Simultaneous retooling of processing devices

• US 9,383,743 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Original Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Inventors: Hahn, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Yuhui R
• Application Number:
  US13/699,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20130211575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: 700/179
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2049/4858 Exchanging mould parts, e.g. for changing the mould size or geometry for making different products in the same mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/30 Mounting, exchanging or centering moulds, mould parts or cores; B29C33/485 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42 Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/42384 Safety, e.g. operator safety
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/48 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/78 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/40938 Tool management

Abstract

A method, a system and a processing device for simultaneous manual retooling of at least two units or for simultaneous exchange of at least two format parts within a processing device. The processing device includes at least two working areas, each including a retooling area, a working opening and an activation device. The working openings exist in an open retooling state or in a closed processing state. For retooling at least two of the working openings are opened. The actual state of the working openings of at least two working areas is determined. Furthermore the activation of at least one activation device is recognized. If the activation devices of open working openings are activated simultaneously, a repositioning of convertible units or format parts is triggered.

Claims

1. A method for simultaneous manual retooling of at least two units or for simultaneous exchange of at least two format parts or convertible units within a processing device comprising at least two working areas, each of the working areas comprising a retooling area, a working opening and an activation device, the working openings each capable of assuming an open retooling state or a closed processing state, the method comprising the steps of:

opening at least two of the working openings for a simultaneous retooling of the processing device;

the processing device being a blow molding device with a rotating blowing wheel;

determining an actual state of the working openings of at least two working areas;

recognizing the activation of at least one activation device; and

triggering a repositioning of at least two format parts or convertible units in the at least two retooling areas, if the activation devices of all open working openings are activated simultaneously, or not triggering the repositioning of the at least two format parts or convertible units in the at least two retooling areas or actively preventing the repositioning if none, just one or just a part of the activation devices of all open working openings are activated simultaneously;

the repositioning including a rotation of the blowing wheel about an angle so that a next blow mold of the at least two format parts or convertible units is moved into one of the two retooling areas.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the activation device is triggered or activated by operating a touch control switch.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein a control unit triggers the rotation.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the repositioning of the units to be converted next or the repositioning of the exchangeable format parts is controlled according to the number of working areas, a retooling or exchange being performed simultaneously.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein the angle of rotation or a distance of movement of the units to be retooled next or the exchangeable format parts are input into a control unit or calculated automatically by the control unit.

6. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein operators communicate with each other to coordinate simultaneous activation of the activation devices.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the determining step includes determining which of the working openings is in an open state.

8. A blow molding device comprising:

a rotating blowing wheel, the blowing wheel being a processing device comprising;

a working area for adjustment of the processing device according to the processed products, the working area including a retooling area, a lockable working opening and an activation device;

at least one further working area including a further retooling area, a further lockable working opening and a further activation device, the working area and the further working area for simultaneous retooling of the processing device in the retooling and further retooling areas, the working area and further working area each capable of assuming an open retooling state or a closed processing state;

at least one detector for detecting the state of the working opening and further working opening and/or for detecting the activation of the activation and further activation devices;

at least one control unit for coordination of data from the at least one detector and for controlling repositioning of at least two units to be converted next or exchangeable format parts, the repositioning including a rotation of the blowing wheel about an angle so that a next blow mold of the at least two format parts or convertible units is moved into one of the retooling area and the further retooling area;

the control unit is configured to trigger the repositioning of at least two format parts or convertible units in the at least two retooling areas, if the activation devices of all open working openings are activated simultaneously, or not trigger the repositioning of the at least two format parts or convertible units in the at least two retooling areas or actively preventing the repositioning if none, just one or just a part of the activation devices of all open working openings are activated simultaneously.

9. The processing device as recited in claim 8 wherein the detector is integrated into the control unit.

10. The processing device as recited in claim 8 wherein the detector is a contact sensor, an image recognition sensor, a magnetic sensor or a photocell.

11. The processing device as recited in claim 8 wherein the activating devices are touch control switches.

12. The processing device as recited in claim 8 wherein the working areas each comprise a communication device.

13. The processing device as recited in claim 8 wherein the processing device is a shaping device.