Linear to linear valve pin drive during injection cycle
An injection molding system ( 5 ) comprised of: a valve ( 10 ) comprising an actuator ( 1000 ) that includes a linear drive member ( 150, 154, 158 ) adapted to travel along a first linear path of travel (L 1 ), a valve pin ( 80 ) adapted to travel linearly upstream and downstream within the flow passage ( 15 ) between pin upstream ( 81 ) and pin downstream ( 82 ) positions along a second linear path of travel (L 2 ) that is non-coaxial relative to the first linear path of travel (L 1 ), the actuator ( 1000 ) being interconnected to the valve pin ( 80 ) in an arrangement wherein movement of the linear drive member ( 150, 154, 158 ) along the first linear path of travel (L 1 ) drives the valve pin ( 80 ) along the second linear path of travel (L 2 ).
1. In an injection molding system ( 5 ) comprised of an injection molding machine (IMM), a distribution manifold ( 6 ) for receiving a selected injection fluid (F) from the injection molding machine (IMM), a valve ( 10 ) comprising a flow passage ( 15 ) receiving the injection fluid (F) from the manifold ( 6 ) having a longitudinal length (L) and a downstream tip end exit aperture ( 20 ), a mold ( 7 ) having a cavity ( 60 ) having a cavity entrance aperture ( 30 ), the exit aperture ( 20 ) being fluid sealably matable with the cavity entrance aperture ( 30 ) to form a gate aperture ( 50 ), wherein the injection molding machine (IMM) injects said injection fluid (F) to the manifold ( 6 ) which distributes the injection fluid for injection downstream through the flow passage ( 15 ) of the valve ( 10 ) and further downstream to and through the exit aperture ( 20 ) and further downstream to and through the gate aperture ( 50 ) into the cavity ( 60 ) of the mold ( 7 ),
the valve ( 10 ) comprising an actuator ( 1000 ) that includes a linear drive member ( 150 , 154 , 158 ) that is reciprocally driven back and forth along a first linear path of travel (L 1 ),
a valve pin ( 80 ) that is adapted to travel linearly upstream and downstream within the flow passage ( 15 ) between pin upstream ( 81 ) and pin downstream ( 82 ) positions along a second linear path of travel (L 2 ) that is non-coaxial relative to the first linear path of travel (L 1 ),
the actuator ( 1000 ) being interconnected to the valve pin ( 80 ) in an arrangement wherein movement of the linear drive member ( 150 , 154 , 158 ) along the first linear path of travel (L 1 ) drives the valve pin ( 80 ) along the second linear path of travel (L 2 ),
wherein the linear drive member ( 150 , 154 , 158 ) is interconnected to an upstream end ( 502 , 507 u ) of a linear to linear travel converter ( 500 ) and the valve pin ( 80 ) is interconnected to a downstream end ( 504 ) of the linear to linear travel converter ( 500 ), the upstream end ( 502 , 507 u ) of the linear to linear travel converter ( 500 ) being driven along the first linear path of travel (L 1 ) by the linear drive member ( 150 , 154 , 158 ) and the downstream end ( 504 , 507 d ) of the linear to linear travel converter ( 500 ) being adapted to drive the valve pin along the second linear path of travel (L 2 ),
the linear to linear travel converter ( 500 ) comprising:
a converter housing ( 505 ) stationarily mounted on to the manifold ( 6 ),
a sliding body ( 507 ) fixedly interconnected to the linear drive member ( 150 , 154 , 158 ) and slidably mounted to a wall of the converter housing ( 505 ) such that the sliding body ( 507 ) is controllably drivable along the first linear path of travel (L 1 ),
a guide slot ( 509 ) within the sliding body ( 507 ),
a follower pin ( 520 ) fixedly connected to an upstream end ( 80 h ) of the valve pin ( 80 ), the follower pin ( 520 ) being received within the guide slot ( 509 ) such that as the sliding body ( 507 ) is moved along the first path (L 1 ) the guide slot ( 509 ) moves along the first linear path of travel (L 1 ) and the follower pin ( 520 ) is forced by engagement against a moving guide slot surface ( 509 s ) of the guide slot ( 509 ) to move along the second linear path of travel (L 2 ), while the guide pin ( 80 ) also moves along the second linear path of travel (L 2 ),
wherein the converter housing ( 505 ) has slots ( 511 ) aligned along the second linear path of travel (L 2 ) in opposing walls ( 505 w ) of the converter housing ( 505 ) that receive and guide movement of the follower pin ( 520 ) along the second linear path of travel (L 2 ).
2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the linear to linear travel converter ( 500 ) is adapted to pivot or travel between an upstream drive position ( 507 udp ) and a downstream drive position ( 507 ddp ) that correspond respectively to travel of the valve pin ( 80 ) between the pin upstream ( 81 ) and pin downstream ( 82 ) positions.
3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the linear to linear travel converter ( 500 ) is adapted to pivot or travel linearly along the first linear path of travel (L 1 ) in response to being driven by the linear drive member ( 150 , 154 , 158 ).
4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the linear drive member ( 150 , 154 , 158 ) is adapted to travel between an upstream drive position ( 151 ) and a downstream drive position ( 152 ) that correspond respectively to travel of the valve pin ( 80 ) between the pin upstream ( 81 ) and pin downstream ( 82 ) positions, the linear to linear travel converter ( 500 ) being adapted to mechanically change velocity (V) of travel of the valve pin ( 80 ) during the course of travel of the valve pin ( 80 ) between the pin upstream ( 81 ) and pin downstream ( 82 ) positions when the linear drive member is driven at a constant velocity (CV).
5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the linear to linear travel converter includes a velocity adjuster ( 507 ) interconnected at an upstream end ( 507 u ) to the linear drive member ( 150 , 154 , 158 ) and at a downstream end ( 507 d ) to the valve pin ( 80 ), the velocity adjuster ( 507 ) being adapted to mechanically change velocity (V) of travel of the valve pin ( 80 ) during the course of travel of the valve pin ( 80 ) between the pin upstream ( 81 ) and pin downstream ( 82 ) positions when the linear drive member is driven at a constant velocity (CV).
6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the actuator ( 1000 ) comprises an electric motor or electrically powered device.
7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator ( 1000 ) includes a screw ( 158 ) or a nut ( 154 ) that is rotatably driven by the electric motor or electrically powered device, the screw ( 158 ) or nut ( 154 ) being screwably engaged with the linear drive member ( 150 , 154 , 158 ) in an arrangement wherein the linear drive member ( 150 , 154 , 158 ) is driven along the first linear path of travel (L 1 ) on driven rotation of the screw ( 158 ) or nut ( 154 ).
8. The system according to claim 1 , further including a position detector ( 178 ) that senses linear position of the valve pin ( 80 ).
9. The system according to claim 1 , further including a controller ( 176 ) that includes a program that receives a position detection signal from a position detector ( 178 ), the program including instructions that controllably drive the actuator ( 1000 ) based on use of the position detection signal as an input.
10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the position detector ( 178 ) comprises a Hall effect sensor.
11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the controller ( 176 ) includes instructions that control rate, direction or timing of driven movement (V) of the actuator ( 1000 ) during the course of an injection cycle.
12. A method of performing an injection cycle comprising injecting a selected injection fluid (F) into a cavity ( 60 ) of a mold ( 7 ) using the system according to claim 1 .
13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the guide slot surface ( 509 s ) being configured to drive the valve pin ( 80 ) along the second linear path of travel (L 2 ) at one or more speeds or velocities of linear travel (V) when the linear drive member ( 159 , 154 , 158 ) is driven at a constant velocity (CV).
14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the guide slot surface ( 509 s ) is configured to drive the valve pin ( 80 ) at least two different speeds or velocities (V) during the course of travel of the valve pin ( 80 ) between the pin upstream ( 81 ) and pin downstream ( 82 ) positions.
15. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the sliding body ( 507 ) has two guide slots ( 509 , 509 ) configured such that as the sliding body ( 507 ) is moved along the first linear path of travel (L 1 ) each guide slot ( 509 , 509 ) moves along the first linear path of travel (L 1 ) and the follower pin ( 520 ) is forced by engagement against the moving slot surfaces ( 509 s , 509 s ) of the two guide slots ( 509 , 509 ) to move along the non-coaxial second path (L 2 ) for controlling the upstream and downstream movement of the valve pin ( 80 ), and
the converter housing ( 505 ) has two opposing walls ( 505 w , 505 w ) each having a slot ( 511 , 511 ) aligned along the second linear path of travel (L 2 ).