Including Use Of Vacuum Or Internal Venting Of Parison To Remove Fluid After Application Of Differential Fluid Pressure Patents (Class 264/526)
  • Publication number: 20100072678
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device (1) for producing a composite component, wherein a tubular, hollow section blank (5) is placed into the die cavity (3) of a combination tool comprising an inner high-pressure shaping tool (2) and an injection-molding tool, the combination tool is filled with a fluid in such a way that the blank (5) is wetted from the inside by the fluid, and the ends of the combination tool are sealed by two axial molding plugs (6 and 7). The filled blank (5) under pressure is then widened. The finished hollow section (22) is then plastic-coated in the same tool. In order to produce the composite component in a relatively simple manner and by a reliable process, it is suggested to empty the hollow section (22) after shaping in the sealed state at least until it is no longer dripping, wherein the pressurized fluid (19) is expelled under pressure from the hollow section (22) through at least one discharge channel formed in the axial molding plugs (6 and 7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Helmut Augustin, Kai-Uwe Dudziak, Juergen Falke, Hans Nottbusch, Matthias Schroeder, Jens Schult
  • Publication number: 20090324866
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a product, including extruding a parison, and separating the parison into parison halves by cutting a partially expanded parison or by pulling apart a longitudinally weakened parison, and forming the parison halves against corresponding mold halves. The method may also include applying a film against the parison halves and/or the mold halves, and forming the film and parison halves against the mold halves to produce multi-layer product halves. Apparatuses for performing the method are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: TI Automotive Technology Center GmbH
    Inventors: Albert J. Bocker, Andreas W. Dobmaier, Alex Ehler, Patrick Gmund, Peter Grauer, Moez Haouala, Matthias B. Olbrich, Pierre E. Delbarre
  • Publication number: 20090200191
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to providing a sterile package (1, 1?) integrally housing a contents-pouring device (5, 5?) which has improved contents pourability and tamper evidence. According to the present invention, the sterile package (1, 1?) can be efficiently produced by adopting the following steps of: (1) disposing a parison (27) in a mold (32) for a plastic container main body, (2) blowing sterile air from a nozzle (24) inserted in the parison (27) to blow-mold the plastic container main body, (3) filling the plastic container main body (2) with contents through the nozzle (24) and retracting the nozzle (24), (4) inserting a contents-pouring device (5, 5?) in the parison located above the plastic container main body (2), (5) clamping a mold (31) for a protective case, and (6) forming a protective case (6) with the parison located above the container main body (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: TOYO SEIKAN KAISHA, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoto Matsuda, Tsutomu Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20090152775
    Abstract: A tool assembly including a male tool including an inner shape tool including a bag having a connection connectable to a depressurization source for providing a vacuum in the bag such that beads therein form a body of firm cohesion providing the inner shape tool rigid. The male tool further includes a flexible, hollow curing support arranged around the rigid inner shape tool, the inner shape tool is arranged to be removable from the flexible, hollow curing support by rupturing the vacuum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: SAAB AB
    Inventors: Tommy GRANKALL, Mikael Petersson, Per Hallander, Jan-Erik Lindback, Bjorn Weidmann, Jan Andersson
  • Publication number: 20090091067
    Abstract: A container can have a body with an integrally formed base attached to the body. The base includes a concave annular wall extending from the container sidewall to a standing surface, and an inner wall extending from the standing surface to a substantially flat inner annular wall. The inner annular wall is recessed in the base and is substantially perpendicular to the container sidewall. The inner annular wall includes a centrally located dimple. The dimple includes a plurality of spaced apart and radially extending indented ribs. One or more of the ribs extend radially into a brace that tapers to meet the inner annular wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Greg TRUDE, John W. TOBIAS, Richard K. OGG
  • Publication number: 20080230961
    Abstract: A method for producing a multi-chamber syringe with a by-pass channel from a plastic material comprises the steps of producing a tubular preform from a thermoplastic material; providing a die designed to enclose the preform from the outside in an area of the by-pass channel to be formed, the at least one by-pass channel being preformed as a recess on an inner surface of the die; heating-up the preform to a temperature above the softening range of the plastic material, and positioning the preform in a predefined axial position inside the die; subjecting the preform to a differential pressure until the at least one by-pass channel is plastically formed; and cooling down the syringe body so formed to room temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas Moesli, Raffael Dudler, Peter Wolbring
  • Publication number: 20080224363
    Abstract: Method for manufacturing a plastic fuel tank by moulding a parison in which, during the moulding operation, a pipe (3) is attached to the parison at least two points, the said pipe being deformable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: INERGY AUTO SYSTEMS RESEARCH (SOCIETE ANONYME)
    Inventors: Bjorn Criel, Herve Lemoine
  • Publication number: 20080124495
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of improving balloon refoldability by molding a preformed balloon into a larger, predetermined shape at a lower temperature and higher pressure than that with which the balloon was originally formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Horn, John J. Chen, Calvin Fenn
  • Patent number: 7172721
    Abstract: The invention provides a novel thermoplastic molding process useful in the manufacture of hollow, deformable thermoplastic articles such as hollow doll heads. In the process of the instant invention, a parison is formed at a first injection station and is transferred to a blow mold station. At the blow mold station, the parison is transformed into a hollow, deformable thermoplastic article through application of a vacuum and gas injection. Articles made by the process of the instant invention have a highly realistic appearance and texture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: J.T. Labs, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tit Shing Wong
  • Patent number: 7044057
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a formed object, comprising the steps of printing a desired high quality photo or near photo like image on a forming material at a resolution substantially equal to the resolution of an original digital image used to form the high quality image, and forming the formed object by a forming process in which the temperature and pressure across the object are varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Inventors: Mary Louise Parker, Anthony Paolino, Bud Damiano, Tracy Wolf
  • Publication number: 20030141636
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for vacuum blow molding that utilizes vacuum force to hold, and thus, preclude movement of the parison within the mold cavity, whereupon highly-pressurized or compressed air is utilized to forcefully pierce the parison for expansion and conformation of the parison to the mold interior, thus affording consistent and uninterrupted production of the desired blow molded product without dependency upon blow pins or hollowed needles as utilized in prior art methods and machinery for blow molding processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventor: Michael E. Jimmerson
  • Patent number: 6582649
    Abstract: A forced exhaust pipe is connected to an exhaust pipe connected with a cross head so that a negative pressure may be formed within an air passage so as to effect rapid control of air pressure (amount) within a parison, thereby stabilizing the air pressure within the parison. A parison stabilizing method and a system therefor for use in a hollow formation molding machine, according to the present invention, are so formed that a forced air-discharge is carried out through an exhaust pipe connected with the air passage formed within the cross head, so that a negative pressure is formed within the air passage. In this way, the above-mentioned system can effect quick control of an air pressure (amount) within the prison during a pre-blowing treatment, shorten a time period necessary for determining molding conditions, without having to increase the inner diameter of the air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: The Japan Steel Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeaki Sano, Ken Nakao, Sohei Masaki, Kunihiro Hijikata
  • Patent number: 6423253
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method whereby in an installation (1, 2, 3) for making containers (200, 300) by blowing blanks (400), for example thermoplastic preforms, the high pressure fluid derived from degassing a container is re-used and injected (14) into a container previously degassed, for example for cooling it or for thoroughly spraying the inside thereof to solidify the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Sidel
    Inventors: Christophe Bunel, Michel Martin
  • Patent number: 6406288
    Abstract: An apparatus for extrusion molding that includes an extruding die that permits extrusion of a material into a hollow tubular molding, a molding die, first and second clamping devices and a device for releasing compressed air. The first and second clamping devices are positioned along opposite end portions of the molding die and configured to clamp the molding independently from one another to form an air-tight space therebetween. The molding die includes two die cavity halves and is arranged to close around the air-tight space and compress the molding to conform the same to a final product configuration. The device for releasing compressed air is arranged to release compressed air before the die cavity halves are separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Inventor: Ing Chung Huang
  • Patent number: 6395217
    Abstract: An extrusion molding process including the steps of: i) extruding a material through an extruding die into a tubular molding, ii) driving two clamping devices to clamp the tubular molding at different elevations, causing an air-tight space to be formed within the tubular, iii) closing two symmetrical halves of a molding die on the molding between the clamping devices and simultaneously lowering one clamping device to stretch the molding downwards, causing the molding to be compressed in a die cavity between the two symmetrical halves of the molding die and molded into the desired finished product; and iv) opening the molding die from the finished product and returning the clamping devices to their former positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Inventor: Ing Chung Huang
  • Patent number: 6358462
    Abstract: A method of blow molding a plastic article. A plastic article is blow molded within a mold. The article has plastic parison a wall. The wall is pierced by a first and a second needle or blowing pin. The wall forms a fluid-tight connection between the first needle and the parison wall. A volume of cooling liquid is injected into the article through the first needle. The cooling liquid cools the interior wall. Gas is vented from within the article through the second needle while the cooling liquid is injected into the article. The cooling liquid is evacuated through the first needle after the interior wall is cooled sufficiently to be removed from the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brad Alan Miehls, Bradley Allen Silvius
  • Patent number: 6303071
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing blow moldings having a relatively large size through blow molding by use of a simple facility. The method including the steps of feeding a melt parison of crystalline resin into the space between molds, clamping the molds, blowing a pressurized fluid into the interior of the parison so as to cause the parison to be into close contact with the inner surfaces of the molds and to solidify the parison, wherein, while the parison and the mold inner surfaces are in close contact, the temperature of inner surfaces of the molds is maintained at a temperature from a temperature 10° C. lower than the crystallization temperature of the crystalline resin to the melting point of the resin, and the parison is removed from the molds after the parison is cooled through introduction thereinto or discharge therefrom, during or after blowing-in of the pressurized fluid, of a cooling medium not higher than room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Sugawara, Katsuhiko Tada, Tomoyuki Obara, Koki Hirano
  • Patent number: 6284171
    Abstract: A blow molding process in which a gas is blown into a parison within a mold to inflate the parison, the parison makes intimate contact with a mold shaping portion to form a hollow molded product, and the gas within the hollow molded product is discharged for cooling, the blow molding process including setting an internal gas pressure of the hollow molded product to 5 to 8 kgf/cm2; and discharging a gas satisfying an expression, F≧10×W. while blowing, wherein F is a gas flow rate (N1/min) and W is a hollow molded product weight (g).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Nonomura, Kenji Ichinohe, Ken-ichi Ootani
  • Publication number: 20010011781
    Abstract: A plastic hollow preform is drawn through a mold passage formed in a closed mold by applying a generally constant suction to a downstream end of a conduit having an upstream end connected to an output end of the mold passage. A flow cross section of the conduit is varied between its upstream and downstream ends so as to vary a rate at which the preform is drawn through the passage by the suction. The flow cross section is varied by displacing a valve element in the conduit between positions in which it differently blocks flow through the conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Applicant: FISCHER-W. MULLER BLASFORMTECHNIK GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Kupper, Heinz-Hugo Willach, Hubert Muller
  • Patent number: 6217817
    Abstract: A blow molding method for molding tube containers by introducing blow air into a parison having been extruded by an extruder is disclosed, which comprises introducing blow air into the parison to shape a tube container and form a discharge outlet in part of the wall of an unnecessary portion of the tube container located lower than the cutting position of the tube container, and further continuing the introduction of blow air. The blow air may be introduced horizontally by piercing the wall of a parison having been extruded from an extruder with a nozzle for introducing blow air or vertically by introducing blow air in the axial direction of the parison. The discharge outlet is formed in part of the side wall or bottom wall of the container below a cutting position preferably as low as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Toyo Seikan Kaisya, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Takakusaki, Yoshimi Terajima, Isamu Takeda
  • Patent number: 6183683
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided to transport parisons from the extrusion die to a second location. The parison is extruded and a collar means is provided to contact the parison near its upper end and create a holding geometry whereby the parison is retained by the collar means without pinching the parison. The parison is then transported vertically or horizontally to the mold unit without closing or pinching the parison. The holding geometry is created by slightly deforming the parison wall near the collar means. The parison is therefore transported to the second location, for example a mold unit, instead of moving the mold unit, to the parison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Schwochert Inc.
    Inventor: Hans Schwochert
  • Patent number: 6117386
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a centering, perfusion catheter balloon. A mold member is formed having an axial aperture. A plurality of axially spaced sets of transverse holes through the mold member. Each set of holes includes one or more holes, with the holes in each succeeding set at a predetermined angle to the holes in the immediate preceding set. A tight fitting sleeve is provided around the mold member. A plastic tube is inserted into the axial hole and the assembly is heated and the tube is internally pressurized to cause the tube to expand the tube into the holes, forming outwardly extending knobs on the tube. The tube is cooled and fluid is evacuated from the tube, causing the tube to draw the knobs into the axial aperture to permit the completed tube to be withdrawn. The tube can then be assembled into a treatment catheter assembly with the knobs maintaining a treatment device centered in the balloon while the knobs allow fluid perfusion along the catheter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Medronic Inc.
    Inventor: Mark L. Stiger
  • Patent number: 6027683
    Abstract: An extruded tubular molding is clamped at upper and lower portions thereof to form an air-tight space therebetween and thereafter compressed within two corresponding halves of a molding die and molded into the configuration of a final product. The lower portion of the molding is first clamped and lowered to stretch the molding downwardly prior to clamping the upper portion and compressing the molding in the molding die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Inventor: Ing Chung Huang
  • Patent number: 5891386
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming perfusion balloons from thermoplastic materials. A helical member having a cross section corresponding to a desired perfusion channel cross section is placed in a tubular mold in contact with the mold wall. A thermoplastic tube is inserted into the helical member in the mold. The assembly is heated to the glass transition temperature of the tube and the tube is pressurized to expand into contact with the helical member and mold wall. After cooling, the formed balloon is removed from the mold. The helical member has a "T" shaped, or rectangular, or square, or triangular cross section. Limited pre-pressure and pre-stretch are preferably applied prior to the tube expansion and post forming tube conditioning may be used. Axial stretching of the tube in a mold, with our without the helical member, by microprocessor controlled air actuators provides highest quality balloons having selected wall thicknesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Morris H. Deitermann, Don H. Tran, Donald R. Waller, David B. Cowgill
  • Patent number: 5874141
    Abstract: A plastic container is formed by injection and blow molding wherein the injection molded body has an annular shoulder, an upper neck and a bottom wall with a central flat portion of substantially the same thickness as the wall of said body. An enlarged annular corner portion connects the bottom wall to the body and extends downwardly. The annular corner is sufficiently thick so as to form a substantially solid rim after bi-axial stretching during blow molding. The plastic parison for forming the container includes a body with an annular shoulder and an upper neck and also with the bottom wall having a central flat portion of substantially the same thickness as the body. The enlarged annular corner portion of the parison also connects to the body and extends downwardly to form a substantially solid rim. The thickness of the annular corner is sufficient to keep the annular corner from having a cavity formed in it during bi-axial stretching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Inoac Packaging Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Yutaka Matsui
  • Patent number: 5851479
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for blow molding plastic articles which utilizes one or more fixed needles and one or more micro vents associated with a blow mold cavity. Each needle has a first passage associated therewith through which vacuum is supplied to pull the molten plastic about the needle and a second passage therein through which air under pressure is introduced to tear the plastic and blow the article to the confines of the mold which has been closed about the plastic parison. Micro vents facilitate exhausting air which is about the parison. Preferably the second passage for compressed air is provided by a central bore and the first passage for the vacuum is provided by an annular space about the fixed needle. In a modified form, the fixed needle comprises dual air passages. Provision is made for utilizing plural molds with controls for supplying air and vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Plastic Products Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel F. McGlynn, Robert A. Gillis
  • Patent number: 5770135
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved process for producing plastic containers with excellent resistance to permeation by solvents such as hydrocarbons, hydrocarbon fuels, and hydrocarbon fuels with organic additives including lower alkanols and ethers consistently and reliably. The process is related to a treatment of plastic containers in a controlled manner with fluorine containing gases while blow molding them. In the process of the present invention, an article of manufacture, a container, is formed and subjected to fluorination by exposure to a fluorination gas. After the fluorination, the container is quenched by exposing the container to a fluorine reactive gas to react with the fluorine, thereby converting the fluorine to a less reactive gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: John Peter Hobbs, James Francis DeiTos, Madhu Anand
  • Patent number: 5759475
    Abstract: A blow molding method by horizontal blow molding of piercing the wall of a parison having been extruded by an extruder with a blow nozzle is disclosed, which comprises moving forward the blow nozzle to pierce the parison, introducing blow air at least in the direction toward the bottom, i.e., opposite to the bottle neck and, after shaping of a hollow container by the blow air, forming an opening in the parison at a position in the vicinity of or above the blow nozzle-pierced portion to discharge the blow air having circulated inside the hollow container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Toyo Seikan Kaisya, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Takakusaki, Yoshimi Terajima, Isamu Takeda
  • 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: 5700498
    Abstract: Apparatus for blow-molding an article curved in three dimensions comprises two horizontally movable mold parts which, when in contact with each other, define a mold cavity curved in three dimensions to match the required article. An extrusion head extrudes a parison of synthetic resin material into the cavity so that it descends towards the lower end thereof. During this process, a first air flow is fed through apertures in a cover and passes through the mold cavity around the outside of the parison to ease the passage of the parison towards the lower end. In addition, a second air flow is fed through a nozzle in the extrusion head into the interior of the parison so as to help it descend and also to prevent its distortion as it moves into the mold cavity. Thereafter, closure members, which are slidable on, but movable independently of, the main mold parts, close off the upper and lower ends of the mold cavity and pinch the parison between them, their movements being controlled by respective actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Draftex Industries Limited
    Inventors: Bernard Renzo, Michel Robinault, Didier Urbain
  • Patent number: 5681629
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of an article comprising a surface treatment step of at least part of the article in the substantial absence of oxygen; the surface of the article which is to be treated consists of a material which comprises at least one polyolefin and which contains less than 5 mg of oxygen per kg (no account being taken of the optional additives).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignee: Solvay (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventors: Paul Wouters, Jules-Joseph Van Schaftingen, Philippe Dugois, Marc Obsomer
  • Patent number: 5681520
    Abstract: There is provided a method of molding a large container including the steps of preparing a preform from an injection-molded, thick-wall, closed-end parison by repeatedly and intermittently applying an air blow pressure to the parison and releasing the air blow pressure therefrom, and stretch blow molding the preform to a thin-wall large container. The closed-end parison is released from a mold immediately after a skin layer, keeping a parison shape, is formed on the surface of the closed-end parison having a high inner temperature, and is then molded to a preform with a preform mold heated to a predetermined temperature, while the surface temperature of the parison is increased by the inner temperature. The preform is kept at a stretch blow molding temperature and is stretch blow molded into a blow mold to produce a large container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignee: A.K. Technical Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideaki Koda, Hisashi Nakajima
  • Patent number: 5648026
    Abstract: The procedure serves the purpose of molding a container from a thermoplastic material. After a temperature treatment a moldable object is fed to a blow station, which has a blow mold that is provided for the purpose of contouring the container. The temperature-treated moldable object is inserted into the blow mold. By feeding in high-pressure blow air, the moldable object is expanded. In addition at least one other pneumatic working step with low-pressure air is carried out, with this air being taken from a low-pressure air supply. The low-pressure air supply has a smaller pressure level than the high-pressure blow-air supply. After the moldable object has been expanded, high-pressure blow air streaming out of the molded container held in the blow mold is fed to the low-pressure air supply during a transition phase. In the region of the low-pressure air supply a pressure monitoring is carried out for the purpose of defining a maximum low-air pressure to be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Krupp Corpoplast Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Ronald Weiss
  • Patent number: 5585066
    Abstract: The procedure is designed for the pneumatic operation of a device in which at least one structural element is pneumatically actuated. The actuation is done by primary working air, which is fed to the pneumatic structural element from a primary working-air supply. In addition to the primary working-air supply at least one secondary working-air supply is used, which is provided with a lower pressure level than that of the primary working-air supply. After the execution of a working operation by a pneumatic structural element by means of a compressed-air supply from the primary working-air supply, during a transition phase a venting into the secondary working-air supply is carried out. After the transition phase a venting of the first pneumatic structural element vis-a-vis an ambient pressure is carried out. A second pneumatic working operation is powered by air from the secondary working-air supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Inventor: Ronald Weiss
  • Patent number: 5567371
    Abstract: In a process for the production of a hollow body such as a fuel tank from thermoplastic material, the wall thereof is subjected to a two-step treatment to influence the permeation properties of the material. In the first treatment step the wall is subjected to the action of a gas mixture containing fluorine and oxygen while in the second treatment step the wall is subjected to the action of a gas mixture which contains fluorine but is oxygen-free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Kautex Werke Reinold Hagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ulrich Karsch
  • Patent number: 5565165
    Abstract: In a blow molding process, a fused thermoplastic polymer parison is interposed between a pair of split molds. The split molds are closed around the parison to seal the ends. A small diameter hollow needle is inserted through one of the split molds and fluid is blown into the parison forming a balloon. After the balloon begins to form, a large diameter hollow needle is inserted while internal pressure is applied to the parison via the small diameter hollow needle, and a large amount of fluid is blown in. This process is highly productive and reduces the conventional blow molding cycle by 60 percent due to the rapid cooling of the hollow article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventor: Setsu Matsuhashi
  • Patent number: 5540879
    Abstract: A method of producing a blow-molded PET container suitable for hot-filling includes the steps of injection molding a preform, blow-molding the preform into a primary molded article larger than the desired final container, heating the primary article in a series of oven chambers while its mouth is sealed so that pressure builds within the article to thereby control shrinkage, and blow-molding the shrunken article into the desired container. The two molds are preferably heated, and the mold contact time is as long as allowed by the manufacturing process to help remove internal stresses in the article. An apparatus for carrying out the method includes a first machine having an injection station, a thermal conditioning station, a primary blow-molding station, and an exit station. A second machine includes the oven chambers and a final blow-molding station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: Nissei ASB Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Orimoto, Saburo Suzuki, Fumiya Amari
  • Patent number: 5522961
    Abstract: The method of manufacturing a polyurethane balloon catheter from a length of tubing of such material wherein the tubing is placed in a mold of the desired final expanded shape, the mold and tubing are immersed in a bath of warm water, and air pressure is introduced into the tubing to effect the expansion and then withdrawn to allow the removal of the balloon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: World Medical Corporation
    Inventor: Howard J. Leonhardt
  • Patent number: 5474735
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a plastic container having an enhanced level of crystallinity for improved thermal stability. A substantially amorphous and transparent preform in the molecular orientation temperature range is expanded by a pulse-blow process one or more times to form an intermediate article, prior to a final expansion step to the full container dimensions. The pulse-blow step is conducted at a relatively high-strain rate to maximize the formation of crystal nucleation sites, followed by deflation to relax the amorphous orientation, and the final expansion step is conducted at a low-strain rate to minimize the amorphous orientation. The resulting container has a higher thermal deformation temperature and reduced thermal shrinkage and is particularly adapted for use as a refillable or hot-fill beverage container. A blow-mold and fluid supply apparatus is provided, including a metering chamber and piston, for alternatively supplying the high and low-strain rate inflations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Continental PET Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Suppayan M. Krishnakumar, Wayne N. Collette, Nikhil Mani
  • Patent number: 5401451
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved process for producing plastic containers with excellent resistance to permeation by solvents such as hydrocarbons, hydrocarbon fuels, and hydrocarbon fuels with organic additives including lower alkanols and ethers consistently and reliably. The process is related to a multi-step treatment of plastic containers in a controlled manner with fluorine containing gases while blow molding them. In the process of the present invention, a parison is formed from a pre-heated thermoplastic material, expanded within a closed mold by means of an inflating gas for conforming the parison to the shape of the mold, and subjected to multiple fluorination treatment steps to effect fluorination of the interior surface of the parison. In the first step of the multi-step fluorination treatment the parison is pressurized with a reactive gas containing from about 0.05 to about 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald L. Meixner, John P. Hobbs, Diwakar Garg
  • Patent number: 5389332
    Abstract: In a method of molding a heat resistant container whose bottom has an inwardly raised part, firstly a preform is primary blow molded to form a primary blow molded article which is greater at least in length than the container to be obtained as a final product. Then the primary blow molded article is heat shrunk. This heat shrinking is restricted in such a manner that the length of the heat shrunk primary blow molded article from its top to its bottom center is greater than the length of the final product from its top to a peak of the raised part. Then at least the central region of the bottom of the heat shrunk primary blow molded article is inwardly pushed within a secondary blow cavity mold having a bottom mold by vertically moving the bottom mold. Finally in the secondary blow cavity mold, the resulting product is secondary blow molded so that the heel of a heat resistant container, as the final product, has a desired thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Nissei ASB Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumiya Amari, Tosimichi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 5352402
    Abstract: A method of producing a blow-molded PET container suitable for hot-filling includes the steps of injection molding a preform, blow-molding the preform into a primary molded article larger than the desired final container, heating the primary article in a series of oven chambers while its mouth is sealed so that pressure builds within the article to thereby control shrinkage, and blow-molding the shrunken article into the desired container. The two molds are preferably heated, and the mold contact time is as long as allowed by the manufacturing process to help remove internal stresses in the article. An apparatus for carrying out the method includes a first machine having an injection station, a thermal conditioning station, a primary blow-molding station, and an exit station. A second machine includes the oven chambers and a final blow-molding station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Nissei ASB Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Orimoto, Saburo Suzuki, Fumiya Amari
  • Patent number: 5326514
    Abstract: In a process for the production of hollow bodies from thermoplastic material by blow molding, an additional body is disposed inside the hollow body by being carried on a holding means which is joined to the inside surface of the wall of the hollow body. The additional body is disposed on the holding means at a spacing from the inside surface of the wall of the hollow body while that surface is subjected to a treatment with a treatment medium, so that the treatment medium has adequate access to the wall of the hollow body in the region of the additional body. After termination of the treatment the additional body is then moved on the holding means into a final position in which it is disposed at least closely adjacent to or in contact with the inside surface of the wall of the hollow body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Kautex Werke Reinold Hagen AG
    Inventors: Gunter Linden, Detlef Vogeley, Klaus Esser
  • Patent number: 5244615
    Abstract: A multi-step blow molding process for producing fuel containers having excellent resistance to permeation by hydrocarbon fuels and organic fuel additives such as lower alkanols and ethers. In blow molding, a parison is formed from a thermoplastic material, expanded within a closed mold by means of an inflating gas for conforming the parison to the shape of the mold and fluorinated under conditions sufficient to effect surface fluorination of the interior of the parison. The parison is evacuated and the article recovered. The improvement in the blow molding operation comprises pressurizing the parison with a reactive fluorine containing gas containing from 0.1 to 1% fluorine by volume while the parison is at a temperature above its self supporting temperature and for a time sufficient to effect fluorination of the interior surface of the parison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventor: John P. Hobbs
  • Patent number: 5229043
    Abstract: An article is formed in a mold by blowing a hot plastic material with a blowing gas. A cooling fluid is introduced into the article to cool the article and allow its removal from the mold. A warmed gaseous form of a cryogen is added to a pressurized liquid form of the cryogen to form the cooling fluid by introducing the pressurized form of the cryogen into a jet pump and drawing the warmed gaseous form of the cryogen in the pressurized liquid form of the cryogen. The resultant cooling fluid circulates through the article by being introduced into the article and discharged from the article by two or more blow pins. Part of the discharged cooling fluid is then recovered in a storage tank. The cooling fluid, which after cooling the article is composed of the warmed gaseous form of the cryogen, is then drawn from the storage tank into the jet pump during formation of the cooling fluid. Additionally, the blowing gas can comprise cooling fluid formed in the manner outlined above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Ron C. Lee
  • Patent number: 5213734
    Abstract: The process involves the following steps:a. Expanding the blowing gas enclosed in the hollow body (VII) by opening the valve (8).b. Injecting, into the hollow body, via the valve (4), a mixture of inert gas and reactive gas contained in the storage enclosure (II) and recovered from prior treatment.c. Injecting, into the hollow body, an addition of reactive gas via the opening of the valve (6).d. Maintaining the enriched mixture in the hollow body (VII).e. Expanding this mixture contained in the hollow body and recovering the expanded mixture in the enclosures (IV) and (IV') via the valves (10), (14), (15), (16).f. Recycling this mixture to the sealed storage enclosure (II) by the agency of the compressor (VI) with a view to a subsequent fluorination cycle.g. Internal scavenging of the hollow body by nitrogen via the valve (1) and carrying away to a tower (VIII) for scrubbing and neutralising the residual reactive gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Solvay S.A.
    Inventors: Didier Masson, Marc Obsomer
  • Patent number: 5209891
    Abstract: A blow molded article and an apparatus and method for blow molding the article including a recessed lip. The apparatus includes two plates reciprocally movable toward and away from one another A center ring member and a separating ring are fixedly and perpendicularly mounted on each plate. A mold half is mounted on each plate and is divided into two sections. One section is located on each side of the center ring member and is reciprocally movable toward and away from the center ring member. A first insert member is provided in each mold section in proximity to said center insert member. The first insert has a channel therein for receiving a second insert member. The second insert member is reciprocally movable in said channel and engages the center ring member. The movement of the second insert member is synchronized with respect to the first insert member to move at a speed that is at least half the speed of the first insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Inventors: Henry J. Guarriello, Joseph A. Guarriello, Theodore J. Guarriello
  • Patent number: 5190715
    Abstract: A blow molding process of producing molded articles including the steps of extruding a parison of the plasticized material from a die into a gap between mold halves while the mold is open and blowing gas into the parison, while the mold is closed, to have the parison form a molded hollow article within the mold. The parison is heated before molding by heating the inner shell contoured parts of the mold at the surfaces thereof and the plasticized material at the outer surface by using an instantaneous radiation heater disposed in the mold half gap to partially encompass the parison while the mold is open and the inner shell contoured part is heated by a heating medium passed through the heat medium passages. The molded article is cooled by cooling the mold at the inner shell contoured parts thereof by flowing a cooling medium through the heat medium passages of the mold while the mold is closed. The cooling of the mold occurs alternately with the heating of the mold by the heating medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: Ube Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Yamada, Yoshiaki Kanoh
  • Patent number: 5145632
    Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) container from a hollow amorphous PET preform which includes an open end and a closed end, the open end forming a neck section having dimensions already conformed to its final size and shape, the container being able to withstand relatively severe thermal conditions encountered when the container is filled with a hot liquid, without appreciable deformation, including the steps of: a) rapidly heating only the body of the PET preform, exclusive of the neck section, to a temperature at which subsequent longitudinal and transverse stretching cause no stresses in the PET; b) transferring the hot preform from step (a) to a mold whose walls are maintained at a temperature lower than the temperature of the hot preform body; c) longitudinally stretching the preform body while simultaneously transversely expanding it by blow-molding using a pressurized fluid so as to mold the preform body to the shape of the mold cavity; d) rapidly evacuating the press
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Sidel
    Inventors: Gerard Denis, Jean-Michel Ruis, Paul La Barre
  • Patent number: 5078948
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a blow-molded article including a mold having operable die pieces and a passage through at least one of the die pieces for receiving the needle. The needle includes a tubular portion and a cutting tip atop the tubular portion. The cutting tip has three or more blades terminating into a point. The tubular portion has one or more passages communicating with a source of pressurized fluid. The needle is operated to pierce a parison. The arrowhead-tipped needle is used in a method of manufacturing a blow-molded article. A hollow parison is placed within a cavity of a mold. The mold is closed about the parison and a needle is moved to pierce the parison. The needle penetrates the parison and forms flap sections in the parison. The needle tip pushes the flap sections inwardly within the parison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1992
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: James D. Troutman, Thomas W. Parr