Method for fabricating containers

Abstract

A method of fabricating a container from a substantially tubular preform. The preform is preheated to a temperature above the glass-transition temperature of the preform and placed in an expansion zone configured to accommodate the preform and in fluid communication with the nozzle of an injection head. The expansion zone is disposed adjacent to the nozzle and about the longitudinal axis defined by the injection head. A volume of an injection liquid is injected from the injection head into the preform cavity of the preform while the preform is in the expansion zone and the preform is expanded, while still in the expansion zone, into a container. Concurrently with the injecting and expanding of the preform, the preform is heated by energizing a plurality of infrared-emitting elements disposed about the preform and projecting infrared radiation into the expansion zone.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a container, the method comprising the steps of: providing a substantially tubular preform defining a preform cavity in communication with a mouth disposed at an open end of the preform; preheating the preform to increase the temperature of the preform to above a glass-transition temperature of a thermoplastic resin forming the preform; positioning the preform in fluid communication with a nozzle of an injection head in an expansion zone disposed adjacent to the nozzle and about a longitudinal axis of the injection head, the expansion zone configured to accommodate the preform therein; injecting a volume of an injection liquid from the injection head into the preform cavity of the preform while the preform is in the expansion zone; while in the expansion zone, expanding the preform into a container by free blowing with the injection liquid; and concurrently with the injecting step and the expanding step, heating the preform by energizing a plurality of infrared-emitting elements disposed circumferentially and symmetrically about the preform, disposed with each of the elements extending along a respective axis thereof which is arranged either parallel to and about the longitudinal axis or about a rotational center of the expansion zone and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and projecting infrared radiation into the expansion zone.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heating step includes projecting the infrared radiation more intensely incident upon certain regions of the preform than upon other regions of the preform, thereby creating a temperature gradient over the preform.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the preheating step includes creating a temperature gradient over the preform, and the heating step includes heating the preform evenly with the infrared-emitting elements.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heating step includes heating the preform evenly with the infrared-emitting elements.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heating step includes heating the preform symmetrically about the longitudinal axis.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heating step includes heating the preform symmetrically along the longitudinal axis.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis is substantially vertically oriented.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heating step includes heating the preform symmetrically along a contour of the container being formed.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heating step includes tailoring the irradiation of the preform prior to and during the expanding step.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the preheating step includes creating a temperature gradient over the preform, and the heating step includes maintaining the temperature gradient.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of advancing a stretching rod through the mouth and into the preform cavity of the preform.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the advancing step includes urging the stretching rod against an interior surface of the preform.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the advancing step includes axially stretching the preform along the longitudinal axis with the stretching rod.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the infrared-emitting elements are grouped into a plurality of arrays, the arrays being disposed at substantially equiangular intervals about the longitudinal axis.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the infrared-emitting elements are disposed substantially equidistant from the surface of the container being formed and are disposed at substantially equal intervals about the longitudinal axis.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIGS. 1A & 1B are a side and top view, respectively, of a container-fabricating apparatus according to a first embodiment incorporating the principles of the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a side view of a container-fabricating apparatus according to a second embodiment incorporating the principles of the invention; and

(3) FIGS. 3A & 3B are a side and top view, respectively, of a container-fabricating apparatus according to a third embodiment incorporating the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) For a complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description of the invention.

(5) It should be appreciated that various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with other embodiments of the invention and are merely illustrative of the specific ways to make and use the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention when taken into consideration with the claims and the following detailed description. In the present description, the following words are given a definition that should be taken into account when reading and interpreting the description, examples and claims.

(6) “Infrared” is a band of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum having a wavelength generally between 700 nanometers and 1 millimeter. “Near Infrared” and “Medium Infrared” are the portions of this band having wavelengths between 750 and about 3,000 nanometers; and between 3,000 and 8,000 nanometers, respectively;

(7) “Injection Liquid” is a non-compressible liquid substance injected under pressure into said preform during a process for the forming of the latter so as to induce said preform to plastically deform; and

(8) A “Preform” is a substantially tubular object fabricated from a thermoplastic resin and configured to interface with an apparatus for molding it into a container.

(9) As used in this specification, the words “comprises”, “comprising”, and similar words, are not to be interpreted in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to mean “including, but not limited to.

(10) Any reference to prior art documents in this specification is not to be considered an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field.

(11) The invention is further described with reference to the following examples. It will be appreciated that the invention as claimed is not intended to be limited in any way by these examples.

(12) The main principle of the invention is first described.

(13) FIG. 1A is a side view of a container-fabricating apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention. In FIG. 1A the apparatus 100 is shown during the forming of the container 101 from the preform 101A.

(14) The apparatus 100 is provided with an injection head 102. The injection head 102 comprises a nozzle 103, which is put into communication with a source of the injection liquid 104 by nozzle channel 105.

(15) The nozzle 103 of the injection head 102 is configured to establish fluid communication with the mouth 106 of the preform 101A when disposed thereupon. During a container-forming process, the injection liquid 104 is injected into the cavity 107A of the preform 101A. As the injection liquid 104 is injected, the preform will expand, assuming the form of the container 101 as shown here, the container 101 enclosing a cavity 107 of a volume substantially equal to the volume of the injection liquid 104 injected during its forming.

(16) As shown here, the injection head 102 is provided with a vertically-oriented longitudinal axis 109, which extends through the nozzle 103 and into an expansion zone 110 extending from said nozzle 103 generally along the longitudinal axis 109.

(17) The injection head 102 is also provided with the stretching rod 111, which is advanced through the injection head 102 and out of the nozzle 103 into the mouth 106 of the preform 101A into contact with the interior surface thereof at a contact point 112A. During the container forming process, the stretching rod 111 is advanced to induce the preform 101A to deform in the longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis 109.

(18) The apparatus further comprises a plurality of infrared-emitting elements which are provided here in the form of the infrared lamps 113, grouped into the array 114A. The Infrared lamps 113, when energized, project the infrared radiation 115 into the expansion zone 110, thereby heating the preform 101A. This is preferably performed concurrently with the injection of the injection liquid 104, so as to compensate for the loss of heat in the preform 101A to the injection liquid 104.

(19) The infrared radiation 115 is preferably within the near- to medium-infrared bands, such that it has a wavelength between 750 and 8,000 nanometers. The exact wavelength will depend on the particular material from which the preform is fabricated For instance, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has an optimal infrared absorption at wavelengths around 1,700 nanometers. Tungsten-filament and Light-Emitting Diode (LED) infrared lamps are preferred for generating infrared radiation at such wavelengths, however the user may of course provide the container-fabricating apparatus with infrared-emitting elements of other types and in other configurations as appropriate to each individual application.

(20) Furthermore, in this embodiment, the array 114A of infrared lamps 113 is disposed along the contour 116. Here, the contour 116 is in a form generally conforming to the contour of the container 101, here configured as a segment of a circular arc. However, it should be understood that the array 114A may be disposed along many different dispositions according to the particularities of each application, so as to favor the irradiation of certain regions of the preform 101A over others and thereby create a temperature gradient in the preform 101A along the longitudinal axis 109.

(21) Furthermore, it should be noted that, while FIG. 1 depicts only the single array 114A for clarity, it is generally envisioned that the container-forming apparatus 100 will incorporate several such arrays, disposed symmetrically about the longitudinal axis 109 so as to evenly irradiate the preform 101A as it is being expanded into the container 101.

(22) FIG. 1B is a depiction of the container-fabrication apparatus 100 from the top. The container 101 is disposed at the center of the expansion zone 110. Bounding the expansion zone 110 are four arrays 114A through 114D of infrared lamps 113, disposed in an equiangular arrangement about the longitudinal axis 109 (here perpendicular to the plane of the image and thus represented by a cross). For clarity, only one of the infrared lamps 113 of each of the arrays 114A-114D is depicted, however it should be understood that the arrays ideally comprise a plurality of infrared lamps 113, such as depicted in FIG. 1A, disposed in parallel to each other.

(23) As can be seen in FIG. 1B, the infrared lamps 113 are elongate in form, each having a longitudinal axis 117. It should be noted that the longitudinal axes 117 of the infrared lamps 113 are disposed substantially horizontally, and the perpendicular bisector 118 of each infrared lamp 113 intersects the longitudinal axis 109 of the container-fabricating apparatus 100. This ensures that each of the arrays 114A-114D is square relative to the container 101, ensuring that each of the quadrants 119A through 119D of the expansion zone 110 are evenly bathed in the infrared radiation 115. The preform 101A will thus be evenly heated during the fabrication process, ensuring that the container 101 is substantially symmetric about the longitudinal axis 109.

(24) FIG. 2 depicts a side view of a container-fabricating apparatus 200 according to a second embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention. The container-fabricating apparatus 200 of the second embodiment is similar to the one depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in that it comprises an injection head 102 in fluid communication with the preform cavity 201A of a preform 202A, and is further provided with a longitudinal axis 109 disposed in a vertical orientation. The injection head 102 communicates with the preform cavity 201A through the mouth 203 of said preform 201A, which is disposed in fluid communication with the nozzle 103 of the injection head 102.

(25) Upon the injection of the injection liquid 104 into the preform cavity 201A, the preform 202A will expand into the container 202. As in the previous embodiment, the container 202 encloses a cavity 201 of substantially the same volume as that of the injection liquid 104 injected during the fabrication of the container 202. Concurrently, the preform 202A is irradiated with infrared radiation so as to heat it, which will now be discussed.

(26) In this second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, there is provided a plurality of infrared-emitting elements in the form of the infrared lamps 204. The infrared lamps 204 are here arranged so as to be mutually parallel and coplanar in the plane 205, thereby forming the array 206. As in the previous embodiment, it should be understood that while for reasons of clarity only the one array 206 is depicted here, the container-fabricating apparatus will preferably comprise a plurality of such arrays, disposed substantially symmetrically about the longitudinal axis 109.

(27) The infrared lamps 204, when energized, emit the infrared radiation 207, which is projected into the expansion zone 208. The expansion zone 208, as in the previous embodiment, extends from the nozzle 103 of the injection head 102 and is centered along the longitudinal axis 109.

(28) In this embodiment, the disposition of the infrared lamps 204 in the plane 205, itself parallel to the longitudinal axis 109, means that the irradiation of the preform 202A will be uniform along its entire length when the infrared lamps 204 are uniform in output.

(29) FIG. 3A is a side view of a container-fabricating apparatus 300 according to a third embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention. As in the previous two embodiments, there is provided an injection head 102 in fluid communication with the preform cavity 301A of a preform 302A, the injection head having a longitudinal axis 109 disposed in a vertical orientation. The injection head 102 is in communication with the preform cavity 301A through the mouth 303 of said preform 302A, which is disposed in fluid communication with the nozzle 103 of the injection head 102. Upon the injection of the injection liquid 104 into the preform cavity 301A, the preform 302A is induced to expand and take the shape of the container 302, which encloses the cavity 301 having substantially the same volume as the injection liquid 104 used to form the container. Concurrently to this, the preform 302A is irradiated with infrared radiation so as to heat it, which will now be discussed.

(30) In this third embodiment of the invention, as in the previous two, there are provided a plurality of infrared-emitting elements in the form of the infrared lamps 304. The infrared lamps 304, of which only one is depicted here for clarity, are elongate and each have a longitudinal axis 305 disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 109 of the injection head 102 so as to dispose the infrared lamps 304 in a vertical orientation.

(31) When energized, the infrared lamps 304 will project infrared radiation 306 into the expansion zone 307 extending from the nozzle 103 of the injection head 102. During the operation of the container-fabricating apparatus 300, the infrared lamps 304 will thereby irradiate the preform 302A. As the infrared lamps 304 are disposed vertically, the preform 302A will be evenly irradiated along its length.

(32) This third embodiment of the invention is further provided with a shield 308 disposed between the container 302 and the infrared lamps 304. The shield 308 serves to enclose the preform 302A/container 302 during and immediately after the fabrication process. The shield 308 serves to protect the area about the injection head, such as from splashing of the injection liquid 104 during normal operation or from flying debris should a defective preform 302A or container 302 burst under the pressure of injection.

(33) The shield 308 may be made of tempered and/or laminated glass, polycarbonate resin, metal foil, or any other such material which is both resilient and at least 90% transparent to infrared radiation. Of course, it may in certain implementations be preferable to provide the shield as, for instance, individual fixtures for the infrared lamps 304 rather than a large enclosure about the container; the exact configuration and disposition of the shield may be determined by the user for each application.

(34) FIG. 3B is a top view of the container-fabricating apparatus 300 according to the third embodiment. The infrared lamps 304 are shown here disposed substantially equidistant from the surface of the container 302, and disposed at substantially-equal intervals about the longitudinal axis 109 of the injection head 102 (as in FIG. 1B, the longitudinal axis is here perpendicular to the plane of the paper and is as such depicted with a cross). The infrared lamps 304 are thereby disposed about the curved contour 309, which is here configured as a circle about the preform 302A. The infrared lamps 304 thereby surround the preform 302A and heat it evenly over its entire circumference as it is expanded into the container 302.

(35) It should be noted that while the infrared lamps 304 are depicted in this embodiment as straight tubes, it is indeed possible to furnish them in other configurations. For instance, in an alternate embodiment it may be advantageous to furnish the infrared lamps in the form of a toroid, such that a plurality of toroidal lamps are disposed about the longitudinal axis of the preform. In another alternate embodiment, the infrared lamp may be furnished in the form of a helical tube, winding about the longitudinal axis of the preform. The precise configuration of the lamp(s) may be determined by the user according to the aspects of each particular implementation.

(36) It should be understood that while the preceding embodiments disclose the basic principles of the present invention, considerable variation in how these principles are implemented is possible. Specifically, the exact arrangement, power output, number, etc. of the infrared lamps may be determined by the user according to each application, for instance to generate a particular thermal gradient in the preform or to produce containers of a particular size and general shape. The usage of lamps to provide the infrared radiation (as opposed to gas-fired burners and the like) is particularly advantageous in that such lamps, whether LED or tungsten-filament, may be turned on and off during the fabrication of the container.

(37) Furthermore, it may in some applications be possible to combine control of the injection of the injection liquid and advancement of the stretching rod with monitoring the temperature of the preform during the heating step and energizing/de-energizing the infrared lamps accordingly, so as to exert active control over the deformation of the preform and the ultimate form and volume of the container.

(38) Finally, it should be understood by those versed in the arts of machine design and process engineering that the apparatuses disclosed in the Figures and discussed here above may be adapted for more efficient use in a factory setting, for instance by the provision of materials-handling and other such automation capabilities. The exact construction of the container-fabricating apparatus should not be construed as limited by the Figures or the foregoing embodiments.

(39) Although the invention has been described by way of example, it should be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred in this specification.