DEVICE FOR PRODUCING AND FILLING CONTAINERS

Abstract

A device for producing and filling containers, in which at least one hose of plasticized plastic material emerging from an extrusion head (2), can be extruded into an opened mold, wherein a filling device (14) can be used to at least introduce the filling material into the relevant container by means of filling mandrels (12), which, at least during operation, extend through the extrusion head (2) along at least one row of passages (40), is characterized in that the extrusion head (2) has a cuboid shell (20, 22) and in that the overall height (H) of the extrusion head (2), viewed in parallel to the orientation of the relevant filling mandrel (12), is smaller than the length (L) of the extrusion head (2), viewed along the pertinent row of passages (40).

Claims

1. A device for producing and filling containers, in which at least one hose of plasticized plastic material emerging from an extrusion head (2), can be extruded into an opened mold, wherein a filling device (14) can be used to at least introduce the filling material into the relevant container by means of filling mandrels (12), which, at least during operation, extend through the extrusion head (2) along at least one row of passages (40), characterized in that the extrusion head (2) has a cuboid shell (20, 22) and in that the overall height (H) of the extrusion head (2), viewed in parallel to the orientation of the relevant filling mandrel (12), is smaller than the length (L) of the extrusion head (2), viewed along the pertinent row of passages (40).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ratio of the overall height (H) of the extrusion head (2), viewed in parallel to the orientation of the relevant filling mandrel (12), to the length (L) of the extrusion head (2), viewed along the pertinent row of passages (40), is smaller than 0.5, preferably smaller than 0.3 and particularly preferably smaller than 0.2.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cuboidal shell consists of two shell parts (20, 22), of which at least one shell part (22) has a duct guide (48, 50, 52, 54) for the plasticized plastic material, which duct guide contains an annular space (42), in the center of which a support strut (36) is arranged, which has individual longitudinal receptacles in the form of passages (40) for the penetration of the individual filling mandrels (12).

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the plasticized plastic material can be supplied to the annular space (42) via at least one supply duct (48, 50), one free end (52, 54) of which for this purpose opens into the annular space (42) and the other free end of which opens into a feed duct (44), which is perpendicular to the respective supply ducts (48, 50).

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the plasticized plastic material can be supplied to the annular space (42) via at least two supply ducts (48, 50), the free ends (52, 54) of which open into the annular space (42) preferably on its longer sides and preferably opposite from each other.

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the feed duct (44) opens horizontally into the supply ducts (48, 50) at a distribution point (46).

7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the feed duct (44) is part of a feeder (28), which is placed on an end area of an upper shell part (20) extending along a narrow side of the shell (20, 22) and which at least partially covers the upper shell part (20).

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that one free end (30) of the feeder (28) can be connected to a central supply of an extruder.

9. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the two supply paths (48, 50) at least partially enclose the annular space (42) in a pincer-like manner and whose curved end sections (52, 54) open into the annular space (42), and in that the two other free ends of the supply paths (48, 50) open into the common distribution point (46) into which the feed duct (44) of the feeder (28) opens.

10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the annular space (42) and the supply ducts (48, 50) are likewise formed by recesses in the two shell parts (20, 22), through which the support strut (36), extending centrally and in parallel to the long sides of the extrusion head (2), for the respective filling mandrels (12) passes.

11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the individual filling mandrel (12) is received in the support strut (36) in a longitudinally movable manner at a predeterminable radial spacing within the individually assignable recess (40).

12. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the overall height (H) of the extrusion head (2), viewed in parallel to the orientation of the individual filling mandrel (12), is less than 20 cm, preferably less than 15 cm, particularly preferably less than 13 cm.

13. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the respective filler mandrels (12) is less than 80 cm, preferably less than 60 cm, particularly preferably less than 40 cm.

14. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective filling mandrels (12) are arranged inside the extrusion head (2), in particular in the passages (40) in the support strut (36), without guidance at least during operation while maintaining a predeterminable radial spacing.

15. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least in operation there is a largely laminar gas flow between the respective filling mandrels (12) and the respective passages (40).

Description

[0023] In the drawings:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows an aborted vertical section of the exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention, wherein only the device area adjacent to the extrusion head is shown and the only visible filling mandrel is shown in the extended filling position;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a perspective oblique view, magnified compared to FIG. 1, of the separately shown extrusion head of the exemplary embodiment;

[0026] FIG. 3 shows an oblique perspective view of the extrusion head drawn partly in vertical section and mostly in horizontal section; and

[0027] FIG. 4 shows a perspective oblique view of a special design of the extrusion head drawn in horizontal section.

[0028] FIG. 1 shows only the parts of the device adjacent to an extrusion head 2 of the exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention. The extrusion head 2 is mounted on a base frame 4, which, together with vertical beams 6 and horizontal beams 8, forms a device frame encompassing the extrusion head 2. Further device units are mounted on the upper, horizontal beams 8 of the base frame 4, namely a mandrel holder 10, which extends vertically as a columnar design, as usual for such devices (see FIG. 1 of the document referred to in the state of the art) and on which the relevant filling mandrels 12 in conjunction with an associated filling device 14 can be moved adjustably in the vertical direction. FIG. 1 shows the filling mandrels 12 in the extended filling position, in which they extend into an opened forming device, which is not shown. The filling devices 14 receive filling material from a central filling material line 16 and have a controllable metering unit 18 for every filling chamber 12. As described in document DE 10 2008 028 772 A1, the dosing units 18 dispense the dose quantity of the product required for every filling process in a clocked manner to the inner (not shown) filling duct of the relevant filling mandrel 12.

[0029] As FIG. 2 shows, the extrusion head 2 has the shape of a flat shell, the main part of which forms a rectangular cuboid. In the illustration in FIG. 1, the cutting plane runs along the narrow side of the cuboid. The shell-shaped extrusion head 2 is formed by two shell parts, of which an upper shell part is marked 20 and a lower shell part is marked 22. Both shell parts 20 and 22 rest against each other on a flat contact surface 24 and are interconnected by means of screws (not shown). A total of twelve heating plates 26 (not all visible and numbered) are screwed onto the extrusion head 2. The heating plates 26 are connected via their heating plate connection elements 27 (not all numbered). On the narrow side on the right in FIGS. 2 and 3, a feeder 28 equipped with further heating plates 26 is mounted on the end area of the upper shell part 20, which covers about half of this narrow side in a central arrangement. The angled upper end 30 of the feeder 28 can be connected to an extruder (not shown), from which plasticized plastic material can be routed to the extrusion head 2 to form the hose for producing containers by extruding the plastic material routed in from hose dispensing openings 32, of which only one is visible in FIG. 1, assigned to the only visible filling mandrel 12.

[0030] As can be seen most clearly in FIG. 1, the upper shell part 20 has a support strut 36 running centrally and in parallel to the long sides, which, starting from an elongated hole 38 forming the entrance for the filling mandrels 12 and located in the upper side of the upper shell part 20, extends continuously through the other shell part 22 and has internal passages 40 for the filling mandrels 12, which can move freely therein. Sterile air flows from a feed 35 below the retaining strip 56 in the sterile air duct 33 along the filling mandrels 12 in the passages 40 and exits at the sterile air outlet 37 of the extrusion head 2, but continues to envelop the filling mandrels 12 in a laminar flow and in that way protects them from contamination. The support strut 36 passes through an annular space 42, which forms part of a duct for the plasticized plastic material and is connected to the dispensing openings 32 inside the lower part of the shell 22. As FIG. 1 shows, the annular space 42 and the supply paths of the duct guide, which open into the annular space 42, are formed jointly by the same recesses in the contact surface 24 of the upper shell part 20 and of the lower shell part 22.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows the details of the duct guide. The feeder 28, which can be heated by the heating plates 26, has as the inlet part of the supply paths a duct in the form of a feed duct 44 running centrally and essentially perpendicular to the upper shell part 20, which is routed to a distribution point 46, which is formed between the upper shell part 20 and the lower shell part 22 and forms the inlet for the supply paths routed into the annular space 42. These supply ducts are formed by two supply ducts 48 and 50, which start from the distribution point 46 and enclose the annular space 42 over half of its length in a pincer-like manner and whose curved end sections 52 and 54 open into the annular space 42.

[0032] It is particularly surprising to obtain a uniform velocity distribution of the polymer melt at the hose dispensing opening 32 and thus a very uniform wall thickness distribution of the polymer hose according to the invention, despite the low height (H) to length (L) ratio according to the invention, which only provides a short vertical homogenization section (between annular space 42 and hose dispensing opening 32), which is only about 65% of the height H of the extrusion head 2.

[0033] The upper ends of the short filling mandrels 12, whose length is approximately 3 to 4 times the height H of the extrusion head 2, are attached to a holding bar 56. the latter is attached to a holding device 58, which is mounted above the upper shell 20 of extrusion head 2, for the clocked lifting movements. Due to the low height H of the extrusion head 2 itself and the short overall length of the filling mandrels 12, the arrangement of leading components such as bushings, bearings, etc. within the extrusion head 2 and especially within the passages 40 in the support strut 36 can be omitted. This permits an undisturbed flow of sterile air in the continuous cylindrical sterile air duct 33, in which a laminar flow can form that continues along the filling mandrels 12.

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a further preferred exemplary embodiment, in which the feed duct 44 is shortened compared to FIG. 3 and does not open vertically but, at the distribution point 46, opens almost horizontally into the supply ducts 48 and 50. Surprisingly, the further reduction in the vertical flow path length of the melt compared to the design shown in FIG. 3 does not impair the above-mentioned homogeneity of the wall thickness. Furthermore, this design is advantageous because the length of the entire melt supply paths is considerably shortened and the horizontal entry results in a reduced flow resistance and thus in lower energy requirements.

[0035] As an alternative to the electrical heating described above, the hose head 2 and/or feeder 28 can also be heated by other methods, for instance inductive heat input.