Machine and method for forming containers from preforms carried by successive moulds

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11135758-B2
Application number	US-201414768351-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2014
Priority date	Feb 18, 2013
Publication date	Oct 5, 2021
Grant date	Oct 5, 2021

Abstract

A machine and method for forming containers from preforms. The machine includes a mold loading station for loading successive preforms into successive molds, each mold forming a mold cavity having the shape of the container to be produced. The machine also including a forming station for forming the containers by injecting a gaseous or liquid fluid into the preform contained in each mold in order to expand the preform such that each preform acquires the shape of the container defined by the mold cavity. In the machine, the mold loading station and the forming station are distinct from each other, and the machine further includes a transferring station arranged between the mold loading station and the forming station for transferring the successive molds containing the preforms from the mold loading station to the forming station.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for producing containers from preforms, the machine comprising:
a plurality of successive molds, each of the molds having a mold cavity defining an external shape of the container to be produced, the molds each including at least two half molds moveable between a mold open position and a mold closed position,
a rotatable wheel having a mold loading station configured to successively load preforms into the molds and a mold unloading station configured to successively remove formed containers from the molds, the wheel including a plurality of mold holders releasably engaged to a subset of the molds, the mold holders having at successively located positions about a single rotation of the wheel a first mold holder open position, a first mold holder closed position, a second mold holder open position and a second mold holder closed position, the first mold holder open position being located at the mold loading station, in the first mold holder open position the mold holders being engaged with molds of the subset of the molds that are in the open position, in the second mold holder open position the mold holders being engaged with molds of the subset of molds that are in the closed position,
a forming station configured to successively receive the molds in the mold closed position and form the containers by injecting a gaseous or liquid fluid into the preform contained in each of the molds in order to expand the preform such that each of the preforms acquires the shape of the container defined by the mold cavity, the forming station including a source of forming medium in fluid communication with a forming nozzle,
the mold loading station and the forming station being distinct from each other,
a transferring station arranged between the mold loading station and the forming station, the transferring station configured to successively transfer the molds containing the preforms from the mold holders in the second mold holder open position to the forming station, the transferring station including receivers releasably engaging the molds, the receivers having portions correspondingly shaped to an exterior shape of the molds.

2. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the forming station and the transferring station each include a rotating wheel, the rotating wheel of the transferring station supporting the receivers, the rotating wheels being arranged with their rotational axes substantially parallel to each other.

3. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the transferring station has a reduced pitch between successive ones of the receivers as compared to a pitch between successive ones of the mold holders of the mold loading station.

4. The machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a closing station arranged between the forming station and the mold unloading station, the closing station configured to close the containers formed at the forming station before the containers are removed at the mold unloading station, the closing station including a source of lids or caps coupled to a rotation imparting device configured to screw the lids or caps onto the containers.

5. The machine according to claim 4 , further comprising a second transferring station arranged between the closing station and the unloading station and configured to transfer the successive molds containing closed containers from the closing station to the mold holders in the second mold holder open position, the second transferring station also including receivers releasably engaging the molds and having portions correspondingly shaped to an exterior shape of the molds.

6. A method for producing a container from a preform using the machine according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises the following steps:
loading the preform in a mold at the mold loading station,
transferring the mold containing the preform from the mold loading station to the forming station via the transferring station, and
injecting one of a gaseous or liquid fluid into the preform at the forming station causing the preform to expand and acquire the shape of the container defined by the mold cavity of the mold.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising the step of unloading the container formed at the forming station from the mold at the mold loading station after the mold has been moved from the forming station to the mold loading station by a second transferring station.

8. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the transferring station has a pitch between successive ones of the receivers that is the same as a pitch between successive ones of the molds of the forming station.

9. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the forming station has a reduced pitch between successive ones of the molds as compared to a pitch between successive ones of the mold holders of the mold loading station.

10. The machine according to claim 1 , further comprising an out-transfer station configured to transfer the molds out of the forming station, the forming station including a rotating wheel supporting the molds in the forming station, the out-transfer station having a rotating wheel supporting receivers releasably engaging the molds and portions correspondingly shaped to an exterior shape of the molds, the out-transfer station having a pitch between the receivers that is greater than a pitch between the molds in the forming station.

11. The machine according to claim 1 , further comprising an out-transfer station configured to transfer the molds out of the forming station, the forming station including a rotating wheel supporting the molds in the forming station, the out-transfer station having a receivers releasably engaging the molds, the receivers having portions correspondingly shaped to an exterior shape of the molds the out-transfer station, the receivers being tangentially aligned with respect to the rotating wheel of the forming station.

12. The machine according to claim 11 , wherein the out-transfer station includes an endless conveyor and the receivers of the out-transfer station are part of the endless conveyor.

13. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the mold loading station includes a preform loader configured to pick up and place the preforms into the molds.

Assignees

• Discma Ag

Inventors

• Desoutter Luc
• Picot Benoit
• Diesnis Daniel

Classifications

• B29C49/5605

  Hydraulically operated, i.e. closing or opening of the mould parts is done by hydraulic means · CPC title

• B29C49/68

  Ovens specially adapted for heating preforms or parisons · CPC title

• B29C49/12

  Stretching rods · CPC title

• B29C49/42095 Primary

  Rotating wheels or stars · CPC title

• B29C49/56

  Opening, closing or clamping means · CPC title