Heating Patents (Class 264/521)
  • Patent number: 6413600
    Abstract: A multi-layer preform, includes: (a) a plastic inner liner, comprised of a cylindrical walled body, which may or may not include a tapered annular shoulder portion, and a cylindrical walled neck portion extending upwardly from the body, and (b) a molded outer layer. Prior to the outer layer being molded over the plastic inner liner, at least a portion of the liner is crystallized by a heat treatment process. The molded outer layer may include a means to receive a closure device. When the preform is at an acceptable temperature range for orientation, the multi-layer preform can be blow-molded to form a multi-layer container having improved properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
    Inventor: William A. Slat
  • Patent number: 6406661
    Abstract: A heat set blow molding process comprises providing a plastic preform, thermally conditioning the preform to achieve a temperature profile across the wall of the preform wherein the inner surface of the preform is at a higher temperature than the outer surface of the preform, said temperature profile being within the molecular orientation temperature range of the plastic, heating the outer surface of the preform to increase the temperature of the outer surface of the preform by at least about 10° C., enclosing the preform in a hot mold, expanding the preform to form a container within the hot mold by introducing a blowing gas into the preform to induce biaxial orientation in the preform and force the preform into conforming contact with the hot mold, and maintaining the expanded preform in conforming contact with the hot mold for a time sufficient to induce crystallization of the plastic material and to allow for stress relaxation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Plastic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Francis M. Schloss
  • Publication number: 20020048642
    Abstract: A method to blow mold a crystallizable polymer container having an interior surface, comprising using a heated blowing fluid in conjunction with a single cool blow mold cavity to produce a container having a crystallized interior surface or in conjunction with hot blow mold cavity to produce a container having crystalized interior and exterior surfaces; and two stage blow molding using two separate blow molds used sequentially also contemplated to produce similar results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventor: Martin H. Beck
  • Patent number: 6368102
    Abstract: A high-temperature, non-catalytic, infrared heater is formed within a housing having a bottom and at least one side lined with a refractory material. The burner includes a burner surface area and is positioned within the housing. A re-radiating surface is positioned above the burner and comprises a mesh having a re-radiating surface area greater than the burner surface area with the re-radiating surface operating between approximately 400° F. and 2200°F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Cleveland State University
    Inventors: Mounir Ibrahim, Thomas D. Briselden
  • Patent number: 6349838
    Abstract: A bottle having substantially no strain due to fluidized orientation in the bottom portion thereof which is homogeneously and uniformly drawn, and, as a result, exhibiting improved shock resistance and buckling strength in the bottom portion, featuring excellent resistance against environmental cracking at the center in the bottom portion, without developing crazing or whitening during the preservation, and offering excellent appearance. The bottle is formed by biaxially stretch-blow-molding a thermoplastic resin, and has a mouth portion, a shoulder portion, a barrel portion and a bottom portion, said bottom portion without being substantially affected by the residual strain due to orientation by fluidization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Go Saito, Yoshitsugu Maruhashi, Kiyoshi Kawaguchi, Makoto Etoh
  • Patent number: 6344166
    Abstract: A container molding method for reducing the amount of released acetaldehyde. The method comprises a primary blow molding step of stretch-blow-molding a preform into a primary blow-molded article; an acetaldehyde reducing step of reducing the amount of acetaldehyde released from the primary blow-molded article; and a final blow molding step of stretch-blow-molding the primary blow-molded article having a reduced amount of acetaldehyde into a final container. The primary blow molding step molds the primary blow-molded article which is larger in size than the final container and which has an average wall-thickness of a stretched barrel portion equal to or less than 0.3 mm, that is smaller than the average wall-thickness of a barrel portion of the final container. The acetaldehyde reducing step heats the thin-walled barrel portion of the primary blow-molded article at a high temperature for a relatively short time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Nissei ASB Machine Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Daiichi Aoki, Hiroyuki Orimoto, Katsumasa Yokota
  • Publication number: 20020011681
    Abstract: The process and device are intended for controlling the molding of a container during the manufacture of containers from a thermoplastic material. At least two previously injection-molded preforms are temperature-treated and delivered in succession to at least one blow station for blow molding of the preforms into containers. In order to compensate for nonuniform temperature distribution in the material of the preforms relative to one another, at least one blow parameter during molding of the preforms into containers is specified in a fashion that differs from one to the next. The differing specification is made in such a manner as to compensate for the nonuniform temperature distribution so that containers with approximately identical spatial distribution of wall material, orientation properties, and crystallization characteristics exist when the blow-molding process is finished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Inventors: Peter Rose, Willi Predohl
  • Publication number: 20010055657
    Abstract: A multi-layer preform, includes: (a) a plastic inner liner, comprised of a cylindrical walled body, which may or may not include a tapered annular shoulder portion, and a cylindrical walled neck portion extending upwardly from the body, and (b) a molded outer layer. Prior to the outer layer being molded over the plastic inner liner, at least a portion of the liner is crystallized by a heat treatment process. The molded outer layer may include a means to receive a closure device. When the preform is at an acceptable temperature range for orientation, the multi-layer preform can be blow-molded to form a multi-layer container having improved properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2001
    Publication date: December 27, 2001
    Applicant: PLASTIPAK PACKAGING, INC.
    Inventor: William A. Slat
  • Patent number: 6287507
    Abstract: The method serves for tempering preforms made of a thermoplastic material. The preforms are provided for blow deformation into containers. The preform is provided with a temperature profile along the periphery. The temperature profile is produced in that striplike regions extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the preform are heated differentially. Stepwise tempering is carried out for successively timed thermal conditioning of various regions of the preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Krupp Corpoplast Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Otto Appel, Karl-Heinz Balkau, Wolf Jaksztat
  • Patent number: 6264880
    Abstract: Fluid-forming compositions in a container attached to enclosed adjacent sheets are heated to relatively high temperatures to generate fluids (gases) that effect inflation of the sheets. Fluid rates to the enclosed space between the sheets can be regulated by the canal from the container. Inflated articles can be produced by a continuous, rather than batch-type, process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: John W. Elmer, Robert L. Bridges
  • Patent number: 6258313
    Abstract: A stretch blow molding process and apparatus for the manufacturing of plastic containers includes the step of preheating the preform. In particular the preheating step includes directly heating the inside of the preform. This is particularly important during the processing of polypropylene. The method for heating plastic preforms for the stretch blow molding thereof comprises the steps of heating the outside of the preforms with at least one infrared radiation lamp and directly heating the inside of the preforms. Preferably the heating of the outside and the heating of the inside is performed concurrently. The apparatus for use in the preheat step of a preform during a stretch blow molding process includes a channel; a plurality of chucks and a method of directly heating the inside of the preforms. The plurality of chucks are movably connected to the channel and each chuck is adapted to receive a preform. The inside of the preform is heated as the chuck moves along the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Container Corporation International Inc.
    Inventor: Norman J. Gottlieb
  • Publication number: 20010002662
    Abstract: A plastic bottle comprises a base having a chime, a dome and an annular wall extending between the chime and the dome. The annular wall extends generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bottle to support the dome against inverting due to internal pressure and increases the bi-axial stretching of the base during blow molding to strengthen the material of the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2001
    Publication date: June 7, 2001
    Inventor: A.B.M. Bazlur Rashid
  • Patent number: 6241938
    Abstract: A method of producing parisons of thermoplastic material, which includes the steps of injection of plasticized resin into a plurality of multiple-cavity molds, removal of the parisons from the respective injection molds and transferring parisons to conditioning stations to go through a temperature conditioning phase. The parisons are held in the conditioning stations for a pre-determined length of time, and then the parisons are transferred into appropriate blow molding tools in order to blow the conditioned parisons. Further, during the conditioning phase, the temperature of the surface of the collar of the parison is caused to increase, while the temperature of the parison body is allowed to decrease, so that at the end of the conditioning phase the temperature of the surface of the collar of the parison exceeds by approximately 15 to 20° C. the temperature of the parison body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Inventors: Moreno Barel, Franco Bellotto, Alessandro Rosso
  • Patent number: 6237791
    Abstract: A method of forming a wide mouth blow molded thermoplastic container comprising the steps of i) stretch blow molding from a preform, an intermediate article defining the container with the mouth being threaded and/or flanged, the mouth terminating in an accommodation element having a neck finish that supports the preform in the blow mold; ii) heat setting the intermediate article including the entire container while still in the mold, and iii) removing the intermediate article of manufacture from the mold and severing the accommodation element to produce the container, and an article when made by the method. The method also includes post forming of a rim portion of the container following separation of the container from the accommodation element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: DTL Technology Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Martin H. Beck, George F. Rollend, Robert J. Caldicott
  • Patent number: 6228317
    Abstract: A wide-mouth plastic container is formed from a preform that is blow-molded to form an intermediate container article that has blown threads located below a moil. The moil is severed above the blown threads to yield the finished container. A preform and process for manufacturing the wide-mouth container are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Graham Packaging Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Marvin Lee Smith, Robert Andrew Stewart, Tracy Marie Momany
  • Patent number: 6224817
    Abstract: A container (5) such as a bottle made of thermoplastic material and provided with a bottom wall having an inwardly convex curved central portion (3) is disclosed. The container is produced by blow moulding a blank (4) with at least one incipient bottom recess (3) in a finishing mould (15a, 15b, 11) of which the bottom wall (11) has an arched central portion (10) substantially matching the recess in the bottom of the container to be produced. Said container is produced by causing relative rotation of the central portion (10) and the blank (4) when said central portion is positioned in the recess in the bottom of the blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Sidel
    Inventor: Pascal Villers
  • Patent number: 6217959
    Abstract: A multi-layer preform, includes: (a) a plastic inner liner, comprised of a cylindrical walled body, which may or may not include a tapered annular shoulder portion, and a cylindrical walled neck portion extending upwardly from the body, and (b) a molded outer layer. Prior to the outer layer being molded over the plastic inner liner, at least a portion of the liner is crystallized by a heat treatment process. The molded outer layer may include a means to receive a closure device. When the preform is at an acceptable temperature range for orientation, the multi-layer preform can be blow-molded to form a multi-layer container having improved properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
    Inventor: William A. Slat
  • Patent number: 6214281
    Abstract: A multi-layer preform, includes: (a) a plastic inner liner, comprised of a cylindrical walled body, which may or may not include a tapered annular shoulder portion, and a cylindrical walled neck portion extending upwardly from the body, and (b) a molded outer layer. Prior to the outer layer being molded over the plastic inner liner, at least a portion of the liner is crystallized by a heat treatment process. The molded outer layer may include a means to receive a closure device. When the preform is at an acceptable temperature range for orientation, the multi-layer preform can be blow-molded to form a multi-layer container having improved properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
    Inventor: William A. Slat
  • Patent number: 6168740
    Abstract: A plastic article is formed in an injection mold by injecting molten plastic into the injection mold at an elevated temperature, cooling the plastic from the molten condition to a solid condition, and crystallizing a portion of the plastic by slowing down the cooling of said portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Koch, Robert D. Schad, Laura Martin, James D. Sykes, Dan Stracovsky, Bruce Catoen
  • Patent number: 6168748
    Abstract: A method for forming a balloon for a dilatation catheter involving the steps of extruding a segment of thermoplastic material, maintaining the center portion at a temperature below the glass transition of the thermoplastic material, drawing the segment to a predetermined length, wherein after the drawing the wall thickness of the center portion does not appreciably change, and expanding the segment in a mold to produce the balloon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: SciMed life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lixiao Wang, Jianhua Chen, Nao Lee, Daniel J. Horn
  • Patent number: 6153145
    Abstract: A container such as a bottle or the like consisting of a biaxially oriented thermoplastic material and capable of withstanding a relatively harsh use environment without noticeably losing its shape. Said container has an inwardly curved base (2) with an inwardly projecting convex portion as in a champagne bottle bottom, and a substantially greater thickness than the side wall (3) of the container. Said base (2) includes an outwardly-facing non-convex central portion (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Sidel
    Inventors: Luc Desoutter, Guy Feuilloley, Jean-Tristan Outreman, Paul La Barre
  • Patent number: 6136260
    Abstract: When a desired preform is to be molded from a molding material which is a polyester resin composed of a blend of PET and PEN by compressing and melting the molding material by the rotation of a screw in a heating cylinder and injecting and filling the molten material into a mold, a plastication zone 13 for the molding material is formed between a compression zone 12 of the injection screw 2 and a metering zone 14 at an end of the screw. In the plastication zone 13, the molding material is subjected to melting, relaxation, kneading and relaxation steps in order to melt and remove an unmolten material until the molten material reaches the metering zone 14. To prevent a molded article from becoming opaque and the production of a gel-like unmolten granular material when a polyester resin composed of a blend of PET and PEN is used as a molding material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: AK Technical Laboratory Inc.
    Inventors: Hisashi Nakajima, Hideaki Koda
  • Patent number: 6126886
    Abstract: A method of forming a wide mouth blow molded thermoplastic container comprising the steps of i) stretch blow molding from a preform, an intermediate article defining the container with the mouth being threaded and/or flanged, the mouth terminating in an accommodation element having a neck finish that supports the preform in the blow mold; ii) heat setting the intermediate article including the entire container while still in the mold, and iii) removing the intermediate article of manufacture from the mold and severing the accommodation element to produce the container, and an article when made by the method. The method also includes post forming of a rim portion of the container following separation of the container from the accommodation element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: DTL Technology Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Martin H. Beck, George F. Rollend, Robert J. Caldicott
  • Patent number: 6113840
    Abstract: The invention relates to the thermal treatment of the body (2) of a preform (1) or of an intermediate container made of a thermoplastic material during a process for manufacture of the container, such as a flask or bottle, in particular by blowing or stretching-blowing, the entirety of the body (2) of the preform being heated to a temperature greater than the softening temperature of the material, at least one longitudinal portion (13) of the body (2) of the preform in rotation on itself being heated to a temperature greater than that of the rest (14) of the body, thereby making it possible to produce a finished container incorporating a body having a complex shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Sidel
    Inventors: Gerard Emmer, Paul La Barre
  • Patent number: 6090334
    Abstract: A container obtained by biaxially stretch-blow-molding a resin. Except the mouth-and-neck portion, vicinities thereof and the center of the bottom portion, the container as a whole is reduced in thickness under a highly drawing condition without accompanied by whitening, and a portion constituting the bottom valley portions has an yielding load of not smaller than 25 kg/cm at 70.degree. C. The container exhibits excellent heat resistance, pressure resistance, shock resistance as well as self-standing ability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Matsuno, Nobuyuki Kato, Hiroo Ikegami, Setsuko Nakamaki, Kimio Takeuchi, Hotaka Fukabori, Yoshitsugu Maruhashi, Hideo Kurashima
  • Patent number: 6062408
    Abstract: A method of forming a wide mouth blow molded thermoplastic container comprising the steps of i) stretch blow molding from a preform, an intermediate article defining the container with the mouth being threaded and/or flanged, the mouth terminating in an accommodation element having a neck finish that supports the preform in the blow mold; ii) heat setting the intermediate article including the entire container while still in the mold, and iii) removing the intermediate article of manufacture from the mold and severing the accommodation element to produce the container, and an article when made by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: DTL Technology Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Martin H. Beck, George F. Rollend, Robert J. Caldicott
  • Patent number: 5993721
    Abstract: A process and an apparatus for molding, in which a molten thermoplastic resin is firmly fitted onto a molding surface of a mold under a pressure lower than or equal to 100 kg/cm.sup.2 and is cured to obtain a molded product. The molding apparatus has a mold main body, and a mold body on which the molding surface is defined. The mold body is supported relative to the mold main body with maintaining a space on the back side of the molding surface in a heat insulative manner by a supporting member which includes at least a heat insulative supporting member having a thermal conductivity of 0.001 to 1 Kcal/mh.degree. C. and a longitudinal elastic modulus of 0.01 to 10 kg/cm.sup.2. In the space, a heating fluid for heating the molding surface from the back side to a temperature higher than or equal to Vicat softening temperature (T).degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: JSR Corporation
    Inventors: Fumio Kurihara, Mitsuyoshi Kumamoto, Yasuhito Ito, Masanobu Nagano, Jun Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5928742
    Abstract: A biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate resin bottle-shaped container, and method of blow-molding the same, is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of heating the body portion of a preform at 90.degree. to 130.degree. C., biaxial-orientation blow-molding the preform in a primary blowing mold heated at 110 to 230.degree. C. to form a primary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece, heating the primary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece at 130 to 255.degree. C. or at a temperature which is at least 20.degree. C. greater than the primary blowing mold temperature to form a secondary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece, and blow-molding the secondary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece in a secondary blowing mold heated at 100.degree. to 150.degree. C. to form a bottle-shaped container. The temperature of the secondary blowing mold is several degrees greater than the maximum temperature the molded bottle-shaped container will be subjected to during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Horoaki Sugiura, Fuminori Tanaka, Daisuke Uesugi
  • Patent number: 5869110
    Abstract: An apparatus for molding a container has a standby section disposed between a heating section and a blow molding section. A preform is supported by carrier members, and is intermittently carried from the heating section via the standby section to the blow molding section. In the standby section are provided a temperature conditioning member which conditions temperature on the preform carried from the heating section; a positioning plate which positions a carrier member stopped at the standby section; and a cylinder which advances and withdraws the temperature conditioning member with respect to the preform, and simultaneously advances and withdraws the positioning plate with respect to the carrier member. The advanced positioning plate contacts with the carrier member to position the carrier member. The advanced temperature conditioning member is set enabling temperature conditioning of the preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Nissei ASB Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuichi Ogihara
  • Patent number: 5858300
    Abstract: A self-sustaining container made of a saturated polyester resin, formed by biaxial stretch blow molding and comprising a mouth and cervical portion, a shoulder, a body and a bottom, wherein said bottom has a self-sustaining structure with a plurality of legs radially bulged around the center of the bottom and valley lines formed between the adjacent legs, and the following portions (A) to (E) are low stretched portions and at least portions (B) and (C) among the following portions (A) to (E) are crystallized portions:(A) center of the bottom(B) peripheral portion of the center of the bottom(C) portion of each valley line close to the center of the bottom(D) portion of each leg from the edge of the peripheral portion of the center of the bottom to a ground contact portion(E) portion between said portions (C) and (D).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Denki Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norihiro Shimizu, Tomohiro Urano, Atsushi Takei, Akira Nitta
  • Patent number: 5853775
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for forming stretch blow molded containers having uniform sidewall thickness from physical symmetric parisons. Parisons are heated non-uniformly by rotating at a non-uniform rate in a heating station. A sensor determines the angular orientation of the parisons emerging from the heating station. Each parison is angularly reoriented at a repositioning station prior to introduction into a stretch blow molding station having non-round interior surfaces, so that the temperature profile of each parison corresponds with differential expansion required to form the desired non-round container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Electra Form, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Oas, Carl L. Knepper, David P. Meiring, Timothy L. Bright
  • Patent number: 5730914
    Abstract: A polyethylene terephthalate (PET) preform (11) having a capped cylindrical body (13), a threaded top and a collared neck (19) is preheated to soften the PET. The preform (11) is placed in a split mold (26) whose walls (27,29) are heated to a temperature between 150.degree. C. and 177.degree. C. A stretch rod (35) is inserted through the top of the preform (11), and stretches the preform (11) axially until the preform (11) is the length of the final product (49). The preform (11) is expanded using compressed ambient air, and is molded against the walls (27,29) of the mold (26). The air is vented, and dry nitrogen at a temperature below -50.degree. C. is injected into the molded preform (47) to purge and cool the molded preform (47) while maintaining pressure of at least 520 kPag. The molded preform (47) is held against the mold (26) for a predetermined time, during which the outer and inner surfaces of the molded preform (11) are annealed, and the molded preform (47) transforms into the final product (49).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Inventor: Kurt H. Ruppman, Sr.
  • Patent number: 5702786
    Abstract: A process is described for improving the hydrocarbon solvent impermeability of polyethylene resin based containers. The process employs a thermal profile during thermal molding, which creates a crystalline barrier adjacent one surface of the container. The barrier enhances impermeability of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Greif Bros. Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald T. Robichaud
  • Patent number: 5702665
    Abstract: A process for preparing a thermoplastic container including the steps of providing a biaxially oriented, crystallized precontainer having a first contained volume, and further crystallizing the precontainer by applying heat thereto while the precontainer is substantially unconstrained, and forming a deformed precontainer having a second contained volume. Deformation of the precontainer is controlled by controllably closing the precontainer prior to further crystallizing and while the precontainer remains substantially unconstrained to create a predetermined increased air pressure therein, and reshaping the deformed precontainer into a final container shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Inventor: Emery I. Valyi
  • Patent number: 5681521
    Abstract: The invention relates to the thermal treatment of the body of a preform (1) or of an intermediate container made of a thermoplastic material during a process for manufacture of the container, such as a flask or bottle, in particular by blowing or stretching-blowing, the entirety of the body of the preform being heated to a temperature greater than the softening temperature of the material, at least one longitudinal portion (13) of the body (2) of the preform in rotation on itself being heated to a temperature greater than that of the rest (14) of the body, thereby making it possible to produce a finished container incorporating a body having a complex shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignee: Sidel
    Inventors: Gerard Emmer, Paul La Barre
  • Patent number: 5641451
    Abstract: A heat-resistant container forming method includes a step of thermally shrinking a primary blow molded article in a heating furnace before secondary blow molding the primary blow molded article into a final product or container. Into the furnace, hot air which flows along the longitudinal direction of the first blow molded article and whose temperature enough to facilitate crystallization of the primary blow molded article. The primary blow molded article is thermally shrunk by exposing the entire circumferential surface of a barrel of the primary blow article to the hot air and by blowing the hot air longitudinally along the primary blow molded article to heat the barrel circumferentially uniformly. Since hot air touches the barrel as flowing longitudinally thereof, it is possible to increase the heat conductivity of boundary film of the primary blow molded article, without increasing the hot air temperature too high, so that temperature rise of the primary blow molded article is facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: Nissei ASB Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Orimoto, Katsumasa Yokota, Fumiya Amari, Saburo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5611987
    Abstract: A process for producing biaxially drawn plastic bottles having excellent heat resistance and an apparatus therefor. The process comprises a step of biaxially drawing and free blow-molding the preformed article to obtain a secondary molded article thereof, a step of heating the secondary molded article by inserting it for 0.3 to 5 seconds in the infrared rays emitted from an infrared-ray radiation member that has a substantially planar radiation surface having a height larger than that of the secondary molded article in the direction of height and having a surface temperature of from 350.degree. C. to 1000.degree. C., in order to obtain a tertiary product thereof that is shrunk, and a step for blow-molding the tertiary product that is in a heated state in a metal mold to obtain a final molded article. A single metal mold is used for blow-molding to shorten the time occupied by the metal mold and to produce the bottles having excellent heat resistance maintaining high productivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kato, Kenji Matsuno, Yoshitsugu Maruhashi, Hideo Kurashima, Hiroo Ikegami, Setsuko Iida, Kimio Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 5609266
    Abstract: The refilling container of the present invention is a simplified container for use in containing a refilling detergent and the like. A number of the refilling containers can be laied at a limited space. The refilling container can be refilled with a content easily and surely, and can be disposed easily. The refilling container is comprised of a thermoformed container body and a seal film for sealing an opening positioned at the lower end of the container body. A tapered cylindrical shoulder portion is continuously connected to the upper end of the barrel portion of the container body, and from the center portion of the shoulder portion, a nozzle cylinder 4 closed by a platen 21 at the extreme end thereof extends upwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinsaku Nakazato, Toshiyuki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 5601779
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing hollow resin products which are curved two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally. The method includes extruding a tubular parison from an extruder at a constant speed and cutting the parison at a specified length; receiving the parison extruded from the extruder into a conveyer having a feeder which is driven at the same speed as the extruding speed of the parison; maintaining the parison in the conveyer by stopping the feeder temporarily; feeding a leading portion of the parison to a trailing portion thereof successively through an outlet of the conveyer into a cavity of a lower mold of a blow molding machine by driving the feeder, the cavity being curved two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally; and closing the lower mold with an upper mold of the blow molding machine and blowing compressed gas into the parison in the blow molding machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Tigers Polymer Corporation
    Inventors: Hajime Ishikawa, Masaaki Ogawa, Ryosuke Hasegawa, Hideo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 5585065
    Abstract: A biaxially-stretch-blow-molded container and a method of producing the same. Redraw ratio at the bottom portion is small in the secondary blow molding without employing a complex heating system but in which a secondary article obtained by subjecting a preform article to the primary blow molding is preferentially shrunk at its bottom portion, and a tertiary article or a quaternally article before being subjected to the secondary blow molding is obtained having a bottom of a flat shape or in which the central portion is recessed inwardly of the container and the periphery thereof is flattened. The bottle obtained by this method has a thickness and crystallinity in the bottom portion which are nearly the same as those of the center of the barrel and are highly oriented. The heat-resistant bottle exhibits excellent strength in the bottom portion and symmetrical panel-sinking stability in the vacuum pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Setsuko Nakamaki, Yoshitsugu Maruhashi, Nobuyuki Kato, Kenji Matsuno, Hideo Kurashima, Hiroo Ikegami, Kimio Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 5562960
    Abstract: A biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate resin bottle-shaped container, and method of blow-molding the same, is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of heating the body portion of a preform at 90.degree. C. to 130.degree. C., biaxial-orientation blow-molding the preform in a primary blowing mold heated at 110.degree. C. to 230.degree. C. to form a primary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece, heating the primary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece at 130.degree. C. to 255.degree. C. or at a temperature which is at least 20.degree. C. greater than the primary blowing mold temperature to form a secondary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece, and blow-molding the secondary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece in a secondary blowing mold heated at 100.degree. C. to 150.degree. C. to form a bottle-shaped container. The temperature of the secondary blowing mold is several degrees greater than the maximum temperature the molded bottle-shaped container will be subjected to during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Horoaki Sugiura, Fuminori Tanaka, Daisuke Uesugi
  • Patent number: 5547631
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for annealing biaxially oriented articles is disclosed, particularly blow molded articles prepared from unique tapered preforms which are immediately annealed using warm fluid in a segmented mold. Portions of the segment mold, used to form the articles, are temperature controlled at various temperatures by passing warm water through conduits in the neck-shoulder portion and body portion of the mold segment and cold water through the bottom and shoulder portion of the mold to bring the temperature of the article wall to about 65.degree. C. to 85.degree. C. for PET bottles. The body wall temperature is preferably lowered to about 80.degree. C. while the neck-shoulder and bottom and shoulder portions are lowered to at least 70.degree. C. The annealing increases the articles structural strength, removes temperature and biaxial stress, reduces gas permeability, retains transparency and allows for multiple reuse of the article including hot washing thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: PepsiCo., Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Mero, John Cahill
  • Patent number: 5520877
    Abstract: A method of making a polyester container having an enhanced level of crystallinity in the sidewall while maintaining a low level of crystallinity in a thickened base portion. The container is particularly useful as a refillable container which can withstand higher caustic wash temperatures and exhibits reduced flavor carryover, or as a hot-fill container. According to the method, a sidewall-forming section of a preform is initially expanded, heated to contract and crystallize the same, and than reexpanded; a base-forming portion of the preform is shielded from the heat treatment and is expanded either before or after the heat treatment step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Continental PET Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne N. Collette, Suppayan M. Krishnakumar, Chi C. Lin
  • Patent number: 5510079
    Abstract: A method of blow-molding a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate resin bottle-shaped container having high heat resistance and substantially no residual stress is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Horoaki Sugiura, Fuminori Tanaka, Daisuke Uesugi
  • Patent number: 5478319
    Abstract: An inflatable medical balloon (40) at its distal end for introduction into a body part especially through an endoscope (46) and method of making the balloon. When fully inflated, the balloon (40) is a continuous body of balloon material (which may be formed of one or more polymeric layers) with a generally cylindrical shape and four ribs (44) formed in the body. The ribs (44) are longitudinally and equidistantly arranged around an axis (A) which extends from the proximal end to the distal end of the balloon (40). The ribs (44) are formed of stressed balloon material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Corp.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Campbell, Ralph J. Barry, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5474734
    Abstract: A parison is hung down between a pair of molding metallic molds in the opened state, expanding members are contacted with the specified portions of the parison, and after setting the temperature difference between the specified portions and other portions in accordance with a pre-set thickness ratio between both portions after forming thereof, the expanding members are moved while cooling the specified portions of expanding members so as to extend and thin the portions other than the specified portions of the parison, and the metallic molds are closed together so as to blow compressed air into the parison to effect blow-molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyo Seat (Toyo Seat Ltd.), Nishikawa Kasei Co., Ltd., Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Terumi Akazawa, Takafumi Yamane, Kazunobu Nakamori, Takeyuki Uchida, Masao Hara, Kazuhisa Toh
  • Patent number: 5466413
    Abstract: A substantially cylindrical plastic parison is expanded within a blow mold against the internal walls thereof to form a plastic drinking vessel with a rim having substantially smooth inner and outer surfaces thereon. The inner surface is formed by a reciprocating cutter head assembly including an annular cutter blade with an outside diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of wall surfaces of the blow mold adjacent to a peripheral recess in the blow mold in which an external bead on the rim is formed. The cutter blade and cutter head assembly form a dome-shaped top in response to expansion of the parison. When the cutter blade is retracted axially from the blow mold the dome-shaped top is severed from the vessel. In an alternative embodiment the vessel and a partially severed dome-shaped top are removed as an integral unit from the blow mold and the dome-shaped top is then completely severed from the vessel utilizing a rotary cutter blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: Simon J. Richter, Frank G. Hohmann, Ernst Vesely
  • Patent number: 5445784
    Abstract: A biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate resin bottle-shaped container, and method of blow molding the same by heating the body portion of a preform at 90.degree. C. to 130.degree. C., biaxial-orientation blow-molding the preform in a primary blowing mold heated at 110.degree. C. to 230.degree. C. to form a primary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece, heating the primary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece at 130.degree. C. to 255.degree. C. or at a temperature which is 20.degree. C. or higher than the primary blowing mold temperature to form a secondary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece, and blow-molding the secondary intermediate molded bottle-shaped piece in a secondary blowing mold heated at 100.degree. C. to 150.degree. C. to form a bottle-shaped container. The temperature of the secondary blowing mold is several degrees greater than the maximum temperature the molded bottle-shaped container will be subjected to during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Horoaki Sugiura, Fuminori Tanaka, Daisuke Uesugi
  • Patent number: 5445515
    Abstract: A heat-resistant container forming method includes a step of thermally shrinking a primary blow molded article in a heating furnace before secondary blow molding the primary blow molded article into a final product or container. Into the furnace, hot air which flows along the longitudinal direction of the first blow molded article and whose temperature enough to facilitate crystallization of the primary blow molded article. The primary blow molded article is thermally shrunk by exposing the entire circumferential surface of a barrel of the primary blow article to the hot air and by blowing the hot air longitudinally along the primary blow molded article to heat the barrel circumferentially uniformly. Since hot air touches the barrel as flowing longitudinally thereof, it is possible to increase the heat conductivity of boundary film of the primary blow molded article, without increasing the hot air temperature too high, so that temperature rise of the primary blow molded article is facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Nissei ASB Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Orimoto, Katsumasa Yokota, Fumiya Amari, Saburo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5429777
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus to thermocrystallize amorphous thermoplastic material in a bottom portion (11) of a preform (10) while producing a container. By means of at least one heating device (20, 30) the plastic material is heated to an elevated temperature at which the material crystallizes thermally. The supply of energy is discontinued once the material crystallizes at a speed entailing that the thus released effect corresponds to or exceeds that effect which departs from the material undergoing crystallization. The apparatus includes a mandrel (26) having a forming surface (24) which at an increased temperature is brought into abutment against a defining surface (18) of the bottom potion. The forming surface has a curvature which deviates from the curvature of the defining surface (18) so that during the initial phase of the abutment the forming surface is abutting against the defining surface only in a central area thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: PLM AB
    Inventor: Torsten Nilsson