Unit for heating plastic preforms, comprising a device for protecting preform necks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12036719-B2
Application number	US-202017787503-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2020
Priority date	Dec 20, 2019
Publication date	Jul 16, 2024
Grant date	Jul 16, 2024

Abstract

A heating unit for heating preforms made of plastics material and having a flange separating a body and neck. The heating unit comprising a plurality of supports, each bearing a gripping member for gripping the preforms. The supports are movable in the heating unit such that each gripping member moves along a conveying path of the preforms. The heating unit also comprises a plurality of shells secured to the supports, where each shell is connected to one or more supports by an actuating member. The actuating member is mounted on said support to pivot about an axis situated at a distance from the conveying path of the preforms. The heating unit further comprising means for pivoting the actuating member to drive the shell from an open position to a protection position when the support to which said shell is connected is passing from an admission/releasing zone to a holding zone.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heating unit ( 1 ) for heating preforms ( 4 ) made of plastics material comprising a body ( 41 ) and a neck ( 42 ) that are separated by a flange ( 43 ), the heating unit ( 1 ) comprising:
a radiation-emitting light source ( 5 ) for heating the preforms ( 4 );
a plurality of supports ( 6 ) each bearing a gripping member ( 7 ) for gripping the preforms ( 4 ), the supports ( 6 ) being movable in the heating unit in such a way that each gripping member moves along a conveying path of the preforms,
an admission/releasing zone in which the supports are moved away from one another;
a holding zone in which the supports are brought closer together, the source being disposed in the vicinity of the holding zone,

the heating unit ( 1 ) also comprising a plurality of shells ( 8 ) secured to the supports ( 6 ), the shells ( 8 ) being movable between:
a protection position in which they abut in pairwi se fashion so as to together form a surround intended to extend around the body ( 41 ) and under the flange ( 43 ) of a preform ( 4 ) in order to form a barrier to the light radiation in the direction of the neck ( 42 ), and
an open position in which they are moved away from one another,

wherein each shell ( 8 ) is connected to at least one of the supports ( 6 ) by an actuating member ( 9 ), the actuating member ( 9 ) being mounted on said support ( 6 ) so as to pivot about a pivot axis situated at a distance from the conveying path of the preforms, the heating unit further comprising means for driving the actuating member in rotation with respect to the support so as to drive the shell ( 8 ) from the open position to the protection position when the support ( 6 ) to which said shell is connected is passing from the admission/releasing zone to the holding zone.

2. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a chain equipped with a plurality of links, the supports each being mounted on one of the links, and comprises a drive wheel for driving the chain of supports, the wheel having a main axis and each shell ( 8 ) having an internal edge ( 81 ) extending, with respect to the conveying path of the preforms, on the side of the main rotational axis, and an external edge ( 82 ) opposite to the internal edge ( 81 ), and
wherein, for each shell ( 8 ), the pivot axis is situated close to the internal edge ( 81 ) of the shell ( 8 ), and the means for driving the actuating member in rotation comprise a direct mechanical connection between the actuating member and a second support ( 6 ) contiguous with the first support ( 6 ).

3. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each shell ( 8 ) is mounted on the corresponding actuating member ( 9 ) by removable fixing means.

4. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 2 , wherein, for each shell ( 8 ), the mechanical connection between the actuating member ( 9 ) and the second support ( 6 ) comprises a sliding pivot connection, situated close to the external edge ( 82 ) of the shell ( 8 ).

5. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 4 , wherein each shell ( 8 ) is mounted on the corresponding actuating member ( 9 ) by removable fixing means.

6. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the sliding pivot connection comprises an oblong slot ( 91 ) made in the actuating member ( 9 ) and a cylindrical finger ( 92 ) accommodated in the oblong slot ( 91 ) and borne by the second support ( 6 ).

7. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 6 , wherein each shell ( 8 ) is mounted on the corresponding actuating member ( 9 ) by removable fixing means.

8. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, for each shell ( 8 ), the heating unit ( 1 ) further comprises a motor member ( 93 ) cooperating with the actuating element ( 9 ) for moving the shell ( 8 ) from its protection position to its open position, or vice versa.

9. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 8 , wherein each shell ( 8 ) is mounted on the corresponding actuating member ( 9 ) by removable fixing means.

10. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 8 , wherein each motor member ( 93 ) comprises a cam track ( 931 ) secured to a frame, and a roller ( 932 ) which follows the cam track ( 931 ) and which is connected to the actuating member ( 9 ).

11. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 10 , wherein each shell ( 8 ) is mounted on the corresponding actuating member ( 9 ) by removable fixing means.

12. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 10 , wherein each roller ( 932 ) is mounted so as to rotate on the actuating member ( 9 ) with which it cooperates.

13. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 12 , wherein each shell ( 8 ) is mounted on the corresponding actuating member ( 9 ) by removable fixing means.

14. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each shell ( 8 ) is mounted on the corresponding actuating member ( 9 ) by removable fixing means.

15. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the removable fixing means comprise:
at least one fixing hole ( 10 ) made in the actuating member ( 9 ), and
at least one arm ( 11 ) which is secured to the shell ( 8 ) and which is intended to be inserted in the fixing hole ( 10 ).

16. The heating unit ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 15 , wherein:
the actuating member ( 9 ) has at least one aperture ( 12 ) which is transverse to the fixing hole ( 10 ) and which leads into the fixing hole ( 10 );
the arm ( 11 ) has a notch ( 111 ) intended to come opposite the aperture ( 12 ) when the arm ( 11 ) is inserted in the fixing hole ( 10 ),
and wherein the removable fixing means also comprise a holding member ( 13 ) inserted in the aperture ( 12 ), the holding member ( 13 ) being intended to cooperate with the notch ( 111 ) of the arm ( 11 ) so as to prevent the removal of the arm ( 11 ) from the fixing hole ( 10 ).

Assignees

• Sidel Participations

Inventors

• Fevre Sébastien
• Morin Stéphane

Classifications

• B29C49/682

  characterised by the path, e.g. sinusoidal path · CPC title

• B29C49/684

  using masking · CPC title

• B29C49/6462

  by masking · CPC title

• B29C49/42087

  holding outside the neck · CPC title

• B29C2949/0715

  the preform having one end closed · CPC title