Method and installation for making containers by blowing thermoplastic blanks

• US 6,423,253 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sidel (Crédit Mutuel Asset Management SA)
• Original Assignee: Sidel (Crédit Mutuel Asset Management SA)
• Inventors: Martin, Michel, Bunel, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): McDowell, Suzanne E.
• Application Number:
  US09/462,871
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 264/37.16, 264/526, 264/531, 264/529, 264/543, 264/917, 264/37.25, 425/522, 425/532, 425/540
• US Class Current: 264/37.16
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/7832 Blowing with two or more pressure levels
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0715 the preform having one end closed
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/04 Extrusion blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/06 Injection blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/18 using several blowing steps B29C49/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/4284 Means for recycling or reusing auxiliaries or materials, e.g. blowing fluids or energy
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42855 Blowing fluids, e.g. reducing fluid consumption
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/6472 in several stages
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/783 blowing pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/10 Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 264/917 by blow molding material recycled from consumer used article or product

Abstract

The invention concerns a method whereby in an installation (1, 2, 3) for making containers (200, 300) by blowing blanks (400), for example thermoplastic preforms, the high pressure fluid derived from degassing a container is re-used and injected (14) into a container previously degassed, for example for cooling it or for thoroughly spraying the inside thereof to solidify the material.

Claims

1. Manufacturing procedure for containers (200, 300, 800) by blow molding using gas under pressure, in particular air, of blanks (22, 400) of thermoplastic material on the inside of molds (2, 3, 17, . . . 20) in a system containing at least two finishing molds in which the blanks are successively introduced and the containers are successively blow molded, the blow molding of each container comprising, after a step (5) of blow molding using a gas at a first pressure (P1), a step (6) of at least partial degassing, followed by a step (7) in the process of which gas at a second pressure (P2), lower than the first (P1), is introduced into the container, characterized in that the gas at the second pressure (P2) introduced into a container is made up at least in part of the product of degassing of at least one container that has been blow molded further on in the system.

2. Procedure according to claim 1, characterized in that the gas at the second pressure (P2) introduced into a container formed in a mold is the product of the degassing step of a container formed in the mold that immediately follows in the system.

3. Procedure according to claim 2, characterized in that the step for introduction of gas at the second pressure consists of sweeping the interior of the container, i.e., allowing the gas to circulate freely in the container, an escape to the outside air is carried out from the interior toward the exterior of the container during the sweeping.

4. Procedure according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a phase of drawing the blank or the container in the process of blow molding using means for drawing such as a drawing rod and the introduction of the gas at the second pressure (P2) is carried out using means that are provided with ducts and orifices for circulation of the gas.

5. Procedure according to claim 4, characterized in that the drawing means are arranged so that it is mainly the base of the container that would receive the flow of gas.

6. Procedure according to claim 1, characterized in that the system contains at least three finishing molds, a cascade carries out introduction of the product of degassing of one container manufactured in a given mold into at least two containers blow molded in at least two molds preceding the said mold in the system.

7. Procedure according to claim 6, characterized in that the step for introduction of gas at the second pressure has as its function sweeping the interior of the containers in cascade, i.e., allowing the gas to circulate freely in the containers;

an escape to the outside air being implemented from the interior toward the exterior of the container in cascade that is the one farthest from the one where the degassing started.

8. Procedure according to claim 1, characterized in that each mold contains at least two blow molding cavities, thus permitting blow molding of at least two containers, the product of degassing of one container manufactured in one cavity of a mold is transferred into at least one container manufactured in a corresponding cavity of a preceding mold.

9. Procedure according to claim 1, characterized in that the corresponding cavities of the two successive molds are isolated since it is not necessary to transfer the product of degassing from one to the other.

10. Manufacturing system for containers that uses the procedure according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two blow molding molds and fluid connections (10, 11) mounted between the molds and arranged so that when one container blow molded in a mold is in the process of degassing, at least one part of the gas that it contains is directed toward a container that was previously manufactured in another mold, and in addition arranged so that when a container is in the process of blow molding, the blow molding gas does not escape except toward a container that was previously blow molded.

11. System according to claim 10, characterized in that it comprises at least one carousel (1, 15) on which at least two molds (2, 3, 17, 18, 19, 20) are mounted for blow molding the containers, the carousel being moved with a continuous rotational movement (9, 16) at the time of manufacturing the containers;

in that it comprises additionally a zone (4, 23) in which the blanks are introduced into the molds, a zone (5) for blow molding the container at a first pressure (P1), a zone (6) for degassing of the containers, a zone (7) for introduction of at least a part of the product of degassing of a container manufactured in one mold into the inside of a container manufactured in another mold and a zone (8, 24) for ejection of the containers (21).

12. System according to claim 10, characterized in that the blanks are extruded preforms and the system comprises a device for extrusion of the said preforms.

13. System according to claim 10, characterized in that the blanks are preforms obtained by injection molding, and the system comprises a device for introduction of the preforms into the molds.

14. System according to claim 10, characterized in that the blanks are intermediate containers obtained by blow molding the previously injection molded preforms.

15. System according to claim 10, characterized in that the blanks are the intermediate containers obtained by blow molding of previously extruded preforms.