Method and device for injection molding articles while simultaneously forming patterns thereon

Claim 1

A method for molding an article by injection molding while simultaneously imprinting on or transferring onto the molded article a pattern on a continuous pattern sheet, wherein, prior to the injection of molten plastic material, a softened pattern sheet (32) is pre-molded by pressing said pattern sheet (32) under the air pressure against the cavity surface of a female mold (18), and wherein the molten plastic material is injected from a male mold (16) into the cavity defined between said male and female molds (16, 18) mated together with each other, to integrate the molded article with the pattern on said pattern sheet (32), characterized by the steps of: (a) disposing said pattern sheet which has a plurality of patterns and register marks spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in its longitudinal direction in such a way that said pattern sheet is transported so as to cover the opening of said female mold (18); (b) detecting the register marks on said pattern sheet (32) at the upstream of said female mold (18) so that pattern-sheet-holding-and-transferring means (100) holds said pattern sheet at a predetermined position with respect to each pattern thereon; (c) transporting by one pitch said pattern sheet (32) so as to cover said opening of said female mold (18) while heating said pattern sheet (32); (d) pressing the softened pattern sheet against the cavity surface of said female mold (18), thereby pre-molding said pattern sheet (32); (e) returning said pattern-sheet-holding-and-transferring means (100) to its initial position; and (f) injecting the molten plastic material through the male mold (16) into the cavity defined by said male and female molds (16, 18) which are mated together, whereby the molded article is integrated with said pattern sheet.

Claim 2

A method for molding an article by injection molding while simultaneously imprinting on or transferring onto the molded article a pattern on a continuous pattern sheet, wherein, prior to the injection of molten plastic material, a softened pattern sheet (32) is pre-molded by pressing said pattern sheet (32) under the air pressure against the cavity surface of a female mold (18), and wherein the molten plastic material is injected from a male mold (16) into the cavity defined between said male and female molds (16, 18) mated together with each other, to integrate the molded article with the pattern on said pattern sheet (32), characterized by the steps of: (a) disposing said pattern sheet which has a plurality of patterns and register marks spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in its longitudinal direction in such a way that said pattern sheet is transported so as to cover the opening of said female mold (18); (b) detecting the register marks on said pattern sheet (32) at the upstream of said female mold (18) so that pattern-sheet-holding-and-transferring means (100) holds said pattern sheet at a predetermined position with respect to each pattern thereon; (c) transporting by one pitch said pattern sheet (32) so as to cover said opening of said female mold (18) while heating said pattern sheet (32); (d) pressing the softened pattern sheet against the cavity surface of said female mold (18), thereby pre-molding said pattern sheet (32); (e) returning said pattern-sheet-holding-and-transferring means (100) to its initial position; and (f) injecting the molten plastic material through the male mold (16) into the cavity defined by said male and female molds (16, 18) which are mated together, whereby the molded article is integrated with said pattern sheet.

Claim 5

A method as set forth in any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, wherein the pattern sheet (32) are sucked against the heating means (44a) by the air passages (50, 51) formed therein after the register marks (T) are detected, a compressed air being blown out of the air passages(50, 51) to press the pattern sheet (32) transferred over the cavity against the cavity surface while the cavity is being evacuated.

Claim 6

A device for molding an article by injection molding while simultaneously imprinting on or transferring onto the molded article each pattern which is printed on a continuous sheet in a predetermined pitch, wherein the pattern sheet (32) is pressed under the air pressure against the cavity surface of a female mold (18) prior to the injection molding, and molten plastic material is injected from a male mold (16) into the cavity defined by said male and female molds (16, 18) which are mated together, whereby said pattern sheet and the molded article are integrated with each other, characterized by the provision of: (a) a sheet supporting means comprising a pattern-sheet supply roll (34) and a pattern-sheet take-up roll (36) which are so arranged that said pattern sheet (32) is transported so as to cover the opening of a female mold (18); (b) a pattern-sheet-holding-and-transferring means (100) for holding a predetermined part of the pattern sheet (32) on which the pattern to be imprinted on or transferred onto the article is formed and transferring the part thereof to the opening of the female mold (18), which comprises: i) a cover means (44) having a plurality of air passages (50, 51) in opposed relationship with the pattern sheet (32) and a heating means (44a) for softening the pattern sheet (32), ii) a frame means (46) which coacts with said cover means (44) so as to clamp said pattern sheet (32) therebetween and which is movable in unison with said cover means (44), iii) a transfer means (52) which reciprocates said pattern-sheet-holding-and-transferring means (100) by one pitch between the adjacent patterns (T) on said pattern sheet (32), iv) detection means (54) mounted on said cover means (44) or said frame means (46) for detecting the register marks (T) which are marked apart from each other by a predetermined distance on said pattern sheet (32), and v) a shift means responsive to the outputs from said detection.means (54) for shifting the cover means (44) and frame means (46) in unison with each other to the predetermined position with respect to the pattern on the pattern sheet (32); and (c) an air operating means connected to the air passages (50, 51) of the cover means (44) to suck the pattern sheet (32) against the heating means (44a) of the cover means and to press the pattern sheet (32) against the cavity surface of the female mold (18).

Claim 7

A device for molding an article by injection molding while simultaneously imprinting on or transferring onto the molded article each pattern which is printed on a continuous sheet in a predetermined pitch, wherein the pattern sheet (32) is pressed under the air pressure against the cavity surface of a female mold (18) prior to the injection molding, and molten plastic material is injected from a male mold (16) into the cavity defined by said male and female molds (16, 18) which are mated together, whereby said pattern sheet and the molded article are integrated with each other, characterized by the provision of: (a) a sheet supporting means comprising a pattern-sheet supply roll (34) and a pattern-sheet take-up roll (36) which are so arranged that said pattern sheet (32) is transported so as to cover the opening of a female mold (18); (b) a pattern-sheet-holding-and-transferring means (100) for holding a predetermined part of the pattern sheet (32) on which the pattern to be imprinted on or transferred onto the article is formed and transferring the part thereof to the opening of the female mold (18), which comprises: i) a cover means (44) having a plurality of air passages (50, 51) in opposed relationship with the pattern sheet (32) and a heating means (44a) for softening the pattern sheet (32), ii) a frame means (46) which coacts with said cover means (44) so as to clamp said pattern sheet (32) therebetween and which is movable in unison with said cover means (44), iii) a transfer means (52) which reciprocates said pattern-sheet-holding-and-transferring means (100) by one pitch between the adjacent patterns (T) on said pattern sheet (32), iv) detection means (54) mounted on said cover means (44) or said frame means (46) for detecting the register marks (T) which are marked apart from each other by a predetermined distance on said pattern sheet (32), and v) a shift means responsive to the outputs from said detection.means (54) for shifting the cover means (44) and frame means (46) in unison with each other to the predetermined position with respect to the pattern on the pattern sheet (32); and (c) an air operating means connected to the air passages (50, 51) of the cover means (44) to suck the pattern sheet (32) against the heating means (44a) of the cover means and to press the pattern sheet (32) against the cavity surface of the female mold (18).

Claim 10

A device as set forth in any one of the preceding Claims 5 to 7, wherein said shift means has a supporting plate (101) connected to one end of the transfer means (52) and a moving plate (102) movable in one direction with respect to the supporting plate (101), said cover means (44) being capable of moving.on the moving plate (102) in the direction perpendicular to the above direction with respect to the supporting plate (101).

Claim 11

A device as set forth in any one of the preceding Claims 5 to 8, wherein guide rail means (42) is laid between an initial position of said pattern-sheet-holding-and-transferring means and said male and female molds (16, 18), said pattern-sheet-holding-and-transferring means (100) being moved in unison with each other along said guide rail means (42).

Claim 12

A device as set forth in any one of the preceding Claims 5 to 9, wherein pressure means (56) for clamping said pattern sheet (32) are disposed at the downstream of said female mold (18) and clamp said pattern sheet when said pattern-sheet-holding-and-transferring means (100) is returned to its initial position.