Injection molding apparatus and method of detecting misalignment in the injection molding apparatus

1. A misalignment sensing system for a molding structure, the molding structure being positionable in use in a mold for producing molded articles, the molding structure including a first component and a second component, at least one of the first component and the second component being selectively repositionable between a closed configuration of the mold structure and an open configuration of the mold structure, the misalignment sensing system comprising:

a straight lock alignment member comprising:

a male portion coupled to and extending from the first component of the molding structure; and

a female portion defined in the second component of the molding structure, the female portion being configured for a complimentary fit with the male portion so as to engage the male portion when the molding structure enters a closed configuration; and

at least one sensor connected to one of the male portion and the female portion, the at least one sensor being configured to detect a deformation of any one of the male portion and the female portion, the deformation being induced by a misalignment between the first component of the molding structure and the second component of the molding structure.

2. The misalignment sensing system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a control unit communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor, the control unit configured to receive a sensed misalignment condition from the at least one sensor for processing thereof.

3. The misalignment sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is disposed in at least one slot defined in the male portion.

4. The misalignment sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a first sensor and a second sensor.

5. The misalignment sensing system of claim 4 , wherein:

the first sensor is disposed in a first slot defined in the male portion of the alignment member; and

the second sensor is disposed in a second slot defined in the male portion of the alignment member, the second slot being parallel to the first slot.

6. The misalignment sensing system of claim 4 , wherein:

the first sensor is disposed in a first groove defined on a first side portion of the male portion of the alignment member; and

the second sensor is disposed in a second groove defined on a second side portion of the male portion of the alignment member, the second side being opposite the first side.

7. The misalignment sensing system of claim 6 , wherein the male portion is configured to define at least one decoupling slot for allowing the first side portion and the second side portion to deform at least partially independently.

8. The misalignment sensing system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one decoupling slot is between and parallel to the first side portion and the second side portion.

9. The misalignment sensing system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one decoupling slot comprises two intersecting slots.

10. The misalignment sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a Wheatstone bridge strain gauge and a Piezo film sensor.

11. A method of detecting misalignment using a misalignment sensing system in a molding structure for producing molded articles, the molding structure including a first component and a second component, at least one of the first component and the second component being selectively repositionable between a closed configuration of the mold structure and an open configuration of the mold structure, the misalignment sensing system including:

a straight lock alignment member including:

a male portion coupled to and extending from the first component of the molding structure, and

a female portion coupled to the second component of the molding structure, the female portion being configured for a complimentary fit with the male portion so as to engage the male portion when the molding structure enters a closed configuration;

at least one sensor connected to one of the male portion and the female portion, the at least one sensor being configured to detect a deformation of any one of the male portion and the female portion, the deformation being induced by a misalignment between the first component of the molding structure and the second component of the molding structure; and

a control unit communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor, the control unit configured to receive a sensed misalignment condition from the at least one sensor for processing thereof;

the method being executed by the control unit, the method comprising:

causing the at least one sensor to sense, during a given molding cycle when the molding structure is actuated toward the closed configuration, strain on the one of the female portion and the male portion;

receiving, by the control unit, at least one strain measurement from the at least one sensor; and

determining, by the control unit, a misalignment of the first component of the mold structure and the second component of the mold structure based on the at least one strain measurement.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining, by the control unit, based at least in part on the at least one strain measurement, information related to at least one of:

a magnitude of misalignment, and

a direction of misalignment;

storing, in a storage device coupled to the control unit, the information; and

storing, in the storage device, at least some additional information related to the given molding cycle of the molding structure.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, after the determining the misalignment:

determining that the misalignment is above a pre-determined threshold; and

indicating to an operator of the molding structure, by the control unit, that the molding structure is misaligned, the indicator including at least one of:

sounding an alarm,

turning on a light, and

shutting down the molding structure.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, after the determining the misalignment:

determining that the misalignment is above a pre-determined threshold; and

presenting a message to an operator of the molding structure, on a human-machine interface (HMI) communicatively connected to the control unit, that the molding structure is misaligned.

15. The method of claim 14 , where the message further comprises information related to a magnitude of misalignment and a direction of misalignment.

16. The misalignment sensing system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor is disposed in at least one slot defined in the male portion.

17. The misalignment sensing system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a first sensor and a second sensor.

18. The misalignment sensing system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a Wheatstone bridge strain gauge and a Piezo film sensor.

19. The misalignment sensing system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a Wheatstone bridge strain gauge and a Piezo film sensor.

20. The misalignment sensing system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a Wheatstone bridge strain gauge and a Piezo film sensor.