DE19654350A1 - Method and device for transferring moldings - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and device for transferring blanks in the region of a device for blow-moulding containers (26) from a thermoplastic material. A preform is first delivered to a heater device (8) for tempering and then at least to a blowing station (12) in order to be blow-moulded. The blanks are held by a gripper arrangement (22) along at least part of their path of travel. The gripper arrangement (22) is positioned on a telescopic carrier arm (18). By telescoping the carrier arms (18) by different amounts, the blanks can be associated with at least two different pick-ups.

Description

The invention relates to a method for transferring Moldings in the area of a device for blow molding of containers made of a thermoplastic material, at which is a preform of at least one heating device for temperature control and at least one blow molding station Blow molding is supplied and in which the moldings along at least part of their route are held by a gripping device.

The invention also relates to a device for the transfer of moldings in the area of a facility device for blow molding containers from a thermo plastic material in which the device for  Blow molding a heater for tempering Preforms and at least one blowing station for blowing deformation of the preforms and with min is at least provided with a gripping device Preforms along at least part of their Transport route within the facility for blowing formation holds.

Such devices are used to preform linge from a thermoplastic material, for example wise preforms made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), Different processing within a blow molding machine supply stations. Typically one such blowing machine a heater and a Blower device in the area of the previously tempe preformed by biaxial orientation to one Container is expanded. The expansion takes place with Using compressed air to expand into the Preform is initiated. The procedural Procedure for such an expansion of the preform is explained in DE-OS 43 40 291. The device can also be used to finish blown Take the container out of the blower.

The basic structure of a blowing station for loading Container shaping is described in DE-OS 42 12 583 and options for tempering the preforms are explained in DE-OS 23 52 926.

Within the blow molding device, the Preforms as well as the blown containers with the help different handling devices transport be animals. The Ver turning of mandrels on which the preforms be plugged on.  

The use of support bodies for handling the Preforms have the advantage that the preform linge with their mouth on a coupling element of the Support body can be plugged in and that during of the further transport movements the Trans used port elements only on the support body and not act directly on the preform. This will Damage and deformation due to warming soft preform avoided. In addition, a Material removal through direct-acting gripping elements, the for example, could lead to dust generation, avoided.

The known support body in the form of transport mandrels have high mechanical strength and thereby requires high reliability and a long time Lifespan. Especially when using rotating transport devices, however, run away forces that affect the handling speed pregnant.

The use of gripping pliers for handling Preforms are used, for example, in the FR-OS 27 20 679. An expanding mandrel that holds Insert into a mouth area of the preform bar is explained in WO 95 33 616.

According to the prior art under different transfer devices for handling the Moldings used. The area of application of these be Known transfer facilities is limited, however a transfer of a large number of moldings with high Speed is required.

The object of the present invention is therefore a Procedures of the type mentioned in the introduction  improve that extended handover options the moldings are provided.

This object is achieved in that the gripping device on a rotating support wheel organized and by a telescopic support arm is positioned and that the moldings by under at least different telescopic arms can be assigned to two different recordings.

Another object of the present invention is a Device of the type mentioned in the introduction construct that improved options at hand the moldings are provided.

This object is achieved in that the gripping device from a rotating carrying wheel supports and from a telescopic support arm positio It is possible that the support arm is connected to the support wheel and that the carrying wheel is a molded article handling direction is assigned to the at least two shots for the moldings and in the range of about places different distances to a medium point of the carrying wheel.

By arranging the gripping device on the rotie the carrying wheel and the use of the telescopic Bare support arms, it is possible with high handling advise the moldings on a plurality of exposures lead or the moldings from different positio facilities. The telescope the support arm becomes a rotational movement of the support rades overlays coordinated so that along a front seen transport route for the moldings a ge if necessary, telescopic support arms can be carried out.  

A typical application in the area of an issue of blown containers is that the carrying wheel between a blowing wheel holding the blowing station and an output line is arranged.

This can support a high delivery rate be that as an output route an air conveyor is used in which the moldings by action are transported forward in an air flow.

To enlarge a usable transfer area at the handling of the moldings is proposed that the support arms relative to the support wheel around arm base linkages can be arranged pivotably.

When removing blown containers from the assigned forms, it is appropriate that a Ver pivoting of the support arms relative to the support wheel synchronously a transfer of the moldings from the blowing wheel to the carrying wheel is carried out.

A stable arrangement of the blown containers in the loading rich the output range is supported by the fact that the moldings with their mouth sections in lot right direction up in the area of the output distance to be transported.

Simplified handling of the moldings when passing through run through the blow molding machine is achieved in that the moldings in the area of the blowing station with their Mouth sections in a vertical direction upwards be handled.

An adjustment to the respective spacing of the Moldings can be made in that in the area of Tragrades by pivoting the support arms one  Distance change of the gripping devices relative to performed each other in the circumferential direction of the support wheel becomes.

This enables particularly favorable kinematic processes achieved that pivoting of the support arms at least temporarily to a teles copying the support arms is carried out.

To provide a heavy duty and with extremely high reproducibility Handling of the moldings is proposed that the Support arms in the area of the support wheel from a curve control can be positioned. The curve control can can be scanned by cam rollers, for example Using suitable levers, the movements on the Carrying arm transmits.

In the drawing, embodiments of the He shown schematically. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for blow molding with a rotating heating wheel and rotating blowing wheel,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a carrier wheel with teles copyable supporting arms disposed between a blowing wheel and an output section,

Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of a preform and

Fig. 4 is a sectional side view of a blown container.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the device for blow molding containers has a heating wheel ( 1 ) and a blowing wheel ( 2 ). Preforms to be processed are fed via a feed rail ( 3 ) into the area of a turning device ( 4 ) and transported by transfer wheels ( 5 , 6 , 7 ) into the area of the heating wheel ( 1 ). In this variant, the preforms are hung with their mouths oriented upwards along the feed rail ( 1 ) and rotated by the turning device ( 4 ) by 180 °. Heating in the area of the heating wheel ( 1 ) takes place in such a way that the preforms are oriented upright with their mouths facing downward. But it is also conceivable to carry out a hanging heater without previous turns of the preforms.

Heating devices ( 8 ) and cooling devices ( 9 ) are arranged along the heating wheel ( 1 ). Preferably, a cooling device ( 9 ) is arranged between two heating devices ( 8 ). The heating devices ( 8 ) heat the preforms with the aid of IR radiation and the cooling devices ( 9 ) blow air onto the surfaces of the heated preforms for surface cooling.

After completion of the heating and passing through a cooling section, the tempered preforms are transported from a transfer wheel ( 10 ) to the blowing wheel ( 2 ) and used here in molds ( 11 ) which are held by blowing stations ( 12 ). The blowing stations ( 12 ) can be opened and closed like a book. After the blowing process has been completed, completely blown containers are removed from the blowing station ( 12 ) and fed to a delivery section ( 15 ) by transfer wheels ( 13 , 6 , 14 ). In a blow molding of the preforms in the area of the blowing wheel ( 2 ) with a muzzle orientation downward, it is particularly intended to arrange a further turning device between the blowing wheel ( 2 ) and the discharge section ( 15 ), so that the blown container is suspended in the area Output route ( 15 ) can be transported.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of the con struction of a transfer device ( 16 ), which is essentially designed as a support wheel ( 17 ) having a plurality of support arms ( 18 ) relative to a center ( 19 ) of the support wheel ( 17th ) are essentially radially aligned. The carrying wheel ( 17 ) is arranged such that it can rotate relative to the center point ( 19 ).

The support arms ( 18 ) have an arm base ( 20 ) and a telescopic arm extension ( 21 ) relative to the arm base ( 20 ). In the region of their ends facing away from the arm base ( 20 ), the arm extensions ( 21 ) are provided with gripping devices ( 22 ). The Greifeinrich lines ( 22 ) can, for example, form pliers and be provided with gripping jaws ( 23 , 24 ).

Relative to an arm base linkage ( 25 ), the support arms ( 18 ) are arranged pivotably. This ver swiveling arrangement of the support arms ( 18 ) makes it possible to realize a relatively long transfer path along the circumference of the blowing wheel ( 2 ) when removing moldings ( 26 ), for example from the blow molding stations ( 12 ) shown in FIG. 2 . The transfer process can be carried out in such a way that first the arm extensions ( 21 ) are telescoped relatively far relative to the arm base ( 20 ) and that a pivoting of the support arms ( 18 ) against the direction of rotation ( 27 ) of the carrying wheel ( 17 ) shown in FIG. 2 ) he follows. In this positioning, the gripping device ( 22 ) grips the molded article ( 26 ) after opening the mold ( 11 ).

During the implementation of the gripping process and syn chron with a removal of the molding ( 26 ) from the blowing station ( 12 ), the arm extension ( 21 ) is telescoped and pivoted in the direction of rotation ( 27 ) of the support arm ( 18 ). From an area of the furthest approach between the carrying wheel ( 17 ) and the blowing wheel ( 22 ), the arm extension ( 21 ) is extended again and, if necessary, a further correction of the swivel positioning relative to the arm base steering ( 25 ). It is thereby a pivoting out of the molding ( 26 ) from the open mold ( 21 ) under, so that the entire transfer process can be carried out at a very high speed.

The described removal process of the molding ( 26 ) from the blow molding station ( 12 ) can also be realized with a comparable procedure in other areas of the blow molding device. In particular, it is also possible, with a comparable movement sequence, to enter moldings into associated receiving devices.

Fig. 2 shows the example of the support wheel ( 17 ) transfer of the moldings ( 26 ) to an output section ( 15 ). The discharge path ( 15 ) is designed as an air conveyor path, in which containers blown out of the preforms are transported in an output device ( 28 ) by an air flow which is generated by a fan ( 29 ). For output sections ( 15 ) with a high delivery capacity, two output paths ( 30 , 31 ) are realized, which extend approximately parallel and at a distance from one another. If necessary, he can follow in the output direction ( 28 ) an increase in the distance of the output paths ( 30 , 31 ) to each other. It is also conceivable to provide more than the two output paths ( 30 , 31 ) shown in FIG. 2.

In particular, it is envisaged to provide a spacing of the output paths ( 30 , 31 ) in a radial direction with respect to the center point ( 19 ) of the carrying wheel ( 17 ). It is hereby possible to alternately feed the two output paths ( 30 , 31 ) by corresponding telescoping of the arm extensions ( 21 ) relative to the arm bases ( 20 ). The preferably alternating differently wide telescoping the processing in rotation Rich (27) successive supporting arms (18) expediently takes place between a recording of the moldings (26), for example from the position shown in Fig. 2 blowing station (12) to the delivery line (15). In the area of the return path of the support arms ( 18 ) in the direction of the blowing wheel ( 2 ), the telescoping of the support arms ( 18 ) are adjusted again.

Different moldings ( 26 ) can be handled with the aid of the support arms ( 18 ). In particular, the handling of preforms shown in FIG. 3 ( 32 ) and of blown containers ( 33 ) shown in FIG. 4 is intended.

According to the embodiment in FIG. 3, the preform ( 32 ) consists of a mouth section ( 42 ), a support ring ( 44 ) separating the mouth section ( 42 ) from a neck area ( 43 ), and a neck area ( 43 ) into a wall section ( 45 ) overlapping shoulder area ( 46 ) and a floor ( 47 ). The support ring ( 44 ) projects beyond the mouth section ( 42 ) transversely to a longitudinal axis ( 48 ). In the region of the shoulder area ( 46 ), the outer diameter of the preform ( 32 ) extends from the neck area ( 43 ) in the direction of the wall section ( 45 ). In the case of a container ( 33 ) to be produced from the preform ( 32 ), the wall section ( 45 ) essentially forms the side wall of the container ( 33 ). The bottom ( 47 ) is rounded.

The mouth portion ( 42 ) can, for example, be provided with an external thread ( 52 ) which makes it possible to put a screw lock on the finished container ( 33 ). However, it is also possible to see the mouth section ( 42 ) with an outer bead in order to create an area of attack for a crown cap. In addition, a large number of other designs are also conceivable to enable plug-in closures to be fitted.

From the representation in Fig. 3 it can be seen that the wall section (45) having an inner surface (49) and an outer surface (50). The inner surface ( 49 ) be a preform interior ( 51 ).

In the shoulder area ( 46 ), the thickness of a preform wall ( 54 ) can extend from the neck area ( 43 ) in the direction of the wall area ( 45 ) with increasing wall thickness. The preform ( 32 ) has a preform length ( 55 ) in the direction of the longitudinal axis ( 48 ). In the direction of the longitudinal axis ( 48 ), the mouth region ( 42 ) and the support ring ( 44 ) extend with a common mouth length ( 56 ). The neck region ( 43 ) has a neck length ( 57 ) in the region of the longitudinal axis ( 48 ). In the neck area ( 43 ) the preform ( 43 ) preferably extends with a constant wall thickness.

The preform ( 32 ) has a wall thickness ( 58 ) in the wall area ( 45 ) and a floor thickness ( 59 ) can be found in the area of the bottom ( 47 ). A further dimensioning of the preform ( 32 ) takes place with the aid of an inner diameter ( 60 ) and an outer diameter ( 61 ), which are measured in the approximately cylindrical wall area ( 45 ).

In the bottle-shaped container ter ( 33 ) shown in Fig. 4, the mouth section ( 42 ) and the support ring ( 44 ) are essentially unchanged. The further region of the container ( 33 ) is expanded relative to the preform ( 32 ) by the biaxial orientation carried out both in the transverse direction and in the longitudinal direction. The container ( 33 ) hereby has a container length ( 62 ) and a container diameter ( 63 ), which, in view of the ge inaccuracies to be taken into account, is not to be distinguished in the following with regard to the concrete inside diameter or outside diameter.

Fig. 4 shows, among other things, the bottom area of the blow-molded container ( 33 ). The container ( 33 ) has a side wall ( 64 ) and a container bottom ( 65 ). The container bottom ( 65 ) here consists of a base ring ( 66 ) and a dome ( 68 ) which is curved inwards in the direction of a container interior ( 67 ). The dome ( 68 ) is formed from a dome slope ( 69 ) and a center ( 70 ).

The container ( 33 ) has a container mouth length ( 71 ) and a container neck length ( 72 ), at least the container mouth length ( 71 ) generally being equal to the mouth length ( 56 ) of the preform ( 32 ).

Claims (13)

1. A method for transferring moldings in the area of a device for blow molding containers made of a thermoplastic material, in which a preform is fed to at least one heating device for temperature control and at least one blow molding station for blow molding, and in which the moldings are moved along at least part of their transport path Gripping device are held, characterized in that the Greifeinrich device ( 22 ) on a rotating support wheel ( 17 ) is arranged and is positioned by a telescopic support arm ( 18 ) and that the moldings ( 26 ) by differently wide telescoping of the support arms ( 18 ) at least two can be assigned to different recordings. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting wheel ( 17 ) between a blowing station ( 12 ) holding blowing wheel ( 7 ) and an output section ( 15 ) is arranged. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an air conveying path is used as the output path ( 15 ) in which the moldings ( 26 ) are transported forward by the action of an air flow. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the support arms ( 18 ) relative to the support wheel ( 17 ) about arm base articulations ( 25 ) are pivotally arranged ver. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a pivoting of the support arms ( 18 ) relative to the support wheel ( 17 ) is carried out synchronously with a transfer of the moldings ( 26 ) from the blowing wheel ( 26 ) to the support wheel ( 17 ). 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the moldings ( 26 ) with their mouth portions ( 42 ) are trans ported in the vertical direction upward in the region of the output section ( 15 ). 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the moldings ( 26 ) in the area of the blowing station ( 12 ) with their mouth portions ( 42 ) are handled in the vertical direction upwards. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that in the region of the support wheel ( 17 ) by pivoting the support arms ( 18 ) from a change in position of the gripping devices ( 22 ) relative to each other in the circumferential direction of the support wheel ( 17 ) is carried out. 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a pivoting of the support arms ( 18 ) is carried out at least at times at the same time for telescoping the support arms ( 18 ). 10. Device for the transfer of moldings in the area of a device for blow molding containers made of a thermoplastic material, in which the device for blow molding has a heating device for tempering preforms and at least one blow molding station for blow molding the preforms and which provide at least one Greifein device is, which holds the moldings along at least part of their transport path within the blow molding device, characterized in that the gripping device ( 22 ) is held by a rotating support wheel ( 17 ) and can be positioned by a telescopic support arm ( 18 ) such that the support arm ( 18 ) is connected to the carrying wheel ( 17 ) and that the carrying wheel ( 17 ) is assigned a shaped handling device which has at least two receptacles for the moldings ( 26 ) and which in the area of transfer points have different distances from a center point ( 19 ) of the carrying wheel ( 17 ) ice. 11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the supporting wheel ( 17 ) between a blowing station ( 12 ) carrying blowing wheel ( 2 ) and an output section ( 15 ) is arranged. 12. The apparatus of claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the support arms ( 18 ) are arranged pivotably relative to the support wheel ( 17 ). 13. The device according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that a curve control is arranged in the region of the support wheel ( 17 ) for specifying a course of movement of the support arms ( 18 ).