Apparatus and method for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers with coupling device

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus for deforming plastics parisons to form plastics containers, having a blow-molding device which is arranged at least indirectly on a main shaft which is pivotable about a pivot axis, which blow molding device has at least two mold supports, a base element and two blow mold parts, wherein the base element and the blow mold parts are suitable for forming a cavity within which the plastics parisons are deformable to form the plastic containers, and the base element is arranged on a base receptacle, and having a coupling device which couples an opening movement of the blow mold parts to a raising and lowering movement of the base part relative to the blow mold parts.

Claims

1. An apparatus for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers with a blow molding device, which is arranged at least indirectly on a main shaft that is pivotable about a pivot axis, and which comprises at least two mold carriers, a base element and two blow mold parts, wherein the base element and the blow mold parts are suitable for forming a cavity inside which the plastic preforms can be formed into the plastic containers, and the base element is arranged on a base holder, and with a coupling device which couples an opening movement of the blow mold parts to a lift and lower movement of the base element relative to the blow mold parts, wherein the coupling device has a curve element which cooperates with a further element such that, by opening of the blow molding device by pivoting of at least one mold carrier about the pivot axis of the main shaft, at least one of the curve element and the further element can be brought into a rotational movement relative to the pivot axis, via which the base holder with the base element can be lowered, wherein the coupling device is arranged directly on the main shaft and wherein a curve path of the curve element is formed as a protrusion in a circumferential direction of the guide element, and at least one roller runs on the top side of the curve element and at least one further roller runs on the underside of the curve element, such that the curve element is received between at least the one roller and the one further roller.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the further element is a roller arrangement with at least one roller which can be guided in the curve element.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an elastic damping element is arranged on the base element or on the base holder.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a rotatable carrier on which a plurality of these blow molding devices is arranged.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the rotatable carrier is arranged inside a clean room.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a first mold carrier is pivotable in an angle between 20° and 60° relative to the pivot axis defined by the main shaft, and/or a second mold carrier is pivotable in an angle between 1° and 10° relative to the pivot axis defined by the main shaft.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first mold carrier and the second mold carrier consist of different materials.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base element has a fixing device which fixes the base element relative to the blow mold parts when the blow mold is in a closed state.

9. A method for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, with a blow molding device which is arranged at least indirectly on a main shaft that is pivotable about a pivot axis, and which comprises at least two mold carriers, a base element and two blow mold parts, wherein the base element and the blow mold parts are suitable for forming a cavity, inside which the plastic preforms can be formed into the plastic containers, and the base element is arranged on a base holder, and with a coupling device which couples an opening movement of the blow mold parts with a lift and lower movement of the base element relative to the blow mold parts, wherein the coupling device has a curve element which cooperates with a further element such that, by opening of the blow molding device by pivoting of at least one mold carrier about the pivot axis of the main shaft, at least one of the curve element and the further element is brought into a rotational movement relative to the pivot axis, via which the base holder with the base element is lowered, wherein the coupling device is arranged directly on the main shaft and wherein a curve path of the curve element is formed as a protrusion in a circumferential direction of the guide element, and at least one roller runs on the top side of the curve element and at least one further roller runs on the underside of the curve element, such that the curve element is received between at least the one roller and the one further roller.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein on opening the mold carriers, a first mold carrier is pivoted in an angle between 20° and 60° relative to the pivot axis defined by the main shaft, and/or a second mold carrier is pivoted in an angle between 1° and 10° relative to the pivot axis of the main shaft.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main shaft and the coupling device are arranged parallel to a vertical longitudinal axis of the blow molding device.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main shaft and the base holder are arranged on a common receiver.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the curve element integrated in the coupling device is configured such that it runs as a groove in a circumferential direction of the guide element.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base holder is mounted rotatably with the base element and the curve element is directly integrated in a side face of the base element.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises an opening device which is connected to the mold carriers via a plurality of connecting rods.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

(1) Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1A depicts a first embodiment;

(3) FIG. 1B depicts a coupling device according to a first embodiment;

(4) FIG. 1C depicts a coupling device according to a further embodiment;

(5) FIG. 2A depicts a further embodiment;

(6) FIG. 2B depicts a perspective view according to the further embodiment of FIG. 2A;

(7) FIG. 3A shows a further embodiment according to embodiments of the invention in a first side view;

(8) FIG. 3B shows a further embodiment according to embodiments of the invention in a second side view;

(9) FIG. 4A depicts a cutaway of base lift unit of the blow molding device in a first view;

(10) FIG. 4B depicts a cutaway of a base lift unit of the blow molding device in a second view;

(11) FIG. 4C depicts a base lift unit of the blow molding device in a second view;

(12) FIG. 4D depicts a base lift unit of the blow molding device in a first view;

(13) FIG. 5A depicts the base lift unit of the blow molding device according to FIGS. 4A-4D;

(14) FIG. 5B depicts a second view of the base lift unit of the blow molding device according to FIGS. 4A-4D;

(15) FIG. 5C depicts a third view of the base lift unit of the blow molding device according to FIGS. 4A-4D;

(16) FIG. 5D depicts a cutaway of fourth view of the base lift unit of the blow molding device according to FIGS. 4A-4D; and

(17) FIG. 5E depicts a cutaway of a fifth view of the base lift unit of the blow molding device according to FIGS. 4A-4D.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(18) FIGS. 1A-1C show three depictions of a first embodiment according to embodiments of the invention. The blow molding device 1 is arranged or hinged on a main shaft 2 via a plurality of connecting rods 8, and here comprises a base element 10 arranged on a base holder 4, two blow mold parts 21, 22 forming a cavity 24, and two mold carriers 11, 12. At least one mold carrier 11, 12 is mounted pivotably relative to a pivot axis S of the main shaft 2. The pivot axis S is oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis L of the blow mold. In particular, FIG. 1a shows an opening device 6 which is connected to the mold carriers 11, 12 via a plurality of connecting rods 8. When the blow mold is opened, at least one mold carrier 11, 12 is pivoted about the pivot axis S, and the opening device 6 and the main shaft 2 with a coupling device 7 arranged on the main shaft are set in a rotational movement, whereby a roller arrangement 30 of the base holder 4 is guided on the coupling device 7 so that the base element 10 is lowered.

(19) Reference sign 5 designates a linear guide arranged on the base holder 4 and a carrier 3. This linear guide 5 supports the movement of the base element 10 in the longitudinal direction L of the blow mold.

(20) FIGS. 1A and 1B show a first embodiment of the coupling device, wherein the coupling device 7 here has an integrated curve element 25 arranged as a groove 25 in the circumferential direction of the coupling device 7. When the base element is lowered or raised, as shown in FIG. 1B, at least one roller 33 of the roller arrangement 30 of the base holder 4 is guided in this groove 25. The groove is preferably slightly wider than the diameter of the roller which runs in this groove.

(21) FIG. 1C shows a coupling device according to a further embodiment. Here, an integrated curve element 9 is formed on the coupling device 7 and arranged as a protrusion in the circumferential direction of the coupling device 7. It is evident that the base holder 4 comprises the roller arrangement 30 with an upper roller 31 and a lower roller 32 which receive the curve element 9 between them, while the roller arrangement 30 is guided on this curve element 9.

(22) FIG. 1B also shows a fixing device 46 arranged on the base element 10, and a corresponding fixing device 47 of the blow mold parts 21, 22, which engage with each other in a closed state of the blow molding device and fix the base element 10 relative to the blow mold.

(23) FIGS. 2A and 2B show a further embodiment according to embodiments of the invention. A coupling device 35 in the form of a frame 35 is arranged on the base holder 4, and a curve element 37 integrated therein. In this embodiment, it is evident from FIG. 2B in particular that here a roller arrangement 38 is arranged on the opening device 6 and guided in the curve element 37. It is also clear from FIG. 2B that the frame 35 is not fully closed, whereby it is however also possible to close this completely. By opening the blow mold, again the opening device 6 is here set in a rotational movement, whereby the roller arrangement 38 is moved in the curve element 37 and the base element 10 is lowered. Also, in particular, FIG. 2B again shows the linear guide 5.

(24) Reference sign A here designates a further axis which runs parallel to the pivot axis S. Opening the mold carriers sets the roller arrangement 38 in a rotational movement about axis A.

(25) FIGS. 3A-3B show a further embodiment according to embodiments of the invention. The base holder 4 is here mounted rotatably with the base element 10, and connected to the opening device 6 via a coupling device 40 in the form of a lever 40 with at least one and preferably two movement hinges 41. In this embodiment, a curve element 42 is integrated directly in the base element 10. The rotational movement of the opening device 6 here sets the base holder 4, and accordingly the base element 10, in a rotational movement via the lever 40, so that a roller arrangement 45 with at least two rollers receives the curve element 42 of the base element 10 between these and the base element 10 is lowered. It is however also conceivable that the curve element 42 is here again formed as a groove, so that at least one roller of the roller arrangement 45 is guided inside this groove. Reference sign 5 in FIG. 3B here again designates the linear guide of the base element. Axis A again designates an axis parallel to the pivot axis S about which the roller arrangement 45 can be rotated when the mold carriers are opened.

(26) FIGS. 4A-4D show four depictions of a base lift unit 50 of the blow molding device in various views. Reference sign 75 here designates an opening and movement device for opening the blow mold and for the lift and lower movement of the base element, again showing that these movements are coupled together. Reference sign 51 designates a curve segment which supports the lift and lower movement of the base element, in that at least one guide roller 55 and preferably two guide rollers 55 are guided on the curve segment. In particular, it is evident from FIG. 4A that both the main shaft 2 and the base holder 4 are arranged on a common receiver 52. This receiver 52 serves in particular to arrange the blow molding device inside a clean room and separate this clean room from the environment. Reference sign 53 designates a lower region of the main shaft which is arranged outside the clean room. FIGS. 5A-5E show further depictions of the base lift unit 50 according to FIGS. 4A-4D. For reasons of clarity however, the receiver has not been shown here.

(27) Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

(28) For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements. The mention of a “unit” or a “module” does not preclude the use of more than one unit or module.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(29) 1 Blow molding device 2 Main shaft 3 Carrier 4 Base holder 5 Linear guide 6 Opening device 7 Coupling device 8 Connecting rods 9 Curve element 10 Base element 11 First mold carrier 12 Second mold carrier 21 Blow mold part 22 Blow mold part 24 Cavity 25 Curve element, groove 30 Roller arrangement, further element for base holder 31 Upper roller 32 Lower roller 33 Roller 35 Coupling device, frame 37 Curve element 38 Roller arrangement, further element 40 Coupling device, lever with movement hinge 41 Movement hinge 42 Curve element 45 Roller arrangement, further element 46 Fixing device for base element 47 Fixing device for blow mold parts 50 Base lift unit 51 Curve segment 52 Receiver 53 Lower region of main shaft 55 Guide roller 75 Opening and movement device L Longitudinal axis of blow mold S Pivot axis of main shaft 2 A Axis