BLOW MOLDING APPARATUS AND BLOW MOLDING METHOD

• US 20170008216A1
• Filed: 11/17/2014
• Published: 01/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Discma Ag (Amcor)
• Original Assignee: Yoshino Kogyosho Company Limited
• Inventors: SUYAMA, Kenichi, SHIOKAWA, Mitsuru, TABATA, Shinichi
• Granted Patent: US 10,456,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/023 using inherent heat of the preform, i.e. 1 step blow moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/4664 staying in the final article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/06 Injection blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/08 Biaxial stretching during blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/12 Stretching rods
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/123 Electric drives, e.g. linear motors
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42815 Emptying the article, e.g. emptying hydraulic blowing fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/46 characterised by using particular environment or blow fluids other than air
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/78 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/783 blowing pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7158 Bottles

Abstract

A blow molding apparatus that supplies a pressurized liquid into a bottomed tubular preform fitted to a mold used for blow molding and molds the preform into a shape conforming to a cavity of the mold, the blow molding apparatus including: a blow nozzle fitted to a mouth tubular portion of the preform; a plunger pump configured to supply the pressurized liquid into the preform through the blow nozzle; and a control device configured to change an actuation rate and an actuation force of the plunger pump during the supply of the pressurized liquid into the preform to regulate a peak pressure of the liquid supplied into the preform to be from 3.5 MPa to 5.0 MPa.

Claims

1. A blow molding apparatus that supplies a pressurized liquid into a bottomed tubular preform fitted to a mold used for blow molding and molds the preform into a shape conforming to a cavity of the mold, the blow molding apparatus comprising:

a blow nozzle fitted to a mouth tubular portion of the preform;

a plunger pump configured to supply the pressurized liquid into the preform through the blow nozzle; and

a controller configured to change an actuation rate and an actuation force of the plunger pump during the supply of the pressurized liquid into the preform to regulate a peak pressure of the liquid supplied into the preform to be from 3.5 MPa to 5.0 MPa.

2. The blow molding apparatus of claim 1, wherein, upon an elapse of a predetermined time period from a start of the supply of the pressurized liquid into the preform, the controller changes the actuation rate and the actuation force of the plunger pump to values that are lower than those before the elapse of the predetermined time period.

3. The blow molding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plunger pump comprises a servo plunger-type pump configured to be driven by an electric motor as a driving source, and the controller changes the actuation rate and the actuation force of the plunger pump by varying a rotation rate and torque of the electric motor.

4. The blow molding apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a sealing body configured to open and close the blow nozzle, wherein the pressurized liquid is started to be supplied from the plunger pump into the preform upon a start of an opening movement of the sealing body.

5. The blow molding apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a sealing body configured to open and close the blow nozzle, wherein the pressurized liquid is started to be supplied from the plunger pump into the preform upon a start of an opening movement of the sealing body.

8. The blow molding apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plunger pump comprises a servo plunger-type pump configured to be driven by an electric motor as a driving source, and the controller changes the actuation rate and the actuation force of the plunger pump by varying a rotation rate and torque of the electric motor.

9. The blow molding apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a sealing body configured to open and close the blow nozzle, wherein the pressurized liquid is started to be supplied from the plunger pump into the preform upon a start of an opening movement of the sealing body.

10. The blow molding apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a sealing body configured to open and close the blow nozzle, wherein the pressurized liquid is started to be supplied from the plunger pump into the preform upon a start of an opening movement of the sealing body.

6. A blow molding method of supplying a pressurized liquid into a bottomed tubular preform fitted to a mold used for blow molding and molding the preform into a shape conforming to a cavity of the mold, the blow molding method comprising:

the liquid supply step of supplying a pressurized liquid into the preform through a blow nozzle fitted to a mouth tubular portion of the preform by using a plunger pump; and

the peak pressure control step of changing an actuation rate and an actuation force of the plunger pump during the supply of the pressurized liquid into the preform to regulate a peak pressure of the liquid supplied into the preform to be from 3.5 MPa to 5.0 MPa.

7. The blow molding method of claim 6, wherein, in the peak pressure control step, upon an elapse of a predetermined time period from a start of the supply of the pressurized liquid into the preform, the actuation rate and the actuation force of the plunger pump are changed to values that are lower than those before the elapse of the predetermined time period.