Apparatus for injection molding

1. An apparatus for actuation of split locking nuts of a clamp unit of a two platen injection molding machine, the clamp unit comprising: a fixed platen for supporting mold members; a movable platen assembly for supporting mating mold members; and a plurality of strain rods spanning from the fixed platen through the moveable platen assembly, the movable platen assembly comprising a mold supporting platen for supporting mating mold members, an actuator housing comprising a clamp force actuator, and a plurality of split locking nuts, each split locking nut comprising opposed movable nut halves for releaseably engaging the strain rods, the number of split locking nuts being no less than the number of strain rods, the apparatus comprising:

a) connecting rods for connecting nut halves of two split locking nuts so as to define interconnected pairs of split locking nuts, each pair comprising a master split locking nut comprising a nut half driven by an actuator and a slave split locking nut interconnected with the master split locking nut by the connecting rods;

b) at least one coupling mechanism for coupling motion of a driven nut half of each master split locking nut to the opposed mating nut half of the master split locking nut, wherein each coupling mechanism comprises a pivot arm and two pivot links, the pivot arm being rotatably supported so as to rotate relative to an axis of rotation fixed in position relative to the actuator housing and each pivot link being pivotably connected at one end thereof to an end of the pivot arm and pivotably connected at the distal end thereof to a mating nut half so that rotation of the pivot arm effects rotation and translation of the pivot links to couple translation of the driven nut half to equal and oppositely directed translation of the opposed mating nut half; and,

c) an actuator for each driven nut half for effecting translation of the driven nut half toward and away from an associated strain rod, each actuator operably connected between a driven nut half and the actuator housing.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises two coupling mechanisms for each master split locking nut, the coupling mechanisms being arranged on opposite sides of the strain rod associated with the split nut so as to apply equalized forces on opposite sides of the mating nut half to which motion of the driven nut half is coupled by the coupling mechanisms, the equalized forces producing opposing moments to reduce cocking of the mating nut half in response to the coupled forces.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein connections of distal ends of pivoting links to a mating nut half are located to result in opposing moments from forces coupled through the coupling mechanisms so as to reduce tipping of the mating nut half in response to the applied forces.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising at least two side blocks fixed to the actuator housing in position relative to opposite sides of each strain rod to be selectably engaged by a split locking nut, the side blocks engaging the opposed mating nut halves of each split locking nut so as to restrain movement thereof bi-directionally to effect opening and closing of the split locking nuts.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each side block engages a slot in each mating nut half so that the bottom surfaces of the mating nut halves slide across the actuator housing and the apparatus further comprises wear pads between the actuator housing and the bottom surfaces of the mating nut halves.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising an upright support mounted to each side block associated with a master split nut, each pivot arm being pivotably supported by an upright support so that the pivot arm rotates in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the side blocks lie.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each actuator is connected between the actuator housing and the driven nut half by pivot connections so as to accommodate misalignment between the axis of translation of the movable member of each actuator and the axis of translation of the driven nut half as restrained by the side blocks.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising at least one position monitor for each pair of interconnected split locking nuts, the position monitor producing signals representing position of at least one mating nut half relative to at least one strain rod to be selectably engaged by the split locking nuts of each split locking nut pair.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the position monitors comprise a position transducer for measuring position of a mating nut half relative to a fixed reference and a pair of proximity sensors for detecting position of a mating nut half at either end of a range of motion of the mating nut half.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the connecting rods interconnecting mating nut halves of a master split locking nut with mating nut halves of a slave split locking nut are arranged so as to produce opposing moments on the mating nut halves of the slave split locking nuts to reduce cocking and tipping of the mating nut halves of the slave split locking nuts in response to the transferred forces from the master split locking nuts.

11. An apparatus for actuation of split locking nuts of a clamp unit of a two platen injection molding machine, the clamp unit comprising: a fixed platen for supporting mold members; a movable platen assembly for supporting mating mold members; and a plurality of strain rods spanning from the fixed platen through the moveable platen assembly, the movable platen assembly comprising a mold supporting platen for supporting mating mold members, an actuator housing comprising a clamp force actuator, and a plurality of split locking nuts, each split locking nut comprising opposed movable nut halves for releaseably engaging the strain rods, the number of split locking nuts being no less than the number of strain rods, the apparatus comprising:

a) at least two side blocks fixed to the actuator housing in position relative to opposite sides of each strain rod to be selectably engaged by a split locking nut, the side blocks engaging the opposed mating nut halves of each split locking nut so as to restrain movement thereof bi-directionally to effect opening and closing of the split locking nuts;

b) connecting rods for connecting nut halves of two split locking nuts so as to define interconnected pairs of split locking nuts, each pair comprising a master split locking nut comprising a nut half driven by an actuator and a slave split locking nut interconnected with the master split locking nut by the connecting rods;

c) at least one coupling mechanism for coupling motion of a driven nut half of each master split locking nut to the opposed mating nut half of the master split locking nut, wherein each coupling mechanism comprises a pivot arm and two pivot links, the pivot arm being rotatably supported so as to rotate relative to an axis of rotation fixed in position relative to the actuator housing and each pivot link being pivotably connected at one end thereof to an end of the pivot arm and pivotably connected at the distal end thereof to a mating nut half so that rotation of the pivot arm effects rotation and translation of the pivot links to couple translation of the driven nut half to equal and oppositely directed translation of the opposed mating nut half; and,

d) an actuator for each driven nut half for effecting translation of the driven mating nut half toward and away from an associated strain rod, each actuator operably connected between a driven nut half and the actuator housing.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein each side block engages a slot in each mating nut half so that the bottom surfaces of the mating nut halves slide across the actuator housing and the apparatus further comprises wear pads between the actuator housing and the bottom surfaces of the mating nut halves.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the apparatus further comprises two coupling mechanisms for each master split locking nut, the coupling mechanisms being arranged on opposite sides of the strain rod associated with the split nut so as to apply equalized forces on opposite sides of the mating nut half to which motion of the driven mating nut half is coupled by the coupling mechanisms, the equalized forces producing opposing moments to reduce cocking of the mating nut half in response to the coupled forces.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein connections of distal ends of pivoting links to a mating nut half are located to result in opposing moments from forces coupled through the coupling mechanisms so as to reduce tipping of the mating nut half in response to the applied forces.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising an upright support mounted to each side block associated with a master split nut, each pivot arm being pivotably supported by an upright support so that the pivot arm rotates in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane in which the side blocks lie.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein each actuator is connected between the actuator housing and a driven nut half by pivot connections so as to accommodate misalignment between the axis of translation of the movable member of the actuator and the axis of translation of the driven nut half as restrained by the side blocks.

17. The apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising at least one position monitor for each pair of interconnected split locking nuts, the position monitor producing signals representing position of at least one mating nut half relative to at least one strain rod to be selectably engaged by the split locking nuts of each split locking nut pair.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the position monitors comprise a position transducer for measuring position of a mating nut half relative to a fixed reference and a pair of proximity sensors for detecting position of a mating nut half at either end of a range of motion of the mating nut half.

19. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the connecting rods interconnecting mating nut halves of a master split locking nut with mating nut halves of a slave split locking nut are arranged so as to produce opposing moments on the mating nut halves of the slave split locking nuts to reduce cocking and tipping of the mating nut halves of the slave split locking nuts in response to the transferred forces from the master split locking nuts.