A feedstock delivery system for injection molding includes a vessel unit that includes a vessel with an internal volume and an inlet for receipt of a feedstock. First and second dispensing units are alternatively connectable to the vessel unit and each include first and second ends, first and second valves, and a buffer chamber. The first end is connectable to the dispensing unit such that the buffer chamber is in communication with the internal volume of the vessel. The second end is connectable to an injection mold and defines an outlet of the feedstock delivery system. The outlet is in communication with the buffer chamber, and the buffer chamber is positioned between the first and second valves. The buffer chamber of the first dispensing unit defines a first chamber volume, and the buffer chamber of the second dispensing unit defines a second chamber volume greater than the first chamber volume.

The invention relates to an apparatus for fine and controlled adjustment of an injection molding process and a related industrial process.

The apparatus (1) has a sealed mold (2) supplied with fluid reactive resin via a supply inlet (8) and by means of a mixing and injection head (9) so as to impregnate with said resin fibers of composite material loaded inside a cavity (6) of the mold (2) and wherein at least one storage container (10) having an inlet/outlet opening (11) in fluid communication with an outlet (13) of said injection head (9) is provided so as to store a predefined quantity of fluid resin inside a storage chamber (16) prior to completion of the injection phase. Advantageously, the storage container (10) is a cylinder (18) defining internally a storage chamber (16) which houses slidably inside it a plunger (21) operated by an actuator (25) configured as a cylinder/piston assembly arranged as a coaxial extension of said cylinder (18) and comprising an actuating piston (15) having a stem (22) coinciding with the stem of said plunger (21); the cylinder (18) of the storage chamber (16) and the cylinder (14) of said actuator (25) having cross-sections different from each other.

The present invention provides a melter that can improve melting efficiency compared to prior arts and an injection apparatus with improved injection efficiency. A melter according to the present invention includes a through hole, one opening of the through hole is an inflow port and the other opening is an outflow port, an inner wall surface of the through hole is formed of an inclined surface so that the opening becomes narrower from the inflow port to the outflow port of the through hole, an opening width of the inflow port is 4.1 mm to 10 mm and an opening width of the outflow port is 1.0 mm to 4.5 mm.

The present invention provides a melter that can improve melting efficiency compared to prior arts and an injection apparatus with improved injection efficiency. A melter according to the present invention includes a through hole, one opening of the through hole is an inflow port and the other opening is an outflow port, an inner wall surface of the through hole is formed of an inclined surface so that the opening becomes narrower from the inflow port to the outflow port of the through hole, an opening width of the inflow port is 4.1 mm to 10 mm and an opening width of the outflow port is 1.0 mm to 4.5 mm.

Resin supply system in which resin material is stored in a pouch (120) in a degassed state ready for use. The pouch comprises a body portion (122) forming a reservoir for resin material and a connector portion (125) in fluid communication therewith. The connector portion includes an outlet (127) which is configured to be connected to an injector head (180) of an injector assembly (100), the injector head being connectable to a mould by means of connecting tubing to provide a resin supply (130) thereto. The pouch is configured to be mountable in a housing (110) of the injector assembly and is compressed by hydrostatic pressure of water surrounding the pouch in a chamber (115) of the housing. The application of pressure by a piston (150) moving in a direction (155) transfers pressure to the water and then to the pouch in a controlled manner to provide the resin supply to the mould. After use, the pouch is removed and discarded thereby substantially eliminating the need for cleaning of the housing after use.

Resin supply system in which resin material is stored in a pouch (120) in a degassed state ready for use. The pouch comprises a body portion (122) forming a reservoir for resin material and a connector portion (125) in fluid communication therewith. The connector portion includes an outlet (127) which is configured to be connected to an injector head (180) of an injector assembly (100), the injector head being connectable to a mould by means of connecting tubing to provide a resin supply (130) thereto. The pouch is configured to be mountable in a housing (110) of the injector assembly and is compressed by hydrostatic pressure of water surrounding the pouch in a chamber (115) of the housing. The application of pressure by a piston (150) moving in a direction (155) transfers pressure to the water and then to the pouch in a controlled manner to provide the resin supply to the mould. After use, the pouch is removed and discarded thereby substantially eliminating the need for cleaning of the housing after use.

An injection molding machine with an injection system and a clamping system. The injection system may include a removable injection module defining a portion of the material flow path. The injection module may include all of parts that come in contact with the material between the material source and the mold. The injection module may include a valve arrangement movable between a fill position to load the injection module with material and an inject position to eject material from the injection module into the mold. The actuators for the injection module may be supported on the machine rather than the injection module. The clamping system may include a platen linear actuator to open and close the mold, and a hydraulic clamping system to apply clamping force to the closed mold. The hydraulic clamping system may include a free-float valve manifold assembly that selectively places the hydraulic cylinders in free-float mode.

An injection molding machine with an injection system and a clamping system. The injection system may include a removable injection module defining a portion of the material flow path. The injection module may include all of parts that come in contact with the material between the material source and the mold. The injection module may include a valve arrangement movable between a fill position to load the injection module with material and an inject position to eject material from the injection module into the mold. The actuators for the injection module may be supported on the machine rather than the injection module. The clamping system may include a platen linear actuator to open and close the mold, and a hydraulic clamping system to apply clamping force to the closed mold. The hydraulic clamping system may include a free-float valve manifold assembly that selectively places the hydraulic cylinders in free-float mode.

A molding apparatus includes a gate for filling a plasticized raw material into an injection molding space in which two intermediate base materials are set, and one of the intermediate base materials includes a hole portion. The molding apparatus includes a holder unit which is able to position the two intermediate base materials in the injection molding space opposite to each other, and a support mechanism including a pressing surface for making the hole portion adjacent to the gate by pressing the two intermediate base materials positioned in the injection molding space toward a periphery of the gate.

An injection apparatus including a plasticizing unit (2) that plasticizes a raw material resin and an injection unit (3) that injects a plasticized molten resin. The plasticizing unit includes a heating cylinder (20) having a foaming gas injection valve and a screw (21) provided inside the heating cylinder. The rotation and advance and retreat movements of the screw are controlled such that a raw material resin is plasticized by the screw and a foaming gas injected from a foaming gas injection valve is dissolved in the plasticized molten resin. After the screw retreats to a prescribed position according as the molten resin accumulates in the front end side of the heating cylinder by the screw that is rotating, the screw advances with rotating to cause the molten resin which has been accumulated in the front end side of the heating cylinder to be transferred to the injection unit.