초록 ▼

A platen (50) for a molding machine includes an intermediate support structure (20) between two planar walls ( 16, 18) having ribs (40) arranged at a non-normal angle β to a first wall (18). The ribs (40) couple forces from the first wall (18) to the second wall (16) in such a way that bending

A platen (50) for a molding machine includes an intermediate support structure (20) between two planar walls ( 16, 18) having ribs (40) arranged at a non-normal angle β to a first wall (18). The ribs (40) couple forces from the first wall (18) to the second wall (16) in such a way that bending of the second wall (16) is resisted. This adds to the rigidity of the second wall (16) and hence the platen (50), adding to flatness of the arrangement. Gussets (42) may be provided extending between the ribs (40) and the intermediate support structure (20). This has the effect of surrounding and supporting an injection bore (14) and further adding to the coupling of forces to the edge portions of the second wall (16) to resist forces acting to bend the wall.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A platen comprising: first and second generally planar walls; an intermediate support structure disposed therebetween; and ribs, supplementary to the intermediate support structure, projecting at a non-normal angle from the first wall to the second wall such that the ri

The invention claimed is: 1. A platen comprising: first and second generally planar walls; an intermediate support structure disposed therebetween; and ribs, supplementary to the intermediate support structure, projecting at a non-normal angle from the first wall to the second wall such that the ribs couple force from the first wall to the second wall to at least in part resist bending of the second wall. 2. The platen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ribs are joined to the second wall at edge regions. 3. The platen as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ribs are joined to the first wall at a position laterally inwards of the edges of the first wall. 4. The platen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ribs are provided as mutually divergent pairs of ribs projecting from the first wall to the second wall. 5. The platen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first wall is generally rectangular and bores are provided at corner regions to accept tie bars. 6. The platen as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ribs are connected to the corner regions of the second wall. 7. The platen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intermediate support structure further comprises a conical cavity-defining wall. 8. The platen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ribs project at an angle in the range of about twenty to about seventy degrees. 9. The platen as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ribs project at an angle in the range of about twenty-five to about forty degrees. 10. The platen as claimed in claim 9, wherein the ribs project at an angle in the range of about twenty-eight to about thirty-five degrees. 11. The platen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ribs comprise at least four pairs of ribs. 12. The platen as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ribs are solid. 13. The platen as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one gusset disposed between at least one of the ribs and the intermediate support structure. 14. The platen as claimed in claim 13, wherein respective gusset extends angularly from its respective rib to the intermediate support structure. 15. The platen as claimed in claim 13, wherein the gusset extends in an arc about a tie bar support. 16. The platen as claimed in claim 15, wherein each gusset extends substantially about the tie bar support. 17. The platen as claimed in claim 13, wherein the gusset and the rib are integrally formed. 18. The platen of claim 1, wherein the platen is installed in an injection molding machine. 19. A platen for a molding machine, comprising: first and second generally planar walls maintained in spaced apart parallel relationship by an intermediate support structure disposed therebetween; and at least one rib, supplementary to the intermediate support structure, extending between the first and second generally planar walls and at a non-normal angle thereto to couple at least some compressive forces normal to the first planar wall to the second wall to at least in part resist bending of the second wall. 20. The platen as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one rib couples to an edge region of the second planar wall. 21. The platen as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one rib couples to a part of the second planar wall having a tie bar support. 22. A platen for use in a clamping operation wherein a force (F) is generated in a first direction, comprising: a mold platen (10, 110, 210) having two walls spaced from each other, with a first of said walls (12, 112, 212) being on a mold side and a second of said walls ( 14, 114, 214) being spaced from and parallel to said first wall, wherein said first and second walls extend substantially transverse to said first direction of said force (F), wherein each of said first and second walls have edges and a centre area and wherein an intermediate support structure (16, 116, 216) is positioned between and connected to both of said walls, the second wall further including bores (38) located towards the corners thereof through which, in use, tie-bars (25) are located to support a mechanical coupling of the tie-bars to the second wall such that, in use, a clamp force (F, FI, FR) is conveyed through the mechanical coupling and said intermediate support structure and via said first wall, said intermediate support structure (16, 116, 216) adapted for directing said force (F) away from the edges of said first wall toward the centre area of said first wall for substantially preventing deflection of said first wall, said intermediate support structure having a narrow end coupled centrally to the first wall and a wide end coupled to the second wall, the intermediate support structure further being arch-shaped, conical-shaped, V-shaped or C-shaped and structurally assembled such as to support, under clamp force (F, FI, FR), mechanically-designed compression (C) thereof in the first direction; the platen further including ribs projecting at a non-normal angle from the first wall to the second wall such that the ribs couple force from the first wall to the second wall to, at least in part, resist bending thereof, the ribs projecting outwardly from a central region of the first wall towards corners of the second wall. 23. The platen of claim 22, further comprising gussets extending between associated ribs and the intermediate support structure. 24. The platen of claim 23, wherein the gussets extend at an angle to the ribs to the intermediate support structure. 25. The platen of claim 24, wherein the gussets and associated ribs are integrally formed. 26. The platen of claim 22, further comprising a tie-bar support structure located at the corners. 27. The platen of claim 26, wherein the tie-bar support structure includes bores through corner portions of the second wall to, in use, locate tie-bars by means of which the clamp force is at least in part applied. 28. A platen comprising: first and second generally planar walls; a primary support structure disposed therebetween for coupling a majority of forces between the first and second generally planar walls; and a secondary support structure including ribs for directing a minority of forces from the first wall to the second wall in a direction at a non-normal angle from the first wall to the second wall to at least in part resist bending of the first wall, the ribs also inclined at a non-normal angle relative to the primary support structure. 29. The platen as claimed in claim 28, in which the secondary support structure couples forces to corner portions of the second wall. 30. The platen as claimed in claim 29, further comprising tie-bar support structures located at the corner portions. 31. The platen as claimed in claim 30, wherein the tie-bar support structures include bores. 32. The platen as claimed in claim 28, further comprising a gusset between the primary and secondary support structure. 33. The platen as claimed in claim 32, wherein the gusset and the secondary support structure are integrally formed. 34. The platen as claimed in claim 28, wherein the primary support structure couples forces from an outer portion of the first wall to an inner portion of the second wall. 35. A platen comprising: a front wall for supporting, in use, a mold; an end wall having corners; an intermediate support structure disposed between the front wall and the end wall, the intermediate support structure including a first set of ribs that generally support, in use and under applied clamp tonnage, a compression function between the front wall and end wall; and a second set of ribs distinct from the first set of ribs of the intermediate support structure, the second set of ribs projecting at a non-normal angle from the front wall to the end wall such that the second set of ribs, under applied clamp tonnage, at least in part resist bending of the end wall by bracing the corners of the end wall relative to the front wall. 36. The platen as claimed in claim 35, further comprising a gusset disposed between each of the second set of ribs and the intermediate support structure. 37. The platen as claimed in claim 36, wherein respective gusset extends angularly from its respective rib to the intermediate support structure. 38. The platen as claimed in claim 36, wherein the gusset extends in an arc about a tie bar support. 39. The platen as claimed in claim 38, wherein each gusset extends substantially about the tie bar support. 40. The platen as claimed in claim 36, wherein the gusset and each rib of the second set of ribs are integrally formed. 41. The platen as claimed in claim 38, wherein the tie-bar support includes bores through the corners of the end wall. 42. The platen of claim 35, wherein the platen is installed in an injection molding machine. 43. A platen comprising: a front wall having a mold mounting surface and a rear surface; an end wall generally planar with but spaced apart from the rear surface of the front wall, the end wall having edges and corners; an intermediate support structure disposed between the end wall and the front wall, the intermediate support structure realised by a first set of ribs that generally define an arch-shaped, conical-shaped, V-shaped or C-shaped configuration having a narrow end and a wide end, the narrow end coupled centrally to the rear surface of the front wall and the wide end coupled towards the edges of the end wall; and a second set of ribs distinct from the first set of ribs of the intermediate support structure, the second set of ribs coupling together the front wall and the end wall, the second set of ribs inwardly projecting at a non-normal angle from the corners of the end wall, whereby the second set of ribs, under applied clamp tonnage, at least in part resist bending of the end wall by bracing the corners of the end wall. 44. The platen as claimed in claim 43, further comprising a gusset disposed between each of the second set of ribs and the intermediate support structure. 45. The platen as claimed in claim 44, wherein respective gusset extends angularly from its respective rib to the intermediate support structure. 46. The platen as claimed in claim 44, wherein the gusset extends in an arc about a tie bar support. 47. The platen as claimed in claim 46, wherein each gusset extends substantially about the tie bar support. 48. The platen as claimed in claim 46, wherein the tie-bar support includes bores through the corners of the end wall. 49. The platen as claimed in claim 44, wherein the gusset and each rib of the second set of ribs are integrally formed. 50. The platen of claim 43, wherein the platen is installed in an injection molding machine. 51. A platen comprising: first and second generally planar walls; an intermediate support structure disposed therebetween; ribs projecting at a non-normal angle from the first wall to the second wall such that the ribs couple force from the first wall to the second wall to at least in part resist bending of the second wall; and at least one gusset disposed between at least one of the ribs and the intermediate support structure. 52. The platen as claimed in claim 51, wherein respective gusset extends angularly from its respective rib to the intermediate support structure. 53. The platen as claimed in claim 51, wherein the gusset extends in an arc about a tie bar support. 54. The platen as claimed in claim 53, wherein each gusset extends substantially about the tie bar support. 55. The platen of claim 54, wherein the platen is installed in an injection molding machine.