Device for the manufacture of containers comprising a mould and a fluidic coupling plug fitted with means for clamping against the mould

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9409341-B2
Application number	US-201314402799-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2013
Priority date	May 21, 2012
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A device ( 10 ) for the manufacture of containers by blow molding, includes: —a mold ( 12 ) equipped with a line for the circulation of a heat transfer fluid, having on an external face ( 34 ) of the mold ( 12 ) a heat transfer fluid inlet orifice ( 30 ) and a heat transfer fluid outlet orifice ( 32 ); —a mold carrier ( 20, 22 ) in which the mold ( 12 ) is removably mounted; —a plug ( 38 ) fitted with a duct ( 40 ) for conveying the heat transfer fluid and with a duct ( 42 ) for removing the heat transfer fluid, the plug ( 38 ) being mounted so that it can slide longitudinally on the mold carrier ( 20, 22 ) between a position of connection with the orifices ( 30, 32 ) of the mold ( 12 ) and a position of disconnection of the orifices of the mold, and elements for clamping the plug against the mold in the position of connection.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Device ( 10 ) for producing containers by blow molding, the device ( 10 ) comprising:
a mold ( 12 ) that comprises a wall defining a molding cavity with a vertical axis (A), the mold ( 12 ) being equipped with at least one piping for circulation of a heat-exchanging fluid, the at least one piping having an inlet opening ( 30 ) for the heat-exchanging fluid and an outlet opening ( 32 ) for the heat-exchanging fluid on an external surface ( 34 ) of the mold ( 12 );
a mold carrier ( 20 , 22 ) in which the mold ( 12 ) is mounted in a detachable manner;
a plug ( 38 ) that is equipped with a supply pipe ( 40 ) for supplying the heat-exchanging fluid and a discharge pipe ( 42 ) for discharging the heat-exchanging fluid, with the plug ( 38 ) being mounted to slide longitudinally on the mold carrier ( 20 , 22 ) between a front connection position in which the plug ( 38 ) is interlocked with the inlet and outlet openings ( 30 , 32 ) of the mold ( 12 ) and in which the supply pipe ( 40 ) and the discharge pipe ( 42 ) are connected simultaneously with the inlet opening ( 30 ) and the outlet opening ( 32 ), respectively, and a rear disconnection position in which the plug ( 38 ) is released from the inlet and outlet openings ( 30 , 32 );
means for tightening the plug ( 38 ) against the mold ( 12 ) in a connection position; and
means, separate from said means for tightening, for drawing the plug longitudinally toward the front connection position.

2. Device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the tightening means make it possible to attach the plug ( 38 ) to the mold ( 12 ) detachably in the connection position.

3. Device ( 10 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the tightening means comprise:
a catch ( 60 ) that is carried in a stationary manner by the mold ( 12 ) in front of the plug ( 38 ) when the mold ( 12 ) is mounted on the mold carrier ( 20 , 22 ); and
a tightening pin ( 64 ) that is carried in a mobile manner on the plug ( 38 ) between a tightening position in which the pin ( 64 ) is hooked behind the catch ( 60 ) in such a way as to tighten the plug ( 38 ) longitudinally against the mold ( 12 ), and a release position in which the pin ( 64 ) is offset relative to the catch ( 60 ) to make it possible for the plug ( 38 ) to slide toward its rear disconnection position.

4. Device ( 10 ) according to 3 , wherein in release position, the pin ( 64 ) is offset transversely relative to the catch ( 60 ).

5. Device ( 10 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the pin ( 64 ) is mounted to pivot around a vertical axis (B) on the plug.

6. Device ( 10 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the pin ( 64 ) is returned elastically toward its tightening position with an adequate tightening force to interlock the plug ( 38 ) completely with the inlet and outlet openings ( 30 , 32 ) of the mold ( 12 ).

7. Device ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the pin ( 64 ) is attached with a lever arm ( 80 ) that makes it possible to direct the tightening pin ( 64 ) toward its release position when the end ( 82 ) of the lever arm ( 80 ) is tensioned transversely.

8. Device ( 10 ) for producing containers by blow molding, the device ( 10 ) comprising:
a mold ( 12 ) that comprises a wall defining a molding cavity with a vertical axis (A), the mold ( 12 ) being equipped with at least one piping for the circulation of a heat-exchanging fluid, the at least one piping having an inlet opening ( 30 ) for the heat-exchanging fluid and an outlet opening ( 32 ) for the heat-exchanging fluid on an external surface ( 34 ) of the mold ( 12 );
a mold carrier ( 20 , 22 ) in which the mold ( 12 ) is mounted in a detachable manner;
a plug ( 38 ) that is equipped with a supply pipe ( 40 ) for the supplying heat-exchanging fluid and a discharge pipe ( 42 ) for discharging the heat-exchanging fluid, with the plug ( 38 ) being mounted to slide longitudinally on the mold carrier ( 20 , 22 ) between a front connection position in which the plug ( 38 ) is interlocked with the inlet and outlet openings ( 30 , 32 ) of the mold ( 12 ) and in which the supply pipe ( 40 ) and the discharge pipe ( 42 ) are connected simultaneously with the inlet opening ( 30 ) and the outlet opening ( 32 ), respectively, and a rear disconnection position in which the plug ( 38 ) is released from the inlet and outlet openings ( 30 , 32 ); and
means for tightening the plug ( 38 ) against the mold ( 12 ) in a connection position,
wherein the plug ( 38 ) comprises a sliding control stop ( 84 ) that is carried in a stationary manner by the plug ( 38 ).

9. Device ( 10 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the tightening pin ( 64 ) is held in position by an articulated-lever mechanism that is carried by the plug ( 38 ).

10. Device ( 10 ) for producing containers by blow molding, the device ( 10 ) comprising:
a mold ( 12 ) that comprises a wall defining a molding cavity with a vertical axis (A), the mold ( 12 ) being equipped with at least one piping for the circulation of a heat-exchanging fluid, the at least one piping having an inlet opening ( 30 ) for the heat-exchanging fluid and an outlet opening ( 32 ) for the heat-exchanging fluid on an external surface ( 34 ) of the mold ( 12 );
a mold carrier ( 20 , 22 ) in which the mold ( 12 ) is mounted in a detachable manner;
a plug ( 38 ) that is equipped with a supply pipe ( 40 ) for supplying the heat-exchanging fluid and a discharge pipe ( 42 ) for discharging the heat-exchanging fluid, with the plug ( 38 ) being mounted to slide longitudinally on the mold carrier ( 20 , 22 ) between a front connection position in which the plug ( 38 ) is interlocked with the inlet and outlet openings ( 30 , 32 ) of the mold ( 12 ) and in which the supply pipe ( 40 ) and the discharge pipe ( 42 ) are connected simultaneously with the inlet opening ( 30 ) and the outlet opening ( 32 ), respectively, and a rear disconnection position in which the plug ( 38 ) is released from the inlet and outlet openings ( 30 , 32 ); and
means for tightening the plug ( 38 ) against the mold ( 12 ) in a connection position, wherein the tightening means comprise,
a catch ( 60 ) that is carried in a stationary manner by the mold ( 12 ) in front of the plug ( 38 ) when the mold ( 12 ) is mounted on the mold carrier ( 20 , 22 ), and
a tightening pin ( 64 ) that is carried in a mobile manner on the plug ( 38 ) between a tightening position in which the pin ( 64 ) is hooked behind the catch ( 60 ) in such a way as to tighten the plug ( 38 ) longitudinally against the mold ( 12 ), and a release position in which the pin ( 64 ) is offset relative to the catch ( 60 ) to make it possible for the plug ( 38 ) to slide toward its rear disconnection position, and

wherein the tightening pin ( 64 ) is controlled in its tightening position by a cam mechanism.

11. Device ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the mold ( 12 ) and the plug ( 38 ) are equipped with electrical connection means comprising at least a first connector ( 104 ) carried by the mold and a second complementary connector ( 108 ) carried by the plug ( 38 ), with the first connector ( 104 ) and the second connector ( 108 ) being able to be interlocked longitudinally.

12. Device according to claim 1 , wherein said means for drawing the plug longitudinally toward the front connection position comprises a vertically oriented stop ( 84 ) attached to the plug ( 38 ) and configured to engage a vertical drawing surface ( 90 ) of a gripping clamp ( 66 ) for the mold.

Assignees

• Sidel Participations

Inventors

• Cirette Damien
• Rossetti Alexandre
• Lepechour Anthony

Classifications

• B29C49/42

  Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations · CPC title

• B29C33/0083

  Electrical or fluid connection systems therefor · CPC title

• B29C2049/4838

  for heating moulds or mould parts · CPC title

• B29C33/04

  using liquids, gas or steam {(tyre moulds with incorporated heating or cooling means using liquids, gas or steam B29D30/0601)} · CPC title

• B29C2049/4856

  Mounting, exchanging or centering moulds or parts thereof (B29C2049/5893 takes precedence) · CPC title