CN1960843A

CN1960843A - Preform assembly, container assembly, and method of manufacture

Info

Publication number: CN1960843A
Application number: CNA2005800172219A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 谢特·J·巴克尔; 巴萨姆·M·卡尔穆尼; 布赖恩·A·林奇; 尼基·马尼; 托马斯·E·纳希尔
Original assignee: Graham Packaging Pet Technologies Inc
Current assignee: Graham Packaging Pet Technologies Inc
Priority date: 2004-04-01
Filing date: 2005-03-31
Publication date: 2007-05-09
Also published as: BRPI0509395A; EP1750922A1; WO2005097453A1; US20050218103A1; CA2560799A1; AR049629A1; AU2005231754A1

Abstract

A method of making a preform assembly including providing a finish ring of plastic construction, placing the finish ring onto a core pin, introducing a preform polymer into a mold cavity that includes the core pin, and compression molding the preform polymer to the finish ring. A resulting preform assembly, and container assembly blow-molded from the preform assembly, are also disclosed.

Description

Preform assembly, container assemblies and manufacture method

Technical field

The present invention relates to be used for the preform assembly of blow-moulding plastic containers assembly, by the plastic containers assembly of this preform assembly blowing and the method for making this preform assembly and container assemblies.

Background technology

In the manufacturing of plastic containers, common injection molding or pressing mold one container preform, this container have body and have the neck finished product of one or more external screw-threads or other tight attaching parts.Preform neck finished product typical case is molded into its net shape, and next the body of preform is blow molded into required vessel shape.Preform can be a single layer structure, maybe can be sandwich construction, and wherein the one or more intermediate layers in the preform body can maybe can not extend into preformed neck finished product.United States Patent (USP) 4,609,516,4,710,118 and 4,954,376 examples the injection molding of multilayer preform container.

There are several problems in a part that the neck finished product of container partly is molded as the preform container.For example, when forming the preform container by injection moulding, the plastic material typical case is infused in the die cavity of closing end of preform body, makes plastic material must flow into along the side of preform die cavity in the zone that the neck finished product be molded therein.Neck finished product typical case needs more accurate and stable size than preformed body, and this has limited the cycle time of preform molding process.And the material of preformed neck finished product is identical with individual layer preform body, and the exterior layer with multilayer preform body is identical at least, and this has limited the ability that obtains ideal material characteristic at the neck finished product.When preform was polyester construction such as PETG (PET), the neck finished product crystallization completely or partially of preform was to improve the especially operating characteristic of neck product region in hot filling containers is used.Yet the needs that the neck finished product is identical with the exterior layer of multilayer preform body have at least still limited the designed capacity of preforming technique.

Summary of the invention

A kind of method of making preform assembly according to an aspect of the present invention is included on the core pin of pressing mold the plastic product annulus is provided, and the finished product annulus top die plastics preform in injection molding.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a kind of preform assembly that is used for the blow-molded container assembly is provided, this preform assembly comprises molded plastics finished product annulus and the pressing mold plastics preform to the finished product annulus, makes the neck part of the plastics preform finished product annulus that radially engages one another.

According to a third aspect of the invention we, provide a kind of container assemblies by the blowing of preform assembly, this preform assembly is by making the preform pressing mold to molded plastic product annulus.Container assemblies comprises molded plastics finished product annulus, with and on have the neck part of the described finished product annulus that radially engages one another plastic containers.

Description of drawings

To better understand the present invention and other purpose, feature, advantage and aspect thereof by following description, appended claim and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 has shown the lateral elevational view according to the preform assembly of an exemplary embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 2 has shown the lateral elevational view by the container assemblies of the preform assembly blowing of Fig. 1 according to another exemplary embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 3 has shown the lateral elevational view of the finished product annulus of the preform assembly that is used for Fig. 1 and 2 and container assemblies;

Fig. 4 has shown the top view of the finished product annulus of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 has shown the cross-sectional view of the finished product annulus 5-5 along the line of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 A has shown the die arrangement that is used for according to typical method of the present invention, and wherein this device is shown with open position, is arranged in die cavity and the finished product annulus made in advance is positioned at core pin at the filler of this position preform material;

Fig. 6 B has shown the die arrangement of Fig. 6 A, and wherein this device is shown with the closed position, in the finished product annulus that this position preform material is made to a part in advance by pressing mold;

Fig. 7 has shown the exploded cross section views of a part of die arrangement of Fig. 6 A and 6B, and the cross-sectional view of the preform assembly that finally obtains, and wherein preform assembly has been drawn out of and has been carried on the core pin; And

Fig. 8 has shown the amplification cross-sectional view of preform assembly in annulus 8 of Fig. 7.

The specific embodiment

Fig. 1 example according to the preform assembly 20 of currently preferred embodiments of the present invention, separate finished product annulus 24 on it comprises preform 22 and fixes this preform.Preform 22 can be used the injection moulding manufacturing, but preferred the employing will the concrete below compression moulding manufacturing of discussing.Preform 22 is made of any appropriate plastic material, for example individual layer PETG (PET) etc. or multilayer PET etc., in multilayer PET, the matrix layer of PET is for example by one or more layers barrier resin material, for example replacements such as vinyl alcohol (EVOH), nylon.Finished product annulus 24 is made by methods such as injection moulding or pressing molds, and is made up of any desirable material, for example PET, consume resin (PCR), processing fast and grind (REG), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene naphtho-pyrroles (PEN) etc. again.Yet preferably, finished product annulus 24 is made up of the material that is different from preform 22, and for example the material of preform 2 is non-crystalline PET, and the material of finished product annulus 24 is crystalline PET.

Fig. 2 example the container assemblies 120 of another currently preferred embodiment according to the present invention by preform assembly 20 blowings of Fig. 1, this container assemblies comprises that container assemblies 120 is by this finished product annulus blowing to be fixed to the finished product annulus 24 of container 122 in all respects with preform assembly 20 same way as.Therefore, will this fixedly details not described for this embodiment.

In Fig. 1, preform 22 comprises closed lower end 26 and extends upward from this lower end with the form of body 28 that this body ends at and body 26 integrated molded cylindrical neck portion 30.(such as " and on " with the relative accompanying drawing of direction speech of D score in the preform assembly of example and the vertical direction of parts use with describing mode, and be nonrestrictive.Use with describing mode equally with respect to the axis of preform neck and finished product annulus and be nonrestrictive such as the direction speech of " radially ", " circumference ".) equally shown in Fig. 3-5, finished product annulus 24 is a contiguous circumferential, and comprises the ring-shaped cylinder wall 32 with one or more external screw-threads or threaded portion 34.In the accompanying drawings in the preferred embodiment of example, circumference crimping 36 extends around the outer surface of 34 times surrounding walls 32 of screw thread, be used for the sealer (not shown) on distort the acting in conjunction of indication (tamper-indicating) mechanism partly with the finished product that is fixed on final container.Capping or support lugn 38 extend radially outwardly from the lower end of wall 32, make finished product annulus 24 have L shaped substantially lateral cross-section in the embodiment of example shown in the present.Shown in Fig. 5 the best, finished product annulus 24 is included in cylindrical form interior surface 40 and the cone-shaped inner surface 42 that extends between top and the bottom 44,46.Be provided with annular recess 38 in the cone-shaped inner surface 42, this will further describe with reference to figure 6A 1 below.

Now basic with reference to figure 6A-8, its example according to the die arrangement 50 of typical method use of the present invention.In Fig. 6 A, device 50 comprises the core pin 52 that is positioned on the pressing mold 54.Pressing mold 54 comprises closed bottom 56, body part 58 and part finished product part 60, and above-mentioned three parts define die cavity 62 together.Device 50 is shown in an open position in Fig. 6 A, and as shown in the figure, wherein the filler of preform material 64 is imported into compression mold cavities 62, and the finished product annulus of making in advance 24 is positioned on the pressing mold core pin 52.Filler 64 is softened and melts, thereby meets the also lower end of loading mould cavity 62.The core pin 52 and mold 54 perpendicular positionings that have the finished product annulus of installing 24 thereon.

Shown in Fig. 6 B, then core pin 52 and finished product annulus 24 are put into mold 54 with the filler 64 of compression coating molding part at finished product annulus 24.It is term of art that term " coats molded ", and the meaning is another parts that the parts of a softness or molten state are molded as solid-state or finished product state as used herein.The preform filling material 64 that is melted upwards or forward flows between core pin 52 and mold 54.As a result, form the preform 22 that comprises closed bottom 26, body 28 and neck 30.Yet the more important thing is, form preform assembly 20 by preform 22 overmold being made finished product annulus 24.As shown in Figure 7, core pin 52 with the preform assembly that comprise preform 22 and finished product annulus 24 20 thereon installed extracted thereafter.

As shown in Figure 8, preform assembly 20 is included in a part of finished product annulus 24 inner preforms 22 that divide pressing mold.More particularly, the neck 30 of preform 22 comprises the top 66 with circular protrusion 68, and this circular protrusion extends into the annular recess 48 of finished product annulus 24, thereby with finished product the annulus 24 fully radially interlocking or the preform 22 that engages one another.Annular recess 48 in finished product annulus 24 also can be expressed as radially recessed or the part that radially engages one another.Radially engaging one another between preform 22 and finished product annulus 24 provides active draft to the axial application of force that tends to separating component 22,24.Preform 22 also comprises corresponding to the taper of the taper of finished product annulus 24 or circular cone inner surface 42 or external conical surface 70.The cone-shaped inner surface 42 of finished product annulus 24 is bigger than the diameter of the counterpart of core pin 52.Therefore, between the guide edge 74 of the cone-shaped inner surface 42 of core pin 52, finished product annulus 24 and preform 22, be provided with crack 72.According to preform assembly 20, between the leading edge 74 of the transition point 76 of finished product annulus 24 and preform 22, be provided with crack 72, wherein transition point 76 is defined as the joining of cylindrical or straight inner surface 40 and cone-shaped inner surface 42.Have a mind to provide in the tolerance of the size of crack 72 to allow fusing preform filler, volume or weight and change.In other words, should under maximum materials behaviors of preform and finished product annulus 24, there be some cracks 72 at least,, do not enter the distortion that finished product annulus 24 causes and can not exist because the preform material excessively coats to guarantee the correct installation between it.Term " excessively coat " is a term of art, is used for this and is meant that excessive institute's melt polymer is by pressing mold and tend to cause being difficult to withdraw from from die arrangement the situation of one or more parts of making.Excessively coating also tends to cause thermal deformation and the residual stress in one or more parts of making.

One or more embodiment by above-mentioned the invention provides a plurality of advantages.The manufacturing of preform assembly and container assemblies is convenient in the present invention, and wherein the finished product annulus is by being different from the material of this finished product annulus with its preform that radially engages one another or container.Equally, the present invention is convenient to the finished product annulus of various sizes and/or material is used for the preform and/or the container of stock size.And the present invention can reduce and makes preform required cycle time, this because (forming neck finished product part) process restriction can be under the jurisdiction of be used for only making the finished product annulus separately, the manufacture process of while.In some pipelines, the present invention can reduce the unit price of each preform, and this is because the complicated screw thread splitting characteristic that mould can be simplified and reduce cost and need with the screw thread finished product part typical case who omits preform.

Thereby, the preform assembly that is used for the blow-molded container assembly has been described, by the plastic containers assembly of this preform assembly blowing with make the method for this preform assembly and container assemblies.Disclose the present invention, and numerous modifications and variations have been discussed about currently preferred embodiment of the present invention.Those of ordinary skills will be easy to understand other modifications and variations that imply wherein according to the description of front.In fact, the present invention means and comprises all modifications and the variation that falls into the appended claim scope.

Claims

1. method of making preform assembly comprises:

The plastic product annulus is provided on the core pin of pressing mold; And

With the plastics preform in mold pressing mold to the finished product annulus.

2. according to the filler that the process of claim 1 wherein that this method is included in provides the preform material in the injection molding, and wherein between finished product annulus and core pin, flow at least a portion preform material during the pressing mold step.

3. according to the method for claim 2, wherein the finished product annulus comprises the part that engages one another, and wherein during the pressing mold step at least a portion preform material flow in the part that engages one another.

4. according to the process of claim 1 wherein that the finished product annulus has the inner engagement surface of diameter greater than core pin, and wherein between composition surface and core pin, form the molded preform of at least a portion.

5. between the inner engagement surface of finished product annulus and core pin, provide crack according to the process of claim 1 wherein, and wherein during the pressing mold step this crack not by complete filling.

6. in injection molding, provide the filler of preform material according to the process of claim 1 wherein, and make core pin and finished product annulus enter injection molding, make the preform material flow into the inner surface that engages the finished product annulus.

7. the preform assembly of being made by the method for claim 1 comprises preform and finished product annulus.

8. method of making container assemblies, the preform that comprises blowing claim 1 is to form container.

9. a container assemblies of being made by the method for claim 8 comprises container and finished product annulus.

10. preform assembly that is used for the blow-molded container assembly, it comprises:

Molded plastic product annulus, and

The plastics preform, this plastics preform is made the neck part of plastics preform radially engage one another with the finished product annulus by pressing mold to the finished product annulus.

11. according to the preform assembly of claim 10, wherein the finished product annulus has at least one part that radially engages one another therein, and wherein the neck part of plastics preform engages with at least one radial engagement part.

12. preform assembly according to claim 10, wherein the finished product annulus comprises the surface, inside that has lower conical surface, goes up straight surface and joining between the two, and wherein has the opening crack between the neck leading edge partly of joining and plastics preform.

13. a container assemblies comprises:

Molded plastic product annulus, and

By the plastic containers that preform assembly is blow molded into, this preform assembly comprises having the preform of pressing mold to the neck part of finished product annulus.

14. according to the container assemblies of claim 13, wherein the finished product annulus has at least one inner radial part that is bonded with each other, and wherein the neck part of plastic containers engages with at least one part that radially is bonded with each other.

15. container assemblies according to claim 14, wherein the finished product annulus comprises the surface, inside that has lower conical surface, goes up straight surface and joining between the two, and wherein has the opening crack between the neck leading edge partly of joining and plastics preform.