MULTI-COMPONENT INJECTION MOULDING MACHINE

Abstract

A multi-component injection moulding machine provided has a machine bed, two mould mounting plates movable relative to one another by a closing unit, an injection unit and an extruder unit. The injection unit moves relative to the neighbouring mould mounting plate and has a nozzle having a nozzle head. The extruder unit is adjustable between a first position, where a nozzle contact of the extruder unit rests on the nozzle head, and a second position releasing the injection unit for contacting of the nozzle head on a tool mounted on the neighbouring mould mounting plate. In the first position, the extruder unit and the injection unit can be directly coupled, and the extruder unit has a coupling unit having a second clamping element cooperating mechanically with a clamping element on the injection unit such that the coupling device provides a pressing force of the nozzle head on the nozzle contact.

Claims

1. A multi-component injection moulding machine (1), comprising a machine bed, at least two mould mounting plates (2) that can be moved relative to each other by means of a closing unit, an injection unit (3), and an extruder unit (4), wherein the injection unit (3) can be moved relative to the adjacent plate (2) and comprises a nozzle (7) with a nozzle head (8), and the extruder unit (4) can be adjusted between a first position in which a nozzle support (19) of the extruder unit (4) is in contact with the nozzle head (8), and a second position in which the injection unit (3) is released for possible contact of its nozzle head (8) with a tool clamped on the adjacent mould mounting plate (2), wherein the first position the extruder unit (4) and the injection unit (3) can be coupled directly to each other by means of a coupling device (30) in that the extruder unit (4) comprises a coupling unit (17) which has at least one second clamping element (22) cooperating, by mechanical interlock, with at least one first clamping element (11) provided on the injection unit (3), such that the coupling device (30) provides a pressing force of the nozzle head (8) on the nozzle support (19).

2. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 1, wherein the coupling unit (17) comprises an extruder channel (20) opening into the nozzle support (19) and the nozzle head (8) has a nozzle opening (12), whereby with direct coupling of the extruder unit (4) and the injection unit (3) through the coupling device (17) the nozzle opening (12) and the mouth of the extruder channel (20) in the nozzle support (19) overlap each other and the nozzle head (8) is held fluid-tight at the nozzle support (19).

3. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 2, wherein a closure element (25) is arranged in the extruder channel (20).

4. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 1, wherein the position of at least one first clamping element (11) relative to the nozzle head (8) can be changed and/or that the position of at least one second clamping element (22) can be changed relative to the nozzle support (19).

5. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 4, wherein the change in the position of at least one first clamping element (11) vis-à-vis the nozzle head (8) and/or the change in the position of at least one second clamping element (22) relative to the nozzle support (19) can be brought about by means of at least one clamping actuator (29).

6. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 5, wherein at least one clamping spring (27) acts on at least one first clamping element (11) and/or at least one second clamping element (22).

7. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 5, wherein at least one clamping actuator (29) is designed as a linear actuator (28).

8. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 5, wherein at least one clamping actuator (29) comprises an eccentric.

9. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 5, wherein at least one clamping actuator (29) comprises a toggle lever.

10. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 1, wherein the movement of the extruder unit (4) into the first position causes the at least one first clamping element (11) to interlockingly cooperate with the at least one second clamping element (22), the extruder unit (4) and the injection unit (3) to directly couple to each other by means of the coupling device (30), and the coupling device (30) to provide the contact pressure of the nozzle head (8) on the nozzle support (19).

11. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 1, wherein at least one first clamping element (11) and/or at least one second clamping element (22) is wedge-shaped.

12. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 1, wherein the extruder unit (4) can be moved into the first position in that the coupling unit (17) can be moved vis-à-vis the rest of the extruder unit (4) by means of a coupling unit drive.

13. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 12, wherein the coupling unit (17) is swivel-mounted on the remaining extruder unit (4).

14. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 1, wherein the extruder unit (4) has an extruder housing (15), a rotatable extruder screw (16) accommodated in the extruder housing (15) and a drive unit driving the extruder screw (16), wherein the extruder housing (15) can be moved by an extruder actuator.

15. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 14, wherein the drive unit is designed as an electromotive drive unit and/or the extruder actuator is designed as an electromotive extruder actuator.

16. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 14, wherein the drive unit is designed as a hydromotive drive unit and/or the extruder actuator is designed as a hydraulic extruder actuator.

17. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 16, wherein the extruder unit (4) comprises a hydraulic unit, by means of which the hydromotive drive unit and/or the hydraulic extruder actuator can be supplied with pressurized fluid medium.

18. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 14, wherein the extruder actuator is designed as a pneumatic extruder actuator.

19. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 18, wherein the extruder unit (4) comprises a pneumatic unit, by means of which the pneumatic extruder actuator can be supplied with pressurized fluid medium.

20. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 16, wherein the hydraulic extruder actuator and/or the hydromotive motor drive unit can be supplied with pressurized fluid medium from a hydraulic unit, which is not part of the extruder unit (4).

21. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 18, wherein the pneumatic extruder actuator can be supplied with a pressurized fluid medium from a pneumatic unit, which is not part of the extruder unit (4).

22. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 1, wherein the extruder housing (15) and the injection unit housing (5) are designed in a cylindrical construction.

23. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 22, wherein in the first position the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical extruder housing (15) and the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical injection unit housing (5) span a vertical plane.

24. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 22, wherein the first position the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical extruder housing (15) and the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical injection unit housing (5) span a horizontal plane.

25. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 23, wherein in the first position the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical extruder housing (15) and the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical injection unit housing (5) include an angle of 90°.

26. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 23, wherein in the first position the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical extruder housing (15) and the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical injection unit housing (5) include an angle of less than 90°.

27. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 1, wherein the extruder unit (4) is mechanically connected to the rest of the multi-component injection moulding machine (1) via a mechanical interface and this is designed as a Euromap interface.

28. The multi-component injection moulding machine (1) of claim 14, wherein the extruder unit (4) communicates with the remaining multi-component injection moulding machine (1) via a signalling interface and this is suitable for transmitting at least three signals, a first signal indicating that the injection unit (3) is in a position corresponding to the first position of the extruder unit (4), a second signal indicating that the extruder unit (4) is in the second position, and a third signal indicating that the extruder unit (4) and the injection unit (3) are both located in the first position and are coupled to each other and the drive unit of the extruder unit (4) drives the extruder screw (16).

29. An extruder unit (4) together with a holding structure (36) for the subsequent upgrading of a one-component injection moulding machine to a multi-component injection moulding machine (1) as claimed in claim 1, comprising an extruder unit (4) with a coupling unit (17) which has at least one second clamping element (22) that mechanically interlocks with at least one first clamping element (11) provided on the injection unit (3) such that in a first position of the extruder unit (4) vis-à-vis the injection unit (3), in which a nozzle support (19) of the extruder unit (4) rests against the nozzle head (8) of the nozzle (7) of the injection unit (3), the injection unit (3) and the extruder unit (4) can be coupled directly to one another by means of a coupling device (30), in that the coupling device (30) provides a contact pressure of the nozzle head (8) on the nozzle support (19), and—a holding structure (35) which is used to connect the extruder unit (4) and can be directly firmly connected to the machine bed (35) or to the injection unit (3), which holding structure allows for adjustably positioning of the extruder unit (4) between the first position and the second position in which the injection unit (3) is released for possible contacting of its nozzle head (8) on a tool clamped on the adjacent mould mounting plate (2).

30. A method for the subsequent upgrading of a single-component injection moulding machine, which single-component injection moulding machine comprises at least two mould mounting plates (2) displaceable relative to each other by means of a closing unit and an injection unit (3) displaceable relative to the adjacent mould mounting plate (2) and having a nozzle (7) with a nozzle head (8), to form a multi-component injection moulding machine as defined in claim 1, the method comprising mounting an extruder unit (4) together with a holding structure (36) by firmly connecting said holding structure (36) directly to the machine bed (35) or the injection unit (3), wherein the holding structure (36) allows for adjustably positioning of the extruder unit (4) vis-à-vis the injection unit (3) between a first position, in which a nozzle support (19) of the extruder unit (4) rests against the nozzle head (8) of the nozzle (7) of the injection unit (3), and a second position in which the injection unit (3) is released for possible contacting of its nozzle head (8) on a tool clamped on the adjacent mould mounting plate (2), and wherein moreover the injection unit (3) and the extruder unit (4), in the first position of the latter, can be coupled directly to one another by means of a coupling device (30), in that the coupling device (30) provides a contact pressure of the nozzle head (8) on the nozzle support (19), wherein at least one second clamping element (22) of a coupling unit (17) of the extruder unit (4) mechanically inter-lockingly interacts with at least one first clamping element (11) provided at the injection unit (3).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0033] Two exemplary embodiments of the said multi-component injection moulding machine are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, as follows:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows an extruder unit, an injection unit and a mould mounting plate of a first embodiment in the first position in a side view,

[0035] FIG. 2 shows the injection moulding machine parts according to FIG. 1 in the second position in a side view,

[0036] FIG. 3a shows an enlarged detail from FIG. 1 in a vertical section,

[0037] FIG. 3b shows the enlarged detail according to FIG. 3a in an oblique perspective oblique view and

[0038] FIG. 3c shows the oblique perspective view from FIG. 3b in a partial sectional view

[0039] FIG. 4 shows a partially schematic section of an extruder unit and an injection unit of a second exemplary embodiment of the said multi-component injection moulding machine in the first position in a vertical section,

[0040] FIG. 5 shows the first clamping element according to FIG. 4 in vertical section and front view,

[0041] FIG. 6 shows the second clamping element according to FIG. 4, also in vertical section and front view and

[0042] FIG. 7 shows a specific embodiment of the second exemplary embodiment, shown partially schematically in FIGS. 4 to 6, in the first position in a vertical section, and

[0043] FIG. 8 illustrates in a schematic overall view an injection moulding machine designed to implement embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0044] FIG. 1 to 3c only shows selected injection moulding machine parts and the interaction of a first exemplary embodiment of the said multi-component injection moulding machine 1. The multi-component injection moulding machine 1 comprises—in the usual way—a machine bed, two mould mounting plates 2 that can be moved about relative to one another by means of a clamping unit, an injection unit 3 and an extruder unit 4, the machine bed, the clamping unit and one of the two mould mounting plates that are not shown for the sake of clarity.

[0045] The injection unit 3 can be horizontally moved relative to the adjacent mould clamping plate 2 and comprises an injection unit housing 5 of cylindrical design; a swivelling, plasticizing and injection screw 6 accommodated in the injection unit housing 5 and can be displaced along its axis, and a nozzle 7. The nozzle 7 has a conical nozzle head 8, a cylindrical nozzle body 9 and a collar 10 formed at the transition between nozzle head 8 and nozzle body 9, whereby the first clamping element 11 is formed via the collar 10 and nozzle head 8 has a nozzle opening 12. The injection unit 3 also has an injection channel 13, in which a first closure element 14 is foreseen.

[0046] The extruder unit 4 comprises a cylindrical extruder housing 15, a swivelling extruder screw 16 accommodated in the extruder housing 15, a drive unit (not shown) that drives the extruder screw 16, and an extruder actuator (not shown), by means of which the extruder housing 15 can be moved vertically relative to the mould mounting plate 2 is. In addition, the extruder unit 4 has a coupling unit 17. The coupling unit 17 comprises a deflection head 18, a nozzle support 19 opening into an extruder channel 20, a support plate 21 firmly connected to the deflection head 18, a second clamping element 22 and four stud bolts 23 connecting the support plate 21 to the second clamping element 22, arranged parallel to one another in the region of a corner of the support plate 21, and are each perpendicular to the plane defined by the support plate 21. A second closure element 25, designed as a pivot pin 24, is foreseen in the extruder channel 20 (see FIG. 3a).

[0047] The second clamping element 22 is plate-shaped parallel to the support plate 21 and has a vertically running, downwardly open slot 26, which is so dimensioned that the cylindrical nozzle body 9 can be encompassed and thus the first clamping element 11, the collar 10 of the nozzle 7 can be engaged from behind by the second clamping element 22.

[0048] Four clamping springs 27 and two clamping actuators 29 designed as linear actuators 28 that counteract the clamping springs 27 can be used to act on the second clamping element 22 and change its position relative to the nozzle support 19 or to the support plate 21 by moving it along the axes of the stud bolts 23. As intended, the four clamping springs 27 exert a force on the second clamping element 22 in the direction of the support plate 21, while the two clamping actuators 29 are powerful enough to move the second clamping element 22 against the resistance of the clamping springs 27 in the opposite direction.

[0049] FIG. 1 and FIGS. 3a to 3c show the extruder unit 4 and the injection unit 3 in a first position, in which the nozzle support 19 of the extruder unit 4 rests against the nozzle head 8 of the injection unit 3. Using a coupling device 30, the extruder unit 4, which is in the first position, and the injection unit 3 can be coupled directly to each other. To this end, the first clamping element 11 interacts mechanically with the second clamping element 22 in such a way that the coupling device 30 provides a pressing force of the nozzle head 8 on the nozzle support 19 so that the nozzle head 8 rests fluid-tight on the nozzle support 19.

[0050] For this purpose, the second clamping element 22 first engages from behind the first clamping element 11, in which the extruder unit 4 is lowered vertically from the second position (see FIG. 2) into the first position by means of the extruder actuator (not shown), and indeed, when the extruder unit 4 actuates the clamping actuators 29. The two clamping actuators 29 are then deactivated and thus enable the four clamping springs 27 to force the second clamping element 22 in the direction of the support plate 21. Thus, the second clamping element 22 and the first clamping element 11 engage mechanically and bring about the pressing force between the nozzle support 19 and the nozzle head 8, as a result of which the injection unit 3 and the extruder unit 4 are coupled (clamped) to each other.

[0051] Plastic melt of a skin component can then be conveyed from the extruder unit 4 via the extruder channel 20 via the nozzle 7 into the injection unit 3.

[0052] In order to release the coupling of the extruder unit 4 with the injection unit 3 (after the plastic melt has been conveyed into the injection unit 3), the two clamping actuators 29 must be actuated and the second clamping element 22 must be moved against the resistance of the clamping springs 27 so that interlocking of the first clamping element 11 with the second clamping element 22 is prevented. The extruder unit 4 can then be withdrawn vertically upwards by means of the extruder actuator (not shown) and moved into the second position. In the second position, the extruder unit 4 releases the injection unit 3 so that its nozzle head 8 can possibly rest against a tool clamped on the adjacent mould clamping plate 2 and thus, in other words, it enables the injection unit 3 to move in the direction of the adjacent mould clamping plate 2.

[0053] The longitudinal axis of the cylindrical extruder housing 15 and the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical injection unit housing 5 stretches a vertical plane and enclose an angle of 90°.

[0054] FIG. 4 shows partially schematically a second embodiment of the said multi-component injection moulding machine (1), but restricts the representation to the injection moulding machine parts that are directly integrated in the coupling process in a coupling device 30.

[0055] The injection unit 3, partially illustrated, can be moved horizontally and comprises an injection unit housing 5 and a nozzle 7 with a nozzle head 8 including nozzle opening 12 and a cylindrical nozzle body 9. Further, the injection unit 3 has a wedge-shaped first clamping element 11 firmly connected to the nozzle 7, which has an opening 31 through which the cylindrical nozzle body 9 stretches (see FIG. 5).

[0056] Likewise, the extruder unit 4, which is only partially shown, can be moved vertically and has an extruder housing 15 and a coupling unit 17. The coupling unit 17 comprises a deflection head 18, a nozzle support 19, into which an extruder channel 20 opens, a second clamping element 22 and four stud bolts 23 that rigidly connect the second clamping element 22 to the deflection head 18.

[0057] The second clamping element 22 is plate-shaped and has a vertically running, downwardly open slot 26, which is dimensioned such that the second clamping element 22 can grip around the cylindrical nozzle body 9 and thus engage the first clamping element 11 from behind. The stud bolts 23 are each arranged parallel to one another in the region of a corner of the second clamping element 22. With the vertical lowering of the extruder unit 4 into a first position (in which the nozzle support 19 rests against the nozzle head 8), the second clamping element 22 is also lowered to the same extent. Thus, the movement of the extruder unit 4 into the first position causes the first clamping element 11 to interact with the second clamping element 22 and to couple the extruder unit 4 and the injection unit 3 directly to one another by means of the coupling device 30 and thus the coupling device 30 provides the contact pressure of the nozzle head 8 on the nozzle support 19.

[0058] FIG. 7 shows, by way of example, a specific embodiment of the second exemplary embodiment, shown partially schematically in FIG. 4 to FIG. 6. To avoid repetition, only a few design details are explained in more detail below.

[0059] The stud bolts 23 are connected to the deflection head 18 through a pressure plate 21, which is firmly connected to both the stud bolts 23 and the deflection head 18. The second clamping element 22 comprises a clamping wedge 33 and a clamping plate 34 rigidly connected to it, the stud bolts 23 being rigidly connected to the clamping plate 34.

[0060] Alternatively, it would also be conceivable (although not shown in the drawing) that the clamping wedge 33 can be vertically moved with respect to the clamping plate 34 by means of a clamping actuator 29, while the clamping plate 34 is firmly connected to the stud bolts 23. In this way, the first clamping element 11 could engage with the second clamping element 22 independently of the movement of the extruder unit 4 into the first position. This could also be achieved with a one-piece second clamping element 22 (cf. FIGS. 4 and 6) if the second clamping element 22 is mounted on the extruder unit 4 in such a way that it can be moved vertically with respect to the deflection head 18, for example, by means of a clamp actuator 29.

[0061] In the first position, shown in FIG. 7, the first clamping element 11 and the clamping wedge 33 are in direct contact with each other. The axial position of the first clamping element 11 on the nozzle body 9 is secured by means of a lock nut 32. For this purpose, the lock nut 32 and the opening 31 of the first clamping element 11 each have an internal thread which corresponds to an external thread of the nozzle body 9. The injection unit 3 has a first closure element 14 provided in the injection channel 13. In the extruder channel 20, a second closure element 25 designed as a pivot pin 24 is provided.

[0062] According to FIG. 8, which is based on EP 0 692 359 A1 (see above) forming the relevant prior art, an injection moulding machine 1 designed to implement embodiments of the present invention, as explained in detail above, has two mould mounting plates 2, an injection unit 3, an extruder unit 4 and a machine bed 35. The extruder unit 4 is firmly connected to the machine bed 35 via a holding structure 36.