A system and method to dispense, mix, and inject liquids and force them into a vented investment pattern mold cavity comprises a source of raw materials in fluid communication with an injection unit for metering and delivering the raw materials. A mixing and injection head receives and mixes the metered raw materials. A movable molding cart upon which an investment pattern mold is mounted is disposed adjacent the injection unit and proximate the mixing and injection head. The movable molding cart includes a fill cup that may be engaged by the mixing and injection head. A displaceable gating tray provides fluid communication with the fill cup and a sprue aligned with an investment port on a lower portion of the investment pattern mold. The system also includes a digital computer control by which the injection process may be controlled.

An injection-molding system includes an extruding system configured to produce a mixture; a discharging channel communicable with the extruding system and including an outlet configured to discharge the mixture; and molding devices configured to receive the mixture. Each of the molding devices includes a hollow space, and a feeding port communicable with the hollow space and engageable with the outlet. An injection-molding method includes providing an extruding system configured to produce a mixture, a discharging channel including an outlet, and first and second molding devices; engaging the outlet with the first molding device; injecting the mixture into the first molding device; disengaging the outlet from the first molding device; moving the discharging channel away from the first molding device and toward the second molding device; engaging the outlet with the second molding device; injecting the mixture into the second molding device; and disengaging the outlet from the second molding device.

A bushing for a foam mix-head includes an injection port wall surrounding a vestigial area for foam accumulation, a substrate opening transition segment configured to be situated with an opening of a substrate, a seal housing, and a seal seated in a seal seat of the seal housing. The seal helps prevent leakage during a foaming operation, such as when manufacturing a vehicle interior panel having a foam layer between a skin layer and a substrate.

In a skin integral molded article which is formed by filling the inside of a skin which is formed into a bag shape with a foamed body and molding the foamed body integrally with the skin, an opening through which a foaming raw material is supplied into the skin is formed in the skin, in one side skin and other side skin which are formed with the opening being interposed, the one-side skin is bent into inside the opening, the other-side skin is provided with a part disposed ahead of a part which is bent into inside the opening and is formed to be pliable, and the part which is disposed ahead of the other-side skin part and is formed to be pliable is formed in contact with a leading end part of the one-side skin part which is bent into the opening.

An opening/closing device (14) includes: a stationary platen (20); a movable platen (22) capable of moving toward or away from the stationary platen (20); an opening/closing mechanism (28) having a plurality of toggle links (30, 31, 32) at least one (32) of which is connected to the movable platen (22); a driving device (37) including a cross head (26) connected to at least one (30) of the toggle links and capable of moving the movable platen (22); and a control portion (50). The control portion (50) is configured to control the cross head (26) such that the movable platen (22) moves at fixed speed during fine die-opening operation.

A bushing for a foam mix-head includes an injection port wall surrounding a vestigial area for foam accumulation, a substrate opening transition segment configured to be situated with an opening of a substrate, a seal housing, and a seal seated in a seal seat of the seal housing. The seal helps prevent leakage during a foaming operation, such as when manufacturing a vehicle interior panel having a foam layer between a skin layer and a substrate.

An injection molding system includes a supplying unit configured to supply a flowable mixture; an injection unit communicable with the supplying unit, wherein the injection unit includes an outlet configured to discharge the flowable mixture; a molding device configured to receive the flowable mixture from the outlet and includes a mold cavity and a feeding port communicable with the mold cavity and engageable with the outlet; and a supporting device disposed between the injection unit and the molding device and configured to facilitate an engagement of the injection unit and the molding device. The supporting device includes a first element connected to the injection unit and a second element disposed on the molding device. The second element includes a slot configured to receive a protruding portion of the first element, the protruding portion of the first element is slidable within and along the slot of the second element.

A foam molding method includes: moving a screw backward to take air into a heating barrel through a nozzle part in a state in which a shut-off nozzle is opened, the shut-off nozzle that opens or closes the nozzle part for injecting the molten resin and is disposed on a heating barrel; closing the shut-off nozzle and moving the screw forward, to diffuse the air taken into the heating barrel, in the molten resin in the heating barrel; feeding the molten resin forward while dispersing the air as the air bubbles in the molten resin by moving the screw backward while rotating it in a state in which the shut-off nozzle is closed; and opening the shut-off nozzle, to inject the molten resin containing the dispersed air bubbles into the cavity.

A method for filling a mold cavity of a mold for producing a particle foam molding using particle foam material includes providing particle foam material, to be processed in a mold cavity of a mold for producing a particle foam molding, via at least one filling container device, wherein there is a first pressure level in the filling container device. The method also includes providing a mold cavity which is to be filled with a particle foam material that is to be processed for producing the or a particle foam molding, wherein there is a second pressure level in the mold cavity, and filling the mold cavity with particle foam material from the filling container device, wherein during the filling of the mold cavity a difference between the first pressure level and the second pressure level is purposefully varied by at least one measure for varying the difference between the first pressure level and the second pressure level.

A system and method to dispense, mix, and inject liquids and force them into a vented investment pattern mold cavity comprises a source of raw materials in fluid communication with an injection unit for metering and delivering the raw materials. A mixing and injection head receives and mixes the metered raw materials. A movable molding cart upon which an investment pattern mold is mounted is disposed adjacent the injection unit and proximate the mixing and injection head. The movable molding cart includes a fill cup that may be engaged by the mixing and injection head. A displaceable gating tray provides fluid communication with the fill cup and a sprue aligned with an investment port on a lower portion of the investment pattern mold. The system also includes a digital computer control by which the injection process may be controlled.