CONTROLLER ARRANGEMENT FOR INJECTION MOLDING SYSTEM
FIG2A is a generic schematic diagram of an arrangement of signal communications between an injection molding machine controller, sensors, a signal converter and electric actuators or the interface of a proportional directional control valve
As shown in a generic schematic form in FIG2A, a system 10 according to the invention incorporates a signal converter 1500 that can receives standardized injection machine generated start of cycle and end of cycle signals VS (such as 0 volts, 24 volts or 120 volts) and converts the received standardized signal VS to an output power signal MOCPS or PDCVS that is compatible for receipt and use by an electric motor or a proportional direction control valve power signal. The two different actuator based systems, namely electric motor and proportional directional control valve, are shown together in the generic FIG2A for illustration purposes only. More typically, a practical implementation of a system as shown in FIG2A would be such that the converter 1500 would contain a single microcontroller and an interconnected driver that is configured to work with one or the other of an electric actuator based system or a proportional directional control valve system.
schematic diagram
1500
converter
['1. An injection molding apparatus (10) comprising an injection molding machine (IMM) having a drivably rotatable barrel screw (BS) that generates an injection fluid (18), a heated manifold (40) that receives the injection fluid (18) from the injection molding machine (IMM) and distributes the injection fluid (18) to one or more gates (32, 34, 36), a mold (42) having a cavity (30) communicating with the gates to receive the injection fluid (18), the injection molding machine (IMM) including a machine controller (MC) or control unit (HPU) that generates one or more standardized signals (VS), wherein the standardized signals (VS) are compatible for receipt and use by a signal receptor, interface or driver of a standard directional control valve (12) to instruct the fluid directional control valve (12) to move to a position that routes a source of drive fluid to flow in a direction that drives an interconnected fluid drivable actuator (940f, 941f, 942f) to move in a direction that operates to begin an injection cycle and to end an injection cycle, a signal converter (1500) interconnected to the machine controller (MC) or control unit (HPU), the signal converter (1500) being adapted to convert the standardized signals (VPS) to a command signal (MOPCS, PDCVS) that is compatible with a signal receptor or interface of an electrically powered actuator (940e, 941e, 942e), wherein the command signals (MOPCS, PDCVS) are converted by the signal converter (1500) into a form, frequency, power or format that is usable by the signal receptor or interface of the electrically powered actuator (940e, 941e, 942e) to cause the electrically powered actuator (940e, 941e, 942e) or the proportional directional control valve (V, V1, V2) to be driven in a direction that operates to either begin an injection cycle or to end an injection cycle, wherein the apparatus (10) further comprises one or more sensors (950, 951, 952, SN, SC, SPSR, BPSR) that detect and generate one or more sensor signals indicative of one or more of rotational or linear position of an actuator (940e, 941e, 942e, 940p, 941p, 942p) or its associated valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042), pressure or  temperature of the injection fluid 18 within a fluid channel (19) of the manifold (40) or within a nozzle channel (42, 44, 46) or within the cavity (30) of the mold (33) or within a barrel of the injection molding machine (IMM), the apparatus (10) including an actuator controller (16) that receives and uses the one or more sensor signals in a program that: instructs the actuator (940e, 941e, 942e, 940p, 941p, 942p) or its associated valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042) to travel during the course of the injection cycle to positions that correspond to a predetermined profile of injection fluid pressures, linear or rotational pin positions, linear actuator or valve pin positions, barrel screw positions, barrel pressures or actuator drive fluid pressures or that, instructs the actuator (940e, 941e, 942e, 940p, 941p, 942p) or its associated valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042) such that the valve pin is withdrawn from a closed gate position upstream at a reduced velocity over a selected path of upstream travel, or that, instructs the actuator (940e, 941e, 942e, 940p, 941p, 942p) or its associated valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042) to travel such that the valve pin is driven downstream at a reduced velocity over a selected path of travel where a distal tip end of the pin travel from upstream of the gate to a gate closed position, or that, instructs the actuator (940e, 941e, 942e, 940p, 941p, 942p) or its associated valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042) to travel such that the valve pin is driven upstream or downstream to an intermediate position between a gate closed position and a fully upstream position where the valve pin is maintained in the intermediate position for a selected period of time during the course of the injection cycle wherein, in the intermediate position, the distal tip end of the valve pin restricts flow of injection of the injection to less than a maximum flow.']