CA1114118A - Method for the manufacture of sealed, internally sterile containers from plastics material - Google Patents
Method for the manufacture of sealed, internally sterile containers from plastics materialInfo
- Publication number
- CA1114118A CA1114118A CA320,432A CA320432A CA1114118A CA 1114118 A CA1114118 A CA 1114118A CA 320432 A CA320432 A CA 320432A CA 1114118 A CA1114118 A CA 1114118A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- mould
- chamber
- blank
- walls
- blowing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 10
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 title claims description 18
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 title claims description 13
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 title claims description 13
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title claims description 8
- 238000007664 blowing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 25
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 8
- 238000001125 extrusion Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000003466 welding Methods 0.000 description 2
- 241000899771 Arenga undulatifolia Species 0.000 description 1
- 238000004500 asepsis Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 235000013305 food Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000036512 infertility Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004321 preservation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002035 prolonged effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004659 sterilization and disinfection Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 210000005239 tubule Anatomy 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C49/00—Blow-moulding, i.e. blowing a preform or parison to a desired shape within a mould; Apparatus therefor
- B29C49/42—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
- B29C49/46—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations characterised by using particular environment or blow fluids other than air
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C49/00—Blow-moulding, i.e. blowing a preform or parison to a desired shape within a mould; Apparatus therefor
- B29C49/42—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
- B29C49/48—Moulds
- B29C49/482—Moulds with means for moulding parts of the parisons in an auxiliary cavity, e.g. moulding a handle
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C49/00—Blow-moulding, i.e. blowing a preform or parison to a desired shape within a mould; Apparatus therefor
- B29C49/42—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
- B29C49/58—Blowing means
- B29C49/60—Blow-needles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C49/00—Blow-moulding, i.e. blowing a preform or parison to a desired shape within a mould; Apparatus therefor
- B29C49/42—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
- B29C49/46—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations characterised by using particular environment or blow fluids other than air
- B29C2049/4602—Blowing fluids
- B29C2049/4635—Blowing fluids being sterile
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C2791/00—Shaping characteristics in general
- B29C2791/004—Shaping under special conditions
- B29C2791/005—Using a particular environment, e.g. sterile fluids other than air
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C49/00—Blow-moulding, i.e. blowing a preform or parison to a desired shape within a mould; Apparatus therefor
- B29C49/42—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
- B29C49/4273—Auxiliary operations after the blow-moulding operation not otherwise provided for
- B29C49/428—Joining
- B29C49/42802—Joining a closure or a sealing foil to the article or pincing the opening
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Blow-Moulding Or Thermoforming Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
- Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An extruded tubular blank is placed in a mould such that it is divided into two portions connected by a conduit coaxial with a blowing needle. A first one of the portions is blown to form a container, whereas the second is not blown and remains hot and mallable. The walls of the second portion are then compressed one against the other and welded together to close the blowing orifice. In order to carry out this method, the mould comprises two chambers, and a blowing conduit which starts from one of the chambers, passes through the other and opens out on the outside. The blowing needle slides in this pipe in an air-tight manner so as to inflate solely the first chamber. A flat head driven by a piston moves in the second chamber in order to crush and weld together the walls of the unblown second blank portion. Alternatively the second blank portion may be crushed by compressed air.
An extruded tubular blank is placed in a mould such that it is divided into two portions connected by a conduit coaxial with a blowing needle. A first one of the portions is blown to form a container, whereas the second is not blown and remains hot and mallable. The walls of the second portion are then compressed one against the other and welded together to close the blowing orifice. In order to carry out this method, the mould comprises two chambers, and a blowing conduit which starts from one of the chambers, passes through the other and opens out on the outside. The blowing needle slides in this pipe in an air-tight manner so as to inflate solely the first chamber. A flat head driven by a piston moves in the second chamber in order to crush and weld together the walls of the unblown second blank portion. Alternatively the second blank portion may be crushed by compressed air.
Description
The present invention relates to a method for the manufacture of sealed, internally sterile containers from plastics material and in particular -~
for bottles or flasks intended to be filled subsequen-tly with pharmaceutical or food products.
The nature and characteristics of certain products require that they are enclosed and preserved in perfectly sterile containers. ~or these products, it is therefore necessary to have an internally sterile container and to fill, then seal this container in a sterile manner. It is thus necessary either to ¢arry out all the operations in succession in the same sterile enclosure, or to manufacture sealed sterile containers, then subsequently to reintroduce them into a sterile enclosure in order to open them, fill them and finally to re-seal them within this same ;~ ;
enclosure~ ~his second method ha~ the great advantage of making it possible to store containers ~ -between the time o~ their manufacture and the time `~
when they are filled, without destroying their internal aseptic condition. Unfortunately, in practice, the closure of containers consisting of plastics material is rarely sufficiently air-tight to allow correct preservation of the internal aseptic condition over a prolonged period of storage~
In fact, the manufactura of sterile containers from plastics material is generally carried out by '.~;'~ ~' ' , ~ ~
.. : , I , ~
, extrusion of a tubular blank, then blowing of this blank in a mould with sterile air introduced through a needle passing through the wall of the blank. The plastics material is thus processed at temperatures which ensure its sterilisation, such that the container obtained is automatically sterile. However, closure of the orifice caused by the blowing needle in the wall of the blank causes problems. Whether it is achieved by means of two clamps which grip the walls consisting of plastics `
; material, between the container itself and the blowing orifice, or by two jaws whlch close a connection obtained during blowing, these members act on the plastics material which has already been blown, which has come into contact with the mould, so that it has alread~ undergone cooling. This plastics material is no longer sufficiently maleable and furthermore is at a ~ `
temperature which is too low to enable it to weld together, such that closure of the blowing orifice is not achieved correctly.
The present invention intends to remedy this drawback by facilitating perfect closure of the blowing orifice.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method for the manufacture of a sealed sterile container from plastics material, comprising placing a heat softened tubular blank in a mould having two mould chambers such that a first portion of said blank lies in a first said `
mould chamber and a second portion of said blank lies in a second said mould chamber with said first portion being sealed from said second portion except in the region of an orifice establishing communication between said first and second portions, extending a ho]low needle -through said second portion and said orifice into said first portion, blowing sterile air through said hollow needle to blow said first portion ïnto contact with the walls of the first mould chamber while leaving the ~
portion unblown, withdraw;.ng said needle, and deforming the second portion to close sald orifice and seal said first '`~
:- portion.
The second part of the blank is still maleable aEter blowing of the first part, since. it has not come into contact : with the cold walls of the mould. It is thus easy to weld this plastics material which is still soft, in order to close the blowing orifice and to obtaïn a perfect closure of the container constituted by the first part of the blank.
According to another feature of the invention,the second part of the blank is deformed by crushing its two opposed walls one a~ainst the other. ~ :
~ ccording to à second aspect of the invention there is provided a mould for the manufacture of sterile containers comprising two mould halves defining therebetween a first chamber inthe shape of the container to be obtained and a second : chamber communicating with the first chamber through a conduit such that when a tubular blank is placed in said mould and . .
said mould halves are closed said blank is divided into a f irst .
~2Q portion in said firs-t chamber and a second portion in said second chamber, said first and second portions being sealed -~ .
from each other except in the. region of said conduit, and means for deforming the second portion in the second chamber to close ; the second portion and therèby seal the first portion after ; sterile air has been blown into the first portion by means of a hollow needle extending ï.nto said scond portion through ~on J
said-firs~ portion .
-4~
, . ..
,, -~ccording to a pre~erred embodiment, crushing of the walls of the blank is obtained by the pressure exerted by means of a piston moving in the second chamber.
According to one variat;on, the walls of the blank are compressed by the action of fluid jets.
However, the mould remains simple to produce and is ` easy and quick to use.
The ensuing description of several embodiments given as non-limiting examples and illustrated in the accompanying drawings will make it easier to reveal the advantages and features of the invention. ;~
In these drawings:
Figure 1 is à partial diagrammatic view, in section along the interface of a mould according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view on line 2-2 oE figure l;
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a tubular blank, such as it becomes after closure of the mould;
Figure 4 is a partial sectional view, similar to 2Q figure 2, of part of a mould according to a variation of the invention.
~D :, `
.
6.
To produce a sterile container of plastics material, a tubul~ blank 1 is extruded, which blank is rendered aseptic owing to the fact that it is heated in the extruder to a temperatur~ of the order of 180C. ~his temperature in fact ensures complete internal and ex-ternal asepsis Or the blank.
~ he blank 1 leaving the extruder is then placed in a mould 2, or more exactly between two half moulds 2a~ and 2b which, when the~ are moved towards each other9 define a chamber 3 whose shape corresponds to that of the container to be produced, and a pipe 5 intended to ensure the passage of a blowing needle 6. ~he pipe 5 passes through a second chamber 4, which is much smaller than the first, which ; 15 divides it into two portions, a pipe 5a being connected to the two chambers 3 and 4 and constituting the ; orifice for blowing the container and a portion 5b for the inlet of the needle, opening into a cavit~ 8 housing this needle. The closure of the two half ~ -~
moulds 2a and 2b grips the blank over the entire periphery of the chamber 3 and thus ensures the ; welding of the walls of this blank at the ends and , in the space which separates the two chambers 3 and 4, such that the blank 1 is divided into a first blank portion 1a located inside the chamber 3 and which is closed and into a second blank portion 1b contained in the second chamber 4 which is separated from the ~. . , ~ . .
:. . , . ' - ., ~ ' .:
first blan~ portion 1a and is co~nected to the latter solely by the pipe 5a (figure 3).
The blowing needle 6, which is mounted to slide in the pipe 5, is hollow and is connected to a source of sterile air which is not shown. According to a ~-.
preferred embodiment, illustrated in figures 1 and 2, -this blowing needle 6 is integral with a piston 9 which slides in a cylinder 10 parallel to the pipe 5 and is supplied alternately with fluid at its two ends through pipes 11 and 12, in order to move the :
needle 6 between a blowing position where it is moved along the pipe 5 and penetrates the chamber 3 and a withdrawn position illustrated in figures n and 2, , where it is inoperative in the cavit~ 8. A pipe 1 extends the needle 6 and moves with the latter in the cavity 8 by sliding on the wall 15 of the base of this oavity. When the needle 6 is in the inoperative position illustrated in the drawings, the pipe 14 is J
` closed by the wall 15. On the other hand, when the needle 6 is in the active position inside the pipe 5 and chamber ~, the pipe 14 connects this needle 6 to ;-a pipe 16 for connection to a source of sterile .; .:
blowing air or to a deflation circuit (not shown).
In this acti~e position, the needle 6 passes through the blank portion 1b contained in the ,r chamber ~ and the orifice 5a and opens into the inside of the blaQ~ portion 1a which is still at a temperature close to the extrusion temperature. '~he ': ' -. , . ' ' ' , ' , ~' ' ' " ' ' , ~ ' ' . . . ' 1 ' , . , , ' ' ... ..
, .... ' ' ', , ' ' "' " ' ', 8.
sterile air under pressure which arrives through the passage 16, the pipe 14 and the needle 6, inflates this first blank portion and presses the latter against the walls of the chamber 3 where it cools rapidly in order to become rigid. The second blank portion 1b is not blown, since the blowing needle 6 and pipe 5 have dimensions such that, in this pipe, the material forming the blank ensures a seal between the two -' blank portions 1a and 1b. ~ ;
Whe`n'the s'terile air has completed s~aping by blowing of the container 9 a system of valves which are n'ot 'shown 'in't'e'rrupts the supply of blowing air and connec'ts the passage 16 to the deflation circuit for '~
the purpose of 'expelling the air under pressure contained in'the ub~ber 1a. ~luid introduced through the`pi'p'e'12'i~to 'the cylinder 10 thus pushes back the piston 9'in "order'to cause the withdrawal Or the needle 6 from'the bl'ank'and thus to clear the blowin~ orific'e 5a, as well as the second blank portion 1b. A
mecha~'ical:f'orce, such as for example a lateral ~; ~
pre3'sùr'e~,-i's'~hu's e'xerted on this second blank portion ~ ' 1b-, in 'order'to crush its walls one against the other.
Since'the plastics material ~orming this second blank portion 1b has'nbt been blown and has not come into ' 25 contact'with the cold wall of the chamber 4 of the ; mould-2, i-t iS :st'll at a temperature such that it is '' ' maleable and weldable. Subsequently, the blowing ori~ice 5a:is closed by welding the walls of the bla~c ' ' ' ' :
: ' ' :: ' .
portion 1b. The inside of the container formed in the chamber 3 of the mould can no longer be connected to the outside. It thus retains the inner sterility achieved by the actual extrusion of the material.
According to the embodiment illustrated in figures 1 and 2, the mechanical ~orce, o~ more ,~
exactly the pressure exerted on the walls of the blank portion 1b, is obtained by means of a closure device comprising a piston 18 sliding in a cylinder 20 whose interior is supplied alternately with fluid through pipes 22 and 24. The rod 21 of the piston 18 comprises a flat head 26, which closes the chamber 4 in the half mould 2b and which slides in order to increase or reduce the volume of thi~ chamber depending on the supply of fluid to the cylinder 20.
When the pipe 24 is supplied with fluid, the head 26 presses the two walls of the blank portio~ 1b one against the other and against the base 27 of the chamber 4, which welds these walls together and
for bottles or flasks intended to be filled subsequen-tly with pharmaceutical or food products.
The nature and characteristics of certain products require that they are enclosed and preserved in perfectly sterile containers. ~or these products, it is therefore necessary to have an internally sterile container and to fill, then seal this container in a sterile manner. It is thus necessary either to ¢arry out all the operations in succession in the same sterile enclosure, or to manufacture sealed sterile containers, then subsequently to reintroduce them into a sterile enclosure in order to open them, fill them and finally to re-seal them within this same ;~ ;
enclosure~ ~his second method ha~ the great advantage of making it possible to store containers ~ -between the time o~ their manufacture and the time `~
when they are filled, without destroying their internal aseptic condition. Unfortunately, in practice, the closure of containers consisting of plastics material is rarely sufficiently air-tight to allow correct preservation of the internal aseptic condition over a prolonged period of storage~
In fact, the manufactura of sterile containers from plastics material is generally carried out by '.~;'~ ~' ' , ~ ~
.. : , I , ~
, extrusion of a tubular blank, then blowing of this blank in a mould with sterile air introduced through a needle passing through the wall of the blank. The plastics material is thus processed at temperatures which ensure its sterilisation, such that the container obtained is automatically sterile. However, closure of the orifice caused by the blowing needle in the wall of the blank causes problems. Whether it is achieved by means of two clamps which grip the walls consisting of plastics `
; material, between the container itself and the blowing orifice, or by two jaws whlch close a connection obtained during blowing, these members act on the plastics material which has already been blown, which has come into contact with the mould, so that it has alread~ undergone cooling. This plastics material is no longer sufficiently maleable and furthermore is at a ~ `
temperature which is too low to enable it to weld together, such that closure of the blowing orifice is not achieved correctly.
The present invention intends to remedy this drawback by facilitating perfect closure of the blowing orifice.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method for the manufacture of a sealed sterile container from plastics material, comprising placing a heat softened tubular blank in a mould having two mould chambers such that a first portion of said blank lies in a first said `
mould chamber and a second portion of said blank lies in a second said mould chamber with said first portion being sealed from said second portion except in the region of an orifice establishing communication between said first and second portions, extending a ho]low needle -through said second portion and said orifice into said first portion, blowing sterile air through said hollow needle to blow said first portion ïnto contact with the walls of the first mould chamber while leaving the ~
portion unblown, withdraw;.ng said needle, and deforming the second portion to close sald orifice and seal said first '`~
:- portion.
The second part of the blank is still maleable aEter blowing of the first part, since. it has not come into contact : with the cold walls of the mould. It is thus easy to weld this plastics material which is still soft, in order to close the blowing orifice and to obtaïn a perfect closure of the container constituted by the first part of the blank.
According to another feature of the invention,the second part of the blank is deformed by crushing its two opposed walls one a~ainst the other. ~ :
~ ccording to à second aspect of the invention there is provided a mould for the manufacture of sterile containers comprising two mould halves defining therebetween a first chamber inthe shape of the container to be obtained and a second : chamber communicating with the first chamber through a conduit such that when a tubular blank is placed in said mould and . .
said mould halves are closed said blank is divided into a f irst .
~2Q portion in said firs-t chamber and a second portion in said second chamber, said first and second portions being sealed -~ .
from each other except in the. region of said conduit, and means for deforming the second portion in the second chamber to close ; the second portion and therèby seal the first portion after ; sterile air has been blown into the first portion by means of a hollow needle extending ï.nto said scond portion through ~on J
said-firs~ portion .
-4~
, . ..
,, -~ccording to a pre~erred embodiment, crushing of the walls of the blank is obtained by the pressure exerted by means of a piston moving in the second chamber.
According to one variat;on, the walls of the blank are compressed by the action of fluid jets.
However, the mould remains simple to produce and is ` easy and quick to use.
The ensuing description of several embodiments given as non-limiting examples and illustrated in the accompanying drawings will make it easier to reveal the advantages and features of the invention. ;~
In these drawings:
Figure 1 is à partial diagrammatic view, in section along the interface of a mould according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view on line 2-2 oE figure l;
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a tubular blank, such as it becomes after closure of the mould;
Figure 4 is a partial sectional view, similar to 2Q figure 2, of part of a mould according to a variation of the invention.
~D :, `
.
6.
To produce a sterile container of plastics material, a tubul~ blank 1 is extruded, which blank is rendered aseptic owing to the fact that it is heated in the extruder to a temperatur~ of the order of 180C. ~his temperature in fact ensures complete internal and ex-ternal asepsis Or the blank.
~ he blank 1 leaving the extruder is then placed in a mould 2, or more exactly between two half moulds 2a~ and 2b which, when the~ are moved towards each other9 define a chamber 3 whose shape corresponds to that of the container to be produced, and a pipe 5 intended to ensure the passage of a blowing needle 6. ~he pipe 5 passes through a second chamber 4, which is much smaller than the first, which ; 15 divides it into two portions, a pipe 5a being connected to the two chambers 3 and 4 and constituting the ; orifice for blowing the container and a portion 5b for the inlet of the needle, opening into a cavit~ 8 housing this needle. The closure of the two half ~ -~
moulds 2a and 2b grips the blank over the entire periphery of the chamber 3 and thus ensures the ; welding of the walls of this blank at the ends and , in the space which separates the two chambers 3 and 4, such that the blank 1 is divided into a first blank portion 1a located inside the chamber 3 and which is closed and into a second blank portion 1b contained in the second chamber 4 which is separated from the ~. . , ~ . .
:. . , . ' - ., ~ ' .:
first blan~ portion 1a and is co~nected to the latter solely by the pipe 5a (figure 3).
The blowing needle 6, which is mounted to slide in the pipe 5, is hollow and is connected to a source of sterile air which is not shown. According to a ~-.
preferred embodiment, illustrated in figures 1 and 2, -this blowing needle 6 is integral with a piston 9 which slides in a cylinder 10 parallel to the pipe 5 and is supplied alternately with fluid at its two ends through pipes 11 and 12, in order to move the :
needle 6 between a blowing position where it is moved along the pipe 5 and penetrates the chamber 3 and a withdrawn position illustrated in figures n and 2, , where it is inoperative in the cavit~ 8. A pipe 1 extends the needle 6 and moves with the latter in the cavity 8 by sliding on the wall 15 of the base of this oavity. When the needle 6 is in the inoperative position illustrated in the drawings, the pipe 14 is J
` closed by the wall 15. On the other hand, when the needle 6 is in the active position inside the pipe 5 and chamber ~, the pipe 14 connects this needle 6 to ;-a pipe 16 for connection to a source of sterile .; .:
blowing air or to a deflation circuit (not shown).
In this acti~e position, the needle 6 passes through the blank portion 1b contained in the ,r chamber ~ and the orifice 5a and opens into the inside of the blaQ~ portion 1a which is still at a temperature close to the extrusion temperature. '~he ': ' -. , . ' ' ' , ' , ~' ' ' " ' ' , ~ ' ' . . . ' 1 ' , . , , ' ' ... ..
, .... ' ' ', , ' ' "' " ' ', 8.
sterile air under pressure which arrives through the passage 16, the pipe 14 and the needle 6, inflates this first blank portion and presses the latter against the walls of the chamber 3 where it cools rapidly in order to become rigid. The second blank portion 1b is not blown, since the blowing needle 6 and pipe 5 have dimensions such that, in this pipe, the material forming the blank ensures a seal between the two -' blank portions 1a and 1b. ~ ;
Whe`n'the s'terile air has completed s~aping by blowing of the container 9 a system of valves which are n'ot 'shown 'in't'e'rrupts the supply of blowing air and connec'ts the passage 16 to the deflation circuit for '~
the purpose of 'expelling the air under pressure contained in'the ub~ber 1a. ~luid introduced through the`pi'p'e'12'i~to 'the cylinder 10 thus pushes back the piston 9'in "order'to cause the withdrawal Or the needle 6 from'the bl'ank'and thus to clear the blowin~ orific'e 5a, as well as the second blank portion 1b. A
mecha~'ical:f'orce, such as for example a lateral ~; ~
pre3'sùr'e~,-i's'~hu's e'xerted on this second blank portion ~ ' 1b-, in 'order'to crush its walls one against the other.
Since'the plastics material ~orming this second blank portion 1b has'nbt been blown and has not come into ' 25 contact'with the cold wall of the chamber 4 of the ; mould-2, i-t iS :st'll at a temperature such that it is '' ' maleable and weldable. Subsequently, the blowing ori~ice 5a:is closed by welding the walls of the bla~c ' ' ' ' :
: ' ' :: ' .
portion 1b. The inside of the container formed in the chamber 3 of the mould can no longer be connected to the outside. It thus retains the inner sterility achieved by the actual extrusion of the material.
According to the embodiment illustrated in figures 1 and 2, the mechanical ~orce, o~ more ,~
exactly the pressure exerted on the walls of the blank portion 1b, is obtained by means of a closure device comprising a piston 18 sliding in a cylinder 20 whose interior is supplied alternately with fluid through pipes 22 and 24. The rod 21 of the piston 18 comprises a flat head 26, which closes the chamber 4 in the half mould 2b and which slides in order to increase or reduce the volume of thi~ chamber depending on the supply of fluid to the cylinder 20.
When the pipe 24 is supplied with fluid, the head 26 presses the two walls of the blank portio~ 1b one against the other and against the base 27 of the chamber 4, which welds these walls together and
2~ closes the orifice 5a in an absolutely air-tight manner. It is thus sufficient to separate the two half moulds 2a and 2b to obtain a container which is sealed and internally sterile.
According to a variation illustrated diagramma-tically in figure 4, crushing of the walls of the blank 1b is achleYed by means of jets of compressed air which may act solely on one of the sides of the blank 1b, like the head 26 or, as show~ in figure 4, .
,, :
~10. , be supplied by two series of condu,its 28 and 29~ :
each provided,in one of the half moulds 2a and 2b respectively, which act in opposed directions on each of the side walls of the second blank portion . ~ '`
1b. - ` ' ; According to another variàtion of the ` ~' invention, the closure device is formed by the rod of the jack normally used for ejecting the container from the mould. This jack is thus a double-;10 acting jack, its first movement ensuring crushing of the material of the blank portion 1b and its second movement ensuring the ejection of the manufactured container from the half mould 2b, ; when'the two hal~ moulds are separated. ~ , ,. 15 Whatever the embodiment chosen, one produces '~, :
a sealed i~ternall~ sterile container whose blowing ` ' ori~ice is closed in an absolutely air-tight and .;
perfectly reliable manner 7 since this closure operation is achieved with material which is stlll hot and is at a temperature close to the extrusion `~
temperature~
:''-';'.'''' '' ~
'~
:- , . . . . . ..
~ .
; - ". ' 1 . ' ' . ' ~:
. . . : .
According to a variation illustrated diagramma-tically in figure 4, crushing of the walls of the blank 1b is achleYed by means of jets of compressed air which may act solely on one of the sides of the blank 1b, like the head 26 or, as show~ in figure 4, .
,, :
~10. , be supplied by two series of condu,its 28 and 29~ :
each provided,in one of the half moulds 2a and 2b respectively, which act in opposed directions on each of the side walls of the second blank portion . ~ '`
1b. - ` ' ; According to another variàtion of the ` ~' invention, the closure device is formed by the rod of the jack normally used for ejecting the container from the mould. This jack is thus a double-;10 acting jack, its first movement ensuring crushing of the material of the blank portion 1b and its second movement ensuring the ejection of the manufactured container from the half mould 2b, ; when'the two hal~ moulds are separated. ~ , ,. 15 Whatever the embodiment chosen, one produces '~, :
a sealed i~ternall~ sterile container whose blowing ` ' ori~ice is closed in an absolutely air-tight and .;
perfectly reliable manner 7 since this closure operation is achieved with material which is stlll hot and is at a temperature close to the extrusion `~
temperature~
:''-';'.'''' '' ~
'~
:- , . . . . . ..
~ .
; - ". ' 1 . ' ' . ' ~:
. . . : .
Claims (10)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A method for the manufacture of a sealed sterile container from plastics material, comprising placing a heat softened tubular blank in a mould having two mould chambers such that a first portion of said blank lies in a first said mould chamber and a second portion of said blank lies in a second said mould chamber with said first portion being sealed from said second portion except in the region of an orifice establishing communication between said first and second portions, extending a hollow needle through said second portion and said orifice into said first portion, blowing sterile air through said hollow needle to blow said first portion into contact with the walls of the first mould chamber while leaving the second portion unblown, withdrawing said needle, and deforming the second portion to close said orifice and seal said first portion.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said second portion is closed by crushing the walls thereof against each other, the material of which walls is still hot and soft as a result of the second portion not being blown against the walls of the second chamber.
3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said second blank is closed by crushing its hot and soft walls laterally against the mould.
4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the deformation of the second portion is achieved by lateral mechanical pressure.
5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the deformation of the second portion is achieved by jets of compressed air.
6. A mould for the manufacture of sterile containers comprising two mould halves defining therebetween a first chamber in the shape of the container to be obtained and a second chamber communicating with the first chamber through a conduit such that when a tubular blank is placed in said mould and said mould halves are closed said blank is divided into a first portion in said first chamber and a second portion in said second chamber, said first and second portions being sealed from each other except in the region of said conduit, and means for deforming the second portion in the second chamber to close the second portion and thereby seal the first portion after sterile air has been blown into the first portion by means of a hollow needle extending into said first portion through said second portion.
7. A mould according to claim 6, wherein the means for deforming the second portion comprises a flat head, integral with the rod of a piston displaceable in the second chamber under the action of fluid pressure.
8. A mould according to claim 6, wherein the means for deforming the second portion comprises at least one series of conduits opening into one of the walls of the second chamber and connected to a source of pressurized fluid.
9. A mould according to claim 8, wherein means for deforming the second portion comprises two series of conduits connected to sources of pressurized fluid and opening into two opposed walls of the second chamber.
10. A mould according to claim 7, wherein the flat head is supported by the rod of a moving piston of a jack of a device for ejecting the manufactured container for the mould, the jack being a double-acting jack.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR7802528A FR2415529A1 (en) | 1978-01-30 | 1978-01-30 | PROCESS AND MOLD FOR MANUFACTURING STERILE CLOSED CONTAINERS, IN PLASTIC MATERIAL |
| FR7802528 | 1978-01-30 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1114118A true CA1114118A (en) | 1981-12-15 |
Family
ID=9203967
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA320,432A Expired CA1114118A (en) | 1978-01-30 | 1979-01-29 | Method for the manufacture of sealed, internally sterile containers from plastics material |
Country Status (7)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| BE (1) | BE873773A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1114118A (en) |
| ES (1) | ES477287A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2415529A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2014504B (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1117599B (en) |
| NL (1) | NL7900652A (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2502059A1 (en) * | 1981-03-20 | 1982-09-24 | Mach Transformat Plastiques | DEVICE FOR BLOWING HOLLOW STERILE BODIES OF PLASTIC MATERIAL |
| EP2479020B1 (en) * | 2011-01-25 | 2013-01-16 | Röchling Automotive AG & Co. KG | Integrated blow moulding pressing method and moulding tool therefor |
Family Cites Families (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2991500A (en) * | 1954-06-14 | 1961-07-11 | Hagen Norbert | Method and apparatus for making plastic containers |
| GB1028480A (en) * | 1963-07-15 | 1966-05-04 | Allplas Ag | Improvements in hollow moulded articles and in processes and apparatus for their production by blow moulding |
| DE1704119C2 (en) * | 1968-01-03 | 1974-01-17 | Heidenreich & Harbeck Gmbh, 2000 Hamburg | Method and machine for producing hollow bodies, in particular bottles, from thermoplastic material |
| FR2086589A5 (en) * | 1970-04-02 | 1971-12-31 | Raffinage Cie Francaise | |
| FR2183573A1 (en) * | 1972-05-10 | 1973-12-21 | Raffinage Cie Francaise | Sterile blow moulded containers mfr - pressurised and sealed prior to ejection from their mould |
| DE2255869C3 (en) * | 1972-11-15 | 1982-02-11 | Gerhard 7166 Sulzbach-Laufen Hansen | Device for manufacturing a container from a heat-sealable plastic tube |
| FR2220364B1 (en) * | 1973-03-07 | 1978-11-10 | Respiratory Care | |
| DE2502217A1 (en) * | 1975-01-21 | 1976-07-22 | Willi Naumann | Automatic prodn. of sealed containers - by blow moulding thermoplastic tubing and sealing at top |
-
1978
- 1978-01-30 FR FR7802528A patent/FR2415529A1/en active Granted
-
1979
- 1979-01-26 GB GB7902781A patent/GB2014504B/en not_active Expired
- 1979-01-26 NL NL7900652A patent/NL7900652A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1979-01-29 IT IT67191/79A patent/IT1117599B/en active
- 1979-01-29 BE BE0/193132A patent/BE873773A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1979-01-29 CA CA320,432A patent/CA1114118A/en not_active Expired
- 1979-01-30 ES ES477287A patent/ES477287A1/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| ES477287A1 (en) | 1979-07-01 |
| IT1117599B (en) | 1986-02-17 |
| BE873773A (en) | 1979-07-30 |
| NL7900652A (en) | 1979-08-01 |
| FR2415529A1 (en) | 1979-08-24 |
| FR2415529B1 (en) | 1980-08-29 |
| GB2014504B (en) | 1982-06-03 |
| GB2014504A (en) | 1979-08-30 |
| IT7967191A0 (en) | 1979-01-29 |
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| MKEX | Expiry |