FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a mold assembly for injection molding of a plastic pipe fitting. Further the present invention relates to an injection molded pipe fitting made of plastics.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In prior art, e.g. US 7,153, 125 discloses a mold as sembly for injection molding of a plastic pipe fit ting. The pipe fitting comprises an elbow-shaped or tee-shaped internal flow channel comprising at least two channel parts arranged at a first angle in rela tion to each other, the channel parts each having a circular cross-section and a smoothly radiused inner corner face between each two channel parts being at said first angle in relation to each other. The mold assembly comprises a pair of mold members adapted for movement between an open position and a closed posi tion to define a mold cavity having a shape conforming to the exterior geometry of the pipe fitting to be molded. The mold assembly further comprises a pair of retractable core packages. Each core package comprises a first core member and a second core member. Each core package is movable between an advanced position protruding into said mold cavity and cooperating with each other to define the internal flow channel in the pipe fitting to be molded, and a retracted position substantially withdrawn from said mold cavity. The first core member and the second core member have dis tal ends with end faces for abutting engagement with each other when the first core member and the second core member are in advanced positions to define the internal flow channel with said channel parts being at the first angle in relation to each other. The first core member defines an outer portion of the internal flow channel and includes an inclined guide member ex tending longitudinally and at a second angle in rela tion to a longitudinal axis. The second core member defines an inner portion of the internal flow channel. The second core member is movably slidable along the inclined guide member. The second core member includes a curved inner edge disposed generally at a distal end thereof. The curved inner edges of the second core members cooperatively define the smoothly radiused in ner corner face of the internal flow channel. The sec ond core member is movable along the inclined guide member on the first core member upon movement of the core package toward said retracted position subsequent to molding of the pipe fitting within the mold cavity to shift the second core member towards a center axis of the internal flow channel for withdrawal of the core package from the mold cavity and the pipe fitting molded therein.

In order to reduce flow resistance inside the pipe fitting it is essential to be able to make a pipe fit ting wherein the inner corner face of the internal flow channel is rounded. The collapsible core arrange ment as described above allows a rounded inner corner face to be made. However, it has been difficult or im possible to make a small-size pipe fitting wherein the inner diameter of the circular internal flow channel is small and at the same time the length of channel part is relatively long relative to the diameter, i.e. the ratio of the length and inner diameter of the channel part is in the range 8 to 3, and the ratio of the inner diameter and the rounding radius is in the range 2 to 5. The conditions under which the injection molding cores must operate are also very severe: the pressure of the plastics to be injected is of the or- der of 1000 bar and the temperature is 400°C. This sets challenges to make the small-sized core members strong enough and reasonably effective for cycle times. The cycle time (mold open - mold closed - mold open) should not be no more than about 60 seconds to be economically feasible to produce masses of such pipe fittings.

OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the invention is to alleviate the disadvantages mentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a mold assembly for injection molding of a plastic pipe fitting. The pipe fitting comprises an elbow-shaped or tee-shaped internal flow channel. The internal flow channel comprises at least two channel parts arranged at a first angle in relation to each other. The channel parts each have a circular cross- section and a smoothly radiused inner corner face be tween each two channel parts being at said first angle in relation to each other. The mold assembly comprises a pair of mold members adapted for movement between an open position and a closed position to define a mold cavity having a shape conforming to the exterior geom etry of the pipe fitting to be molded. The mold assem bly further comprises a pair of retractable core pack ages each comprising a first core member and a second core member. Each core package is movable between an advanced position protruding into said mold cavity and cooperating with each other to define the internal flow channel in the pipe fitting to be molded, and a retracted position substantially withdrawn from said mold cavity. The first core member and the second core member have distal ends with end faces for abutting engagement with each other when first core member and second core member are in advanced positions to define the internal flow channel with said channel parts at the first angle in relation to each other. The first core member defines an outer portion of the internal flow channel and includes an inclined guide member ex tending longitudinally and at a second angle in rela tion to a longitudinal axis. The second core member defines an inner portion of the internal flow channel. The second core member is movably slidable along said inclined guide member. The second core member includes a curved inner edge disposed generally at a distal end thereof. The curved inner edges of the second core members cooperatively define the smoothly radiused in- ner corner face of the internal flow channel. The sec ond core member is movable along the inclined guide member on the first core member upon movement of the core package toward said retracted position subsequent to molding of the pipe fitting within the mold cavity to shift the second core member towards a center axis of the internal flow channel for withdrawal of the core package from the mold cavity and the pipe fitting molded therein. According to the invention, at least one of the first core member and the second core mem- ber of the core package comprises a built-in cooling arrangement for cooling of the core package, the cool ing arrangement extending longitudinally inside said core member over a substantial length of said core member .

The technical effect of the invention is that the cooling arrangement inside the core member enables ef fective transfer of heat from the core package and makes it possible to make small-sized pipe fittings with rounded inner corner faces with a reasonable cy cle time of the order of about 60 seconds. The round ing of the inner corner face can reduce flow re- sistance significantly compared to a sharp inner cor ner and the invention brings this improvement now also for the small-sized pipe fittings.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the cooling ar rangement comprises an elongated blind hole extending a substantial length of the core member between a sup port end of the core member and the distal end.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the cooling ar rangement comprises a heat conductor element having high thermal conductivity, the heat conductor element being inserted in the blind hole.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the cooling ar rangement comprises a cooling fluid channel for circu lating cooling fluid inside the core member.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the heat con ductor element is partly arranged to extend inside the cooling channel to be flushed by the cooling fluid.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, cooling fluid is water.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, cooling fluid is carbon dioxide (CCy) .

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the cooling ar rangement comprises a bubbler comprising a narrow tube arranged inside the cooling fluid channel, so that a gap is formed between the tube and the wall of the cooling channel. The cooling fluid is capable to flow via the tube from the end of the tube and to flow out via the gap. In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the heat con ductor element is partly arranged inside the tube for cooling the heat conductor element with the cooling fluid .

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the heat con ductor element is a pin made of solid material having high thermal conductivity.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the heat con ductor element is made of beryllium copper alloy.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the heat con ductor element is a thermal pin which is a sealed cyl inder filled with a fluid. The fluid inside the ther mal pin vaporizes as it draws heat from the core mem ber and condenses as it releases heat to the cooling fluid at the outer end of the thermal pin.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the first core member is made of tool steel.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the first core member is made of beryllium copper alloy.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the first core member comprises a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the second core member is made of tool steel.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the second core member is made of beryllium copper alloy.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the second core member comprises a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating. In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the first angle is 30° - 120°.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the first angle is 90°.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the second an gle is in the range of 1° to 12°.

In an embodiment of the mold assembly, the mold cavity formed by the mold members and the core packages are configured to form a pipe fitting wherein at least one of the channel parts has an inner diameter D, a length L from central corner point to the end of the channel part, the inner corner face having a rounding radius R, and wherein the ratio (D/R) of the inner diameter D and the rounding radius R is in the range 2 to 5, and the ratio (L/D) of the length L and inner diameter D is in the range 8 to 3.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides an injection molded pipe fitting made of plastics by a mold assembly according to the first as pect. The pipe fitting comprises an elbow-shaped or tee-shaped internal flow channel comprising at least two channel parts arranged at a first angle in rela tion to each other. The channel parts each have a cir cular cross-section and a smoothly radiused inner cor ner face between each two channel parts being at said first angle in relation to each other. The at least one of the channel parts have an inner diameter D, a length L from central corner point to the end of the channel part, the inner corner face having a rounding radius R. According to the invention, the ratio D/R of the inner diameter D and the rounding radius R is in the range 2 to 5, and the ratio L/D of the length L and inner diameter D is in the range 8 to 3. In an embodiment of the pipe fitting, the inner diame- ter D is 5,0 - 6,5 mm, the length L from central cor- ner point to the end of the channel part is 25,0 mm - 40,0 mm, and the rounding radius R of the inner corner face is 2,5 - 3,2 mm.

In an embodiment of the pipe fitting, the inner diame- ter D is 8,0 - 9,5 mm, the length L from central cor- ner point to the end of the channel part is 35,0 mm - 55,0 mm, and the rounding radius R of the inner corner face is 3,5 - 4,7 mm.

It is to be understood that the aspects and embodi ments of the invention described above may be used in any combination with each other. Several of the as pects and embodiments may be combined together to form a further embodiment of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to pro vide a further understanding of the invention and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the de- scription help to explain the principles of the inven tion. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of an injection molded plastic elbow pipe fitting according to a first embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a cross-section of the elbow pipe fitting of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a cross-section of an injection molded plastic tee-shaped pipe fitting according to a second embodiment of the invention, Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mold assembly according to one embodiment of the invention for producing an elbow pipe fitting,

Figure 5 shows a cross-section VI-VI from Figure 4,

Figure 6 shows an alternative for the second core mem ber of Figure 4, in which alternative the second core member is equipped with a cooling arrangement accord ing to the invention,

Figure 7 shows the mold assembly of Figure 4 during the process cycle wherein the second core member has been moved to an advanced position into the mold cavi ty,

Figure 8 shows the mold assembly of Figure 7 during the process cycle wherein the first core member has been moved to an advanced position into the mold cavi ty, both core members being ready for injection mold ing of the elbow pipe fitting, and

Figure 9 is a cross-section IX-IX from Figure 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figures 1 and 2 show an injection molded pipe fitting 2 made of plastics. It is made by a mold assembly 1 of

Figures 4 to 9 which is disclosed with reference to said Figures.

The pipe fitting 2 is an elbow pipe fitting comprising an elbow-shaped internal flow channel 4. In the elbow pipe fitting 2 the internal flow channel 4 comprises two channel parts 5 and 6 arranged at a first angle of 90° in relation to each other. The channel parts 5 and 6 have a circular cross-section and a smoothly ra- diused inner corner face 8 between the two channel parts 5 and 6. The channel parts 5 and 6 have an inner diameter D and a length L from central corner point to the end of the channel part. The inner corner face 8 has a rounding radius R. The ratio D/R of the inner diameter D and the rounding radius R is in the range 2 to 5, and the ratio L/D of the length L and inner di ameter D is in the range 8 to 3. Figure 3 shows an injection molded tee-shaped pipe fitting 3 made of plastics. The pipe fitting 3 com prises a tee-shaped internal flow channel 4 comprising three channel parts 5, 6 and 7. The channel part 6 is arranged at a first angle of 90° in relation to the two other channel parts 5 and 7. The channel parts 5, 6, 7 each have a circular cross-section and a smoothly radiused inner corner faces 8 between the channel parts 6 and 7 and channel parts 6 and 5. The channel parts 5, 6 and 7 have an inner diameter D and a length L from central corner point to the end of the channel part. The inner corner faces 8 have rounding radiuses R. The ratio D/R of the inner diameter D and the rounding radius R is in the range 2 to 5, and the ra tio L/D of the length L and inner diameter D is in the range 8 to 3. The mold assembly for making the tee shaped pipe fitting can be made by using three core packages following the principles of the invention (not shown in Figures) . Figures 4, 7 and 8 schematically show a mold assembly

1 adapted for injection molding of a plastic pipe el bow fitting 2 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In these Figures 4, 7 and 8 the core packages 12 and 13 and the first and second core members 14, 15 thereof are shown in different positions in relation to the mold members 9, 10 forming the mold cavity 11. The mold assembly 1 comprises a pair of mold members 9, 10 adapted for movement between an open position and a closed position to define a mold cavity 11 hav ing a shape conforming to the exterior geometry of the pipe fitting 2 to be molded. The mold assembly 1 fur ther comprises a pair of retractable core packages 12, 12. Each of the two core packages 12 and 13 comprises a first core member 14 and a second core member 15. The core packages 12, 13 are movable between an ad vanced position I (see Figure 8) and a retracted posi tion II (see Figure 3) . As can be seen in Figure 8, in the advanced position I the core packages 12 and 13 protrude into said mold cavity 11 and cooperate with each other to define the internal flow channel 4 in the pipe fitting 2 to be molded. Referring to Figure 4, in the retracted position II the core packages 12 and 13 are substantially withdrawn from said mold cav ity 11. The retracted position II enables a suffi ciently solidified and cooled pipe fitting can be knocked out from the mold cavity between the molding cycles when the mold members are moved to an open po sition.

The first core member 14 and the second core member 15 have distal ends E with end faces 16, 17 for abutting engagement with each other when the first core member 14 and second core member 15 are in advanced positions I to define the internal flow channel 4 with said channel parts 5 and 6 being at the first angle in relation to each other. The first core member 14 de fines an outer portion of the internal flow channel 4 and includes an inclined guide member 18 (see also Figure 9) . The inclined guide member 18 extends longi tudinally and at a second angle b in relation to a longitudinal axis of the channel part. The second an gle b is preferably in the range of 1° to 12° depend ing of the dimensions of the pipe fitting. In shown the example the angle b is 2°. In the embodiment shown in Figure 9, the inclined guide member 18 may by a groove formed in the first core member 14 to slidably receive therein a tongue formed in the second core member 15. The second core member 15 defines an inner portion of the internal flow channel 4. The second core member 15 is movably slidable along said inclined guide member 18. As can be seen e.g. in Figure 4, the second core member 15 includes a curved inner edge 19 disposed generally at a distal end thereof. The curved inner edges 19 of the second core members 15 coopera tively define the smoothly radiused inner corner face 8 of the internal flow channel 4. The second core mem ber 15 is movable along the inclined guide member 18 on the first core member 14 upon movement of the core package 12, 13 toward said retracted position II sub sequent to molding of the pipe fitting 2 within the mold cavity 11 to shift the second core member 15 to wards a center axis x of the internal flow channel 4 for withdrawal of the core package 12, 13 from the mold cavity 11 and the pipe fitting 2 molded therein. In the embodiment shown in Figures 4, 7 and 8 the first core member 14 of the core packages 12, 13 com prises a built-in cooling arrangement 20 for cooling of the core package 12, 13. The cooling arrangement 20 extends longitudinally inside the first core member 14 over a substantial length of said core member.

Figure 6 shows that, if needed, also the second core member 15 may be arranged to include a similar cooling arrangement. Thus, a cooling arrangement 20 may be in cluded in either one of the first and second core mem bers 14, 15, or included in both of them.

The cooling arrangement 20 comprises an elongated blind hole 21 extending a substantial length of the core member 14 and/or 15 between a support end 22) of the core member 14, 15 and the distal end E thereof.

A heat conductor element 23 having high thermal con ductivity may be inserted in the blind hole 21, as shown in Figures 4, 7 and 8 and 9. The cooling ar rangement 20 also comprises a cooling fluid channel 24 for circulating cooling fluid inside the core member 14, 15. The heat conductor element 23 is partly ar ranged to extend inside the cooling channel 24 to be flushed by the cooling fluid. Cooling fluid can be wa ter or carbon dioxide CCy .

In the shown examples, the cooling arrangement 20 com prises a so-called bubbler 25. The bubbler 25 compris es a narrow tube 26 arranged inside the cooling fluid channel 24 so that a gap 27 is formed between the tube and the wall of the cooling channel 24. The cooling fluid is thus capable to flow via the tube 26 from the end of the tube and to flow out via the gap 27. As shown in Figures, the heat conductor element 23 may partly be arranged inside the tube 26 for cooling the heat conductor element 23 with the cooling fluid which flushes a part of the heat conductor element 23. The heat conductor element 23 may be a pin made of solid material having high thermal conductivity, such as copper alloy or beryllium copper alloy. Alternatively, the heat conductor element 23 may be a so-called ther mal pin. Thermal pin is a sealed cylinder filled with a fluid which is vaporized as it draws heat from the core member and condenses as it releases heat to the cooling fluid. The first core member 14 and/or second core member 15 may made of tool steel (Orvar, Unimax, manufacturer Uddeholm, Sweden) or from a metal having higher thermal conductivity, such as beryllium copper alloy. The thermal conductivity of tool steel is about 25 W/m-K. Beryllium copper has a thermal conductivity of 100 - 350 W/m-K. The strength and wear resistance of the core members 14, 15 can be increased by a dia- mond-like carbon (DLC) coating. DLC coating is very hard, has low friction and provides a long life time for the core members.

Although the mold assembly 1 and pipe fittings 2 and 3 have been described for pipe fittings having the first angle of 90°, the invention is equally applicable for mold assemblies for making pipe fittings and for pipe fittings having the first angle of 30 ° - 120°.

While the present inventions have been described in connection with a number of exemplary embodiments, and implementations, the present inventions are not so limited, but rather cover various modifications, and equivalent arrangements, which fall within the scope of prospective claims.