Device for heating preform bodies or flat or preformed semi-finished products from thermoplastic material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016200003-A1
Application number	US-201414902452-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 24, 2014
Priority date	Jul 3, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for heating preform bodies or flat or preformed semi-finished products from thermoplastic material ( 3 ), comprising at least one base body ( 1.0, 2.0 ), on the surface of which at least a first layer or coating is formed, which comprises at least one electric heating resistor in the form of a flat, geometrically arranged conductor loop. The base body also has contact elements, by which the at least one heating resistor can be connected to a power source, wherein, as a result of the geometrically arranged conductor loop(s), a defined temperature profile can be generated, which can be transmitted contactlessly to the preform body or the semi-finished product by an outer contact layer formed on the first layer or coating, by contact with the surface of a preform body or semi-finished product and/or by using convection or thermal radiation. During a transmission of the defined temperature profile, the preform body or the semi-finished product is arranged at a distance to the contact layer(s).

First claim

1 . An apparatus for heating preform bodies or flat or preformed semi-finished products from thermoplastic material,
comprising at least one body ( 1 . 0 , 2 . 0 ) on whose surface at least one first layer or coating ( 1 . 1 , 1 . 2 ) is formed which has at least one electrical heating resistor ( 5 ) in the form of a conductor loop arranged in a planar geometrical manner, wherein the body ( 1 . 0 , 2 . 0 ) furthermore has contact elements via which the at least one heating resistor ( 5 )can be connected to a power source ( 1 . 2 , 2 . 2 ), wherein a defined temperature profile can be generated as a result of the geometrically arranged conductor loop(s), said temperature profile being able to be transferred on the preform body ( 3 ) or the semi-finished product via an outer contact layer ( 1 . 3 , 2 . 3 ) formed on the first layer or coating ( 1 . 1 , 2 . 1 ), by contacting with the surface of a preform body ( 3 ) or semi-finished product and/or in a contactless manner by utilizing convection or thermal radiation, wherein, on a transfer of the defined temperature profile, the preform body ( 3 ) or the semi-finished product is arranged at a spacing from the contact layer(s) ( 1 . 3 , 2 . 3 ), wherein generally a plurality of heating resistors ( 5 ) are present with planar semi-finished products if heating should be achieved at least by touching contact.

2 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the body ( 1 . 0 , 2 . 0 ) and/or at least the outer contact layer ( 1 . 3 , 2 . 3 ) corresponds to at least one partial region of the surface of the preform body ( 3 ) or of the semi-finished product, preferably to an inner surface of the preform body ( 3 ).

3 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one electrical heating resistor ( 5 ) is formed from a doped ceramic material or polymeric material or is formed by an electrically conductive metal layer or oxide layer which is applied/incorporated on or in an electrically insulating carrier layer which is electrically insulated on the side facing the body ( 1 . 0 , 2 . 0 ).

4 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the heating resistors ( 5 ) have a thickness in the range 1 μm to 100 μm and a width in the range 0.001 mm to 5 mm.

5 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the conductor loop of the electrical heating resistor(s) ( 5 ) is/are formed as path shaped meandering or spiral on the surface of the body ( 1 . 0 , 2 . 0 ).

6 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the conductor loop of the electrical heating resistor(s) ( 5 ) is/are printed directly on the surface of the body ( 1 . 0 , 2 . 0 ).

7 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the outer contact layer is formed from a glass material, ceramic material or polymeric material.

8 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the body ( 1 . 0 , 2 . 0 ) has a further second layer which is formed between the first layer ( 1 . 1 , 2 . 1 ) and the contact layer ( 1 . 3 , 2 . 3 ) and in which passages and ports for conducting a fluid are formed.

9 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that sensors for detecting the temperature and/or the contact pressure are arranged in at least one of the layers or coatings formed on the surface of the body ( 1 . 0 , 2 . 0 ) or in a further third layer or the electrical resistance at the heating resistor(s) ( 5 ) can be determined for the temperature determination.

10 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the body ( 1 . 0 , 2 . 0 ) and all the layers or coatings applied to or formed on it have a porosity and/or have passages through which a fluid, in particular an air flow, can be realized for producing a vacuum or excess pressure.

11 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the apparatus has a further body ( 2 . 0 ) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the further body ( 2 . 0 ) and/or at least the outer contact layer ( 2 . 3 ) of the further body ( 2 . 0 ) is/are complementary to the first body ( 1 . 0 ) and/or at least to the outer contact layer ( 1 . 3 ) of the first body ( 1 . 0 ) and corresponds to at least one partial region of the surface of the preform body ( 3 ) or semi-finished product, preferably to an outer surface of the preform body ( 3 ) or semi-finished product, and can be contacted by it.

12 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that at least one heating resistor ( 5 ) or a plurality of heating resistors are arranged, configured and/or operable such that a defined temperature profile having a locally defined temperature distribution can be transferred to the preform body ( 3 ) or onto the semi-finished product as a result of thermal conduction, convection and/or thermal radiation.

13 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that a plurality of heating resistors ( 5 ) are each individually controllable.

14 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that the heating resistors ( 5 ) can be controlled in a pulsed manner and/or in dependence on the respective temperature in the region of a respective heating resistor or in the region of adjacent heating resistors ( 5 ).

15 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that at least the body/bodies ( 1 . 0 , 2 . 0 ) are formed from a ceramic material and electrically conductive connections can be achieved by means of vias in the material.

16 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 15 , characterized in that at least the body/bodies ( 1 . 0 , 2 . 0 ) is/are formed from an LTCC or HTCC ceramic material.

17 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that at least one body ( 1 . 0 , 2 . 0 ) is formed from a plurality of mutually connectable individual modules and at least one heating resistor ( 5 ) is present on each of the individual modules.

18 . An apparatus in accordance with calm 17 , characterized in that the preform body ( 3 ) is movable between through or into elements ( 4 ) provided with contact layers ( 1 . 3 , 2 . 3 ) and/or a body ( 1 ) is movable into a preform body ( 3 ).

19 . An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that contact layers ( 1 . 3 , 2 . 3 ) are configured, are provided with a coating and/or are operable such that thermal radiation is emitted in a wavelength range which is absorbed by at least 50% by the material of the preform body ( 3 ) or of the semi-finished product.

Assignees

• Univ Dresden Tech

Inventors

• Claus Ronald
• Stein Marcus
• Bach Sascha

Classifications

• H05B3/146

  Conductive polymers, e.g. polyethylene, thermoplastics · CPC title

• B29C49/6463

  by contact heating or cooling, e.g. mandrels or cores specially adapted for heating or cooling preforms · CPC title

• B29C2035/0822

  using IR radiation · CPC title

• H05B2203/025

  Heaters specially adapted for glass melting or glass treatment · CPC title

• B29C49/6445

  through the preform length · CPC title