Continuous cycle bottling line thermal conditioning structure in controlled environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10227224-B2
Application number	US-201314649123-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2013
Priority date	Dec 2, 2011
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

A continuous cycle bottling line for containers of thermoplastic material comprises: a parison molding unit; a blow-molding unit for making containers; a unit for filling the containers; a thermal conditioning structure for the parisons, for heating and cooling the parisons in a heating module and in a cooling module, respectively; an automatic controlled-atmosphere storage system for containing the parisons and interconnected with the other parts of the line; a pressurization system configured to pressurize at least the following parts of the line: the storage system, the at least one blow-molding unit and the connections between the thermal conditioning structure and the storage system; where the heating and cooling modules, alternatively or in combination, i) are pressurized, ii) have a plurality of shutters configured to occlude the opening at the end of each parison, so that the interior of the parison remains closed when the parison is inside the heating and cooling module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A continuous cycle bottling line for containers of thermoplastic material, comprising:
at least one moulding unit for making parisons of thermoplastic material from the thermoplastic material in raw form;
at least one blow-moulding unit configured to receive and to blow-mould the parisons in such a way as to make containers designed to be filled;
at least one filling unit configured to receive the containers from the blow-moulding unit and to fill the containers with liquid or semi-liquid food products;
a parison thermal conditioning structure configured to receive the parisons from the moulding unit and to heat and cool the parisons;
an automatic storage system internally defining a controlled atmosphere, configured to contain the parisons and connected to the thermal conditioning structure to receive and feed parisons from and to the thermal conditioning structure,

wherein the thermal conditioning structure comprises at least one cooling module, connected downstream of the parison moulding unit to receive parisons to be cooled and to the storage system to transfer the cooled parisons, and at least one heating module connected to the storage system to receive previously stored parisons to be heated and connected upstream of the blow-moulding unit in order to feed the blow-moulding unit with heated parisons,
the bottling line comprising a pressurization system configured to generate an overpressure at least inside the following parts of the line, compared to the atmosphere outside the line: the storage system, the at least one blow-moulding unit and connections between the thermal conditioning structure and the storage system,
and each one of the at least one heating module and the at least one cooling module of the thermal conditioning structure, alternatively or in combination:
i) is internally pressurized;
ii) has a plurality of shutters configured to occlude an opening at the end of each parison, so that an interior of the parison remains closed when the parison is inside the heating and cooling module,
and wherein the connections between the thermal conditioning structure and the storage system comprise:
closed ducts provided with slots to allow controlled flow of air from an environment inside the ducts, where there is overpressure, to an environment outside the line;
conveyors for transporting the parisons and located inside the ducts.

2. The bottling line according to claim 1 , wherein the pressurization system is configured to generate, inside the storage system and the at least one blow-moulding unit, an overpressure that is greater than the overpressure generated inside the connections between the thermal conditioning structure and the storage system.

3. The bottling line according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one cooling module is distinct and separate from the at least one heating module, the at least one cooling module being located in the proximity of the parison moulding unit and the at least one heating module being located in the proximity of the blow-moulding unit.

4. The bottling line according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one cooling module and the at least one heating module of the thermal conditioning structure are connected to the storage system by means of respective straight conveyors.

5. The bottling line according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of moulding machines for making parisons of thermoplastic material, each connected to a respective cooling module, the cooling modules of the thermal conditioning structure being connected to the storage system so that the moulding units are connected to the same storage system in parallel with each other.

6. The bottling line according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of blow-moulding units, each connected to a respective heating module, the heating modules of the thermal conditioning structure being connected to the storage system so that the blow-moulding units are connected to the same storage system in parallel with each other.

7. The bottling line according to claim 6 , comprising a plurality of filling units, one for each blow-moulding unit, connected to corresponding blow-moulding units.

8. The bottling line according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one moulding unit for making parisons of thermoplastic material is an injection moulding unit for making parisons from the thermoplastic material in raw form.

9. The bottling line according to claim 1 , comprising a capping unit configured to receive caps made of thermoplastic material and to apply the caps securely to respective full containers, the capping unit being integrated with the at least one filling unit and positioned downstream thereof.

10. A continuous cycle bottling line for containers of thermoplastic material, comprising:
at least one moulding unit for making parisons of thermoplastic material from the thermoplastic material in raw form;
at least one blow-moulding unit configured to receive and to blow-mould the parisons in such a way as to make containers designed to be filled;
at least one filling unit configured to receive the containers from the blow-moulding unit and to fill the containers with liquid or semi-liquid food products;
a parison thermal conditioning structure configured to receive the parisons from the moulding unit and to heat and cool the parisons;
an automatic storage system internally defining a controlled atmosphere, configured to contain the parisons and connected to the thermal conditioning structure to receive and feed parisons from and to the thermal conditioning structure, wherein the thermal conditioning structure comprises at least one cooling module, connected downstream of the parison moulding unit to receive parisons to be cooled and to the storage system to transfer the cooled parisons, and at least one heating module connected to the storage system to receive previously stored parisons to be heated and connected upstream of the blow-moulding unit in order to feed the blow-moulding unit with heated parisons;
a pressurization system configured to generate an overpressure at least inside the following parts of the line, compared to the atmosphere outside the line: the storage system, the at least one blow-moulding unit and connections between the thermal conditioning structure and the storage system,

wherein the at least one heating module of the thermal conditioning structure has a plurality of shutters configured to occlude an opening at the end of each parison, so that an interior of the parison remains closed when the parison is inside the heating and cooling module,
wherein in the heating module the shutters are movable gripper elements for transporting the parisons along a path inside the heating module.

11. A continuous cycle bottling line for containers of thermoplastic material, comprising:
at least one moulding unit for making parisons of thermoplastic material from the thermoplastic material in raw form;
at least one blow-moulding unit configured to receive and to blow-mould the parisons in such a way as to make containers designed to be filled;
at least one filling unit configured to receive the containers from the blow-moulding unit and to fill the containers with liquid or semi-liquid food products;
a parison thermal conditioning structure configured to receive the parisons from the moulding unit and to heat and cool the parisons;
an automatic storage system internally defining a controlled atmosphere, configured to contain the parisons and connected to the thermal conditioning structure to receive and feed parisons from and to the thermal conditioning structure,

wherein the thermal condition

Assignees

• Sacmi

Inventors

• Marastoni Daniele

Classifications

• B29C49/42075

  with pivoting clamps · CPC title

• B67C7/0073 Primary

  Sterilising, aseptic filling and closing (B67C3/2642 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65G1/06

  with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level (B65G1/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C49/36

  rotatable about one axis · CPC title

• B65G47/00

  Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices · CPC title