Side shuttle apparatus and method for an injection molding machine

Abstract

Servo side shuttle apparatus and method for a molding machine includes structure and/or steps whereby a shuttle plate is disposed adjacent at least one of a first mold half and a second mold half of the molding machine. A guidance assembly is coupled to the mold half and guides the shuttle plate linearly across a molding face of the mold half. A drive mechanism is provided to drive the shuttle plate in a linear direction. An operation structure is coupled to the shuttle plate and is configured to perform an operation on a molded article disposed either in the mold cavity or on the mold core. The operation may include removing the molded article from a mold core, applying a label to a mold cavity, and/or closing the lid of a molded article while it is resident on the mold core.

1 . Molded article removal apparatus, comprising: 
 a plate configured to be coupled to a mold portion, and including a grasping device that is configured to grasp the molded article from at least one of a mold core and a mold cavity; and    drive structure configured to be coupled to the mold portion, and configured to drive said plate (i) such that said plate is driven only in one or more coplanar linear directions, and (ii) such that said grasping device removes the molded article from the at least one of a mold core and a mold cavity, without said grasping device moving in any direction but said one or more coplanar linear directions and (iii) such that said plate performs a label insertion operation for a molded article.    
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said plate comprises a plurality of shuttle plates each coupled to the mold portion such that a portion of each shuttle plate is always disposed within a perimeter of the mold portion.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a drop chute configured to receive molded articles from each of said plurality of shuttle plates.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of said plurality of shuttle plates is always completely disposed within the perimeter of the mold portion.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said drive structure comprises: 
 a servo motor;    a drive shaft coupled to said servo motor;    a gear coupled to said drive shaft; and    a geared linear rail coupled between said drive shaft and said shuttle plate.    
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the mold portion comprises at least one of (i) a mold core plate having a plurality of cores disposed thereon, and (ii) a mold cavity plate having a plurality of cavities disposed thereon, and wherein said shuttle plate includes a plurality of arms disposed to access one of the plurality cores and the plurality of cavities.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein each said arm includes a grasping device, and wherein each grasping device comprises further comprising: 
 a suction cup coupled to each said arm; and    a vacuum channel configured to proved low pressure air to said suction cup.