High dynamic temperature control system

Abstract

A heating/cooling module for a molding system includes a mold surface forming a part of a mold cavity. A cooling unit is disposed adjacent to the mold surface for cooling the mold surface. A layered heater is disposed adjacent to the mold surface for heating the mold surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heating/cooling module for a molding system comprising:
 a mold surface defining a part of a mold cavity;   a cooling unit disposed adjacent to the mold surface for cooling the mold surface; and   a layered heater formed adjacent to the mold surface for heating the mold surface.   
     
     
         2 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 1 , further comprising a die insert including the mold surface. 
     
     
         3 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 2 , wherein the layered heater is disposed between the die insert and the cooling unit. 
     
     
         4 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 2 , wherein the layered heater is formed on one of the die insert and the cooling unit by thermal spraying. 
     
     
         5 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 2 , wherein the layered heater is formed on the die insert by thermal spraying. 
     
     
         6 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 5 , wherein the thermal spraying comprises a plurality of layers including a top coat comprising a material having relatively high thermal conductivity. 
     
     
         7 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 6 , wherein the top coat is machined to a predetermined thickness. 
     
     
         8 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 2 , wherein the die insert is clamped to the layered heater. 
     
     
         9 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit is clamped to the layered heater. 
     
     
         10 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit includes a plurality of cutout portions on a peripheral surface of the cooling unit. 
     
     
         11 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit includes a thermal insulation layer on a peripheral surface of the cooling unit. 
     
     
         12 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit includes a substrate and a plurality of passageways in the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 1 , wherein the layered heater is formed on a separate substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 13 , wherein the layered heater includes an adhesion layer disposed on the separate substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 1  further comprising a thermal insulation layer formed around the cooling unit. 
     
     
         16 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 6 , wherein the top coat includes a first metallic top coat layer and a second metallic top coat layer. 
     
     
         17 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first metallic top coat layer and the second metallic top coat layer is a galvanic nickel layer. 
     
     
         18 . A method of controlling the heating/cooling module of  claim 1  to reduce the risk of overheating, the method comprising:
 employing at least two controllers: 
 a first two-wire controller for detecting the heating layer temperature, wherein the layered heater comprises a resistive heating layer having sufficient TCR characteristics to function as a heating element and a temperature sensor; and 
 a second controller with a discrete temperature sensor positioned near a heating target and in communications with the first two-wire controller, 
 wherein the second controller normally controls a temperature of the heating target with the discrete temperature sensor, and in the event of a rapid over-temperature condition, such as with a low mass heating target, the over-temperature condition is detected by the first two-wire controller, and the first two-wire controller communicates with the second controller to prevent overheating. 
 
     
     
         19 . A heating/cooling module for heating and cooling a target, comprising:
 a heating/cooling surface disposed proximate the target;   a layered heater that heats the target through the heating/cooling surface; and   a cooling unit that cools the target through the heating/cooling surface,   wherein the layered heater is integrally formed with the cooling unit to form an integrated unit, and the heating/cooling surface is a surface of one of the layered heater and the cooling unit.   
     
     
         20 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 19 , wherein the cooling unit includes a substrate and a plurality of passageways in the substrate. 
     
     
         21 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 20 , wherein the layered heater is formed on and in contact with the substrate of the cooling unit by layered processes. 
     
     
         22 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 21 , wherein the layered heater includes a first dielectric layer disposed on the substrate of the cooling unit, a resistive heating layer disposed on the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer on the layer. 
     
     
         23 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 22 , further comprising a top coat layer formed on the second dielectric layer, wherein the top coat layer includes a metal. 
     
     
         24 . The heating/cooling module of  claim 23 , wherein the heating/cooling surface is a surface of the top coat layer.