Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – Means to interrelatedly feed plural work parts from plural...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-13
2001-05-22
Hughes, S. Thomas (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
Means to interrelatedly feed plural work parts from plural...
C029S783000, C425S577000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233815
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for molding and assembling resin parts to produce a final resin product.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a prior art manufacturing process, a resin product that includes resin parts, particularly, a resin product that includes relatively moveable functional resin parts, such as gears, is manufactured by molding the parts, transferring them to an assembling line, and then assembling them into a final product with aid of workers or robots.
However, in the prior art manufacturing process, construction of the assembling line and assignment of workers or robots along the assembling line for assembling the parts are required, resulting in relatively high manufacturing cost. Furthermore, due to a recent demand of producing various products in small quantities and increased complication of the products, the number of different parts manufactured at each manufacture is increased, leading to disadvantageous complication and difficulties in parts control.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for molding and assembling resin parts to produce a resin product, particularly, a resin product that includes relatively moveable functional parts, such as gears, in a manner that enables one by one parts molding and assembling and also enables reduction of manufacturing cost of the resin product.
The present invention achieves the above objective by providing an apparatus for molding and assembling resin parts. The apparatus includes more than one pair of first and second engageable molding elements for molding resin parts, wherein a space for filling resin material is defined between the first and second molding elements while the first and second molding elements are engaged with each other, an assembling station having assembling sections for assembling the parts, and a transferring device which transfers the parts from the first or second molding elements to the corresponding assembling sections of the assembling station, wherein the first and second molding elements, the assembling station and the transferring device are all contained in a molding unit.
The present invention also achieves the above objective by providing a method for molding and assembling resin parts with use of an apparatus including more than one pair of first and second engageable molding elements for molding resin parts, wherein a space for filling resin material is defined between the first and second molding elements while the first and second molding elements are engaged with each other, an assembling station having assembling sections for assembling the parts, and a transferring device which transfers the parts from the first or second molding elements to the corresponding assembling sections of the assembling station, wherein the first and second molding elements, the assembling station and the transferring device are all contained in a molding unit, wherein the method includes steps of (1) engaging the first and second molding elements with each other and filling resin material into the space defined between the first and second molding elements to mold the parts, (2) disengaging the first and second molding elements from each other, (3) transferring the parts from the first or second molding elements to the corresponding assembling sections of said assembling station by the transferring means, and (4) rotating the rotatable member of the assembling station to bring the respective assembling section to a next rotational position for assembling next resin parts, wherein all of the steps (1) to (4) are repeated sequentially until all required resin parts are molded and assembled.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5037597 (1991-08-01), McGinley et al.
patent: 5689876 (1997-11-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 5743761 (1998-04-01), Kawase
patent: 5814356 (1998-09-01), Ito et al.
Hughes S. Thomas
Jimenez Marc
Kabushiki Kaisha Central Fine Tool
Shinjyu Global IP Counselors, LLP
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