ITRM20090461A1 - PROCEDURE AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CONTAINERS INCLUDING AT LEAST A PRE INSERTED HANDLE - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

"PROCESS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CONTAINERS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE PRE-INSERTED HANDLE"

The present invention refers to a process and an apparatus for the production of containers which incorporate at least one pre-inserted handle and, more precisely, to a process and an apparatus for the production of containers which incorporate at least one pre-inserted handle during the phase of forming the container.

The present invention finds particular application in the sector of linear blowing machines for PET and / or polypropylene bottles.

State of the art

To date, various methods and / or equipment for molding / blowing containers starting from preforms which incorporate inserts pre-inserted into the blowing molds and such as, for example, handles or the like are already known.

For example, document WO 0107233 describes an apparatus for blowing containers starting from a preform (i.e. the unit previously produced by injection and which, once blown into the relative mold, will subsequently constitute the container), in which the molding unit provides two half-molds and in which the container comprises a handle pre-inserted in it. According to this apparatus, there is provided an area for housing the handle or cavity inside the cavity mold, and at least one gripping device for grasping the handle from a supply area of the same to bring it into the mold. This technical solution is characterized by the fact that the grip device of the handle is incorporated in the same transfer arm as the preforms.

However, this solution has some disadvantages. A first disadvantage is given by the fact that, since an additional device for the transfer of the handle is provided together with the device for the transfer of the preform, the assembly is mounted on a transfer arm that travels from one point to another of the production line and which is bulky as well as with increased inertia.

A second disadvantage lies in the fact that since the handle is supplied via the transfer arm on the respective cavity present in the half-molds, the coupling of the same with the latter is of low precision, thus sometimes generating molding imperfections or related problems. during the subsequent blowing phase of the preform.

On the other hand, an alternative production methodology has been proposed according to the document EP 0482203 B1, which describes a production method of a bottle with a handle, in which a preform of synthetic resins and a handle are previously arranged in a molding equipment, which equipment is composed of two mold halves, and is characterized by the fact that the preform is arranged in the mold halves in their open condition, while the handle is temporarily enclosed in a further mounted handle support frame on one of the two half-molds and, subsequently, the half-molds are closed for the blowing phase of the preform.

This solution provides for the handle to be mounted on one of the two half-molds and, therefore, to travel with it. However, this solution has the disadvantage of having to provide a further frame for supporting it and, therefore, the relative assembly step. This entails the container forming times increased by the relative further assembly phase of the handle, greater complexity of assembly / preparation of the components of the molding equipment, and higher production costs.

Brief description of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned drawbacks by providing an apparatus for the production of containers which incorporate at least one handle pre-inserted in them, which apparatus comprises two half-molds for forming a container starting from a preform, one of the two half-molds having a mobile support device for the handle, and the arrangement being such that during the closing of the two half-molds the handle is simultaneously approached to the two half-molds.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for the production of containers which incorporate at least one handle pre-inserted in them which provides for a logical improvement of the succession of the assembly steps of the molds and of the subsequent phase of forming the container.

Therefore, the present invention relates to an apparatus for the production of containers which incorporate at least one handle pre-inserted therein according to the appended claims.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a process for the production of containers which incorporate at least one handle pre-inserted therein according to the appended claims.

Detailed description of the invention

A detailed description will now be provided of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus for the production of containers which incorporate at least one handle pre-inserted in them according to the present invention, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached figures, in which :

Figure 1 is a generic elevation view of a container which incorporates a handle pre-inserted when forming it, and obtained according to the process of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation view of a handle for the container of Figure 1; And

Figure 3 is a schematic and partial view of the apparatus for the production of the container of Figure 1 and according to the present invention.

With reference now to Figure 1 there is illustrated a container incorporating a pre-inserted handle according to the present invention.

As it is possible to notice, a container 1 is provided which has a shape that is the result of blowing a preform inside a relative mold and according to a molding / blowing method already known to experts in the sector. . For example, the container can be obtained by blowing a polypropylene or PET preform inside a suitable mold.

The container 1 has a handle 2 which is of a different material with greater rigidity and with the aim of providing adequate mechanical resistance during the transport of the container by the user. Typically, this application is directed to containers for medium and large volumes (from the gallon upwards) and in which the blowing of the material that constitutes them would make the area of the handle too weak. Therefore, we prefer the insertion of a more rigid form or other material which, once inserted in the container, provides the adequate mechanical resistance to the same for its transport.

With reference to Figure 2, it illustrates a handle for the use illustrated above with the container 1. More precisely, the handle 2 provides a coupling region 20 with the container 1 (the latter not in the figure) which coupling region 20 has two end regions 21 adapted to cooperate with respective hollow regions present in the final shape of the container 1 (the latter not shown in the figure).

As is evident from the figure, the shape of the extremity regions 21 is such that once the handle 2 is inserted into the final shape of the container 1, the first cannot come out of the latter since the type of engagement is a undercut joint. In this way a reliable connection is generated between the handle 2 and the container 1 and, at the same time, the handle 2 constitutes a gripping region with high mechanical resistance for transporting the container 1.

With reference now to Figure 3, the apparatus for forming the container 1 and according to the present invention is partially illustrated therein.

As can be understood in the figure, an apparatus is provided which incorporates a press 3 which comprises two supports 30, on each of which two complementary half-molds 31 are typically arranged.

It must be specified here that each half-mold 31 incorporates half of the final shape of the container 1, which final shape is obtained when the two half-molds 31 join together on a blowing plane X. In the example illustrated in the figure, each half-mold incorporates two cavities 31 for molding the relative two containers 1 (only one of which is shown in the figure).

Furthermore, a part of the equipment is provided (not shown in the figure for illustrative clarity) which is responsible for the transport and positioning of preforms 10 in correspondence with the molding plane X. The preforms 10, once positioned at the Inside of the two half-molds 31 and closed on the X plane, they are blown thus realizing the container 1 formed with the half-molds 31.

According to the invention, a support and transport device 22 for the handle 2 is further provided which is mounted on a single mold half 31 and better illustrated hereinafter.

As can be seen in the figure, the support and transport device 22 comprises a cylinder 23 connected with a support pincer 24 of the handle 2. The arrangement is such that the handle 2 when mounted on the relative support pincer 24 it is positioned outside the half-mold 31 to which it is associated and in correspondence with housing slots 32 present on both half-molds 31. In this way, the handle 2 is exactly positioned with respect to each slot 32 of a respective half-mold 31 and at the same time, as the handle 2 travels with the relative half-mold 31 to which it is associated, it does not present inertias that interfere with the coupling in the relative housing slot 32 thus ensuring an extremely precise coupling which also guarantees perfect closure of the two half molds 31.

The production process by means of the apparatus illustrated above and according to the present invention will now be illustrated.

According to the invention, the preforms 10 are firstly positioned in correspondence with the blowing plane X and the handles 2 on the relative devices 22. The handles 2 are positioned outside the half-mold 31 to which they are associated.

Then, the press 3 approaches towards closure the two half-molds 31 on the blowing plane X and with a speed V in the direction of the arrow in figure 3. Obviously, the two half-molds 31 move at the same speed in the direction of joining on the X plane of blowing.

When the half-mold 31 associated with the handle 2 reaches the X plane and, therefore, when the handle 2 is already entering the relative cavity 32 of the corresponding half-mold 31 (i.e. the one placed in front of the handle 2), the cylinder 23 moves the gripper 24 in direction of approach to the half-mold 31 to which the handle 2 is associated (i.e. the same half-mold 31 where the cylinder 23 is mounted) with a speed V2, which speed V2 is equal in magnitude to the speed V of the half-molds 31 but à ̈ of a direction contrary to the velocity V of the associated half-mold 31. In figure 3 the velocity V2 is illustrated with an arrow with a broken line.

More precisely, when the handle 2 is inserted in the relative slot 32 of the mold half in front of the one on which it travels, the cylinder 23 is activated by retracting the pliers 24 with a speed equal to that of the half molds 31. In this way, the • insertion of the handle 2 into the housing slots 32 at the same time as closing the half-molds 31.

Therefore, it is possible to start the blowing step of the preform 10 enclosed in the half-molds 31, and the subsequent forming of the container 1 with the handle 2 already inserted therein.

Subsequently, and as illustrated in Figure 3, the opening of its half-molds 31 allows the extraction of the format container 1 and its forwarding towards the next production line. In this condition, the apparatus is ready to carry out again the assembly and forming cycle of the container 1 as illustrated above.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the manufacturing apparatus and process of the present invention has numerous advantages.

A first advantage is given by the fact of providing an apparatus which is extremely compact and precise, and which considerably improves the coupling tolerances of the handle 2 on the half-molds 31 with respect to the state of the art.

Another advantage resides in the fact that according to the process of the present invention the positioning times of the components (i.e. the preform 10 and the handle 2) constituting the container 1 of the present invention are reduced, as well as the times of formation of the container 1 thanks to the fact that the handle 2 is positioned in the half-molds 31 during and simultaneously with the closing thereof.

The present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment but also includes the constructive variants that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (8)

CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for forming a container (1) of the type incorporating at least one handle (2) pre-inserted therein during its formation, the apparatus comprising: a press (3) which includes two supports (30) on each of which a half-mold (31) is arranged, said half-molds (31) being able to move towards and away from each other in correspondence with a molding plane (X), and each half-mold (31) incorporating a half of the final shape of said container (1); a region for transporting and positioning preforms (10) in correspondence with said molding plane (X); And means of transport and support (22) of said handle (2), said means of transport and support (22) being mounted on a single mold half (31), characterized in that said means of transport and support (22) of said handle (2) insert the latter inside said half-molds (31) simultaneously with their closing. 2. Apparatus for forming a container (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said means of transport and support (22) of said handle (2) comprise a cylinder (23) connected with a gripper (24) for supporting said handle (2), said cylinder (23) being mounted on a single mold half (31), the arrangement being such that said handle (2) when mounted on the relative support clamp (24) is positioned at the of the half-mold (31) to which it is associated and in correspondence with the housing slots (32) present on both half-molds (31). 3. Apparatus for forming a container (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said cylinder (3) is adapted to move said support gripper (24) towards and away from the half-mold (31) to which It is associated and parallel to the molding plane (X). 4. Apparatus for forming a container (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which each half-mold (31) has cavities for housing (32) of said handle (2) and adapted to cooperate for the support and positioning of said handle (2) during the reciprocal closing of said half-molds (31). 5. Process for forming the container (1) of the preceding claims, the process comprising the following steps: - positioning of at least one preform (10) in correspondence with a molding / blowing plane (X) where there are a pair of half-molds (31); - positioning of at least one handle (2) on relative mobile devices (22) for transporting and supporting said at least one handle (2) and associated with only one half-mold (31) of said pair of half-molds (31); and - approach towards the closure of said two half-molds (31) towards said blowing plane (X) with a speed (V), and characterized by the fact of understanding the phase of: - move said mobile devices (22) in the direction of approaching the half-mold (31) to which they are associated with a speed (V2) which is equal in magnitude to the approach speed (V) of the half-molds (31) but is in the direction contrary to said speed (V) of the half-mold (31) to which they are associated. 6. Process for forming a container (1) according to the preceding claim, in which said step of approaching said mobile devices (22) in the direction of approaching the half-mold (31) to which they are associated occurs at the junction of the two half-molds (31). 7. Process for forming a container (1) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said at least one handle (2) is inserted into respective cavities (32) present on said half-molds (31) simultaneously with the joining step of the same . 8. Process for forming a container (1) according to claim 5 or 6 or 7, in which said at least one handle (2) is positioned outside the half-mold (31) to which it is previously associated with the approaching and joining of said pair of half-molds (31).