Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
  • B65G47/22—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors
  • B65G47/24—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors orientating the articles
  • B65G47/248—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors orientating the articles by turning over or inverting them
• • 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
  • B29C49/4205—Handling means, e.g. transfer, loading or discharging means
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
  • B65G47/22—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors
  • B65G47/24—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors orientating the articles
• • 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
  • B29C2949/00—Indexing scheme relating to blow-moulding
  • B29C2949/07—Preforms or parisons characterised by their configuration
  • B29C2949/0715—Preforms or parisons characterised by their configuration the preform having one end closed
• • 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
  • B29C49/02—Combined blow-moulding and manufacture of the preform or the parison
  • B29C49/06—Injection blow-moulding
• • 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
  • B29C49/08—Biaxial stretching during blow-moulding
  • B29C49/10—Biaxial stretching during blow-moulding using mechanical means for prestretching
  • B29C49/12—Stretching rods
• • 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
  • B29C49/28—Blow-moulding apparatus
  • B29C49/30—Blow-moulding apparatus having movable moulds or mould parts
  • B29C49/36—Blow-moulding apparatus having movable moulds or mould parts rotatable about one axis
• • 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
  • B29C49/4205—Handling means, e.g. transfer, loading or discharging means
  • B29C49/42051—Means for stripping, aligning or de-stacking
  • B29C49/42057—Aligning disorderly arranged preforms, e.g. delivered disorderly

Definitions

• the invention relates to the technical field of processes for manufacturing hollow bodies made of thermoplastic material, in particular containers such as jars or bottles, processes in which a preform is first produced by injection before the final container is obtained during a stretch blow molding step.
• Preform is generally referred to as a substantially tubular object closed at an axial end, commonly referred to as the bottom.
• the other axial end provided with an opening, has the final shape of the neck of the final hollow body, such as a bottle or a bottle.
• This end generally comprises the fixing means of the closure device of the final hollow body (thread for screw cap or reinforced rim for capsule, or other) and is limited by a collar at its junction with the body of the preform, the body being the part between the neck and the bottom.
• the flange is used for handling the preform or container in various stages of their respective lives.
• stretch blow molding is designated a method in which a blowing nozzle (or blowing nose) is introduced into the opening (the neck) of this blank. Then, an elongation rod (also called rod) stretches the preform in the blow mold, by pressing against the bottom wall of the preform. Then, a high pressure blowing fluid sets the material of the blank against the walls of the blow mold.
• a blowing machine By stretch blow molding is designated a method in which a blowing nozzle (or blowing nose) is introduced into the opening (the neck) of this blank. Then, an elongation rod (also called rod) stretches the preform in the blow mold, by pressing against the bottom wall of the preform. Then, a high pressure blowing fluid sets the material of the blank against the walls of the blow mold.
• blowing machines Such a method is implemented in so-called blowing machines. Before the stretch-blow molding step, the preforms, made of thermoplastic material, undergo a heat-conditioning phase, ie they are heated in a conditioning
• the carousel stretching installations provide high production rates.
• a material such as PET, it is possible to produce more than 1500 containers per hour and per mold.
• preform blowing machines For this type of installation, the feeding of preform blowing machines is a particularly delicate operation. It consists, starting from bulk preforms, to correctly orient them in a substantially vertical position for their entry into the blowing machine. This operation is complex for current blowers operating at a rate of up to 50,000 bottles per hour.
• preform feeding uses devices such as detangling and alignment hoppers as well as preform feed rails and alignment rollers, for blowing machines, that is, means for the evacuation of misaligned or nested preforms, nested, these means being described for example in the documents FR 2 675 481, FR 2 816 297 and FR 2 864 051.
• blowing machines that is, means for the evacuation of misaligned or nested preforms, nested, these means being described for example in the documents FR 2 675 481, FR 2 816 297 and FR 2 864 051.
• blowing machines to achieve rates manufacturing far superior to current machines. Therefore, to feed preforms, a blowing machine at a production rate of about 80,000 bottles per hour or more, it is necessary to provide power rails and alignment rolls of great length. so as to constitute a large preform accumulation zone and to increase the presence time of the preforms at the alignment rollers, in order to obtain a maximum number of correctly aligned preforms.
• these preform feeders require improperly positioned preforming devices. They have the disadvantages of causing irregularities in the flow of the preforms. But it is important to have a substantially constant number of preforms at the inlet of the blowing machines.
• feeding rails and alignment rollers of great length have the consequence of having to place the preform feed system several meters above the ground. Operator interventions and maintenance are difficult at heights of several meters, and require adapted access devices (bridges, ladders, guardrails).
• the implementation of supply rails and alignment rollers of great length and access devices also lead to a large footprint on the ground.
• the present invention aims to overcome the problems mentioned above.
• the present invention provides a new method of orientation and conveying preforms and a conveying device for blowing machines suitable for feeding these machines at high speeds, typically greater than 80,000 preforms per hour.
• the invention relates to a preform orientation method, in which process, in a first step, the preforms are treated so as to form at least one flow of aligned preforms in a flow conduit substantially horizontal, the preforms leaving this conduit being tilted in a second step so as to form at least one flow in which the preforms are substantially vertical.
• the invention relates to a device for carrying out the above method, this device comprising, for the implementation of the first step, a centrifugal distributor with inclined or horizontal rotating disk.
• the invention relates to a device for orienting preforms from a flow of preforms aligned in a substantially horizontal flow conduit, this device comprising three bearing surfaces, namely two surfaces. upper sideways extending substantially in the same first plane and a low central bearing surface extending substantially in a second plane inclined relative to the first plane, the upper side surfaces being spaced a distance apart greater than the diameter of the body of the preform and less than the outside diameter of the flange, so that they form receiving surfaces for the flange of the preforms, the low central surface forming, over at least a part of its length, surface of support for the bottom of the preforms.
• the preform orientation device has the following characters, if necessary combined.
• the device is provided with means making it possible to modify the angle of inclination of the central bearing surface with respect to said first plane. It is thus possible to adapt the device to different heights of preforms.
• the device is provided with means for modifying the spacing between the upper bearing surfaces. It is thus possible to adapt the device to different body widths of preforms.
• the lateral surfaces and the central surface are formed by the upper strands of three endless bands or belts running at substantially the same speed.
• the flanges and the bottom wall of the preforms are thus driven and guided during the tilting movement of the preforms by their respective receiving or supporting surfaces, which greatly limits the risk of pendulum movement of the preforms.
• a drive or return shaft is common to the three bands.
• the three endless belts or belts are substantially identical.
• the manufacturing and maintenance costs of the device are thus modest.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a device according to the invention, a return pulley and a conveyor belt portion being shown in dashed lines in this figure 3, in order to leave the central strip more apparent.
• FIG. 2 is a side view of a device according to one embodiment of the invention
• - Figure 3 is a side view similar to Figure 2, the preforms having a different orientation at their point of entry E of the device.
• the applicant has devised a method of orientation of preforms, in which method the orientation of the preforms is not, unlike conventional methods, directly and at the earliest realized after spilling preforms in a disentangling hopper.
• the Applicant has devised a method for orienting the preforms in which, in a first step, the preforms are treated so as to form at least one flow of aligned preforms in a substantially horizontal flow conduit, the preforms emerging from this duct being tilted in a second step so as to form at least one flow in which the preforms are substantially vertical.
• centrifugal distributor inclined rotating disc or horizontal are known in themselves in the field of conveying items delivered in bulk, and are sometimes referred to as a centrifugal bowl. There are various designs of centrifugal bowls.
• a centrifugal bowl comprises an outer enclosure receiving on the one hand a ring rotatably mounted and concentric with the enclosure, and on the other hand a disk rotatably mounted inside said ring, the axis of rotation of the disc being inclined relative to the axis of rotation of the ring, the disc and the ring being substantially tangent to each other in a transfer zone and being distant from each other in a zone loading.
• This treatment is intended to form a stream of preforms aligned with each other, all in a substantially horizontal plane.
• Figure 1 shows a preform orientation device according to the invention. It comprises three bearing surfaces, namely two high lateral surfaces 1, 2 extending substantially in the same first plane P1, substantially horizontal, and a low central bearing surface 3 extending substantially in a second plane P2 inclined relative to the first plane PL, Preferably, as shown in the figures, the plane P1 and the plane P2 are intersecting, input of said device.
• the high lateral support surfaces 1, 2, and low central 3 are respectively formed by the upper strands of three endless belts or belts 8, 9, 10 traveling at substantially the same speed; in this case, the device is equipped with a drive shaft or return shaft 7 common to the three strips 8, 9, 10.
• the strips 8 and 9 are spaced apart by a distance greater than the diameter of the body of the preforms to be straightened and less than the outer diameter of their collar, so that their upper strands form receiving surfaces for the collar of the preforms, the central low band forming, over at least a portion of the length of its upper strand, bearing surface for the bottom of the preforms.
• Figures 2 and 3 illustrate how the preforms arriving in the conveying and orientation device, through the input E are processed.
• the flanges 4 of the preforms are supported by the inner edge of the high side surfaces 1, 2. These form a receiving surface for the flange 4 of the preforms 5, on either side of the body of the latter and the low central surface 3 forms, over at least part of its length, a bearing surface for the bottom 6 of the preforms 5.
• the high side surfaces 1, 2, and the low central surface 3 scroll substantially at the same speed.
• the preforms 5 swing from a lying position to a vertical position while being held by their collar and guided smoothly by the inclined low central surface 3 which accompanies the bottom 6 of the preforms 5 during the tilting movement. .
• the flanges 4 and the bottom wall 6 of the preforms 6 are driven and guided during the tilting movement of the preforms 5, the risks of pendulum or pendulum movement of the preforms 5 are eliminated.
• this device functions as well when the preforms 5 which reach the input E of the device have their opening turned towards this input E or opposite this input E of the device.
• the device is provided with means (not shown) for changing the spacing between the upper bearing surfaces 1, 2. It is thus possible to adapt the device to different body widths of preforms.
• the device is provided with means (not shown) for modifying the angle of inclination of the low central bearing surface 3, with respect to said first plane P1
• the three strips 8, 9, 10 are, in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, substantially identical. The manufacturing and maintenance costs of the device are thus modest. In other embodiments, not shown, the central strip 10 is shorter than the two side strips 8, 9.
• the straightened preforms can be taken back by any suitable device (conveyor belts, gravity rails, etc.)

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Blow-Moulding Or Thermoforming Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
• Feeding Of Articles To Conveyors (AREA)
• Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=38962091

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (7)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 2007
  • 2007-04-20 JP JP2010503539A patent/JP5028522B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-04-20 CN CN200780052659A patent/CN101652300A/zh active Pending
  • 2007-04-20 MX MX2009011302A patent/MX2009011302A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2007-04-20 US US12/596,365 patent/US20100193325A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2007-04-20 WO PCT/FR2007/000673 patent/WO2008129139A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2007-04-20 EP EP07731336.9A patent/EP2137091B1/de not_active Withdrawn - After Issue

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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