DE3510956A1 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING THERMOPLASTIC OBJECTS OF TUBULAR DESIGN - Google Patents

Description

PATENTANiVA..Tt

dr. V. SCHMiED-KOWARZlK. · Dr. P. WEINHOLD · dr. P. BARZ · monciun dipl.-inc. G. DANNENBERC · dr. D. GU DEL dipl.-ing. S. SCHUBERT · Frankfurt

ZUCEt-ASSENE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE

OROSSE ESCHENHEIMER STR. 6000 FRANKFURT AM MAIN t

TELEPHONE · <069 » 2β1Ι * 4 + ■ 8β7ΟΙ4 TEtEORAMMEi WIRPATENTE TELEXi 415110 FACSIMILE · (O βθ 392

Ref. VER

VERCON INC.

P.O. Box 410

Dallas, Texas 75221, USA

Method and device for the manufacture of thermoplastic articles

tubular shape

ORIGINAL INSPECTED

description

The invention relates generally to the manufacture of thermoplastic containers and, more particularly, uses a method of making plastic containers from
multiple parts, Conventional containers generally use metal, glass, or layered paper material
shaped into containers. Other conventional containers are molded with synthetic resin. The present invention is directed
in the field of technology relating to synthetic resins and in particular polymers such as polyesters and polyolefins. The containers produced with the method disclosed here replace those made with conventional synthetic resin processing techniques and also those made of glass, metal and paper.

In the conventional manufacture of bottles from synthetic resin, the bottle can be manufactured by several methods. One of the methods is to make a preform or parison by injecting a molten synthetic resin into a mold and then allowing it to solidify. This mold is then placed in a blow molding machine which uses a combination of heat, air pressure, and mechanical diluents to make the mold into a finished shape
Stretch bottle. In general, this two or three step process is very long and expensive in terms of the time and equipment required to manufacture it, and so is the high energy consumption of the polymer. That
Melting the polymer for injecting the mold with
Subsequent cooling and the necessary reheating for blow molding requires a high expenditure of energy.

ORIGINAL INSPECTED

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»Another method of making containers from Resin is the direct injection molding technique, where the finished bottle shape is formed in a single mold and the liquid, molten polymer is injected directly into the mold to form a finished bottle. While this process eliminates twice the heat consumption in the preforming process, it suffers it with the disadvantage that no alignment of the polymer is achieved and accordingly the bottle has a weak one Structure. Furthermore, the lack of alignment in the polymer has the consequence that only a slight barrier against the Entry of oxygen and exit of C (X, is present.

A third method of forming thermoplastic containers is to extrude a tubular preform and while the preform is still in a molten state is to surround the preform with a mold and blow it into the finished bottle. However, this has the disadvantage that alignment in the bottle is hardly achieved, and the bottle also has weak areas in the bottom part, where the seam will be formed during blow molding.

On the other hand is the production of jugs, cans or the like with conventional technology significantly different

so different from traditional bottle making * Multi-layer cans are mainly made of cardboard, with either metal or synthetic resin ends, that are crimped or glued on. The cylindrical bodies of the cardboard cans are usually spirally wound, using a spiral wound strip of cardboard, and then the metal or resin floors and lids before and after filling on the body set.

ORiGSNAL

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> An improved method of making cans is disclosed in DE-OS 33 27 850.4. In this publication, can bottoms are attached to the spirally wound cardboard body turn-welded. One method of attaching thermoplastic ends to tubular container bodies is disclosed in US Pat US Reissue Patent RE 29448, the drawing and description of which is hereby incorporated into the present invention will. A second method of attaching thermoplastic end caps to all shapes of Pipes used oscillation welding, as disclosed in DE-OS 33 14 457.5, its drawing and description is also introduced into the present invention.

The disadvantages of the prior art can-making processes are that they, whether or not they Seamed metal pipes or spirally wound cardboard pipes are too long and too expensive. Furthermore, the crimped Lick the metal tube and the spiral-wound cardboard tube. Furthermore, the cardboard box must be covered on the inside to prevent the liquid from seeping through the wall. The coated paper boxes even have another disadvantage, in places where the liquid gets into the cardboard on the edge around the bottom occurs, intertwining, the liquid being drawn into the wall of the can and then leaking through the label.

Another type of conventional can is the drawn soft aluminum beverage can. Although this can is seamless at the bottom and sides, the lid must be crimped onto the body. The use of

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Aluminum is prohibitively expensive, as the use of aluminum requires a lot of energy to refine the metal, to shape the aluminum in sheets and to shape the cans to pull the sheet metal. The lids must be made of relatively thick material that burned out and a Must have a pull tab mechanically welded to it by welding or other means. This too is very expensive.

An improved method of forming bottles and cans is disclosed in U.S. Serial No. No. 492,928 discloses which thermoform a container a cover with a friction-welded peripheral flange is formed, further by thermoforming a bottom which also has a friction welded flange and extruding a cylindrical body to which the upper and lower terminations are friction welded.

This process continues the creation of an endless, tubular body with a single or multiple thermoplastic layer of the wall ahead, this tubular Body by tubular extrusion or tubular Coextrusion is formed.

Although this latter procedure is a leaps and bounds improvement . compared to prior can making techniques, the present invention provides even further significant advantages over the latter process and the conventional techniques of Container manufacture before. For example · is according to the US patent application Serial No. 49 2.928 each extruder is limited to producing a single tube, what a Limitation of the extruder performance. Soaked in the

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> The present invention can be an extruder with a maximum output be operated by extruding a wide sheet shape and slitting the extruded one Into as many strips as needed / in order to utilize the full capacity of the blade shape. After that, will each strip formed into an endless tube, a process five to ten times faster than the aforementioned patent application- The present invention can also be used for the production of non-cylindrical tubes, for example square tubes, rectangular ones Tubes, triangular tubes, etc., being different Rollers and mandrels are used. Different tube shapes can also be produced at the same time, if that Sheet is slit into multiple strips, with different rollers and spikes on each adjacent strip, that comes from a broad sheet of paper can be used.

The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art methods by providing methods ■ and devices for the formation of thermoplastic containers provides almost no waste, excellent polymer alignment can be achieved can as well as good adhesion in blocked, multilayer wall parts, These advantages are due to extrusion and Coextruding a barrier, multilayer sheet or film of thermopolymer is achieved, the sheet axially or biaxially stretched and then rolled or rolled into one or more tubular parts, which to Cut lengths and closed by bottoms and lids, which are friction welded into the tubular parts be attached.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of exemplary embodiments, from which further important features emerge. It shows: ^/ "^> _i

Fig, 1 u. • 2a- 3510956 through a flow channel 114 with a co- S. 2 - isometric views of extruders Fig. 3 - devices for the sheet; a schematic cross section of the co- extruded sheet; 10 Fig. 4 - ■ a side view of a co-extruder and Fig. 5 - a sheet registration device; a side view of the extrusion and co- 15th Fig. 6 - lamination device; a top view of a training unit direction for containers with the Ein directions of Figs. 4 and 5 is connected, * 20th Fig. 7t13 a pipe training facility that works with Fig. 14-16 the device of Figure 6 is used; a thermoplastic, bottle-like 25th Fig. 17 - Containers made according to the invention; a thermoplastic can Fig. 18-21 according to the invention; 30th differently designed tube rolling ~ or Fig 22 - Rolling devices, and an axial view of a modified one Fig. 1 Butt welder. 35 is a perspective view of a coextrusion sion device, 110, in which an extruder with a main snail 112

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; extrusion conveyor block 120 is connected. The extruder 112 can be a conventional screw extruder for thermoplastic Materials - A second extruder 116, also called a coextruder, has an outlet passage 118 and is also connected to the conveyor block 120. Extruders 112 and 116 were selected for their ability to thermoplastic polymers such as polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, To plasticize ethylene vinyl alcohol and other similar plastics for containers. The plasticized thermopolymer occurs from the flow channels 114 and 118 in the conveyor block 120 and is in the conveyor block with a precise, predetermined distribution in a leaf-shaped nozzle 122 distributed. The nozzle. 122 spreads the thermopolymer from a generally tubular, molten stream a relatively wide, flat sheet or film through outlet slot 124. The purpose of the conveyor block 120 is to separate various combinations of the two thermoplastic streams from extruders 112 and 116, and reunite so that sheet 126 from mold 122 ί25 has the desired combination of thermoplastic layers, which has been coextruded into a single, unitary sheet. The coextruded sheet 126 is then passed over chill rolls 128, 130 and 132 guided so that the sheet is solidified and treated by the coextrusion process can.

Fig. 2 shows a coextrusion device 112 and two coextruders and 134. While the coextrusion device according to Fig * 1 from two to four layers in a coextruded sheet by separating and recombining the can produce emerging currents from the two coextruders, the coextrusion device according to Fig.2

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make multi-layered sheets from zv / ei up to six layers contained in it. The addition of every extra Coextruders to the coextrusion device therefore adds two additional layers to the capacity in the multilayer Leaf that is being formed is added. Each additional co-extruder requires additional channels and distribution means in conveying block 120. In a particular embodiment, the coextrusion device according to FIG. 2 is used to produce a five-layer sheet, the Main coextruder 112 is the base layer of the sheet, which is responsible for creating the outermost polymer layers in two Currents is divided, produces. A second polymer can be coextruded through a second coextruder 116 and generally has a barrier material such as ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) and a third co-extruder 134 can be used to provide a composite layer of adhesive for bonding the base layers to the Provide barrier layer. A forming nozzle 122 for the sheet, similar to that shown in Figure 1, is connected to the outlet of the feed block 120 connected and picks up the multilayer polymer in a tubular flow and spreads it into one thin, flat sheet 126, which is then cooled on chill rolls 128-132.

Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-section of the forming nozzle 122 for the sheet of Figs. 1 and 2, which is a multilayer Sheet 126 is extruded, which is cooled between the chill rolls 128. The thickness of the extruded sheet 126 is greatly exaggerated here in order to illustrate its multilayered composition. In one embodiment, has the multilayer sheet 126 has a base layer A on the outer surface of the sheet, preferably from the main extruder 112 is extruded. A middle barrier layer B

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j is right in the middle of the coextruded sheet and is preferably fed through the second coextruder 116 extruded. A pair of composite layers C are between the barrier layer B and the sweeter layers A, the composite layers C being extruded from the co-extruder 134. It should be noted that the above primarily for extruding the various layers A., B and C through extruders 112, 116 and 134 towards the plasticization of the solid polymer particles refer to a molten flow. The actual final extrusion of the molten flow will be made through the nozzle 122 after the melted Currents from the three extruders in conveyor block 120 have been combined.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the base layer A was made from a container polymer such as PET and the barrier layer B was made from a material such as EVOH. Because EVOH and PET are incompatible and not sticking together, a barrier layer C was coextruded between the barrier and base layers. The general composition of a composite layer C is a polyvinyl acetate or an ethylene vinyl acetate, such as manufactured by Mitsui Chemical Company, Japan, under the designation ADMER. Another Adhesive for EVOH and PET would be CXA sold by DuPont Chemical Company.

In a second embodiment, a multilayer Sheet designed for the production of containers, the 'a base layer A made of polypropylene with an EVOH barrier layer and a composite layer C containing an adhesive available from Mitsui Chemical Corporation, Japan at the name MODIC is sold.

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In Figures 4-6 the invention is in one embodiment a co-extrusion container manufacturing facility. According to FIG. 4, the coextrusion device has 110 a main extruder 112 and the co-extruder 116 supplies conveyor block 120 and die 122. A coextruded sheet 126 is closed by chill rolls 128-132 a pair of pick-up rollers 138. The pickup rollers 138 are provided with a friction puller to maintain tension on the sheet after it was passed through the chill rolls 128-132. After the sheet 126 has come out through the take-up carriages 138, it is fed through a two-axis registration device 140 which has conventional sheet registration means. In a sheet aligner, the sheet is heated to its optimal aligning temperature and laterally and stretched longitudinally, then cooled for optimal gain and blocking characteristics to create in the sheet. This is a conventional alignment device that is commercially available in today's thermoplastic Area is available. Optionally, the two-axis alignment device 140 can be positioned between the chill rolls and the Pick-up rollers can be attached to reduce the need to reheat the sheet material. In in this case the temperature of the material coming out of the lower chill roll 132 is monitored and the coolant the chill rolls are regulated in a very precise way so that the material exiting the chill roll has the exact optimal alignment temperature. Then the material is fed through the two-axis alignment device, which grips the sheet on all three open sides and stretches it biaxially up to a maximum amount, to create optimal alignment.

ORIGINAL INSPECTED

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The stretched sheet is then cooled while it is in the stretched state to prevent re-shrinkage of the sheet and loss of alignment impede.

Fig. 6 shows that the sheet is fed from the registration device through a slot device 142 where it is in three or more main strips D, E and F are slit. The X and Y sides of the main sheet, those of the main strips p, E and F are separated by a

is grinder and then back to an intermediate one Layer in the sheet returned through one of the coextruders. Each of strips D, E and F then becomes a heated one Rollformer where each strip turned into a cylindrical one! Tube G, H and I is rolled and welded. This end ~ [20 loose cylindrical tubes are then 2u of a pre-cutting device 146 guided, which roughly cuts the tubes 147 into predetermined, desired tube lengths. The pipe pieces 147 are collected in a container 148 and then conveyed to a precision cutter 150 where they are made to be precise Lengths are cut and smooth ends are obtained. the precisely cut pipe pieces 151 are collected in a second container 152 and from there they are individually closed a conventional rotary welding device 153 performed, the in the aforementioned Reissue patent incorporated herein 29,448.

Shaped container ends are conveyed via conveyor 154 to rotary welder 153 for precision tubing parts 151 to be welded. In this manner the containers illustrated in Figures 14-17 are made. After rotary welding, the containers are collected in a storage container 156 and neatly arranged.

ORIGlNAL INSPECTED

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aligned so that they are then conveyed to a label printer will. The finished container is conveyed from the printer 158 via the conveyor 160 to the filling station there to be filled with the liquid or solid food that is to be contained in the container. The rotary welding device 153 and printer 158 are commercially available for the container industry.

In a preferred embodiment, a rotary welding device AW-14, which is manufactured by Vercon Inc. of Garden Grove, California, is used and the printer is manufactured and sold by Van Dam, U.S.A., Camden, New Jersey.

Optionally, as one of the advantages of this invention, a planographic printer can be used which prints the labels prior to printing Training to print cylindrical tubes on the sheet. All that would be required for this would be a conventional flat label printer either in front of or behind the slitting device 142 is necessary. Printing flat labels is known in the container industry and is easier, faster and more accurate to perform than printing Labels on cylindrical and curved surfaces. The present invention enables the multiple Print labels flat directly onto the thermoplastic walls of the curved plastic containers before they are bent , a process that was not possible prior to this invention.

The container parts from the collecting container 152 into the rotary welding device 153 are performed, are cylindrical pipe parts of equal length, which by the interaction

s of the sheet co-extruder, the two-axis alignment device} and the heat roller and welding device 144 are formed. 14-17 show that these cylindrical tubular parts can be formed into cans or bottles. In any case, the bottom part of the container is whether it is a Jug, or bottle, is primarily a circular disc with an upwardly U-shaped Flange part for friction welding, fusing or cementing the disc onto the cylindrical tube. That The upper part of the container can either be a bottle upper part, which is preferably formed by injection molding or a poseir top that comes with a flat washer and a tab is provided to open and one after downward facing flange.

Fig. 5 shows another embodiment of the container manufacturing plant, wherein a multilayer sheet is formed either with a barrier polymer or with a metallic foil layer is provided, which is attached to the inside or the outside of the multilayer sheet connected is. Fig. 5 shows a main extruder 210 comprising a single-layer conveyor block 212 and a single-layer Press mold 214 is charged. In its vicinity, a roll of barrier material 216 is mounted above the extruder 210, preferably either made of polymer or a metallic foil. This material layer 218 is over the spreading roller 220 out and fuses with the blade 222 of the main extruder at the cooling roll device 224. A second Extruder 226 with a conveyor block 228 and a mold 230 conveys a second polymer sheet 232 to the cooling roller feed. 35 direction 224. The two polymer filters 222 and 232 converge on the outside of the barrier layer 218 between the upper chill roll 234 and the middle chill roll 236,

ORIGINAL INSPECTED

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whereupon they are fused by being pressed together, while they are still in a heated, semi-soft state, creating a good bond between the two extruded ones Layers and the barrier layer is created. The multilayer sheet is then over the final chill roll 238 and then exits the chill roll assembly as multilayer sheet material 240. This Material is conveyed through the take-up roller device 242 and from there into the slitting device 142 and the Welding device 144 according to FIG. 6.

If, in the embodiment according to FIG. 5, a metallic foil layer is provided as the barrier material 218, then no alignment device should be used because of the lack of alignment capacity in the metallic foil. On the other hand, if the barrier material 218 includes a thermal polymer such as ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), a biaxial aligner 140 may be advantageously used, either between the chill rolls and the take-up rolls, or between the take-up rolls and the slitting device. As already mentioned, the biaxial alignment device mainly provides a mechanical stretching means which can grasp the two sides of the sheet and the free end of the sheet and pull it in the two axial directions of the sheet. The optional embodiment of Fig. 5 therefore provides a multilayer, interlocked sheet, similar to that of the embodiment of Fig. 4, in which a layering system, rather than a coextrusion system, is used to bond the sheet layers together. The advantage of the multi-layer sheet system of Figure 5 is ; that other materials than polymers can be incorporated into the sheet material. For example, a thin metallic foil such as aluminum foil, tin foil. Or

OR ₁ GlNAU INSPECTED

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ί Copper foil can be used by putting it in the polymer layers is introduced. The polymer layers are kept at a temperature high enough to produce a Provide good bonding with the metal foil.

Alternatively, a co-extruder could be used for the single extruder 210 to produce a double layer sheet material with one layer as a container polymer and the second layer as an adhesive layer. as well For example, a co-extruder could be substituted for the second extruder 226 to co-extrude a double layer material for a container polymer with a layer of adhesive thereon. The adhesive layers are attached in such a way that that they face inward as they are passed through the two cooling rollers 234 and 236, whereby they come in contact with the barrier material 218 and provide a good bond therewith. This would be special useful when using a barrier material such as EVOH that does not readily interact with polymers such as polypropylene and PET, is compatible. In addition to the layer of a sheet material between two polymers, the invention can can be used to create a printed barrier material with a label attached between two clear polymers such as PET is incorporated. This would eliminate the need for a printer 158 in the middle or at the end switch off container production.

7-13 show a possible embodiment of the heated roller or roller welding device 144. These Illustration is more schematic than true to size, and it is intended to represent only the general basic principles of operation to show such a plant. The figures show two sets of parallel, biaxial rollers 310 and 310

for recording

INSPECTED

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, the multi-layer sheet material that is gently bent upward into a cylindrical tube while it is on its glass transition temperature is heated. As shown in the figure, the parallel rollers are generally flat and single second, linearly offset set of parallel rollers 314,316 are provided downstream of the first rollers 310,312. Referring to Fig. 8, the rollers have begun a certain amount of deflection that the sheet 126 is to receive. Fig. 9 shows a semicircle of the sheet material, which is formed by the rollers 318 and the heated mandrel 320

is formed. Fig. 10 shows that the material becomes a complete cylindrical tube formed by rollers 322 and mandrel 320 and in place became cylindrical. Likewise, Fig. 10 shows a welding source 324 with any known conventional melting and / or welding Warming means. For example, the welding heat source can be a flame, a laser, a microwave element / a quartz heater or any equivalent means. Optionally, the welding source can be a molten thermal Provide polymer that is sprayed or streamed onto the seam area 125 in the polymer 126. Another embodiment of the suturing process could be a quick setting one Apply synthetic resin, such as epoxy resin or any other liquid or semi-solid cement, to the two edges of the rolled To connect the pipe.

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The embodiment of Fig. 10 shows the "stump · weld ". Figure 11 is a side elevational view of the final tube forming process in axial view. Figure 12 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the tube forming process which is more like a lap weld as a butt weld according to FIGS. 10 and 11 is carried out. Fig. 12 shows that one edge of the sheet

η • 33

over the opposite edge in the final shaping of the pipe and a thermal pressure roller 326 creates the sealing force to form the cylindrical tube.] Indeed, roller 326 has a series of rollers axially supported along the seam area of the pipe ίο are as shown in Pig, 13. A heating source 324 is upstream of rollers 326 for preheating the seam area of the thermopolymer sheet. The heat source can be any applicable source such as a radiator or radio wave heater. Fig. 13 shows that the Roll the lap joint into a single, dimensional one Pressing the seam by progressively flattening the overlapping part in its semi-molten state, until the cylindrical pipe part is finished. Figures 7-13 show different embodiments of the Welding apparatus 144 according to FIG. 6

In another embodiment shown in Figure 22, another type of welding apparatus is in axial view shown. In this embodiment, the sheet is over

25 a cylindrical mandrel 320 rolled or bent, similar to the embodiments described above, the two edges of the sheet on the mandrel for butt welding are brought together just before the edges touch each other, they become electrical at one heated resistance wire 330, for example chrome-nickel wire, passed, which is connected to a power line (not shown). The tight transition of the polymer She brings the sheet sides to the heated wire to a melting temperature, whereupon they are pressed together immediately after passing the wire. This makes excellent butt welding with a minimum of applied Melting energy provided for heating the polymeric sheet. If desired, a non-adhesive over * -

Hf

train, for example polytetrafluoroethylene, on the heated Wire can be used to minimize sticking of the polymer to the wire in case it is inadvertent should touch the wire.

Figs. 14-16 show a container which advantageously according to of the present invention. These figures show a bottle 401 with a cylindrical, tubular Sidewall 402 formed in accordance with the method described above. A window lock is friction welded, melted, or cemented into a bottom portion of tube 402 and a top closure 403 which includes a threaded neck portion 407 and a filler ring 409 which integrally formed thereon is similarly attached to the top of tube 402. The tubular Wall part 402 is shown as a single-layer material, but FIG. 15 shows another embodiment of the wall part 402 in which a three-layer material is formed by lamination and / or coextrusion. As above mentioned, the wall of tubular member 402 may have any number of layers, for example from one to one nine layers, and 2 was through the multiple coextruders according to FIGS. 1 and 2.

Fig. 17 shows the use of the seamed tube _f j formed by the method described above to make a typical can 501. The can is formed by the seamed cylindrical portion 502 which has a bottom end 504 and a top Termination 503 is provided. The upper closure 503 has an opening strip formed therein for opening the container for pulling. As mentioned earlier, the

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Bottle 401 and jar 501 with closures attached outside, U-shaped flanges for friction welding, Cementing or fusing them to the tubular parts of the container. Optionally, the Termination of it can be crimped or cemented, or any combination of these can be used.

Figures 18-21 show various arrangements of end rolls to obtain non-cylindrical uniform tubes. Figure 18 shows rollers and a mandrel for forming square tubes. Fig. 19 shows a similar arrangement for making rectangular tubes and Fig. 20 shows the method for making triangular tubes Pipes. Other polygonal shapes can of course also be created. Fig. 21 shows a non-cylindrical

| 20 drical pipe forming arrangement for the production of elliptical shaped tubes. Other shapes of bent tubes can also be formed. That way you can many kinds of non-cylindrical tubular shapes can be formed into containers by using the non rotating friction welding technology, such as oscillation welding or through the use of heat fusion and / or adhesive bonding of the end seals for the pipes.

The present invention therefore provides means for the rapid formation of thermoplastic containers, the barrier properties as well as an orientation of the thermopolymer. Unprocessed polymer pellets are according to the invention used, which are processed into containers, which, if desired, are provided with labels. The entire process is relatively compact and can be placed directly in the filling plant of the food processing industry will. The inventive method, the required transport of empty containers from a

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Production plant for containers excluded, whereby the transport is extremely uneconomical because of the light but bulky nature of the empty containers. The invention also provides a quick, efficient and effective means of forming containers with a minimum of waste material. The containers formed in this manner provide cylindrical wall portions, having multilayer barrier materials with barrier polymers, barrier films, or combinations thereof, and the ability to have aligned polymers in the container walls to provide additional reinforcement while reducing the need for barrier polymer. The method for forming containers used either extrusion, coextrusion, lamination or a combination of these methods, as well as from sheet material, which then zo rolled into seamed tubes and is welded. The process involves the continuous production of tubular polymeric material, which is then cut into lengths and closed at the ends to make finished containers multiple, tubular row can be formed from a single extrusion line. Likewise, a multiple, blocked, tubular row can be formed from a single coextrusion line. For example, in a coextrusion row for a width of 132 cm using a main extruder and a second coextruder, a three-layer barrier sheet 132 cm wide can be formed, which is then fed to several different rows of tubes from this single sheet. The rows of tubes can form cans or bottles for soft drinks in the common sizes of 283.5 g and 340.2 g, as in

ORIGINAL INSPECTED

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> Figs. 14 and 17 shown. This container has one Diameter of about 57 mm, for which a leaf strip about 17 8 mm wide is required. When a certain Amount of waste cut from each side of the 132 cm wide sheet can be at least six strips cut from the wide sheet, possibly even seven strips. This would run six or seven rows of tubes from an extruder for a single sheet. While the aforementioned procedure for tubular extrusion according to Hahn for the! coextrusion of a tubular container wall is a clear advantage over the prior art, offers the present Invention even additional advantages in that five or more different rows of tubes from a single Extrusion line can be formed through the use of slitting devices and pipe welding devices can.

In the foregoing detailed description, a certain preferred embodiment of the present invention has been identified Invention described; however, it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments disclosed as they are intended to be viewed as a representation rather than a limitation. For the professional it is obvious that the invention is not so limited. For example, while rolling and a heated mandrel for forming a tube from the sheet are shown, it is obvious that a pair of parallel mandrels can be used instead of the rollers, or that rollers as a whole in the process instead the thorns can be used. Furthermore, it stands to reason that other types of seam welding than that disclosed can be used, and these well-known

ORIGINAL INSPECTED

> driving are available to those skilled in the art of thermoforming Other arrangements of the top and bottom parts can also be used to form containers welded pipes are used.

Likewise, other cutting devices can be used for training of the pipes to pipe pieces, for example by cutting with laser, sonic, hot »knife and through Quick saws. Polymers other than those disclosed can also be used, for example styrene acrylonitrile

S (SAN), polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC) and copolymers. Made of polyethylene and polypropylene,

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Claims (1)

Expectations y process for the production of thermoplastic objects tubular shape,
characterized in that a sheet or film of thermoplastic material is formed to a predetermined desired thickness, that the sheet is trimmed into at least one continuous strip of predetermined desired width, that the strip is heated to a temperature at which the thermoplastic material is formed that the heated strip is rolled into an endless tube, that the two edges of the rolled strip are fused together to form the tube, that sections of a predetermined length are cut from the tube and that at least one end cap in each tube section for formation of the tubular article is made. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the formation of the sheet is the melting of the thermoplastic Material in a mechanical extruder and that it extrudes through a sheet die will. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the sheet is formed from at least two different thermoplastic materials, both of which Materials are in a separate layer in the sheet and the layers are firmly bonded together. OR! G! NAL INSPECTED ε4. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the heating means maintaining the extrusion heat of the Sheet above its glass transition temperature from the extruder by rolling or rolling includes * Method according to claim 3, ■ characterized / that the formation of the sheet is the coextrusion of a Comprising a plurality of layers into a single, multi-layer sheet. · · 6. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the formation of the sheet involves laminating a plurality of comprised of layers into a single laminated sheet. Method according to claim 3, ' characterized in that the formation of the sheet involves lamination and coextrusion comprised of at least three layers in a single, connected sheet. 8. The method according to claim 7, (30 characterized in that an inner layer of the sheet includes a barrier polymer. 9, method according to claim 8, | 3S characterized in that the barrier polymer is selected from the group which from ethylene vinyl alcohol, polyvinylidene chloride and styrene acrylonitrile consists. ORIGINAL INSPECTED procedure after 3510956
3 after Claim 1 , after Claim 10, will. Claim 11, will. after after after Claim l _f 5lO- d a d u r c h Claim 1, c h marked, c h marked, after marked, after c h c h c h marked, marked. that the rolled or rolled tube is not cylindrical. that the terminations are twist welded to the pipes c h that the terminations are friction welded to the pipes c h that the edges that the edges that the edges of the pipe are welded so as to be overlapped. that "the rolled or rolled tube is cylindrical. procedure appropriate appropriate that the edges will. will. Claim 1, 11th procedure d a d u r procedure procedure procedure procedure marked, 10 d a d u r d a d u r d a d u r d a d u r d a d u r procedure of the pipe are butt-welded. d a d u r 12th Claim 1, marked, 15th of the pipe welded by hot melting 13th Claim 1, 20th marked, of the pipe sealed by cementing 14th ORIGINAL INSPECTED 25th 15th 30th 16. 35 17th 518. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the sheet is oriented in at least one axial direction after the sheet is formed. «0 19. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that after the formation of the sheet this is printed. 20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that the printing process takes place before the rolling or rolling process. 21. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that printing a label on the sheet after registration the same is provided. 22. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that an inner layer of the sheet is a metallic foil includes. 23. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that an inner layer includes a printed label. 24. Process for the manufacture of thermoplastic containers, characterized in that a single sheet is made up of at least three layers Polymer is formed, which are connected to each other, ORIGINAL INSPECTED wherein at least one of the layers is composed of a barrier polymer consists in that the sheet is slit into a plurality of strips having a predetermined, desired width that the strips are heated above their glass transition temperature and that each strip turns into an endless tube a longitudinal axis is rolled or rolled parallel to the edges of the strip. 25. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that the sheet includes five coextruded layers, that of two outer layers of structural polymer, a middle barrier layer and an intermediate layer of an adhesive between each structural layer and the middle layer. Method according to claim 25,
characterized in that one of the outer layers includes polypropylene, the other outer layer includes a polypropylene / ethylene copolymer, and the barrier layer includes ethylene vinyl alcohol. 27. The method according to claim 24,
characterized in that friction welding is provided for the connection process. 28. The method according to claim 24,
characterized in that the sheet is oriented at least in an axial direction after its formation. 29. The method according to claim 24,
characterized, ORIGINAL INSPECTED 3510959 that a label is printed on the sheet after its formation. 30. The method according to claim 24,
characterized in that a label is printed on the sheet after it is formed and prior to rolling or rolling. 31. The method according to claim 24,
characterized, is that a label on each tube after rolling or rolling is printed. method according to claim 28 _r characterized in that a label is placed on the sheet after it has been aligned is printed. 33. The method according to claim 24, characterized by the fact that a label is printed on one of the layers. Method for forming containers, characterized in that that a sheet with at least one layer of a thermoplastic Material is extruded that at least one additional layer of material with the extruded Layer laminated, is laminated to form a single sheet of multilayer, bonded material that the multilayer Sheet is heated to a non-melting, softening temperature that the sheet at least in one Strip with endless, predetermined, desired width is cut that the strip is rolled into a tube or rolled ORiölNAL INSPECTED 351095 10 being, the edges of the strip being substantially run parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube formed, that-the edges are connected in such a way that they form a closed, forming an endless tube that predetermined, desired lengths are cut from the tube and that at least one end cap is welded to each length of the tube to form containers therefrom. 35. method according to claim 34, characterized in that when laminating a metallic film layer for Extrude sheet is added and a second layer of thermoplastic material is added over the film layer. zo36. method according to claim 34, characterized in that the layers are heat fused. 37. method according to claim 34, characterized, that the layers are glued together. 38. The method according to claim 34,
characterized in that the extruding includes coextruding at least two layers of different thermal polymers. 39. The method according to claim 34,
characterized in that the sheet is biaxially aligned after its formation. ORSCiNAL INSPECTED 35109 40.- device for the production of tubular plastic objects, full - A device for plasticizing a thermoplastic Resin, - one connected to this plasticizing device Leaf nozzle for shaping the plasticized resin into a sheet, - a slot device in connection with the leaf nozzle to: Slitting the sheet into at least one continuous strip of sheet material of a predetermined desired size Broad, 7 a rolling device to make the sheet strip into a continuous one To shape pipe, - a connecting device to the two parallel edges to connect the rolled pipe, a cutting device for cutting predetermined appropriate lengths from the rolled and connected pipe and a device for attaching thermoplastic terminations to these pipes. 41.- Device according to claim 40, characterized in that the plasticizing device comprises an extruder. 42.- Apparatus according to claim 41, characterized in that it also has a co-extruder connected to the blade nozzles includes. 43.- Device according to claim 40, characterized in that it further comprises a device for after the blade nozzle Adding at least one further layer of material to the sheet. 4 4.- Device according to claim 43, characterized in that it further comprises a device for adding after the nozzle a barrier layer and a label sheet to the extruded sheet. INSPECTED 351095 5 45.- Device according to claim 40, characterized in that the connecting device is a fusing device for Includes heat sealing of the sheet edges. 46.- Device according to claim 45, characterized in that the fusing device is a butt welding device includes. 47.- Apparatus according to claim 46, characterized in that the welding device comprises a heated wire. 48.- Device according to claim 47, characterized in that the fusing device is an overlap welding device includes. 9.- The device according to claim 40, characterized in that the device for fastening the end terminations one Includes friction welder. 50.- Device for manufacturing thermoplastic containers 25 from thermoplastic resins, characterized in that it a device for treating a solid thermoplastic resin with mechanical energy to melt it, - Nozzles for extruding the molten resin into a continuous one Sheet, - a device for cooling the leaf, a device for forming a barrier layer on the sheet - a device to move the sheet to at least one predetermined To form strips of suitable width, 33- a device to turn the strip into a tubular shape to roll - a device for joining the edges of the rolled strip to form a continuous tube, 351095 a device for cutting tubular container sections of a predetermined desired length from the tube, and
a device for attaching thermoplastic end pieces to the tube to form containers. 51.- Device according to claim 50-, characterized in that that the melting device comprises a mechanical extruder. 52.- Device according to claim 51, characterized in that the device forming the barrier layer is a coextruder which is connected to the nozzle in parallel with this extruder. 5 3.- Device according to claim 52, characterized in that the nozzle comprises a coextrusion sheet nozzle. 54.- Device according to claim 50, characterized in that the device forming the barrier layer is a roll sheet Conveyor comprises to apply one or more additional sheets of material to the continuous sheet after this nozzle. 55.- Apparatus according to claim 50, characterized in that it is further between the cooling device and the rolling device comprises a label printer. 56.- container manufacturing system for the manufacture of barrier-coated thermoplastic tubular containers, characterized in that the system - a main extruder for melting thermoplastic resin materials, - a co-extruder in parallel alignment to the main extruder for melting a thermoplastic barrier polymer, 35 1 0955 - a coextrusion sheet die connected to the extruder and coextruder to form a multilayer thermoplastic sheet, - A slitting device for cutting the sheet in min at least one continuous strip of sheet material - a tubular rolling device for rolling each continuous Strip into a continuous tube, - a pipe welder for welding the adjacent edges of the rolled pipe, - A pipe cutter for cutting appropriate lengths of pipe from the continuous, welded pipe and - A friction welding device for welding thermoplastic end pieces to at least one end of each pipe length includes. 57.- Apparatus according to claim 56, characterized in that it further comprises a secondary roller conveyor system for application another layer of material on the thermoplastic sheet. 58.-Apparatus according to claim 56, characterized in that that it further comprises a label printer disposed downstream of the reed nozzle. 59.- Apparatus according to claim 58, characterized in that the label printer for printing flat labels the sheet is designed as it comes out of the sheet nozzle. 60. Article having a thermoplastic body portion, the article being characterized in that it - A tubular wall part, consisting of a strip a rolled and seamed thermoplastic sheet and ORIGINAL INSPECTED - 12 - 351095 - At least one end closure in this tubular wall part, which closes the end tightly, includes. 61.- object according to claim 60, characterized in that that the wall part is a multilayer strip of one thermoplastic sheet having at least one layer of a structural polymer and at least one layer of a Comprises barrier polymer, these layers being bonded into a single sheet. 62.- Object according to claim 60, characterized in that the wall part further a layer of metal foil bonded between two polymer layers includes. 63.- Object according to claim 60, characterized in that the end closure comprises a thermoplastic closure, which is friction welded to the tubular wall part. 64.- Article according to claim 63, characterized in that it further comprises a second thermoplastic termination which is friction welded to the opposite end of the tubular wall portion. 65.- Object according to claim 60, characterized in that the tubular wall part is cylindrical and parallel has a seam to the longitudinal axis of the wall part. 66.- Object according to claim 60, characterized in that the tubular wall part is non-cylindrical and parallel has a seam to the longitudinal axis of the wall part. 351095 67. Article characterized in that it comprises a container with a multilayer body portion, wherein the container comprises a sheet of an extruded thermoplastic resinous material to which a sheet of a Barrier material is bonded, the multilayer sheet by rolling and welding parallel to the longitudinal axis of the The tube is formed into a tubular section and the tubular section has at least one terminating member, which is tightly attached to one end of the same. 68.- Container according to claim 67, characterized in that the barrier material comprises a barrier resin layer, which with the thermoplastic resinous material was coextruded. 69.- Container according to claim 67, characterized in that the barrier material is a resin-like on the thermoplastic Material comprises laminated sheet of metal foil. A container according to claim 67, characterized in that it further comprises a layer of a printed label the other tubular section is attached. 71.- A container according to claim 67, characterized in that it further comprises a layer of a printed label which laminated between two sheets of the extruded thermoplastic resinous material. 72.- A container according to claim 67, characterized in that it further comprises a label which is applied directly to the sheet from the derr thermoplastic resinous material is printed. 73.- A container according to claim 67, characterized in that it further comprises a label which is applied directly to the sheet from the Barrier material is printed. ORIGINAL INSPECTED 351095 74.- A container made by a process comprising the following steps: - forming a continuous sheet of thermoplastic resin, - Adhering a continuous sheet of barrier material to the resin sheet. - Predetermine slitting of the adhesively bonded multilayer sheet into at least one continuous strip the width, - rolling the strip into a tubular shape, adhesive bonding of the edges of the tubular strip Cutting the tubular strip to predetermined convenient lengths and - Attach at least one end connector to each length of pipe. 75.- Container according to claim 74, characterized in that the step forming the sheet - extruding the sheet through an extruder and a sheet die includes. 76.- Container according to claim 75, characterized in that the level of the adhesive bond - coextruding a thermoplastic resin material and a thermoplastic barrier material by coextruders and comprises a multilayer feed block and a sheet nozzle. 77 .-- Container according to claim 75, characterized in that the level of the adhesive bond - the adhesive connection of a barrier sheet to the extruded sheet after it has been extruded, includes. ORIGINAL INSPECTED 351095 78.- Container according to claim 77, characterized in that the step of the adhesive connection is the use of binder includes. 79.- Container according to claim 77, characterized in that the step of the adhesive connection is a heat weld includes. 80.- Container according to claim 77, characterized in that the barrier sheet comprises a metal foil. 81.- Container according to claim 77, characterized in that the barrier sheet comprises a barrier resin. ORIGINAL INSPECTED