Molding apparatus

Claim 2

Injection molding apparatus for applying molding compound to an insert positioned in a mold cavity comprising: mold means including a plurality of mold cavities each having a gate through which molding compound is introduced thereto, each said cavity being shaped and disposed to receive an insert over which molding compound is to be formed upon its introduction into said cavity; means operable by an insert in a cavity to determine the absence of an insert from a cavity and accommodate introduction of said molding compound solely into a cavity within which an insert is disposed; means operable to determine the number of cavities within which inserts are disposed; and means operable to introduce molding compound to said mold means in an amount equal to the quantity required for the determined number of said cavities within which inserts are disposed.

Claim 3

Injection molding apparatus according to claim 1, and characterized in that said means providing for introduction of said molding compound includes normally closed compound flow stop means operative by an insert in a cavity to opened position accommodating compound flow for the recited introduction thereof.

Claim 4

Injection molding apparatus according to claim 1, and characterized further in that said means for introducing molding compound in required quantity comprises compound flow metering means operative to deliver predetermined quantities of compound in accordance with the number of cavities within which inserts are disposed, and means for determining the number of cavities in which inserts are present operative to condition said metering means to provide the required quantity of molding compound.

Claim 5

In injection molding apparatus of the type in which molding compound is introduced through gates to cavities of a plural cavity mold for formation over an insert disposed in each said cavity, the combination of: means operative to determine the absence of an insert from a cavity, means operative in the absence of an insert from a cavity to block flow of molding compound into each cavity from which an insert is absent; control means operative to determine the quantity of inserts present in the cavities; and means operative, in accordance with determination by said control means, to provide for injection into said plural cavity mold only that amount of molding compound required for a cavity in each of which there is an insert present.

Claim 6

In injection molding apparatus of the type in which molding compound is introduced through gates to cavities of a plural cavity mold for formation over an insert disposed in each said cavity, the combination of: means operative to determine the absence of an insert from a cavity, means operative in the absence of an insert from a cavity to block flow of molding compound into each cavity from which an insert is absent; control means operative to determine the quantity of inserts present in the cavities; and means operative, in accordance with determination by said control means, to provide for injection into said plural cavity mold only that amount of molding compound required for a cavity in each of which there is an insert present.

Claim 7

Injection molding apparatus according to claim 4, and characterized in that said means operative to block flow of molding compound comprises closure means for a gate provided for each cavity and movable to a first position preventing inflow of molding compound to a corresponding cavity, each said closure means being movable by an insert in said cavity to a second position accommodating inflow of molding compound to said cavity.

Claim 8

In injection molding apparatus of the type in which molding compound is introduced through gates to cavities of a plural cavity mold for formation on an insert disposed in each said cavity, the combination of: means operative to determine the absence of an insert from a cavity, means operative to the absence of an insert from a cavity to block flow of molding compound through the corresponding gate for the cavity from which an insert is absent; control means operative to determine the quantity of inserts present in the cavities; means operative, in accordance with determination by said control means, to provide for supply to said plural cavity mold only that amount of molding compound required for the quantity of mold cavities of mold within which inserts are present, said last recited means comprising plunger means for effecting flow of molding compound to each said cavity upon operation through its stroke; and variable stop means for said plunger means operative to establish a predetermined stroke thereof in provision for injection of molding compound corresponding to the quantity of mold cavities within which inserts are present.

Claim 9

In injection molding apparatus of the type in which molding compound is introduced through gates to cavities of a plural cavity mold for formation on an insert disposed in each said cavity, the combination of: means operative to determine the absence of an insert from a cavity, means operative to the absence of an insert from a cavity to block flow of molding compound through the corresponding gate for the cavity from which an insert is absent; control means operative to determine the quantity of inserts present in the cavities; means operative, in accordance with determination by said control means, to provide for supply to said plural cavity mold only that amount of molding compound required for the quantity of mold cavities of mold within which inserts are present, said last recited means comprising plunger means for effecting flow of molding compound to each said cavity upon operation through its stroke; and variable stop means for said plunger means operative to establish a predetermined stroke thereof in provision for injection of molding compound corresponding to the quantity of mold cavities within which inserts are present.

Claim 10

Injection molding apparatus according to claim 6, and characterized further in that said plunger means includes a rod having a shoulder portion, and in that said variable stop means comprises a bifurcate member disposed astride said rod and includes stepped portions engageable with said shoulder portion, each of said stepped portions corresponding to a different plunger rod movement affording a volume of compound feed in accordance with the quantity of inserts in said mold cavities.

Claim 11

In injection molding apparatus of the type including a plurality of mold cavities each having a gate through which molding compound may be introduced to a corresponding cavity, each said cavity being shaped and disposed to receive an insert on which molding compound is formed upon its introduction into said cavity, and means for supplying molding compound for introduction through said gates into said cavities, the combination of: means operative to determine the absence of an insert from a cavity, means operative in the absence of a recited insert from a recited cavity to prevent introduction of molding compound from said means for supplying through a corresponding one of said gates to said cavity; and control means for effecting operation of said means for supplying molding compound to introduce molding compound through open ones of said gates into corresponding ones of said mold cavities, said molding compound being introduced in a quantity predetermined by said control means and corresponding to the amount required for cavities which have received inserts.

Claim 12

In injection molding apparatus of the type including a plurality of mold cavities each having a gate through which molding compound may be introduced to a corresponding cavity, each said cavity being shaped and disposed to receive an insert on which molding compound is formed upon its introduction into said cavity, and means for supplying molding compound for introduction through said gates into said cavities, the combination of: means operative to determine the absence of an insert from a cavity, means operative in the absence of a recited insert from a recited cavity to prevent introduction of molding compound from said means for supplying through a corresponding one of said gates to said cavity; and control means for effecting operation of said means for supplying molding compound to introduce molding compound through open ones of said gates into corresponding ones of said mold cavities, said molding compound being introduced in a quantity predetermined by said control means and corresponding to the amount required for cavities which have received inserts.

Claim 13

Injection molding apparatus according to claim 8, and characterized in that said means operative to prevent introduction of molding compound to a cavity in the absence of an insert comprises closure means for each said gate movable between to a first position preventing inflow of molding compound to a cavity and a second position accommodating inflow of molding compound to said cavity, said closure means being movable to said second position by an insert in said cavity.

Claim 14

Injection molding apparatus according to claim 8, and characterized in that said control means includes means for optically scanning said mold cavities for missing inserts in determination of the quantity of molding compound to be supplied.

Claim 15

Injection molding apparatus according to claim 9, and characterized in that said control means includes means for optically scanning said mold cavities for missing inserts in determination of the quantity of molding compound to be supplied.

Claim 16

Injection molding apparatus according to claim 10, and characterized in that said means operative to prevent introduction of molding compound to a cavity in the absence of an insert comprises closure means for the corresponding one of said gates movable between a first position preventing inflow of molding compound to said cavity and a second position accommodating inflow of molding compound to said cavity, said closure means being movable to said second position by an insert in the cavity.

Claim 17

In injection molding apparatus of the type including a plurality of mold cavities each having a gate through which molding compound may be introduced thereto, each said cavity being shaped and disposed to receive an insert on which molding compound is formed upon its introduction into said cavity, and means for supplying molding compound for introduction through said gates into said cavities, the combination of: means operative to determine the absence of an insert from a cavity, means operative in the absence of a recited insert from a recited cavity to prevent introduction of molding compound from said means for supplying through said gate to said cavity; and control means for effecting operation of said means for supplying molding compound to introduce molding compound through open ones of said gates into corresponding ones of said mold cavities, said molding compound being introduced in a quantity predetermined by said control means and corresponding to the amount required for cavities which have received inserts, and characterized in that said means for supplying molding compound comprises means selectively operative to supply incremental quantities of molding compound, each such quantity corresponding to a different total amount according to the number of mold cavities in which said inserts are present, said control means being operative to determine said incremental quantity of molding compound to be supplied.

Claim 18

In injection molding apparatus of the type including a plurality of mold cavities each having a gate through which molding compound may be introduced thereto, each said cavity being shaped and disposed to receive an insert on which molding compound is formed upon its introduction into said cavity, and means for supplying molding compound for introduction through said gates into said cavities, the combination of: means operative to determine the absence of an insert from a cavity, means operative in the absence of a recited insert from a recited cavity to prevent introduction of molding compound from said means for supplying through said gate to said cavity; and control means for effecting operation of said means for supplying molding compound to introduce molding compound through open ones of said gates into corresponding ones of said mold cavities, said molding compound being introduced in a quantity predetermined by said control means and corresponding to the amount required for cavities which have received inserts, and characterized in that said means for supplying molding compound comprises means selectively operative to supply incremental quantities of molding compound, each such quantity corresponding to a different total amount according to the number of mold cavities in which said inserts are present, said control means being operative to determine said incremental quantity of molding compound to be supplied.

Claim 19

In injection molding apparatus of the type including a plurality of mold cavities each having a gate through which molding compound may be introduced thereto, each said cavity being shaped and disposed to receive an insert on which molding compound is formed upon its introduction into said cavity, and means for supplying molding compound for introduction through said gates into said cavities, the combination of: means operative to determine the absence of an insert from a cavity, means operative in the absence of a recited insert from a recited cavity to prevent introduction of molding compound from said means for supplying through a corresponding one of said gates to said cavity; and control means for effecting operation of said means for supplying molding compound to introduce molding compound through open ones of said gates into corresponding ones of said mold cavities, said molding compound being introduced in a quantity predetermined by said control means and corresponding to the amount required for cavities which have received inserts, and characterized in that said means for supplying molding compound comprises plunger means for effecting flow of molding compound to said cavities upon operation thereof through its stroke, and variable stop means for said plunger means operative to establish a predetermined stroke thereof in provision of flow of a quantity of molding compound corresponding to the amount required for mold cavities within which inserts are present.

Claim 20

In injection molding apparatus of the type including a plurality of mold cavities each having a gate through which molding compound may be introduced thereto, each said cavity being shaped and disposed to receive an insert on which molding compound is formed upon its introduction into said cavity, and means for supplying molding compound for introduction through said gates into said cavities, the combination of: means operative to determine the absence of an insert from a cavity, means operative in the absence of a recited insert from a recited cavity to prevent introduction of molding compound from said means for supplying through a corresponding one of said gates to said cavity; and control means for effecting operation of said means for supplying molding compound to introduce molding compound through open ones of said gates into corresponding ones of said mold cavities, said molding compound being introduced in a quantity predetermined by said control means and corresponding to the amount required for cavities which have received inserts, and characterized in that said means for supplying molding compound comprises plunger means for effecting flow of molding compound to said cavities upon operation thereof through its stroke, and variable stop means for said plunger means operative to establish a predetermined stroke thereof in provision of flow of a quantity of molding compound corresponding to the amount required for mold cavities within which inserts are present.

Claim 21

Injection molding apparatus according to claim 14, and characterized further in that said plunger means includes a rod having a shoulder portion, and in that said variable stop means comprises a bifurcate member disposed astride said rod and includes stepped portions engageable with said shoulder portion, each of said stepped portions corresponding to a different plunger rod movement affording a volume of compound feed in accordance with the quantity of inserts in said mold cavities.