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WO-2026093936-A1 - MACHINE AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A THERMOPLASTIC COMPONENT BY INJECTION MOULDING

WO2026093936A1WO 2026093936 A1WO2026093936 A1WO 2026093936A1WO-2026093936-A1

Abstract

Machine (1) for the production of a thermoplastic component provided with at least one through-opening therein, comprising: a mould (3) provided with an internal cavity (4) of a shape complementary to the thermoplastic component to be produced; and a thermoplastic material supply assembly (11), which is fluidly connected to the cavity (4) through an injection opening (17) and is adapted to inject the molten thermoplastic material of the thermoplastic component into the cavity (4); the mould (3) comprises a first half -mould (5) and a second half-mould (6), which are adapted to be arranged in abutment one on the other and are shaped in such a way as to delimit the cavity (4), wherein the first half-mould (5) is carried in a movable manner and is movable to and from the second half-mould (6); the machine further comprises a movable slider apparatus (20), which is movably carried by the mould (3) and is adapted to selectively engage a portion of the cavity (4).

Inventors

  • CANUTO, ALMERINO
  • PATTARELLO, Michele
  • ZUCCON, Umberto
  • RANCAN, Cristian

Assignees

  • ELMANN SRL

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251029
Priority Date
20241030

Claims (12)

  1. 1.- Machine (1) forthe production of a thermoplastic component (100), said machine (1) comprising: - a mould (3) provided with an internal cavity (4) of a shape complementary to the thermoplastic component (100) to be produced; and - a thermoplastic material supply assembly (14), which is fluidly connected to said cavity (4) through an injection opening (20) and is adapted to inject the molten thermoplastic material that contributes to forming said thermoplastic component in said cavity (4); said mould (3) comprising a first half-mould (5) and a second half-mould (6), which are adapted to be arranged in abutment one on the other and are shaped in such a way as to delimit said cavity (4), wherein at least one of said first half-mould (5) and said second half-mould (6) is carried in a movable manner and is movable to and from the other between said first half-mould (5) and said second half-mould (6), and said machine further comprising a movable slider apparatus (22), which is movably carried by one of said first half-mould (5) and said second half-mould (6), is movable to and from the other between said first half-mould (5) and said second half-mould (6), and is adapted to selectively engage at least a portion of said cavity (4).
  2. 2.- Machine according to claim 1, wherein said movable slider apparatus (22) comprises a first movable slider (24) which is movably carried by one of said first half-mould (5) and said second half-mould (6) and is movable between a first position and a second position.
  3. 3.- Machine according to claim 2, wherein in the first position, said first movable slider (24) does not engage said cavity (4) and in the second position said first movable slider at least partially engages said cavity (4).
  4. 4.- Machine according to claim 3, wherein the other of said first half-mould (5) and said second half-mould (6) is provided with a seat (25) facing the first movable slider (24) and of a shape complementary to the first movable slider (24), in the second position, the first movable slider (24) is configured to at least partially engage said seat (25).
  5. 5.- Machine according to claim 4, wherein, in the second position, the first movable slider (24) is configured to be in contact with the annular edge that delimits said seat (25), in such a way as to define inside said cavity (4) a chamber (23a) of annular shape which surrounds said first movable slider (24) and is fluidly separated from the volume of said seat (25).
  6. 6.- Machine according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said movable slider apparatus (22) comprises a second movable slider (26), which is movably carried by the other of said first halfmould (5) and said second half-mould (6), is positioned at the seat (25) and is arranged aligned with and facing the first movable slider (24).
  7. 7.- Machine according to claim 6, wherein the second movable slider (25) is movable between a third position, in which it is arranged flush with the face (9) of the other of said first half-mould (5) and said second half-mould (6) facing said cavity (4), and a fourth position, in which it is arranged spaced from the face (9) of the other of said first half-mould (5) and said second half-mould (6) facing said cavity (4).
  8. 8.- Machine according to any one of claims 2 to 7, further comprising valve means (21), which are positioned upstream of said injection opening (20) and are configured to selectively place said supply assembly (14) in fluid communication with said cavity (4).
  9. 9.- Method for the production of a thermoplastic component (100) by means of a machine (1) made according to claim 8, said method comprising the steps of: a. moving said first half-mould (5) and said second half-mould (6) towards each other in such a way as to delimit the cavity (4), and arranging the first movable slider (24) in said first position, b. controlling the valve means (21) and the thermoplastic material supply assembly (14) in such a way as to inject molten/softened thermoplastic material inside said cavity (4) and at least partially fill the cavity (4) itself, c. controlling the movement of the first movable slider (24) in such a way as to bring the latter into its second position in which it engages the cavity (4), d. controlling the valve means (21) and the thermoplastic material supply assembly (14) in such a way as to inject the molten/softened thermoplastic material inside the cavity (4) and complete the filling of the cavity (4).
  10. 10.- Method according to claim 9, wherein step b) provides for injecting into the cavity (4) a quantity of molten/softened thermoplastic material sufficient to fill a portion of the cavity (4) positioned at said first movable slider (24).
  11. 11.- Method for the production of a multilayer thermoplastic component (200) by means of a machine made according to claim 8, wherein said multilayer thermoplastic component (200) comprises a first layer (201), a second layer (202) superimposed on the first layer along a reference axis (A), and a graphic sheet (203) interposed between the first layer (201) and the second layer (202), the method comprising the steps of: e. positioning the graphic sheet (203) inside the cavity (4) of the mould (3); f. printing the first layer (201) above a first face of the graphic sheet (203), and then g. printing the second layer (202) above the semi-finished product comprising the first layer (201) and the graphic sheet (203), above a second face of the graphic sheet (203) opposite to said first face.
  12. 12.- Method according to claim 11, wherein step g) in turn provides for the steps of: h. injecting into the cavity (4b) the molten/softened thermoplastic material intended to form the second layer (202), i. bringing the movable slider (24) into its second position and applying a first pressure level (pi) on the same movable slider (24), to press the graphic sheet (203) onto the underlying first layer (201), and then j . bringing the first half-mould (5) into abutment against the second half-mould (6) to close the mould (3) and increase the pressure exerted on the material contained in the cavity (4), and simultaneously reducing the pressure applied on the movable slider (24) to a second pressure level (P2) lower than said first pressure level (pi).

Description

“MACHINE AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A THERMOPLASTIC COMPONENT BY INJECTION MOULDING” Cross-reference to related Patent Applications This Patent Application claims priority from Italian Patent Application No. 102024000024303 filed on October 30, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field The present invention relates to a machine and a method for the production of a thermoplastic component by injection moulding. State of the Art As is known, the injection moulding process of a thermoplastic component essentially provides for melting/softening a thermoplastic polymeric material and injecting it into a mould, within which the thermoplastic material hardens to form the thermoplastic component to be produced. It is also known to make through-openings inside the moulded component by means of a subsequent cutting step, directly on the cooled and solidified thermoplastic component. Such cutting operations are generally carried out by means of a hydraulically actuated cutting machine separate and distinct from the machine for the injection moulding of the same thermoplastic component. Unfortunately, in general it is somewhat difficult to cut and make through-openings in cooled thermoplastic components of high thickness, for example greater than 4 or 5 millimetres, without damaging the same components, with the obvious limitations that this entails. In addition, the subsequent cutting operations have a non-negligible impact on the times and costs of the production process of the thermoplastic component to be produced. There is therefore a need to provide a machine and a method for the production of thermoplastic components that is capable of producing thermoplastic components, even of high thickness, provided with through-openings. Furthermore, there is a need to provide a machine and a method for the production of thermoplastic components that is capable of producing thermoplastic components with areas of varying thickness. There is also a need to provide a machine and a method for the production of multilayer thermoplastic components provided with a graphic sheet inside them. The object of the present invention is to satisfy the above-mentioned needs in an optimised and economical manner. Summary of the Invention The aforesaid object is achieved by a machine and by a method for the production of thermoplastic components made according to the respective independent claims and preferably, but not necessarily in one of the claims dependent thereon. The claims describe preferred embodiments of the present invention forming an integral part of the present description. Brief Description of the Drawings For a better understanding of the present invention a preferred embodiment is described below, by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - figure 1 is a schematic sectional view of a machine for the production of thermoplastic components made according to the present invention, with parts removed for clarity and parts shown out of scale, - figures 2 and 3 are schematic examples of thermoplastic components which can be produced with the machine illustrated in figure 1, - figures 4, 5 and 6 are schematic sectional views of the machine illustrated in figure 1, in as many stages of its operation and with parts removed for clarity and parts shown out of scale, and - figure 7 is a perspective and schematic view of a multilayer thermoplastic component made according to the present invention, - figure 8 is an exploded view of the component illustrated in figure 7, and - figures 9 to 12 are schematic sectional views of a second embodiment of the machine illustrated in figure 1, in some steps of the method for making the multilayer thermoplastic component illustrated in figures 7 and 8. Detailed Description of the Invention With reference to figure 1, number 1 indicates as a whole a machine for the injection moulding of components in thermoplastic material 100, also known as an injection press. With reference to the example illustrated in figure 2, machine 1 is advantageously configured to produce thermoplastic components 100 provided with an internal through -opening Preferably, the component 100 may be provided with a fiill/solid sector 102 that seamlessly surrounds the through-opening 101. In other words, the component 100 may have a substantially annular shape/structure. Additionally or alternatively, with reference to the example illustrated in figure 3, machine 1 is advantageously configured to produce components 100 in thermoplastic material provided with at least one sector/zone 104 of reduced thickness with respect to the remaining sectors/zones of the same component 100. More in detail, the component 100 can be provided with the first sector 102 having a thickness si and a second sector 106 having a thickness S2. The thickness S2 may be less than the thickness si. The first sector 102 may advantageously have a substant