JP2002036310A - Method for molding member for microrelay and valve gate device used for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a valve gate type mold device, in which an interval between gates can be made small. SOLUTION: Two paths 28 of material respectively communicated with two gates 22 are formed in the body 24 of one valve and also two pieces of valve pins 41 respectively opening and closing both gates 22 are incorporated. Thereby, the interval between two gates 22 can be made small without receiving a restriction by the outside diameter of the body 24 of the valve. In the body 24 of the valve, the inlet part 27 of material is made to one and two paths 28 of material are branched from the inlet part 27 of material. Thereby, the outside diameter itself of the body 24 of the valve can be made small. The inlet part 27 of material is formed between the body 24 of the valve and an insert 31 detachable for the body 24 of the valve so that cleaning of two paths 28 of material can be easily performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for forming a member for a microrelay and a valve gate device for use in the method.

[0002]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A member for a micro relay, for example, a cover, a base,
In recent years, liquid crystal polymers (LCP) such as liquid crystalline aromatic polyester resin have been used as a material for a coil spool or an insulating table for integrally molding a movable iron piece and a movable contact piece. LCP has excellent heat resistance, solder resistance, flame retardancy, mechanical properties, chemical resistance and dimensional stability, but has a high molding temperature of about 400 ° C, a narrow temperature range, and a rapid solidification. Poor liquidity,
There is a problem that molding is difficult. It is also expensive.

Conventionally, a cold runner type mold apparatus such as a so-called three-piece mold has been used for molding this kind of microrelay member. The cold runner type mold device solidifies the molding material in the material passage such as sprue and runner to the product cavity at each molding cycle, and solidifies the product molded in the product cavity and the material passage. The molding material thus obtained is taken out of the mold apparatus. However, in the cold runner type mold apparatus, there is a problem that the molding material solidified in the material passage is wasted. In addition, when molding a small microrelay member, the molding material solidified in the material passage may be several tens times as large as the product.

[0004] Therefore, it is conceivable to use a hot runner type mold apparatus for molding a micro relay member.
The hot runner type mold device improves the molding efficiency and heats the thermoplastic molding material in the material passage throughout the molding cycle to keep it constantly molten so that the molding material in the material passage is not wasted. To keep. In this type of hot runner type mold apparatus, it is necessary to open and close the gate from the material passage to the product cavity by some means so that the molding material does not leak particularly when the mold is opened. As a means for opening and closing the gate, there is a valve gate system in which the gate is mechanically opened and closed by a valve pin as a valve body.

[0005] In a valve gate device for mechanically opening and closing a gate, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-243314, for example, a valve pin is provided in a valve body having a material passage inside and a heater provided on the outer peripheral side. Built-in. In a conventional valve gate device, one valve body is provided with one material passage and one valve pin corresponding to one gate.

Therefore, in a conventional valve gate device,
There is a limit to reducing the interval between a plurality of gates in a multi-cavity mold apparatus or the like. In other words, there is a limit to reducing the outer diameter of the cylindrical valve body including the heater and the like provided on the outer peripheral side, but the interval between gates is limited by the interval at which a plurality of valve bodies can be arranged. As a result, it cannot be reduced below a certain limit. Therefore, especially in the case of molding a small product such as a member for a micro relay, in terms of the arrangement of the product cavities, the arrangement of the product cavities is restricted by the distance between the gates, even though more product cavities can be arranged. As a result, there was a problem that the number of items could not be increased. This is disadvantageous in terms of improving productivity.

In the formation of a micro relay member,
Insert molding of a punched product may be performed, but even if the spacing between product parts can be reduced in the punched product, the spacing between product cavities in the mold device for forming microrelay members can be reduced. If the size cannot be reduced, the interval between each product portion cannot be reduced in practice even in a stamped product.

An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to improve productivity in molding a microrelay member.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a member for a microrelay, wherein a molding material in a material passage is always kept in a molten state, and a product cavity is formed from the material passage. Using a hot runner type molding die device that opens and closes the gate to the valve gate device by a valve gate device, the molding material flows from a material passage of a manifold to a material inlet portion of one valve body of the valve gate device, and the molding material Is branched into a plurality of material passages in the valve body, and the product passages are filled into separate product cavities through gates opened respectively from the material passages.

By keeping the molding material in the material passage in a molten state at all times, waste of the molding material is eliminated. Further, the molding material in the material passage is prevented from leaking from the gate by closing the gate by the valve device particularly when the mold is opened. Further, in the valve body of one valve gate device, the molding material flowing from one material inlet portion is branched into a plurality of material passages, and each of these material passages is filled into a separate product cavity through a gate. In addition, the distance between the product cavities can be reduced, and the entire valve gate device can be downsized.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a valve gate device used in the method of forming a microrelay member according to the first aspect, wherein one material inlet is formed in one valve body, and the material inlet is formed. And a plurality of material passages that respectively communicate with the plurality of gates are formed, and a plurality of valve bodies that respectively open and close the plurality of gates are incorporated.

As a result, the distance between the product cavities can be reduced, and the entire valve gate device can be reduced in size.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the valve gate device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the material inlet portion is inclined with respect to a moving direction of the valve body, and the material inlet portion is connected to a valve body. It is formed between a nest that is detachable from the valve body.

Therefore, by removing the insert from the valve main body, it is possible to easily clean the inclined material inlet portion and the material passage in the valve main body.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a method for forming a microrelay member of the present invention and a valve gate device used in the method will be described below with reference to the drawings.
First, the configuration of a valve gate type mold apparatus which is a molding apparatus incorporating the valve gate apparatus will be described. Reference numeral 1 denotes a fixed mold, 2 denotes a movable mold, and the fixed mold 1 and the movable mold 2 which are molds move in the vertical direction (mold opening / closing direction) in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 to open and close, When the mold is closed, a plurality of, for example, eight product cavities 3 each having the shape of a micro relay cover A as a product are formed therebetween. The fixed mold 1 includes a fixed mold plate 6 and a fixed mounting plate 9 fixed to the back surface of the fixed mold plate 6, that is, a surface opposite to the movable mold 2 via a spacer block 8. A manifold 11 is provided between the fixed-side mounting plate 9 and the fixed-side mold plate 6. This manifold
A spacer 12 is interposed between the fixed plate 11 and the fixed-side mounting plate 9 and the fixed-side mold plate 6.

The fixed-side mounting plate 9 has a through-hole 13 penetrating in the mold opening and closing direction.
14 is fixed. One sprue 15 is formed on the back side of the manifold 11 facing the through hole 13 as a material passage. The sprue 15 is connected to a nozzle 16 of an injection molding machine. The manifold
A runner 17, which is a material passage branched from one sprue 15, is formed in 11, and a heater 18 for heating the runner 17 is provided. Thereby, the thermoplastic molding material, for example, LCP, in the sprue 15 and the runner 17 is always kept in a molten state.

The fixed mold plate 6 has a plurality of mounting holes 21 formed therein. The fixed mold plate 6 is located at the tip of the mounting hole 21 on the movable mold 2 side. 3, two gates 22 are formed, each having an opening. The interval between the pair of gates 22 is, for example, about 7.6 mm. A valve gate device for opening and closing the gate 22 is provided in each of the mounting holes 21.
One of 23 valve bodies 24 is incorporated.
The valve body 24 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape whose axial direction is the mold opening / closing direction, and has a flange portion 25 at one end, and the flange portion 25 is connected to the manifold 11 and the fixed-side mold plate 6. It is sandwiched between and fixed. At the same time, a part of the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion of the valve body 24 on the gate 22 side is fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 21 for alignment. On the gate 22 side of the fitting portion, two tapered portions 26 are formed side by side at the tip of the valve main body 24.

In the valve body 24, one material inlet 27 is formed on the flange 25 side, and two material passages 28 branched from the material inlet 27 are formed. I have. The material inlet 27 is inclined and bent with respect to the axial direction of the valve main body 24 parallel to the mold opening / closing direction, but both material passages 28 are parallel to the axial direction of the valve main body 24. The flange portion 25 of the valve body 24 is formed with a truncated conical fitting hole 29 that becomes thinner toward the tip of the valve body 24 on the gate 22 side, and the end of the fitting hole 29 on the manifold 11 side. The countersink part
30 are formed. An insert 31 also serving as a valve pin guide is detachably fitted in the fitting hole 29. The insert 31 has a truncated conical shape so as to taper into the fitting hole 29, and has a flange portion 32 that fits into the counterbore portion 30 of the fitting hole 29. For positioning in the circumferential direction, a positioning pin 35 is fitted over a positioning hole 33 formed in the flange 25 of the valve body 24 and a positioning hole 34 formed in the flange 32 of the insert 31. Have been. Further, a plurality of screw holes are formed in the flange portion 32 of the insert 31.
36 are formed. Then, the insert 31 is attached to the valve body 24.
Is fixed to the valve main body 24 by being pressed by the manifold 11 and fixed to the valve body 24 by disassembling the fixed-side mold plate 6 and the manifold 11 which are fixed to each other by bolts or the like. Valve body
It can be attached to and detached from 24. The inclined material inlet 27 has a bent portion 27a formed between the valve body 24 and the insert 31. That is, nesting 31
This is used to form a bent portion 27a in the material inlet 27. Further, the material inlet portion 27 is bifurcated in the distal end portion of the nest 31 on the gate 22 side, and communicates with both the material passages 28 of the valve body 24.

The end of the insert 31 on the flange 32 side of the material inlet 27 is connected to the runner 17 of the manifold 11.
Is communicated with the final branching portion 17a. On the other hand, both material passages 28
The tip of the gate 22 side is a valve pin support hole 37 having a smaller diameter than the other part of the material passage 22, and is opened at the tip surfaces of the tapered portions 26, respectively, and is coaxial with the pair of gates 22. And communicate with each other. Further, a plurality of concave grooves 38 extending in the mold opening and closing direction are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the valve pin support hole 37. These concave grooves 38 extend to positions near the tip of the valve pin support hole 37 on the gate 22 side.

Further, in each of the valve bodies 24, a valve pin 41 as two valve bodies for opening and closing the two gates 22 corresponding to the valve bodies 24 respectively is incorporated. These valve pins 41 have the mold opening / closing direction as the axial direction and move in this direction. The two valve pins 41 penetrate through the central portions of the two material passages 28 of the valve body 24, and are always slidably fitted in the two valve pin support holes 37, respectively. However, these gates are removably fitted to the gates 22 to close them. Also,
The opposite sides of the two valve pins 41 slidably penetrate a pair of through holes 42 formed through the insert 31, respectively, and further penetrate through a through hole 43 formed in the manifold 11. , Is connected to a hydraulic cylinder 44 which is a valve drive source provided on the fixed side mounting plate 9. Then, two valve pins 41 corresponding to one valve gate device 23 are provided.
Are connected to one common hydraulic cylinder 44.

Further, both the material passage 28 and the material inlet 27 are provided on the outer peripheral surfaces of the valve body 24 and the flange 25 thereof.
Band heaters 46 and 47 for heating
Almost cylindrical heater cover 48, 4 that covers 6, 47 from outside
9 are fitted respectively.

As is clear from the above description, a total of 8
Of the gates 22 to the individual product cavities 3, a valve gate device 23 including a pair of material passages 28 and valve pins 41 is commonly used for each pair of gates 22. There are four.

Reference numeral 51 denotes a movable mold plate of the movable mold 2.
Although not shown, the movable mold 2 is provided with a protruding mechanism for releasing the molded product from the mold.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. In molding, first, the fixed mold 1 and the movable mold 2 are closed, a product cavity 3 is formed between the fixed mold 1 and the movable mold 2, and the valve pin 41 is moved from the movable mold 2 by driving the hydraulic cylinder 44. The gate 22 is opened by moving it away. Note that, even when the gate 22 is open, the valve pin 41 remains fitted in the valve pin support hole 37 of the valve body 24. Then, LCP which is a thermoplastic molding material is supplied from the nozzle 16 of the injection molding machine to the sprue 15.
Inject The molding material is branched into four parts through the runner 17 of the manifold 11 and then flows into the material inlets 27 of the respective valve bodies 24. From the material inlets 27, the material passages 28
Branches to 2. Further, the molding material is filled into each product cavity 3 from the gate 22 through the concave groove 38 around the valve pin support hole 37 in the valve body 24. Thereafter, after the pressure is maintained, the valve pin 41 moves toward the movable mold 2 by driving the hydraulic cylinder 44, and the valve pins 41 are fitted to the gates 22 and closed. Then, after the molding material in the cavity 3, that is, the micro relay cover A, which is a product, is sufficiently cooled and solidified, the fixed mold 1 and the movable mold 2 are opened, and the molded micro relay cover A is taken out. When the mold is opened, the valve pin 41 closes the gate 24, thereby preventing the molding material in the material passage 28 from leaking from the gate 24. Thereafter, the mold is closed again, the above steps are repeated, and the molding is repeated. During that time, the molding material in the runner 17 of the manifold 11 and the material passage 28 of the valve body 24
The molten state is always maintained by the heating of 6, 47.

According to the configuration of the above embodiment, a hot runner type mold is used in molding the micro relay cover A by LCP, so that molding efficiency can be improved and waste of molding material can be reduced.

A valve gate device 23 is used in common with the two gates 22, and one material of the valve body 24 is formed with two material passages 28 communicating with the two gates 22, respectively. Since the two valve pins 41 that open and close are incorporated, the distance between the gates 22 can be reduced without being restricted by the outer diameter of the valve body 24. Since the distance between the gates 22 can be reduced in this way, the restriction on the arrangement of the product cavities 3 due to the distance between the gates 22 can be reduced, and the distance between the product cavities 3 can be reduced. In the molding of A, the number of pieces can be increased, and the productivity is improved. Further, in the case where the stamped product is insert-molded, the interval between the product parts in the stamped product can be prevented from being restricted by the interval between the gates 22 at the time of molding.

In one valve body 24, the number of the material passages 28 is two, whereas the number of the material inlets 27 is one, and the two material passages 28 are branched from the one material inlet 27. Therefore, the entire valve gate device 23 can be reduced in size as compared with the case where the number of the material inlet portions 27 is two. More specifically, the material inlet portion 27 must be inclined with respect to the moving direction of the valve pin 41 because of the presence of the valve pin 41 that moves linearly. If one is provided, the valve body 24
In particular, the outer diameter must be large. On the contrary,
If the material inlet portion 27 is formed as one, the outer diameter of the valve gate device 23 can be reduced, and the size of the manifold 11 can be reduced. As a result, one valve gate device 23
In addition to the distance between the two gates 22 corresponding to the above, the distance between the gates 22 corresponding to the respective valve gate devices 23 can be reduced.

Further, by disassembling the valve gate device 23, the material passage 28 can be cleaned. Material passage 28
First, the fixed side template 7 and the manifold
Disassemble 11 Then, a jig is attached to the insert 31 of the valve gate device 23 using the screw hole 36, and the insert 31 is removed from the valve body 24. Since the bent portion 27 a of the material inlet 27 is formed between the valve body 24 and the insert 31,
If the material inlet 31 is removed, the material inlet 27 is largely opened, and one end surface of the material passage 28 is also fully opened, so that the material passage 28 including the material inlet 27 can be easily cleaned. . In the present embodiment, LCP is used as a molding material. However, when LCP is used in this way, the LCP has poor fluidity and a solidified layer of the molding material is easily formed on the inner surface of the material passage 28. The advantage of easy to clean 28 is great.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example,
Although the die apparatus of the above-described embodiment has eight cavities, the number of cavities is not limited to eight and can be set as appropriate. Further, in the above-described embodiment, two gates correspond to one valve gate device, but three or more gates may correspond to one valve gate device. In this case, one valve gate device may be provided with the material passages and the valve pins by the number of gates corresponding to the valve gate device.

[0030]

According to the method of forming a microrelay member of the first aspect of the present invention, since the molding material in the material passage is always kept in a molten state, waste of the molding material can be reduced.
A valve gate device is used to open and close the gate, but a molding material flows from a material passage of the manifold into a material inlet portion of one of the valve bodies, and this molding material is branched into a plurality of material passages within the valve body. In addition, since separate product cavities are filled through gates opened from the material passages, the distance between the product cavities can be reduced, and the entire valve gate device can be downsized. It is also possible to improve productivity.

According to the valve gate device of the second aspect of the present invention, one material inlet is formed in one valve body,
Since a plurality of material passages branching from the material inlet and communicating with the plurality of gates are formed, and a plurality of valve bodies for opening and closing the plurality of gates are incorporated, the distance between product cavities can be reduced. At the same time, the whole valve gate device can be reduced in size, so that the number of valves can be increased, and the productivity can be improved.

According to the valve gate device of the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the second aspect of the present invention, the material inlet portion is inclined with respect to the moving direction of the valve body. Since the portion is formed between the valve body and the nest that is detachable from the valve body, the material inlet and the material passage of the valve body can be easily cleaned.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the vicinity of a valve gate device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the valve gate device, which is different from FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the vicinity of the valve gate device.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the vicinity of the fixed type according to the first embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Product cavity 11 Manifold 15 Sprue (Material passage) 17 Runner (Material passage) 22 Gate 23 Valve gate device 24 Valve body 27 Material inlet 28 Material passage 31 Insert 41 Valve pin (Valve body)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Fujio Murayama 3-1-1 Koganemachi, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture Inside of Niigata Works, Mitsubishi Materials Corporation (72) Inventor Bunzai Tainaka Hanazono Dodo, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto No. 10 in Omron Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazuo Toda 10 in Hanazono Todocho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto Prefecture F-term (reference) 4F202 CA11 CB01 CK03 CK07 5G023 AA12 CA08

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A hot runner type molding apparatus which always keeps a molding material in a material passage in a molten state, and opens and closes a gate from a material passage to a product cavity by a valve gate device. A molding material flows into a material inlet portion of one of the valve bodies of the valve gate device, and the molding material is branched into a plurality of material passages in the valve body, and is separated from the material passages through gates respectively opened. A method for molding a member for a microrelay, characterized in that the product cavity is filled. 2. A valve gate device used in the method for forming a micro relay member according to claim 1, wherein one material inlet is formed in one valve body, and a plurality of materials are branched from the material inlet. A valve gate device for forming a microrelay member, wherein a plurality of material passages respectively communicating with a certain gate are formed, and a plurality of valve bodies respectively opening and closing the plurality of gates are incorporated. 3. The material inlet portion is inclined with respect to the moving direction of the valve body, and the material inlet portion is formed between a valve body and a nest that is detachable from the valve body. The valve gate device for molding a member for a micro relay according to claim 2, wherein