 28 and is preferably a swing arm mechanism such as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,976,603, 5,518,387 or 5,709,833. Swing-arm mechanism 22 includes an arm 40 attached to a rotatable shaft 42 that is preferably located adjacent the mold and selectively rotates to pivot arm 40 either way between a first position, shown in
Deflector 24 preferably includes an first portion 50 and a second portion 52. First portion 50 is preferably attached to the side of cavity side 64 of mold 28 adjacent swing-arm mechanism 22. First portion 50 has a contact end 54 and is positioned relative to cavity side 64 and arm 40 such that when arm 40 pivots part 30 away from core 60, lid portion 34 hits contact end 54 and initiates folding of the lid portion 34 to the base portion 32 at the hinge 36 in advance of closure of the lid portion 34 to the base portion 32. Mold 28 then begins to close, as indicated by arrow D, moving cavity side 64 closer to core side 62 and in doing so contact end 54 of first portion 50 of deflector 24 continues to engage lid portion 34 and fold it further.
Referring to
Referring to
The back wall 46 of arm 40 may act as a stop against which the bottom 72 of channel 70 engages thereby stopping the motion of pusher member 68. The gap between back wall 46 and bottom 72 can be set such that it allows sufficient motion of pusher member 68 to close and latch the lid portion 34, yet not so much motion that lid portion 34 or base portion 32 is crushed or deformed by motion of pusher member 68.
To release part 30, actuator device 66 is disengaged thereby retracting pusher member 68 to allow part 30 to drop free from second portion 52 of deflector 24. The operation of actuator portion 26 preferably occurs during plastic injection so that no additional cycle time is added to the molding process.
First portion 50 and second portion 52 may be connected to each other by a connector portion 58 such as illustrated in
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The present invention provides a simple efficient way of closing the hinged lid of a molded base or container as the part is removed from the mold without adding any time to the cycle time.
It will, of course, be understood that the above description has been given by way of example only and that modifications in detail may be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, the swing arm mechanism could be replaced with a conventional robot device that enters the open mold, grabs the part, moves it so the lid engages the deflector, and pushes the base to latch it to the lid. For another example, other parts that require folding but not latching could use the apparatus of the present invention without the closing actuator or the pushing step.
Claims
1. An injection molding apparatus, comprising:
- a mold attached to an injection molding machine, the mold having a core side and a cavity side moveable relative to the core side, the cavity side and the core side together forming a mold cavity into which molten plastic can be injected to make a molded part having a base portion and a lid portion that engages the base portion when the molded part is folded at a hinge located between the base portion and the lid portion;
- a part-removal apparatus having a suction cup that, in use, grips one of the base portion or the lid portion of the molded part and moves the part away from the core side of the mold; and
- a deflector connected to the cavity side of the mold and constructed and arranged to move with the cavity side during opening and closing of the mold, the deflector, in use, arranged to engage the other of the base portion or the lid portion of the molded part as the molded part is moved to initiate folding of the lid portion to the base portion at the hinge, the deflector further continuing folding about the hinge of the base portion relative to the lid portion as the mold closes.
2. A method of closing a lid portion of a molded part hingedly attached at a hinge to a base portion of the molded part, comprising the steps of:
- moving the molded part out of a mold that formed the part so that, as the molded part moves, one of the lid portion or the base portion engages a deflector connected to a portion of the mold, thereby initiating folding of the lid portion to the base portion at the hinge;
- moving the deflector by closing the mold so that the deflector continues to engage the portion of the molded part engaged by the deflector and further folds the molded part; and
- pushing the base portion and the lid portion together so that the lid portion and base portion latch.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the moving is accomplished by a swing arm mechanism that pivots.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the pushing is by a device operated separately from the swing arm mechanism.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein the pushing is done by the swing arm mechanism.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein the pushing is done after the mold is closed.
7. The method of claim 2, wherein as the deflector is moved, the portion of the molded part engaged by the deflector is folded first by a first portion of the deflector, then further folded by a second portion of the deflector.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 23, 2006
Publication Date: Sep 28, 2006
Applicant:
Inventors: Jacek Kalemba (Oakville), Adrian Looije (Aurora), James Rodrigues (Caledon)
Application Number: 11/387,594
International Classification: B29C 41/42 (20060101); B28B 17/00 (20060101); B29C 45/00 (20060101);