In a molding die, movable die elements are respectively received in die element receiving holes formed in a frame plate. An end surface of the frame plate, which faces a cavity at a location that is other than locations of the die element receiving holes, forms a frame portion compression surface. An end surface of each movable die element, which faces the cavity, forms a split compression surface. Die element drive devices respectively drive the split compression surfaces of the movable die elements. A whole compression plate commonly supports an opposite end part of the frame plate and opposite end parts of the movable die elements, which are opposite from the cavity. When the whole compression plate is moved forward, the whole compression plate integrally drives the frame plate and the movable die elements forward. A whole drive device drives the whole compression plate.

The present application describes a modular unit for injection-compression molding (1). The modular unit for injection-compression molding (1) is arranged between the movable platen of the injection machine (21) and the stationary platen of the injection machine (22), in particular in the half-mold bearing face resulting from the division thereof by the opening joint. This modular unit for injection-compression molding (1) allows a substantial reduction of energy spent by reduction of inertial masses involved. The present application describes a modular unit for injection-compression molding (1) to be used in the production of pieces by injection being installed on any thermoplastic molding process.

A molding system (10) for fabricating a part comprises a first mold section (12) defining a first mold cavity (14), a first insert (16) slidable to a plurality of positions relative to the first mold cavity (14) to adjust a dimension of the mold cavity, a second mold section (20) to be disposed adjacent to the first mold section (14) to at least partially enclose the first mold cavity (14), a molding material conduit (26) to be disposed in fluid communication with the first mold cavity (14), and a positioning mechanism (18) configured to move the first insert (16) to the plurality of positions relative the first mold cavity (14).

An injection molding method includes the steps of:(A) preparing a molding unit and an injection unit, the molding unit including a first mold having a protruding portion, and a second mold having a movable post cooperating with an inner peripheral surface thereof to define a cavity; (B) moving the molds toward each other until the protruding portion cooperates with the second mold to define a forming space; (C) activating the injection unit for injecting the molten optical material into the forming space; (D) cooling the molding unit; and (E) moving the molds away from each other and subsequently activating the movable post to push a solidified optical material out of the forming space.

A method for forming a part in an injection mold, includes: heating a molding material to a molding temperature; injecting the molding material through a gate and into a molding cavity of the injection molding apparatus of any of the preceding claims; pressing the stationary half and the moving half together to form the molding cavity between the resin mold surface and the insert molding surface; moving the movable mold insert, and thereby moving the insert molding surface and adjusting the molding cavity shape, the molding cavity depth, the molding cavity volume, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing along at least a portion of the molding cavity; cooling a surface of the molding cavity with the cooling system; separating the resin mold surface and the moving half mold surface; and ejecting the part from the injection molding apparatus.

A method of manufacturing a microfluidic or microtiter device, the method comprises fabricating, by a single compression injection molding operation, a microfluidic or microtiter device having one or more indentations, in which a base thickness of the one or more indentations is less than 400 m. In embodiments, the fabricating step comprises: forming a mold cavity; filling the mold cavity with molten material; closing the mold cavity; and driving one or more molding formations complementary to the one or more indentations into the mold cavity.

A method of injection moulding an article, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an injection mould comprising a plurality of mould parts defining a mould cavity of the injection mould, the plurality of mould parts including first and second movable mould parts, the injection mould further comprising an injection inlet for injecting molten thermoplastic resin material into the mould cavity, wherein the injection inlet is located in the vicinity of the first movable mould part and the second movable mould part is remote from the injection inlet; (b) disposing the first and second movable mould parts in a first configuration so as to define a first intermediate moulding cavity, in which first configuration the first movable mould part is in a first rearward position and the second movable mould part is in a first forward position; (c) injecting molten thermoplastic resin material into the first intermediate moulding cavity through the injection inlet to fill the first intermediate moulding cavity with the molten material; (d) closing the injection inlet; (e) after commencement of the injecting step and at least partly after the closing step, moving the second movable mould part from the first forward position to a second rearward position; (f) moving the first movable mould part from the first rearward position to a second forward position; and (g) moving the second movable mould part from the second rearward position to a third forward position thereby to dispose the first and second movable mould parts in a final configuration so as to define a final moulding cavity of the injection mould filled with the molten material, the final moulding cavity defining a cavity outer surface which defines the outer shape of the article to be moulded.

A tandem mold for creating injection-molded parts from synthetic material includes a first part (2), a second part (4), a third part (6), and a guide (20, 22, 26, 28). A first parting surface is defined between the first part (2) and the third part (6), and a second parting surface is defined between the second part (4) and the third part (6). The mold also includes, for each parting surface, at least one mechanical stop (44) that is movable between a first position, where said stop prevents a drive mechanism from reaching the closed position of the mold, and a second position, or retracted position, where the mold can reach its closed position.

In a molding die, movable die elements are respectively received in die element receiving holes formed in a frame plate. An end surface of the frame plate, which faces a cavity at a location that is other than locations of the die element receiving holes, forms a frame portion compression surface. An end surface of each movable die element, which faces the cavity, forms a split compression surface. Die element drive devices respectively drive the split compression surfaces of the movable die elements. A whole compression plate commonly supports an opposite end part of the frame plate and opposite end parts of the movable die elements, which are opposite from the cavity. When the whole compression plate is moved forward, the whole compression plate integrally drives the frame plate and the movable die elements forward. A whole drive device drives the whole compression plate.

A protective cover (1) having a reliable sensor holder part (3B) that prevents reduction in air tightness and strength of a division wall (B) between a magnetic sensor (A) and a magnetic encoder (16). The protective cover (1) is press-fitted into an outer ring to seal one axial end portion of a bearing, and has the sensor holder part (3B) holding the magnetic sensor (A). In the protective cover (1), a disc-shaped member (3) has a thick part (6) formed as a flow path for preferentially charging a molten resin into a thin part for forming the division wall (B) in a cavity of a molding die for use in injection molding between a position corresponding to a gate of the molding die and the division wall (B).