Method and apparatus for forming and filling a container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9669578-B2
Application number	US-201514979145-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2015
Priority date	Oct 27, 2011
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

A system for simultaneously forming and filling a container having a mold cavity defining an internal surface and adapted to accept a preform. The system includes a servo pressure system having an inlet and an outlet operable to output fluid, such as a liquid commodity, and a blow nozzle receiving the fluid from the servo pressure source and transferring the fluid at a pressure into the preform thereby urging the preform to expand toward the internal surface of the mold cavity and creating a resultant container, wherein the fluid remains within the container as an end product and wherein the servo pressure system and the blow nozzle output the fluid at a rate sufficient to fully form and fill the container in less than about 0.5 seconds.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for simultaneously forming and filling a container comprising:
a mold cavity defining an internal surface and adapted to accept a preform;
a servo pressure system having an inlet and an outlet, the servo pressure system outputting fluid; and
a blow nozzle receiving the fluid from the servo pressure source and transferring the fluid at a pressure into an opening of the preform thereby urging the preform to expand toward the internal surface of the mold cavity and creating a resultant container, wherein the fluid remains within the container as an end product,
wherein a minimum inner diameter of a fluid path defined in the system is greater than a minimum inner diameter of the preform, and the servo pressure system and the blow nozzle output the fluid at a rate sufficient to fully form and fill the container in less than about 0.5 seconds.

2. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the servo pressure system comprises:
a controller;
a servo motor operably coupled to the controller; and
the fluid path extending from the inlet to the outlet,
wherein the servo motor is operable to deliver the fluid at a variable rate along the fluid path within a predetermined period of time.

3. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the fluid path defines a straight path from the inlet to the outlet.

4. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the fluid path is void of angles 90 degrees and greater.

5. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the servo pressure system and the blow nozzle output the fluid at a rate sufficient to fully form and fill the container in less than about 0.4 seconds.

6. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the servo pressure system and the blow nozzle output the fluid at a rate sufficient to fully form and fill the container in less than about 0.2 seconds.

7. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the servo pressure system and the blow nozzle output the fluid at a rate sufficient to fully form and fill the container in the range of about 0.05 seconds to about 0.15 seconds.

8. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the servo pressure system and the blow nozzle output fluid at a rate sufficient to fully form and fill the container having a capacity of 64 ounces in less than about 0.4 seconds.

9. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the servo pressure system and the blow nozzle output the fluid at a rate sufficient to fully form and fill the container having a capacity of 16 ounces in less than about 0.4 seconds.

10. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the blow nozzle defines a shape adapted to form a seal with a finish of the preform.

11. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the fluid is transferred into the preform during a hot-fill process.

12. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 11 wherein the fluid is transferred into the preform at a temperature between approximately 185° F. (85° C.) and approximately 205° F. (96° C.).

13. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the fluid is transferred into the preform at an ambient temperature.

14. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 11 wherein the fluid is transferred into the preform at a temperature between approximately 32° F. (0° C.) and approximately 90° F. (32° C.).

15. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the mold cavity accepts a preform heated to a temperature between approximately 190° F. (88° C.) and approximately 250° F. (121° C.).

16. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the mold cavity is heated to a temperature between approximately 250° F. (93° C.) and approximately 350° F. (177° C.).

17. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the fluid is transferred into the preform at a pressure between approximately 100 PSI and approximately 600 PSI.

18. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 , further comprising a stretch rod adapted to extend into the container and displace the fluid remaining in the container to define a predetermined final fill level.

19. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 , further comprising a stretch rod adapted to extend into the preform and displace air contained in the preform prior to the blow nozzle transferring the fluid into the preform.

20. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 , further comprising a stretch rod adapted to extend into the preform and mechanically stretch the preform prior to the fluid being urged into the preform.

21. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 20 , whether the stretch rod is sized to permit the mechanical stretching and to maintain open at least 77% or more of the cross-sectional area of the opening of the preform while the stretch rod is extended into the preform.

22. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 20 wherein the stretch rod is retracted from the preform prior to the fluid being urged into the preform.

23. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 20 wherein the stretch rod is vented to atmosphere.

24. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 20 wherein the stretch rod is non-cylindrical.

25. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 20 wherein the stretch rod comprises one or more cutouts.

26. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 20 wherein the stretch rod comprises an inwardly directed arcuate section.

27. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 20 wherein the stretch rod comprises at least one cutout extending spirally along a longitudinal direction of the stretch rod.

28. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 20 wherein the stretch rod defines an annulus exterior of the stretch rod to permit flow of the fluid.

29. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 20 wherein the stretch rod defines an annulus exterior of the stretch rod to permit flow of the fluid and a bore extending through at least a portion of the stretch rod to further permit flow of the fluid.

30. The system for simultaneously forming and filling a container according to claim 1 wherein the preform is initially expanded outwardly under a first pressure and subsequently expanded outwardly under a second pressure, the second pressure being greater than the first pressure.

Assignees

• Discma Ag

Inventors

• Maki Kirk Edward
• Lisch George David
• Wilson Bradley

Classifications

• B29C2049/7831

  characterised by pressure values or ranges · CPC title

• B29C2049/4698

  Pressure difference, e.g. over pressure in room · CPC title

• B29C49/12

  Stretching rods · CPC title

• B29C49/46 Primary

  characterised by using particular environment or blow fluids other than air · CPC title

• B29K2067/003

  PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate · CPC title