Abstrict
A plastic injection molding system having a temperature controlled
electric heater element. The heater element is formed by disposing
a pair of heater wires and a pair of thermocouple wires and a powdered
mineral material in a metal sheath which is subjected to repeated
drawing and annealing operations and is then cut to a desired length
after which at one end, the heater wires are welded together and
the thermocouple wires are welded to the sheath and the sheath is
welded to form a closed end wall. At the opposite end, the heater
and thermocouple wires are connected through connection means and
connection wires to a current supply and a temperature sensing circuit.
The sheath is in the form of a rightly wound helical coil structure
and is installed in direct heat transfer engagement on a cylindrical
surface of a metal part which has an axially extending plastic flow
passage therein. The metal part may be in the form of a runnerless
plastic bushing and a cap may be provided having an internal surface
spaced from the outside of the helical coil structure.
Claims
I claim as my invention:
1. In a plastic injection molding system including a metal part
having an external cylindrical surface and having a central flow
passage therein extending along the axis of said external cylindrical
surface, controlled heating means for said metal part including
an electric heater around said external cylindrical surface, thermocouple
means responsive to the temperature of said metal part, a temperature
sensing circuit connected to said thermocouple means and a current
supply source for said electric heater controlled from said thermocouple
sensing circuit, said heater comprising an elongated metal sheath
and at least one heater wire extending longitudinally within said
sheath, said thermocouple means comprising a pair of wires of dissimilar
metals extending longitudinally within said sheath, insulating material
within said sheath for insulating said heater and thermocouple wires
from said casing and from each other, connection means at one end
of said sheath for electrical connections between said heater and
thermocouple wires and said current supply source and temperature
sensing circuit, and junction means at the opposite end of said
sheath spaced from said one end thereof for interconnecting said
pair of thermocouple wires to form a junction for measurement of
the temperature thereat, said elongated sheath being in the form
of a helical coil structure with said connection means and said
junction means being at opposite axial ends of said coil structure
formed by said sheath between said one end of said sheath and said
opposite end spaced from said one end thereof, and said helical
coil structure having convolutions in engagement with said external
cylindrical surface off said metal part for direct transmission
of heat from said heater wire to said metal part and for sensing
of the temperature of said metal part by said thermocouple junction
means.
2. In a plastic injection molding system as defined in claim 1
wherein said central passage extends longitudinally through said
metal part for receiving plastic at one end thereof and for flow
of the plastic from the opposite end thereof, said connection means
being adjacent said one end of said part and said junction means
being spaced from said one end of said part.
3. In a plastic injection molding system as defined in claim 2,
said metal part being in the form of a bushing for runnerless plastic
injection molding with said central passage being a single longitudinally
extending passage through said bushing for flow of plastic directly
from said opposite end into a mold cavity.
4. In a plastic injection molding system as defined in claim 1,
a cap member on the outside of said metal part having an internal
surface, the outside of said helical coil structure being in inwardly
spaced relation to said internal surface of said cap member.
5. In a plastic injection molding system as defined in claim 1,
said insulating material being a compacted mineral material, the
degree of compaction of said mineral material and the physical properties
of said sheath and said wires being such as obtained by assembling
wires and mineral material in a sheath and then repeatedly performing
drawing and annealing operations to reduce the diameters of the
sheath and wires assembled therein to a small fraction of the initial
diameter thereof while compacting the mineral material.
6. In a plastic injection molding system as defined in claim 1,
said junction means comprising weld means joining the ends of both
of said thermocouple wires to said sheath.
7. In a plastic injection molding system as defined in claim 6,
said weld means being effective to define a closed end wall of said
sheath.
8. In a plastic injection molding system as defined in claim 6,
said wires including a pair of heater wires in said sheath and weld
means interconnecting the ends of said pair of heater wires at said
opposite end of said sheath.
9. In a plastic injection molding system as defined in claim 4,
said cap member including generally cylindrical wall means defining
said internal surface, and end wall means connecting opposite ends
of said generally cylindrical wall means of said cap member and
said external cylindrical surface of said metal part on opposite
ends of said helical coil structure.
10. In a plastic injection molding system as defined in claim 1,
said helical coil structure having a construction such as produced
by its being tightly wound during formation thereof with adjacent
convolutions being then in direct engagement with each other for
facilitating positioning of convolutions relative to each other
and to said external cylindrical surface upon installation thereon
so as to obtain uniform transmission of heat to said metal part
along the length thereof and to minimize outward transfer of heat.
Description This invention relates to an electric heater and more particularly
to an electric heater which can be accurately controlled to supply
an optimum amount of heat and which is rugged in construction, highly
reliable in operation and readily and economically manufacturable.
The heater is especially advantageous when used for heating a bushing
in a runnerless plastic molding application.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART
Electric heaters are used extensively in connection with plastic
molding machines, one type of heater being the band type of heater
which surrounds or extends at least part way around a part. Another
type of electric heater is the cartridge type of heater adapted
to be inserted within a part. The cartridge type has been used in
so-called "runnerless" molding machines in which a plastic
is injected directly into a mold cavity from the tip of a bushing
which is heated to an elevated temperature to permit plastic flow
therethrough and which is referred to as a "hot tip bushing."
With such an arrangement, it is possible to eliminate sprues and
runners and to reduce cycling time. In the bushing, the plastic
flows from a receiving end to an exit end through passages which
are on the outside of a central torpedo shaped element which encloses
the cartridge heater. The cartridge heater, which includes a coiled
heating element, may also include a thermocouple junction at the
end thereof closest to the exit end of the bushing. The provision
of the thermocouple junction makes a heater more expensive to produce
but it is advantageous in that the temperature may be sensed at
a point close to the exit end of the bushing and the operation may
be more accurately controlled to obtain optimum results.
Runnerless plastic molding machines have been proposed using a
single passage bushing in which the plastic in flowing from the
receiving end to the exit end flows in a single central passage
rather than through a plurality of parallel passages. This arrangement
has a number of advantages including the fact that any one of a
number of important types of plastics can be used which could not
be used if the plastic were to be separated and then reunited as
is the case with the first-described type of hot tip bushing having
parallel passages. With the single passage bushing, use of a band
type of heater and a separate thermocouple is indicated. The cartridge
type of heater is unsuitable for the single passage bushing, except
that a plurality of such heaters are disposed in parallel relation
to and around a passage as disclosed in the Crandell U.S. Pat. No.
3,970,821.
The Halliday U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,630 discloses a heating device
in which a length of mineral insulated heating cable extends along
a helical passage between a core and a sleeve, the core being formed
with a helical groove in its outer surface and the sleeve being
formed with a mating helical groove in its inner surface. The cable
sheath is clamped between the core and the sleeve. This arrangement
may be used in a plastic molding bushing and has certain potential
advantages with respect to heat transfer but the provision of the
grooves would make it difficult and expensive to manufacture. Also,
there is no provision for sensing of temperature or for the control
of heat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention was evolved with the general object of providing
an improved electric heater and with the more specific object of
providing a heater especially suitable for use in combination with
a single passage hot tip bushing and in similar applications.
In accordance with this invention, a plurality of wires are provided
within an elongated sheath along with a suitable insulating material,
preferably a mineral material such as magnesium oxide. The wires
include at least one and preferably a pair of heater wires of a
relatively high resistance material and a pair of thermocouple wires
of dissimilar metals. Connection means are provided at one end of
the sheath for effecting electrical connections between current
supply and instrumentation circuits and the heater and thermocouple
wires and junction means are provided at the opposite end of the
heater for interconnecting the thermocouple wires to form a junction
for measurement of the temperature thereat. With this arrangement,
a heater is provided in which heat is developed along the length
thereof with a temperature sensing junction being provided at the
end removed from the end at which electrical connections are made
for the purpose of electrically sensing the temperature and applying
a corresponding current to the heater wires.
In accordance with a very important feature, the sheath is in the
form of a helical coil structure with the connection and junction
means being at opposite axial ends thereof. The heater so constructed
is particularly advantageous for surrounding and heating a single
passage bushing for a runnerless plastic molding operation as above
described, as well as for other similar applications. Heat may be
developed and applied through nearly the full axial length of the
bushing and the thermocouple junction, being disposed at the end
remote from the connection means, may be closely adjacent the exit
end of the bushing to permit sensing of the temperature thereat
and accurate control of heating for optimum operation.
Other important features relate to methods of making the heater
and to resultant advantageous physical properties and attributes
of the heater so formed. A plurality of wires along with insulating
material such as magnesium oxide are disposed within a metal sheath
which is subjected to repeated drawing and annealing steps to reduce
the diameter of both the sheath and the wires to a small fraction
of the initial diameters thereof while preventing crystallization
of the sheaths and wires and preserving the initial ductile qualities
thereof. The sheath is then cut to a desired length and wells are
formed to interconnect the thermocouple wires and form the junction.
Preferably, the heater wires are welded together and insulated from
the sheath. The end of the thermocouple wires may be coupled to
the sheath and after which the end of the sheath is welded in a
manner such as to provide a closed and sealed end. The sheath may
then be formed into a helical coil structure and suitable electrical
connectors may be added, as desired.
The heater so constructed has a relatively simple construction
and is readily and economically manufacturable while being rugged
and reliable as well as highly effective, permitting optimum application
of heat and accurate control of temperature.
This invention contemplates other objects, features and advantages
which will become more fully apparent from the following detailed
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a heater according to the
invention, shown installed in a plastic molding machine bushing
which is shown partly in section;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a portion
of a heater element in an initial stage of contruction thereof,
before being reduced in size by drawing operations;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially along line III--III
of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of portions of a heater element in a
later stage of construction thereof, subsequent to drawing operations,
FIG. 4 being to the same relative scale as FIGS. 2 and 3, but being
on an enlarged scale in relation to FIG. 1 and being taken in a
plane as indicated by line IV--IV of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 but taken in a different
plane indicated by line V--V in FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Reference numeral 10 generally designates an electric heater constructed
in accordance with the principles of this invention, shown installed
in a bushing 11 of a plastic molding machine. The heater 10 includes
a coiled element 12 extending from a connector portion 13 at one
end to an opposite terminal end 14.
The illustrated bushing 11 includes a base member 15 having a plastic
flow passage 16 extending centrally from an enlarged receiving end
portion 17 to a narrowed exit end portion 18. Plastic flows from
a suitable manifold into the receiving end portion 17, thence through
the central passage 16 and thence through the exit end portion 18
directly into a mold cavity. With this arrangement, no sprues or
runners are required.
The heater 10 is disposed in surrounding relation to a cylindrical
portion 19 of the member 15, through which the passage 17 extends,
and is surrounded in part by an outer cylindrical wall portion 20
of member 15 and in part by an end cap member 22 threaded into the
end wall portion 20. The wall portion 20 has an opening 23 which
receives an end of a flexible sheath 25, the sheath 25 being locked
in position by the cap member 22. The sheath 25 receives the connector
portion 13 of element 12 and protects connection wires which include
a pair of heater connection wires 27 and 28 and a pair of thermocouple
connection wires 29 and 30. As hereinafter described, such connection
wires are connected to heater wires within the element 12 and to
thermocouple wires which extend to a junction within the terminal
end portion of the element 12 and, as diagrammatically illustrated,
such connection wires are connected to a current supply source 31
and a temperature sensing circuit 32 which may operate to control
the current supply source to maintain a substantially constant temperature
at the junction within the terminal end portion 14 and thereby maintain
a substantially constant temperature at the exit end of the bushing
11.
FIGS. 2 and 3 show a portion of a heater element in an initial
stage of construction thereof. A pair of heater wires 33 and 34
and a pair of thermocouple wires 35 and 36 are disposed in a metal
sheath 37 which is filled with a suitable insulating material such
as magnesium oxide. The cross-sectional dimensions of the sheath
37 and wires 33-36 are initially much larger than required for the
final construction and the sheath 37, after assembly of the wires
therein, is subjected to repeated drawing and annealing operations
to reduce the sizes of the sheath and the wires. Initially, the
insulating material, indicated by reference numeral 38, is so compacted
as to become an essentially incompressible medium and thereafter
as the drawing and annealing operations are continued, the cross-sectional
dimensions of the sheath and wires are reduced in proportion to
each other. After such operations the sheath 37 is cut to the desired
length and then at one end, the heater wires are interconnected
as by forming a weld 40 therebetween. The thermocouple wires 35
and 36 are also joined together to form a junction for temperature
sensing, preferably by forming welds 41 and 42 between the ends
thereof and the sheath 37. Then through a welding operation, a closed
end wall 43 is formed to complete formation of the terminal end
portion 14 of the element 12.
At the opposite end, the ends of the heater wires 33 and 34 are
welded or otherwise connected to the heater connection wires 27
and 28 and the ends of the thermocouple wires 35 and 36 are welded
or otherwise connected to the thermocouple connection wires 29 and
30 which may be enclosed in a spaghetti tubing member 44 of insulating
material. A metal sleeve is disposed around the connections so formed
and is brazed or otherwise secured to the sheath 37, the sleeve
which is indicated by reference numeral 46 being filled with a suitable
insulating material 47 to complete formation of the connector portion
13.
The sheath 37 is formed into a coil for use in the bushing 11 but
it will be understood that it may take other configurations for
use in other applications.
It is noted that as is shown in the drawings, the coil formed by
the sheath 37 is tightly wound with the adjacent convolutions against
one another and it is also noted that the radially inwardly facing
surfaces of the convolutions of the sheath 37 are directly engaged
with the outer cylindrical surface of the cylindrical portion 19,
while there is a spacing between the radially outwardly facing surfaces
of the convolutions of the sheath 37. With these features heat is
efficiently transferred to the portion 19 but external transfer
of heat is minimized and the required power per unit length of the
sheath is minimized. Also, because of the direct heat transfer,
a rapid response to temperature variations is obtained to more accurately
maintain the temperature of the bushing at the optimum level. In
addition, the heat is uniformly distributed along the length of
the bushing.
It will be understood that other modifications and variations may
be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel
concepts of this invention.
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