CO-INJECTION NOZZLE ASSEMBLY

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to co-injection molding systems and, in particular to co-injection nozzle assembly with reduced heat transfer between the co- injection molding products.

Injection molds typically comprise stationary and moving mold halves (i.e., the core side and the cavity side) which are closed and clamped together to form a mold cavity therebetween for shaping articles from thermoplastic compositions. The thermoplastic is heated into a molten condition and is injected under pressure through a nozzle and into the mold cavity by means of a screw ram. Injection pressures of 2,000 to 10,000 psi are common at the gate locations. The plastic is allowed to cool to sufficiently harden the thermoplastic whereupon the mold is opened and the hardened articles are removed. Hot runner manifold systems are well known and are used to convey the synthetic-material melt, plastified by heating, into a plurality of individual sprue bushings positioned in mold plates of the injection-molding system. The manifolds keep the plastic material in a fluid condition while the material flows from the injection machine nozzle through the sprue bushings and into the mold cavity. Hot runner manifold systems provide for use of a plurality of sprue bushings and multi-cavity molds and thus allow increased manufacture of more products. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 5,429,493.

Co-injection molding of materials is well known. A co-injection molding apparatus injects two different plastic materials, typically an inner core material and an outer shell material, into a single mold cavity. A co-injection manifold receives material from two different injection machines and combines the two materials into a single stream which flows into a mold or die.

Co-injection processes create a product which is less expensive. A smaller amount of the more expensive outer plastic material is used for the final part, since it only is used for the outer surface or shell of the product. The second material which is co-extruded is typically a less expensive plastic material and forms the inner non-visible

core of the product. A co-injection manifold and process are shown, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,376,625.

The core material and the shell material utilized in a co-injection apparatus often have different melting points. Prior art hot runner systems exhibit a great deal of heat transfer between the melt streams, disadvantageously reducing the efficiency of the co- injection molding process.

It is desirable, therefore, to provide an improved co-injection nozzle assembly that provides reduced heat transfer between the materials of the co-injection molding process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a gate adapter for use in a hot runner co-injection molding system that includes a hollow gate adapter body defining a gate outlet at a free end thereof. At least a pair of nozzle assemblies is disposed in the adapter body, each of nozzle assemblies having an end in fluid communication with a source of liquid extruded material and another end defining an outlet. At least a pair of nozzle passages is defined in the adapter body and the passages extend from the outlet of the associated nozzle assemblies to a passage outlet adjacent the gate outlet. A valve stem is disposed adjacent each of the passage outlets and is operable to selectively allow flow from the passage outlets to the gate outlet. The nozzle passages extend for a short predetermined distance within the adapter body.

In a typical co-injection process, the materials in the nozzles are different and have correspondingly different melting points. Heat transfer between the liquid materials hinders the efficiency of the co-injection process by reducing the temperature of the higher melt point material. By thermally isolating the materials from one another, the gate adapter in accordance with the present invention greatly improves the efficiency of the co-injection process, as there is a negligible amount of heat transfer between the liquid materials because the short distance between the nozzle outlets and the mold cavity makes heat transfer between the materials an insignificant influence to the overall co-injection molding process.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above, as well as other, advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of a co-injection molding system in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view in an enlarged scale of the encircled portion 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of an alternative embodiment of a co-injection molding system in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view in an enlarged scale of the encircled portion 4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a block diagram of a control system for the systems of Figs. 1 -4; Fig. 6 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of an alternative embodiment of a co-injection nozzle assembly in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 7a is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 in Fig. 6 with the valve stem of the co-injection nozzle assembly in a first valve position;

Fig. 7b is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 in Fig. 6 with the valve stem of the co-injection nozzle assembly in a second valve position; and

Fig. 7c is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 in Fig. 6 with the valve stem of the co-injection nozzle assembly in a third valve position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to Figs. 1-2, there is shown a hot runner co-injection molding system, indicated generally at 10. The system 10 includes a first co-injection assembly 12 and a second co-injection assembly 14. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more co-injection assemblies, such as the assemblies 12 and 14, may be utilized while remaining within the scope of the present invention. The first co-injection assembly 12 includes a first nozzle assembly 16 and at least a second nozzle assembly 18. Preferably, an end of the first nozzle assembly 16 is in fluid communication with a supply of a first melted plastic material (not shown) and an opposite end is disposed in a

hollow gate adapter body 22 of a gate adapter 20. Similarly, an end of the second nozzle assembly 18 is preferably in fluid communication with a supply of a second extruded/melted plastic material (not shown) and an opposite end is disposed in the gate adapter body 22 of the gate adapter 20. The end of the first nozzle assembly 16 in the gate adapter body 22 includes a first nozzle outlet 24 and the end of the second nozzle assembly 18 in the gate adapter body 22 includes a second nozzle outlet 26. The first nozzle outlet 24 and the second nozzle outlet 26 are preferably releasably attached to the first nozzle assembly 16 and the second nozzle assembly 18, respectively, such as by a threaded connection or the like. The first nozzle outlet 24 extends to a first nozzle passage 28 formed in the gate adapter body 22 and the second nozzle outlet 26 extends to a second nozzle passage 30 formed in the gate adapter body 22. The nozzle passages 28 and 30 extend for a short predetermined distance within the adapter body 22. The second nozzle passage 30 terminates in a second passage outlet 46 formed in the gate adapter body 22 adjacent a gate outlet 32 defined in a gate body 34 that is attached to the gate adapter body 22. The gate outlet 32 is in fluid communication with a mold cavity, such as a mold 204 shown schematically in Fig. 5. The gate body 34 is preferably releasably attached to the gate adapter body 22, such as by a threaded connection or the like. The first nozzle passage 28 terminates in a first passage outlet 44 defined within the second nozzle passage 30. The first co-injection assembly 12 includes an elongated valve stem 36 having an end seat 38, an elongated body portion 39, and an intermediate portion 40 having a smaller diameter than the body portion 39. The valve stem 36 is movable along a longitudinal axis 42 that extends through the first nozzle assembly 16. An actuator, such as an actuator 202 shown schematically in Fig. 5, is operable to move the valve stem 36 along the axis 42 between a first valve position indicated by a line 48, a second valve position indicated by a line 50 and a third valve position indicated by a line 52. The actuator 202 of the valve stem 36 may be, but is not limited to, a solenoid, a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, an electric stepper motor, or the like. In the first valve position 48, the end seat 38 cooperates with the second passage outlet 46 and the body portion 39 cooperates with the first passage outlet 44. In the second valve position, the end seat 38 is located remote from the second passage outlet 46 and the body portion 39 continues to cooperate with the first passage outlet 44. In the third valve position, the

end seat 38 is located remote from the second passage outlet 46 and the intermediate portion 40 is located adjacent the first passage outlet 44.

In operation, each of the co-injection assemblies 12 and 14 is supplied with liquid material, such as extrudate supplied from separate extruders (not shown) or the like. The nozzles 16 and 18 are filled with the liquid material, which flows to the nozzle outlets 24 and 26 and eventually to the nozzle passages 28 and 30. Actuation of the valve stem 36, discussed in more detail below, allows the liquid material to flow from the nozzle passages 28 and 30 through the passage outlets 44 and 46 and the gate 32 and eventually to the mold cavity 204. Upon a signal from a controller, such as a controller 200 shown schematically in

Fig. 5, or the like, the actuator 202 is operable to move the valve stem 36 between the first position 48, the second position 50, and the third position 52. In the first position 48, wherein the end seat 38 cooperates with the second passage outlet 46 and the body portion 39 cooperates with the first passage outlet 44, there is no flow from either of the nozzles 16 and 18 to the gate 32. In the second position 50, wherein the end seat 38 is located remote from the second passage outlet 46 and the body portion 39 continues to cooperate with the first passage outlet 44, liquid material in the second nozzle 18 may flow through the passage 30 and the passage outlet 46 to the gate 32 and thus to the mold. In the second position 50, the body portion 39 prevents liquid from flowing out of the first nozzle passage 28 through the passage outlet 44. In the third position 52, liquid material in the second nozzle 18 may flow through the passage 30 and the passage outlet 46 to the gate 32 and liquid material in the first nozzle 16 may flow through the passage 28 and the passage outlet 44 to the passage 30 and eventually to the gate 32. In the third position, wherein the end seat 38 is located remote from the second passage outlet 46 and the intermediate portion 40 is located adjacent the first passage outlet 44, liquid material from each of the nozzles 16 and 18 flows through the passage 30, out of the gate 32, and into the mold, forming a co-injection molded part, in a manner well known in the art.

Advantageously, the liquid materials in the nozzles 16 and 18 are thermally isolated from one another from the extruders to the nozzles passages 28 and 30. In a typical co-injection process, the materials in the nozzles 16 and 18 are different (such as for a core portion of the co-injection molded part and for a skin portion of the co- injection molded part) and have correspondingly different melting points. Heat transfer

between the liquid materials hinders the efficiency of the co-injection process by reducing the temperature of the higher melt point material. Temperature control of the materials, therefore, is desirable. By thermally isolating the materials from one another, the efficiency of the co-injection process is greatly improved. There is a negligible amount of heat transfer between the liquid materials because of the short distance of the nozzle passages 28 and 30 between the nozzle outlets 24 and 26 to the gate 32. Thus, heat transfer between the materials is an insignificant influence to the overall co-injection molding process.

In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the gate adapter 20 may be advantageously utilized with more than two injection molded materials supplied by a corresponding number of nozzle assemblies, such as the nozzles assemblies 16 and 18, while remaining within the scope of the present invention.

Referring now to Fig. 3-4, there is shown an alternative embodiment of a hot runner co-injection molding system, indicated generally at 100. The system 100 includes a first co-injection assembly 112 and a second co-injection assembly 114. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more co-injection assemblies, such as the assemblies 112 and 114, may be utilized while remaining within the scope of the present invention. The first co-injection assembly 112 includes a first nozzle assembly 116 and at least a second nozzle assembly 118. Preferably, an end of the first nozzle assembly 116 is in fluid communication with a supply of a first melted plastic material (not shown) and an opposite end is disposed in a hollow gate adapter body 122 of a gate adapter 120. Similarly, an end of the second nozzle assembly 118 is preferably in fluid communication with a supply of a second extruded/melted plastic material (not shown) and an opposite end is disposed in the gate adapter body 122 of the gate adapter 120. The end of the first nozzle assembly 116 in the gate adapter body 122 includes a first nozzle outlet 124 and the end of the second nozzle assembly 118 in the gate adapter body 122 includes a second nozzle outlet 126. The first nozzle outlet 124 and the second nozzle outlet 126 are preferably releasably attached to the first nozzle assembly 116 and the second nozzle assembly 118, respectively, such as by a threaded connection or the like. The first nozzle outlet 124 extends to a first nozzle passage 128 formed in the gate adapter body 122 and the second nozzle outlet 126 extends to a second nozzle passage 130 formed in the gate adapter body 122. The nozzle passages 128 and 130 extend for a

short predetermined distance within the adapter body 22. The first nozzle passage 128 terminates in a first passage outlet 146 formed in the gate adapter body 122 adjacent a gate outlet 132 defined in a gate body 134 that is attached to the gate adapter body 122. The gate outlet 132 is in fluid communication with a mold cavity, such as the mold 204 shown schematically in Fig. 5. The gate body 134 is preferably releasably attached to the gate adapter body 122, such as by a threaded connection or the like. The second nozzle passage 130 terminates in a second passage outlet 144 defined within the first nozzle passage 128.

The first co-injection assembly 112 includes an elongated valve stem 136 having an end seat 138 and an elongated body portion 139. The valve stem 136 is movable along a longitudinal axis 142 that extends between the first nozzle assembly 116 and the second nozzle assembly 118. An actuator, such as the actuator 202 shown schematically in Fig. 5, is operable to move the valve stem 136 along the axis 142 between a first valve position indicated by a line 148, a second valve position indicated by a line 150 and a third valve position indicated by a line 152. The actuator 202 of the valve stem 136 may be, but is not limited to, a solenoid, a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, an electric stepper motor, or the like. In the first valve position, the end seat 138 cooperates with the first passage outlet 146 and the body portion 139 cooperates with the second passage outlet 144. In the second valve position, the end seat 138 is located remote from the first passage outlet 146 and the body portion 139 continues to cooperate with the second passage outlet 144. In the third valve position, the end seat 138 is located remote from the first passage outlet 146 and the second passage outlet 144.

In operation, each of the co-injection assemblies 112 and 114 is supplied with liquid material, such as extrudate supplied from separate extruders (not shown) or the like. The nozzles 116 and 118 are filled with the liquid material, which flows to the nozzle outlets 124 and 126 and eventually to the nozzle passages 128 and 130. Actuation of the valve stem 136, discussed in more detail below, allows the liquid material to flow from the nozzle passages 128 and 130 through the passage outlets 144 and 146 and the gate 132 and eventually to the mold cavity 204. Upon a signal from a controller, such as the controller 200 shown schematically in Fig. 5, or the like, the actuator 202 is operable to move the valve stem 136 between the first position 148, the second position 150, and the third position 152. In the first

position 148, wherein the end seat 138 cooperates with the first passage outlet 146 and the body portion 139 cooperates with the second passage outlet 144, there is no flow from either of the nozzles 116 and 118 to the gate 132. In the second position 150, wherein the end seat 138 is located remote from the first passage outlet 146 and the body portion 139 continues to cooperate with the second passage outlet 144, liquid material in the second nozzle 118 may flow through the passage 128 and the passage outlet 146 to the gate 132 and thus the mold. In the second position 150, the body portion 139 prevents liquid from flowing out of the first nozzle passage 128 through the passage outlet 144. In the third position 152, liquid material in the second nozzle 118 may flow through the passage 130 and the passage outlet 144 to the gate 132 and liquid material in the first nozzle 116 may flow through the passage 128 and the passage outlet 146 to the passage 130 and eventually to the gate 132. In the third position, wherein the end seat 138 is located remote from the first passage outlet 146 and the second passage outlet 144, liquid material from each of the nozzles 116 and 118 flows through the passage 130, out of the gate 132, and into the mold, forming a co-injection molded part, in a manner well known in the art.

Advantageously, the liquid materials in the nozzles 116 and 118 are thermally isolated from one another from the extruder to the nozzles passages 128 and 130. In a typical co-injection process, the materials in the nozzles 116 and 118 are different (such as for a core portion of the co-injection molded part and for a skin portion of the co- injection molded part) and have correspondingly different melting points. Heat transfer between the liquid materials hinders the efficiency of the co-injection process by reducing the temperature of the higher melt point material. Temperature control of the materials, therefore, is desirable. By thermally isolating the materials from one another, the efficiency of the co-injection process is greatly improved, as there is a negligible amount of heat transfer between the liquid materials. The short distance of the nozzle passages 128 and 130 between the nozzle outlets 124 and 126 and the gate 132 makes heat transfer between the materials an insignificant influence to the overall co-injection molding process. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the gate adapter 120 may be advantageously utilized with more than two injection molded materials supplied by a

corresponding number of nozzle assemblies, such as the nozzles assemblies 116 and 118, while remaining within the scope of the present invention.

Referring now to Fig. 5, there is shown a schematic view of the hot runner systems 10 and 100. The systems 10 and 100 include the controller 200 in communication with the actuator 202. The actuator 202 actuates the valves 36 or 136 which allow flow to the gates 32 or 132, as shown in Figs. 1-4. The gates 32 or 132, in turn allow flow into the mold 204, such as a mold cavity or the like.

Referring now to Fig. 6 and 7a-7c, there is shown an alternative embodiment of a co-injection nozzle assembly, indicated generally at 312. The co-injection nozzle assembly 312 can be utilized with a hot runner system in accordance with the present invention such as, for example, the systems 10 or 100, including another co-injection nozzle assembly, similar to the co-injection nozzle assemblies 12 and 14 shown in Fig. 1. The co-injection assembly 312 includes a first nozzle assembly 316 and at least a second nozzle assembly 318. Preferably, an end of the first nozzle assembly 316 is in fluid communication with a supply of a first melted plastic material (not shown) and an opposite end is disposed in a hollow gate adapter body 322 of a gate adapter 320. Similarly, an end of the second nozzle assembly 318 is preferably in fluid communication with a supply of a second extruded/melted plastic material (not shown) and an opposite end is disposed in the gate adapter body 322 of the gate adapter 320. The end of the first nozzle assembly 316 in the gate adapter body 322 includes a first nozzle outlet 324 and the end of the second nozzle assembly 318 in the gate adapter body 322 includes a second nozzle outlet 326. The first nozzle outlet 324 and the second nozzle outlet 326 are preferably releasably attached to the first nozzle assembly 316 and the second nozzle assembly 318, respectively, such as by a threaded connection or the like. The first nozzle outlet 324 extends to a first nozzle passage 328 formed in the gate adapter body 322 and the second nozzle outlet 326 extends to a second nozzle passage 330 formed in the gate adapter body 322. The nozzle passages 328 and 330 extend for a short predetermined distance within the adapter body 322. The nozzle passages 328 and 330 are in selective fluid communication with a gate outlet 332 defined in a gate body 334 that is attached to the gate adapter body 322, discussed in more detail below. The gate outlet 332 is in fluid communication with a mold cavity, such as a mold 204 shown

schematically in Fig. 5. The gate body 334 is preferably releasably attached to the gate adapter body 322, such as by a threaded connection or the like.

Advantageously, the liquid materials in the nozzles 316 and 318 are thermally isolated from one another from the extruder to the nozzles passages 328 and 330. In a typical co-injection process, the materials in the nozzles 316 and 318 are different (such

as for a core portion of the co-injection molded part and for a skin portion of the co- injection molded part) and have correspondingly different melting points. Heat transfer between the liquid materials hinders the efficiency of the co-injection process by reducing the temperature of the higher melt point material. Temperature control of the materials, therefore, is desirable. By thermally isolating the materials from one another, the efficiency of the co-injection process is greatly improved, as there is a negligible amount of heat transfer between the liquid materials. The short distance of the nozzle passages 328 and 330 between the nozzle outlets 324 and 326 and the gate 332 makes heat transfer between the materials an insignificant influence to the overall co-injection molding process.

In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the gate adapter 320 may be advantageously utilized with more than two injection molded materials supplied by a corresponding number of nozzle assemblies, such as the nozzles assemblies 316 and 318, while remaining within the scope of the present invention. In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.