METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPERATING A FLUID ACTUATOR

Abstract

A method is described for operating an actuator (10) adapted for moving by means of a pressurized fluid the shutter (12) of an injection nozzle for molten material into a mould, wherein the shutter (12) moves from a closing position, in which there is no passage of molten material through the nozzle, to an opening position, in which there is passage of molten material through the nozzle, and the shutter (12) comprises a chamber (18), and a piston (14) which is movably mounted in the chamber (18), displaced linearly thanks to the thrust of the fluid and connected to the shutter (12) to move it.

The shutter (12) is moved by inserting or removing the predetermined amount of fluid into/from the chamber (18).

Claims

1. Method for operating an actuator (10) adapted for moving by means of a pressurized fluid the shutter (12) of an injection nozzle for molten material into a mould, wherein the shutter (12) moves from a closing position, in which there is no passage of molten material through the nozzle, to an opening position, in which there is passage of molten material through the nozzle, and comprises a chamber (18), and a piston (14) which is movably mounted in the chamber (18), displaced linearly thanks to the thrust of the fluid and connected to the shutter (12) to move it, with the steps of determining a quantity of fluid before sending it to the actuator or extracting it from the actuator, and moving the shutter (12) by inserting or removing the predetermined amount of fluid into/from the chamber (18).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein an auxiliary tank (60) is fluidly connected to the actuator's (10) chamber (18), and the predetermined amount of fluid corresponds to a predetermined variation of a fluid volume contained in the auxiliary tank (60), in particular the predetermined quantity of fluid corresponds to a predetermined variation of the volume of a chamber (66) of the auxiliary tank (60).

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined amount of fluid is determined by adjusting the maximum variation of the volume of a chamber (66, 66a, 66b) of the auxiliary tank (60), and said maximum variation is adjusted by varying the structural configuration of the auxiliary tank (60).

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the auxiliary tank (60) is modified by moving a wall (64) of a closed cavity that defines the volume of the chamber of the auxiliary tank (60) occupied by said predetermined quantity of fluid.

5. Method according to claim 3, wherein the auxiliary tank is modified by spatially deforming the walls of a closed cavity which delimits the volume of the auxiliary tank occupied by the fluid.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary tank (60) has a cavity or closed chamber delimited by a piston (64), and the linear position of the piston (64) of the auxiliary tank (60) is detected while fluid is transferred from the chamber (66) of the auxiliary tank (60) to a chamber (18) of the actuator, and an end-of-stroke position of the shutter (12) is determined by adjusting the stroke of the piston (64) of the auxiliary tank (60) by exploiting the proportionality between position variation of the piston (64) of the auxiliary tank (60), amount of fluid transferred between the auxiliary tank (60) and the actuator chamber (18) following the movement of the piston (64) and position variation of the shutter (12).

7. System for driving an actuator (10) which comprises a chamber (18), a shutter (12) of an injection nozzle for molten material for injection molding, and a piston (14) that is movable/translatable inside the chamber (18) following the action on the piston of a pressurized fluid, and connected to the shutter (12), the system being configured to adjust/vary the stroke of the shutter (12) and comprising a device or means for forcing the transfer of a predetermined amount of fluid between the outside and inside of the chamber (18), wherein the amount of fluid is determined before sending it to the actuator or extracting it from the actuator, so as to bring/move the shutter (12) from a closing position, in which there is no passage of molten material, towards an opening position, in which there is passage of molten material, by injecting the predetermined amount of fluid from the outside into the chamber (18) or by injecting the predetermined amount of fluid from the chamber (18) towards the outside, and/or so as to bring/move the shutter (12) from an opening position, in which there is passage of molten material, towards a closing position, in which there is no passage of molten material, by extracting the predetermined amount of fluid from the chamber (18) or by injecting the predetermined amount of fluid into the chamber (18), respectively.

8. System according to claim 7, comprising an auxiliary tank (60) of fluid configured to contain a volume of fluid, a circuit (20, 22, 24) for fluid for putting the chamber (18) and the auxiliary tank (60) into fluid communication, a device or means for forcing the transfer of a predetermined amount of fluid between the auxiliary tank (60) and the chamber (18), so as to bring/move the shutter from a closing position, in which there is no passage of molten material, to an opening position, in which there is passage of molten material, by injecting fluid from the auxiliary tank (60) towards the chamber or injecting fluid towards the auxiliary tank (60), and/or so as to bring/move the shutter (12) from an opening position, in which there is passage of molten material, to a closing position, in which there is no passage of molten material, by extracting fluid from the chamber (18) and putting it inside the auxiliary tank (60) or by extracting fluid from the auxiliary tank (60), and putting it inside the chamber (18), respectively.

9. System according to claim 8, comprising a device or means (64) for determining and/or adjusting the quantity of fluid that can be transferred from the auxiliary tank (60) to the chamber (18) and vice versa

10. System according to claim 8, wherein the auxiliary tank (60) comprises an adjustable volume (66) for containing the fluid to be sent to the chamber (18) or to be received from the chamber (18).

11. System according to claim 8, wherein the auxiliary tank comprises a closed cavity (66) adapted to contain fluid; the closed cavity being adapted to reach a minimum volume (Vmin) and a maximum volume (Vmax) through a movable wall (68), e.g. a piston, for varying the internal volume of the cavity.

12. System according to claim 11, wherein said wall (68) is movable for stopping against an abutment element (98), the abutment element (98) being configured to have an adjustable position in order to adjust the stroke of the wall (68).

13. System according to claim 12, comprising an element for blocking the position of the abutment element (98).

14. System according to claim 11, wherein the auxiliary tank (60) comprises two chambers for fluid isolated and separated from the movable wall, each chamber of the auxiliary tank (60) being fluidically connected to a respective chamber for fluid of the actuator, so that the displacement of the movable wall sends a predetermined amount of fluid from the first chamber of the auxiliary tank (60) to the first chamber of the actuator, and a movement in opposite direction of the movable wall sends a predetermined quantity of fluid from the second chamber of the auxiliary tank (60) to the second chamber of the actuator.

15. System according to claim 11, comprising a valve (200) arranged on the wall (64), the valve (200) being configured so that, when open, it allows the passage of fluid between the chambers (66a, 66b), while when closed it does not allow such passage.

Description

[0109] The advantages of the invention will be even clearer from the following description of a preferred system, in which reference is made to the attached drawing in which

[0110] FIG. 1 shows a diagram of the system;

[0111] FIGS. 2 and 3 show a scheme of variants of the system.

[0112] In the figures, like elements are indicated by same numbers.

[0113] The MC system of FIG. 1 is used to control an actuator 10.

[0114] The actuator 10 is fixed on a support, such as for example a hot runner 90 (manifold) or a plate or a mold, and is intended for the displacement/driving of a shutter 12 for an injection nozzle 13.

[0115] The shutter 12 is connected to a piston 14 which is linearly movable inside a chamber 18 defined by a casing 16.

[0116] In the example of FIG. 1 the chamber 18 is divided by the piston 14 into a first chamber 18a, communicating with an inlet 19a, and a second chamber 18b, communicating with an inlet 19b. The chamber 18a is e.g. isolated from the chamber 18b.

[0117] Through the fluid inlets 19a, 19b it is possible to inject or extract fluid, e.g. oil, respectively into the chamber 18a or 18b on opposite sides of the piston 14, so as to be able to move it linearly in opposite directions. Therefore, by injecting and extracting alternatively fluid in the chambers 18a and 18b the piston 14 can be moved, and consequently the shutter 12. The movement of the latter determines the opening or the closing of the nozzle 13 with the consequent passage or obstruction of the molten material. The closing end-of-stroke position of the shutter 12 is established by the mechanical abutment of the shutter 12 against the so-called “gate” of the nozzle 13 so that there is no passage of molten material, or a suitable end-of-stroke abutment is provided between the piston and the body of the actuator 10.

[0118] The stroke of the shutter 12 from the closing position to the maximum opening position or towards the opening end-of-stroke position is, as it will be seen below, adjustable.

[0119] A tank 60, external to the actuator 10, comprises an external casing 62 with inside a piston 64 linearly movable inside a chamber 66 defined by the casing 62. The piston 64, like the piston 14, divides the chamber 66 into two sub-chambers 66a, 66b.

[0120] A first line 20 allows transferring fluid, through the inlet 19a, from the chamber 18a to the chamber 66a and vice versa, while a second line 22 allows transferring fluid, through the inlet 19b, from the chamber 18b to the chamber 66b and vice versa.

[0121] The second line 22 is connected and cooperates with a third line 52 connected to a pump (not shown) that allows the fluid to circulate on a fourth line 50 to make it return through a fifth line 24 to the chamber 66b of the tank 60.

[0122] Through the first line 20 the fluid is injected into the chamber 18a against one side of the piston 14, while through the line 22 the fluid is injected into the chamber 18b on the opposite side of the piston 14. Similarly, fluid is injected through the line 20 into the chamber 66a against one side of the piston 64, while through the line 24 the fluid is injected into the chamber 66b on the opposite side of the piston 64. By injecting fluid from the line 24 into the chamber 66b the piston 64 is pushed against the chamber 66a.

[0123] The fluid in the line 24 is isolated from that in the line 20, to conserve a constant quantity of fluid in the chamber 66a, but the fluid changes in the lines 20, 22, 52, 50 and 24 are substantially equal, so that they actually form a closed fluid circuit.

[0124] Preferably, leaks or overflows are provided to initially fill with fluid the line 24, the chamber 66a and the chamber 18a, or to compensate for any small leakages of fluid during operation.

[0125] The tank 60 is equipped with manual or servo-assisted means 68 for regulating or varying the maximum amplitude of the stroke of the piston 64 towards the chamber 66b, in order to adjust the maximum volume of the chamber 66a (or—which is the same—the minimum volume of the chamber 66b). The means 68 may be made e.g. with a mechanical abutment 98 between the piston 64 and the casing 62, where the position of the abutment point or of the mechanics abutment 98 is adjustable along the translation axis of the piston 64 (see arrow F). Preferably there is a locking means 96 for blocking the position of the mechanical stop 98 after it has been selected.

[0126] The tank 60 is preferably provided with means (not shown) for detecting the linear position of the piston 64, for a remote and automatic position control and/or for a precise position regulation. E.g. the position of the piston 64 is detected by a linear encoder, a Hall sensor, a mechanical gear/nut screw system, etc.

[0127] In the lines 24, 22 there are also inserted optional flow regulators 30, 32, which allow, in addition to a homogeneous movement, the setting of different movement speeds for the piston 14.

[0128] A fluid diverter 40, having a movable distributor 42, serves to reverse, at each complete cycle, the flow direction of the fluid in the circuit, which determines the direction of movement of the shutter 12, upon opening or closing.

[0129] Operation

[0130] By injecting fluid into the chamber 18a, through the action of the pump, from the line 20, the shutter 12 can be moved from the opening position to the closing position, or towards the closing end-of-stroke position (downwards in FIG. 1).

[0131] In this phase the total quantity of fluid Q1 injected into the chamber 18a from the line 20 coincides with a change in the amount of fluid stored in the chamber 66a. Such variation in the quantity of fluid can be determined e.g. by adjusting the stroke-limit means 68 of the piston 64 when it moves towards (and against) the chamber 66a, or it is automatically determined by the maximum volume that the chamber 18a reaches in correspondence of the closing end-of-stroke position. Or the aforementioned change in quantity of fluid is determined/processed by the control unit on the basis of the detection, through suitable means not shown (e.g. a linear encoder), of the actual position of the piston 64. In this way the volume variation of fluid in motion can be changed remotely (via a tablet or the like) without the need to act next to the machine/press. The linear encoder, or similar means, is also suitable for detection and control of intermediate stop positions for the shutter.

[0132] It is not necessary for the piston 64 to end up nulling the volume of the chamber 66a.

[0133] By injecting fluid into the chamber 18b, through the action of the pump, from the line 22, the shutter 12 can be moved from the closing position to the opening position, or towards the opening end-of-stroke position (upwards in FIG. 1). The fluid coming from the line 22 pushes the piston 14 against the chamber 18a. The piston 14 in turn pushes fluid out of the chamber 18a and into the chamber 66a, to move the piston 64 in the opposite direction. In this phase, the quantity of fluid Q2 which can be moved from the chamber 18a to the chamber 66a is determined by the stroke-limit means 68 of the piston 64 when it moves towards the chamber 66b.

[0134] It is Q1=Q2, wherein the amplitude of the backward stroke of the piston 64 establishes what is the volume of displaced fluid Q2.

[0135] The backward stroke of the piston 64 is adjusted by the means 68 to define the volume/quantity of fluid to be moved, inserted and/or extracted from/to the chamber 18a, in order to obtain the desired, e.g. opening, stroke for the shutter 12; e.g. a stroke of 10 to 40 mm, e.g. 25 mm.

[0136] By acting on the means 68, Q1 and Q2 can be varied.

[0137] The geometry of the system ensures that a change of fluid Q1, Q2 in the chamber 18 translates into a corresponding displacement of the piston 14. The value Q1, Q2 then determines a constraint on the motion of the piston 14 inside the chamber 18, thereby establishing the stroke amplitude and/or the opening end-of-stroke position thereof.

[0138] Preferably, the maximum volume of the fluid contained in the chamber 66a is always greater than the maximum volume of the chamber 18a, so that there is a reserve of fluid necessary to compensate for any leaks between the various branches of the fluid circuit.

[0139] Note that to reverse the movement of the shutter, the line 20 can supply the inlet 19b and the line 22 can supply the inlet 19a.

[0140] Variants

[0141] The described system and method can control the shutter for a single nozzle or, according to the same logic, could control simultaneously two or more nozzles with the same actuator, see FIG. 3.

[0142] Or (FIG. 2) more shutters 12a, 12b, 12c (in the example, three) with relative different actuators 10a, 10b, 10c are connected to the tank 60 through by-passing lines 20, 22 to be fed with fluid therefrom. The volume of fluid moving in the circuit will be proportionally modified, with suitable means not shown, by dividing among the various actuators the volume of displaced fluid, essential in sequential injection systems.

[0143] Of course, the invention can also be applied, without substantial modifications, in systems wherein the actuator and/or the external tank requires the use of a multiple-stage and/or multiple-chamber piston (see WO2004027302). In the variant shown in FIG. 1, the external tank 60 exhibits a piston 64 movable inside a chamber 66 thanks to the thrust of the fluid. In a variant, the piston 64 can be operated from the outside of the tank 60 in a controlled manner, so that the piston 64 follows a dynamic reference (e.g. a speed and/or position reference) to control the dynamics of the shutter 12 accordingly.

[0144] E.g. the piston 64 can be operated by an electric gearmotor controlled by an electronic control unit, through which various dynamic profiles are applicable to the piston 64.

[0145] To balance the pressure between the chambers 66a, 66b and/or expel any air pocket that can form during the initial filling of the fluid, the MC system preferably comprises means for selectively placing the chambers 66a, 66b into communication with each other.

[0146] In particular, the MC system comprises for this purpose a valve 200 arranged on the head of the piston 64. The valve 200, when open, allows the passage of fluid between the chambers 66a and 66b, while, when closed, it does not allow this passage. During the whole reciprocating movement of the piston 64 the valve 200 remains closed, while it is mounted so as to get opened when the piston reaches the end-of-stroke position corresponding to the maximum shrinkage of the chamber 66b. that is, only when the upper dead point of the shutter 12 is reached. At such point the valve 200 is pushed and opens upon contact with the internal surface of the the casing 62, thus allowing the outflow of fluid from the chamber 66b to the chamber 66a.

[0147] Preferably the MC system comprises a manual opening system for the valve 200, advantageous in the installation phase, which in particular comprises means for pushing the head of the piston 64 against the internal surface of the casing 62. E.g. the movable abutment element 98 can be made integral with the piston 64 and exploited for dragging the piston 64 towards an end-of-stroke position and opening the valve 200.

[0148] An appropriate programming of the injection cycle allows the control unit to command/drive the described components in order to achieve any of the opening and/or closing profiles described and shown in the following documents: PCT/IB2019/053936, IT102017000037002, IT102016000080198, IT102016000055364, IT102015000008368, 1TTO2014A001030, 1TTO2014A001021, 1TTO2014A000701, WO2012/074879A1, WO2012/087491A1, WO2018/020177A1.