1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a molding and tentatively retaining mold and a method of molding and tentative retention in which a plurality of kinds of independent parts of different shapes are molded in a plurality of cavities formed between a fixed mold and a plurality of movable molds, and at least one part after molding is relatively moved with respect to another part by the movable mold so as to set the parts in a tentatively retained state.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 11-361668, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional molding and tentatively retaining molds for effecting the molding and tentative retention of a connector with rear holders are disclosed in JP-A-8-250183 and the like.
As shown in FIG. 11, a conventional molding and tentatively retaining mold 100 is comprised of an unillustrated fixed mold, a first movable mold 101 which is movable in vertical directions in the drawing, a pair of second movable molds 102 which are movable in left- and rightward directions in the drawing, and a pair of third movable molds 103 which are movable in a direction perpendicular to the second movable molds 102. It should be noted that a connector 110 with rear holders is comprised of a housing 111 having a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 113 and a pair of rear holders 112 which are respectively retained on both sides of the housing 111.
In addition, inner surfaces of the first and second movable molds 101 and 102 form a cavity for molding the housing 111 of the connector 110 with rear holders in cooperation with the fixed mold. In addition, outer surfaces of the first movable mold 101, inner surfaces of the second movable molds 102, and inner surfaces of the third movable molds 103 form cavities for molding the respective rear holders 112 of the connector 110 with rear holders in cooperation with the fixed mold.
In the above-described molding and tentatively retaining mold 100, when the molding and tentative retention of the connector 110 with rear holders is effected, a resin material is charged into the respective cavities, for instance, from the upper direction in the drawing through unillustrated runners for the respective cavities in a state in which the fixed mold and the movable molds 101, 102, and 103 are joined together. Consequently, the housing 111 and the rear holders 112 of the connector 110 with rear holders are molded independently, respectively.
Next, the first movable mold 101 is moved upwardly in the drawing, and the second movable molds 102 are respectively moved in the directions of arrows in the drawing. Consequently, predetermined gaps are respectively produced between the respective rear holders 112 and the housing 111. In this state, the third movable molds 103 are respectively moved toward the housing 111 so as to tentatively retain the rear holders 112 onto the side surfaces of the housing 111.
Then, after the housing 111 and the rear holders 112 are tentatively retained, the third movable molds 103 are returned to their original positions by urging forces of unillustrated springs. This series of operation including the movement of the third movable molds 103 toward the housing 111 and the movement thereof in directions away from the housing 111 after the tentative retention of the rear holders 112 is effected continuously almost without stopping.
Subsequently, the connector 110 with rear holders in a tentatively retained state is released from the mold, and is transferred to an ensuing process of insertion of connecting terminals.
With the above-described conventional molding and tentatively retaining mold 100, when the rear holders 112 are relatively moved with respect to the housing 111 by the third movable molds 103 and are tentatively retained, after the third movable molds 103 are moved by an amount necessary for tentative retention of the rear holders 112, the operation of returning the third movable molds 103 to their original positions is effected by the urging forces of the springs.
However, there has been a problem in that the rear holders 112 tentatively retained onto the housing 111 become dislocated from the housing 111 in conjunction with the returning operation of the third movable molds 103 owing to the softness and the like of the rear holders 112 immediately after molding.
The object of the invention is to provide a molding and tentatively retaining mold and a method of molding and tentative retention which make it possible to relatively move and reliably retain at least one part with respect to another part by movable molds after molding and to prevent the trouble of such as the cancellation of tentative retention of the parts.
The above object can be attained by a molding and tentatively retaining mold comprising a plurality of movable molds provided in such a manner as to be relatively movable with respect to said fixed mold and adapted to respectively mold a plurality of kinds of independent parts of different shapes in a plurality of cavities formed in cooperation with said fixed mold, and to relatively move at least one part with respect to another part after molding so as to set said parts in a tentatively retained state; and a plurality of runners respectively provided for the cavities to charge a molding material into the cavities, wherein an amount of movement of said movable mold at a time when said at least one part is relatively moved with respect to said other part and is tentatively retained after molding is set to be greater by a predetermined amount of movement than an amount of movement necessary for tentatively retaining said at least one part to said other part, and said movable mold after movement is stopped at a moved position until a predetermined time elapses.
In the molding and tentatively retaining mold constructed as described above in accordance with the invention, a molding material is charged into a plurality of cavities formed between the fixed mold and the movable molds through runners. Consequently, a plurality of kinds of independent parts of different shapes is respectively molded in the cavities.
After the molding of the respective parts, the movable mold moves so as to cause at least one part to relatively move with respect to another part. Namely, as the movable mold moves towards the other part, one part interposed therebetween is retained onto the other part in a tentatively retained state. At this juncture, the amount of movement of the movable mold is set to be greater by a predetermined amount than an amount of movement necessary for moving the one part. Namely, the movable mold moves toward the other part additionally by a very small length more than an amount of movement necessary for tentative retention of the one part, and the movable mold is so set as to stop at the moved position until a predetermined time elapses. Consequently, the at least one part moved by the movable mold is tentatively retained reliably onto the other part without coming off.
In addition, the above object can be attained by a method of molding and tentatively retaining comprising, molding a plurality of kinds of independent parts of different shapes in a plurality of cavities formed between a fixed mold and a plurality of movable molds provided in such a manner as to be relatively movable with respect to said fixed mold by charging a molding material into said cavities through runners respectively provided for said cavities, and at least one part is relatively moved with respect to another part after molding so as to set said parts in a tentatively retained state, wherein, an amount of movement of said movable mold at a time when said at least one part is relatively moved with respect to said other part by said movable mold and is tentatively retained after molding is set to be greater by a predetermined amount of movement than an amount of movement necessary for tentatively retaining said at least one part to said other part, and said movable mold after movement is stopped at a moved position until a predetermined time elapses.
In the method of molding and tentatively retaining arranged as described above in accordance with the invention, a molding material is charged into a plurality of cavities formed between a fixed mold and a plurality of movable molds provided in such a manner as to be relatively movable with respect to the fixed mold, through runners respectively provided for the cavities. Consequently, a plurality of kinds of independent parts of different shapes are respectively molded in the cavities.
Next, at least one part is relatively moved with respect to another part after molding. Namely, as the movable mold moves towards the other part, one part interposed therebetween is retained onto the other part in a tentatively retained state.
At this juncture, the amount of movement of the movable mold is set to be greater by a predetermined amount than an amount of movement necessary for retaining the one part to the other part. Namely, the movable mold moves toward the other part additionally by a very small length more than the amount of movement necessary for tentative retention of the one part, and the movable mold is so set as to stop at the moved position until a predetermined time elapses. Consequently, the at least one part moved by the movable mold is tentatively retained reliably onto the other part without coming off.
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