SIDE GATE NOZZLE AND INJECTION MOLD

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a side gate nozzle comprising a body with at least one slot for receiving at least one tip insert. The nozzle further comprises a tip insert comprising at least one tip element being in a mounted position arranged in the at least one slot and an expander clamping in an expanded position the tip insert with respect to a bottom of the slot and at least one thereto opposite bearing surface arranged at an undercut.

Claims

1. A side gate nozzle (1) comprising a. a body (2) with at least one slot (3) for receiving at least one tip insert (4); b. a tip insert (4) being in a mounted position arranged in the at least one slot (3); and c. an expander (5) clamping in an expanded position the tip insert (4) with respect to a bottom (6) of the at least one slot (3) and at least one thereto substantially opposed bearing surface (7) arranged at an undercut (8).

2. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 0, wherein the expander (5) is at least temporarily interconnected to the tip insert (4) such that the expander (5) is movable together with the tip insert (4) during insertion and/or removal of the tip insert (4).

3. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 1, the expander (5) comprises a clamping element (9) for engaging in the mounted position with the undercut (8) and clamping in the expanded position the tip insert (4) with respect to the bottom (6) of the at least one slot (3).

4. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 0, wherein the clamping element (9) is integrally connected to a tip insert body (10) of the tip insert (4) in a deformable manner, in particular at a joint region (11).

5. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 0, wherein the clamping element (9) is expandable by a threaded member (12) arranged in an opening (23) of, or integrally connected to, the clamping element (9) pressing against the tip insert body (10), thereby expanding the clamping element (9) away from the tip insert body (10).

6. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the bearing surface (7) of the undercut (8) is formed by at least one recess (13) in a side wall (14) of the at least one slot (3), in particular the bearing surface (7) is arranged in an upper half of the side wall (14).

7. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the undercut (8) has a length (36) of more than a third of a total length (37) of a tip insert body (10) of the tip insert (4) and extends along the at least one slot (3).

8. The side gate nozzle (1) according claim 1, wherein the bearing surface (7) and the at least one slot (3) form a linear guide for the tip insert (4), such that during insertion a tilting of the tip insert (4) and therefrom resulting damage is prevented.

9. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one stop surface (15) is arranged at the bottom (6) of the at least one slot or at a side wall (14) of the at least one slot (3) for engaging with a corresponding surface (16) of a tip insert body (10) of the tip insert (4) and to restrict an outward movement of the tip insert (4) during insertion.

10. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one slot (3) comprises d. a clamping section (17), in particular having a t-slot cross-section, for accommodating a corresponding clamping section (18) of the tip insert (4) in an encompassing manner; and e. a heat guiding section (19) arranged outwardly from the clamping section (17) of the at least one slot (3) for guiding heat during operation from a heating (20) to a front section (21) of the tip insert (4).

11. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 0, wherein the clamping section (18) of the tip insert (4) has a lateral width greater than the front section (21) of the tip insert (4) comprising at least one tip (28).

12. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 5, wherein the tip insert (4) comprises an actuating contour (22) for an assembly tool (35).

13. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 0, wherein the actuating contour (22) is formed as the opening (23) of the clamping element (9) attached to the tip insert body (10).

14. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the body (2) of the side gate nozzle (1) and/or a tip insert body (10) of the tip insert (4) are at least partially manufactured by an additive process.

15. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the expander (5) ensures in the expanded position a sealed connection between an outlet (24) of a body melt channel (25) of the body arranged in the bottom (6) of the at least one slot (3) and an inlet (26) of a tip insert melt channel (27) of the tip insert (4).

16. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 0, wherein the outlet (24) of the body melt channel (25) and the inlet (26) of the tip insert melt channel (27) are aligned, in particular concentrically with respect to each other, in the mounted position of the tip insert (4).

17. The side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the tip insert (4) comprises at least one tip (28), in particular at least one tip element (28) removably attached to a tip insert body (10) of the tip insert (4), for connecting to a cavity in a sealing manner.

18. The tip insert (4) for the side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the tip insert (4) comprises the expander (5) interconnected to a tip insert body (10) of the tip insert (4).

19. An injection mold (29) comprising at least one snorkel (30) and at least one side gate nozzle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one snorkel (30) is fluidly connected to the body (2) of the side gate nozzle (1) for supplying during operation melted material to the side gate nozzle (1).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The herein described disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which should not be considered limiting to the disclosure described in the appended claims. The drawings are showing:

[0036] FIG. 1 a partially exploded view of a first variation of a side gate nozzle according to the disclosure;

[0037] FIG. 2 top view of the first variation of FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 3 a sectional view of the first variation of FIG. 1 indicated by section line I;

[0039] FIG. 4 a partially exploded and sectioned view of the first variation;

[0040] FIG. 5 a detailed view of FIG. 4;

[0041] FIG. 6A-D: steps of assembly of a tip insert;

[0042] FIG. 7 a side view of a first variation of an injection mold according to the disclosure;

[0043] FIG. 8 a sectional view of the first variation of FIG. 7 indicated by section line T; and

[0044] FIG. 9 a sectional view of the first variation of FIG. 7 indicated by section line R.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0045] Reference will now be made in detail to certain embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all features are shown. Indeed, embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Whenever possible, like reference numbers will be used to refer to like components or parts.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a partially exploded view of a first variation of a side gate nozzle 1 according to the disclosure. FIG. 2 shows a top view of the first variation of FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the first variation of FIG. 1 indicated by section line I. FIG. 4 is a partially exploded and sectioned view of the first variation and FIG. 5 a detailed view of FIG. 4. FIGS. 6A to 6D illustrate steps of assembly of a tip insert 4 according to the disclosure. In FIG. 7 a side view of a first variation of an injection mold 29 according to the disclosure is visible. FIGS. 8 and 9, respectively show a sectional view, FIG. 8 of the first variation of FIG. 7 indicated by section line T and FIG. 9 of the first variation of FIG. 7 indicated by section line R.

[0047] As e.g. visible in FIGS. 1 through 9 a side gate nozzle 1 according to the disclosure usually comprises a body 2 with at least one slot 3 with a tip insert 4 being in a mounted position arranged in the at least one slot 3. During operation melted plastic material can be supplied via said the tip insert 4 into a thereto fluidly connected cavity (not shown) of an injection mold 29 via a gate 33. The side gate nozzle 1 usually comprises at least one expander 5 clamping in an expanded position the tip insert 4 with respect to a bottom 6 of the slot 3 and at least one thereto opposite bearing surface 7 arranged at an undercut 8. As best visible in FIGS. 5 and 8, the expander 5 ensures in the expanded position a sealed connection between an outlet 24 of a body melt channel 25 of the body 2 arranged in the bottom 6 of the slot 3 and an inlet 26 of a tip insert melt channel 27 of the tip insert 4.

[0048] In the shown first variation of the side gate nozzle 1, the expander 5 comprises a clamping element 9 for engaging in the mounted position with the undercut 8 and clamping in an expanded position the tip insert 4 with respect to the bottom 6 of the slot 3. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, the clamping element 9 is integrally connected to the tip insert body 10 in a deformable manner by a joint region 11. Here the clamping element 9 provides during insertion of the tip insert 4 a guiding thereof when cooperating with the bearing surface 7 at the undercut 8. In the shown variation the clamping element 9 has an essentially rectangular shape, however other shapes are possible, such as circular shapes.

[0049] For expanding the clamping element 9 away from the tip insert body 10, a threaded member, in this case a screw 12, is typically arranged in an opening 23 of the clamping element 9. The screw 12 interacts in the shown variation with an inner thread of the opening 9 to press against tip insert body 10 and in turn the clamping element 9 is pressed against the at least one bearing surface 7. As best visible in FIG. 8, per side wall 14 of the slot 3 an undercut 8 is arranged extending along the slot 3. The undercut 8 can be formed by at least one recess 13 in a side wall 14 of the slot 3. The clamping element 9 presses in the expanded position against the bearing surfaces 7 arranged at the undercuts 8 to achieve an even pressing of the tip insert 4 against the bottom 6 of the slot 3.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, the slot 3 comprises in the first variation a clamping section 17 having a t-slot cross-section, for accommodating a corresponding clamping section 18 of the tip insert 4 in an encompassing manner. The slot 3 usually comprises a heat guiding section 19 arranged in an outward direction from the clamping section 18 of the slot 3 for guiding heat during operation from a heating 20 to a front section 21 of the tip insert 4 comprising at least one tip 28. In the shown variation the tip 28 is formed by a removable tip element 28, which is held with respect to the tip insert body 10 by a gate sealing member screwed into the tip insert body 10.

[0051] The lateral width 38 of the clamping section 18 of the tip insert 4 is, as illustrate in FIG. 9, greater than the lateral width 39 of the front section 21 of the tip insert 4. The undercut 8 typically has a length 36 of more than a third of a total length 37 of a tip insert body 10 of the tip insert 4 and extends along the at least one slot 3.

[0052] FIGS. 6A to 6D illustrate the steps of inserting a tip insert 4 into the slot 3 of the body 2. To assist the insertion process, the tip insert 4 comprises an actuating contour 22 for an assembly tool 35. In the shown variation the opening 23 in the clamping element 9 having an inner thread acts as the actuating contour 22. Here the assembly tool 35 comprises a corresponding outer thread to be screwed into the opening 23. This is shown in FIG. 6A. Next, the tip insert 4 is lowered into the slot 3 (receiving section) with the front section 21 of the tip insert 4 entering the clamping section 17 of the slot until the tip insert touches down on the bottom 6 of the slot. Following this, as shown in FIG. 6B, the tip insert 4 is moved outwardly until respective stop surfaces 15 arranged at the at each side wall 14 of the slot 3 for engaging with a corresponding surface 16 of the tip insert body 10 stop the movement of the tip insert 4. As visible in FIG. 6C, the screw 12 is installed to expand the clamping element 9 such that the tip insert body 10 is clamped between the bottom 6 and the two bearing surfaces 7. Lastly, a spacer 34 is attached to the body 2 of the side gate nozzle 1 in the slot 3, such that an inward movement of the tip insert 4 is restricted. This is shown in FIG. 6D.

[0053] FIG. 7 shows the first variation of an injection mold 29 typically comprising at least one snorkel 30 and at least one side gate nozzle 1 as described above. The snorkel 30 is fluidly connected to the body 2, in particular to the body melt channel 25, of the side gate nozzle 1 for supplying during operation melted material to the side gate nozzle 1. The side gate nozzle 1 is removable from the injection mold 29 for maintenance etc. by disengaging it from the snorkel 30. In the shown variation, the side gate nozzle 1 is arranged in a frame 31 attachable to a hot runner plate 32 of the injection mold 29 for supporting the side gate nozzle 1 relative to the snorkel 30.

[0054] Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

TABLE-US-00001 LIST OF DESIGNATIONS 1 Side gate nozzle 2 Body (side gate nozzle) 3 Slot 4 Tip insert 5 Expander 6 Bottom (slot) 7 Bearing surface (undercut) 8 Undercut 9 Clamping element 10 Tip insert body 11 Joint region (tip insert body/ clamping element) 12 Threaded member (screw) 13 Recess (side wall/slot) 14 Side wall (slot) 15 Stop surface (slot) 16 (stop) surface (tip insert) 17 Clamping section (slot) 18 Clamping section (tip element) 19 Heat guiding section (slot) 20 Heating 21 Front section (tip element) 22 Actuating contour 23 Opening (clamping element) 24 Outlet (body melt channel) 25 Body melt channel 26 Inlet (tip insert melt channel) 27 Tip insert melt channel 28 Tip/Tip element 29 Injection mold 30 Snorkel 31 Frame 32 Hot runner plate 33 Gate 34 Spacer 35 Assembly tool 36 Length (undercut) 37 Length (tip insert body) 38 Lateral width (clamping section/tip insert) 39 Lateral width (front section/tip insert)