Container-fabricating apparatus and a method for the cleaning thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10131074-B2
Application number	US-201414902683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2014
Priority date	Jul 2, 2013
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A container-fabricating apparatus having an injection head establishing fluid communication between an injection fluid port disposed therein and a preform disposed in communication with a nozzle of the injection head. The apparatus also including a stretching rod moveable between a position projecting from the injection head through the nozzle and a substantially retracted position. The apparatus further includes a cleaning chamber at least partially defined by a hollow, elongate housing contiguous with and extending from the injection head, a plurality of cleaning chamber ports in a wall of the housing establishing fluid communication with the cleaning chamber, the stretching rod being substantially disposed within the cleaning chamber when disposed in the substantially retracted position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A container-fabricating apparatus, comprising:
an injection head configured to establish fluid communication between an injection fluid port disposed in the injection head and a substantially-tubular preform disposed in communication with a nozzle of the injection head;
an injection valve located within the injection head, the injection valve being moveable between a first position preventing the flow of the injection fluid through the injection head and a second position permitting the flow of the injection fluid through the injection head;
a stretching rod disposed at least partially within the injection head, the stretching rod being mobile between a substantially extended position wherein the stretching rod projects from the injection head through the nozzle and a substantially retracted position;
a cleaning chamber at least partially defined by a hollow, elongate housing contiguous with the injection head and extending therefrom, the cleaning chamber also being at least partially defined within the injection valve in the injection head, a plurality of cleaning chamber ports being provided in a wall of the housing so as to establish fluid communication with the cleaning chamber, the stretching rod being substantially disposed within the cleaning chamber when disposed in the substantially retracted position; and
portions of the injection valve and the stretching rod defining a cleaning chamber valve, the cleaning chamber valve being disposed so as to selectively establish fluid communication through the nozzle between the cleaning chamber and a region adjacent to said nozzle outside said injection head.

2. A container-fabricating apparatus, comprising:
an injection head configured to establish fluid communication between an injection fluid port disposed in the injection head and a substantially-tubular preform disposed in communication with a nozzle of the injection head; and
a stretching rod disposed at least partially within the injection head, the stretching rod being mobile between a substantially extended position wherein the stretching rod projects from the injection head through the nozzle and a substantially retracted position;
a cleaning chamber at least partially defined by a hollow, elongate housing contiguous with the injection head and extending therefrom and at least partially defined by the injection head, a plurality of cleaning chamber ports being provided in a wall of the housing so as to establish fluid communication with the cleaning chamber, the stretching rod being substantially disposed within the cleaning chamber when disposed in the substantially retracted position;
wherein the injection head is further provided with at least one cleaning chamber valve, the at least one cleaning chamber valve being disposed so as to selectively establish fluid communication through the nozzle between the cleaning chamber and a region adjacent to said nozzle outside said injection head; and
wherein the injection head further comprises a substantially tubular displacement sleeve disposed coaxially about the stretching rod and translatably mobile relative thereto, said displacement sleeve having an interior diameter generally greater than the outside diameter of said stretching rod such that where said displacement sleeve is disposed about said stretching rod an interstitial space is defined between said displacement sleeve and said stretching rod, said displacement sleeve further comprising a sealing member disposed at a first end thereof configured such that a seal is created where said stretching rod engages said sealing member, thereby constituting the cleaning chamber valve, and at least one circulation orifice establishing fluid communication between the interstitial space and the cleaning chamber, said at least one circulation orifice being disposed in a second end of said displacement sleeve opposite said first end.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cleaning chamber ports is disposed at an extremity of the cleaning chamber and at least one other of said cleaning chamber ports is separated from said at least one port at said extremity by a distance equal to at least half the length of the cleaning chamber.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cleaning chamber has a length of at least 35 centimeters.

5. The container-fabricating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the injection head defines an injection chamber communicating the injection fluid port with the nozzle, the injection valve including a cylindrical portion disposed within the injection head about the stretching rod, the cylindrical portion defining at least a portion of the cleaning chamber extending within the injection nozzle.

6. The container-fabricating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein one end of the injection valve sealingly engages the stretching rod to define the cleaning chamber valve disposed within the injection chamber.

7. The container-fabricating apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the cleaning chamber valve is disposed within the injection chamber upstream of the nozzle so as to selectively establish fluid communication between the cleaning chamber and the nozzle.

Assignees

• Discma Ag

Inventors

• Chauvin Guillaume
• Collin Christophe
• Kannengiesser Damien
• Outreman Jean-Tristan
• Pellegatta Jean-Louis

Classifications

• B29C2049/465

  being incompressible · CPC title

• B29C2049/5803

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B29C49/46 Primary

  characterised by using particular environment or blow fluids other than air · CPC title

• B29C49/58

  Blowing means · CPC title

• B29C49/12

  Stretching rods · CPC title