JP2013220585A - Compression molding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To distribute a molten material M over a lower mold 13 to be in a preferable state on molding in a compression molding apparatus 11 and a compression molding method from which a material M is supplied to an open lower mold 13 by a material supply device 15, and then the lower mold 13 and the upper mold 12 are closed and the material M is compressed.SOLUTION: A compression molding apparatus which supplies a material M to an open lower mold 13 from a material supply device 15, and then closes the lower mold 13 and the upper mold 12 and compresses the molten material M includes heating means 15 of placing the material M into a molten state and lower mold tilting means 61 of tilting the lower mold 13 before or after the material M in the molten state is placed.

Description

The present invention relates to a compression molding apparatus and a compression molding method for supplying a material to a lower mold that has been opened by a material supply apparatus, and then closing the lower mold and the upper mold to compress the molten material. .

As a method for compressing and molding a molten material such as a resin in a mold, an injection compression molding method is known in which a molten material is injected from an injection device into a closed cavity and further compressed. However, the injection compression molding method has a problem that high pressure is applied to the molten material at the time of injection and the fiber material may be damaged, and there is a problem that filling may be difficult at the time of injection when the flowability of the molten material is poor. There is also known a compression molding method in which the molten material is supplied to the cavity surface of the lower mold while the mold is opened, and then the upper mold and the lower mold are closed to perform compression. In the case of the latter compression molding method, compression molding, which is also called transfer molding, in which a molten material that is relatively hard and retains the original mold from the pot is supplied into the mold, and the molten material in a fluid state from the injection device or the extrusion device is placed in the mold. There is compression molding, also called stamping molding.

What is described in patent document 1 as what performs such stamping shaping | molding is known. In Patent Document 1, since the lower mold is carried out of the press apparatus (compression molding apparatus) and the molten material is supplied, the advantage that the mold opening interval of the press apparatus can be reduced and the material supply apparatus (screw type) There is an advantage that there is no restriction on the size and shape of the injection device) and its nozzle.

Patent Document 1 describes that the temperature of the supplied molten material is not lowered by heating the lower mold with a heating coil. Further, in Patent Document 1, since the lower mold is movable in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, the molten material can be moved from the molten material supply apparatus to an arbitrary position on the lower mold without moving the material supply apparatus side. Can be supplied.

JP-A-60-132743 (Claim 1, Figure)

However, in Patent Document 1, in some cases, the molten material cannot be supplied in an optimal state. That is, if there is an inclined surface or curved surface on the cavity surface of the lower mold, it may be difficult to supply the molten material uniformly, or the resin supplied to the inclined surface or curved surface of the lower mold may flow and be different from the supply distribution at the time of supply There was a problem that there was. When the cavity surface to be supplied is a steeply inclined surface, if the molten material is supplied while horizontally moving the supply device at the same speed, the amount (thickness) of the molten material supplied per area is small on the steeply inclined surface. There was a problem of becoming.

Further, depending on the shape of the cavity surface and the nozzle supply hole, the material supply device may not be able to supply the molten material to the end of the cavity surface. In that case, the molten material supplied closer to the center of the cavity surface is pressed with a press device to flow to the end, and molding is performed, but the end side is thinner, or the molded product is made of a uniform material. There was a problem that it might not be.

Furthermore, when the thickness of the molded product is different between one and the other, if the molten material is supplied from the nozzle with a uniform thickness, the plate thickness of the thick portion cannot be obtained, or the plate of the thin portion is not obtained. There was a problem that the desired thickness could not be obtained. These problems are not only caused when the molten material is supplied to the lower mold by the material supply device which is also a material heating means, but a solid, semi-molten plate (usually a uniform plate thickness) is supplied to the lower mold, The same can be said for what melts the plate-like body on the lower mold, and the thick part and the thin part may not be molded well.

In particular, in molding a mixed material of carbon fiber and resin, it is often preferable to use a low-viscosity resin in order to impregnate the carbon fiber with a molten resin. And even if the resin containing carbon fiber is different depending on the ratio of carbon fiber in the resin, in the case of a material with a low ratio of carbon fiber in the resin, if the material is supplied in a molten state to the inclined surface, the entire material in the molten state May occur. In addition, in the case of a mixed material with a resin having a high carbon fiber ratio and a low viscosity, if the material is supplied in a molten state to an inclined surface, the molten resin portion can flow more than the fiber portion. There is sex. In that case, the ratio of the resin and the carbon fiber is different depending on the part, which affects the molded product.

Therefore, the compression molding apparatus and the compression molding method of the present invention supply the material to the lower mold that has been opened by the material supply apparatus, and then close the lower mold and the upper mold to compress the molten material. An object of the present invention is to provide a compression molding apparatus and a compression molding method capable of distributing a molten material on a lower mold so as to be in a good state during molding.

The compression molding apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is a compression molding apparatus that supplies a material to a lower mold that has been opened by a material supply apparatus, and then compresses the material by closing the lower mold and the upper mold. In the device
Material heating means for bringing the material into a molten state, and lower mold inclining means for inclining the lower mold before or after placing the material in the molten state are provided.

A compression molding apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is the compression molding apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the lower mold tilting means can tilt the lower mold in any direction.

In the compression molding method according to claim 3 of the present invention, the material is supplied to the lower mold that has been opened by the material supply device, and then the lower mold and the upper mold are closed to compress the molten material. In the molding apparatus, there are provided material heating means for bringing the material into a molten state, and lower mold inclination means for inclining the lower mold before or after placing the material in the molten state. And the molten material on the lower mold is caused to flow.

The compression molding method according to claim 4 of the present invention is characterized in that, in claim 3, the material supplied by the material supply device is a mixed material of carbon fiber and resin.

The compression molding method and the compression molding apparatus according to the present invention are a compression molding apparatus that supplies a material to a lower mold that has been opened by a material supply apparatus, and then closes the lower mold and the upper mold to compress the material. The material heating means for bringing the material into a molten state and the lower mold inclination means for inclining the lower mold before or after placing the material in the molten state are provided so that a good state can be obtained during molding. The molten material can be distributed on the lower mold.

It is a top view of the compression molding apparatus of this embodiment. It is the figure seen from the arrow A direction in a top view. It is an expanded sectional view of an arrow BB line in a top view. In the cross-sectional view, it is a view when the lower mold is tilted by the lower mold tilting means.

The compression molding apparatus 11 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The compression molding apparatus 11 of the present embodiment includes a press apparatus 14 that compresses a molten material M in which a resin containing carbon fiber is melted between an upper mold 12 and a lower mold 13, and a material supply apparatus 15 for the molten material M. Is provided. A moving device 17 for the lower mold 13 is provided between a supply position a <b> 1 by the press device 14 and the material supply device 15.

The press device 14 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, four tie bars 19 are erected in the vicinity of the four corners of a fixed plate 18 as a lower plate, and the upper portion of the tie bar 19 is an upper plate. Are fixed in the vicinity of the four corners of the pressure receiving plate 20. Further, a movable platen 21 is inserted between the fixed platen 18 and the pressure receiving plate 20 through the tie bar 19 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The pressure receiving plate 20 is provided with a compression cylinder 22 as a pressurizing mechanism, and a half nut 25 is attached to the ram of the compression cylinder 22 so that it can be engaged with a mechanical ram 23 fixed to the back surface of the movable platen 21. It has become. A mold opening / closing cylinder 24 that is a mold opening / closing mechanism is provided between the pressure receiving plate 20 and the movable platen 21. Note that the compression cylinder 22 may be provided at each tie bar 19 to perform parallel control. Further, the compression cylinder 22 and the mold opening / closing cylinder 24 may use an electric mechanism, for example, a press device that performs compression molding by a toggle mechanism.

An upper die 12 can be attached to the lower surface of the movable platen 21 of the press device 14. In addition, the lower mold 13 can be fixed at a pressure position a2 on the upper surface of the fixed platen 18. The lower die 13 of the press device 14 is attached to a lower die attachment plate 16 inserted into the bolster 26, and includes a press position a 2 inside the press device 14 and a supply position outside the press device 14. Between a1, it can move to the X direction which is the one side and other side direction in FIG. A moving device 17 of the lower mold 13 is connected and fixed to one side (left side in FIG. 1) of the fixed platen 18. The upper surface of the moving device 17 of the lower mold 13 has the same height as the upper surface of the fixed platen 18, and two guide rails 27 for moving the lower mold 13 are provided over both upper surfaces. . The bolster 26 is moved along the guide rail 27.

As shown in FIG. 3 and the like, the lower die mounting plate 16 is fitted in the center of the bolster 26. Specifically, in the center of the bolster 26, a rectangular through hole 26a for inserting the lower mold attachment plate 16 is formed in the vertical direction, and a step 26b is provided in the middle in the vertical direction. The size of the through hole 26a (the cross-sectional area in the horizontal direction) is larger from the upper side than 26b compared to the lower side. On the other hand, the lower die mounting plate 16 is sized to be inserted into the through hole 26a, and a step 16a is provided in the middle in the vertical direction, and the size (horizontal) of the lower die mounting plate 16 below the step 16a. (Cross-sectional area in the direction) is smaller than the upper part. Accordingly, the step 26 b of the bolster 26 and the step 16 a of the lower mold mounting plate 16 come into contact with each other, and the lower mold mounting plate 16 is placed in the bolster 26. Further, the lower surface 16 b of the lower mold mounting plate 16 is opened downward when moved by the moving device 17, and can come into contact with the fixed plate 18 in the press device 14. On the lower surface 16b of the lower mold mounting plate 16, a concave engaging portion 16c for fitting with a lower mold tilting means 61 described later is formed.

The drive source of the moving device 17 of the lower mold 13 is a servo motor 28, and the servo motor 28 is fixed to the side surface of the moving device 17 on the supply position a1 side. A ball screw 29 is provided in parallel with the guide rail 27. One of the ball screws 29 is rotatably fixed to the upper surface of the moving device 17 via a bearing, and the other is rotatable to the upper surface of the stationary platen 18 via a belling. It is fixed to. A driven pulley 30 is fixed in the vicinity of the end of the ball screw 29 further to the one side than the bearing, and a driving belt 31 for driving force transmission is stretched between the driving pulley 31 of the servo motor 28. Further, a ball screw nut 33 is fixed to the side surface of the bolster 26, and the ball screw 29 is inserted into the ball screw nut 33. When the servo motor 28 is driven, the ball screw 29 is rotated so that the ball screw nut 33, the bolster 26, the lower die mounting plate 16, and the lower die 13 are linearly moved in the X direction on one side and the other side. It has become.

The molds 13 and 14 used by being attached to the press device 14 will be described. The lower mold 13 is preferably a concave mold (cavity mold) so that the supplied molten material M is not spilled, and the upper mold 12 is a convex mold. (Core type) is desirable. Moreover, since the lower mold | type 13 moves after supplying the molten material M, it is desirable to have a material heating mechanism so that solidification of the molten material M does not advance in the meantime. As the material heating mechanism, a heater or a mechanism capable of switching the medium supplied into the mold between the heating medium and the cooling medium is used. In addition, a heat source such as infrared irradiation or a heater may be provided so that solidification of the molten material M supplied above the moving device 17 of the lower mold 13 does not proceed. When the lower mold 13 is provided with a material heating mechanism, it is desirable that the upper mold 12 is also provided with a material heating mechanism from the problem of warping of the molded product. A protruding device (not shown) is provided on either the upper or lower mold. In this embodiment, an example in which one cavity surface 34 is formed on one lower mold 13 has been described. However, the number of the upper mold 12, the lower mold 13, the cavity surface 34, and the like may be plural. Not.

In the present embodiment, the lower mold 13 before or after the molten material M is placed can be tilted to an angle with respect to the horizontal plane of the cavity surface 34 by the lower mold tilting means 61 at the supply position a1. It has become. A holding plate 62 that can directly contact the lower die mounting plate 16 is provided on the upper portion of the lower die tilting means 61. The holding plate 62 has a flat plate shape, and an engagement protrusion 62a that can be engaged with the engagement portion 16c of the lower mold attachment plate 16 is provided on the upper surface. On the lower surface 62b side of the holding plate 62, lifting cylinders 63 are attached at three locations. In the present embodiment, the elevating cylinder 63 is controlled by hydraulic pressure, and a control system that can control the extension of each rod with high accuracy even at an intermediate position is employed. The position where the lifting / lowering cylinder 63 is provided is arranged such that the lifting / lowering cylinder 63 is positioned at each vertex of the equilateral triangle in plan view. A spherical bearing 64 is provided on the lower surface 62 a of the holding plate 62, and the spherical portion of the spherical bearing 64 is fixed to the rod 63 a of the lifting cylinder 63. Similarly, a spherical bearing 66 is provided between the cylinder portion 63 b of the elevating cylinder 63 and the base plate 65. Accordingly, the holding plate 62 of the lower mold inclining means 61 can be lifted and lowered while maintaining the equilibrium state by extending or retracting the rods 63a of the three lifting cylinders 63 in the same way, and the rods of the three lifting cylinders 63. By making 63a different and extending or retracting, the inclination angle of the holding plate 62 can be freely changed.

The structure of the lower mold inclining means 61 is not limited to the above, and various structures can be employed. The member provided between the elevating cylinder 63 and the holding plate 62 may be another member or means as long as it functions equivalently to the spherical bearing 64. For example, instead of the spherical bearing 63, a combination of a bearing that rotates about a rotation axis and a slider that linearly moves each of the bearing portions may be used. In that case, the angle between the rod and the holding plate is changed according to the expansion and contraction of each rod, and the position where the rod tip abuts against the back surface of the holding plate is changed. Further, the number of lifting cylinders 63 may be four or more. If there is a space for tilting the holding plate 62, the lower mold mounting plate 16, and the lower mold 13, there is one point with the two lifting cylinders 63. It may be combined with a fulcrum whose angle can be freely changed. Further, the actuator of the lower mold tilting means 61 may be pneumatic in the case of a cylinder. Furthermore, the actuator is not limited to the cylinder, and the holding plate 62 may be raised and lowered and the inclination angle changed by a combination of a servo motor and a ball screw. Furthermore, the inclination direction of the lower mold 13 by the lower mold inclining means 61 may be only inclined about one axis.

Further, in this embodiment, the lower mold 13 is changed in inclination angle only at the supply position a1, but the lower mold 13 whose angle is changed by attaching a moving means that can move the entire lower mold inclination means 61 in the X direction. It is possible to move in the X direction or change the tilt angle at another position, and the molten material M can be supplied while moving the lower mold 13. Alternatively, the lower mold 13 is moved to the position immediately before the press apparatus 14 or to the inside of the press apparatus 14 while moving the lower mold 13 with the tilt angle changed by the servo motor 28 of the moving apparatus 17 of the lower mold 13. It is also possible to do. In that case, it is desirable to mount the lower mold tilting means 61 between the bolster 26 that can move only in the X direction and the lower mold mounting plate 16. Alternatively, a ball screw nut that can move in the X direction via a mechanism that can be slid in the vertical direction and that can be changed in the vertical direction and a mechanism that is slidable in the horizontal direction and that can be changed in angle with respect to the lower mold mounting plate 16 that can change the inclination angle. May be connected. Further, the lower mold 13 may be movable in a direction orthogonal to the X direction. Furthermore, the lower mold tilting means 61 may be provided in the press device 14. In that case, the material supply device 15 enters the press device 14 and places the material on the lower mold 13.

In the present embodiment, vibrators 67 are attached to both sides of the lower mold 13. The vibrator 67 is not an essential element for the present invention, but is intended to promote the flow of the molten material M supplied to the lower mold 13. The type, number, and frequency of the vibrator 67 are not limited, and the attachment position may be provided on the lower die attachment plate 16 or the like.

Next, the material supply device 15 will be described with reference to FIGS. The material supply device 15, which is also a material heating means, can be moved by the moving device 35 in a direction intersecting the moving device 17 and the moving direction of the lower mold 13 on a substantially horizontal plane. In the present embodiment, the material supply device 15 is moved in the Y direction orthogonal to the X direction, which is the moving direction of the lower mold 13. However, the moving direction of the material supply device is not limited.

As shown in FIG. 1, the moving device 35 of the material supply device 15 is provided with two guide rails 36 on the base or floor surface, and the base 37 of the material supply device 15 can move on the guide rail 36. It has become. A ball screw 38 is rotatably disposed on the base or floor surface, and a ball screw nut 50 fixed to the base 37 is inserted through the ball screw 38. A driven pulley 39 is fixed near the end of the ball screw 38, and a timing belt 42 is stretched between the servo pulley 40 and the driving pulley 41. Therefore, by driving the servo motor 40, the base 37 of the material supply device 15 and a ball screw nut (not shown) are linearly moved. The moving device 35 may be attached between the base 37 and the side surface of the moving device 17, and the structure is not limited.

Mounted on the base 37 of the material supply device 15 is a device having a plastic function and an injection function having substantially the same functions as the injection device of the injection molding machine. A heating cylinder 44 to which a heater as a material heating means is attached is inserted into a front plate 43 that is fixedly erected on the base 37. The front plate 43 is provided with a supply port 45 for the molding material in the vertical direction, and the lower part of the supply port 45 communicates with the inside of the heating cylinder through the hole of the heating cylinder 44. A molding material feed device 46 having a feed screw is connected above the supply port 45. A nozzle 47 to which a heater is attached is attached to the tip of the heating cylinder 44. A die 49 with a supply hole 48 directed downward is attached to the tip of the nozzle 47 of this embodiment. The supply hole 48 of the die 49 has a predetermined width and length. The portion of the die 49 attached to the tip of the nozzle 47 can be replaced with an optimum one according to the shape and area of the cavity surface 34 of the lower mold 13. Also, the die 49 is exchanged for a different die 49 depending on the molding material due to problems such as fluidity of the molten material M and breakage of carbon fibers contained in the molten material M. A valve (not shown) for opening and closing the flow path is often provided in the die 49 at the tip of the nozzle 47 or the portion of the nozzle 47 in front of it.

A rear plate 51 is provided behind the front plate 43 at a predetermined distance in parallel with the front plate. Servo motors 52 for injection are provided on both sides of the heating cylinder 44 on the front side of the front plate 51, and ball screw nuts 53 are provided on both sides of the rear plate 51, respectively. A ball screw 54 directly connected to the drive shaft of the servo motor 52 is inserted through the ball screw nut 53. A general screw (not shown) for injection molding, to which a backflow prevention valve is attached, is disposed inside the heating cylinder 44, and the rear end of the screw shaft is connected to the rear via a sleeve, a coupling, or the like. It is fixed to the drive shaft of a measuring servo motor 55 fixed to the rear surface of the plate 51.

Accordingly, the screw in the heating cylinder is rotated by driving the metering servo motor 55 and is moved forward and backward by driving the injection servo motor 52. The structure of the material supply device 15 is not limited to the one described above, and may have three plates, and one injection servomotor may be used. The drive source for injection or metering may use hydraulic pressure. Furthermore, a material supply device that extrudes the molten material M with a plunger, or an extrusion-type material supply device that extrudes the molten material by only rotating the screw in the heating cylinder may be used as the material supply device.

Next, compression molding using the compression molding apparatus 11 of this embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, an example in which a molten material M in which carbon fiber is blended with a thermoplastic resin (for example, polycarbonate) is used will be described. As the molding material, in the case of a thermoplastic resin, at least one kind of resin such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, ABS, and PEEK is selected in addition to polycarbonate. In the case of a thermosetting resin, it is selected from at least one kind of resin such as epoxy, polyurethane and phenol, and may be a mixed resin of thermoplastic and thermosetting resin. As the molten material, those using fiber materials include carbon fibers, other fibers such as glass fibers, plant fibers, and chemical fibers, and a mixture of carbon and resin. The present invention can also be used for molding only resin materials.

As a molding procedure, first, in a state where the press device 14 is opened, the servo motor 28 is driven to move the bolster 26, the lower die mounting plate 16, and the lower die 13 to the supply position a1 outside the press device 14. The positioning is stopped once. Before the lower mold 13 is moved to the supply position a1, the material supply device 15 rotates the measuring servo motor 40 and applies a back pressure by the injection servo motor 52 to the front of the screw in the heating cylinder 44. Weighing (reserving) the carbon fiber-containing polycarbonate resin, which is the molten material M, is waiting at the supply position a1. In the material supply device 15, the nozzle 47 and the supply hole 48 above the supply position a1 may be stopped during the measurement. The material supply device 15 is retracted at the time of measurement, and moves back and forth with the movement of the lower mold 13 in the Y-axis direction. You may make it move forward along.

Then, the rods 63a of the elevating cylinder 63 of the lower mold inclining means 61 are simultaneously extended to raise the holding plate 62 and come into contact with the lower mold mounting plate 16, and the engaging portion 16c of the lower mold mounting plate 16 and The lower mold mounting plate 16 placed on the bolster 26 can be lifted upward by further raising the engagement protrusion 62a of the holding plate 62 after engaging. Then, by separately sending an instruction to each lifting cylinder 63 to change the extension degree of the rod 63a, the lower mold 13 and its cavity surface 34 can be freely tilted. A resin containing carbon fiber, which is the molten material M, is supplied from the material supply device 15 onto the cavity surface 34 of the lower mold 13. As for the supply of the molten material M, the valve (not shown) of the nozzle 47 of the material supply device 15 is opened, the injection servo motor 52 is driven, the screw is moved forward, and the molten material M falls from the supply hole 48 of the die 49. Is done. When the cavity surface 34 is inclined, the resin material M dropped onto the cavity surface thereby flows slowly toward the lower side of the inclined surface along the gravity. At this time, the flow is promoted by using the vibrator 67.

At this time, it is preferable to supply the molten material M while moving at least one of the material supply device 15, the lower mold attachment plate 16 and the lower mold 13. In the present embodiment, the material supply device 15 can move in the Y direction, and the lower mold 13 can move in the X direction by adding a moving function in the X direction. As described above, it is desirable that the cavity surface 34 of the lower mold 13 is heated when the molten material M is supplied.

Various inclination patterns of the lower mold 13 in the present invention are assumed. As an example, (1) the lower mold 13 is inclined before the molten material M is placed. (2) Before the molten material M is placed on the lower mold 13, the lower mold 13 is tilted after the molten material M starts to be loaded from the material supply device 15 without tilting the lower mold 13. (3) Before and during placement of the molten material M on the lower mold 13, the lower mold 13 is moved after the placement of the molten material M from the material supply device 15 is completed without tilting the lower mold 13. What can be inclined is considered. In each of the above, the inclination angle of the lower mold 13 may be changed once or a plurality of times. The lower die 13 is once returned to the equilibrium state until the lower die 13 is attached to the press device 14 and molding is started.

Regarding the usage method of the lower mold tilting means 61 in relation to the molded product, the following cases can be considered. That is, (a) when the cavity surface 34 of the lower mold 13 has an inclined surface or a curved surface, if the molten material M is supplied in an inclined state, the molten material M such as the inclined surface cannot be supplied at a constant thickness or supplied. May flow and become thin and cannot be placed properly. In such a case, by supplying the molten material M in a state where the inclined surface or the like is horizontal, a difference in the supply amount of the molten material M between the inclined surface or the other part is less likely to occur. (B) When the shape of the cavity surface 34 is complicated or does not match the shape of the supply hole 48 of the nozzle 47, and the molten material M cannot be supplied to each end of the cavity surface 34. The molten material M once supplied to the portion excluding the periphery of the cavity surface 34 is caused to flow to the end of the cavity surface 34 using the inclination of the lower mold 13. (3) When the thickness of the molded product is different between one and the other, if the molten material M is supplied from the nozzle 47 with a uniform thickness, the thickness of the thick portion of the molten material M does not reach the desired thickness. Or the thickness of the melted material M is equal to the thickness of the molded product by inclining the lower mold 13 so that the melted material M flows on the thicker side. Make the thickness almost the same. The inclination angle and the inclination time of the lower mold 13 are appropriately selected depending on the type of the molded product and the resin material M, but as an example, the inclination angle is changed to 0 to 30 degrees, more preferably 0 to 15 degrees. It may be.

As described above, the molten material M is supposed to be supplied in a mixed state with carbon fibers and the like. However, the molten material M is first supplied after the layers such as the carbon fiber and the prepreg are supplied. The mold 13 may be inclined so that the distribution of the molten material M is in an optimum state, and another layer such as carbon fiber or prepreg may be supplied. In that case, the molten resin A that does not include fibers or the like is first supplied, and then the lower mold 13 is inclined, and the molten resin B that is subsequently supplied also includes those that do not include fibers or the like.

Furthermore, the molten material M may be a solid or semi-molten prepreg when supplied to the lower mold 13. In this case, the prepreg and the like are brought into a molten state by an infrared heating device as a material heating means, a heater of the lower die 13 or the like, but the lower die 13 is tilted after the molten state or in the middle of the molten state. The molten material M may be caused to flow by being inclined by 61.

When the screw in the heating cylinder 44 is advanced to a predetermined position, the valve of the nozzle 47 is closed, and the supply of the molten material M to the cavity surface 34 on the lower mold 13 is finished. In this embodiment, the rods 63 a of all the lifting cylinders 63 of the lower mold tilting means 61 are then completely retracted, the holding plate 62 is lowered, and the lower mold mounting plate 16 is placed on the step 26 a of the bolster 26. Is done. The lower mold mounting plate 16 and the bolster 26 are preferably locked. Next, the servo motor 28 of the moving device 17 of the lower die 13 is driven, and the bolster 26, the lower die attaching plate 16, and the lower die 13 are moved to the pressurizing position a2 of the press device 14.

The bolster 26 and the lower die attachment plate 16 are stopped at the pressurization position a2 of the press device 14, and further fixed by positioning pins or the like (not shown). In the present embodiment, the rod 63 a of the lifting cylinder 63 of the lower mold tilting means 61 is retracted to temporarily bring the lower mold 13 into an equilibrium state, and then the bolster 26, the lower mold mounting plate 16, and the lower mold 13 are carried into the press device 14. However, the lower mold 13 may be carried into the press device 14 in an inclined state.

The bolster 26 carried into the press device 14 is fixed to the fixed platen 18 by a clamper (not shown). Then, the mold opening / closing cylinder 24 is actuated to lower the upper mold 12, and the half nut 25 is actuated immediately before the upper mold convex part is fitted into the concave part of the lower mold 13. The engaging groove of the mechanical ram 23 is engaged. Then, the mold clamping cylinder 22 is driven. At this time, the lower mold attachment plate 16 and the fixed platen 18 are brought into close contact with each other, and the applied pressure is transmitted to the fixed platen 18 as described above.

Then, the cavity surface 34 of the concave portion of the lower mold 13 and the convex portion of the cavity surface of the upper mold are fitted, and the molten material M is compressed and shaped in the cavity formed therebetween. In addition, when the lower mold | type 13 and the upper mold | type 12 are initially heated, it switches to cooling from the middle of being compressed, and the cooling solidification of the molten material M is accelerated | stimulated. When a predetermined time elapses, the mold clamping cylinder 22 and the mold opening / closing cylinder 24 of the press device 14 operate in the mold opening direction, and the upper mold 12 rises from the lower mold 13 so that the molded product can be taken out. The upper die 12 is fixedly attached to the pressing device 14 and is generally closed with the lower die 13 in the pressing device 14, but a combination of a lower die and an upper die having a die opening / closing function is available. The upper die 12 may be closed at a position different from the press device 14 with respect to the lower die 13 to which the molten material M is supplied or that can move to the outside of the press device 14. The vibrator 67 may also be operated in the case of compression molding in the press device 14.

The present invention is not enumerated one by one, but is not limited to that of the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that those skilled in the art also apply modifications made in accordance with the spirit of the present invention. is there. The molding material used in the present invention is assumed to be a resin material including carbon fiber, glass fiber, and other fibers, but is not limited thereto. For example, a molding material such as ceramics or water-containing organic material can also be used. . Therefore, in ceramics or the like, the material is not in a molten state but in a fluid state.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Compression molding apparatus 12 Upper mold | type 13 Lower mold | type 14 Press apparatus 15 Material supply apparatus (material heating means)
16 Lower die mounting plate 17 Moving device 18 Fixed platen 21 Movable platen 26 Bolster 34 Cavity surface 47 Nozzle 48 Supply hole 61 Lower die tilting means 63 Lifting cylinders 64, 66 Spherical bearing M Molten material

The present invention relates to a compression molding apparatus that supplies a material to a lower mold that has been opened by a material supply apparatus, and then closes the lower mold and the upper mold to compress the molten material.

As a method for compressing and molding a molten material such as a resin in a mold, an injection compression molding method is known in which a molten material is injected from an injection device into a closed cavity and further compressed. However, the injection compression molding method has a problem that high pressure is applied to the molten material at the time of injection and the fiber material may be damaged, and there is a problem that filling may be difficult at the time of injection when the flowability of the molten material is poor. There is also known a compression molding method in which the molten material is supplied to the cavity surface of the lower mold while the mold is opened, and then the upper mold and the lower mold are closed to perform compression. In the case of the latter compression molding method, compression molding, which is also called transfer molding, in which a molten material that is relatively hard and retains the original mold from the pot is supplied into the mold, and the molten material in a fluid state from the injection device or the extrusion device is placed in the mold. There is compression molding, also called stamping molding.

What is described in patent document 1 as what performs such stamping shaping | molding is known. In Patent Document 1, since the lower mold is carried out of the press apparatus (compression molding apparatus) and the molten material is supplied, the advantage that the mold opening interval of the press apparatus can be reduced and the material supply apparatus (screw type) There is an advantage that there is no restriction on the size and shape of the injection device) and its nozzle.

Patent Document 1 describes that the temperature of the supplied molten material is not lowered by heating the lower mold with a heating coil. Further, in Patent Document 1, since the lower mold is movable in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, the molten material can be moved from the molten material supply apparatus to an arbitrary position on the lower mold without moving the material supply apparatus side. Can be supplied.

JP-A-60-132743 (Claim 1, Figure)

However, in Patent Document 1, in some cases, the molten material cannot be supplied in an optimal state. That is, if there is an inclined surface or curved surface on the cavity surface of the lower mold, it may be difficult to supply the molten material uniformly, or the resin supplied to the inclined surface or curved surface of the lower mold may flow and be different from the supply distribution at the time of supply There was a problem that there was. When the cavity surface to be supplied is a steeply inclined surface, if the molten material is supplied while horizontally moving the supply device at the same speed, the amount (thickness) of the molten material supplied per area is small on the steeply inclined surface. There was a problem of becoming.

Further, depending on the shape of the cavity surface and the nozzle supply hole, the material supply device may not be able to supply the molten material to the end of the cavity surface. In that case, the molten material supplied closer to the center of the cavity surface is pressed with a press device to flow to the end, and molding is performed, but the end side is thinner, or the molded product is made of a uniform material. There was a problem that it might not be.

Furthermore, when the thickness of the molded product is different between one and the other, if the molten material is supplied from the nozzle with a uniform thickness, the plate thickness of the thick portion cannot be obtained, or the plate of the thin portion is not obtained. There was a problem that the desired thickness could not be obtained. These problems are not only caused when the molten material is supplied to the lower mold by the material supply device which is also a material heating means, but a solid, semi-molten plate (usually a uniform plate thickness) is supplied to the lower mold, The same can be said for what melts the plate-like body on the lower mold, and the thick part and the thin part may not be molded well.

In particular, in molding a mixed material of carbon fiber and resin, it is often preferable to use a low-viscosity resin in order to impregnate the carbon fiber with a molten resin. And even if the resin containing carbon fiber is different depending on the ratio of carbon fiber in the resin, in the case of a material with a low ratio of carbon fiber in the resin, if the material is supplied in a molten state to the inclined surface, the entire material in the molten state May occur. In addition, in the case of a mixed material with a resin having a high carbon fiber ratio and a low viscosity, if the material is supplied in a molten state to an inclined surface, the molten resin portion can flow more than the fiber portion. There is sex. In that case, the ratio of the resin and the carbon fiber is different depending on the part, which affects the molded product.

Therefore compression molding apparatus of the present invention, the material supply by a material supply device relative to the mold opening has been lower mold in a subsequent compression molding apparatus for compressing the molten material by closing the lower mold and the upper mold, the molding An object of the present invention is to provide a compression molding apparatus capable of distributing a molten material on a lower mold so as to be in a good state.

The compression molding apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is a compression molding apparatus that supplies a material to a lower mold that has been opened by a material supply apparatus, and then compresses the material by closing the lower mold and the upper mold. In the device
Material heating means for bringing the material into a molten state, and lower mold inclination means for tilting the lower mold before or after placing the material in the molten state in any direction are provided.

A compression molding apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is the compression molding apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the material supplied by the material supply apparatus is a mixed material of carbon fiber and resin .

The compression molding apparatus of the present invention melts the material in the compression molding apparatus that supplies the material to the opened lower mold by the material supply apparatus, and then closes the lower mold and the upper mold to compress the material. It has a material heating means for bringing it into a state, and a lower mold tilting means capable of tilting the lower mold before or after placing the molten material in a free direction, so that it is in a good state at the time of molding. Thus, the molten material can be distributed on the lower mold.

It is a top view of the compression molding apparatus of this embodiment. It is the figure seen from the arrow A direction in a top view. It is an expanded sectional view of an arrow BB line in a top view. In the cross-sectional view, it is a view when the lower mold is tilted by the lower mold tilting means.

The compression molding apparatus 11 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The compression molding apparatus 11 of the present embodiment includes a press apparatus 14 that compresses a molten material M in which a resin containing carbon fiber is melted between an upper mold 12 and a lower mold 13, and a material supply apparatus 15 for the molten material M. Is provided. A moving device 17 for the lower mold 13 is provided between a supply position a <b> 1 by the press device 14 and the material supply device 15.

The press device 14 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, four tie bars 19 are erected in the vicinity of the four corners of a fixed plate 18 as a lower plate, and the upper portion of the tie bar 19 is an upper plate. Are fixed in the vicinity of the four corners of the pressure receiving plate 20. Further, a movable platen 21 is inserted between the fixed platen 18 and the pressure receiving plate 20 through the tie bar 19 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The pressure receiving plate 20 is provided with a compression cylinder 22 as a pressurizing mechanism, and a half nut 25 is attached to the ram of the compression cylinder 22 so that it can be engaged with a mechanical ram 23 fixed to the back surface of the movable platen 21. It has become. A mold opening / closing cylinder 24 that is a mold opening / closing mechanism is provided between the pressure receiving plate 20 and the movable platen 21. Note that the compression cylinder 22 may be provided at each tie bar 19 to perform parallel control. Further, the compression cylinder 22 and the mold opening / closing cylinder 24 may use an electric mechanism, for example, a press device that performs compression molding by a toggle mechanism.

An upper die 12 can be attached to the lower surface of the movable platen 21 of the press device 14. In addition, the lower mold 13 can be fixed at a pressure position a2 on the upper surface of the fixed platen 18. The lower die 13 of the press device 14 is attached to a lower die attachment plate 16 inserted into the bolster 26, and includes a press position a 2 inside the press device 14 and a supply position outside the press device 14. Between a1, it can move to the X direction which is the one side and other side direction in FIG. A moving device 17 of the lower mold 13 is connected and fixed to one side (left side in FIG. 1) of the fixed platen 18. The upper surface of the moving device 17 of the lower mold 13 has the same height as the upper surface of the fixed platen 18, and two guide rails 27 for moving the lower mold 13 are provided over both upper surfaces. . The bolster 26 is moved along the guide rail 27.

As shown in FIG. 3 and the like, the lower die mounting plate 16 is fitted in the center of the bolster 26. Specifically, in the center of the bolster 26, a rectangular through hole 26a for inserting the lower mold attachment plate 16 is formed in the vertical direction, and a step 26b is provided in the middle in the vertical direction. The size of the through hole 26a (the cross-sectional area in the horizontal direction) is larger from the upper side than 26b compared to the lower side. On the other hand, the lower die mounting plate 16 is sized to be inserted into the through hole 26a, and a step 16a is provided in the middle in the vertical direction, and the size (horizontal) of the lower die mounting plate 16 below the step 16a. (Cross-sectional area in the direction) is smaller than the upper part. Accordingly, the step 26 b of the bolster 26 and the step 16 a of the lower mold mounting plate 16 come into contact with each other, and the lower mold mounting plate 16 is placed in the bolster 26. Further, the lower surface 16 b of the lower mold mounting plate 16 is opened downward when moved by the moving device 17, and can come into contact with the fixed plate 18 in the press device 14. On the lower surface 16b of the lower mold mounting plate 16, a concave engaging portion 16c for fitting with a lower mold tilting means 61 described later is formed.

The drive source of the moving device 17 of the lower mold 13 is a servo motor 28, and the servo motor 28 is fixed to the side surface of the moving device 17 on the supply position a1 side. A ball screw 29 is provided in parallel with the guide rail 27. One of the ball screws 29 is rotatably fixed to the upper surface of the moving device 17 via a bearing, and the other is rotatable to the upper surface of the stationary platen 18 via a belling. It is fixed to. A driven pulley 30 is fixed in the vicinity of the end of the ball screw 29 further to the one side than the bearing, and a driving belt 31 for driving force transmission is stretched between the driving pulley 31 of the servo motor 28. Further, a ball screw nut 33 is fixed to the side surface of the bolster 26, and the ball screw 29 is inserted into the ball screw nut 33. When the servo motor 28 is driven, the ball screw 29 is rotated so that the ball screw nut 33, the bolster 26, the lower die mounting plate 16, and the lower die 13 are linearly moved in the X direction on one side and the other side. It has become.

The molds 13 and 14 used by being attached to the press device 14 will be described. The lower mold 13 is preferably a concave mold (cavity mold) so that the supplied molten material M is not spilled, and the upper mold 12 is a convex mold. (Core type) is desirable. Moreover, since the lower mold | type 13 moves after supplying the molten material M, it is desirable to have a material heating mechanism so that solidification of the molten material M does not advance in the meantime. As the material heating mechanism, a heater or a mechanism capable of switching the medium supplied into the mold between the heating medium and the cooling medium is used. In addition, a heat source such as infrared irradiation or a heater may be provided so that solidification of the molten material M supplied above the moving device 17 of the lower mold 13 does not proceed. When the lower mold 13 is provided with a material heating mechanism, it is desirable that the upper mold 12 is also provided with a material heating mechanism from the problem of warping of the molded product. A protruding device (not shown) is provided on either the upper or lower mold. In this embodiment, an example in which one cavity surface 34 is formed on one lower mold 13 has been described. However, the number of the upper mold 12, the lower mold 13, the cavity surface 34, and the like may be plural. Not.

In the present embodiment, the lower mold 13 before or after the molten material M is placed can be tilted to an angle with respect to the horizontal plane of the cavity surface 34 by the lower mold tilting means 61 at the supply position a1. It has become. A holding plate 62 that can directly contact the lower die mounting plate 16 is provided on the upper portion of the lower die tilting means 61. The holding plate 62 has a flat plate shape, and an engagement protrusion 62a that can be engaged with the engagement portion 16c of the lower mold attachment plate 16 is provided on the upper surface. On the lower surface 62b side of the holding plate 62, lifting cylinders 63 are attached at three locations. In the present embodiment, the elevating cylinder 63 is controlled by hydraulic pressure, and a control system that can control the extension of each rod with high accuracy even at an intermediate position is employed. The position where the lifting / lowering cylinder 63 is provided is arranged such that the lifting / lowering cylinder 63 is positioned at each vertex of the equilateral triangle in plan view. A spherical bearing 64 is provided on the lower surface 62 a of the holding plate 62, and the spherical portion of the spherical bearing 64 is fixed to the rod 63 a of the lifting cylinder 63. Similarly, a spherical bearing 66 is provided between the cylinder portion 63 b of the elevating cylinder 63 and the base plate 65. Accordingly, the holding plate 62 of the lower mold inclining means 61 can be lifted and lowered while maintaining the equilibrium state by extending or retracting the rods 63a of the three lifting cylinders 63 in the same way, and the rods of the three lifting cylinders 63. By making 63a different and extending or retracting, the inclination angle of the holding plate 62 can be freely changed.

The structure of the lower mold inclining means 61 is not limited to the above, and various structures can be employed. The member provided between the elevating cylinder 63 and the holding plate 62 may be another member or means as long as it functions equivalently to the spherical bearing 64. For example, instead of the spherical bearing 63, a combination of a bearing that rotates about a rotation axis and a slider that linearly moves each of the bearing portions may be used. In that case, the angle between the rod and the holding plate is changed according to the expansion and contraction of each rod, and the position where the rod tip abuts against the back surface of the holding plate is changed. Further, the number of lifting cylinders 63 may be four or more. If there is a space for tilting the holding plate 62, the lower mold mounting plate 16, and the lower mold 13, there is one point with the two lifting cylinders 63. It may be combined with a fulcrum whose angle can be freely changed. Further, the actuator of the lower mold tilting means 61 may be pneumatic in the case of a cylinder. Furthermore, the actuator is not limited to the cylinder, and the holding plate 62 may be raised and lowered and the inclination angle changed by a combination of a servo motor and a ball screw. Furthermore, the inclination direction of the lower mold 13 by the lower mold inclining means 61 may be only inclined about one axis.

Further, in this embodiment, the lower mold 13 is changed in inclination angle only at the supply position a1, but the lower mold 13 whose angle is changed by attaching a moving means that can move the entire lower mold inclination means 61 in the X direction. It is possible to move in the X direction or change the tilt angle at another position, and the molten material M can be supplied while moving the lower mold 13. Alternatively, the lower mold 13 is moved to the position immediately before the press apparatus 14 or to the inside of the press apparatus 14 while moving the lower mold 13 with the tilt angle changed by the servo motor 28 of the moving apparatus 17 of the lower mold 13. It is also possible to do. In that case, it is desirable to mount the lower mold tilting means 61 between the bolster 26 that can move only in the X direction and the lower mold mounting plate 16. Alternatively, a ball screw nut that can move in the X direction via a mechanism that can be slid in the vertical direction and that can be changed in the vertical direction and a mechanism that is slidable in the horizontal direction and that can be changed in angle with respect to the lower mold mounting plate 16 that can change the inclination angle. May be connected. Further, the lower mold 13 may be movable in a direction orthogonal to the X direction. Furthermore, the lower mold tilting means 61 may be provided in the press device 14. In that case, the material supply device 15 enters the press device 14 and places the material on the lower mold 13.

In the present embodiment, vibrators 67 are attached to both sides of the lower mold 13. The vibrator 67 is not an essential element for the present invention, but is intended to promote the flow of the molten material M supplied to the lower mold 13. The type, number, and frequency of the vibrator 67 are not limited, and the attachment position may be provided on the lower die attachment plate 16 or the like.

Next, the material supply device 15 will be described with reference to FIGS. The material supply device 15, which is also a material heating means, can be moved by the moving device 35 in a direction intersecting the moving device 17 and the moving direction of the lower mold 13 on a substantially horizontal plane. In the present embodiment, the material supply device 15 is moved in the Y direction orthogonal to the X direction, which is the moving direction of the lower mold 13. However, the moving direction of the material supply device is not limited.

As shown in FIG. 1, the moving device 35 of the material supply device 15 is provided with two guide rails 36 on the base or floor surface, and the base 37 of the material supply device 15 can move on the guide rail 36. It has become. A ball screw 38 is rotatably disposed on the base or floor surface, and a ball screw nut 50 fixed to the base 37 is inserted through the ball screw 38. A driven pulley 39 is fixed near the end of the ball screw 38, and a timing belt 42 is stretched between the servo pulley 40 and the driving pulley 41. Therefore, by driving the servo motor 40, the base 37 of the material supply device 15 and a ball screw nut (not shown) are linearly moved. The moving device 35 may be attached between the base 37 and the side surface of the moving device 17, and the structure is not limited.

Mounted on the base 37 of the material supply device 15 is a device having a plastic function and an injection function having substantially the same functions as the injection device of the injection molding machine. A heating cylinder 44 to which a heater as a material heating means is attached is inserted into a front plate 43 that is fixedly erected on the base 37. The front plate 43 is provided with a supply port 45 for the molding material in the vertical direction, and the lower part of the supply port 45 communicates with the inside of the heating cylinder through the hole of the heating cylinder 44. A molding material feed device 46 having a feed screw is connected above the supply port 45. A nozzle 47 to which a heater is attached is attached to the tip of the heating cylinder 44. A die 49 with a supply hole 48 directed downward is attached to the tip of the nozzle 47 of this embodiment. The supply hole 48 of the die 49 has a predetermined width and length. The portion of the die 49 attached to the tip of the nozzle 47 can be replaced with an optimum one according to the shape and area of the cavity surface 34 of the lower mold 13. Also, the die 49 is exchanged for a different die 49 depending on the molding material due to problems such as fluidity of the molten material M and breakage of carbon fibers contained in the molten material M. A valve (not shown) for opening and closing the flow path is often provided in the die 49 at the tip of the nozzle 47 or the portion of the nozzle 47 in front of it.

A rear plate 51 is provided behind the front plate 43 at a predetermined distance in parallel with the front plate. Servo motors 52 for injection are provided on both sides of the heating cylinder 44 on the front side of the front plate 51, and ball screw nuts 53 are provided on both sides of the rear plate 51, respectively. A ball screw 54 directly connected to the drive shaft of the servo motor 52 is inserted through the ball screw nut 53. A general screw (not shown) for injection molding, to which a backflow prevention valve is attached, is disposed inside the heating cylinder 44, and the rear end of the screw shaft is connected to the rear via a sleeve, a coupling, or the like. It is fixed to the drive shaft of a measuring servo motor 55 fixed to the rear surface of the plate 51.

Accordingly, the screw in the heating cylinder is rotated by driving the metering servo motor 55 and is moved forward and backward by driving the injection servo motor 52. The structure of the material supply device 15 is not limited to the one described above, and may have three plates, and one injection servomotor may be used. The drive source for injection or metering may use hydraulic pressure. Furthermore, a material supply device that extrudes the molten material M with a plunger, or an extrusion-type material supply device that extrudes the molten material by only rotating the screw in the heating cylinder may be used as the material supply device.

Next, compression molding using the compression molding apparatus 11 of this embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, an example in which a molten material M in which carbon fiber is blended with a thermoplastic resin (for example, polycarbonate) is used will be described. As the molding material, in the case of a thermoplastic resin, at least one kind of resin such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, ABS, and PEEK is selected in addition to polycarbonate. In the case of a thermosetting resin, it is selected from at least one kind of resin such as epoxy, polyurethane and phenol, and may be a mixed resin of thermoplastic and thermosetting resin. As the molten material, those using fiber materials include carbon fibers, other fibers such as glass fibers, plant fibers, and chemical fibers, and a mixture of carbon and resin. The present invention can also be used for molding only resin materials.

As a molding procedure, first, in a state where the press device 14 is opened, the servo motor 28 is driven to move the bolster 26, the lower die mounting plate 16, and the lower die 13 to the supply position a1 outside the press device 14. The positioning is stopped once. Before the lower mold 13 is moved to the supply position a1, the material supply device 15 rotates the measuring servo motor 40 and applies a back pressure by the injection servo motor 52 to the front of the screw in the heating cylinder 44. Weighing (reserving) the carbon fiber-containing polycarbonate resin, which is the molten material M, is waiting at the supply position a1. In the material supply device 15, the nozzle 47 and the supply hole 48 above the supply position a1 may be stopped during the measurement. The material supply device 15 is retracted at the time of measurement, and moves back and forth with the movement of the lower mold 13 in the Y axis direction. You may make it move forward along.

Then, the rods 63a of the elevating cylinder 63 of the lower mold inclining means 61 are simultaneously extended to raise the holding plate 62 and come into contact with the lower mold mounting plate 16, and the engaging portion 16c of the lower mold mounting plate 16 and The lower mold mounting plate 16 placed on the bolster 26 can be lifted upward by further raising the engagement protrusion 62a of the holding plate 62 after engaging. Then, by separately sending an instruction to each lifting cylinder 63 to change the extension degree of the rod 63a, the lower mold 13 and its cavity surface 34 can be freely tilted. A resin containing carbon fiber, which is the molten material M, is supplied from the material supply device 15 onto the cavity surface 34 of the lower mold 13. As for the supply of the molten material M, the valve (not shown) of the nozzle 47 of the material supply device 15 is opened, the injection servo motor 52 is driven, the screw is moved forward, and the molten material M falls from the supply hole 48 of the die 49. Is done. When the cavity surface 34 is inclined, the resin material M dropped onto the cavity surface thereby flows slowly toward the lower side of the inclined surface along the gravity. At this time, the flow is promoted by using the vibrator 67.

At this time, it is preferable to supply the molten material M while moving at least one of the material supply device 15, the lower mold attachment plate 16 and the lower mold 13. In the present embodiment, the material supply device 15 can move in the Y direction, and the lower mold 13 can move in the X direction by adding a moving function in the X direction. As described above, it is desirable that the cavity surface 34 of the lower mold 13 is heated when the molten material M is supplied.

Various inclination patterns of the lower mold 13 in the present invention are assumed. As an example, (1) the lower mold 13 is inclined before the molten material M is placed. (2) Before the molten material M is placed on the lower mold 13, the lower mold 13 is tilted after the molten material M starts to be loaded from the material supply device 15 without tilting the lower mold 13. (3) Before and during placement of the molten material M on the lower mold 13, the lower mold 13 is moved after the placement of the molten material M from the material supply device 15 is completed without tilting the lower mold 13. What can be inclined is considered. In each of the above, the inclination angle of the lower mold 13 may be changed once or a plurality of times. The lower die 13 is once returned to the equilibrium state until the lower die 13 is attached to the press device 14 and molding is started.

Regarding the usage method of the lower mold tilting means 61 in relation to the molded product, the following cases can be considered. That is, (a) when the cavity surface 34 of the lower mold 13 has an inclined surface or a curved surface, if the molten material M is supplied in an inclined state, the molten material M such as the inclined surface cannot be supplied at a constant thickness or supplied. May flow and become thin and cannot be placed properly. In such a case, by supplying the molten material M in a state where the inclined surface or the like is horizontal, a difference in the supply amount of the molten material M between the inclined surface or the other part is less likely to occur. (B) When the shape of the cavity surface 34 is complicated or does not match the shape of the supply hole 48 of the nozzle 47, and the molten material M cannot be supplied to each end of the cavity surface 34. The molten material M once supplied to the portion excluding the periphery of the cavity surface 34 is caused to flow to the end of the cavity surface 34 using the inclination of the lower mold 13. (3) When the thickness of the molded product is different between one and the other, if the molten material M is supplied from the nozzle 47 with a uniform thickness, the thickness of the thick portion of the molten material M does not reach the desired thickness. Or the thickness of the melted material M is equal to the thickness of the molded product by inclining the lower mold 13 so that the melted material M flows on the thicker side. Make the thickness almost the same. The inclination angle and the inclination time of the lower mold 13 are appropriately selected depending on the type of the molded product and the resin material M, but as an example, the inclination angle is changed to 0 to 30 degrees, more preferably 0 to 15 degrees. It may be.

As described above, the molten material M is supposed to be supplied in a mixed state with carbon fibers and the like. However, the molten material M is first supplied after the layers such as the carbon fiber and the prepreg are supplied. The mold 13 may be inclined so that the distribution of the molten material M is in an optimum state, and another layer such as carbon fiber or prepreg may be supplied. In that case, the molten resin A that does not include fibers or the like is first supplied, and then the lower mold 13 is inclined, and the molten resin B that is subsequently supplied also includes those that do not include fibers or the like.

Furthermore, the molten material M may be a solid or semi-molten prepreg when supplied to the lower mold 13. In this case, the prepreg and the like are brought into a molten state by an infrared heating device as a material heating means, a heater of the lower die 13 or the like, but the lower die 13 is tilted after the molten state or in the middle of the molten state. The molten material M may be caused to flow by being inclined by 61.

When the screw in the heating cylinder 44 is advanced to a predetermined position, the valve of the nozzle 47 is closed, and the supply of the molten material M to the cavity surface 34 on the lower mold 13 is finished. In this embodiment, the rods 63 a of all the lifting cylinders 63 of the lower mold tilting means 61 are then completely retracted, the holding plate 62 is lowered, and the lower mold mounting plate 16 is placed on the step 26 a of the bolster 26. Is done. The lower mold mounting plate 16 and the bolster 26 are preferably locked. Next, the servo motor 28 of the moving device 17 of the lower die 13 is driven, and the bolster 26, the lower die attaching plate 16, and the lower die 13 are moved to the pressurizing position a2 of the press device 14.

The bolster 26 and the lower die attachment plate 16 are stopped at the pressurization position a2 of the press device 14, and further fixed by positioning pins or the like (not shown). In the present embodiment, the rod 63 a of the lifting cylinder 63 of the lower mold tilting means 61 is retracted to temporarily bring the lower mold 13 into an equilibrium state, and then the bolster 26, the lower mold mounting plate 16, and the lower mold 13 are carried into the press device 14. However, the lower mold 13 may be carried into the press device 14 in an inclined state.

The bolster 26 carried into the press device 14 is fixed to the fixed platen 18 by a clamper (not shown). Then, the mold opening / closing cylinder 24 is actuated to lower the upper mold 12, and the half nut 25 is actuated immediately before the upper mold convex part is fitted into the concave part of the lower mold 13. The engaging groove of the mechanical ram 23 is engaged. Then, the mold clamping cylinder 22 is driven. At this time, the lower mold attachment plate 16 and the fixed platen 18 are brought into close contact with each other, and the applied pressure is transmitted to the fixed platen 18 as described above.

Then, the cavity surface 34 of the concave portion of the lower mold 13 and the convex portion of the cavity surface of the upper mold are fitted, and the molten material M is compressed and shaped in the cavity formed therebetween. In addition, when the lower mold | type 13 and the upper mold | type 12 are initially heated, it switches to cooling from the middle of being compressed, and the cooling solidification of the molten material M is accelerated | stimulated. When a predetermined time elapses, the mold clamping cylinder 22 and the mold opening / closing cylinder 24 of the press device 14 operate in the mold opening direction, and the upper mold 12 rises from the lower mold 13 so that the molded product can be taken out. The upper die 12 is fixedly attached to the pressing device 14 and is generally closed with the lower die 13 in the pressing device 14, but a combination of a lower die and an upper die having a die opening / closing function is available. The upper die 12 may be closed at a position different from the press device 14 with respect to the lower die 13 to which the molten material M is supplied or that can move to the outside of the press device 14. The vibrator 67 may also be operated in the case of compression molding in the press device 14.

The present invention is not enumerated one by one, but is not limited to that of the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that those skilled in the art also apply modifications made in accordance with the spirit of the present invention. is there. The molding material used in the present invention is assumed to be a resin material including carbon fiber, glass fiber, and other fibers, but is not limited thereto. For example, a molding material such as ceramics or water-containing organic material can also be used. . Therefore, in ceramics or the like, the material is not in a molten state but in a fluid state.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Compression molding apparatus 12 Upper mold | type 13 Lower mold | type 14 Press apparatus 15 Material supply apparatus (material heating means)
16 Lower die mounting plate 17 Moving device 18 Fixed platen 21 Movable platen 26 Bolster 34 Cavity surface 47 Nozzle 48 Supply hole 61 Lower die tilting means 63 Lifting cylinders 64, 66 Spherical bearing M Molten material

Claims (4)

In a compression molding apparatus that supplies material to a lower mold that has been opened by a material supply apparatus, and then compresses the material by closing the lower mold and the upper mold,
A material heating means for bringing the material into a molten state;
A compression molding apparatus comprising: a lower mold tilting unit that tilts a lower mold before or after placing a molten material. The compression molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower mold tilting unit can tilt the lower mold in any direction. In a compression molding apparatus that supplies a material to a lower mold that has been opened by a material supply apparatus, and then closes the lower mold and the upper mold to compress the molten material.
A material heating means for bringing the material into a molten state;
A lower mold inclining means for inclining the lower mold before or after placing the material in the molten state;
A compression molding method, wherein the lower mold is tilted by the lower mold tilting means, and the molten material on the lower mold is caused to flow. The compression molding method according to claim 3, wherein the material supplied by the material supply device is a mixed material of carbon fiber and resin.