JP2024025423A - Molding apparatus and molding method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique that can suppress the occurrence of molding defects in a molding technique using rubber molds.

SOLUTION: A molding apparatus includes: a molding part where a cavity that has an upper mold and a lower mold made of rubber and is filled with a resin material as an internal space between the upper mold and the lower mold that are overlapped in a stacking direction, and a flow path for vacuuming are formed; a temperature raising part that raises a temperature of the resin material in the cavity and melts it by irradiating electromagnetic waves from the outside of the upper mold and the lower mold or by heating the upper mold and the lower mold from the outside; a vacuum pump that evacuates the flow path and the cavity during molding; and a fastening member that fastens the upper mold and the lower mold in a state that presses a top surface of the upper mold and a bottom surface of the lower mold so that deformation of the upper mold and the lower mold and changes in the cavity volume are suppressed during molding.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a molding apparatus and a molding method for melting and molding a resin material.

Conventionally, various techniques have been proposed for molding thermoplastic resin materials using rubber molds instead of metal molds. For example, in Patent Document 1 below, a resin material is placed in a cavity between a pair of rubber mold parts, and the resin material is melted and molded by irradiating light that passes through the pair of rubber mold parts. A technique called molding is disclosed. In this way, by using a rubber mold instead of a metal mold, the mold can be produced in a short period of time and at low cost, and the manufacturing efficiency of molded products can be improved. Further, by using a rubber mold, it is possible to efficiently produce a wide variety of molded products in small quantities with high molding accuracy.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-240539

However, in the case of molding using a rubber mold, it is generally not as easy to control the melting state of the resin material in the cavity as compared to the case of using a metal mold, and it is difficult to control the melting state of the resin material in the cavity. Various measures are required. For example, in the technique of Patent Document 1 mentioned above, the upper mold and the lower mold are brought closer to each other while melting the resin material so that the molten resin material spreads inside the cavity, and the molding is performed while reducing the volume of the cavity. It is carried out. However, in this method of changing the relative position of the upper mold and the lower mold during molding, the dimensional accuracy of the molded product may deteriorate depending on the control of the positional relationship between the upper mold and the lower mold.

Furthermore, since rubber molds are generally more susceptible to deformation due to heat than metal molds, molding defects may occur due to deformation of the rubber mold. The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 does not take such thermal deformation of the rubber mold into consideration.

As described above, not only optical molding but also molding techniques using rubber molds still have room for improvement in suppressing the occurrence of molding defects.

The present invention can be realized as the following forms.

[First form] The first form is provided as a molding apparatus that melts and molds a thermoplastic resin material. The molding apparatus of the first embodiment includes an upper mold and a lower mold made of rubber, which are overlapped in the stacking direction with their relative positions fixed during molding, and the upper mold is overlapped in the stacking direction. and the lower mold, the molding part has a cavity filled with the resin material and a vacuum passage communicating with the cavity, and the upper mold and the lower mold. a temperature raising section for heating and melting the resin material in the cavity by irradiating electromagnetic waves from outside the mold or heating the upper mold and the lower mold from the outside; and a heating section for heating and melting the resin material in the cavity; a vacuum pump that is connected to the flow path and evacuates the flow path and the cavity during molding; and a member that is less thermally deformable than the upper mold and the lower mold; A fastening member that fastens the upper mold and the lower mold while pressing the upper surface of the upper mold and the lower surface of the lower mold so that deformation of the lower mold and change in volume of the cavity are suppressed. and.
According to the molding apparatus of the first form, thermal deformation of the upper mold and lower mold during molding can be suppressed by pressing the upper mold and the lower mold with the fastening member, so that there is a gap between the upper mold and the lower mold. can be suppressed from occurring. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of defective evacuation by the vacuum pump, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of molding defects due to defective evacuation. Furthermore, since the fastening member can suppress changes in the volume and shape of the cavity due to thermal deformation of the upper and lower molds during molding, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of molding defects due to deformation of the cavity. In addition, according to the molding apparatus of the first embodiment, molding can be performed while the relative positions of the upper mold and the lower mold are fixed, so the molding process is easy and the molding efficiency can be improved.

[Second Embodiment] In the molding apparatus of the first embodiment, the fastening member includes a first plate member that is in surface contact with the entire upper surface of the upper mold, and a second plate member that is in surface contact with the entire lower surface of the lower mold. It may also include a member.
According to the molding apparatus of the second embodiment, the first plate-like member and the second plate-like member of the fastening member can uniformly apply surface pressure in the stacking direction to the upper mold and the lower mold during molding. Therefore, thermal deformation of the upper mold and lower mold during molding can be further suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to further suppress the occurrence of molding defects due to thermal deformation of the upper mold and the lower mold.

[Third form] In the molding apparatus of the second form, the fastening member is further arranged on the side of the upper mold and the lower mold, and connects the first plate member and the second plate member. It may include a plurality of rod-shaped connecting members that are connected and fastened.
According to the molding apparatus of the third embodiment, the upper mold and the lower mold are laminated by the first plate member and the second plate member with the side surfaces of the upper mold and the lower mold exposed between the plurality of connecting members. It can be fastened by sandwiching it in the direction. Therefore, during molding, electromagnetic waves and heat for raising the temperature of the resin material can be easily applied to the upper mold and the lower mold through the gaps between the plurality of connecting members.

[Fourth Embodiment] The molding apparatus of the second embodiment or the third embodiment further includes a plate-shaped side surface covering member that closely covers side surfaces of the upper mold and the lower mold, and the temperature raising part: The resin material in the cavity may be heated by applying heat from outside of the upper mold and the lower mold through the fastening member.
According to the molding apparatus of the fourth embodiment, thermal deformation of the upper mold and the lower mold can be suppressed also from the side direction by the side covering member. Therefore, the occurrence of molding defects can be further suppressed.

[Fifth Embodiment] The molding apparatus according to any one of the first, second, third, and fourth embodiments further includes forming the upper mold and the lower mold superimposed in the stacking direction. A strip member may be provided that is adhered to the side surfaces of the upper mold and the lower mold so as to seal the boundary.
According to the molding apparatus of the fifth embodiment, the band-shaped member can suppress the formation of a gap at the boundary between the upper mold and the lower mold during molding, and the generation of such a gap causes failure in vacuuming. can be restrained from doing so.

[Sixth Embodiment] The sixth embodiment is provided as a molding method of melting and molding a thermoplastic resin material. The molding method of the sixth embodiment includes stacking an upper mold and a lower mold made of rubber on top of each other in the stacking direction, and creating an internal space between the upper mold and the lower mold by vacuuming a cavity communicating with the cavity. A step of forming a flow path for the resin material and filling the cavity with the resin material, and a fastening member made of a member that is less thermally deformable than the upper mold and the lower mold during molding. The upper mold and the lower mold are pressed against the upper surface of the upper mold and the lower surface of the lower mold so that the deformation of the upper mold and the lower mold and the change in the volume of the cavity are suppressed. and irradiating the upper mold and the lower mold with electromagnetic waves from the outside while the flow path and the cavity are evacuated by a vacuum pump, or irradiating the upper mold and the lower mold with electromagnetic waves. The method includes the step of melting and molding the resin material in the cavity by heating from the outside while the relative positions of the upper mold and the lower mold are fixed.
According to the molding method of the sixth embodiment, thermal deformation of the upper mold and lower mold during molding can be suppressed by pressing the upper mold and the lower mold with the fastening member, so that there is a gap between the upper mold and the lower mold. can be suppressed from occurring. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of defective evacuation, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of defective molding due to defective evacuation. Furthermore, since the fastening member can suppress changes in the volume and shape of the cavity due to thermal deformation of the upper and lower molds during molding, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of molding defects due to deformation of the cavity. In addition, according to the molding method of the sixth embodiment, molding can be performed while the relative positions of the upper mold and the lower mold are fixed, so the molding process is easy and the molding efficiency can be increased.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a molding apparatus according to a first embodiment. Schematic diagram showing the lower surface of the upper mold. Schematic diagram showing the upper surface of the lower mold. The process flow diagram which shows the procedure of a molding process. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the molding apparatus during molding. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a molding process using a molding apparatus of a comparative example. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a molding apparatus according to a second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a molding apparatus according to a third embodiment. Schematic diagram showing the configuration of a molding device according to a fourth embodiment.

1. First embodiment:
The configuration of a molding apparatus 100A of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a molding apparatus 100A according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the lower surface 13 of the upper mold 11 included in the molding apparatus 100A, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the upper surface 17 of the lower mold 15.

1 to 3 each illustrate arrows indicating the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction, which are orthogonal to each other. The X direction and the Y direction correspond to the direction along the upper surface 12 of the upper mold 11 and the lower surface 16 of the lower mold 15 in the posture installed in the molding apparatus 100A, and the Z direction corresponds to the direction along the upper surface 12 of the upper mold 11 and the lower surface 16 of the lower mold 15 in the posture installed in the molding apparatus 100A. This corresponds to the stacking direction in which the mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are superimposed.

In FIG. 1, a cross-sectional configuration of the molded part 10 and the fastening member 30 is illustrated in a cut plane that is parallel to the X direction and the Z direction and passes through the cavity 20. Further, in FIGS. 2 and 3, the arrangement area of the fastening member 30 when the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are fastened by the fastening member 30 in the molding apparatus 100A is illustrated with a dashed line.

The molding device 100A melts and molds a thermoplastic resin material M. The resin material M may be an amorphous resin or a crystalline resin. As the resin material M, for example, one of the following examples may be employed. In addition, the following is an illustration, and the resin material M may be comprised with resin other than the following.
<Amorphous resin>
Acrylonitrile styrene acrylic rubber (ASA), acrylonitrile styrene copolymer (AS), ABC resin (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), polymethyl methacrylate resin/polymethyl methacrylate resin/acrylic resin (PMMA), etc. <Crystalline resin>
Polyacetal (POM), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene tephthalate (PBT), polypropylene (PP), etc.

The molding apparatus 100A includes a molding section 10 having an upper mold 11 and a lower mold 15 made of rubber, a fastening member 30 that fastens the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15, and a vacuum pump 50 that performs evacuation during molding. , and a temperature raising part 60a that raises the temperature of the resin material M during molding to melt it.

The upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 of the molding section 10 are made of, for example, transparent or translucent silicone rubber. In other embodiments, the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 may be made of rubber other than silicone rubber.

In the first embodiment, the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 have a rectangular shape, and during molding, the lower surface 13 of the upper mold 11 and the upper surface 17 of the lower mold 15 are overlapped in the stacking direction so as to face each other. Ru. In the first embodiment, the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 have the same dimensions in the X direction and the Y direction, and the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 overlapped in the stacking direction have a square prism shape. Configure.

A cavity 20, which is a space imitating a molded product, and a flow path 21 for evacuation are formed as an internal space between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15, which are overlapped in the stacking direction. The lower surface 13 of the upper mold 11 and the upper surface 17 of the lower mold 15 have an uneven structure for forming a cavity 20 and a flow path 21 . In the first embodiment, a recess 18 including a space constituting a cavity 20 is formed on the upper surface 17 of the lower mold 15, and a convex portion 14 that fits into the recess 18 is formed on the lower surface 13 of the upper mold 11. has been done. The cavity 20 is formed as a space between the bottom surface of the recess 18 of the lower mold 15 and the upper surface of the projection 14 of the upper mold 11.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cavity 20 is filled with a pellet-shaped resin material M before molding. In other embodiments, the resin material M filled in the cavity 20 may not be in the form of pellets, but may be configured as a powder, or may be configured in the form of particles of various shapes.

In the first embodiment, the evacuation channel 21 is formed by closing the upper opening of a groove channel provided on the upper surface 17 of the lower mold 15 with the lower surface 13 of the upper mold 11. The flow path 21 communicates with the cavity 20. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the flow path 21 includes a first flow path 22 that surrounds the cavity 20, a second flow path 23 that communicates the first flow path 22 with the recess 18 that constitutes the cavity 20, and a second flow path 23 that communicates with the recess 18 that forms the cavity 20. It can be configured to include a third flow path 24 that connects the first flow path 22 and the vacuum pump 50. In another embodiment, the flow path 21 does not have a flow path corresponding to the first flow path 22 or the second flow path 24, and only a flow path connecting the cavity 21 and the vacuum pump 50 is formed. A configuration may also be used. Note that a minute gap is formed between the outer wall surface of the convex portion 14 of the upper mold 11 and the inner wall surface of the recessed portion 18 of the lower mold 15 so that vacuum can be drawn through the flow path 21.

The fastening member 30 fastens the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15, which are stacked one on top of the other, in the stacking direction so that the cavity 20 is formed. The fastening member 30 is made of a member that is less susceptible to thermal deformation than the rubber material that makes up the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15. Further, it is preferable that the fastening member 30 is made of a material having higher rigidity than the rubber material forming the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15. In the first embodiment, the fastening member 30 is made of metal such as SUS, for example.

The fastening member 30 includes a flat first plate member 31 that is in surface contact with the entire upper surface 12 of the upper mold 11 and a flat second plate member 32 that is in surface contact with the entire lower surface 16 of the lower mold 15. In the first embodiment, the first plate-like member 31 and the second plate-like member 32 have peripheral edges 31e and 32e extending laterally from the upper surface 12 of the upper mold 11 and the lower surface 16 of the lower mold 15, respectively. have.

The fastening member 30 further includes a plurality of rod-shaped connecting members 33 that are arranged on the sides of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 and connect the first plate member 31 and the second plate member 32. The connecting members 33 are arranged around the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 at predetermined intervals, and are provided on the peripheral edges 31e and 32e of the first plate member 31 and the second plate member 32. The first plate member 31 and the second plate member 32 are connected by being inserted into the through hole. In the first embodiment, a threaded portion (not shown) is provided at the upper end of each connecting member 33 protruding from the upper surface of the first plate member 31, and a nut 34 is screwed into the threaded portion. . Further, the lower end portion of each connecting member 33 has a diameter larger than that of other portions, so that the lower end portion of each connecting member 33 is locked to the lower surface side of the second plate-shaped member 32.

The fastening member 30 sandwiches the stacked upper mold 11 and lower mold 15 between the first plate-like member 31 and the second plate-like member 32 in the laminating direction. Apply pressing force. In the first embodiment, the pressing force applied to the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 by the fastening member 30 can be adjusted by adjusting the screwing position of the nut 34 in the connecting member 33.

The vacuum pump 50 is connected to the third flow path 24 of the flow path 21 described above. The vacuum pump 50 evacuates the flow path 21 and the cavity 20 during molding. By adjusting the degree of vacuum using the vacuum pump 50, the clamping force between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 during molding can be adjusted. By evacuating the flow path 21, the adhesion between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 is improved, and the airtightness of the cavity 20 is improved. By evacuating the cavity 20, it is deaerated and the mold clamping force is increased, which can accelerate the temperature rise of the entire cavity 20 during molding, and spread the molten resin material M throughout the cavity 20. can be done.

The temperature raising section 60a of the first embodiment includes an electromagnetic wave generating section 61. The electromagnetic wave generating section 61 generates an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength that can pass through the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 and raise the temperature of the resin material M in the cavity 20 . The temperature raising unit 60a irradiates electromagnetic waves having a wavelength of light in the infrared region, for example, within a range of 0.78 to 2.00 μm. The resin material M in the cavity 20 generates heat by itself due to the electromagnetic waves in the infrared region, and receives the heat from the wall surface of the cavity 20, which has been transferred and heated, and is heated and melted.

In the first embodiment, the temperature raising unit 60a irradiates the electromagnetic waves toward the side surfaces of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 exposed between the connecting members 33 of the fastening member 30. During molding, the electromagnetic waves irradiated by the temperature raising part 60a reach the cavity 20, so that the resin material M in the cavity 20 is heated and melted.

Note that in other embodiments, the temperature raising unit 60a may irradiate microwaves instead of electromagnetic waves having wavelengths in the infrared region. In this case, the temperature of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 is raised by the microwave, and the resin material M in the cavity 20 is heated and melted by the heat transferred from the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15. . The wavelength of the electromagnetic waves irradiated by the temperature raising part 60a may be determined as appropriate depending on the types of materials of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 and the type of the resin material M.

FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram showing the procedure of the molding process executed in the molding apparatus 100A.

In step P1, the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are overlapped in the stacking direction so that a cavity 20 is formed, and the cavity 20 is filled with pellet-shaped resin material M. In the first embodiment, after placing the resin material M in the recess 18 of the lower mold 15, the convex part 14 of the upper mold 11 is pushed into the recess 18 so as to close the recess 18, so that the resin material M is placed in the cavity 20. Leave it filled inside.

In addition, in step P1, when the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are overlapped and the cavity 20 is closed, the relative positions of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are fixed. Thereafter, the relative positions of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are maintained substantially constant until the molding is completed. In this way, if molding can be performed while the relative positions of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are fixed, the molding process is easier than in a configuration in which molding is performed while changing the relative positions of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15. It is. Therefore, the molding efficiency of the molded product is improved.

In step P2, the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are fastened together using the fastening member 30. First, the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15, which are overlapped in the stacking direction in step P1, are sandwiched between the first plate member 31 and the second plate member 32 of the fastening member 30 in the stacking direction. Subsequently, the connecting member 33 is inserted into the through hole provided in the peripheral edge 31e of the first plate-shaped member 31 and the peripheral edge 32e of the second plate-shaped member 32, thereby connecting the first plate-shaped member 31 and the second plate-shaped member 31. The plate member 32 is connected. Next, a nut 34 is screwed onto the upper end of each connecting member 33, so that the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are fastened together with a pressing force applied in the stacking direction.

In step P3, the vacuum pump 50 is connected to the third flow path 24 of the flow path 21 formed between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15, and the vacuum pump 50 evacuates the flow path 21 and the cavity 20. is started. Thereafter, during molding, the vacuum pump 50 adjusts the pressure in the flow path 21 and the cavity 20 so that the volume of the cavity 20 is maintained constant depending on the temperature and melting state of the resin material M. be done.

In step P4, the molded product is molded within the cavity 20 by the temperature raising unit 60a raising the temperature of the resin material M within the cavity 20 and melting it. As described above, in the first embodiment, the temperature raising unit 60a irradiates the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 with electromagnetic waves from outside to raise the temperature of the resin material M in the cavity 20 and melt it.

After the temperature raising section 60a continues to raise the temperature of the resin material M for a predetermined period of time, the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are cooled until the resin material M is cured. Thereafter, the lower mold 15 is separated from the upper mold 11, the cavity 20 is opened, and the molded product is released.

The effects of using the fastening member 30 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the molding apparatus 100A during execution of molding in the above-described process P4. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a case where molding is performed without fastening the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 using the fastening member 30, as a comparative example. In FIGS. 5 and 6, illustration of the vacuum pump 50 and the temperature raising section 60a is omitted for convenience. In FIGS. 5 and 6, the molten resin material M is hatched with halftone dots.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are fastened by the fastening member 30, the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 may be deformed during molding due to the pressing force received from the fastening member 30. suppressed. If the deformation of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 is suppressed, the generation of a gap between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 is suppressed, so that the airtightness of the flow path 21 and the cavity 20 is maintained, and the vacuum pump This suppresses the occurrence of vacuum evacuation failure due to 50. Therefore, by evacuation during molding, a mold clamping force within the cavity 20 can be appropriately obtained, and the molten resin material M can be spread to every corner within the cavity. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of molding defects in which unmelted resin material M remains in the cavity 20 due to poor evacuation. Further, since the fastening member 30 suppresses deformation of the cavity 20 during molding, occurrence of molding defects due to deformation of the cavity 20 is suppressed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, if the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are not fastened together by the fastening member 30, the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 may be thermally deformed to warp due to heat generation during molding. There is. When the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are thermally deformed, a gap is created between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15, the airtightness of the flow path 21 and the cavity 20 is impaired, and a failure in evacuation by the vacuum pump 50 occurs. do. If a vacuum failure occurs, there is a high possibility that the mold clamping force in the cavity 20 will be insufficient and the molten resin material M will not be able to spread throughout the cavity 20. Further, when the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are thermally deformed, the cavity 20 is deformed, the arrangement of the resin material M within the cavity 20 changes, and the possibility that some resin material M that cannot be melted is generated increases. Moreover, the deformation of the cavity 20 causes a decrease in the molding accuracy of the molded product.

As described above, according to the molding apparatus 100A and the molding method of the first embodiment, thermal deformation of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 is achieved by fastening the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 with the fastening member 30 during molding. can be suppressed, and the occurrence of molding defects can be suppressed.

According to the molding apparatus 100A and the molding method of the first embodiment, the first plate member 31 and the second plate member 32 of the fastening member 30 cover the entire upper surface of the upper mold 11 and the lower surface of the lower mold 15. A pressing force in the stacking direction can be applied uniformly. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively suppress the occurrence of warping of the upper die 11 and the lower die 15 during molding, and it is possible to further suppress the occurrence of molding defects due to thermal deformation of the upper die 11 and the lower die 15. can.

According to the molding apparatus 100A and the molding method of the first embodiment, the first plate member 31 and the second plate member 32 of the fastening member 30 are formed by a plurality of rod-shaped connecting members 33 arranged at a distance from each other. connected by. Therefore, the temperature raising section 60a can easily irradiate electromagnetic waves from the sides of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 to raise the temperature of the resin material M in the cavity 20 from between the connecting member 33.

In addition, according to the molding apparatus 100A and the molding method of the first embodiment, for example, even when the dimensions of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 in the X direction and the Y direction exceed 20 cm, the upper mold 11 during molding This makes it possible to more effectively suppress thermal deformation of the lower die 15. Therefore, it is possible to accurately and efficiently mold such molded products with dimensions exceeding 20 cm.

Furthermore, even if the design of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 is changed, such as changing the external shape or the shape of the cavity 20, the fastening member 30 of the first embodiment can be used as long as the dimensions match. , can be repurposed. Since the fastening member 30 can be reused for various molding parts 10, an increase in material consumption due to a design change of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 can be suppressed.

2. Second embodiment:
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a molding apparatus 100B according to the second embodiment. The molding apparatus 100B of the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment except that it includes a temperature raising part 60b of the second embodiment that heats the molding part 10 from the outside instead of the temperature raising part 60a of the first embodiment. The configuration is almost the same as that of the molding apparatus 100A of the embodiment.

The temperature increasing section 60b of the second embodiment is configured by a heating section 62 and a blower 63. The heating unit 62 can be configured by, for example, an electric heater. The blower 63 is configured by, for example, an electric fan, and is installed so as to blow air from behind the heating section 62 toward the molding section 10 . The temperature raising section 60b sends out the hot air heated by the heating section 62 toward the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 that are to be heated. The temperature raising part 60b heats and melts the resin material M in the cavity 20 from the outside of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 using the hot air.

In the second embodiment, the temperature raising part 60b heats the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 from the sides using the heating part 62 and the blower 63. If the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are heated from the sides, since there is a gap between the connecting members 33, the heat of the heating part 62 can be efficiently transmitted to the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15. .

Note that the temperature increasing section 60b of the second embodiment includes a heating section 62 and a blower provided above the first plate member 31 and below the second plate member 32, as shown in FIG. 63, the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 may be heated through the first plate member 31 and the second plate member 32 to raise the temperature of the resin material M in the cavity 20.

Note that the heating section 62 and the blower 63 above the first plate member 31 and below the second plate member 32 may be omitted. Further, the temperature increasing section 60b may not include the blower 63, and may be configured only by the heating section 62. However, if the blower 63 is used, the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 can be heated even more efficiently.

According to the temperature raising part 60b of the second embodiment, the resin material M in the cavity 20 can be melted and molded by heating by the heating part 62, similarly to the temperature raising part 60a of the first embodiment. Moreover, according to the molding apparatus 100B and the molding method of the second embodiment, various effects similar to those described in the first embodiment can be achieved.

3. Third embodiment:
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a molding apparatus 100C according to the third embodiment. The molding apparatus 100C of the third embodiment has almost the same configuration as the molding apparatus 100B of the second embodiment, except that a side covering member 35 is added to the fastening member 30.

The side surface covering member 35 of the fastening member 30 can be formed of, for example, a metal plate-like member. The side surface covering member 35 is attached so as to come into close contact with the side surfaces of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 and cover the side surfaces. In the third embodiment, four side surfaces of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are each covered with a side surface covering member 35. In the third embodiment, the temperature raising unit 60b heats the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 through the first plate member 31, the second plate member 32, and the side covering member 35 that constitute the fastening member 30. , the temperature of the resin material M in the cavity 20 is raised.

According to the molding apparatus 100C of the third embodiment, the side surface covering member 35 can suppress thermal deformation of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 from the side surfaces thereof as well. Therefore, the occurrence of molding defects due to thermal deformation of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 can be further suppressed. In addition, according to the molding apparatus 100C and the molding method of the third embodiment, various effects similar to those described in the first embodiment and the second embodiment can be achieved.

4. Fourth embodiment:
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a molding apparatus 100D according to the fourth embodiment. The molding apparatus 100D of the fourth embodiment has almost the same configuration as the molding apparatus 100A of the first embodiment, except that a strip member 40 is added.

The strip member 40 is made of, for example, Teflon tape (“Teflon” is a registered trademark). Before molding, the strip member 40 is wound around and adhered to the side surfaces of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 so as to seal the boundary between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 which are overlapped in the stacking direction. The band member 40 improves the fixity of the relative positions of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15. Furthermore, the band member 40 further suppresses the formation of a gap at the boundary between the upper die 11 and the lower die 15 during molding. Therefore, it is possible to further suppress the occurrence of vacuuming failure due to the generation of a gap between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15, and it is possible to further suppress the occurrence of molding defects. In addition, according to the molding apparatus 100D and the molding method of the fourth embodiment, various effects similar to those described in each of the above embodiments can be achieved.

4. Other embodiments:
The technology of the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations described in the above embodiments. The configuration of the above embodiment can also be modified as follows, for example. The configurations of other embodiments described below are positioned as one form for implementing the technology of the present disclosure, similar to the configurations described in the above embodiments.

(1) Other embodiment 1:
The configurations of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 are not limited to the configurations described in each of the above embodiments. The upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 do not need to have a rectangular shape, and may have various external shapes. The dimensions of the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 in the X direction and the Y direction do not have to match. In the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15, the cavity 20 and the flow path 21 may be formed by a recess in the lower surface 13 of the upper mold 11 and a recess in the upper surface 17 of the lower mold 15.

(2) Other embodiment 2:
The configuration of the fastening member 30 is not limited to the configuration described in each of the above embodiments. For example, instead of the first plate-like member 31 and the second plate-like member 32, the fastening member 30 is arranged so as to press the upper surface 12 of the upper mold 11 and the lower surface 16 of the lower mold 15 with their respective side surfaces. It may also be constituted by a plurality of rod-shaped members. The fastening member 30 fastens the first plate member 31 and the second plate member 32 using, for example, a belt instead of the connecting member 33, and applies a pressing force to the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 in the stacking direction. It may be configured to do so. For example, the fastening member 30 is configured such that the first plate member 31 and the second plate member 32 are connected by the side covering member 35 described in the third embodiment instead of the connecting member 33. Good too.

(3) Other embodiment 3:
In the second and third embodiments described above, the heating section 62 of the temperature raising section 60b is constituted by a heat source that directly contacts the upper die 11 and the lower die 15 or the fastening member 30 to heat it. Good too. The heating unit 62 of the temperature raising unit 60b heats the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 15 by raising the temperature of the first plate member 31, the second plate member 32, and the side covering member 35 by induction heating, for example. The configuration may be such that The temperature raising section 60b may be configured by an electric furnace.

(4) Other embodiment 4:
The strip member 40 of the fourth embodiment may be applied to the molding device 100B of the second embodiment or the molding device 100C of the third embodiment.

(5) Other embodiment 5:
In the molding apparatus 100C of the third embodiment, the side surface covering member 35 may be made of a member that can transmit electromagnetic waves, and the temperature raising part 60a that irradiates the electromagnetic waves described in the first embodiment may be applied.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Molding part, 11... Upper mold, 12... Upper surface, 13... Lower surface, 14... Convex part, 15... Lower mold, 16... Lower surface, 17... Upper surface, 18... Recessed part, 20... Cavity, 21... Channel, 22 ...first channel, 23...second channel, 24...third channel, 30...fastening member, 31...first plate member, 31e...periphery, 32...second plate member, 32e...periphery , 33... Connecting member, 34... Nut, 35... Side covering member, 40... Band member, 50... Vacuum pump, 60a, 60b... Temperature raising section, 61... Electromagnetic wave generating section, 62... Heating section, 63... Air blower, 100A , 100B, 100C, 100D...Molding device, M...Resin material

Claims (6)

A molding device that melts and molds a thermoplastic resin material,
It has an upper mold and a lower mold made of rubber which are overlapped in the lamination direction with their relative positions fixed during molding, and a gap between the upper mold and the lower mold which are overlapped in the lamination direction. a molded part having a cavity filled with the resin material and a vacuum passage communicating with the cavity as an internal space;
a temperature raising section that heats and melts the resin material in the cavity by irradiating electromagnetic waves from the outside of the upper mold and the lower mold or by heating the upper mold and the lower mold from the outside;
a vacuum pump connected to the flow path of the molding section and evacuating the flow path and the cavity during molding;
The upper mold is made of a member that is less thermally deformable than the upper mold and the lower mold, and is configured to suppress deformation of the upper mold and the lower mold and change in the volume of the cavity during molding. a fastening member that fastens the upper mold and the lower mold while pressing the upper surface and the lower surface of the lower mold;
A molding device comprising: The molding device according to claim 1,
The fastening member is
a first plate member that makes surface contact with the entire upper surface of the upper mold;
a second plate-like member that makes surface contact with the entire lower surface of the lower mold;
molding equipment, including; The molding device according to claim 2,
The fastening member further includes a plurality of rod-shaped connecting members that are arranged on the sides of the upper mold and the lower mold and connect and fasten the first plate member and the second plate member. Molding equipment. The molding device according to claim 2,
The fastening member further includes a plate-shaped side covering member that tightly covers the side surfaces of the upper mold and the lower mold,
The temperature raising unit is a molding device that heats the resin material in the cavity by applying heat from the outside of the upper mold and the lower mold through the fastening member. The molding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising:
A molding device comprising a band-shaped member adhered to side surfaces of the upper mold and the lower mold so as to seal a boundary between the upper mold and the lower mold that are overlapped in the stacking direction. A molding method of melting and molding a thermoplastic resin material,
An upper mold and a lower mold made of rubber are stacked on top of each other in the stacking direction, and a cavity and a vacuum passage communicating with the cavity are provided as an internal space between the upper mold and the lower mold. forming the cavity and filling the cavity with the resin material;
The fastening member is made of a member that is less thermally deformable than the upper mold and the lower mold, so that deformation of the upper mold and the lower mold and change in the volume of the cavity are suppressed during molding. fastening the upper mold and the lower mold while pressing the upper surface of the upper mold and the lower surface of the lower mold;
With the flow path and the cavity evacuated by a vacuum pump, the upper mold and the lower mold are irradiated with electromagnetic waves from the outside, or the upper mold and the lower mold are heated from the outside. Melting and molding the resin material in the cavity while the relative positions of the upper mold and the lower mold are fixed;
A molding method comprising:

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