MXPA99006781A - Mold prototype for molding by blowing hollow plastic containers and my manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a prototype mold apparatus for blow molded hollow plastic containers, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of portions of the mold having together an internal surface complementary to the contour of the desired container in such a way that the portions of the mold can be operatively juxtaposed as two mold halves each having one face with respect to the other half of the mold to form a mold cavity, and a rear face and outer contour of a predetermined constant geometry, one assembly of mold mounting support components, including manifolds for cooperative cooling water and each forming a contoured support receptacle in a manner complementary to that of the predetermined constant geometry, each half of the mold being assembled in the receptacle of one associated with the mounting support components and In the mold series, the portions of the mold are made of a heat conducting composition, and wherein each manifold for the cooling water has an internal channel for circulating the cooling fluid adjacent to the associated receptacle for heat transfer by dissipation. of heat, with the back face of the mold half associated

Description

MOLD PROTOTYPE FOR MOLDING BY BLOWING HOLLOW PLASTIC CONTAINERS AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF THE SAME Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the blow molding of hollow plastic articles, particularly hollow plastic containers, and more particularly to improvements in prototype tools for the blow molding of plastic containers and methods of construction of such tools.

Background of the Invention In the design and development of new plastic containers, there is often a need to produce a prototype of a part eventually proposed to be produced in series by blow molding. Containers of this type are constructed by placing a preform between two halves of a mold for blowing, closing the mold, and then blowing the preform against the surface of the internal wall of the mold. The molds typically used in machines for blow molding for production purposes, are Ref.030892 machined from long-lasting tool steel alloys, and this is a slow and expensive process if it is proposed to produce only some parts to test a design. For example, it is often desired to build prototype containers to show to customers, or to provide a limited run of containers. Although conventional prototype tools and construction methods are much less expensive, and require less time for construction and supply, than production tools, however such prototype tools are still quite expensive and typically require several weeks of construction and supply. In a type of blow molding machine, referred to as a shuttle blow molding machine, either single-stage or two-stage (with the halves of both the preform and the final blow mold), each half of the The mold is carried on a table or associated plate movable along connecting rods by a power supply means such as a piston and a hydraulic cylinder. Examples of such shuttle-type blow molding machines are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,767,747; 3,781,395; 3,978,184; 4,070,428; and 4,118,452. The mold halves even when they are constructed for prototype molding purposes are typically complex and relatively bulky structures secured only on their back faces to the table or plate for cantilever type mounting thereon. The mold halves by themselves are constructed to withstand both the compressive and tensile stresses exerted during the molding operation both in the direction of mold travel as well as laterally in the directions parallel to the closing plane of the mold halves. In addition, it is necessary to provide a liquid cooling for each half of the mold and therefore involves machining interior cooling channels and passages for the cooling fluid in each half of the mold. Alignment bolts and bushings or bushes as well as ventilation deflectors are also integral to the mold halves typically. As pointed out in the U.S. Nos. 5,458,825 and 5,641,448 (incorporated herein by reference), in recent years, a method for making prototype parts economically and rapidly has been to produce first a computer-based geometric model of the part using computer-aided design (CAD ) to create a geometric computer model. A suitable CAD tool is one known as "PRO / ENGINEER". This model is then used as input to another package of programming elements called "PRO / MOLD" where the portions of the core and the mold cavity are designed, and adjusted for shrink tolerances of a plastic molding process. Both of these packages of programming elements are available from Parametric Technology Corporation of Waltham, Massachusetts USA. This produces computer models of the portion or portions of the mold. As described in the '88 patent, this computer model can then be used as the control input in a stereolithographic apparatus (SLA) as a way of manufacturing the solid free form. Alternatively, as noted in the * 825 patent, the CAD model can be used to generate the control signals for the computer and the numerical control paths (CNC) for a cutting tool of a CNC three-axis machining adjustment to determine the paths that the cutting tool must follow in cutting a prototype mold from the actual single cavity from aluminum or another metal. However, this can still be costly and time consuming if the prototype mold is designed and constructed along conventional lines for the typical mold halves as they are mounted on a typical blow molding machine, and the production conditions also They will be simulated as closely as possible to verify the adequacy of the design of the prototype vessel thus molded. On the other hand, if to save time and money to make a prototype a polymer or photosensitive resin is going to be used as the material to make the mold instead of making the mold totally of metal, few parts can be molded and with less accuracy than a mold made of metal such as aluminum alloys, steel, beryllium copper, which are typically used for the production of plastic mold.

Objects of the Invention Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for producing molds for use in the production of prototypes or the production of short runs in a conventional blow molding apparatus that shortens the required time of the initial concept of the container of plastic that is going to be produced to the run of the real prototype of the parts (for example, to manufacture blow molded parts in a week after the approval of the article generated by drawing on a computer) that is highly flexible and makes possible the change of several prototype molds in the same apparatus, which shortens the times of disassembly and installation of the mold of the tools for blow molding, which is applicable for blow molding machines that use both a blank and a preform , which provides cooling with controlled liquid from the mold, where the complexity of the design of the container has a No small impact or has no impact on the cost of the prototype mold or the delivery time, which makes it possible for more parts to be made from a given mold for a short run production, which more closely duplicates the tools of the mold production and that such method is easily convertible to make molding tools for a long production run.

Brief Description of the Invention In general, and by way of brief description and not by way of limitation, the present invention performs the foregoing objects by providing an improved method and system of prototype molding for blow molding, wherein a plastic container is first designed using programming elements for computer aided design (CAD), to produce a gtric computer program model of a hollow plastic container of the desired contour. Then the gtric computer container program model is used to design and produce, again with a suitable program, a gtric computer program model of a mold to produce the desired contour container. The computer data of the gtric mold program model is then transferred to a mold maker (an external vendor or home-built vendor) who uses the data record that comprises either the gtric ("negative") cavity model or the container of the molded model ("positive") to generate a control program of the CNC program suitable for use as the control input to generate the control signals to determine numerical control routes by computer (CNC) for a cutting tool of a CNC three-axis mold machining tool. The blank piece for each half of the mold is a simple rectangular block of a metallic material having external dimensions of predetermined and constant length, width and thickness. The three-axis CNC machine is then operated to machine a d cavity of the mold in a front face of this piece in rough of the half of the mold that constitutes one of the two planes of the main and parallel face of the block. The other half of the mold cavity is formed on the front face of a second block of the mold which cooperates with the first block of the mold to form the two halves of the mold when they are assembled in the carrier device that holds the mold of the machine. blow molding. The usual ventilation channels of the cavity are also machined on the front faces of the blanks of the mold halves. However, the back faces of each of the mold halves as well as the top, bottom and the two opposite sides remain as initially provided in the blanks. In addition, the usual ventilation deflector plates and the portions of the striking or protective plates for keeping away are omitted from the prototype mold halves, and similarly, in some cases, also the alignment bolts and the usual cooperative bushings. . On the other hand, the molding machine is further provided with nested, standardized mold assembly parts, which cooperate in the assembly to support, locate, orient and cool the associated prototype mold halves, and which at its once they are supported by the loading table of the car for blow molding. These parts of the main mold assembly include a universal support plate that allows adjustment for mounting to various types of blow molding machine and functions as an adjustable installation backrest table that serves as a mounting point for the separating side rails of the mold (or striking plates) and components of the cooling water manifold plate of the mold mounting parts. The spacer parts and / or the manifold for the water are mounted to the backing plate and serve as ramifications or side arms for the half of the associated mold cavity, and are also designed to take the shock of the compression forces of another formerly exerted by the mold clamping ram on the mold halves when the two halves are bonded together and the machine is operated through the molding cycle. In one embodiment, the mold mounting parts further include a manifold plate of open channels, for water cooling of the mold, which is sealed to the back side of the mold half. In all modes, the heat transfer from the mold cavity is effected by means of water cooling channels that are provided in the manifold plate instead of in the mold halves. The mold manifold plate thus provides a channel for the cooling fluid that is either in direct or indirect heat dissipation contact with the back face of each body of the mold half as it is operatively mounted in the nested device parts or embedded. An important feature of the present invention lies in the fact that the components of the nested or nested, standardized, preceding device assembly can be reused for different prototype molds. That is, the outer dimensions of the mold halves of the prototype are of a standard configuration to fit in the cavity or nest of the device even when the dimensions and the contour of the cavity of the mold half machined in each half of the mold vary from one prototype mold until the next. According to another important feature of the invention, the component of the manifold of the device has a route for the cooling water in the form of a serpentine which drives the water flowing through this route in direct contact with either the rear face of the device. the part of the mold or in indirect contact with the same to provide the improved cooling of each half of the mold to avoid by this complicating the structure of the mold half with the cooling channels. The structure of each half of the mold is thus reduced to its simplest form, and instead of this most if not all of the functions of cooling with water, the orientation of the mold, the alignment, the structural support, the reinforcement against the closure of the mold and the blowing tensions, and the adjustment for the alignment of the two cassette mold halves in the operation, they are provided for the larger, standardized and reusable parts of the mold mounting cavity. Therefore, the time of construction of the mold is significantly reduced as well as the time of disassembly and installation of the mold machine.

Brief Description of the Drawings The foregoing as well as other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode currently known to the inventors of manufacture and use of various embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the appended claims and the drawings appended thereto: Figure 1 is an elevation view of a portion of a conventional shuttle type blow molding machine of the prior art as shown in the simplified form; Figure 2 is a fragmentary simplified side view of the components of the blow molding machine as seen from the right in Figure 1; Figure 2 is a fragmentary and more detailed but still simplified perspective view of the conventional mold halves and the associated back plates and tables that are shown diagrammatically in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 3 is an elevation view of one of the prototype mold halves of the invention as mounted on the components of the series assembly of a series assembly of the mold tool device also constructed according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown as a sub-assembly per se same section of the molding machine; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3; Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the mold half and the associated series assembly components associated with the subassembly of the series assembly of the mold of Figures 3 and 4; Figure 6 is an elevation view of the cooling water manifold component of the components of the series assembly device of Figures 3-5 shown from the rear side with the cover plate and the associated support plate removed; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Figure 6. Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a device assembly for series assembly of the mold and of the sub-assembly of the half of the associated prototype mold, also constructed in accordance with the present invention. Figure 9 is an elevation view of a second embodiment of the cooling water manifold that is a component of the mounting of the device of the second embodiment of Figure 8, but shown by itself; Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 in Figure 9; Figure 11 is a front side elevation view of a third embodiment of the pin half of a cooling water manifold plate that is a component of a third embodiment of an assembly of the mold mounting device (not shown) ). Figure 12 is a bottom plan view of the manifold plate of Figure 11. Figure 13 is an elevation view of the right-hand side of the manifold plate of Figure 11 as seen therein. Figure 14 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating the alignment bolt and the intermeshed bushing or bushing parts during the joint closing of the manifold plates of the bolt half and the bushing half of the manifold manifold plates. cooling water of the third mode carried in two mold assembly devices, cooperative; Figure 15 is a rear side elevation view of the manifold plate of Figure 11; Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of an assembly of the serial assembly device of the mold of the invention which is similar to, but which is a modification of the assembly of the device of the first embodiment of Figures 3 -7; Figure 17 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 17-17 of Figure 16; Figure 18 is a view of a perspective assembly of a fourth embodiment of a mounting assembly device in series of the mold of the invention which is similar to, but which is a modification of the assembly of the device of the second embodiment of the Figures 8-10; Figure 19 is a front elevational view of the assembly of the device of Figure 18; Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 20-20 of Figure 19; Figure 21 is a front elevational view of the table or serial mounting plate of the modified water manifold used in mounting the serial assembly device of the mold of the fourth embodiment of Figures 18-20; and Figures 22 and 23 are cross-sectional views taken respectively on lines 22-22 and 23-23 of Figure 21.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Modalities General Arrangement of a Type of Shuttle Blow Molding Machine Figures 1, 2 and 2A illustrate in simplified and diagrammatic form one half of a double shuttle installation commonly used in a typical type of blow molding machine that is generally shaped to a blow molding operation. a single cavity shown and described in US Pat. No. 3,767,747, which is incorporated herein for reference. The installations of similar apparatuses are shown in U.S. Pat. 3,781,395 and 3,987,184 mentioned above, also incorporated herein by reference. The installation includes an extruder station A having a conventional extruder 20 which provides a well-known and so-called "free extrusion" blow molding operation mode wherein a hanging tube of thermoplastic material exits an orifice facing down to provide the extruded tube 22 to form a preform. The blow molding machine also includes a blow molding station B wherein a blow bolt assembly 24 of a conventional construction includes a bolt 26 movable vertically toward the upper entrance of the closed mold halves when placed below the mold. the same. The machine also includes the assembly 30 of the blow mold carriage having a fixed external table 32 supported on the outer ends by a pair of tie rods 34 and 36 in the usual manner. An internal table 38 is slidably supported on the connecting rods and is moved by the piston 40 of a rod 41 mounted on the frame of the carriage assembly 30 of the device for the blow mold. It will be understood that another companion car assembly (not shown) and another station for blow molding (not shown) are distributed or arranged to the left of the station A. In accordance with conventional prior practice, the car 30 of the assembly of the blow mold supports the mold for blowing in the form of halves 42 and 44 of sub-assembly of the blow mold cooperatives mounted respectively on the tables or plates 32 and 38 (Figure 2). When a mounting 30 of the blow mold is brought into position adjacent to the extruder station A, a hanging tube 22 forming the preform of the hot thermoplastic material is extruded between the open assembly of the halves 42 and 44 of the mold. The table or platen 38 is moved to close the halves 42 and 44 of the mold together on the hanging tube 22 that hangs from the extrusion orifice, this closure of the mold halves compresses the bottom of the tube junction to form a bubble or preform that can be inflated. The tube trapped in the mold halves is then moved with the assembly of the mold carriage 30 laterally and vertically away from the location of the extruder 20 to an operative position in the blowing station B (Figure 1). The blow tube 26 is inserted into the portion of the tube of the preform projecting from the closed mold halves 42, 44 and the air under pressure is introduced into the preform to inflate the same to the configuration of the mold cavity defined by the halves 42, 44 of the closed mold. During the blowing of the body of the container and during the residence time thereof in the mold, it is being cooled, such as by means of the provision of cooling channels provided in each of the halves of the mold and communicating with a mold. liquid refrigerant supply circuit of the associated support plate in the usual way. Accordingly, it will be noted that the blow mold 42, 44 of the prior art is typically constructed to be strong, fairly complex, axially self-supporting in the direction of the mold closure to resist the compression forces of the mold closure developed by the mold. operation of ram 41, as well as self-support laterally in the planes of stress parallel to the mold closing plane developed during the blowing of the mold. Accordingly, even when being constructed only for use as prototype tools, the blow mold 42, 44 is relatively expensive and time-consuming in its construction and installation in the carriage assembly 30 of the blow mold device of the machine of blow molding. Figure 2A illustrates in some detail the components of sub-assemblies 42 and 44 of the conventional mold halves in the open condition of the mold. These components labeled A-K in Figure 2A are identified and their respective function described as illustrated in the following TABLE 1: TABLE 1 FIGURE 2A - PARTS OF THE MOLD A - Anvil - It sits in a cavity on the (shock plate) top of the finishing insert. A pair of plates or tables form the top of the finish and support the preform when the mold is being formed. B - Insert of a surface with finishing tools determines the size and shape of the finish on the container. C - Bushing Telescopically receives alignment pin alignment during mold closing. D - Ventilations Small openings in the wall of the hole cavity of the mold. They are optional bolts and have the same function as face vents.

E - Ventilations Notches on the face of the mold. Those of the Face themselves allow air to escape from the receptacle between the preform and the walls of the mold cavity when the preform expands to form a container.

F - Cavity Determines the size and shape of the container mold. G - Plate deflec- Directs the air escaping from the catheter of the mold through the vents away from the newly formed preforms.

H - Bottom plate In the company of the oppression area the base of the container is formed by compressing the closed preform when the mold is closed. It seals the bottom of the preform before the container is blown.

I - Bolt of telescopic coupling the bushing Alignment alignment associated during the closure of the mold. J - Deck or Table Supports backup plates. The mold plates are part of the assembly of the car instead of the assembly of the mold.

K - Plate Holds each half of the mold. The backup water line runs through the back plates.

Assembly of the Prototype Mold of the First Modality and Method of Self Manufacturing Referring to Figures 3, 4 and 5, one half of a mounting 50 of the blow mold device constructed by way of example in accordance with the method of the invention, is replaced by the sub-assembly 44 of the conventional blow mold half. of the prior art and is adapted to be mounted on and carried by the table or platen 38 of the device 30 of the car of the molding machine. The assembly 50 of the mold half tool device is composed mainly of universally usable device components comprising a back plate 52; a sub-assembly 54 of the cooling water manifold consisting of a manifold plate for water 56, a manifold cover plate 58 for water, and a manifold support plate 60 for water; a rail 62 of the right lateral bolt, a rail 64 of the lower lateral bolt and a rail 66 of the left lateral bolt; a spacer part of the right side mold (or strike plate) 68 and a part separating the left side mold (or strike plate) 70, a mold finishing half 72 and an anvil 74; and a half 76 of the mold cavity. The table or platen 38 is a storage article provided on any given type of blow molding machine as the main support element for the associated half of the mold assembly for blowing. The components of the "series assembly" 52-70 are of preselected standard configurations that when assembled provide components of the cooling circuits and the cooling water manifold as well as support for the subassembly 72-76 of the mold half of the associated prototype in a "serial assembly" receptacle as defined laterally between the parting parts 68 and 70 and in the rear part by the front surface of the water manifold 56. The section 76 of the associated rectangular mold half has external orthogonal dimensions standardized designed to fit this series mounting receptacle without taking into account the particular configuration of the cavity 78 of the mold half formed in the workpiece of the starting block from which the section 76 is machined to form the cavity 78. Accordingly, the rest of the components 52-70 of the device of the series assembly of the mold half can be used for different geometries of the mold cavity without changing the installation of the components 52-70 of the assembly in series with each other or the series assembly relative to the table or platen 38. The back plate 52 is a heavy duty structural element and is provided with a predetermined configuration of bolted through holes with a cover extending with their axes perpendicular to the major planes of the plate rear 52 and the plate 38 in the assembly so that the rear plate 52 can be mounted to different plates of several blow molding machines, thereby making the rear plate 52 and the associated series assembly components universally available blow molding machines equipped with different platens in their mold cart devices for blowing. As best seen in Figures 4 and 5, the back plate 52 also serves as the inlet and outlet conduit for supplying the cooling water to the water cooling chamber of the sub-assembly 54 of the manifold plate. For this purpose, a horizontally extending inlet passageway 90 is drilled and internally drilled to connect with two vertically extending internal branching passages. (not shown) which in turn communicate with right and left supply openings 92 and 94 that open on the front face of the plate 52 near its upper edge, and which are suitably countersunk to receive the 0 sealing rings 96 and 98 respectively. Similarly, a main horizontal exit passageway 100 is machined to extend horizontally from the plate 52 down the passageway 90 and parallel thereto to communicate with a pair of return openings (not shown) that open on the front side of the passageway. plate 52, and similarly countersunk and provided with O-ring seals. Back plate 52 also serves as the mounting frame for sub-assembly 54 of the manifold for water (parts 56-60) as well as for the side rails and lower 62, 64, 66 of the pin / bushing. For this purpose, the openings receiving the proper fastener body are provided on the rails for exact correspondence with the corresponding openings in the front face of the plate 52 to provide the removable attachment of these assembly components in series by the head screws hollow hexagonal 101, 103, 107, 109, 111 and 113 to the front face of the back plate 52 (Figure 3). A series of vertical and horizontal grooves, such as grooves 104, 106, 108, 110 and 112 (Figure 5) are provided to receive, by locating with precision, the key material of alignment therein both to reinforce the mounting assembly of these components to the back plate 52 so as to ensure the precise location of the components thereon. The rails 62, 64 and 66 have protruding alignment elements, telescopically coupled, mounted on a cantilevered beam, either in the form of bolts or bushings receiving a bolt. In the embodiment illustrated by way of example in Figures 3-5, these alignment elements are shown as alignment bolts 114 and 116 on the right side rail 62, the alignment pins 118 and 120 on the lower rail 64, and on the left side rail 66, an alignment bolt 122 (Figure 3). It is to be understood that Figure 5 illustrates only one half of a mold device assembly of the first, complete embodiment, the other half (not shown) is a mirror image of that shown in Figure 5. The assembly of the device 50 of the mold half could take the place of the sub-assembly 44 of the cavity of the pre-mold half of Figures 1, 2 and 2A for mounting to the table or backplate 38 of the carriage device 30. In this example, this series assembly of the mirror image mold (not shown) could have its side and bottom rails equipped with cooperative alignment bushings which are oriented to telescopically receive the associated alignment pins 114-122 of the assembly 50 which protrude from the side and bottom rails 62, 64, 66 when the table or platen 38 is moved to the closed position of the mold. The telescopically interengaged pins and bushings thus ensure precise alignment of the mold cavity halves of each series assembly in the closed condition of the mold, and can be easily adjusted without altering the installation of the mold section 74 in its assembly in series. Sub-assembly 54 of the manifold for water (shown in cross section in Figure 4) is composed of water manifold plate 56, cover plate 58 and backing plate 60, these three parts are shown cut-away from each other in Figure 5 and plate 56 of the manifold for water is shown by itself in Figures 6 and 7. As best seen by comparing Figures 4 and 6, the rear side of the plate 56 of the water manifold is provided with a large rectangular cavity defined by the upper and lower walls 130 and 132 and side walls 134 and 136 and a recessed flat surface 138 interleaved from the rear marginal face 140 of plate 56 slightly above half the thickness of the plate (Figure 4). Three corridors in the form of serpentine 150, 152, 154 of the water channel, collateral, vertically distributed, are formed by milling on the recessed surface 138 of serpentine notches 156, 158, 160, respectively, leaving the cooling fins projecting to the left and right, alternatives, oriented parallel to each other and spaced vertically in each row of streamers, as illustrated by fins numbered 162 and 164 in row 150 in Figure 6. As shown in Figure 4, the notches 150, 152, 154 of the manifold channel for the water are closed on its back side by the cover plate 58 which fits tightly within the confines of the recessed walls 130-136 and flat against the surface 138. A peripheral weld Continuous 168 secures the cover plate 58 on manifold plate 56 and is made to watertight specifications. The support plate 60 is welded to the back side of the cover plate 58 prior to mounting to the plate 56 of the manifold. After the sub-assembly of the support plate 60 and the cover plate 58 have been welded in place, a central horizontal notched notch 170 (Figure 4) and a central vertical notch of intersection 172 are milled on the back side of the support plate 58, and the continuations of the ends of each of these notches are milled in a similar manner on the rear face of the plate 56 of the manifold. The appropriate keys 174 and 176 are in correspondence with the groove or keyhole 104 of the backing plate and the slot or keyhole 172 of the support manifold plate for the precise lateral positioning of these two components together. Sub-assembly 54 of the manifold for water is detachably secured to the front face of backing plate 52 by four hexagonal socket head screws, such as socket head screws 178 and 180 (FIG. 5) inserted individually through one of the four cornered mounting holes 182, 184, 186, 188 associated (Figures 5, 6 and 7). The passages for admitting the liquid refrigerant to the networks of the cooling notches 150, 152 and 154 of the coil and for venting the cooling fluid therefrom, are formed by drilling horizontal protection holes 200 and 202 in the upper and lower solid margins. of the manifold plate 56. Each of these holes is then sealed in a sealed manner by a plug disk seal placed internally but adjacent to the mounting holes 182 and 184 of the socket head screw (the disk seal 204 for the hole 200 shown in Figure 7). The cooling fluid is admitted to the orifice 200 of the upper transverse channel by means of inlet openings 206 and 208 which are in exact correspondence respectively with the supply openings 92 and 94 of the backing plate when the sub-assembly of the manifold 54 is assembled to the plate 52 as previously described. The water is drawn out from the lower shielding hole 202 by means of the exit passages 210 and 212 which are in exact correspondence with the associated return openings in the front face of the backing plate 52 which in turn communicates with the return port of the coolant 100 of the backing plate. Four connecting corners at right angles are provided to feed the cooling water from the orifice 200 to the upper notch of each network or array of coils 150, 152 and 154 of the manifold. More particularly, and as seen in Figure 6, four horizontal armor holes 220, 222, 224, and 226 are drilled in the rear face of manifold plate 56 to intersect both sides of the lower reach of bore 200. Holes 220 226 then intersect perpendicularly at their inner ends corresponding to the vertical perforated passages 228, 230, 232 and 234 which are drilled downwardly from the surface of the upper edge of the plate 56 and open towards the uppermost leg 156 of the passageway in serpentine form 150 to feed by this the inlet cooling water in the serpentine-shaped passageway 150 at the upper end thereof. The entrance ends of the holes 220-226 are bifurcated where they intersect the rear face 140 of the plate 156 of the manifold, and similarly the ends of the passageways 228-234 are bifurcated where they intersect with the surface of the upper edge of plate 56. As will be seen from Figures 6 and 7, the passageway 152 of the serpentine-shaped notches, central, is similarly fed by four passages at right angles, and similarly to the passages 154 with serpentine notches on the right hand side. The lower excursion legs of the passages 150, 152 and 154 with serpentine notches are similarly communicated with the orifice 202 of the drainage channel by four connecting passageways at right angles for each of the three passages. The spacer parts 68 and 70 of the mold, left and right, are individually secured by an associated assembly of five socket head screws 250 and 252 (FIG. 3) which are individually threaded into the associated bifurcated mounting holes provided on the front face of the mold. plate 56 of the manifold. The precise lateral alignment of each part separator 68, 70 with its mounting position on the manifold 56 is ensured by a pair of keys 254 and 256 secured by fasteners in the grooves of the key holes provided for this on the front surface of the plate of the manifold 56. The keys 254 and 256 are in exact correspondence with a groove or keyhole 258 provided on the back side of the separator 68 (Figure 5). The left spacer 70 similarly has a keyhole notch 260 for receiving a pair of left-hand keys, secured in the keyhole slots on the front face of the plate 56, only the top key 262 is visible in Figure 5. With the spacers 68 and 70 thus assembled, the mutually facing side surfaces 266 and 268 of the spacers 68 and 70 respectively, in cooperation with the flat front surface 270 of the manifold plate 56, are designed to form rear and rear recessed surfaces. side flanking, of precision, to define a "nest or assembly in series" of dimensions of predetermined width and depth to receive with a precision adjustment the half 76 of the cavity of the mold. The rear side of the block 76 of the mold half is flat and smooth (Figure 4) and butts against the surface 270 in a flat collateral contact and is stretched snugly against it by six socket head screws 272- 282 (Figure 3) threaded into six associated bifurcated mounting holes 283, provided on the front face of manifold plate 56. The surfaces 284, 286 on the parallel side of the block 76 sit snugly against the separating side surfaces 266 and 268 respectively in the assembly with the same on the plate 56 of the manifold. It is to be noted that faces 69 and 71 of the respective front "kicker plate" of spacers 68 and 70 are recessed relative to their respective integral, integral, flange portions 73 and 75 of spacers 68 and 70. The flange portions 73 and 75 provide continuations of the associated spacer side surfaces 266 and 268 terminating at the same level with the plane of the surfaces 77 of the outermost face of the block 76. The ventilation notches 79 of the mold cavity, are usually recessed backwards from the surfaces 77 of the face and consequently the flange portions 73 and 75 serve as baffles instead of the integral mold cavity baffle plates of the mold halves 42 and 44, conventional, the prior art, referred to in Figure 2A. The flange portions 73 and 75 of the spacer are also precision machined to provide flat abutting contact surfaces 81 and 83 which cooperate during closure of the mold with the corresponding spacer flange portions similarly provided on mounting the mounting device. in series of the image mold to the companion mirror (not shown) that is mounted on the table or external plate 32. Accordingly, the mold closing compression forces exerted by the ram 41 during closure of the complete mold are taken as the compressive tension of the reaction (in the direction of travel of the mold) by the separators 68 and 70 instead of by the material of the block 76 of the mold. The mold finish 72 is secured or secured by two hollow hex head screws 290 and 292 that are threaded into the upper surface of the block 76. The anvil portion 74 is secured by four head screws 294 that are threaded into mounting holes in the recess provided by the anvil 74 in the upper surface of the sections 72 of the finishing mold. It is to be understood that the section of the finishing mold 72 and the associated anvil 74 are frequently reusable in conjunction with the containers of different contour., and therefore it may not be necessary that they be made especially for each prototype mold. It will be noted that, according to the invention, the external dimensions of any block 76 of the given mold half are kept constant and adapted to fit accurately between the spacers 68 and 70. Consequently, such prototype mold halves may have each, a cavity 78 of the different mold half, formed therein when desired to mold a given prototype vessel shape without requiring any change in structural support and cooling components 52-74 for this in series 50 of the mold, nor in the adjustment of the installation in the assembly with respect to its table or plate of the associated blow molding machine. The components of the series assembly 52-74 can thus be reused for different prototype molds 76 because the outer dimensions of each prototype mold 76 are of a standard configuration to fit the standard size series assembly provided by the spacers 68 and 70 and the associated front face 270 of manifold plate 56.

Assembly in Series and Half of the Mold of the Second Modality Figures 8, 9 and 10 illustrate a second embodiment of a series assembly and half of the mold 300, also constructed in accordance with the characteristics of the method and apparatus of the invention. The assembly 300 includes as its main components an alternative stage 38 'which can be constructed in a manner similar to the table or stage 38 previously described, or alternatively which can be constructed in the form of a universal backing plate as shown and that incorporates a system of securing that makes possible the assembly to several blow molding machines. The assembly 300 also includes a back plate 302 which serves as the mounting point for the universal back plate 38 ', for further mounting of the following device components comprising a side rail 304 of the pin, a side rail 306 of the bushing or bushing and a manifold plate 308 for cooling water. The remaining assembly components comprise the plate 72 of the half of the finishing mold, the associated anvil 74 and a block or plate 76 'of the half of the modified mold cavity corresponding to the half 76 of the mold cavity previously described . The backing plate 302 is detachably mounted to the plate 38 'by means of a plurality of hollow hexagonal head screws, one of such screws 310 is seen in Figure 8. The plate 308 of the mold manifold is fixed or secured unusually to the back plate 302 by four head screws, two of such head screws 312, 314 are seen in Figure 8. The exact horizontal alignment of the plate 308 of the manifold on the back plate 302 is ensured by the vertical key 316 mounted on a keyhole 317 associated on the plate 302 and which is received in a companion keyhole 318 in the block 308. The vertical alignment is provided by the horizontal keys 320 and 322 mounted on the keyhole 346 of the backing plate and received in a horizontal keyway 324 provided on the rear side of the block 308. The lateral rail 304 of the bolt is mounted to the plate 302 adjacent to the right side of the block 308 by a system of the afi type. Anchoring comprising a pair of horizontal dovetail notches 326 and 328 on plate 302 that slidably receive corresponding dovetail keys 330 and 332 fixed in turn by head screws 334 and 336 to bolt rail 304. An alignment key 338 is secured by the screw 340 to a keyhole 342 on the back side of the bolt rail 304 so that it slides in the keyhole 346 of the plate 302. The bolt rail 304 also includes a pair of bolts. of alignment 348 and 350 each having a leg 352 and 354 which are inserted through corresponding through holes 356 and 358 in the rail 304 of the pin. The bolts 348 and 350 are captured in the associated rail by the head 360 of each bolt seat between a recessed hole in the rear end of the hole 356, 358 and the front face of the plate 302 in the assembled condition of the bolt rail 304 on plate 302. Bolt rail 304 also carries a pair of spacer abutment contact rods 362 and 364 mounted on cantilevered beam on sleeves 366 and 368 on the front face of rail 304 by head screws 370 and 372 associated that extend coaxially through the respective rails. The side rail 306 of the bushing or bushing is similarly mounted to the plate 302 by a pair of dovetail keys 376 and 378 received in the notches 326 and 328, respectively, and secured by the head screws 380 and 382 to the rail 306 The rail 306 also carries a pair of spacer rods 384 and 386 mounted thereto in the manner of the rods 362 and 364. The distance of the protrusion of the end face (embedment plane) of each spacer rod 362., 364, 384, 386 is precisely adjusted by the use of suitable shims 388. The rail 306 of the bushing or bushing has a pair of through holes 390 and 392 of larger diameter which individually receive the hollow bushings or alignment bushes 394 and 396. The projection of the head 398 of each of these bushings or bushings is similarly captured between a bore hole in each of the holes 390 and 392 (not shown) and the front face of the plate 302 in the assembled condition of the rail 306. It will be understood that the other assembly in series of the image mold to the companion mirror carried on the table or opposite platen of the carriage device of the molding machine, and that cooperates with the assembly 300 in forming the system of complete mold, is installed with its bolt rail and bushing rail or bushing aligned coaxially with the bolt rail 304 and the bushing rail or bushing 306 so that the legs 352 and 354 of the bolt are received lizably in the corresponding bushings or casquillos of the other assembly in series of the mold of the image to the mirror during the closure of the mold. Similarly, the spacer rods 362, 364, 384 and 386 are aligned coaxially with similar spacer rods over the series assembly of the cooperative mold half of the image to the mirror to control the position of the embedment closure of the two halves of the mold, and to absorb as the stresses of the compression reaction most of the closing forces of the mold, in the closed condition of the assembly of the complete mold on the car of the molding machine. The plate 308 of the mold cooling water manifold has a recessed cavity or nest, formed on its front face by the flat rear surface 400 recessed backward from the flank end faces 402 and 404 of the block 308 and extending in a plane parallel to the rear face 406 of block 308 (Figures 8, 9 and 10). The recess sides of the cavity in block 308 are defined by parallel side walls 408 and 410 that are spaced apart by a constant predetermined design distance. The block 76 'of the half of the mold cavity similarly has a predetermined set of external dimensions in such a manner. that their parallel side walls 412 and 414 have a constant predetermined longitudinal spacing of the block 76 'to fit with a high precision sliding girth in the cavity of the block 308 and against the side walls 408 and 410 of the cavity, respectively. The flat rear wall (not shown) of the block 76 'of the mold, abuts flatly against the recessed surface 400 of the cavity when it is pressed tightly against it by squeezing down the head screws 416-426 of the block assembly of the mold that are received threadedly in the associated bifurcated mounting holes 428-438 (Figures 9 and 10) provided on the face 400 of the cavity. The block 308 of the manifold thus supports the block 76 'of the mold cavity and also, similarly to the separators 68 and 70, reinforces it laterally to help it resist the forces exerted on the walls of the mold cavity during the blow of the preform in the molding cycle. The cooling of the mold cavity, after blowing of the hot preform therein, is effected by providing a circulating passage system of the liquid refrigerant with inlet and outlet supply passages in the backing plate 302 that feed a cooling passage of coil 440 formed as an additional recess of constant depth on the surface of the recess 400 (Figure 10) and following the serpentine route as shown in elevation in Figure 9. The refrigerant supply lines are connected to the associated doors 442 and 444 provided on the side of the back plate 302 that feed the passages inners of the backing plate (not shown) for supplying water outside a door or sealed O-ring opening 446 (Figure 8) in an inlet port 448 (Figures 9 and 10) on the rear face 406 of the block 308. The opening 448 is connected by a vertical passageway 450 to an inlet opening 452 that feeds into the upper entry leg 454 of the passageway 440. A circumferentially continuous O-ring 456 notch is milled on the face 400 to fully encompass the passageway of the interior. serpentine 440 (Figure 9) and receives an O-ring 458 (Figure 8) which seals the rear face of the block 76 'when it is secured against it in the assembly to serve as a cover for closing the open face of the passageway 440. Accordingly, the coolant flows directly against the rear surface of the block 76 'as it travels through the passageway 440 from the inlet 452 to an outlet 460 at the end of the lowermost leg 462 of the passage 440. Exit 460 is in correspondence Exactly with an opening 464 in the front face of the plate 302 (Figure 8) which communicates with the internal passages therein to exit in the opening 444.

Production method of prototype mold assemblies 50 and 300 and mode of operation thereof With the preceding description of the structure and function of the components 52-74 and 302-308 of each mounting nest 50 and 300 of the respective mold half and the blocks 76 and 76 'of the cavity of the associated mold half in mind, it will now be better understood how the system and method of molding the improved blow molding prototype of the invention shortens the time from the initial concept of the plastic container to be produced to the actual prototype run of the parts. According to the invention, a plastic container is first designed as desired using a computer aided design (CAD) to produce an electronically registered, geometric computer model of a hollow plastic container of the desired contour. This is effected using the conventional programming means mentioned above. If desired, this can be transferred to a plastic model of the container using one or more of the rapid prototyping systems of the prior art mentioned above. However, typically the three-dimensional and orthogonal rotary graphic display of the computer terminal is adequate to verify by the container designer that the program has produced the appropriate computer model of a container of the desired contour. The geometric computer container model is then used (either as a positive computer container image directly, or indirectly by means of a negative computer cavity image) to design and produce, with an appropriate program, a model by geometric computer of a mold cavity 78, 78 'which is to be machined in the block of the blank piece to be used to produce the block 76, 76' of the cavity of the mold half for molding by blowing the container of the desired contour. This data from the computer to generate the model of the geometric mold cavity is then transferred to an installation for the manufacture of the mold (either on a computer disk or by means of connection on the direct line) that uses this record of the data, which comprises the geometric computer container model or the mold cavity model, such as the control input data that is to be converted into a control program of the CNC programming means which in turn is used to generate control signals to determine the computer numerical control routes (CNC) for a cutting tool of a conventional CNC three-axis mold machining tool to machine the cavity of the mold half. As will be evident from Figures 3-5 and 8, the raw blank for each mold half 76, 76 'is a simple rectangular block of metal material such as a suitable alloy of aluminum, steel, or beryllium copper, etc., having external length dimensions, predetermined width and thickness. The dimension of the width is conformed to the spacing between the flanking side surfaces 266 and 268 of the spacers 68 and 70 of the left and right side wall, respectively, or between the surfaces of the side walls 408 and 410 of the recess cavity. of series assembly of manifold plate 308 for water. The CNC machine is therefore automatically controlled to machine the mold cavity 78 or 78 'on the front face in this rough piece of the mold half, this front face constitutes one of the two planes of the larger and parallel face of the mold. starting block. The other half of the mold cavity is formed on the front face of a second mold starting block that is intended to cooperate with the first mold block to form the two halves of the mold when assembled in series assemblies 50 or 50. 300 associated and installed on opposing platens of the carriage device 30 of the blow molding machine as described, for example, in conjunction with Figures 1 and 2. It is to be noted that the back faces of each of the halves 76, 76 'of the molds as well as the upper and lower sides and the two opposite sides thereof remain as initially provided in the blanks. The only additional machining required to produce the blocks of the half of the finished mold is that of the ventilation recesses 79, 79 'of the front face, the holes for the fasteners 272-282 or 416-426 of the cap screw, as well as the those for mounting the finishing plate 72 the head screws 290, 292. According to the method, the molding machine is provided, instead of the mold installations 42 and 44 of the conventional prior art of Figures 1-2A , with the components of the main mold assembly 52-74 of the series assembly 50 of the first embodiment or the components 302-308, 72, 74 of the next assembly 300 of the second embodiment. The components of the series mounting device cooperate as a device holder for the part 76, 76 'of the cavity of the prototype mold half when it is supported as an assembly by the alternative tables or platens 32 and 38 of the molding cart 30 by blowing. These parts of the main mold assembly thus include the universal backing plates 52, 302 that allow installation for mounting to various types of blow molding machine. This adjustable installation back plate, on its front side, serves as a mounting point for the side rails 62 and 66, the lower rails 64 in the assembly 50, and for the rails 304 and 306 of the bolt and bushing in the assembly 300. The backing plates also serve as a mounting point and as a support for the components 56, 308 of the manifold plate, as well as, in the first embodiment, the left and right spacers 68 and 70. The spacers 68 and 70 in the assembly 50 and the manifold for the water 308 in the assembly 300 securely mounted to the associated support components of the series assembly and serve to laterally encompass the halves 76, 76 'of the associated mold cavity. Accordingly, these components of the series assembly are designed to take the impact of the lateral expansion forces exerted on the mold half when the two halves are jointly secured in the molding machine and operated through the molding cycle wherein the The mold cavity is subjected to the pressure of the blow molding fluid. In addition, the left and right separators 68 and 70 in the assembly 50 and the spacer rods 362, 364 and 384, 386 in the assembly 300 are designed to absorb the impact of the compression forces of the mold closure exerted by the ram 41 in the direction of travel of the mold when the two halves of the mold are jointly secured in the closure of the mold devices for operation in a molding cycle. The alignment pins 114-122 or 348, 350 and the associated bushes or bushings are also oriented accurately and securely on the adjustable backing plate, separated from the mold cavity halves, instead of being built into the mold cavity halves as in the mounts of the prior art mold described in conjunction with Figures 1-2A. The baffle plates in the assembly of the first embodiment 50 are also integral with respect to the left and right spacers 68 and 70 and therefore are no longer required to be made as a component of the half part of the mold cavity. Furthermore, it is to be noted that the block of half of the mold cavity is also devoid of any water cooling channels, the cooling function of the mold which has been transferred to the plates 56 of the manifold of the mold in the assembly 50. and the manifold plate 308 in assembly 300. In assembly 300, mold manifold plate 308 has open, serpentine-shaped water conduits that are sealed by the back side of mold half 76 ' , while the plate 56 of the manifold is a unit sealed in the assembly with the back plate 52 and therefore functions as a carrier of the refrigerant independently of the half 76 of the mold cavity. In both cases, plate 56, 308 of the water manifold provides heat transfer from the mold cavity through the block metal of the cavity of the mold half to the water cooling channels that are provided in the plates. 56, 308 of the multiple instead of. in the parts of the middle of the mold cavity. The backing plate is provided with supply and return passages for the cooling fluid communicating in the assembly with the manifold plates, if it is desired to remain maintaining the conventional use of the backing plate to provide the connection to the water lines for the cooling of the mold halves. In the assemblies 50 and 300 of the first and second embodiments, the half of the mold cavity consists of two parts: (1) the part 76, 76 'of the main body of the mold half having the predetermined external dimensions mentioned above in a rectangular starting blocke. ; and (2) a section 72 of the finishing mold (with its associated anvil 74) attached to the upper side of the block of the mold body. Preferably, the mold manufacturer provides the main body part for the two halves of the mold, while the section 72 of the finishing mold is frequently reused by the moulder in conjunction with the containers of different contour. In some cases, each half of the mold will also be further subdivided so that it is composed of three parts, i.e. having a section of the heel mold designed to make butt contact in a level manner with the lower side of the body block instead of being integrated as shown in conjunction with block 76, 76 'of the cavity of the mold half. In this alternative construction, the mold maker could also provide the bead section because it includes a portion of the mold cavity designed to be machined by CNC, and typically varies with each variation in shape contour. of the body. It will be noted that an important feature of the present invention lies in the fact that the prototype molding system provides standardized elements in the molding machine device that can be reused for different prototype molds. That is to say, the external dimensions of the halves 76, 76 'of the prototype mold are of standard configuration for the adaptation in the installation of the standardized series assembly provided by the remaining components of the device even when the dimensions and the contour of the cavity 78, 78 'of the mold varies from one prototype mold to the next. In addition, the construction of the blocks of the half of the mold cavity is simplified by separating from the block of the half of the mold cavity the structure of the prior art that serves to align the two halves of the mold, which serve as mold separators. to absorb the closing forces in the compression, in the direction of the closing stroke of the mold, which serve to cool the parts of the half of the mold cavity, to align the mold halves when they are closed together and to deflect the gases of mold ventilation. This feature makes it possible for the structure of each half of the mold to be reduced to its simplest form, and to transfer the totality of the functions of cooling, orientation, alignment, static structural support, reinforcement against dynamic and static molding stresses, and adjustment for alignment of the two cassette mold halves in operation with the nesting parts of the main mold assembly. These components can then be better optimized to perform their respective functions without being compromised by the design due to the need for integration in the block of the half of the mold cavity. This feature also makes it possible for the construction time of the prototype mold to be significantly reduced, and also reduces the time required for the disassembly and installation of the molding machine. Also, due to the simplification of the parts 76, 76 'of the mold cavity, they can be machined from a more durable material, even if they are only designed for the production of a brief pilot run or the prototype without that is why the total cost is increased, and still making it possible for them to work in production during relatively longer but not extensive production runs. On the other hand, by removing the compressive closing tensions of the mold from the blocks of the half of the mold cavity, and reinforcing them laterally, it is possible that the prototype molds are made of weaker materials, if desired, such as those that are more easily adaptable to be made using conventional rapid prototyping systems.

Series Assembly of the Half of the Associated Mold and the Water Multiple of the Third Modality Figures 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 illustrate a third embodiment of a manifold sub-assembly for water that can be replaced by sub-assembly 308 of manifold plate for water in assembly 300 in series and half of mold the second embodiment, or in a series assembly and half mold of the fourth embodiment, modified, as indicated hereinafter with reference to Figures 18-20 of the drawings. The plate 500 of the manifold for cooling water of the mold of the third embodiment is somewhat similar to the plate 308 of the manifold for the water of the second embodiment in that it has a cavity or recessed nest formed on its front face by a flat rear surface 502 recessed backward from the front end faces 504 and 506 of the plate 500, all of which extend in a plane parallel to the rear face 508 of the manifold plate 500 (Figures 11-13 and 15). The recess sides of the cavity in the plate 500 are defined by parallel side walls 510 and 512 that are spaced apart by a constant predetermined design distance to receive with a spacing adjustment a block 76, 76 'of the middle of the cavity of the cast mold or the like, in the receptacle of the plate 500 of the manifold and against the side walls 510 and 512 of the receptacle, respectively. Again, the flat back wall of the block of the half of the cassette mold cavity will abut contact flat against the surface 502 of the recessed rear wall of the receptacle when it is pressed tightly against it by the downward tightening of the recesses. Mold block assembly head screws that are received threadedly through the through holes 514, 516, 518, 520 of the associated cooling block (Figures 11-13 and 15) and thereby accurately align the block of the mold with the block Cooling. The plate 500 of the cooling water manifold differs from the manifolds 56 and 308 for water in several aspects. As a first feature, the manifold plate 500 is constructed in such a way that the refrigerant supply and return lines are directly connected to the water manifold 500 instead of traveling from the rear plate 52 or 302 to the cooling passages of the manifold 500. multiple for water. This feature eliminates the need for coolant supply passages in these rear plates, and still, in some applications, the need for these back plates together. Secondly, the front faces 504 and 506 of the plate 500 function as embedding surfaces separating the mold. This feature thus eliminates the need for rails 304 and 306 and associated spacing rods 362, 364, 384 and 386, or spaced plates 68 and 70 which are provided with ventilation deflector rims 73 and 75 of spacer attachment. Third, these "wide-brim" portions of the plate also assemble four pairs of cooperating alignment bolts and bushes that are interconnected to produce the alignment of the two blocks of the mold half of the cooperative cavity in the closed condition of the mold. mold device. This feature thus eliminates the need for rails 62, 64 and 66 and the associated pins 114-122 and the associated bushing rails and bushings. The installation time of the device is reduced by this and the alignment accuracy is also improved by mounting the bolts and bushings directly on the manifold plate for water that is also "nested" with the cavity block of the half of the associated mold.

Fourth, the mold cooling manifold plate is provided with a shallow recess on the front face, sealed by a peripheral 0-ring, which is connected to a passageway of ventilation with lateral openings in the system of labeling in the mold (IML) for the ventilation of the controlled negative pressure of the cavity of the mold of blowing of the part of the cavity of the half of the mold during the blow molding. This feature cooperates with the ventilation of the mold cavity to the back of the part of the mold half to adhere to the vacuum temporarily a label in the cavity of the mold to be transferred in situ to the blow container during molding by blown. Regarding the cooling characteristic of the water, the cooling of the mold cavity in the block of the half of the associated mold cavity (not shown), after blowing of the hot preform therein, is effected by providing a circulating passage system of the liquid refrigerant which is contained completely within the manifold plate 500 as a sealed system communicating with the inlet and outlet openings 530 and 532 (Figures 11 and 13) provided on the outer side face 534 on the right side of the plate 500. The cooling system in the plate 500 preferably comprises six passages 540, 542, 544, 546, 548 and 550 of coolant conduction, vertical, distributed in parallel to each other and internally adjacent to most of the area of the recessed front face 502 of the plate 500 (FIG. eleven) . Each of these passageways is preferably formed by drilling a blind hole upwardly from the lower face 552 of the plate 500. The upper blind end of the passageway 540 terminates just above a supply passageway 554 for the coolant inlet of the horizontally drilled blind hole ( Figure 11) extending coaxially with the entrance opening 530 and intersecting at its inner end with the vertical passageway 540. The four intermediate vertical passageways 542, 544, 546 and 548 are all of equal length and end in their blind ends above just above the top face 556 of the plate 500 of the block. The upper ends of the passageways 542 and 544 are interconnected by drilling a blind hole 558 on the end face 534 that intersects the upper ends of the passageways 542 and 544 and terminates in the passageway 544. Separately, the upper ends of the passageways 546 and 548 are interconnected by drilling a horizontal shielding hole 560 on the opposite end face 562 of the plate 500 to intersect the upper ends of the passages 548 and 546 and terminate in the passageway 546 (Figure 11). The lower ends of the passages 548 and 550 are interconnected by drilling another blind hole 564 on the end face 562 to intersect coaxially and perpendicularly the lower ends of the passages 550 and 548 and terminate in the passageway 548. Finally, still another blind hole 566 is drilled in the lateral face 534 coaxially with the passages 540, 542, 544 and 546 adjacent to the lower face 552 of the block to intersect all four of these passages and to end in the passageway 546. The orifice 566 intersects the passages 540 and 542 adjacent to its lower ends interconnecting these two passages. However, the fluid communication between the lower ends of the passages 542 and 544 is blocked by inserting a cylindrical aluminum screen 570 (Figure 11) into a horizontal blind hole 572 which is drilled in the rear face 508 of the plate 500 (FIGS. 12 and 15) to intersect perpendicularly the axis of the passageway 544 and superimpose the adjacent passageways 542 and 544 (Figure 11). To provide a return passage of the internal coolant from the upper end of the downstream vertical passage 550, another passageway 574 of the long end blind hole is drilled horizontally on the left hand side face 562, extends horizontally internally from the 500 block. down the bifurcated mounting holes 514, 516 and ends adjacent but off-centered rearwardly from the outlet opening 532. A passageway 576 of the short blind hole is drilled perpendicular to the output shaft 532 and terminates below and to the right of the bifurcated orifice 516 (Figure 11). A pair of horizontal, short, blind hole connectors 580 and 582 of the blind hole connector are drilled in the rear face 508 of the block 500 (Figures 11, 12 and 15). The blind hole connector 580 intersects the upper end of the vertical passageway 550 as well as the passageway 574 to thereby connect the flow of these passageways 550. The blind hole connector 582 intersects the passageway 574 as well as the exit passageway 576 to connect via this the downstream end of the passageway 574 with the short exit passageway 576 leading to the exit port 532 (Figures 11-13). The entrance of the passageways 540-550, 572, 574, 580 and 582 of the drilled blind hole, are each individually sealed by a disk plug with expansion seal seated in a bore hole of the inlet.

The manifold cooling plate 500 also serves as the alignment device for aligning the blocks of the cooperative half of the mold cavity, which are mounted face to face in the associated recesses of the manifolds for water, during the closure of the manifold. mold by the mold device. For this purpose, four through holes 600, 602, 604 and 606 of the alignment pin are drilled horizontally through the block 500, one at each of its four corners, to extend between the rear face 508 and the front faces 504 and 506. The axes of the holes 600 and 604 of the bolt intersect perpendicularly the axes of the passages 560 and 558, respectively, and the axes of the holes 602 and 606 of the pin similarly intersect the axes of the passages 564 and 566, respectively. Each of the bolt holes 600, 606 is provided with a coaxial reaming hole in the face 508 to receive the head 610 ((Figure 14) of an associated alignment bolt 612 that is inserted in the bolt hole 600-606. associated to protrude at its contracted free end 614 at a predetermined distance (e.g., 0.79 cm (0.312 inches) beyond the associated end faces 504, 506 of plate 500, as shown in Figure 14 with reference to the pin 612. A recessed hole 616 of slightly larger diameter (Figure 14) is formed in the hole 600 extending from the countersinking of the bolt head on the rear face 508 and forward through the intersection of the hole 600 with the catwalk 558. The resulting vacant receptacle 618 formed between the leg 620 of the bolt and the bore hole 616 shortens the axial length of the interference retention fit of the bolt 620 in the hole 600 of the bolt. The construction is provided with respect to the three remaining alignment bolts (not shown) which are identical to the bolt 612 and received respectively in the alignment holes 602, 604 and 606. It will be understood that the plate 500 'of the manifold for the hot water (Figure 14) is constructed as the mirror image substantially identical to the plate 500, but differs from the same in that it serves as the manifold plate of the half of the bushing or bushing for mounting the bushes or bushings therefrom of alignment that cooperate with the alignment pins to ensure that each of the cavities in the mold half are aligned during mold closure. For this purpose, as shown in Figure 14 only, the plate 500 'of the manifold is provided with a hole 630 of the bushing or bushing that is in exact correspondence coaxial with the hole 600 of the bolt during the closing of the mold and opens up to a recessed hole 632 extending to the end face or rear face 508 'of the plate 500'. The hole 630 receives an alignment bush or bushing 634 having an outer end projection 636 that sits on a projection at the junction of the holes 630 and 632. A support sleeve 638 is fixed in the bore hole 632 which serves to secure the hub or bush 634 seated in place. The same is green for the passageways of the image refrigerant to the mirror in the manifold plate 500 'corresponding to the passages 558, 560, 564 and 566 of the plate 500 to mount by means of this the alignment pins in the plate 500 Although not shown, the passages 558, 560, 564 and 566 of the blind hole are countersunk at their entry ends to individually receive an expansion plug seal at the ends of such passages. The IML internal ventilation passage system mentioned above for the block of the half of the associated mold cavity mounted in series on the manifold plate 500 (and similarly as regards the plate 500 'of the marriage manifold), it comprises a horizontally extending blind hole passage 650 and the door 652 of the threaded bore of the pipe opening to the side face 534 of the plate (Figures 11 and 13). Three parallel passages 654, 656 and 658 (Figures 11, 12 and 13) extend from the common passageway 650 to a lower central region of a ventilation surface 670 which may be flush with the rear face 502 or a recessed or slight distance backwards from the rear face 502 of the recessed receptacle of the plate 500. The ventilation surface 670 is surrounded by a peripheral notch 672 that receives an O-ring seated therein and protruding therefrom slightly past the level relative to the face 502. Accordingly, when the block of the half of the associated mold cavity is assembled by suitable cap screws threaded into the mounting openings 514-520 and tightly pressed against the face 502, the surface 670 is completely sealed by the O-ring. in the groove 672 and thus provides a ventilation chamber communicating with the padadises 654-658 of the ventilation opening which in turn lead to the ventilation outlet opening 6. 52 on the 534 side. Therefore, if the block of the half of the mold cavity is provided with the usual bolt hole ventilation D (as shown in conjunction with the prior art mold installation of Figure 2A previously described hereinabove) that opens toward the rear face of the mold half, such that the bolt hole vents will communicate with the chamber defined by the boundary or boundary of the surface 670 and the surrounding O-ring in the indentation 672. This sealed ventilation system can thus serve as an enhancement to allow air to escape from the mold cavity when the preform is expanded by blowing on it. Alternatively or in combination therewith, a timed vacuum extraction system can be coupled to the opening 652 for vacuum extraction and by means of this temporarily adhering a label to the surface of the mold cavity which will be transferred in situ to the container of blowing after the expansion thereof when the positive blowing pressure is communicated internally to the tube of the depressed preform. Alternatively, if desired, the IML catwalk system can be used to achieve a more controlled expansion of the hot preform tube which can be achieved by strategically positioning the bolt hole vents coupled with an exhaust system. Vacuum controlled by the synchronized valve that communicates with the bolt hole vents.

The manifold plate 500 is suitably removably attached to the backing plate or platen by the appropriate machine head screws, which are threaded into four bifurcated mounting blind holes 680, 682, 684 and 686, formed in the rear face 508 of plate 500 (Figures 11-13 and 15). Furthermore, a groove 690 of the vertically extending keyhole is provided on the rear face 508 of the plate 500 to receive the key body for alignment with an associated key and the key slot of the mounting plate to the which the plate 500 of the manifold is secured in the assembly of the assembly device in series of the mold. In view of the preceding novel features of the water manifold plate 500 of the third embodiment that distinguish it from the plates 56 and 308 of the manifold for the water of the first and second modes, it is to be understood that the plate 500 of the manifold of water is one of the currently preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated herein.

Mounting the Serial Mounting Device of the Third Mode Mold Figures 16 and 17 illustrate a third embodiment of the assembly of the serial assembly device of the mold, of the invention, which is similar to the assembly of the device of the first embodiment of the invention. Figures 3-7, but modified with respect to the portions of the striking plates and the portion of the manifold backing plate for water. These components of the assembly 700 of the device of the third embodiment identical to the components in the device 50 of Figures 3-7 are given identical numerical references and the description is not repeated. Comparing the devices 50 and 700, it will be noted that the lower alignment rail 64 of the device 50 and the associated alignment pins 118, 120 have been removed from the device 700 because they are not necessary for the proper test operation of the 50 or 50 mode. 700 of the serial assembly device of the mold of the invention. Secondly, the separator components of the mold and the striker plate 68, 70, in combination, with their separating deflection and ventilation flanges 73 and 75, respectively, are modified in the device 700 to provide the assemblies 68 'and 70' of the modified striking plate. Referring to the assembly of the striking plate 70 ', it will be seen that it is divided into a rear abutting element 702, abutting, removably secured to the plate 56 of the manifold and bearing the gap recess and the deflection flange. 704 ventilation, which corresponds to the flange 75 of the striking plate 70. The striking surface of the preform, front, is formed by an element 706 of the separating, separating plate, removably affixed to the backing element 702. The plate 706 is provided with surfaces beveled 708 and 710 at their upper and lower edges to facilitate the striking action of the preform during mold closure and reduce the possibility of the preform hanging as a result of the striking action. The assembly 68 'of the plate is constructed identically to the assembly 70'. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the assemblies of the series mounting device of the mold 50 and 700 are designed for use with a three-nested system or series assemblies of Mueller, in which three tubes of the preform are extruded simultaneously from three parallel oriented nozzles. The central nozzle of such nozzles aligns with the mold cavity 78, and the two outer flange preform tubes align with the striking plates 68 and 70, or 68 'and 70'. This feature of the series mounting devices 50 and 700 of the prototype mold is provided because it is more economical to operate all three extrusion nozzles even when only a single cavity mold is used for prototype testing purposes. . The mutually opposite facing surfaces of the series mounts of the mold half, ie the surface 69, 69 'and its opposite surface of the other series mounting device of the mold, and the surface 71, 71' and its casing surface opposite on the other device of serial assembly of the mold, they are designed to be spaced at an appropriate distance moving away during the closure of the mold to the closing plane of the mold of these two devices to just compress the flat preform of the extruder. Accordingly, a continuous squashed tube is formed by the cycle of the successive mold closures and fed downwardly for recovery as a continuous crushed length of the fragments. These characteristics eliminate the cutting problems of the pipes of the flanking preform not used, that is to say, they avoid creating chips and pieces that tend to cover the components of the molding machine when they fall by gravity.

A further modification found in device 700 against device 50 is the change in cover plate 58 of the manifold for water and manifold mounting plate 60 of manifold assembly water 54 for cooling water. In the device 700, the same plate 56 for the water manifold is used, but the components 58 and 60 are made as a support plate and cover 712 in one piece. The plate 712 is removably secured to the plate 56 by a series of 32 hexagonal socket head screws 714 oriented in a peripheral array or arrangement, and by centrally positioned head screws 716, recessed in a keyhole 172 'extending centrally and vertically on the back side of plate 712 to receive keys 174 and 176. The sealing feature of the liquid is obtained by providing an O-ring 720 of Parker (Figure 16) constructed and arranged or distributed as a peripheral seal to replace the sealing sealant 168 of the assembly 54 of the device. In addition, each of the hexagonal socket head screws 714, 716 is supported by an expansion plug seal 722, as best shown in Figure 17. The preceding assemblies in the assembly of the water manifold 54 enable the removal of the backup plate 712 when necessary to clean the cooling passages 158 or for similar maintenance operations thereon.

Mounting of the Assembly Device in Series of the Mold of the Fourth Modality Referring to Figures 18-23, a fourth embodiment of the assembly 800 of the serial assembly device of the mold is illustrated, which is also constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Assembly 800 is similar to mounting of device 300 of the second embodiment of Figures 8-10 with the exception that: (1) the input and output refrigerant supply lines are connected to inlet and outlet openings 802 and 804 provided on the right-hand side of a plate 308 'of the modified cooling water manifold (shown in the series assembly in Figures 18-20 and by itself in Figures 21-23). The inlet opening 802 is connected by means of a horizontal through passageway 803 to the inlet passageway 452 '(Figures 21-23) and the outlet opening 804 is connected via a horizontal through passageway 805 to the outlet passageway 460' of the 440 refrigerant passage of the coil, manifold plate. The left-hand ends of the 803 and 805 passages are sealed by inserting suitable expansion sealing plugs. By consequently providing the direct coolant connections to the cooling water manifold plate 308 ', the cooling passages 442, 444, 446, etc., provided in the backing plate 302 of the device mode 300, can be eliminated. thereby simplifying the backup plate 302 'provided to cooperate with the plate 308' of the water manifold. To further simplify the back plate 302 ', the alignment and separation rails 304 and 306 of the device assembly 300 can be removed and the alignment bushing pins mounted in two openings 810 and 812 of the upper corner of the packing plate 302 '. The separation embedding function is then effected by the front face of the part 76 'of the cavity of the mold half and its image companion part to the mirror in the other series assembly device. Of course, the back plate 302 'can be provided with the mounting keyholes and with the separation rails 304 and 306 and the alignment pins and bushings and associated spacer rods, if desired, in the manner of mounting the device 300 previously described.

Preferably the internal vertical edges 403 and 405 of the faces 402 'and 404' of the "wings" of the nest or assembly in series, are beveled faces. The plate 308 'of the manifold is removably secured to the support plate 302' by four hexagonal socket head screws 312, 314, etc., inserted in the four mounting holes 315 of the corners, associated, as in the case of plate 308.

It is noted that in relation to this date the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following

Claims (14)

1. A prototype mold apparatus for blow molding hollow plastic containers, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of portions of the mold having together an internal surface complementary to the contour of the desired container in such a way that the portions of the mold can to be operatively juxtaposed as two halves of the mold having each one, a front face with respect to the other half of the mold to form a mold cavity, and a rear face and outer contour of a predetermined constant geometry, a mounting of supporting components For the assembly of the mold, including multiple for the cooperative cooling water and each forming a contoured support receptacle complementary to that of the predetermined constant geometry, each half of the mold is assembled in the receptacle of an associated the support components of the series assembly of the mold, the portion The molds are made of a heat conducting composition, and wherein each manifold for the cooling water has an internal channel for circulating the cooling fluid adjacent to the associated receptacle for heat transfer by heat dissipation, with the face rear of the associated mold half.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the manifolds of the water comprises a supporting component of the series assembly of the manifold plate for the cooling fluid, and wherein the cooling fluid channel is formed only in the component of the manifold plate of each assembly of the component for the assembly in series, the half of the associated mold is secured in mutual heat transfer contact of the flat face in the receptacle of the component of the manifold plate.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the cooling fluid channel comprises blind holes extending vertically, parallel, in the plate joined to alternative ends by the horizontal blind holes in the plate.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the plate of the manifold has a channel of the ventilation fluid open in a peripherally sealed area of the front area of the receptacle of the manifold plate, and wherein the back face of the mold half associated is ventilated and assembled as a ventilated closure cover for the area of the open area of the ventilation fluid channel.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the cooling fluid channel comprises a continuous groove in the form of a serpentine, composed of horizontal legs joined at the alternative ends by bends or bends of the return groove.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the cooling fluid channel is open at the front of the component of the manifold plate and the rear face of the associated mold half has no perforations and is assembled as a closing cover for the open areas of the cooling fluid channel.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the receptacle of each component of the manifold plate comprises a recess in the front face thereof, with the recess defined by a pair of horizontally spaced side walls flanking closely and encompassing the sides of the associated mold half to reinforce the same against the horizontally directed stresses generated in the mold cavity during blow molding and further defined by a rear wall with the cooling fluid channel adjacent thereto internally from the plate.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the plate of the manifold includes a pair of portions of the separation block that define the flanking side walls of the receptacle, the opposing vertical facing surfaces for each half of the mold cavity are formed by the pair of the separation block portions oriented in a manner coplanar with the plane of the front face of the associated mold half and located adjacent to the proximal side of the mold. the mold half, to serve by means of this as a mutual embedding of separation in the closed condition of the mold.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the plates of the cooling manifold are adapted for mounting to a table or plate of the alternative molding machine, and together they also include alignment bolts and cooperative alignment bushings mounted to the portions. of the separation block independently of the halves of the mold cavity and operable to cause alignment in exact correspondence of the mold halves in the closed condition of the mold.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the bolts and bushings are constructed and arranged to intersect some associated horizontal cooperative blind holes in the portions thereof that are introduced to the associated manifold plate.

11. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the supporting components of the series assembly of the mold include a backing plate adapted for mounting to a table or platen of the molding machine of the material, and the components of the assembly in series of the mold further include alignment bolts and the cooperative alignment bushing mounted to the backing plate independently of the mold halves operable for alignment in exact correspondence of the mold halves in the closed condition of the mold.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the components of the assembly in series of the mold include means of embedding of separation mounted on the assemblies of the component of assembly in series of the mold independently of the halves of the mold and placed to make butt contact. mutually in the closed condition of the mold, to define the closing plane of the mold.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the mold cavity in each half of the mold is generated using the computer aided design to produce a geometric computer model of a container of the desired contour, the model of the computer container is used. then to design and produce a logic information program to control a CNC machine to generate a mold cavity to produce the desired contour container, and the logic information program is then employed to control the operation of a CNC machine to machine by means of this the mold cavity in the portions of the mold.

14. A method of producing a prototype mold for the blow mold of hollow plastic containers in the apparatus of claim 1, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: (a) using a computer aided design to produce a model by geometric computer of a container of the desired contour, (b) use the model of the container by computer to design and produce a program of logical information to control a CNC machine to generate a cavity of the mold, to produce the container of the desired contour, ( c) using the program of control of logical information in a CNC machine and by means of this machining a plurality of the portions of the mold that jointly have an internal surface complementary to the contour of the desired container in such a way that the portions of the mold can to be operatively juxtaposed as two halves of the mold each having a front face which cooperates pear with the front face of the other half of the mold to form a mold cavity, and a rear face and the outer contour of the 10 predetermined constant geometry, (d) providing for such mold half, a mounting of support components for the serial assembly of the mold, which form a supporting receptacle configured in a manner 15 complementary to that of the predetermined constant geometry, and (e) assembling each half of the mold in the associated mounting receptacle of the supporting components of the series assembly 20 of the mold. 25 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved system, method and apparatus for the molding of prototypes in blow molding, wherein a plastic container is first designed using a computer aided design (CAD) program to produce a model of Geometric computer program of a hollow plastic container of the desired contour. This model is then used to generate a geometric computer program model of a corresponding mold cavity (78, 78 '). This data record in turn provides the control signal for a cutting tool of a CNC three-axis mold machining tool that operates on a blanking blank for each half of the mold (76, 76 '), of a metallic material having external dimensions of predetermined and constant length, width and thickness. A mold cavity (78, 78 ') is automatically machined in this way on a front face of this blank piece constituting one of the planes of the main and parallel face of the block of the mold half. The other half of the mold cavity (78, 78 ') is similarly formed on the front face of a second block of the mold half (76, 76') which cooperates with the first block of the mold to form the two halves of the mold. mold, of a mold for complete blowing. The back faces of each of the mold halves as well as the top, bottom and the two opposite sides remain as initially provided in the blanks. The components of the device for the standard assembly of the mold, main, standardized (52-74, 302-308, 72, 74) cooperate in the assembly (50, 300, 500, 700, 800) to support, locate, orient and cool the associated prototype mold halves. The structure of each half of the mold is thus reduced to its simplest form, and instead of this the entire cooling functions of the water, the orientation of the mold, of alignment, of structural support, of reinforcement against the closing tensions and blowing of the mold, and the adjustment for the alignment of the two halves of the cast mold in the operation, is provided for the parts of the assembly of the mold, main series, reusable. Accordingly, the time of construction of the mold is significantly reduced as well as the time of installation and disassembly of the molding machine.