A clamping apparatus of an injection molding machine is provided. A first driving device operates a movable platen to perform mold opening/closing. A second driving device applies a clamping force to the movable platen. A screw mechanism converts rotational power of the driving devices into linear power. By contact/separation between a first rotation plate coupled to a screw shaft and a second rotation plate, a power transmission device switches transmission of power from the second driving device to the screw mechanism. At the normal time, an urging mechanism integrally moves the screw shaft and the first rotation plate in a mold closing direction and releases the connection of the second driving device. When the mold closing is completed, the urging mechanism allows the screw shaft and the first rotation plate to integrally move in a mold opening direction, and brings the second driving device into a connected state.

A shaping machine includes a stationary first mold mounting plate, a second mold mounting plate movable with respect to the first mold mounting plate, a tubular snorkel fixedly secured to the second mold mounting plate, and an injection unit for plasticizing and injecting a molding material. An abutment is designed so that, in the opened condition of the closing unit, the injection unit can be braced against the abutment, and so that, in a closed condition of the closing unit, the injection unit is freed from the abutment by the force action of the snorkel on the injection unit.

A shaping machine includes a stationary first mold mounting plate, a second mold mounting plate movable with respect to the first mold mounting plate, a tubular snorkel fixedly secured to the second mold mounting plate, and an injection unit for plasticizing and injecting a molding material. An abutment is designed so that, in the opened condition of the closing unit, the injection unit can be braced against the abutment, and so that, in a closed condition of the closing unit, the injection unit is freed from the abutment by the force action of the snorkel on the injection unit.

A method of diagnosing a state of at least one component of a molding machine is performed such that a state of the at least one component is determined on the basis of a vibration measured at the molding machine. A drive unit of the molding machine accelerates and/or decelerates at least one movable element provided at the molding machine in such a way that the vibration is stimulated in a predetermined frequency range.

A moving system for structures includes a linking unit located between first and second structures that can move in a first direction. A drive unit is connected to the first structure, and the first and second structures are connected. The second structure moves along the first direction when the drive unit moves the first structure along the first direction. The linking unit has a first part located on the side of the first structure and a second part located on the side of the second structure. The first and second parts line up along the first direction. The first part can shift toward the second part in a second direction different from the first direction without moving along the first direction, and the second part can shift toward the first part in the second direction without moving along the first direction.

A moving system for structures includes a linking unit located between first and second structures that can move in a first direction. A drive unit is connected to the first structure, and the first and second structures are connected. The second structure moves along the first direction when the drive unit moves the first structure along the first direction. The linking unit has a first part located on the side of the first structure and a second part located on the side of the second structure. The first and second parts line up along the first direction. The first part can shift toward the second part in a second direction different from the first direction without moving along the first direction, and the second part can shift toward the first part in the second direction without moving along the first direction.

A movable platen according to the present invention includes: a mold clamping platen 42 having a projecting portion 62 in a mold closing direction-side surface; a mold mounting platen 44 mounted to the projecting portion 62 of the mold clamping platen 42; and a guide mechanism 50 fixed to the mold clamping platen 42 and supporting the mold mounting platen 44. Only the mold clamping platen 42 is fixed to the guide mechanism 50, while the mold mounting platen 44 is not fixed but placed on platen surface support portions 52.

Provided is a molding machine including a mold opening/closing mechanism configured to move a movable platen to be attached with a movable mold to a stationary platen to be attached with a stationary mold, and a clamping mechanism to perform a clamping process, and is intended to suppress machine cost or ensure the mold opening/closing speed. The molding machine includes the mold opening/closing mechanism configured to move the movable platen to be attached with the movable mold to the stationary platen to be attached with the stationary mold, and the clamping mechanism configured to perform a clamping process. The mold opening/closing mechanism includes at least two ball screws, at least two electric motors that respectively drive the ball screws, and a ball screw nut into which each of the ball screws is inserted.

A mold closing unit for an injection molding machine for processing plastics and other compounds that can be plasticized, including at least one machine bed, at least one stationary platen, and at least one platen that can be moved relative to the stationary platen by a drive mechanism, where the movable platen can be moved on a slide having guide shoes along at least one guide attached to the machine bed, and the drive mechanism has at least one gear rack drive driven by at least one drive motor, whereby, because at least two gear racks are fixedly connected to the machine bed and because the drive motor is fixedly connected to the slide and, in the event of a movement of the movable platen, the occurrence of tilting torques are reduced and safe operation of the mold closing unit is ensured.

A mold closing unit for an injection molding machine for processing plastics and other compounds that can be plasticized, including at least one machine bed, at least one stationary platen, and at least one platen that can be moved relative to the stationary platen by a drive mechanism, where the movable platen can be moved on a slide having guide shoes along at least one guide attached to the machine bed, and the drive mechanism has at least one gear rack drive driven by at least one drive motor, whereby, because at least two gear racks are fixedly connected to the machine bed and because the drive motor is fixedly connected to the slide and, in the event of a movement of the movable platen, the occurrence of tilting torques are reduced and safe operation of the mold closing unit is ensured.