US 11,697,236 B2
Hot runner process controller
Christian Striegel, Hainburg (DE); Anton Joerg, Grossostheim (DE); Scott Greb, Washington Township, MI (US); and Thomas Braun, Hof (DE)
Assigned to Incoe Corporation, Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed by Incoe Corporation, Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Mar. 17, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/204,597.
Prior Publication US 2022/0193970 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 45/84 (2006.01); B29C 45/27 (2006.01); B29C 45/28 (2006.01); B29C 45/77 (2006.01); B29C 45/78 (2006.01); B29C 45/76 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 45/84 (2013.01) [B29C 45/2737 (2013.01); B29C 45/281 (2013.01); B29C 45/77 (2013.01); B29C 45/78 (2013.01); B29C 2045/7606 (2013.01); B29C 2945/7604 (2013.01); B29C 2945/76006 (2013.01); B29C 2945/7614 (2013.01); B29C 2945/7628 (2013.01); B29C 2945/76056 (2013.01); B29C 2945/76163 (2013.01); B29C 2945/76277 (2013.01); B29C 2945/76471 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A hot runner system comprising:
one or more manifolds;
an inlet nozzle to the manifold;
one or more outlet nozzles from the manifold;
one or more heating elements;
one or more sensors located on, in or at the hot runner system to detect a status or operation of the hot runner system; and
a process controller having a processing unit and a memory, wherein the processing unit is connected to the one or more sensors, wherein the processing unit is configured to load and execute program code to compare sensor information with data stored in the memory to determine whether the hot runner system is in an operable status, and, in case the hot runner system is in an operable status, activate the one or more heating elements and/or the one or more actuators enabling a production operation, and, in case the hot runner system is not in an operable status, configured to generate status information to deactivate the one or more heating elements and close or deactivate the one or more actuators disabling a production operation of the injection molding machine;
wherein the hot runner further comprises a switching unit spatially grouping the switches for heating zone and/or temperature sensors and/or valves, wherein the one or more switches are placed between cables from heating zones and/or temperature sensors and/or valves, and hot runner connectors.