Container treatment plant comprising an oven and a blow molder with individually driven carriers for preforms

• US 9,283,709 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Original Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Inventors: Lindner, Peter, Albrecht, Thomas, Hahn, Wolfgang, Senn, Konrad, Zoelfl, Markus, Raith, Stefan, Neugebauer, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Robert B
• Application Number:
  US14/474,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20150079220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/2071 comprising electronic elements or detection means, e.g. chips, RFIDs or barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/7861 of the preform
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/7878 Preform or article handling, e.g. flow from station to station
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/78815 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/0715 the preform having one end closed
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2949/079 Auxiliary parts or inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/06 Injection blow-moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/28 Blow-moulding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/36 rotatable about one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/4205 Handling means, e.g. transfer, loading or discharging means handling of inserts or reinforcements B29C49/20; handling of linings or labels B29C49/2408
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42069 Means explicitly adapted for transporting blown article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42085 holding inside the neck
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42107 with accumulator or temporary storage, e.g. while waiting for the blowing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42119 Rotation, e.g. rotating a predetermined angle for asymmetric preform or with asymmetric heat profile
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42122 Adapting to blow-mould cavity center-center distance
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/4236 Drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42362 Electric drive means, e.g. servomotors
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42412 Marking or printing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42802 a closure or a sealing foil to the article or pincing the opening
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42808 Filling the article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/6409 : Thermal conditioning of preforms B29C49/68 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/6436 : characterised by temperature differential
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/68 : Ovens specially adapted for heating preforms or parisons
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/685 : Rotating the preform in relation to heating means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/786 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/80 : Testing, e.g. for leaks
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/258 : Tubular
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/712 : Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages closures therefor B29L2031/56; ink or toner cartridges B29L2031/7678; squeeze tubes B29L2023/20; suitcases B29L2031/7418

Abstract

A container treatment plant having an oven, a blow molder located downstream of the oven and used for processing a plurality of container blanks, such as preforms, and a conveying unit configured for conveying a plurality of carriers, each carrier being provided for accommodating at least one container blank, and the conveying unit and the carrier being adapted to one another such that each carrier is individually movable through the oven.

Claims

1. A container treatment plant, comprising an oven, a blow molder located downstream of the oven and used for processing a plurality of container blanks, a conveying unit configured for conveying a plurality of carriers, each carrier being provided for accommodating at least one container blank, the conveying unit and the carrier adapted to cooperate with one another such that each carrier is individually movable through the container treatment plant by means of said conveying unit and at least one of the carriers is configured for movement in a magnetic force dependent manner, wherein each carrier comprises at least one rotary holder configured for rotatingly accommodating a container blank, wherein the oven comprises at least one infrared radiator.

2. The container treatment plant according to claim 1, the conveying unit and the carrier being further adapted to cooperate with one another such that each carrier can be used for individually moving a container blank through the oven by means of said conveying unit.

3. The container treatment plant according to claim 1, the same conveying unit fully extending through the oven and further extending through the blow molder, so that the same carrier can be moved through the oven as well as through the blow molder, with the container blank remaining inserted therein.

4. The container treatment plant according to claim 1, and at least one of the carriers includes a servomotor used for the purpose of driving.

5. The container treatment plant according to claim 1, and the oven has a flexible pitch.

6. The container treatment plant according to claim 1, and the at least one carrier includes a carriage section, which rests on the conveying path, and at least one rotary holder projects from the carriage section.

7. The container treatment plant according to claim 6, and the rotary holder includes one or a plurality of spindles, each comprising at least one mandrel to which the container blank can be applied.

8. The container treatment plant according to claim 7, and at least one spindle is coupled to the carriage section via a quick fastener.

9. The container treatment plant according to claim 7, and at least one spindle comprises a gripping section for gripping round the container blank.

10. The container treatment plant according to claim 7, and at least one spindle is provided with external teeth or with a force transmitting area.

11. The container treatment plant according to claim 7, each container blank of the plurality of container blanks accomplishes a predetermined heating profile.

12. The container treatment plant according to claim 1, and the container blanks comprise preforms.

13. The container treatment plant according to claim 1, and the movement is in interaction with a conveying path of the conveying unit, on which the at least one of the carriers slidingly rests.

14. The container treatment plant according to claim 10, and the at least one spindle provided with external teeth comprises a gear.

15. The container treatment plant according to claim 10, and the at least one spindle provided with a force transmitting area comprises a friction wheel.

16. The container treatment plant according to claim 11, and the predetermined heating profile comprises an individual heating profile.