With Heating Or Cooling Means Patents (Class 425/526)
  • Publication number: 20020160069
    Abstract: A crystallization machine for a mouth on a bottle blank provides different heat sources to heat up the mouth of the bottle blank. The crystallization machine also provides an automatically controlled system to precisely control the dimension of the crystallized mouth of the bottle blank. Hence, the crystallization machine can be performed to increase the productivity, save energy, reduce the production cost, and enhance the competitiveness for the maker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventor: Kuang-Tse Chin
  • Patent number: 6464919
    Abstract: A device for temperature adjustment of an object generally comprises means for providing a flow of a conditioning fluid, said flow of conditioning fluid being directed along a surface of said object, and at least one fin directed towards said surface of said object. The at least one fin is arranged in the immediate vicinity of said surface of said object so that an edge of said fin extends substantially normally with respect to said flow of said conditioning fluid, said conditioning fluid passing between said surface of said object and said edge of said fin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: David Dubuis, Witold Neter
  • Publication number: 20020142065
    Abstract: A device for treating preforms to obtain containers made of plastics, for example bottles for food applications, comprising an ejector adapted to pick up and release one or more preforms, arranged so that their neck is directed upwardly, a heating conveyor, and a unit for transferring the preforms unloaded from the heating conveyor, which is adapted to modify their spacing and speed, adapting them to the spacing and speed of an adjacent and axially offset blow-molding conveyor to which the one or more preforms are transferred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Applicant: ALKAM S.R.L.
    Inventors: Alessandro Boscaratto, Stefano Brun
  • Patent number: 6457967
    Abstract: A biaxially stretching blow molding apparatus perform biaxial stretch-molding for a preform into a predetermined shape by transporting a preform carrier supporting the preform along a transporting path extending across a heating portion and a stretch-molding portion, has first and second reversing means for reversing the preform carrier, and first and second transporting paths forming the transporting path. The first reversing means receives the preform carrier transported in up-side-down position along the second transporting path, reverses the received preform carrier into elected position, and transfers the preform carrier thus reversed to the first transporting path. The second reversing means receives the preform carrier transported in elected position along the first transporting path, reverses the received preform carrier into the up-side-down position, and transfers the preform carrier thus reversed to the second transporting path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Frontier Inc.
    Inventors: Saburo Suzuki, Masanobu Seki, Hidehiko Fukai
  • Patent number: 6447281
    Abstract: A blow mold assembly is provided that comprises a blow mold shell, a mold holder and a mold holding assembly. The blow mold shell having a first annular groove disposed within the lengthwise exterior surface of the shell. The first annular groove serves as a mating surface for a support harness that positions the mold shell within the blow mold assembly. Additionally, the blow mold shell may comprise a shoulder insert that may include an independent cooling channel. The blow mold assembly comprises a mold holder that includes arcuate interior surfaces and arcuate exterior surfaces so as to create a concentric blow mold holder. The mold holder may comprise a pressure compensation element that is capable of compensating for the pressure build-up within the mold shell during the blow mold process. The blow mold assembly also comprises a blow molding holding assembly that comprises clamping brackets having arcuate inner surfaces for mating with the arcuate exterior surfaces of the mold holder or mold shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Sidel, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick Petre
  • Patent number: 6447710
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for making plastic tubes, whereby a tube blank (Te) brought to a temperature close to molecular orientation temperature is subjected to a bi-axial drawing, by radial expansion of the tube blank inside a forming shaft (2), with formation of a contraction cavity at one end of the tube, by controlled displacement of this contraction cavity to the other end of the tube, and by longitudinal drawing. The radial expansion is carried out in at least two phases, viz. a first phase during which the tube blank (Te) is inflated to an intermediate diameter (Di) determined by a double-walled envelope (21), introduced into the forming shaft (2), with circulation of a hot fluid between the two walls of the envelope (21), and then the envelope is gradually removed from the forming shaft (2) to enable, during a second phase, the radial expansion of the plastic tube up to an internal diameter of the forming shaft (2), and its longitudinal drawing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Alphacan
    Inventors: Bernard Prevotat, Jean-Jacques Acket
  • Patent number: 6444159
    Abstract: An improved blow mold shell, and a blow mold shell assembly, for use in blow molding containers is disclosed. The blow mold shell comprises an elongate unitary blow mold shell body defining a partial molding cavity, the partial molding cavity having a container neck forming portion and a container body forming portion. A first continuous cooling circuit is defined within the shell with respect to the neck forming portion of the molding cavity. A second separate, and independent, continuous cooling circuit is defined within the shell with respect to the body forming portion of the molding cavity. So constructed, the neck and body portions of a blow mold container may be separately cooled, and/or heat-treated, as desired, during the molding process to allow the sidewall portion of the container to be molded in as thin a sidewall section as possible in contrast to the neck portion of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Sidel, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick Petre
  • Patent number: 6442976
    Abstract: A system and method of cooling glassware molds by directing liquid coolant to the blank or blow mold halves of a glassware forming machine through an enclosed pivotal rotary union-type structure. A coolant manifold is carried by each pivotal mold arm, and communicates with coolant inlet and outlet ports at the lower end of each mold part. The manifold is connected by a floating shaft seal and a rotary union assembly and a crank arm to a coolant source and coolant return in the section box of the associated machine section. Each pivotal connection—i.e., between the section box and the crank arm, between the crank arm and the rotary union assembly, and between the rotary union assembly and the floating shaft seal—comprises a bi-directional rotary union for feeding liquid coolant to the manifold and mold parts, and returning coolant from the manifold and mold parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventor: Robin L. Flynn
  • Patent number: 6432351
    Abstract: An injection stretch blow molding apparatus has an injection molding station and a blow molding station, with a transfer station positioned therebetween. The injection molding station has an injection molding section which molds preforms and a removal section which removes the preforms from an injection core mold. The blow molding station carries out circulating transfer of carrying members which support the preforms, and in the blow molding section the preforms are blow molded into containers. The transfer station has a receiving mechanism which receives preforms removed from the injection core mold in the injection molding station in the upright state, an inverting receiving mechanism which inverts the preforms and passes them in the inverted state to carrying members, and between the receiving mechanism and the inverting receiving mechanism, a movement mechanism transferring the preforms from the receiving mechanism to the inverting receiving mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Nissei ASB Machine Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuichi Ogihara
  • Patent number: 6428304
    Abstract: Preform preparation apparatus for manufacturing plants for the production of bottles and containers, as well as products of various kind, comprising moulding means provided with machine tools for the preparation of a mass of molten plastic material, in view of obtaining a plurality of preforms therefrom, possible preform loading means and preform conveying means, along with means for cooling down and processing the same preforms in view of obtaining the desired finished products, in which said moulding means comprise at least a first and a second moulding means (26, 27) provided with plungers or punches (28) and at least a third moulding means (22) provided with moulding cavities (25), all of them communicating with said machine tools, said first and second moulding means (26, 27) being capable of selectively coupling with said third moulding means (22) for forming said preforms, in such a manner that, in the situation in which one of said first and second moulding means (26, 27) is coupled with said third mo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Unitek S.r.l.
    Inventors: Adriano Sartor, Antonio Da Rios
  • Patent number: 6428735
    Abstract: A machine and method for blow molding a polyester bottle for carbonated beverages with an internal web structure positioned between two hand-grip depressions. The machine and method uses an injection-molded preform having a web feature and maintains the web of the preform in a precise position during heat-treatment and eventual blow molding into the bottle. Heat-treatment involves an oven capable of heating and cooling selected regions of the preform by using a combination of shields, heat energy reflective surfaces, and cooling airflows. Bottle blow molding involves precise placement of the preform relative to hand-grip surfaces in a blow mold cavity and cooling airflow of the internal web structure before bottle removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Schmalbach-Lubeca AG
    Inventors: David A. Deemer, Christopher C. LaBombarbe
  • Patent number: 6425752
    Abstract: A mold assembly including moveable mold parts, one of which includes a plurality of hollow cavities. Each hollow cavity forms an outer wall of an elongated, generally annular portion of a molded part and the other mold part includes a corresponding plurality of core elements, which form an inner wall of the same portion of the molded part. Each core is disposed within a corresponding cavity to define a generally annular mold chamber portion for receiving molten material to be molded to form the shape of the portion of the molded part. Each core element includes a cooling apparatus and each cavity includes an outside cavity-cooling device. Each core element includes a first portion made of high strength material and a tip portion made of material having a greater heat diffusivity and heat transfer coefficient than said first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Inventor: John M. Check
  • Patent number: 6422855
    Abstract: A device for temperature adjustment of an object generally comprises means for providing a flow of a conditioning fluid, said flow of conditioning fluid being directed along a surface of said object, and at least one inner wall directed towards said surface of said object. The at least one inner wall is arranged in the immediate vicinity of said surface of said object so that an edge of said inner wall extends substantially normally with respect to said flow of said conditioning fluid, said conditioning fluid passing between said surface of said object and said edge of said inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: David Dubuis, Witold Neter
  • Publication number: 20020093126
    Abstract: The method and the device are used for blow forming containers of a thermoplastic material. The preforms that are used are first temperature treated and then shaped into containers in the area of at least one blow station. Moulds to define the container shape are held by mould supports. At least two preforms are simultaneously shaped into containers within each blow station. Positioning of the preforms is done such that the preforms assume a positioning relative to one another when entering the blow station that differs from the positioning during the blow forming process. Spacing of the preforms relative to one another is changed during transport between entry into the blow station and blow positioning. In addition to this first change in spacing, a second change in spacing between adjacent preforms is performed relative to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventor: Julian Choinski
  • Patent number: 6413075
    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: July 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Koch, Robert D. Schad, Laura Martin, James D. Sykes, Dan Stracovsky, Bruce Catoen
  • Patent number: 6409946
    Abstract: A method and system for providing for the production of preforms of thermoplastic resin by filling a plurality of multiple-cavity molds with molten resin for forming the preforms, holding and cooling down the molten resin inside the molds, removing the molded preforms from the molds, subjecting the preforms to a subsequent temperature conditioning stage, and transferring the preforms to a blow-molding stage. Each of the multi-cavity molds includes a plurality of cavities defined in several distinct clusters and each cavities belonging to the same cluster is cooled in a distinct and differentiated manner with respect to the cavities belonging to other clusters provided in the same mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Sipa S.p.A.
    Inventors: Ireneo De Nardi, Alberto Armellin, Luigi Rodighiero, Nicola Da Riol
  • Publication number: 20020076462
    Abstract: A method for producing a biaxially oriented, heat set plastic container, including the steps of providing a plastic preform within a mold cavity; expanding and stretching the plastic preform into conformity with the surfaces defining the mold cavity to form a biaxially oriented plastic container; inducing crystallinity in the plastic container by using convection heat transfer to heat a surface of the plastic container to a temperature of at least 120° C.; and removing the plastic container from the mold cavity. The PET containers produced by the method have an average sidewall crystallinity greater than about 30%, which allows the PET container to maintain its material integrity during any subsequent pasteurization or retort process of the contents in the PET container, and during shipment of the PET container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Timothy J. Boyd, Kerry W. Silvers, Dwayne G. Vailliencourt, G. David Lisch
  • Publication number: 20020070479
    Abstract: A very thin inner layer composed of a polymer chosen for its barrier and/or inertness properties is fabricated within a container preform constructed mainly from another polymer, or a structure of polymers. The inner layer on the preform is produced either by a controlled coating method involving coating of the injection mold core rod prior to injection molding or by a coating applied directly to the preform after injection molding. This enables both inner and main layers to be brought together at a time when the interface between them is molten. A tie layer can be employed, when desirable, to enable the layers to be combined without melting the layer interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Applicant: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventor: George Plester
  • Patent number: 6401491
    Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring application of air through a dual-stage blowhead to blow mold a container includes a first solenoid valve for applying final blow air through the blowhead to a container in a mold and a second solenoid valve for applying finish cooling air through the blowhead around the finish of the container in the mold. Electronic circuitry is coupled to the first and second solenoid valves for detecting timing of application of first and second electrical valve control signals to the valves. Air pressure sensors are operatively coupled to the first and second solenoid valves for generating associated electrical signals indicative of timing of application of air by the first and second solenoid valves to the blowhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventor: Robert S. Wacke
  • Patent number: 6391244
    Abstract: The take-out device for use with a machine for injection molding plastic articles such as PET preforms has a plurality of cooling tubes that receive hot preforms from the molding machine, carry them to a position remote from the molds of the machine for cooling, and then eject the cooled preforms onto a conveyor or other handling apparatus. The preforms are retained within the cooling tubes by vacuum pressure, but are then ejected by positive air pressure. A retaining plate spaced slightly outwardly beyond the outer ends of the cooling tubes is shiftable into a closed position in which it momentarily blocks ejection of the preforms during the application positive air pressure, yet allows them to be dislodged slightly axially outwardly from the tubes. Such slight dislodging movement is inadequate to vent the air system to atmosphere such that sufficient dislodging air pressure remains in tubes where the preforms might otherwise tend to stick and resist ejection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: R & D Tool & Engineering, Co.
    Inventor: Jincheng Chen
  • Patent number: 6386857
    Abstract: A rotary machine for making PET vessels or bottles starting from a molded preform comprises a rotary table driven by motor-reducer unit and supporting a plurality of molds, transmission and gripping wheels for gripping the preforms from an oven, a driving chain for driving the preforms through the oven and variable pitch star elements for supplying the preforms to the molds and withdrawing from the molds the formed bottles, a central control unit being moreover provided for independently controlling the above mentioned devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Inventor: Paolo Nava
  • Publication number: 20020053760
    Abstract: A method for producing a biaxially oriented, heat set plastic container, including the steps of providing a plastic preform within a mold cavity; expanding and stretching the plastic preform into conformity with the surfaces defining the mold cavity to form a biaxially oriented plastic container; inducing crystallinity in the plastic container by using convection heat transfer to heat a surface of the plastic container to a temperature of at least 120° C.; and removing the plastic container from the mold cavity. The PET containers produced by the method have an average sidewall crystallinity greater than about 30%, which allows the PET container to maintain its material integrity during any subsequent pasteurization or retort process of the contents in the PET container, and during shipment of the PET container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventors: Timothy J. Boyd, Dwayne G. Vailliencourt
  • Patent number: 6382954
    Abstract: A device for temperature adjustment of an object comprises a conditioning tube with at least one temperature conditioning means, said conditioning tube having an open front end for receiving said object at least partially, wherein a conditioning sleeve is slideably arranged inside said conditioning tube, said conditioning tube having an open front end for receiving said object at least partially and an inner cooling surface for leaning against an outer surface of said object, said conditioning sleeve being biased towards the front end of said conditioning tube by an elastic means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Arnold Mai
  • Publication number: 20020041913
    Abstract: A molding apparatus has a pair of mold halves having faces engageable together to form a nonstraight passage having an intake end and an output end, extruder means for forming a hollow plastic preform and feeding it to the intake end of the passage, pump means connected to the output end of the passage for drawing gas therefrom and thereby applying drawing the preform through the passage, and a seal carried on one of the faces, extending along the passage, and engaging the other of the faces for preventing gas flow between the faces into the passage when the mold halves are closed together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Applicant: SIG Blowtec GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Willi Dohmen, Frank Schuller, Dirk Wehrens
  • Patent number: 6368099
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for thermally profiling preforms prior to blow molding. The system includes a pallet for holding a plurality of preforms and a station, such as a heating oven, for thermally conditioning the preforms. In a first embodiment, the pallet comprises a self aligning pallet which is movable towards and away from the heating oven. In a second embodiment, the pallet holding the preforms is fixed in position and the heating oven is movable towards and away from the preforms. The pallet further includes rotatable mandrels for supporting the preforms and a programmable motor for rotating the preforms a desired amount and at a desired speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Paul F. Kresak, Andrea L. Diamond, Svemir Dzafic, David Geiger, Christian Georgescu, Peter B. Kamka, Lian Zhang, Robert D. Schad, Gary Hughes
  • Patent number: 6361301
    Abstract: A heater assembly (20) for heating blow molding plastic preforms (14) includes a plurality of elongated heaters (26) mounted by a housing (24) and extending along a path of conveyance of the preforms in a parallel relationship to each other, and each heater includes an elongated parabolic reflector (44) that reflects radiation from an adjacent elongated bulb (36) to irradiate the conveyed preforms. The heater assembly (20) also includes a quartz window (58) located between the elongated heaters (26) and the conveyed preforms (14) to transmit infrared radiation while blocking longer wavelength radiation so as to provide uniform heating of the conveyed preforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Plastipak Packaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald L. Scaglotti, Paul H. Moats, Andrew D. West
  • Patent number: 6358032
    Abstract: The machine for the production of plastic receptacles comprises a heating device (10) in which the pre-forms are heated before being sent to a drawing-blowing device. This heating device (10) has heating elements (70) located between two rows of pre-forms and distributed in two heating bodies (85) mounted one after the other on a sliding mechanism (95) comprising telescopic tubes permitting individually withdrawing and reinserting the heating elements (70) of the heating device (10). The maintenance and adjustment of the heating elements (70) are thus greatly facilitated and the down time of the machine greatly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SA
    Inventor: Jean-Claude Rolle
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20020030307
    Abstract: A machine and method for blow molding a polyester bottle for carbonated beverages with an internal web structure positioned between two hand-grip depressions. The machine and method uses an injection-molded preform having a web feature and maintains the web of the preform in a precise position during heat-treatment and eventual blow molding into the bottle. Heat-treatment involves an oven capable of heating and cooling selected regions of the preform by using a combination of shields, heat energy reflective surfaces, and cooling airflows. Bottle blow molding involves precise placement of the preform relative to hand-grip surfaces in a blow mold cavity and cooling airflow of the internal web structure before bottle removal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventors: David A. Deemer, Christopher C. LaBombarbe
  • Publication number: 20020028265
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing targeted cooling to a pre-molded article, such as a preform. A cooling pin is inserted into the preform such that it makes contact with targeted area, such as the mold gate area. This permits conductive cooling of the targeted area. The apparatus and method are particularly suited to post-mold cooling in conjunction with a robotic take-out plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Inventors: Faisal Oueslati, Tiemo Brand, Witold Neter
  • 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: 20020003199
    Abstract: A core for molding apparatus includes inner surface configurations for improving the cooling of injected plastic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventors: John M. Check, Cletis Jackson
  • Publication number: 20010051192
    Abstract: An improved blow mold shell, and a blow mold shell assembly, for use in blow molding containers is disclosed. The blow mold shell comprises an elongate unitary blow mold shell body defining a partial molding cavity, the partial molding cavity having a container neck forming portion and a container body forming portion. A first continuous cooling circuit is defined within the shell with respect to the neck forming portion of the molding cavity. A second separate, and independent, continuous cooling circuit is defined within the shell with respect to the body forming portion of the molding cavity. So constructed, the neck and body portions of a blow mold container may be separately cooled, and/or heat-treated, as desired, during the molding process to allow the sidewall portion of the container to be molded in as thin a sidewall section as possible in contrast to the neck portion of the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 1999
    Publication date: December 13, 2001
    Inventor: PATRICK PETRE
  • Patent number: 6324819
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing packaging containers of plastics, a packaging container, in particular produced according to said method, a method of producing filled and closed packaging containers, a molding station for a plastic packaging container and a packaging machine having such a molding station. According to the invention a packaging container is produced in a continuous method and an associated packaging machine in a combined deep-drawing/blow-molding operation with undercuts and is subsequently filled in a continuous process with a packaging material and sealed, wherein the closed packaging containers are subsequently separated from one another and discharged, optionally provided with a reclosable cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Kourtoglou S.A. Food Packaging Machinery
    Inventor: Dimitrios Kourtoglou
  • Publication number: 20010038866
    Abstract: Machine for the manufacture of preforms (2) for plastic containers, comprising at least one station (10) for molding the preforms and at least one apparatus (30) for injection of the plastic into the molding station, comprising at least two stations (20) for cooling the preforms (2), symmetrically arranged with respect to the molding station (10), there also being provided conveying means (50;150) movable with an alternating movement from the molding station (10) to one of the two cooling stations (20) and vice versa for conveying the preforms (2) to the said cooling stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventor: Ferruccio Giacobbe
  • Patent number: 6312248
    Abstract: The neck finish for a wide range of plastic water dispenser bottles is formed so that it has a smooth, straight inner diameter and is fully calibrated, not requiring any post trimming. The parison is extruded over a fixed blow pin, which also serves as an inner mandrel. The wall thickness of the parison is controlled to provide the desired amount of material to fill the neck area and compression mold the neck body. When the mold is closed on the parison, the area between the cutting ring and striker plate comes into contact to form a calibrated neck finish. The blow pin tip is completely water cooled to the upper end and includes a specially positioned orifices adjacent the end to distribute the blow air so that it spreads out material, thereby reducing material push out and also cools the lower neck area. The assembly is designed to be very rigid, to assist in part de-molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Milacron Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin Lopez
  • 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: 6299804
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of cooling molded preforms. The apparatus and method make advantageous use of air amplifiers to create a flow of cooling air over the molded preforms. In a first embodiment of the present invention, the air amplifiers are mounted to a part removal and cooling robot. In a second embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of air amplifier stations are positioned about an index block to cool the molded preforms. In a third embodiment of the present invention, a vacuuming system is provided to improve the adherence of the air flow created by the air amplifiers to the exterior surfaces of the molded preforms. In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the air amplifiers are mounted to a movable plate and each amplifier has an internal bore sized to receive a molded preform to be cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Domodossola, Steve Saggese, Dan Stefan Vlaicu, Tiemo D. Brand
  • Patent number: 6299431
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a rotary cooling station to be used in conjunction with a high output injection molding machine and a robot having a take-out plate. More particularly, the present invention teaches a high speed robot that transfers warm preforms onto a separate rotary cooling station where they are retained and internally cooled by specialized cores. The preforms may also be simultaneously cooled from the outside to speed up the cooling rate and thus avoid the formation of crystallinity zones. Solutions for the retention and ejection of the cooled preforms are described. The rotary cooling station of the present invention may be used to cool molded articles made of a single material or multiple materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
    Inventor: Witold Neter
  • Patent number: 6284187
    Abstract: A blow-needle assembly for cooling the blow molded article with a liquid. The apparatus utilizes a mold having a mold surface and a passage therethrough. The passage has a passage wall that acts a one sealing surface. The apparatus using a hollow blow needle that slides axially within said passage. The needle has a tip, a narrow shank adjacent to the tip, a wide shank, a tapered portion between said narrow and wide shank and an aperture therethrough. The aperture communicates cooling liquid to the interior of a blown article. The needle is movable between retracted and extended positions. The needle tip is positioned generally recessed of the mold surface when said needle is in the retracted position and above the mold surface when the needle is in the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brad Alan Miehls, Bradley Allen Silvius
  • 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
  • Patent number: 6276922
    Abstract: The technical field of the invention broadly relates to injection molding systems and more particularly to cooling of a core used in a mold of an injection molding machine. Cooling a core involves supplying coolant through a lengthwise supply tube that extends within a hollow bore formed in the core. The coolant flows through the supply tube, exiting as a stream of fluid at an open end of the supply tube where the stream contacts a substantially perpendicular inner surface of the core. The stream of fluid is initially deflected by this inner surface on an axis perpendicular to an axis of the original flow producing a stagnation zone in the stream having zero or relatively low velocity. The stagnation zone is adjacent to a high heat gate area and results in poor cooling of the core tip. The invention solves the problem of stagnation by application of a fluid velocity inducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: David Robert Huston, Tiemo Brand, Ali R. Mortazavi
  • 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
  • Patent number: 6247916
    Abstract: In an injection stretch blow molding method, at least one injection molded preform is transferred from a preform molding section to a blow molding section by way of a transfer section and the at least one preform is blow molded into at least one container in the blow molding section. In the preform molding section the at least one preform is injection molded in an upright state with an open neck section thereof facing upward. In the transfer section, the at least one upright preform is turned upside-down and transferred to the blow molding section in an inverted state. Then, the blow molding section blow molds at least one container from the at least one inverted preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Nissei ASB Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Takada, Koichi Sato, Kazuyuki Yokobayashi, Shuichi Ogihara
  • Patent number: 6241939
    Abstract: A heat blow molding apparatus includes a supply section 110, a heating station 112, a transfer section 114 and a blow molding station 116, all of which are disposed linearly in a direction A in which preforms 118 are carried. The supply section 110 supplies the preforms 118 each having a neck portion in their inverted state. The heating station 112 simultaneously heats the inverted preforms 118 while they are being carried parallel to each other. The transfer section 114 transfers the inverted preforms 118 after they have been heated by the heating station. The blow molding station 116 simultaneously blow molds the inverted preforms 118 transferred from the transfer section 114 into containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Nissei ASB Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Takada, Koichi Sato, Atsushi Sakurai, Yoichi Netsu
  • Publication number: 20010002266
    Abstract: The neck finish for a wide range of plastic water dispenser bottles is formed so that it has a smooth, straight inner diameter and is fully calibrated, not requiring any post trimming. The parison is extruded over a fixed blow pin, which also serves as an inner mandrel. The wall thickness of the parison is controlled to provide the desired amount of material to fill the neck area and compression mold the neck body. When the mold is closed on the parison, the area between the cutting ring and striker plate comes into contact to form a calibrated neck finish. The blow pin tip is completely water cooled to the upper end and includes a specially positioned orifices adjacent the end to distribute the blow air so that it spreads out material, thereby reducing material push out and also cools the lower neck area. The assembly is designed to be very rigid, to assist in part de-molding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Publication date: May 31, 2001
    Inventor: Benjamin Lopez
  • Patent number: 6223541
    Abstract: The present invention relates to improving the after-cooling process of preforms from the injection molding process in respect to its efficiency and its economy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Fasti, Farrag & Stipsits GesmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Farrag
  • Patent number: 6221305
    Abstract: The neck finish for a wide range of plastic water dispenser bottles is formed so that it has a smooth, straight inner diameter and is fully calibrated, not requiring any post trimming. The parison is extruded over a fixed blow pin, which also serves as an inner mandrel. The wall thickness of the parison is controlled to provide the desired amount of material to fill the neck area and compression mold the neck body. When the mold is closed on the parison, the area between the cutting ring and striker plate comes into contact to form a calibrated neck finish. The blow pin tip is completely water cooled to the upper end and includes a specially positioned orifices adjacent the end to distribute the blow air so that it spreads out material, thereby reducing material push out and also cools the lower neck area. The assembly is designed to be very rigid, to assist in part de-molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Milacron Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin Lopez
  • Patent number: 6217819
    Abstract: In a single-row and expandable into a multi-row stretch blow molding method and apparatus, a robot having a universal gripper assembly is used to pick up molded preforms during the clamp opening stroke of a preform-molding unit and then transfer the preforms at variable time intervals to a conditioning, stretch blow molding and discharge unit, releases finished hollow articles and returns to a waiting position at the preform-molding unit independent of the preform-molding cycle. Simultaneously, component transfer devices pick up external components, i.e. labels, valves or handles during the stretch blow molding phase and release the components into the blow-mold cavities while the universal gripper assembly is in the waiting position. The universal gripper assembly can alternatively also be pivoted to pick up preforms from a lateral reheat unit to supplement the molded preform supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Inventor: Ernst Dieter Wunderlich
  • Patent number: 6190157
    Abstract: The invention concerns an ejector for a discharging device for the removal of preforms which enables a partially cooled preform to be detached safely from a form tool and, on complete cooling, to be likewise removed from the discharging device safely and completely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Otto Hofstetter AG, Werkzeug-und Formenbau
    Inventors: Otto Hofstetter, Luis Fernandez