Mill-style blow molding wheel mechanism and method of manufacturing using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9643353-B2
Application number	US-201514715655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2015
Priority date	May 19, 2014
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus and a method of manufacturing a paperboard tray therewith is provided. In particular, a hub is configured to rotate about a shaft. On the hub, a plurality of first molds are formed in the hub. Conversely, a plurality of second molds are each disposed above each of the plurality of first molds respectively and rotate above the first molds. In this configuration, the plurality of second molds are configured to move in unison with the plurality of first molds as the hub and second molds rotate and to move orthogonally towards and then away from the first molds as the second molds rotate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a hub configured to rotate about a shaft;
a plurality of first molds formed on the hub, each of the plurality of first molds comprising:
at least two first mold recesses configured to receive a three-dimensional part; and
a first mold suction mechanism in each of the at least two first mold recesses;

a plurality of second molds configured to rotate above each of the plurality of first molds respectively, each of the plurality of second molds comprising:
at least two second mold recesses configured to receive a three-dimensional part; and
a second mold suction mechanism in each of the at least two second mold recesses;

wherein the plurality of second molds are configured to move in unison with the plurality of first molds as hub and the second molds rotate and to move orthogonally towards and away from the first molds as the second molds rotate;
at least one feeding means configured to deliver a three-dimensional part to each of the plurality of first molds and plurality of second molds wherein the first mold suction mechanisms retain three-dimensional parts in the first mold recesses and the second mold suction mechanisms retain three-dimensional parts in the second mold recesses during at least a partial rotation of the hub; and
at least one extruder disposed between a first mold of the plurality of first molds and a second mold of the plurality of second molds, wherein the at least one extruder is configured to extrude a material onto a three-dimensional part in the first mold recesses and onto a three-dimensional part in the second mold recesses.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a second mold of the plurality of second molds moves orthogonally away from a corresponding first mold of the plurality of first molds as the first and second mold approach a removal conveyor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second mold moves orthogonally toward the corresponding first mold as the first and second mold rotate away from an extruder.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second molds applies a clamping force to hold the first and second molds together for a particular rotational period due to a rotational displacement of the second molds as the second molds rotate.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second molds are substantially rectangular or spherical in shape.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hub includes a plurality of mold risers disposed between the first plurality of molds and a hub.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a blowing mechanism for applying a blow molding process to adhere a product from the one or more extruders to at least one three-dimensional part retained in a first mold recess and in a second mold recess.

8. A method comprising:
feeding one or more three-dimensional parts into a first mold formed in a hub and a second mold disposed above the first mold;
rotating the first mold and the second mold including the one or more three-dimensional parts toward an extruder;
extruding a material onto the one or more three-dimensional parts that are disposed in the first mold and second mold;
orthogonally moving a second mold toward the first mold after the material has been extruded onto the one or more three-dimensional parts to force the first mold and the second mold to come in contact as the first and second mold rotate;
rotating the first and second mold a particular distance; and
in response to rotating a particular distance, moving the second mold orthogonally away from the first mold and removing the one or more three-dimensional parts from the first mold.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein removing the one or more three-dimensional parts includes applying a suction force to the one or more three-dimensional parts by a suction mechanism disposed in the second mold.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the suction force is applied for a particular period of rotation of the second mold.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more three-dimensional parts are ejected from the second mold individually onto a conveyor belt disposed between the hub and the second mold.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first mold and the second mold rotate in unison.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more three-dimensional parts are paperboard containers.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the material is a multi-layered plastic and is applied to the one or more three-dimensional parts by a blow molding processing.

15. The method of claim 8 , further comprising blowing air toward a first mold by a second mold while the first and second molds are rotating the particular distance by the first and second molds respectively.

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more three-dimensional parts are rectangular or spherical paperboard packaging.

Assignees

• Meadwestvaco Corp
• Westrock Mwv Llc

Inventors

• Wade Michael P
• Calvert Barry G

Classifications

• B29C49/70

  Removing or ejecting blown articles from the mould · CPC title

• B29C49/22

  using multilayered preforms or parisons · CPC title

• B29C49/20

  of articles having inserts or reinforcements {; Handling of inserts or reinforcements} · CPC title

• B29C49/04

  Extrusion blow-moulding · CPC title

• B29C49/36 Primary

  rotatable about one axis · CPC title