For Determining, Observing, Or Recording Position Of Adjustable Element Patents (Class 425/171)
  • Patent number: 5259670
    Abstract: In a mixer comprising a body defining a mixing chamber in which two rotors are rotatably mounted, a processability sensing system is disposed in a port in the body. The system is operative to monitor the flow and deformation characteristics of the material being mixed. It is connected to a feedback control loop which leads to a computerised control operative to control mixing characteristics. This enables mixing to be closely controlled to provide a better product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Assignee: Francis Shaw & Company
    Inventor: Christopher J. Brown
  • Patent number: 5244372
    Abstract: A molding system including a mold and a molding machine has been adapted to monitor the position of mold element surfaces that move relative to each other to form a mold cavity. The system includes a source of gas under pressure and orifice-forming sensors on a first mold element to direct a flow of pressurized gas from the first mold element. A monitoring system monitors the condition of the gas remote from the first mold element to indicate the spacing between the first mold element and one or more adjacent mold elements as the mold elements move with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Assignee: Matrix Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles R. Ramsey, Russell E. Holcomb, Jerry M. Fine, Leland K. Shirely
  • Patent number: 5217725
    Abstract: An injection molding apparatus uses motors to effect measuring and kneading of a material to be molded and injection driving. The amount of movement of a rotary shaft or rectilinearly moving means connected to a screw is detected by a sensor, and the driving of the volume measuring motor and the injection motor is effected by the output of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryohei Inaba, Masaaki Kumamura, Shojiro Danmoto, Mitsuo Arai, Yozo Tobo, Hirofumi Sugawara, Tadanobu Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 5213726
    Abstract: A molding system including a mold and a molding machine has been adapted to monitor the position of mold element surfaces that move relative to each other to form a mold cavity. The system includes a source of gas under pressure and orifice-forming sensors on a first mold element to direct a flow of pressurized gas from the first mold element. A monitoring system monitors the condition of the gas remote from the first mold element to indicate the spacing between the first mold element and one or more adjacent mold elements as the mold elements move with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Matrix Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles R. Ramsey, Jerry M. Fine, Russell E. Holcomb, Leland K. Shirely
  • Patent number: 5211964
    Abstract: A press machine includes a plurality of press units. Each press unit has a die opening and cooperating upper and lower punches which are slidable into an extended, inward position in the die opening. Each press unit is successively advanced into a punching position where the upper and lower punches are positioned in the extended, forward position in the die opening for pressing material into a compact body. A compensator is positioned at the punching position for exerting a punching force onto upper and lower punches advanced into the punching position. When the punching force is applied, the displacement of the upper and lower punches is compared with a reference standard displacement indicative of the actual, undisplaced position of the punches just prior to the application of the punching force. The punch force is adjusted if necessary so as to obtain equal displacement of upper and lower punches and at the same time and maintain the correct density of the resulting compact, finished bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Edmund Prytherch, Edward M. Quarterman
  • Patent number: 5190771
    Abstract: Screw extruder for working plastic compositions, especially polymers and rubber mixtures having a cylinder in which a motor-driven screw is disposed. The cylinder being provided with pins which are disposed in planes perpendicular to the cylinder axis and can be pushed radially through openings in the cylinder wall, and the screw being provided in the pin planes with gaps in the screw spirals. The object of the invention is to create a practically achievable and economical possibility for the shifting and depth adjustment of pins in screw extruders. A plurality of pins, lying in an axis parallel row, are fastened to a beam at the extremities projecting from the extruder cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: Kraftanlagen AG
    Inventor: Wilfried Baumgarten
  • Patent number: 5190768
    Abstract: A plastics granulating apparatus includes a cutter holder having cutter knives driven to rotate along a die surface of a die and a housing provided with a cutter drive shaft for driving the cutter holder to rotate in a manner so that plastics particles are obtained by cutting resin extruded from the die with the cutter knives, wherein a sleeve is axially movably provided in the housing so as to coaxially rotatably hold the cutter drive shaft, and a pressure medium is supplied into space chambers formed between the sleeve and the housing so that the cutter drive shaft moves axially with axial movement of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: The Japan Steel Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Ishida, Minoru Yoshida, Hideki Mizuguchi, Sakaoki Okita, Tetsuo Makida
  • Patent number: 5171584
    Abstract: A nozzle for a gap measuring system includes a short outlet passageway defined by a smooth, cylindrical wall terminating in an outlet orifice and having an entrance orifice surrounded by a wall portion that is substantially perpendicular to the outlet passageway. As fluid flows through the nozzle, it encounters the surrounding wall portion at the entrance of the short outlet passageway of the nozzle which constricts the fluid flow upon entry into the short outlet passageway of the nozzle. As a result of the nozzle geometry, the fluid exits the nozzle outlet with a higher velocity, lower pressure and decreased turbulence. The incorporation of such a nozzle into a gap measuring system can produce an increase in the reliability and accuracy of distance determinations nearly ten times that which was previously attainable with prior nozzle inserts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: Matrix Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles R. Ramsey, Russell E. Holcomb, Brian L. Backus
  • Patent number: 5147659
    Abstract: A nozzle touch apparatus (5) for use in an injection molding machine, which is capable of automatically adjusting a nozzle touch force in a multi-stage fashion during execution of an injection molding cycle, having springs (56) each fitted on a guide rod (52) and disposed between a ball nut (54) and an extension portion (43) of an extruder base of an injection unit (4), the guide rod being formed integrally with the ball nut which is threadedly engaged with a ball screw (52) coupled to a servomotor (51) and inserted through a hole (43a) formed in the extension portion. The nozzle touch apparatus further includes a servo circuit (63) supplied with a signal from a strain gauge (61) provided on the extension portion and indicative of an actual nozzle touch force, and a signal supplied from a numerical control unit (64) and indicative of a predetermined nozzle touch force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventors: Kikuo Watanabe, Masaki Muranaka, Masayuki Iwatsuki
  • Patent number: 5133655
    Abstract: A friction clamp assembly for securing a mold of an injection molding machine in a closed position includes a column rigidly secured to a moving platen carrying a mold half and a gripper bush assembly for frictionally engaging and locking the column in a desired position. The clamp assembly further includes a clamp piston for clamping the moving platen in a mold closed position. The clamp assembly transmits a clamping force to portions of a moving platen other than end portions via the column so that platen parallelism is maintained during closing, injection and hold pressure portions of a molding cycle while platen bending is substantially avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1992
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert D. Schad, Victor Silaghi, Ronald Ing
  • Patent number: 5125821
    Abstract: A measuring device for enabling an evaluation of a moldability of a thermosetting resin by determination of parameters suitable for high accuracy forecasting of flow and curing behaviors of the thermosetting resin within a metal mold, as well as a metal mold for molding a thermosetting resin and method for constructing runners of the metal mold which is effective to minimize if not prevent the occurrence of false in moldings. By utilizing unique or peculiar parameters of the thermosetting resin which are not influenced by a molding condition and by conducting a flow simulation with a metal mold having a flow passage of arbitrary dimensions using the determined values for the parameters, a forecasting of a flow in an actual metal mold is enabled so as to preselect optimum molding conditions and flow passage dimensions for a metal mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1992
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Saeki, Isamu Yoshida, Aizo Kaneda, Kazuhiro Sugino, Kunihiko Nishi
  • Patent number: 5123823
    Abstract: A reference pin (150) is provided on a bottom die (108) of a molding device (100). A lead frame (3) is carried with a chucking device (120) attached to an X-Y table mechanism (110). A hole (132) is formed in a stage (131) of the X-Y table mechanism. Respective images of the hole and the pin are detected by a TV camera (142) to control the relative position of the bottom die and the lead frame by driving the X-Y stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshinobu Banjo, Kouji Shika, Minoru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5098275
    Abstract: The invention is embodied as a raw material resin feeding apparatus for a molding machine, such as an injection molding machine or an extruder. In this system, upon carrying out a variable resin-change operation by making use of material to be changed, raw material resin is intermittently fed to a feed section by intermittently opening and closing a resin passageway. The improvements reside in that the apparatus includes a raw resin material feed selection mechanism provided midway along a resin passageway for selectively either feeding a predetermined amount intermittently or continuously to a feed section. A resin-change resin feed start detector mechanism is provided for detecting completion of discharge of the amount of raw material corresponding to the predetermined amount, and a resin-change completion detector mechanism is provided. With this apparatus, raw material can be selectively fed to effect quick resin-change or for normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayoshi Kasai, Hideo Kuroda, Sensho Saito
  • Patent number: 5092753
    Abstract: An injection screw disposed in a heating cylinder is connected to a rotary driving force receiving mechanism, a linear driving force receiving mechanism, and a back pressurizing mechanism. The rotary driving force of an electric motor is transmitted to the rotary driving force receiving mechanism and the linear driving force receiving mechanism through clutches, which are controlled according to sensors for detecting the position of the screw or the linear driving force receiving mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1992
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Kumamura, Ryohei Inaba, Shojiro Danmoto, Mitsuo Arai, Yozo Tobo, Tadanobu Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 5083693
    Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for controlling equipment for treating rubber and or plastic strand-form products produced by an extruder and/or calender, such equipment having at least one conveyor. The apparatus has a feeler roll carried by at least one arm on a rotatable shaft and engageable with the strand-form product at the end of a conveyor or between two conveyors of the treating equipment. On one end of the shaft there is a cam disc the position of which is sensed by an inductive pick-up to produce a signal indicative of the angular position of the shaft. The shaft is rotatable to vary the position of the feeler roll, by a pneumatic servo motor actuating a rack meshing with a gear wheel fixed on the shaft. The servo motor is controlled by a control circuit which receives the position indicating signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Assignee: Paul Troester Maschinenfabrik
    Inventor: Hans-Jaochim Pohl
  • Patent number: 5083910
    Abstract: A custom-fitted insole assembly for use in a shoe directly under a wearer's foot includes a heel-cupping and arch-supporting base component custom contoured to fit the heel and arch of the wearer's foot, a heel stabilizing component attached to an underside heel region of the base component, and a shock absorbing top sheet component sized to underlie the bottom of the wearer's foot and at its rear half to overlie and conform to the contour of the base component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Inventors: Danny P. Abshire, Jennifer M. Abshire
  • Patent number: 5062784
    Abstract: A molding condition recording apparatus having a manual data input device with a CRT. The manual data input device has various keys for inputting parameters of various groups used for controlling injection, hold, metering and cylinder temperature, and for inputting molding defect indication data. A microprocessor for a programmable machine controller causes the input parameters and the molding defect indication data to be stored in a molding condition storage region of a shared memory (S5). The microprocessor then discriminates similarity between the thus stored molding condition and the molding condition already registered in a molding condition/molding defect storage file of a memory other than the shared memory (S7). If there is similarity between these molding conditions, the microprocessor causes the CRT to display an alarm message thereon together with the parameter already registered in the file and the mold defect indication data (S12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1991
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Inaba, Hideo Naito, Masao Kamiguchi, Noriaki Neko, Shinsuke Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 5059365
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically setting the die height platen on a toggle-operated injection molding machine to achieve a desired mold clamping force. A control is provided and contains information relating a desired clamp tonnage with a toggle crosshead displacement, in order to permit setting the die height platen for a particular set of molds so that the clamp, when operated, will automatically provide the desired clamping force between the mold members. The adjustment is provided by moving the die height platen in response to deviations from a predetermined set of conditions, the die height platen being moved by an hydraulic motor and chain drive to shift the die height platen along guide rods that extend between the die height platen and a stationary mold platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Cincinnati Milacron Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald A. Hertzer, Jeffrey A. Chappell
  • Patent number: 5055026
    Abstract: A position detector to detect the fully open position of a valve gate pin in a gate valve controlling the flow of molten plastic material to a die cavity includes a sensing member which has a DC voltage impressed thereon and which is electrically isolated from the valve gate assembly. An extension of the valve gate pin contacts the sensing member when the valve gate pin is in its fully open position to short the impressed voltage and thereby indicate a fully open condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Sony Corporation of America
    Inventor: Edward A. Gordon
  • Patent number: 5035599
    Abstract: In a combined injection-molding and pressing machine according to the present invention, an injector (10a) of horizontal injection apparatus (10) is disposed below a stationary die plate (2) of a vertical press (1), an injection nozzle (10b) of the injector (10a) is formed into an L-shaped, and the injection nozzle includes a valve (10c) for opening and closing a resin passsage. Corresponding to extension and contraction of the horizontal injection apparatus (10), a base (14) of a platform (4) mounting thereon the horizontal injection apparatus (10) is allowed to slide about the injection nozzle (10), and the L-shaped injection nozzle (10b) is caused to contact with a lower mold (3) at a predetermined surface pressure. Therefore, color changing and purging of resin is more efficient and complete. No need of a hot runner permits to employ an inexpensive and versatile mold that is more widely used in common.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1991
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
    Inventors: Noboru Harashima, Kazuhiro Mimura, Yosuke Sasaki, Hideaki Okubo, Makoto Nogawa, Satoshi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 5034170
    Abstract: An injection-molded connector for single-mode optical fibers includes two mating plugs having aligned fiber-receiving holes. To keep transmission losses in the connector at an acceptable level, the eccentricity of each hole relative to its plug profile must be maintained within a fraction of a micron. The mold utilized to form the plugs includes a dual-eccentric-cam adjustment mechanism that comprises nested conically shaped cams. In a method for fabricating such plugs, rotation of the cams serves to move a part of the mold that positions a hole-forming pin. By rotating this mechanism, the eccentricity of the fiber hole relative to the profile of the molded plug can be established and maintained within the required precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Bell Communications Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul R. Briggs, Jr., Gabor D. Kiss, John P. Varachi, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5030080
    Abstract: An apparatus for supplying a resin material to molds of a resin press molding machine includes a supply cylinder for supplying the resin material to the molds, resin material charge hopper mounted to the supply cylinder, a plunger for extruding the resin material within the supply cylinder, a drive device for moving forward and backward the plunger in an axial direction, an opening and closing device for opening and closing an opening of a fore end of the supply cylinder, and a die positioned between the opening and closing device and the molds to form the resin material into a predetermined shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukuda, Hiroaki Kondo, Tsutomu Sano, Kazuyuki Kajiyama, Naoki Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 5013231
    Abstract: Products having a relatively large thickness such as optical lenses for various industrial applications are molded by an injection molding machine by advancing the screw by operating an injection cylinder for filling metered quantity of a molten resin into a metal mold. The screw is rotated while it is being advanced. A plurality of position setters are provided along the stroke of the screw and their outputs are respectively compared with the output of a screw position detector by using comparators. The outputs of the comparators are used to effect a program control of screw rotation in multistages. According to a modified embodiment, during the filling step effected by screw rotation, the injection speed is varied stepwisely. The injection speed is reduced to zero for a short interval and then increased again. The number of revolutions of the screw, however, is maintained at a constant value until the injection speed is increased again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeru Fujita, Hiroshi Kanno, Takashi Kamiyama
  • Patent number: 4988271
    Abstract: A method of producing polyurethane foam slab by allowing a urethane foam stock solution in a tank to expand in a reduced pressure. The flatness of the top of the polyurethane foam is secured by providing a lifting jig or a plate within the tank, or by rotating the tank. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: Human Industry Corporation
    Inventors: Sadao Kumasaka, Satomi Tada, Koretoshi Katsuki, Osamu Fujii, Tutomu Yamamoto, Ryoji Nagamine, Kazuo Hashimoto, Masao Idei, Yosuke Sato, Kazuo Ibata
  • Patent number: 4979887
    Abstract: A pellet mill comprises a perforated annular pellet die having an axis of rotation and first and second ends; and a die carrier rotatable about an axis of rotation and having an annular recess for receiving the first end of the annular pellet die. Fixing devices are secured to the first end of the die and cooperating fixing devices are provided in the annular recess in the die carrier. The fixing devices and the cooperating fixing devices have a first position relative to one another permitting insertion of the first end into the annular recess by relative axial movement of the die and die carrier and a second relative position permitting the transmission of force between the fixing devices and the cooperating fixing devices to draw the die towards the die carrier into a clamped position. Various different devices are provided for generating the force. In addition centering devices are provided which are effective on drawing of the die towards the die carrier to center the die relative to the die carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: Gebrueder Buehler AG
    Inventors: Werner Groebli, Hugo Hegelbach, Willi Wetzel
  • Patent number: 4973238
    Abstract: Apparatus for applying marking to the outside surface of an outer jacket of a cable assembly including a cable having flat cable sections and sections where the conductors are not held. The apparatus includes a supply station for providing a length of the cable, a take up station for taking up the completed cable assembly, and a driver for moving the cable toward the take up station. The apparatus also includes a flat cable section detector adjacent the supply station for marking a flat cable section with an implant, and an extruder positioned downstream of the flat cable section detector for providing the outer jacket about the cable and the implant. The apparatus further includes an implant detector disposed downstream of the extruder for detecting the passage of the implant, and a printer located between the implant detector and the take up station and which is responsive to the implant detector for marking the location of a flat cable section on the outside surface of the outer jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Dave J. T. Kihlken, John J. Deeter, Harry Nelson
  • Patent number: 4950145
    Abstract: Chocolate mold filling apparatus having chocolate molds having different number of cavity, cavity volume, cavity fill opening height, and cavity fill opening spacing characteristics. Each mold further has a base flange which incorporates a process code keyed to the mold different characteristics. A sensor detects the base flange process codes and controls a connected conveyor, chocolate metering pump, and chocolate mold fill tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Anthony-Thomas Candy Company
    Inventors: Tom Zanetos, Paul E. Reeder
  • Patent number: 4950144
    Abstract: A nozzle touch apparatus in an injection molding machine is provided, which is capable of preventing deformation of a stationary mold half due to a nozzle touch force applied thereto, and of making it possible to use a mold of a type liable to be deformed for production of precise molding products. Springs interposed between a seat plate of the nozzle touch apparatus and a projecting wall of an extruder base generate the nozzle touch force which varies in magnitude as a function of a compressed amount of the springs. Upon a mold lockup state being released, a ball screw is rotatively driven, so that the seat plate, which is integral with a ball nut engaged with the ball screw, retreats from its moved position at the mold lockup state, to reduce the nozzle touch force and prevent deformation of the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Fanuc LTD
    Inventors: Kikuo Watanabe, Masaki Muranaka
  • Patent number: 4927589
    Abstract: A film manufacturing method which utilizes a trough storing a liquid therein. The liquid surface of the liquid forms a developing region in which a monomolecular film of organic molecules is developed. The developed monomolecular film is compressed by a barrier to a predetermined surface pressure. A workpiece having a build-up surface is moved by a vertical moving mechanism in a direction perpendicular to the developing region through the monomolecular film while being moved ahead of the build-up surface in a horizontal direction by a horizontal moving mechanism, so that the monomolecular film is built up on the build-up surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Syun Egusa, Akira Miura, Nobuhiro Gemma
  • Patent number: 4911629
    Abstract: Control apparatus for an injection molding machine having a sensor provided for the injection molding machine for producing a signal representing the quality of the molded product or a molding condition of the injection molding machine, a set value memory device in which a permissible range of the signal is set, a judging member for judging as to whether the signal lies in the permissible range, a production lot data memory device containing control data for the injection molding machine with respect to a lot now being produced, and a destination table showing a destination of the data corresponding to a result of judgment of the judging member, a controller for controlling the injection molding machine in accordance with the control data stored in the production lot memory device, and another memory device for storing a plurality of sets of the production lot data regarding various lots or production conditions, and a storing device for determining a destination of the production lot data based on the result
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeru Fujita
  • Patent number: 4900482
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for buckling contact lenses includes mounting a lens blank to be buckled on the contoured surface of a lens mounting tool so that the lens adopts a datum position, bringing a protruding element or elements into contact with the lens, such that the lens' contact point is coincident with the datum level, setting an indicator gauge to a setting to indicate the position of the contact point, moving the element or elements away from touch contact with the lens, setting a new elevation of the mounting tool by displacing the mounting tool over a distance commensurate with the predetermined degree of buckling of the lens required, and bringing the protruding element or elements into descending engagement with a portion of the lens, thereby buckling the lens to the shape of the contoured surface of the lens mount until the protruding elements have been displaced, the predetermined distance relative to the datum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Inventor: Penrhyn F. Thomas
  • Patent number: 4846651
    Abstract: An injection molding machine of the present invention has a flow rate control device (11) located between an injection screw (2) mounted inside a housing (1) so that it may be rotated freely and reciprocated freely and an injection nozzle (12) mounted in the leading end of the housing (1) so as to inject the molten resin into a cavity (14) of a mold (13). The control device serves to control the rate of flow of the molten resin from the injection screw (2) to the injection nozzle (12). The flow rate control device (11) cooperates with an injection speed control device and a dwell pressure control device installed separately to control the flow rate and speed of the molten resin thereby making it possible to control the injection speed rapidly, and with a high accuracy and with an excellent response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1989
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kazuo Matsuda, Nobuaki Inaba, Masashi Kaminishi, Tetsuji Funabashi, Nobukazu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 4846654
    Abstract: There is provided a die-touch position detecting apparatus capable of automatically and accurately detecting a die-touch position of a direct mold clamping mechanism driven by means of a servomotor. A numerical control unit (10) performs pulse distribution to a servo-circuit (30) in response to a die-touch position detecting operation command inputted through a manual data input device (17), thereby moving a movable platen toward a stationary platen. When the amount of errors accumulated in an error register (31) of the servo-circuit exceeds a predetermined value, the numerical control device stops the pulse distribution to the servo-circuit, and then calculates the die-touch position in response to the amount of pulse distribution to the servo-circuit and the amount of errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1989
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventor: Noriaki Neko
  • Patent number: 4836744
    Abstract: A take-away device for a flattened tubing foil forming machine having an improved foil edge position control. The take-away device for tubing foil is formed by an extruder with a tubing blow head carrying out a blowing process. The tubing foil is flattened between a pair of squeeze rollers, which pair of rollers can reversingly turn about a vertical axis of rotation. At least two turning rods are disposed following the squeeze rollers. The turning rods are pivotable about at least one vertical axis, and have, if necessary, at least one deflecting rod. The rods are pivoted by a frame member about a horizontal axis of rotation. A winding-up device receives the flattened tubing foil from the turning rod. A measuring instrument is disposed between the final turning rod from which the tubing foil is guided to the wind-up device, and the wind-up device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Assignee: Alpine Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Veit-Holger Karl, Franz Mahler, Josef Greisel
  • Patent number: 4836962
    Abstract: An injection molding method operable in conjunction with an injection molding machine having an injection screw which rotates and moves backward while a preset dosage of molding material is injected into the molding machine. As the injection screw moves backward its arrival at a predetermined point relative to a discharge nozzle is detected by a sensor which initiates stoppage of feeding of material into the machine. Further backward movement of the injection screw resulting from internal pressure in the injection cylinder is arrested by an adjustably locatable stopper, disposed behind the injection screw. The stopper is designed to be located at a position that produces molded products of consistent quality. Further, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the stop position of the injection screw is also used as a starting point for the injection screw in a subsequent injection step during which the dosage of material is injected into a molding cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Inventor: Katashi Aoki
  • Patent number: 4828474
    Abstract: A press has upper and lower platens which can be moved towards and away from one another. Four hydraulic leveling cylinders are mounted in a vertical orientation on the lower platen for purposes of platen parallelism control. In preferred form, each cylinder has a piston rod which engages an associated post on the upper platen as the platens approach one another. The piston rod and associated piston are formed with a longitudinal bore open at the upper piston rod end, and a rigid shaft is mounted in the bore with a lower end extending through the bottom of the cylinder housing. A coil spring in the interior of the piston rod urges the rigid shaft upwardly until a collar formed on the shaft engages a stop surface, the upper shaft end then being flush with the upper piston rod end. The associated post is fixed to the upper press platen in-line with the piston rod and has an internal passage in which is located a stud-like shaft that engages the rigid shaft mounted in the piston rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: John T. Hepburn, Limited
    Inventor: Ronald Ballantyne
  • Patent number: 4828476
    Abstract: A direct-pressure type mold clamping apparatus of an injection-molding machine, capable of performing high-speed mold closing and opening operations and of producing a required mold clamping force, without the use of a large-sized motor, is driven by two motors. The mold clamping apparatus includes a ball screw (6) engaging a ball nut (7) which is movable in unison with a movable platen (1). The ball screw is coupled to a servomotor (10) through a transmission mechanism (8, 9, 11, 17), and is also coupled to an induction motor (12) through the transmission mechanism, a speed reducer (14), and a clutch (15). A numerical control unit (20) controls the servomotor, the induction motor, and the clutch. After the movable platen, drive by the servomotor, is moved at high speed to a die touch position, the movable platen is driven to a set mold clamping force producing position with a greater driving force, by both the servomotor and the induction motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Inaba Yoshiharu, Fumio Mitoguchi, Masao Kamiguchi, Shigeo Tokunaga
  • Patent number: 4828475
    Abstract: A direct pressure type mold clamping apparatus for an injection-molding machine is capable of performing high speed mold closing and opening operations and of producing a required mold clamping force, without the use of a large sized motor, the mold clamping apparatus being driven by two motors. A movable platen is driven by servomotor at high speed to a die touch position. An error register of a servo circuit is supplied with distributed pulses which correspond to a moving amount from the die touch position to a set mold clamping force producing position. The movable platen is then driven in a mold clamping direction with a greater driving force by an induction motor. Thereafter, pulse signals outputted by a position detector are supplied to the error register corresponding to movement of the movable platen to gradually reduce an error value of the error register. When the error register value is reduced to zero, arrival at the set mold clamping force producing position is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventor: Masao Kamiguchi
  • Patent number: 4826640
    Abstract: An injection molding machine is provided which uses servo motors (M1, M2) as driving sources and in which a preset back pressure is correctly transmitted to a resin. The torque limit values and rotating directions of an injection servo motor in respective stages is set in accordance with the relationship in magnitude between the preset back pressure and the resistance during a transmission mechanism of the respective stages of metering. A servo circuit of an injection servo motor is torque-limited with a preset torque limit value, and the injection servo motor is driven in a preset rotating direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventor: Noriaki Neko
  • Patent number: 4824351
    Abstract: A molding system including a mold and a molding machine has been adapted to monitor the position of first and second mold surfaces that move relative to each other to form a mold cavity. The system includes a source of gas under pressure and an orifice on a first molding system surface to direct a flow of pressurized gas from the first molding system surface. A monitoring system monitors the condition of the gas remote from the first molding system surface to indicate the spacing between the first molding system surface and an adjacent second molding system surface as the first and second molding system surfaces move with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1989
    Assignee: Matrix Technologies, Incorporated
    Inventor: Charles Ramsey
  • Patent number: 4817006
    Abstract: Control and monitoring instrumentation for a high speed double rotary tablet press mechanism is disclosed. Each tablet press side has strain gauges producing signals indicative of table compression. The strain gauges generate control signals received by a peak detector, which holds the maximum strain signal. The peak signals are converted to digital form and provided to a microprocessor that first controls operation of the reject gate and regulates tablet consistency by controlling powder fill into the dies, and second, passes information to RAM. The RAM is shared by a master CPU, clocked 180.degree. out of phase with the microprocessor. The master CPU produces either a CRT or printed output of both raw and statistically abstracted tablet press data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: Thomas Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Lewis
  • Patent number: 4806089
    Abstract: Disclosed is an injection-molding machine in which the injection acceleration/deceleration time can be varied in accordance with parameters related to injectin, such as the properties of resin, etc., thus permitting injection-speed control under optimum conditions.Pulse distribution is preformed with a predetermined cycle in accordance with a set injection speed (V1.about.V3) for an injection-speed control step corresponding to a detected screw position. A certain number (Pb) of pulses are delievered as an output, the number being obtained by dividing, by a predetermined value (n), the result of addition of the number (Pa) of distributed pulses for the current cycle and the number (X1.about.Xn1-) of distributed pulses for a period equivalent to a predetermined number of cycles preceding the current cycle. Thus, the acceleration/deceleration processing is accomplished, and an injecting operation is performed with an optimum acceleration/deceleration characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventor: Noriaki Neko
  • Patent number: 4787834
    Abstract: A metering apparatus which can perform accurate metering is provided in an injection molding machine having a screw rotating motor and an injection servo motor. A screw position (SP), based on an output supplied from a position detector is provided to the injection servo motor and is compared with a deceleration start position (SCBK-l), which is set slightly before a preset metering point (SCBK). When it is determined that the screw has reached the deceleration start position, the screw rotating motor is slowed down. Thereafter, when it is determined that the screw has reached the preset metering point, driving of the screw rotating motor is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1988
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventor: Noriaki Neko
  • Patent number: 4774675
    Abstract: A monitor device for a screw position and an internal die pressure is used by an injection molding machine for driving a screw (29) by a servo motor (27). During injection, a sequentially updated address from an address generator (20) is supplied to first and second memories (16, 18) through an address switching circuit (21) to designate addresses of the memories (16, 18) so that the output from a pulse counter (15), which represents the screw position, and the output from an analog/digital converter (17), which represents the internal pressure of a die (30), are sequentially stored in the first and second memories (16, 18). During monitoring, the values stored in the first and second memories (16, 18) are read out through the address switching circuit (21) which has performed switching, and the relationship between the screw position and the internal die pressure is displayed on a display unit (25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Kagawa
  • Patent number: 4753588
    Abstract: A velocity control system for the injection shaft of an injection molding machine is adapted to drive an injection shaft (2") by an electric motor (20) and to control the electric motor (20) by a numerical control unit (30). The final position of the injection shaft (2") and the reference velocity of the injection shaft are commanded by data of a single block, and the velocity of the injection shaft (2") at each commanded position is obtained by correcting the reference velocity by means of a feedrate override value using an override table. Accordingly, an instruction of a single block suffices as an instruction for a single injection operation, thus simplifying CNC data processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1988
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Kiya
  • Patent number: 4752201
    Abstract: A technique including an apparatus for injection molding fiber-reinforced thermoset plastic articles is disclosed. The technique includes forming a mixture of short lengths of reinforcing fibers with a thermosetting resin in a predetermined fiber-to-resin ratio and introducing the mixture to an injection molding cylinder. The volume of mixture introduced is at least a multiple of two of the volume of the mold chamber so that the injection plunger traverses the intersection between the molding cylinder and a stuffer cylinder a single time for a multiplicity of molding shots to minimize fiber breakage and balling. The injection plunger is adapted to precompact the mixture by being forced forward until a predetermined high pressure is sensed, indicating a hydraulically locked condition of the plunger wherein substantially all entrapped gases have been expressed from the mixture and there exists no substantial forward movement of the plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1988
    Assignee: Trans Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Abe J. Kauffman, Robert S. Black, Arthur J. Stanley
  • Patent number: 4741685
    Abstract: In order to obtain an injection drive apparatus which is low-priced, can produce a great output torque, and has a satisfactory acceleration/deceleration characteristic, in an injection-molding machine which performs injection by driving a screw by means of servomotors, one or more ball screws (7), used to drive a screw (2) in the axial direction, are driven by means of a plurality of servomotors (M1, M2), a position detector (P1) for detecting the screw position is provided only for one servomotor (M1), and the servomotors (M1, M2) are provided individually with power amplifiers, which are controlled by means of one control circuit so that the individual servomotors (M1, M2) are controlled in synchronism with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1988
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Inaba, Fumio Mitoguchi, Keiji Sakamoto, Masatoyo Sogabe
  • Patent number: 4740148
    Abstract: An apparatus for supervising an injection stroke of an injection machine of the type wherein injection parameters are detected at a number of points in a filling stroke, and detected parameters are sequentially sampled at a plurality of points over the entire filling stroke, the filling stroke is divided into a plurality of regions, and the injection parameters measured in respective divided regions are judged as to whether the parameters can produce satisfactory products or not. Such parameters are used as reference values and sequentially sampled parameters are subtracted by the reference values. The differences are accumulated for respective regions and when accumulated differences exceed predetermined permissible values an alarm signal is issued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1988
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeru Fujita, Hideo Banzai, Hirotoshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 4735564
    Abstract: An injection molding machine generally comprises a heating cylinder, a screw rotated and reciprocated in the heating cylinder and a screw drive system. The screw drive system comprises two motors and two sensors connected respectively thereto which are automatically controlled by a control system in connection with a screw revolution number and a screw back pressure, or independently so as to accurately carry out the resin measuring process. The control system performs an adaptive control of a motion control system inclusive of the screw and the screw drive system in response to a screw speed instruction, a screw revolution number feedback signal, and a screw position feedback signal in accordance with various control modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1988
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinari Sasaki, Etsuji Oda, Hirozumi Nagata, Naoki Kurita, Hiroyuki Maehara
  • Patent number: 4734025
    Abstract: A dwell control system of an injection molding machine is adapted to drive an injection shaft by an electric motor (20) and to control the electric motor (20) by a numerical control unit (30). At the time of a dwell operation, the numerical control unit (30) operates the electric motor (20) under the application of a torque limit to apply a predetermined pressure to a molten material in a mold (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1988
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Kawamura, Nobuyuki Kiya, Keiji Sakamoto