A cooling device for cooling a plurality of preforms or tubular containers, preferably exiting from a rotary injection molding apparatus, the device comprisinga first longitudinal support member (7) defining a longitudinal axis Y and having a first longitudinal surface (2) and a second longitudinal surface (3) opposite to the first longitudinal surface; a plurality of cooling tubes (4), each adapted to receive a respective preform to be cooled, said cooling tubes being arranged on said first longitudinal surface (2) in sequence along the longitudinal axis Y and each cooling tube defining a perpendicular axis thereof with respect to said longitudinal axis Y; at least one first connection pin (5) protruding from said second longitudinal surface (3) for a quick coupling to a second longitudinal support member (14), preferably adapted to be arranged on a rotary cooling apparatus.

A tool (100) comprises a plurality of layers (102, 104, 106) which are arranged to provide a thermally agile tool face (110) and to protect control circuitry and delicate components (150) from excessive temperatures.

An injection molding method that includes: (a) fitting an injection molding machine with an injection mold defining one or more molding cavities, with at least one mold plate provided with one or more channels for circulation of a tempering medium, (b) providing a feed of plastic material, (c) heating the molding cavities by circulating through the channels a first tempering medium, (d) injecting plastic material into the closed heated mold to fill the molding cavities, (e) cooling the molding cavities of the filled closed injection mold until at least partly solidifying the molded plastic parts by circulating through the channels a second tempering medium, (f) opening the injection mold by parting the injector plate from the ejector plate, (g) ejecting the at least partly solidified molded plastic parts by actuation of ejector pins of the ejector plate, and (h) repeating the cycle of steps (c)-(g).

A molding machine comprises first and second non-complementary molds (20a, 20b). The first mold (20a) defines a female mold cavity (36). The second mold (20b) defines a flat molding surface (30). The first and second molds (20a, 20b) are movable between a first position in which the molds are apart and the female mold cavity (36) and the flat molding surface (30) both face upwards, and a second position in which the molds are brought together and the flat molding surface faces into and closes the female mold cavity to form a completely enclosed cavity. Each mold (20a, 20b) has a plurality of bores (22) formed through it and with an opening (24) at each end. At least two of the bores (22) are connected to each other by a block (38) positioned over the opening at one end of one bore and the opening at the end of another bore. The block (38) is formed with a groove (40) which connects the openings to each other.

A multi-layered tool for forming a working having an active thermal layer disposed between two layers of the tool which is independently controllable to add or subtract thermal energy to or from the tool.

A tool system for molding an article comprising a tool (100) having a tool surface (110) for forming an article, the tool surface (110) comprising a plurality of tool zones, a plurality of fluid flow paths (151, 152) to direct the flow of a heating or a cooling fluid to individual tool zones, heating means comprising an in-line heater (150) for heating fluid passing through a respective heating fluid flow path and cooling means comprising a cooling fluid flow path, the cooling fluid flow path bypassing the in-line heater of the heating fluid flow path.

An apparatus, system and method for isolating a controlled environment for cure process control of application and cure of one or more curable compounds to a structure. The apparatus has an end effector of an involute conformal mold having a mold body shaped to provide a shroud over an area covered with the one or more curable compounds on the structure, to isolate the area and the controlled environment. The mold body has an exterior surface, and an interior surface with a cavity profile corresponding to a desired curable compound shape. The mold body has one or more ports, and a plurality of involute channels with spiral flow paths. The involute channels include outer channel(s) having an outer path profile for regenerative heat transfer to the curable compound(s), and include inner channel(s) having an inner path profile for convective and radiative heat transfer to the curable compound(s).

A tool (100) comprises a plurality of layers (102, 104, 106) which are arranged to provide a thermally agile tool face (110) and to protect control circuitry and delicate components (150) from excessive temperatures.

A die for moulding a core by a PIM process, the core having at least one internal feature, the die including; a first die part defining a first portion of an outer surface of the core; a second die part defining a second portion of the outer surface of the core; and an internal feature forming element for defining the surface of an internal feature of the core; wherein the internal feature forming element incorporates a temperature control circuit.

An air-cooled sprue bush is mounted on a mold and contains: a columnar runner body and a flange portion. The runner body includes a gate and a cooling path defined in the runner body, the cooling path has plural U-shaped channels annularly arranged around the cooling path, and each U-shaped channel has a mesh structure formed therein. The flange portion is fixed on the runner body so as to contact with an outer face of the mold, and the gate passes through the flange portion and has a feeding orifice formed in the flange portion. The flange portion also includes at least one inlet and at least one outlet which are in communication with the cooling path of the runner body and do not contact with the mold, such that external gas flows out of the at least one outlet from the at least one inlet via the cooling path.