GB2101520A

GB2101520A - Locating a preformed member on the inner surface of a blow-moulding

Info

Publication number: GB2101520A
Application number: GB08217936A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ahti Liukkonen
Original assignee: PYRKIJAE Oy
Current assignee: PYRKIJAE Oy
Priority date: 1981-06-22
Filing date: 1982-06-21
Publication date: 1983-01-19
Also published as: NO822073L; IT1152987B; IT8221981A0; SE8203837D0; NL8202495A; FI811938L; DE3223081A1; JPS5833419A; SE8203837L; FR2507955A1; DK277282A

Abstract

A reserve container 4', is fixed on the inner wall 4, of a plastics material tank in a blow-moulding process by mounting the reserve container on the air inlet pin 3', or on some other support member which, immediately after the blowing has begun, places the reserve container at the exactly desired place on the inner wall of the hot, formed plastics hose. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A method and blow-moulding machine for enabling a preformed member to be located on an inside surface of a hollow body during the moulding process The present invention relates to a method and machine for securing a preformed member of any nature or material, such as a separate fuel tank reserve container, on the inner wall of a hollow body, such as a plastics fuel tank in the process of blow moulding.

Liquid flows about in the fuel tank of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine because of the movement of the vehicle from one side to the other. Therefore it is possible that air or a mixture of air and fuel may be introduced into the engine at a certain moment from the suction point of the fuel. To prevent this phenomenon either intermediate walls or a separate fuel tank reserve container are used. These construction elements cause a certain delay in the movement of the fuel at the suction point. This ensures that there is enough liquid at the suction point despite the liquid movement in the fuel tank. When the reserve container, later also called a delay container, is properly designed, it remains full for a long time in spite of the fact that there may no liquid in the fuel tank near the delay tank caused by the position of the vehicle.

It is not difficult to secure a delay tank on the inner wall of a metal fuel tank because of the manufacturing process. However, it has not been readily possible to secure a delay container on the inner wall of the plastics fuel tank manufactured by the blow-moulding process. The reason for this is that it is not possible to make an opening in the wall of the fuel tank which is large enough to permit the reserve container to be mounted in place through the opening because an opening of this size would tend to make the fuel tank liable to leak. It is an object of the present invention to avoid this mentioned problem.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of securing a separate preformed member on the inner wall of a hollow plastics material body during the process of blowmoulding said body, characterized by the fact that said member is mounted on the air inlet pipe for effecting blow moulding or on another device, and said inlet pipe or other device which during the blow-moulding process is disposed inside the formable plastics material tube displaces said member so as to locate such at the desired position on the inner surface of the hot plastics material body and secured in position by the setting of said plastic material.

Also according to the present invention there is provided in a blow-moulding machine, a carrier for a separate preformed member to be located on the inside of a hollow body to be produced during blow-moulding and means for displacing said carrier within the formed body so as to dispose the member against th inner surface of the formed body whilst hot to secure said member on cooling.

In the main intended area of use of the present invention for locating a reserve or delay container on an inside surface of a plastics fuel tank, the delay baffles or plate means are mounted on the blow air pin or some other mechanism and is placed during the process of blow moulding inside the formable plastics hose. Immediately after the blowing has begun, the locating mechanism places the reserve container at exactly the desired place and with enough force on the inner wall of the hot, formed plastics hose. The reserve container is then fixed definitively on the inner wall of the fuel tank during the blow moulding process.

The same method can always be used when it is necessary to fix an additional vessel or elements on the inner wall of a tank or a vessel manufactured by blow moulding.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:~ Fig. 1 is a schematic elevation of a blowmoulding apparatus illustrating the fixing of a reserve container on the inner wall of a plastics material fuel tank in the process of blow moulding; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of a reserve container mounted on the blow air pipe.

Fig. 1 illustrates a blow moulding apparatus including a platen 1, a mould 2 and an air inlet pipe 3 for carrying out the blowing operation and for permitting location of a reserve container 4' on the inside surface of a reserve or delay container 4 formed by the blow moulding process, reference numeral 4 also indicating the moulding surfaces of the mould 2. In the process a plastics material tube (indicated in broken line) is extruded from a die 5 and between the mould sections 2 in known manner and air is then introduced via pipe 3 so as to deform the tube outwardly so that it assumes the configuration of the mould sections 2 so as to form the container 4.

In accordance with the present invention the air inlet pipe 3 includes a pivotable portion or pin 3' extending into the mould cavity and adapted by suitable releasable clamping or engaging means 6 to hold container 4' in a suitable position so as to be displaceable by the pivotting action of said pin 3' from a central position to a position wherein container 4' is correctly disposed on the inside surface of the container 4 which has been formed immediately prior thereto. The hot, still molten wall of the container 4 bonds with the surface of the reserve container pressed thereagainst to the required amount.

A displacing device 7 is indicated for effecting the pivotting of the pin 3' and may be electrically, pneumatically, hydraulically or mechanically powered in synchronism with the operating cycle of the apparatus to achieve the required pivotting of the desired stage in the process.

The clamping devices 6 will preferably be disengaged automatically without manual manipulation within the hollow body by a power impulse (any suitable source) along the pin 3' when the reserve container is secured to the inside wall of the container 4 and the displacing device will ensure the pin 3' is in a position to permit removal of the container 4 on opening of the mould sections 2.

It should be appreciated that the present invention is not restricted to production of fuel tanks and reserve tanks but concerns the location of any preformed member on the inside of a hollow body during the moulding of said body.

Small vessels or other elements can be required on the inner walls of greater vessels, such as, for transportation and storage of liquids consisting of two components, e.g. colours, glues etc. Also, the preformed member may be carried by means other than the air inlet pipe and displaced in any manner e.g. linearly, by suitable displacing means.

Claims

1. A method of securing a separate preformed member on the inner wall of a hollow plastics material body during the process of blowmoulding said body, characterized by the fact that said member is mounted on the air inlet pipe for effecting blow moulding or on another device, and said inlet pipe or other device which during the blow-moulding process is disposed inside the formable plastics material tube displaces said member so as to locate such at the desired position on the inner surface of the hot plastics material body and secured in position by the setting of said plastics material.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the container is moulded to form a plastics fuel tank and the preformed member is a reserve or delay container.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the separate member is a delay tank.

4. In a blow-moulding machine, a carrier for a separate preformed member to be located on the inside of a hollow body to be produced during blow-moulding and means for displacing said carrier within the formed body so as to dispose the member against the inner surface of the formed body whilst hot to secure said member on cooling.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4, in which the carrier means is the air inlet tube or pin of the blow-moulding machine and such is adapted to be pivotable and is displaceable by displacing means.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 4 or 5, in which the displacing means is located outside moulding cavity.

7. A machine as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6, in which the carrier has holding or clamping means for holding the preformed member and is releasable by control means without manual manipulation thereof within the hollow body.

9. A hollow body with a preformed member located on an interior surface whenever produced in accordance with the method.

10. A method substantially as herein described and illustrated.

11. A blow-moulding machine constructed and arranged to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.