Mold closing device for injection molding machines

1. A mold closing device for an injection molding machine for plastics, the mold closing device comprising:

a movable tool clamping plate ( 12 ) having a first side opposedly oriented to a fixed tool clamping plate ( 11 ) for cooperatively mating tool halves with the fixed tool clamping plate ( 11 ) and having a second side distal from the fixed tool clamping plate ( 11 ),

said movable tool clamping plate ( 12 ) mounted on a machine slide connected to a first and a second guide shoe for traversing in an axial direction at least two guide rails ( 13 , 14 ) associated with a respective edge of said movable tool clamping plate ( 12 );

two bending elements ( 31 , 32 ), each of said bending elements ( 31 , 32 ) connecting a corner of the second side of said movable tool clamping plate ( 12 ) to one of said guide shoes ( 13 , 14 ) cooperating with one of the guide rails ( 13 , 14 ),

each bending element ( 26 , 27 ) being rigid in a direction perpendicular to the respective guide rail ( 13 , 14 ) and including a bending region ( 33 , 34 ) having a predeterminable elasticity in an axial direction to absorb a closing force.

2. The mold closing device of claim 1 , wherein the movable tool clamping plate ( 12 ) further comprises

in elevation a bottom end, and

in plan an out-to-out width a; and

wherein the plural bending elements ( 31 , 32 ) are arranged within the width a and at the bottom end.

3. The mold closing device of claim 1 ,

further comprising at least one bearing ( 15 , 16 ) for cooperating with the one of the guide shoes ( 26 , 27 ); and

wherein the at least one bearing ( 15 , 16 ) is distal from said first side at least by a distance d wherein d>2×b where b is the width of the respective one of said bending elements ( 31 , 32 ) cooperating with said bearing ( 15 , 16 ).

4. The mold closing device of claim 1 ,

wherein each of the bending elements ( 31 , 32 ) is a right-angle triangle, the right-angle triangle including one leg ( 35 ) releasably connected to a bearing ( 15 , 16 ) and the other leg ( 36 ) directly connected to said movable tool clamping plate ( 12 ).

5. The mold closing device of claim 1 ,

wherein the bending region ( 33 , 34 ) is a first area of one of said bending elements ( 31 , 32 ) proximal to said movable tool clamping plate ( 12 ) and having a centerline of the first area parallel to said movable tool clamping plate ( 12 ), and

wherein the cross-section of the first area parallel to said movable tool clamping plate ( 12 ) is greater than the cross-section of an area of the respective one of said bending elements ( 31 , 32 ) more distal from said movable tool clamping plate.

6. The mold closing device of claim 1 , wherein said movable tool clamping plate ( 12 ) and said bending elements ( 31 , 32 ) are a unitary cast piece.

7. The mold closing device of claim 1 ,

wherein one of said bending elements ( 31 , 32 ) is a steel plate

having a first side welded to one of said guide shoes ( 26 ) and a second side welded to said movable tool clamping plate ( 12 ).

8. The mold closing device claim 3 , wherein said bearing ( 15 , 16 ) comprises a plurality of internal rollers, and said bearing ( 15 , 16 ) being connected to said guide shoe ( 26 , 27 ).