In-mold lid closing apparatus

Abstract

An in-mold lid closing apparatus includes a lid engagement member, a first actuation assembly connected to a first portion of the lid engagement member, a second actuation assembly connected to a second opposing portion of the lid engagement member, and a controller disposed in electrical communication with the first actuation assembly and the second actuation assembly. The controller is configured to transmit a first drive signal to the first actuation assembly and a second drive signal to the second actuation assembly to drive one of a linear position and a rotational position of the lid engagement member and to adjust at least one of the first drive signal and the second drive signal based upon a first feedback signal received from the first actuation assembly and a second feedback signal received from the second actuation assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An in-mold lid closing apparatus, comprising:
 a first actuation assembly comprising:
 a linear actuator having a first base, a first translation element moveably coupled to the first base, and a second translation element moveably coupled to the first base, the first translation element of the first actuation assembly configured to translate relative to the first base along a first linear direction and the second translation element of the first actuation assembly configured to translate relative to the first base along a second linear direction, the second linear direction opposing the first linear direction, 
 a first rotary actuator coupled to the first translation element and having a first rotary element coupled to a first portion of a first lid engagement member, and 
 a second rotary actuator coupled to the second translation element and having a second rotary element coupled to a first portion of a second lid engagement member; and a second actuation assembly comprising: 
 a linear actuator having a second base, a first translation element moveably coupled to the second base, and a second translation element moveably coupled to the second base, the first translation element of the second actuation assembly configured to translate relative to the second base along the first linear direction and the second translation element of the second actuation assembly configured to translate relative to the second base along the second linear direction, the second linear direction opposing the first linear direction, 
 a first rotary actuator coupled to the first translation element and having a first rotary element coupled to a second portion of the first lid engagement member, and 
 a second rotary actuator coupled to the second translation element and having a second rotary element coupled to a second portion of the second lid engagement member; 
 the first lid engagement member extending along a direction substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of a lid portion of a first in-mold lid and the second lid engagement member extending along a direction substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of a lid portion of a second in-mold lid. 
   
     
     
         2 . The in-mold lid closing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first translation element of the first actuation assembly is configured to linearly position the first portion of the first lid engagement member between a first linear position and a second linear position relative to the first in-mold lid and the first rotary element of the first actuation assembly is configured to rotatably position the first portion of the first lid engagement member between a first rotational position and a second rotational position relative to the first in-mold lid;   the first translation element of the second actuation assembly is configured to linearly position the second portion of the first lid engagement member between the first linear position and the second linear position relative to the first in-mold lid and the first rotary element of the second actuation assembly is configured to rotatably position the second portion of the first lid engagement member between the first rotational position and the second rotational position relative to the first in-mold lid;   the second translation element of the first actuation assembly is configured to linearly position the first portion of the second lid engagement member between a first linear position and a second linear position relative to the second in-mold lid and the second rotary element of the first actuation assembly is configured to rotatably position the first portion of the second lid engagement member between a first rotational position and the second rotational position relative to a second in-mold lid; and   the second translation element of the second actuation assembly is configured to linearly position the second portion of the second lid engagement member between the first linear position and the second linear position relative to the second in-mold lid and the second rotary element of the second actuation assembly is configured to rotatably position the second portion of the second lid engagement member between the first rotational position and the second rotational position relative to the second in-mold lid.   
     
     
         3 . The in-mold lid closing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first translation element of the first actuation assembly is configured to translate relative to the first base along a first linear axis and the second translation element of the first actuation assembly is configured to translate relative to the first base along the first linear axis; and   the first translation element of the second actuation assembly is configured to translate relative to the second base along a second linear axis and the second translation element of the second actuation assembly is configured to translate relative to the second base along the second linear axis, the second linear axis being substantially parallel to the first linear axis.   
     
     
         4 . The in-mold lid closing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first lid engagement member comprises a shaft extending along the direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the lid portion of the first in-mold lid; and   the second lid engagement member comprises a shaft extending along the direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the lid portion of the second in-mold lid.   
     
     
         5 . An injection molding system, comprising:
 a first mold plate defining a first mold cavity;   a second mold plate opposing the first mold plate and defining a second mold cavity; and   an in-mold lid closing apparatus coupled to the second mold plate, the in-mold lid closing apparatus comprising:   a first actuation assembly comprising:
 a linear actuator having a first base, a first translation element moveably coupled to the first base, and a second translation element moveably coupled to the first base, the first translation element of the first actuation assembly configured to translate relative to the first base along a first linear direction and the second translation element of the first actuation assembly configured to translate relative to the first base along a second linear direction, the second linear direction opposing the first linear direction, 
 a first rotary actuator coupled to the first translation element and having a first rotary element coupled to a first portion of a first lid engagement member, and 
 a second rotary actuator coupled to the second translation element and having a second rotary element coupled to a first portion of a second lid engagement member; and a second actuation assembly comprising: 
 a linear actuator having a second base, a first translation element moveably coupled to the second base, and a second translation element moveably coupled to the second base, the first translation element of the second actuation assembly configured to translate relative to the second base along the first linear direction and the second translation element of the second actuation assembly configured to translate relative to the second base along the second linear direction, the second linear direction opposing the first linear direction, 
 a first rotary actuator coupled to the first translation element and having a first rotary element coupled to a second portion of the first lid engagement member, and 
 a second rotary actuator coupled to the second translation element and having a second rotary element coupled to a second portion of the second lid engagement member; 
 the first lid engagement member extending along a direction substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of a lid portion of a first in-mold lid and the second lid engagement member extending along a direction substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of a lid portion of a second in-mold lid. 
   
     
     
         6 . The injection molding system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first translation element of the first actuation assembly is configured to linearly position the first portion of the first lid engagement member between a first linear position and a second linear position relative to the first in-mold lid and the first rotary element of the first actuation assembly is configured to rotatably position the first portion of the first lid engagement member between a first rotational position and a second rotational position relative to the first in-mold lid;   the first translation element of the second actuation assembly is configured to linearly position the second portion of the first lid engagement member between the first linear position and the second linear position relative to the first in-mold lid and the first rotary element of the second actuation assembly is configured to rotatably position the second portion of the first lid engagement member between the first rotational position and the second rotational position relative to the first in-mold lid;   the second translation element of the first actuation assembly is configured to linearly position the first portion of the second lid engagement member between a first linear position and a second linear position relative to the second in-mold lid and the second rotary element of the first actuation assembly is configured to rotatably position the first portion of the second lid engagement member between a first rotational position and the second rotational position relative to a second in-mold lid; and   the second translation element of the second actuation assembly is configured to linearly position the second portion of the second lid engagement member between the first linear position and the second linear position relative to the second in-mold lid and the second rotary element of the second actuation assembly is configured to rotatably position the second portion of the second lid engagement member between the first rotational position and the second rotational position relative to the second in-mold lid.   
     
     
         7 . The injection molding system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first translation element of the first actuation assembly is configured to translate relative to the first base along a first linear axis and the second translation element of the first actuation assembly is configured to translate relative to the first base along the first linear axis; and   the first translation element of the second actuation assembly is configured to translate relative to the second base along a second linear axis and the second translation element of the second actuation assembly is configured to translate relative to the second base along the second linear axis, the second linear axis being substantially parallel to the first linear axis.   
     
     
         8 . The injection molding system of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first lid engagement member comprises a shaft extending along the direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the lid portion of the first in-mold lid; and   the second lid engagement member comprises a shaft extending along the direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the lid portion of the second in-mold lid.