Preform neck crystallization method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9238341-B2
Application number	US-201213685472-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2012
Priority date	May 28, 2010
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

A neck crystallization method includes inserting a core into the neck, heating the neck using a heater group disposed along a transfer direction while rotating the preform on its axis, and transferring the preform along the transfer direction in a state in which the core is inserted into the neck, and cooling the neck of the preform in a state in which the core is inserted into the neck. The heating of the neck includes a first step that drives first heaters positioned on the upstream side in the transfer direction at a first power, and a second step that drives second heaters positioned on the downstream side of the first heaters at a second power that is lower than the first power until the temperature of the neck reaches a crystallization temperature zone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A preform neck crystallization method that crystallizes a neck of a preform that includes the neck, a body, and a bottom, the method comprising:
inserting a core into the neck;
heating the neck using a heater group disposed along a transfer direction while rotating the preform on its axis, and transferring the preform along the transfer direction in a state in which the core is inserted into the neck; and
cooling the neck of the preform in a state in which the core is inserted into the neck,
the heating of the neck including:
a first step that drives first heaters within the heater group at a first power to heat the neck to a temperature lower than a crystallization temperature zone, the first heaters being positioned on an upstream side in the transfer direction; and
a second step that drives second heaters within the heater group at a second power that is lower than the first power until a temperature of the neck reaches a crystallization temperature zone, the second heaters being positioned on a downstream side of the first heaters.

2. A preform neck crystallization method that crystallizes a neck of a preform that includes the neck, a body, and a bottom, the method comprising:
inserting a core into the neck;
heating the neck using a heater group disposed along a transfer direction while rotating the preform on its axis, and transferring the preform along the transfer direction in a state in which the core is inserted into the neck; and
cooling the neck of the preform in a state in which the core is inserted into the neck,
the heating of the neck including:
a first step that drives first heaters within the heater group at a first power, the first heaters being positioned on an upstream side in the transfer direction;
a second step that drives second heaters within the heater group at a second power that is lower than the first power until a temperature of the neck reaches a crystallization temperature zone, the second heaters being positioned on a downstream side of the first heaters; and
a step that is provided between the first step and the second step, and transfers the preform without heating.

3. The preform neck crystallization method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
a third step that drives third heaters within the heater group at a third power that is lower than the second power to maintain the temperature of the neck within the crystallization temperature zone, the third heaters being positioned on a downstream side of the second heaters.

4. The preform neck crystallization method as defined in claim 3 ,
the third step including reducing the third power that drives the third heaters on a downstream side in the transfer direction compared to an upstream side in the transfer direction.

5. The preform neck crystallization method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
preheating the core before inserting the core into the neck.

6. The preform neck crystallization method as defined in claim 1 ,
the preform being used to mold a wide-neck container that is configured so that a top side of the neck is sealed by a cap that is fitted to the neck,
the neck including:
a neck tubular section;
an engagement section that is formed to protrude outward from the neck tubular section, and engages the cap; and
a flange that is formed to protrude outward from the neck tubular section at the top side, a protrusion height of the flange from the neck tubular section being smaller than that of the engagement section,
the top side of the neck including a first top side formed by the neck tubular section, and a second top side formed by the flange that is the same height level with the first top side and increases an area of the top side of neck, and
a thickness of the flange being smaller than that of the neck tubular section.

7. The preform neck crystallization method as defined in claim 6 ,
the flange having an opposite side that is opposite to the second top side, and the second top side having a higher resin density than that of the opposite side.

8. The preform neck crystallization method as defined in claim 1 ,
the preform being used to mold a wide-neck container that is configured so that a top side of the neck is sealed by a cap that is fitted to the neck,
the neck including:
a neck tubular section;
an engagement section that is formed to protrude outward from the neck tubular section, and engages the cap; and
a ring-shaped recess that is formed in the neck tubular section at a height position closer to the body than the engagement section.

9. The preform neck crystallization method as defined in claim 6 ,
the engagement section including N (N is an integer equal to or larger than 2) threads, the N threads being respectively provided in N segmented areas into which the neck tubular section is divided in a circumferential direction, and being respectively formed in the N segmented areas within a range of less than 360°/N.

10. The preform neck crystallization method as defined in claim 9 ,
each of the N threads extending from a start point that is positioned at a first height in an axial direction of the neck tubular section to an end point that is positioned at a second height in the axial direction of the neck tubular section so that each of the N threads slopes upward toward the top side of the neck.

Assignees

• Nissei Asb Machine Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tsuchiya Yoichi

Classifications

• B29C49/6409

  Thermal conditioning of preforms (B29C49/68 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C35/0266

  Local curing (for repairing B29C73/34) · CPC title

• B29D22/003 Primary

  Containers for packaging, storing or transporting, e.g. bottles, jars, cans, barrels, tanks · CPC title

• B29C71/02

  Thermal after-treatment {(B29C71/0063 and B29C71/0072 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B65D1/023

  Neck construction · CPC title