APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HEATING PLASTIC PREFORMS WITH SPATIALLY RESOLVED TEMPERATURE DETECTION

Abstract

An apparatus for heating plastic preforms, having a transport device which transports the to plastic preforms along a predetermined transport path, having at least one heating element which is arranged along the transport path of the plastic preforms in order to heat the plastic preforms during their transport, wherein the apparatus has a temperature detection device which is configured to detect a temperature of the plastic preforms in a spatially resolved manner.

Claims

1. An apparatus for heating plastic preforms, having a transport device which transports the plastic preforms along a predetermined transport path, having at least one heating element which is arranged along the transport path of the plastic preforms configured to heat the plastic preforms during their transport, wherein the apparatus has a temperature detection device configured for detecting a temperature of the plastic preforms in a spatially resolved manner.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the temperature detection device has at least one infrared image recording device configured to record a spatially resolved image of the plastic preforms.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detection device is arranged in a stationary manner.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detection device is arranged along the transport path of the plastic preforms after a first group of heating devices and before a second group of heating devices.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport device has a circumferential transport device configured to transport the plastic preforms along two straight transport sections and a curved transport section lying in between, and the temperature detection device is arranged in a region of the curved transport section.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detection device configured to detect the temperature of the plastic preforms along their substantially complete circumferential surface and/or length.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured for identifying and/or characterising certain plastic preforms in response to a detected temperature, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a control device and/or regulating device configured to adapt a forming process for these plastic preforms.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detection device has an evaluation device configured to evaluate images recorded by an image recording device and to determine local temperature fluctuations of the plastic preforms.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detection device is configured for detecting local heating deviations of a plastic preform and for marking a deviating plastic preform as defective.

10. The apparatus according claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a further inspection device which is arranged in particular downstream of a forming device for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has an adjustment device configured for changing and in particular increasing the heating of individual plastic preforms or groups of plastic preforms, wherein preferably the adjustment device has at least one radiation device and in particular at least one laser.

12. An arrangement for producing plastic containers comprising an apparatus according to claim 1, and a forming device arranged downstream of this apparatus in a transport direction of the plastic preforms for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, wherein said forming device comprises a plurality of forming stations for forming the plastic preforms into plastic containers and the arrangement comprises an assigning device which assigns to each plastic preform inspected by the temperature detecting device a specific forming station in which said plastic preform is formed.

13. The arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the arrangement has a discharge device which is configured for discharging plastic preforms from the transport path.

14. In a method for heating plastic preforms, wherein the plastic preforms are transported along a predetermined transport path by a transport device and are heated during their transport by at least one heating element which is arranged along the transport path of the plastic preforms, the step of detecting a temperature of the plastic preforms in a spatially resolved manner.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein a heating of individual preforms or individual groups of preforms is adjusted.

16. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the temperature detection device is arranged in a stationary manner.

17. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the temperature detection device is arranged along the transport path of the plastic preforms after a first group of heating devices and before a second group of heating devices.

18. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transport device has a circumferential transport device configured to transport the plastic preforms along two straight transport sections and a curved transport section lying in between, and the temperature detection device is arranged in a region of the curved transport section.

19. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the temperature detection device configured to detect the temperature of the plastic preforms along their substantially complete circumferential surface and/or length.

20. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured for identifying and/or characterising certain plastic preforms in response to a detected temperature, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a control device and/or regulating device configured to adapt a forming process for these plastic preforms.

Description

[0107] Further advantages and embodiments can be seen in the attached drawing. Therein shows:

[0108] FIG. 1 a schematic representation of an apparatus according to the invention for the production of containers.

[0109] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus for producing containers according to the invention. In this method, plastic preforms 10 are first separated and fed to a heating device designated in its entirety as 2. This heating device 2 has a transport device 22. This transport device is designed here as a circumferential transport chain on which a plurality of holding devices 28 are arranged, each of which holds the plastic preforms. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the plastic preforms are also rotated with respect to their longitudinal axis. A plurality of heating elements 24a, 24b are stationarily arranged along a transport path P. The plastic preforms 10 are guided past these and heated.

[0110] The reference sign 6 indicates an inspection device which is arranged here in the area of the deflection of the transport path P, and in particular in an area in which no heating devices are arranged. As mentioned above, this inspection device records a spatially resolved image of the plastic preform and in particular a spatially resolved image of its temperature characteristics.

[0111] The reference sign 12 indicates a further temperature detection device which detects a total temperature or an integral temperature of the heated plastic preforms. This temperature value can also be used to control and/or regulate the heating device or the downstream forming device 4.

[0112] The reference sign 26 indicates a control device for controlling the heating device 2. A transport device 41 and a forming device 4 are connected to this heating device 2. This forming device 4 has a plurality of forming stations 44 which are arranged on a carrier 46. The reference sign 42 indicates a control device for controlling this forming device.

[0113] The reference sign 14 roughly schematically indicates a processor device which, taking into account at least one input value, which is in particular the variable value mentioned above, determines a determination value which predicts a specific behaviour or a specific property of the plastic preform or of the manufactured container.

[0114] The applicant reserves the right to claim all features disclosed in the application documents as essential to the invention, provided they are individually or in combination new compared to the prior art. It is further pointed out that the individual figures also describe features which may be advantageous in themselves. The skilled person immediately recognises that a certain feature described in a figure can also be advantageous without adopting further features from this figure. Furthermore, the skilled person recognises that advantages can also result from a combination of several features shown in individual figures or in different figures.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0115] 1 apparatus

[0116] 2 heating device

[0117] 10 plastic preforms

[0118] 12 temperature detection device

[0119] 14 processor device

[0120] 22 transport device

[0121] 24a, 24b heating elements

[0122] 26 control device of the heating device

[0123] 28 holding devices

[0124] 41 transport device

[0125] 42 control device (of the forming device)

[0126] 44 forming station

[0127] P transport path