GB2235895A

GB2235895A - Moulding tool cooling apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2235895A
Application number: GB8919116A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerald Dennis Day
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-08-23
Filing date: 1989-08-23
Publication date: 1991-03-20
Also published as: GB8919116D0

Abstract

For cooling a moulding tool there is provided a device having a pair of cooling heads 4, 5 between which the moulding tool (not shown) is received. The cooling heads move relative to a body 1 into engagement with a hot moulding tool. Each cooling head has passages for flow therethrough of a coolant Fig. 3 (not shown). The coolant absorbs the heat from the hot moulding tool and is pumped through couplings 9 to a cooling system (not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION.

TITLE. MOULOING TOOL COOLING APPARATUS.

IPIS INVENTION RELAIES TO MOULOING TOOL COOLING APPARATUS.

MOULOING TOOLS IN USE BUILD UP HEAT FROM THE HOT MATERIALS INJECTEO INTO THEM TO FROM THE COMPONENT THAT THE TOOL IS DESIGNED TO MAKE. THIS HEAT MUST BE PREVENTEO FROM BUILOING UP THUS OVER HEATING THE TOOL. IN CONVENTIONAL TOOLS THIS COOLING CONTROL IS ACHIEVED BY THE MACHINING OF COOLANT PASSAGES THROUGH THE TOOL. THIS CAN SOMETIMES BE A COMFLICATED OPERATION SINCE THE LAYOUT OF THE CAVITIES AND THE NECESSARY EJECTION MECHANISMS DICTATE THE PATH OF SUCH PASSAGES. A FURTHER PROBLEM MITH CONVENTIONAL MOULDING TOOLS IS THAT ON START UP WHEN THE TOOL I S OLD THE MATERIAL BEING INJECTED FREEZES AND REQUIRES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE P MINIMUM WORKING TEMPERATURE IS ARRIVED AT.

ACCOROING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION THERE IS PROVIDED A MAIN BOOY WITH SUIYABLE FIXING, TO ALLOW ITS ATTACHEMENT TO THE APPARATUS DESIRED, SUCH MAIN BODY HAVING FIXED GUIDEWAYS WHICH PERMITS THE MOUNTING AT EACH END OF COOLING HEADS WHICH CAN SLIDE ON THE GUIDEWAYS. THESE HEADS BEING ATTACHED TO EACH END OF AN OPERATING MECHANISM. ON OPERATION OF THIS MECHANISM THE COOLING HEADS. SLIDE ON THERE GUIDEWAYS AND CLOSE TOGETHER. THE COOLING HEADS HAVE MACHINED IN THEM COOLANT PASSAGENAYS OF A SUBSTANTIAL NATURE UNHINDERED BY ANY MECHAHISMS OR CAVITIES THUS THEY HAVE A HIGH CAPACITY TO REMOVE HEAT.THE COOLING HEADS HAVE ATTACHED TO THERE WORKING FACES A STEEL PLATE THUS ALLOWING THE COOLING HEADS TO BE OF A MATERIAL MOST SUITEO FOR HEAT TRANSFER, AND PROVIDING A GOOD MEAR LIFE. AT THE END OF EACH GUIDEWAY ARE STOPS WHICH CONTROL THE DISTANCES THE COOLING HEADS TRAVEL WHEN THE OPERATING MECHANISM IS OPERATED TO OPEN THE COOL INC HEADS. IN OPERATION THESE COOLING HEADS WOULD CLOSE DOWN ONTO A MOULOING TOOL THUS PROVIDING A MEANS OF COOLING SUCH TOOLS AND CONTROLLING THERE TEMPERATURE WITHOUT THE NEED FOR EXPENSIVE COOL INC PASSAGEMAYS IN THE MOULD INC TOOLS. THE COOL INC HEADS ON START UP ALSO PERMIT THE CIRCULATION OF A HEATED LIQUID THUS TRANSFERING HEAT TO THE TOOL TO RAISE ITS TEMPERATURE TO ITS MINIMUM WORKING TEMFERATURE. THERMOCOUPLES BEING PROVIDED IN THE COOLING HEADS THUS SUITABLE CONTROL EQUIPMENT GAN BE CONNECTEO AND OPERATED AS REQUIRED. THE COOLING HEADS CAN BE OPERATED SIGULARLY OR AS A SERIES CONNECTED TOGETHER.

A SPECIFIC. EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION WILL NOW BE DESCRIBED BY WAY OF EXAMPLE WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING DRANINGS IN WHICH: FIGURE 1. SHOWS THE ASSEMBLED COOLING APPARATUS.

FIGURE 2. SHOWS THE COOLING APPARATUS RELATIVE TO A TOOL SET.

FIGURE 3. SHOWS THE MACHINED LIQUID PASSAGE WAYS.

REFERRING TO THE ORAWING FIG 1. THE COOLING AFFARATUS COMPRISES A MAIN BODY 1 WITH MOUNTING BRAKETS 10 AND GUIDE BARS 2 FIXED AND HELD IN PLACE BY LOCKING SEREWS 13.

SLIDEABLY MOUNTED BEARINGS 3 ALLOW THE TOP COOLING HEAD 4 TO RAISE AND LOWER. THE BOTTOM COOLING HEAD 5 AND INSERTED WEAR PLATES 6 15 ALSO SLIDEABLY MOUNTEO BOTH THE TOP COOLING HEAD AND BOrTOM COOLING HEAD ARE RESTRICTED ON OPENING BY STOPS 7 MOUNTED AND FIXED AT THE END OF EACH GUIDE BAR 2. THE MEADS ARE CONNECTED BY AN OPERATING MECHANISM 8 It THIS EXAMPLE AN AIR CYLIDER WHICH WHEN OPERATED CLOSES THE HEADS DOWN ONTO THE MOULDING TOOL FIG 2 .THE TOOL 11 WOULD THEN TRANSFER HEAT FROM THE TOOL INTO THE COOLING HEADS. THIS HEAT BEING ABSORBED INTO THE COOLING LIQUID WHICH WOULD THEN BE PUMPED AWAY TO A SUITABLE COOLING SYSTEM TO REMOVE THE HEAT PIPING TO THE COOLING HEADS BEING CONNECTEO TO THE COUPLINGS 9.

AFTER A SUITABLE TIME HAS ELAPSED THE HEADS WOULD BE OPENED TO ALLOW THE REMOVAL OF THE TOOL IN READYNESS FOR THE NEXT OPERATION OR CYCLE. FIG 3 SHOWS THE MACHINED LIGUID CHANELS THAT LAY BENEATH THE SEALED WEAR PLATE 6 THE IMPORTANCE BEING THE SURFACE AREA THESE CHANELS PROVIDE FOR THE HEAT TRANSFER ACTION.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Apparatus suitable for cooling a moulding tool and comprising a pair of cooling heads and a body, the body having means for guiding the cooling heads for relative movement towards and away from each other.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein each cooling head has one or more coolant passageways.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein each cooling head comprises a face plate and a heat transfer body and wherein the coolant passages are formed in the transfer body.

4. In combination, apparatus as defined in any preceding claim and a set of moulding tools defining a mould cavity, wherein the set of moulding tools is interposed between the cooling heads.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 1 substantially as hereindescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawings.