OPERATING UNIT FOR A MOLDING MACHINE

Abstract

An operating unit for a molding machine includes a support, a screen part mounted pivotable on the support, and an operating part mounted pivotable on the screen part and/or the support, and the pivotability of the screen part and the operating part results in different use positions for an operator. The operating part is motion-coupled to the screen part and/or to the support by a mechanism and/or a drive unit at least in areas such that a first relative angle between the support and the screen part determines a second relative angle between the screen part and the operating part.

Claims

1. An operating unit for a molding machine comprising: a support; a screen part mounted pivotable on the support; and an operating part mounted pivotable on the screen part and/or the support, wherein the pivotability of the screen part and the operating part results in different use positions for an operator, and wherein the operating part is motion-coupled to the screen part and/or to the support by a mechanism and/or a drive unit at least in areas such that a first relative angle between the support and the screen part determines a second relative angle between the screen part and the operating part.

2. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein: the screen part is mounted pivotable relative to the support; and/or the operating part is mounted pivotable relative to the screen part and/or the support about a substantially horizontal axis.

3. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the second relative angle is inversely proportional to the first relative angle as a result of the motion-coupling.

4. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the first relative angle and the second relative angle have the following relationship to each other: $?+?+?=\frac{?}{2}$ wherein the variable ? represents a constant or a function f(?),f(x).

5. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the screen part is mechanically coupled to the operating part via at least one compulsory guide, whereby when the screen part is pivoted the operating part is pivoted along with it and/or when the operating part is pivoted the screen part is pivoted along with it.

6. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one first drive unit is connected to the operating part and/or at least one second drive unit is connected to the screen part.

7. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one first sensor is connected to the operating part and/or at least one second sensor is connected to the screen part.

8. The operating unit according to claim 6, wherein a control or regulating unit is connected in signal-conducting manner: to the at least one first sensor and/or to the at least one second sensor; and to the at least one first drive unit and/or the at least one second drive unit.

9. The operating unit according to claim 8, wherein the control or regulating unit is formed: to detect a pivoting of the operating part or the screen part by means of the at least one first sensor or second sensor; and in accordance with the provided motion-coupling to pivot the screen part or the operating part by means of the at least one first drive unit and/or at least one second drive unit.

10. The operating unit according to claim 8, wherein the control or regulating unit is formed: to detect a pivoting of the operating part or the screen part by means of the at least one first sensor or at least one second sensor; and to actuate the at least one first drive unit and/or the at least one second drive unit to support the detected pivoting.

11. The operating unit according to claim 1, further comprising a hinge tiltably connecting the screen part or the operating part to the support and/or the operating part and/or the screen part.

12. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support: is mounted rigid on the molding machine; or is connected to the molding machine via a bearing element, wherein a movement of the support relative to the molding machine can be carried out via the bearing element.

13. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the operating part has a receiving device, wherein at least one mobile element of the operating part can be taken out of the receiving device.

14. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein: at least one damper configured to damp a pivoting of the operating part or the screen part; and/or at least one arresting device configured to arrest the operating part or the screen part in at least one position relative to the support.

15. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the screen part is formed as a flat screen, preferably as a touch pad at least in areas.

16. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the operating part has at least one mechanically actuatable operating element and/or is formed as a flat screen at least in areas, preferably as a touch pad at least in areas.

17. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the operating part and/or the screen part is freely pivotable in a first angle range relative to the support and the operating part is motion-coupled to the screen part in a second angle range.

18. A molding machine, in particular injection-molding machine, with at least one operating unit according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0083] Further advantages and details of the invention are revealed by the figures and the associated description of the figures, in which:

[0084] FIGS. 1a, 1b show a first schematic embodiment of an operating unit according to the invention,

[0085] FIGS. 2a-2c show a second schematic embodiment of an operating unit according to the invention,

[0086] FIG. 3 shows a third schematic embodiment of an operating unit according to the invention,

[0087] FIGS. 4a, 4b show a fourth embodiment of an operating unit according to the invention,

[0088] FIG. 5 shows a fifth embodiment of an operating unit according to the invention, and

[0089] FIG. 6 shows a molding machine with an operating unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0090] FIGS. 1a and 1b show a first schematic embodiment of an operating unit 1, wherein FIG. 1a represents a first position of the operating unit 1 and FIG. 1b a second position of the operating unit 1.

[0091] The operating unit 1 represented in FIG. 1 comprises a support 2, which is implemented by an external element of the injection-molding machine 15 itself (for example a frame part or a paneling part of the injection-molding machine 15).

[0092] The screen part 3 of the operating unit 1 is hinged to this support 2 of the operating unit 1.

[0093] The operating part 4 of the operating unit 1 is in turn coupled to the screen part 3 pivotable between different use positions.

[0094] The operating part 4 is motion-coupled to the screen part 3 of the operating unit 1 by a mechanism 7 and/or a drive unit 8 such that a first relative angle ? between the support 2 and the screen part 3 determines a second relative angle ? between the screen part 3 and the operating part 4.

[0095] This motion-coupling and dependence of the first relative angle ? on the second relative angle ? will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 1a and 1b and with reference to FIGS. 2a to 2c, whereas reference may be made to FIGS. 4 and 5 in respect of the mechanism 7 and/or the drive unit 8 for driving, coupling and implementing the motion-coupling between screen part 3 and operating part 4.

[0096] Thus in the first embodiment of FIGS. 1a, 1b the screen part 3 and the operating part 4 are coupled such that the first relative angle ?.sub.1 and the second relative angle ?.sub.1 added to a variable ? are always 90?

[00002]$(\frac{?}{2}$

in radians), wherein the following applies:

[00003]$?+?+?=\frac{?}{2}$

[0097] In the embodiment variant of FIGS. 1a and 1b of the operating unit 1, the variable ? is given as a defined chosen constant.

[0098] In this embodiment variant, the angle ? formed relative to the horizontal is thus kept constant for all inclination angles ?.sub.i.

[0099] Consequently, the necessary angles of the embodiment of FIGS. 1a and 1b are calculated as

?.sub.i?[0,?.sub.max]

?=?.sub.const?[0,90???.sub.max]

?.sub.i=90???.sub.i??.sub.const;?

[0100] The movement freedom of the operating unit 1and thus of the screen part 3 and the operating part 4is limited by the definition of a maximum first relative angle ?.sub.max.

[0101] The second relative angle ? thus results from the relationship to the first relative angle ? and the defined chosen variable ?.

[0102] Thus when the screen part 3 or the operating part 4 is pivoted, the operating part 4 or the screen part 3 is automatically carried along with it according to motion-coupling ratios mentioned above.

[0103] In this embodiment, the screen part 3 and the operating part 4 are mounted pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis relative to the support 2.

[0104] It can be seen in FIG. 1a that the screen part 3 of the operating unit 1 is not oriented optimally relative to the operator 5, as a result of which the viewing direction of the operator 5 and the field of view 16 of the operator 5 do not strike the screen part 3 substantially perpendicularly.

[0105] In order to now be able to orient the operating unit 1 more ergonomically for operation, the operator 5 can optimally set the screen part 3 to suit their individual requirements by adjusting it manually for example.

[0106] During the adjustment of the screen part 3 by the operator 5, as a result of the motion-coupling the operating part 4 is now pivoted along with it until an optimum position (represented in FIG. 1b) is reached, in which the operator 5 is viewing the screen part 3 substantially perpendicularly.

[0107] In the schematically indicated embodiment of FIGS. 2a to 2c, the screen part 3 is again mounted pivotable on the support 2 (implemented by a vertical cover of an injection-molding machine 15) and the operating part 4 is mounted pivotable on the screen part 3.

[0108] The screen part 3 and the operating part 4 are again pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis relative to the support 2.

[0109] It is also the case in the embodiment of FIGS. 2a to 2c that the sum of the first relative angle ?, the second relative angle ? and the variable ? is 90? (or

[00004]$\frac{?}{2}$

in radians).

[00005]$?+?+?=\frac{?}{2}$

[0110] However, the variable ? of the embodiment of FIGS. 2a to 2c is provided as a function of the first relative angle ? rather than as a constant. The following applies for example

[00006]${?}_i?\left[0,{?}_{\max }\right]$${?}_i=\frac{{?}_{\max }}{2}{\sin }^2\left(\frac{?}{{?}_{\max }}{?}_i\right)$${?}_i=f\left({?}_i\right)=90?-{?}_i-{?}_i;?{?}^{+}$

[0111] A possible relationship between the first relative angle ? and the second relative angle ? would be as follows:

[00007]${?}_i=\frac{?}{8}{\sin }^2\left(4{?}_i\right),\mathrm{where}{?}_{\max }=\frac{?}{4}\mathrm{and}{?}_i?\left[0,{?}_{\max }\right]$

[0112] Different use positions of the operating unit 1of the screen part 3 and the operating part 4are again represented by FIGS. 2a to 2c, whereby the motion-coupling of the screen part 3 and the operating part 4 is illustrated.

[0113] A use position of the operating unit 1 is shown in FIG. 2a, in which the operating part 4 and the screen part 3 are positioned on the support 2, whereby the operating unit 1 can be stowed in as space-saving a manner as possible during the operation of the injection-molding machine 15, wherein the screen part 3 is still visible for the operator.

[0114] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of an operating unit 1 according to the invention, wherein the operating part 4 is again motion-coupled relative to the screen part 3.

[0115] The motion-coupling of this embodiment is again implemented via the variable ? and the following relationship.

[00008]$?+?+?=\frac{?}{2}$

[0116] Thus it is again the case in the embodiment of FIG. 3 that the sum of the first relative angle ?, the second relative angle ? and the variable ? is 90? (or

[00009]$\frac{?}{2}$

in radians).

[0117] The variable ? of the embodiment from FIG. 3 is defined as function ?(x), wherein the variable x represents the body size l.sub.body size of an operator 5.

[0118] Assuming [0119] a desired right angle between operating part 4 and the arm of the operator 5 [0120] orientation of the operator's hand in the center of the operating part 4 [0121] an average ratio 1 of arm span to body size l.sub.body size (cf. Watts et al.: Anthropometry of young competitive sport rock climbers. In: British Journal of Sports Medicine. No. 37, 2003, pp. 420-424)
the following relationships can be represented in a simplified manner:

[00010]$l_{\mathrm{arm}}=\frac{l_{\mathrm{body}\mathrm{size}}}{2}$$l_{\mathrm{torso}}=\sqrt{l_{\mathrm{arm}}^2+{\left(l_{\mathrm{operat}}/2\right)}^2}$$\frac{\sin \frac{?}{2}}{l_{\mathrm{torso}}}=\frac{\sin ?}{l_{\mathrm{operat}}/2}$

and for ? as a function of the variables x=l.sub.body size

[00011]$?=\mathrm{arc}\sin \left(\frac{l_{\mathrm{operat}}/2}{l_{\mathrm{torso}}}\right)=\mathrm{arc}\sin \left(\frac{l_{\mathrm{operat}}/2}{\sqrt{{\left(\frac{l_{\mathrm{body}\mathrm{size}}}{2}\right)}^2+{\left(l_{\mathrm{operat}}/2\right)}^2}}\right)$

can be derived.

[0122] FIGS. 4a, 4b show a third embodiment of an operating unit 1, wherein the operating part 4 and/or the screen part 3 can be moved via a first drive unit 8 and a second drive unit 9.

[0123] The first drive unit 8 has a first sensor 10 in order to detect an operating state and/or an actual size of the first drive unit 8.

[0124] In the same way, the second drive unit 9 has a sensor 11.

[0125] The first drive unit 8 and the second drive unit 9 are each connected in signal-conducting manner to a control or regulating unit 12, which is represented in dashed lines in these figures.

[0126] Through the control or regulating unit 12, control signals can be output to the first drive unit 8 and the second drive unit 9 and signals of the first sensor 10 and/or the second sensor 11 received for regulating purposes.

[0127] The second drive unit 9 is formed to carry out a relative movement between the screen part 3 and the support 2 and thus to adjust a first relative angle ?.

[0128] The first drive unit 8 is formed to carry out a relative movement between the screen part 3 and the operating part 4, whereby a second relative angle ? can be adjusted.

[0129] If an operator now orients the screen part 3 and/or the operating part 4, such a movement can be detected via the first sensor 10 and/or the second sensor 11.

[0130] The control or regulating unit 12 can be formed to support such a pivoting of the operating part 4 or the screen part 3 with the help of the first drive unit 8 and/or the second drive unit 9, with the result thatif an operator adjusts the operating part 4 and/or the screen part 3the operator alone does not have to bear the whole weight force of these components, instead this movement can be supported by the drive units 8, 9.

[0131] The control or regulating unit 12 of this embodiment is formed such that, if it detects a movement of the operating part 4 or the screen part 3 via the first sensor 10 or the second sensor 11, with the help of a stored motion-coupling (for example according to the schematic embodiments of FIG. 1, FIG. 2 or FIG. 3), it actuates the second drive unit 9 or the first drive unit 8 respectively such that the motion-coupling is also retained for each repositioning.

[0132] With the help of the known lengths, dimensions and positionings of the components, the following relationship therefore applies for the embodiment of FIGS. 4a, 4b:

[0133] With the variable lengths l.sub.1,i and l.sub.2,i, the angular reference of the operating point represented in FIG. 4a can be determined, on the basis of the cosine rule

l.sub.2,i.sup.2=c.sup.2+d.sup.2?2cd cos(?.sub.i)

as

?.sub.i=?.sub.i??.sub.0

where ?.sub.i=?.sub.0 in the operating point of FIG. 4a.

[0134] arccos

[00012]$\left(\frac{l2,i^2-c^2-d^2}{2\mathrm{cd}}\right)$

can be deduced directly from this, wherein

[00013]${{?}_i=\mathrm{arc}\cos \left(-\frac{l_{2,i}^2-c^2-d^2}{2\mathrm{cd}}\right)-\mathrm{arc}\cos \left(-\frac{l_{2,i}^2-c^2-d^2}{2\mathrm{cd}}\right).Math.}_{l_{2,i}=l_{2,0}}.$

[0135] Analogously, the first relative angle ? can be calculated for further operating points as

[00014]${{?}_i=\mathrm{arc}\cos \left(-\frac{l_{1,i}^2-a^2-b^2}{2\mathrm{ab}}\right)-\mathrm{arc}\cos \left(-\frac{l_{1,i}^2-a^2-b^2}{2\mathrm{ab}}\right).Math.}_{l_{1,i}=l_{1,0}}.$

[0136] Two different use positions are again represented by FIGS. 4a and 4b, with the result that the motion-coupling of the screen part 3 and the operating part 4 can be seen.

[0137] The remaining components correspond substantially to the explanation in respect of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0138] FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of an operating unit 1, wherein again the screen part 3 is arranged pivotable on the support 2 via a hinge 13 and the operating part 4 is arranged on the screen part 3 via the hinge 13.

[0139] The motion-coupling of the operating part 4 relative to the screen part 3 is implemented via the mechanism 7 in this embodiment.

[0140] In this embodiment, the mechanism 7 has a control disk 17 connected rigidly to the support 2.

[0141] The control rod 20, and the control wheel 18 fastened to the control rod 20, is guided towards this control disk 17 by means of the spring 19, with the result that the control wheel 18 always rests against an outer contour of the control disk 17.

[0142] The control rod 20, and thus the control wheel 18, is guided on the screen part 3, and thus when the screen part 3 pivots it likewise performs this movement.

[0143] At the opposite end of the control rod 20 to the control wheel 18, the control rod 20 is connected to the operating part 4 via the link point 21.

[0144] When the operator 5 now pivots the screen part 3 (as indicated by the arrow marked in FIG. 5), as the screen part 3 is pivoted the control rod 20 is pivoted along with it, whereby the control wheel 18 is moved on the fixed control disk 17 and thus the control rod 20 is displaced relative to the screen part 3.

[0145] As a result of this displacement of the control rod 20, the link point 21 is displaced, whereby the operating part 4 is pivoted relative to the screen part 3.

[0146] Consequently, a motion-coupling between screen part 3 and operating part 4 is effected via the geometric configuration of the outer contour of the control disk 17 of this embodiment of FIG. 5.

[0147] The molding machine represented by way of example in FIG. 6 is an injection-molding machine 15 and has an injection unit 23 and a clamping unit 22, which are arranged together on a machine frame 24. Alternatively, the machine frame 24 could also be formed in several parts.

[0148] The clamping unit 22 has a stationary platen 25 and a movable platen 26 displaceable relative thereto.

[0149] Alternatively, embodiment variants with an end plate are also possible. Such clamping units are also called three-plate clamping units.

[0150] The movable platen 26 can be moved relative to the machine frame 24 via a clamping drive not represented here.

[0151] Mold halves of a molding tool 27 can be clamped or mounted on the fixed platen 25 and the movable platen 26 (represented by dashed lines).

[0152] The fixed platen 25 and the movable platen 26 can be mounted and guided relative to each other using crosspieces 28.

[0153] The molding tool 27 represented closed in FIG. 6 has at least one cavity. An injection channel, via which a plasticized material of the plasticizing unit 29 can be supplied, leads to the cavity.

[0154] The injection-molding machine 15 shown in FIG. 6 has an injection unit 23, wherein the injection unit 23 shown in this embodiment has an injection screw which is also used for plasticizing a material to be plasticized.

[0155] The injection screw is mounted axially displaceable along a longitudinal axis in the injection cylinder 30.

[0156] These movements are driven via a schematically represented drive device 31.

[0157] This drive device 31 preferably comprises a hydraulic rotary drive for the rotational movement and a linear hydraulic drive for the axial injection movement.

[0158] The plasticizing unit 29 (and thus the injection unit 23) is in signaling connection with the central control or regulating device 32.

[0159] Control commands are output to the plasticizing unit 29, the injection unit 23 or to the clamping unit 22, for example, by the central control or regulating device 32.

[0160] The central control or regulating device 32 can be connected to an operating unit 1 via a signal-conducting connection or be an integral component part of such an operating unit 1.

[0161] The operating unit 1 can be in signal connection with the central control or regulating device 32 of the injection-molding machine 15 and/or be formed as an integral component part of the central control or regulating device 32.

[0162] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operating unit 1 has a screen part 3 and an operating part 4.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0163] 1 operating unit [0164] 2 support [0165] 3 screen part [0166] 4 operating part [0167] 5 operator [0168] 6 operating element [0169] 7 mechanism [0170] 8 first drive unit [0171] 9 second drive unit [0172] 10 first sensor [0173] 11 second sensor [0174] 12 control or regulating unit [0175] 13 hinge [0176] 14 bearing element [0177] 15 injection-molding machine [0178] 16 field of view [0179] 17 control disk [0180] 18 control wheel [0181] 19 spring [0182] 20 control rod [0183] 21 link point [0184] 22 clamping unit [0185] 23 injection unit [0186] 24 machine frame [0187] 25 fixed platen [0188] 26 movable platen [0189] 27 molding tool [0190] 28 crosspiece [0191] 29 plasticizing unit [0192] 30 injection cylinder [0193] 31 drive device [0194] 32 control or regulating device