ES2375989B1 - CLOSING DEVICE, APPLICABLE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BIMATERIA PLASTIC PARTS, WITH IMPROVED MOVEMENT CAPACITY. - Google Patents

Abstract

Sluice device, applicable for the manufacture of bimateria plastic parts, with improved movement capacity, in which all the actuators (2) that the mold has (1) are coupled to the same drive mechanism, constituted by a support (8 ) transverse, driven by a single hydraulic cylinder (12); they have smaller dimensions than the conventional ones and the inoperative spaces of the mold (1) occupied by the drive mechanism are reduced. The transverse support (8) is linked to the mold, on one of its sides, at an articulated turning point (11), and on the opposite side to the cylinder (12) that lifts it on said side. The actuators (2) are coupled to the transverse support (8) by its base (9) in housings (10) provided in said support (8) for this purpose.

Description

Sluice device, applicable for the manufacture of bimateria plastic parts, with improved movement capacity. Object of the invention

The present invention refers, as indicated in the statement, to a sluice device, applicable for the manufacture of bimaterial plastic parts, with improved movement capacity.

In particular, the object of the invention is centered on a device, of the type whose purpose is to allow the manufacture of bimaterial plastic parts, that is, constituted by two parts of different color and / or of different type of material, obtaining by injection in mold by pressure, in which said device acts as a sluice to limit the passage of the first injected material to a certain space of the mold and, after its movement, allow the passage of the second material to the rest of the space within said mold, the which has the peculiarity of having an innovative mechanism and structure that substantially and advantageously improve its ability to move within the mold, compared to the currently known sluice systems. Field of application of the invention

The field of application of the present invention falls within the technical sector of the industry dedicated to the manufacture of plastic parts, particularly bimatter parts obtained by injection into mold. Background of the invention

As is known, multicomponent injection technology encompasses a wide range of techniques and can be defined as the injection of more than one material or component in the same mold and process, without additional steps outside the machine, being, currently and in general , the techniques most used are multicolored and multimaterial, of two or more thermoplastic materials.

One of said techniques, specifically applicable for obtaining pieces of bimatter plastic material, that is, composed of two parts of different color and / or different type of material, includes the use of devices called locks that are coupled to the mold, and in which the existence of at least one actuator is contemplated that, moved by means of hydraulic pistons, allows to inject a first part of the piece and, after its displacement, expand the dimensions of the mold to be able to accommodate the injection of the second material that will make up the piece.

This system, however, has the disadvantage that traditional locks require a lot of space in the mold, which limits many other possible movements thereof. In addition, the mechanism of these locks is usually complex and requires equally complex and difficult machining.

Therefore, there is a need for a sluice system that allows reducing the space occupied in the mold and, consequently, favoring and improving its mobility, this being the essential objective of the present invention, on which, by On the other hand, it should be noted that, on the part of the petitioner, the existence of no other that has similar technical, structural or con fi guration characteristics is unknown.

Explanation of the invention.

Thus, the sluice device, applicable for the manufacture of bimaterial plastic parts, with improved movement capacity, which the invention proposes satisfactorily achieves the objectives previously indicated as suitable and constitutes a novelty within its field, being the characterizing details that make it possible, suitably set out in the final claims that accompany the present specification.

In particular, if traditional sluice systems include the use of actuators driven by hydraulic pistons whose structure and operation is complex and requires the occupation of a lot of space in the mold, giving rise to large areas of dead spaces in it, the device for The lock here recommended solves this problem by coupling all the actuators that intervene in a mechanism that moves them together so that it has a single turning point and a single cylinder for its movement.

In this way, the actuators can be much smaller and lighter, so that the dead spaces of the mold are considerably reduced and, consequently, room for other possible movements of the actuators is left.

The new sluice device, applicable for the manufacture of bimatter plastic parts, with improved movement capacity, therefore, represents an innovative structure with structural and constitutive characteristics unknown until now for this purpose, reasons that together with its practical utility, endow it with sufficient basis to obtain the privilege of exclusivity that is requested. Description of the drawings

For a better interpretation of the invention, the present specification is accompanied by drawings in which, by way of non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, according to the principles of the claims.

In these drawings:

Figure number 1.- Shows the current state of the art in a schematic elevation view of an example of a mold with a traditional sluice device, in which the large space occupied by the two actuators it has can be seen, as well as the hydraulic actuation mechanisms of said actuators.

Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5.-They show the same example of a mold, represented in Figure 1, with the sluice device with improved movement capacity, object of the invention, in its different phases of operation, and in the that the parts and elements comprising said sluice device, as well as its configuration and arrangement in the mold, can be clearly seen. Description of an embodiment

In view of the aforementioned figures and in accordance with the numbering adopted, an example of embodiment of the invention can be observed therein, which comprises the parts and elements indicated and described in detail below.

Thus, as can be seen in these figures, in the molds (1) with a sluice system, the actuators (2), by their movement, first limit and, subsequently, open the way to the space (3) of the interior of said mold (1) to the first material (M1), and then to the second material (M2) that will make up the bima piece

teria to be made, said materials being injected respectively by injection points (4) and (5), provided for this purpose in one of the parts (1a) that make up the mold (1).

In traditional systems, as seen in the example shown in Figure 1, said actuators (2) are constituted by bulky elements independently driven by drive mechanisms (6), such as hydraulic pistons, which are coupled on bulky supports. (7), which, in addition to occupying an important space in the mold (1), considerably limit other possible movements of said actuators (2).

In accordance with Figures 2-5, it can be seen as the sluice device, which the invention proposes includes the use of actuators (2) of much smaller size, which have the particularity of being inferiorly coupled, all of them, to the same and single mechanism of drive (6), which is constituted by a support (8) transverse to which they are coupled by its base (9) in housings (10) provided therein for such purpose.

Said support (8), on the other hand, is linked, by one of its sides, to an articulated turning point (11), and on the opposite side to a cylinder

(12) hydraulic that lifts it by said side.

In this way, by means of a single cylinder (12) and, therefore, a single drive mechanism, all the actuators (2) that make up the sluice system are displaced, achieving that said actuators can be constituted by smaller bodies that, Advantageously, they may present other movements within the mold.

On the other hand, the operation of the described recommended sluice device, in its initial phase, as can be seen in Figure 2, the transverse support (8) is elevated by means of the actuation of the hydraulic cylinder (12) so as to maintain the actuators ( 2) elevated, limiting the passage in the space (3) so that, when introducing the first material (M1), through the corresponding injection point (4), it only occupies its proper place, as observed in Figure 3.

Then, as shown in Figure 4, the hydraulic cylinder (12) descends, lowering the transverse support (8) which, in turn, lowers the actuators (2) that, therefore, leave an open path so that, when entering the second material (M2) through the corresponding injection point (5), penetrates into the space (3) of the remaining mold, as shown in Figure 5, thus ending the formation of the bimaterial plastic part.

In summary, then, the invention advocates a sluice device in which all the actuators (2) that the mold has (1) are coupled to the same and only drive mechanism (6), which is constituted by a support ( 8) transverse, and which is driven by a single hydraulic cylinder (12), thereby achieving that said actuators (2), have smaller dimensions than conventional actuators and that the inoperative spaces of the mold (1) occupied by the Drive mechanism (6) is significantly reduced with respect to inoperative mold spaces occupied by conventional drive mechanisms, leaving room for actuators (2) for other possible movements.

Sufficiently describing the nature of the present invention, as well as how to put it into practice, it is not considered necessary to make its explanation more extensive so that any person skilled in the art understands its scope and the advantages that derive from it.

Likewise, it is noted that, within its essentiality, the sluice device, applicable for the manufacture of bimatter plastic parts, with improved movement capacity described herein may be implemented in other embodiments that differed in detail from the indicated by way of example, and to which it will also achieve the protection that is sought as long as it does not alter, change or modify its fundamental principle.

Claims (4)

1. Sluice device, applicable for the manufacture of bimateria plastic parts, with improved movement capacity, of the type applicable to molds (1) and comprising actuators (2), actuated by hydraulic systems to limit or not the passage into the space (3) of the interior of said mold (1) of the forming materials of the piece injected by injection points (4, 5 ), provided for this purpose in the mold (1), characterized in that all the actuators (2) available to the mold (1) are coupled to the same single drive mechanism (6); because said drive mechanism is constituted by a transverse support (8), actuated by a single hydraulic cylinder (12); and because said actuators (2) have smaller dimensions than conventional actuators and inoperative mold spaces (1) occupied by the drive mechanism (6) are reduced, relative to the inoperative mold spaces occupied by the drive mechanisms conventional, leaving room for the actuators (2) for other possible movements.

2.

Sluice device, applicable for the manufacture of bimateria plastic parts, with improved movement capacity, according to claim 1, characterized in that the transverse support (8) that drives all the actuators (2) together is linked to the mold (1), on one of its sides, at an articulated turning point (11), and on the opposite side to the hydraulic cylinder (12) that lifts it on said side.

3.

Sluice device, applicable for the manufacture of bimaterial plastic parts, with improved movement capacity, according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuators (2) are coupled to the transverse support (8) by its base (9) in housings (sheet) provided on said support (8) for this purpose.

SPANISH OFFICE OF THE PATENTS AND BRAND Application no .: 200900801 SPAIN Date of submission of the application: 24.03.2009 Priority Date: REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE 51 Int. Cl.: B29C45 / 16 (2006.01) RELEVANT DOCUMENTS

Category

56 Documents cited Claims Affected

Y

US 2003201571 A1 (DAVIS JOSEPH J et al.) 30.10.2003, page 2, paragraph 27; Figures 3-5. 1.3

TO

2

Y

WO 2005068154 A1 (JOHNSON CONTROLS TECH CO et al.) 28.07.2005, page 19, paragraph 88; figure 26. 1.3

TO

2

TO

WO 2009019728 A1 (UNITEAM ITALIA SRL et al.) 12.02.2009, the whole document. 1-3

TO

US 5618485 A (GAJEWSKI GERARD H) 08.04.1997, the whole document. 1-3

Category of the documents cited X: of particular relevance Y: of particular relevance combined with other / s of the same category A: reflects the state of the art O: refers to unwritten disclosure P: published between the priority date and the date of priority submission of the application E: previous document, but published after the date of submission of the application

This report has been prepared • for all claims • for claims no:

Date of realization of the report 24.02.2012

Examiner A. Pérez Igualador Page 1/4

REPORT OF THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE Application number: 200900801 Minimum documentation sought (classification system followed by classification symbols) B29C Electronic databases consulted during the search (name of the database and, if possible, terms of search used) INVENES, EPODOC State of the Art Report Page 2/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 200900801 Date of Written Opinion: 24.02.2012 Statement

Novelty (Art. 6.1 LP 11/1986)

Claims Claims 1, 2, 3 IF NOT

Inventive activity (Art. 8.1 LP11 / 1986)

Claims Claims 2 1, 3 IF NOT

The application is considered to comply with the industrial application requirement. This requirement was evaluated during the formal and technical examination phase of the application (Article 31.2 Law 11/1986).  Opinion Base.- This opinion has been made on the basis of the patent application as published. State of the Art Report Page 3/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 200900801 1. Documents considered.- The documents belonging to the state of the art taken into consideration for the realization of this opinion are listed below.

Document

Publication or Identification Number publication date

D01

US 2003201571 A1 (DAVIS JOSEPH J et al.) 10/30/2003

D02

WO 2005068154 A1 (JOHNSON CONTROLS TECH CO et al.) 07/28/2005

2. Statement motivated according to articles 29.6 and 29.7 of the Regulations for the execution of Law 11/1986, of March 20, on Patents on novelty and inventive activity; quotes and explanations in support of this statement Document D01 discloses a method for the manufacture of instrumental panels inside vehicles. It is carried out in a mold in which two plastics of different type are injected successively but are joined (by the edges) in the final piece. For this it is necessary to modify the mold configuration between the first and the second injection. This modification is done through a sluice device like the one in the application. The sluice system consists of the following elements: -A plate that acts as a cam (reference 42 of the figures in D01) -The actuator (called insert in this document) -Connector element that joins the cam plate with the actuator Document D02 refers to a method for producing a vehicle component that also uses a sluice device to delimit the injection of two different plastic materials. The retractable actuator (26) is composed of parts 26a and 26b and is configured so that these parts can be moved at the same time or at different times (paragraph 88). The movement of the actuator, as read in this paragraph, can be done by different means, such as hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical. In document D02, although it says that the movement can be mechanical, the possibility of it being a transverse support as claimed in the 1st claim is not disclosed in detail. However, this system does appear in document D01, the plate 42 that acts as a cam. It would be obvious to a person skilled in the art to use this technical characteristic in document D02 since the result to be obtained is the same. Therefore, the object of claim 1 does not imply inventive activity (Art. 4 and 8 of Patent Law 11/1986). Claim 3, dependent on the first, only claims that the actuators engage in the support, which also occurs in document D01 as can be seen in the figures. Therefore, this claim does not imply inventive activity either. In conclusion, claims 1 and 3 do not meet the requirement of inventive activity and claim 2 does meet the requirements of novelty and inventive activity (Art. 4, 6 and 8 of Patent Law 11/1986). State of the Art Report Page 4/4