Method and system for wavelength specific thermal irradiation and treatment

• US 20060118983A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pressco IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Pressco Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Cech, Steven D., Cochran, Don W., Morgan, Noel Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,425,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/40.600
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/005 by heating using irradiation or electric treatment drying or kilning A23L3/40
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/26 by irradiation without heating
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/15 using wave energy, irradiation, electrical means or magnetic fields, e.g. oven cooking or roasting using radiant dry heat
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/36 using irradiation with frequencies of more than 10 MHz
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 13/023 Half-products, e.g. films, plates
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 13/024 Hollow bodies, e.g. tubes or profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0822 using IR radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/78675 of the heating means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0715 the preform having one end closed
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/22 at neck portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/24 at flange portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/26 at body portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/28 at bottom portion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3024 characterised by the number of components or by the manufacturing technique
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3032 having components being injected
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/3056 having components being compression moulded
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/08 by wave energy or particle radiation B29C64/00, B29C71/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/06 Injection blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/64 Heating or cooling preforms, parisons or blown articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/68 Ovens specially adapted for heating preforms or parisons
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/78 : Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 : being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45139 : Silver (Ag) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 : Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00011 : Not relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/207 : Diameter ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/0057 : for plastic handling and treatment including molds B29C
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/85 : Food storage or conservation, e.g. cooling or drying

Abstract

A system for direct injection of selected thermal-infrared (IR) wavelength radiation or energy into articles for a wide range of processing purposes is provided. These purposes may include heating, raising or maintaining the temperature of articles, or stimulating a target item in a range of different industrial, medical, consumer, or commercial circumstances. The system is especially applicable to operations that require or benefit from the ability to irradiate at specifically selected wavelengths or to pulse or inject the radiation. The system is particularly advantageous when functioning at higher speeds and in a non-contact environment with the target.

Claims

1. A system for non-contact thermal treatment of plastic target components prior to molding or processing operations comprising:

a means operative to locate plastic target components in a manner facilitating the application of radiant heating; and

a thermal monitoring and control section into which the plastic components are located for exposure, the thermal monitoring and control section comprising one or more solid state RED-based radiant heating elements operative to emit radiant energy via a direct electrical current-to-photon conversion process.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means operative to locate is a conveyance means operative to transport the plastic target components.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein an electrical supply current is continuous to the RED-based radiant heating elements whereby a continuous radiant energy output results.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the RED-based radiant heating elements are operative to emit radiant energy in a pulsed mode, with the time of maximum output synchronously-timed to the transport of individual molded target component through the thermal monitoring and control section.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising at least one of a convection cooling device or a conduction cooling device configured to remove waste heat from air and mechanical components within the thermal monitoring and control section.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure temperature of individual target components prior to entering the thermal monitoring and control section whereby latent heat content can be determined.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein a temperature control system is used to generate control signals to apply to the RED-based radiant heating elements based on a target component temperature.

8. The system as set forth in claim 7 wherein the temperature of subsections of the target component are measured and is used to generate control signals to apply RED-based radiant heating to subsections of a target component.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the RED-based radiant heating elements are operative to emit radiant energy within a range of 1 to 3.5 micrometer wavelength.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the RED-based radiant heating elements are operative to emit radiant energy within at least one narrow wavelength range specifically tuned to the heating requirements of a particular target component application.

17. The system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the at least one RED element takes the form of an x by y array of individual RED devices.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the arrays are in the form of chip-on-board x by y arrays of individual RED devices mounted directly in a chip-on-board configuration.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the circuit boards on which the RED devices are mounted on circuit boards chosen to be operative to conduct heat away from the RED devices.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the circuit boards on which the RED devices are mounted have heat sink devices associated therewith for conducting heat away from the RED devices and the circuit board.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein means for conducting heat away includes a liquid heat exchange jacket operative to move the heat a substantial distance from the system.

23. The system of claim 17 wherein the x by y array of individual RED devices comprises at least some RED devices operative to produce more than one selected wavelength of infrared radiation in a range from 1 micrometer to 5 micrometer.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein the x by y array comprises a mix of RED devices which represents at least two different selected wavelengths of infrared radiation in a range from 1 micrometer to 5 micrometer.

25. The system of claim 17 further comprising a control system configured to separately control at least one of on/off status, electrical current flow, and locations of activated devices for each wavelength represented in the array.

26. The system of claim 17 further comprising a control system configured to have separate control of sub-sections of the array for at least one of position within the array and intensity of output.

32. The system of claim 24 wherein the array further comprises RED devices operative to produce wavelengths in a range outside the 1 to 5 micrometers range.

38. The system of claim 4 wherein the plastic target components comprise at least one of PET preforms or PET bottles.

11. A method of thermally treating thermoplastic preforms prior to stretch blow molding operations, the method comprising the steps of:

transporting a series of preforms through a thermal monitoring and control section of a blow molding machine;

irradiating the preforms using RED-based radiant heating elements; and

removing waste heat from air and mechanical components of the thermal monitoring and control section of the blow molding machine using a cooling system.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11—

wherein the RED-based radiant heating elements are operated in a pulsed mode synchronous to the transport of individual preforms.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11—

further comprising the steps of;

measuring temperature of incoming preforms to gauge latent heat content prior to entering the thermal monitoring and control section;

generating control signals to apply to the RED-based radiant heating elements based on the incoming preform temperatures; and

communicating these control signals to the RED-based radiant heating elements.

14. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising measuring the temperature of subsections of a target component and generating control signals to apply RED-based radiant heating to the subsections.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the RED-based radiant heating elements are operated in a pulsed mode synchronous to the transport of individual preforms.

16. A system for selectively injecting radiant heat into a target, the system comprising:

at least one solid state radiation emitting device element (RED), the at least one RED element being one of a selected wavelength of radiant heat output for an associated application with the target;

a mounting arrangement to position the at least one RED element such that irradiation therefrom is aimed at the target; and

a means for supplying electrical current to the at least one RED element whereby a direct electrical current-to-photon radiation conversion process occurs.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the at least one RED element takes the form of a customized arrangement of individual RED devices.

27. The system of claim 16 further comprising a control system configured to supply the electrical drive current to facilitate a pulsed mode of operation.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the control system is operative to pulse the system at electrical current levels that are substantially greater than recommended steady state current levels to achieve higher momentary emitted intensity in pulsed operation and respond to an input signal from an associated sensor capability to determine a timing of the pulsed operation.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the control system further comprises the ability to synchronize the pulsing operation with moving targets.

30. The system of claim 16 wherein the at least one RED element comprises an array of multiple RED devices configured in an arrangement in a substantially non-planar configuration.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the RED devices are deployed on multiple circuit boards configured in a three dimensional arrangement whereby better irradiation of a certain type of target results.

33. The system of claim 16 wherein the means for providing electrical current is a programmable control system operative to control at least one aspect of system irradiation output.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the programmable control system comprises at least one input from a temperature sensor and is operative to change at least one output parameter in accordance with the at least one temperature sensor input.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the programmable control system further comprises an intelligent sensor input to monitor other parameters about the target to provide data used in modification of at least one aspect of the system irradiation output.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the intelligent sensor comprises a camera system.

37. The system of claim 34 wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermal infrared camera operative to monitor the target in at least one aspect beyond that which can be monitored by a single point temperature measurement sensor.

39. A heat injection method applied to a target, the method comprising:

locating the target for exposure to at lease one radiation emitting device;

selectively supplying electrical current to the at least one radiation emitting device; and

,

selectively injecting heat in at least one selected wavelength into the target by the radiation emitting device based on the selected supplied electrical current.

40. The method as set forth in claim 39 wherein the at least one radiation emitting device is operational in a pulse mode.

41. The method as set forth in claim 39 further comprising measuring a temperature of the target and controlling the selective supplying of electrical current based on the temperature.