INJECTOR FOR APPARATUS FOR INJECTION MOULDING OF PLASTIC MATERIALS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TRANSPARENT OR SEMI-TRANSPARENT AESTHETIC COMPONENTS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES, FOR EXAMPLE LAMP LENSES, AND AN INJECTION MOULDING APPARATUS

Abstract

A nozzle terminal of an injector comprises a tip and a ring nut having respective distal ends one of which is configured so as to be coupled with a gate of a moulding cavity, it cooperates with the shutter terminal of the valve pin of the injector, and it has an overall thickness in cross-section which is equal to or less than that of the cross-section of the shutter terminal of the valve pin.

Claims

1. An injector for apparatus for injection moulding of plastic materials for production of transparent or semi-transparent aesthetic components for motor vehicles, including a nozzle having a nozzle terminal defining a flow path for injected plastic material and a valve pin having a shutter terminal and axially displaceable between a receded opening position and an advanced closing position of the nozzle terminal, wherein said nozzle terminal comprises an inner tubular element or tip and an annular ring nut arranged externally and coaxially to the tip, and an tip and the ring nut have respective distal ends, and wherein one of said distal ends of the tip and ring nut: is configured so as to be coupled with a gate of a moulding cavity, cooperates with said shutter terminal of the valve pin, and has an overall thickness in cross-section which is equal to or less than that of the cross section of the shutter terminal of the valve pin.

2. The injector according to claim 1, wherein said one of said distal ends of the tip and ring nut has a wall thickness 1.5 mm.

3. The injector according to claim 1, wherein said one of said distal ends of the tip and ring nut has a wall thickness 0.5 mm.

4. The injector according to claim 2, wherein said one of said distal ends of the tip and ring nut is the distal end of the tip.

5. The injector according to claim 2, wherein said one of said distal ends of the tip and ring nut is the distal end of the ring nut.

6. An apparatus for injection moulding of plastic materials for production of transparent or semi-transparent aesthetic components for motor vehicles, comprising a mould having at least one gate and at least one injector co-operating with said gate and including a nozzle having a nozzle terminal defining a flow path for the-injected plastic material, and a valve pin having a shutter terminal and displaceable between a receded position and an advanced position for opening and closing the nozzle terminal, wherein said nozzle terminal comprises an inner tubular element or tip and an annular ring nut arranged externally and coaxially to the tip, and wherein the tip and the ring nut have respective distal ends, and wherein one of said distal ends of the tip and ring nut: is configured so as to be coupled with said gate, cooperates with said shutter terminal of the valve pin, and has an overall thickness in cross-section which is equal to or less than that of the cross section of the shutter terminal of the valve pin.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said one of said distal ends of the tip and ring nut has a wall thickness 1.5 mm.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said one of said distal ends of the tip and ring nut has a wall thickness 0.5 mm.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said one of said distal ends of the tip and ring nut is the distal end of the tip.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said one of said distal ends of the tip and ring nut is the distal end of the ring nut.

11. A transparent or semi-transparent aesthetic component for motor vehicles, produced using at least one injector according to claim 1.

12. The component according to claim 11, having one or more gate marks, and wherein a thickness of each gate mark is equivalent to the thickness in cross-section of the distal end of said tip or of said ring nut and thus is equal to or lesser than that of the cross-section of the shutter terminal of the valve pin.

13. A transparent or semi-transparent aesthetic component for motor vehicles, produced using the apparatus according to claim 6.

14. The component according to claim 13, having one or more gate marks, and wherein a thickness of each gate mark is equivalent to the thickness in cross-section of the distal end of said tip or of said ring nut and thus is equal or lesser than that of the cross-section of the shutter terminal of the valve pin.

15. A transparent or semi-transparent aesthetic component for motor vehicles, produced using an apparatus for injection moulding of plastic materials comprising a mould having at least one gate and at least one injector cooperating with said gate and including a nozzle provided with a nozzle terminal defining a flow path for the injected plastic material, and a valve pin having a shutter terminal and axially displaceable between a receded opening position and an advanced closing position of the nozzle terminal, wherein said nozzle comprises an inner tubular body or tip and an annular ring nut arranged externally and coaxially to the tip, and wherein the tip and the ring nut have respective distal ends, said component having one or more gate marks, and wherein a thickness of each gate mark is equivalent to the thickness in cross-section of the distal end of said tip or of said ring nut and thus is equal or lesser than that of the cross-section of the shutter terminal of the valve pin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In the attached drawings:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a partially sectional schematic view of an apparatus for injection moulding of plastic materials according to the previously described prior art,

[0019] FIGS. 2 and 3 represent, in larger scale, two details of the prior art moulding apparatus according to FIG. 1,

[0020] FIG. 4 is a view analogous to FIG. 1 showing an injection moulding apparatus according to the invention with two different alternative configurations of the injectors, and

[0021] FIGS. 5 and 6 are two enlargements showing, in greater detail, the two alternative configurations of the injectors according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The parts represented in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 that are identical or similar to those described previously with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are indicated with the same reference numbers and will not be described further in detail.

[0023] The innovative and unique distinctive characteristic of the invention with respect to the prior art lies in the nozzle terminal 8 of the two injectors, respectively indicated with 20 and 30 in FIG. 4 according to the two alternative configurations provided for.

[0024] In the case of the injector 20, and as represented further in detail in FIG. 5, the distal end 12a of the tip 12 is extended (so to say), in the sense that it is shaped to form a cylindrical bushing directly inserted into the gate 5 of the matrix 4, until it projects in the moulding cavity. The shutter terminal 10 of the valve pin 9 is also cylindrical-shaped conveniently with a small cross-section, i.e. smaller than that of the valve pin 9, and it directly cooperates with such distal end 12a, as illustrated in FIG. 5 which represents the advanced closing position of the valve pin 9.

[0025] According to a further distinctive characteristic of the invention, the overall wall thickness of the end 12a of the tip 12, i.e. the annular cross-section thereof, is not greater and thus equal or preferably lesser than the thickness i.e. diameter of the cross-section of the shutter terminal 10, of the valve pin 9. Thus, in the operation of the injector and the injection apparatus it is provided with, the gate mark which will be visible on the moulded article will have the shape shown in plan view under FIG. 5: it is clear that it will be almost imperceptibly larger than the one caused by the shutter terminal 10 of the valve pin 9.

[0026] Preferably, the wall thickness of the distal end 12a of the tip 12i.e. the difference between the outer radius and the inner radius of the annular section thereof, indicated with A in the projection under FIG. 5 in which B indicates the diameter of the shutter terminal 10 of the valve pin 9is 1.5 mm. and even more preferably 0.5 mm.

[0027] In addition, the extended shape of the tip 12 in the area of the distal end 12a thereof guarantees a greater guide surface for the valve pin 9, in particular in the area prior to the gate 5.

[0028] Lastly, the presence of a single extended inner body formed by the tip 12, which extends into the gate 5, overcomes the problem related to the presence of material stagnation areas.

[0029] In the case of the second embodiment represented in detail in FIG. 6 it is the distal end 13a of the ring nut 13 that extends into the gate 5 until it projects in the moulding cavity, and cooperates with the shutter terminal 10 of the valve pin 9. Even in this case, the overall wall thickness of the cylindrical appendage which forms the distal end 13a of the ring nut 13 is equal or lesser than the diameter of the shutter terminal 10 with smaller cross-section of the valve pin 9. The ensuing gate mark, represented under FIG. 6, will bein this casesimilar to the one represented under FIG. 5 regarding the first embodiment described above.

[0030] In summary, as mentioned, indicating the wall thickness of the distal end 12a or the distal end 13ai.e. the difference between outer radius and inner radius of the annular section thereofwith A, and the diameter of the cross-section of the shutter terminal 10 of the valve pin 9 with B, the following relation shall be observed:

2AB

i.e. the overall thickness 2A of the distal end 12a or the distal end 13a is equal or lesser than that of the cross-section B of the shutter terminal 10 of the valve pin 9, and preferably A1.5 mm and more conveniently A0.5 mm.

[0031] It should be emphasised that the injector and apparatus according to the invention are particularly advantageous for production by means of injection moulding of transparent or semi-transparent aesthetic components for motor vehicles, for example lamp lenses, having one or more gate marks whose thickness will be equivalent to 2A, i.e. equivalent to the cross-section of the distal end 12a, 13a of the tip 12 or the ring nut 13 and thus lesser or at most equal to the thickness B similar to the cross-section of the shutter terminal 10.

[0032] Obviously, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the construction details and the embodimentsin particular as regards the general configuration of the nozzle terminal 8may widely vary with respect to what has been described and illustrated, without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention as described in the claims that follow.

[0033] For example, in the case of the nozzle terminal 8 with a frusto-conical shaped distal end (complementary to the shutter terminal 10 of the valve pin 9), the reference cross-section for the invention will be the extreme smaller one, directly projecting in the moulding cavity.