AUTOMATIC CHANGE OF BLOW MOULD

Abstract

Apparatus (1) for transforming plastic preforms (10) to form plastic containers (20) with a plurality of blow moulding stations (8), wherein these blow moulding stations (8) each have a blow moulding device (14) which consists of two blow mould halves and a base mould, and wherein the blow moulding device in each case forms a cavity inside which the plastic preforms (10) can be transformed to form the plastic containers (20), and which is releasably arranged indirectly or directly on blow mould supports (16), wherein each blow moulding device has at least one temperature control device (30) with at least one electrical heating element (32) for temperature control of at least some regions of the blow moulding device (14). According to the invention the apparatus (1) has at least one electrical connection (34) which can be automatically released and/or automatically made between at least one electrical heating element (32) and the blow moulding station (8).

Claims

1. Apparatus (1) for transforming plastic preforms (10) into plastic containers (20) with a plurality of blow moulding stations (8), wherein these blow moulding stations (8) each have a blow moulding device (14) which consists of two blow mould halves and a base mould, and wherein the blow moulding device in each case forms a cavity inside which the plastic preforms (10) can be transformed to form the plastic containers (20), and which is releasably arranged indirectly or directly on blow mould supports (16), wherein each blow moulding device (14) has at least one temperature control device (30) with at least one electrical heating element (32) for temperature control of at least some regions of the blow moulding device (14), characterised in that the apparatus (1) has at least one electrical connection which can be automatically released and/or automatically made between at least one electrical heating element (32) and the blow moulding station (8).

2. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the blow moulding devices (14) are preferably arranged on the blow mould supports (16) by means of mould support shells (18).

3. Apparatus (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that a respective latching device is provided on each blow mould half, and fastens the blow moulding device (14) releasably to the mould support shell (18) or to the blow mould support (16).

4. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the apparatus (1) has at least one triggering device which is suitable and intended to produce an automatic releasing and/or an automatic making of an electrical connection between the at least one electrical heating element (32) and the transforming station (8).

5. Apparatus (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that as triggering device a changing device (40) is provided, which is suitable and intended to change the complete blow moulding device (14) in particular automatically, in particular to remove it from the blow mould support (16) and/or to arrange a blow moulding device (14) on the blow mould supports (16).

6. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the blow moulding device (14) is removed in its entirety and placed in a magazine, wherein the blow mould halves and the base mould in this state are releasably fastened to one another.

7. Apparatus (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that the changing device (40) carries out the releasing and/or the making of the electrical connection substantially concurrently with the changing of at least a part of the blow moulding device (16).

8. Apparatus (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that the changing device (40) has at least one gripping device (52) for gripping the blow moulding device (14), wherein the gripping device (52) is suitable for selectively changing a complete blow moulding device (14) or only parts of the blow moulding device (14).

9. Apparatus (1) according to claim 8, characterised in that the releasing and/or making of the electrical connection takes place by at least one gripping device (52) of the changing device (40).

10. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the releasing and/or making of the at least one electrical connection take place by automatic lifting and/or lowering of the blow moulding device (14).

11. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the releasing of the at least one electrical connection (34) takes place by the removal of at least a part of the blow moulding device (14) and/or the making of the at least one electrical connection by the insertion of at least a part of a blow moulding device (14).

12. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the releasing of the at least one electrical connection (34) takes place by the insertion and removal of a plug element of a plug connection preferably arranged on and/or outside the blow moulding device (14).

13. Apparatus (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that the triggering device has at least one element which is selected from a group including an adjustment element, a pneumatic cylinder, a positionable cam or combinations thereof.

14. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the apparatus (1) has a conditioning device for thermal conditioning and in particular for cooling of the blow moulding device (16).

15. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the apparatus (1) has a temperature measuring device for detecting a value which is characteristic for the temperature of the blow moulding device (16).

16. Apparatus (1) according to claim 15, characterised in that the apparatus (1) has a temperature control device for regulating the temperature with regard to the value detected by the temperature measuring device.

17. Method for changing a blow moulding device (16) of a blow moulding station (8) of an apparatus (1) for transforming plastic preforms (10) into plastic containers (20), wherein the blow moulding device (16) is formed of two blow mould halves and a base mould and the blow moulding device (16) forms a cavity inside which the plastic preforms (10) can be transformed to form the plastic containers (20), and wherein the blow moulding device (16) is arranged releasably indirectly or directly on blow mould supports (16), wherein at least one temperature control device (30) with at least one electrical heating element (32) for temperature control of at least some regions of the blow moulding device (14) is provided, characterised in that at least one electrical connection (34) between at least one electrical heating element (32) and the blow moulding station (8) is automatically released and/or automatically made.

18. Method according to claim 17, characterised in that a triggering device automatically releases and/or makes the electrical connection in a changing mode of the apparatus (1).

19. Apparatus (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that the changing device (40) has at least one gripping device (52) for gripping the blow moulding device (14), wherein the gripping device (52) is suitable for selectively changing a complete blow moulding device (14) or only parts of the blow moulding device (14).

20. Apparatus (1) according claim 19, characterised in that the releasing and/or making of the electrical connection takes place by at least one gripping device (52) of the changing device (40).

Description

[0061] In the drawings:

[0062] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus according to the invention;

[0063] FIG. 2 shows a schematic detail of an embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention;

[0064] FIG. 3 shows a schematic detail of a further embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention;

[0065] FIG. 4 shows a schematic detail of a further embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention.

[0066] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus 1 for transforming plastic preforms 10 into plastic containers 20. In this case the plastic preforms 10 are fed to the individual blow moulding stations 8 and are expanded to form plastic containers 20, preferably while they are being transported by a transport device 2. After this expansion the plastic containers 20 are removed from the apparatus 1 again. For this purpose a feed starwheel can be provided which delivers the plastic parisons to the apparatus 1 and also a discharge device, in particular likewise a transport starwheel, which discharges the finished containers 20 from the apparatus 1. The apparatus 1 has a (station) carrier 12 on which a plurality of blow moulding stations 8 are arranged. In this case this carrier 12 may be for example, as shown in FIG. 1, a blow moulding wheel which is rotatable with respect to an axis of rotation D (which here extends perpendicular to the drawing plane and thus vertically). In this case each individual blow moulding station 8 has a respective blow mould device 14. This blow mould device 14 is composed of two blow mould halves and a base part. These blow mould devices can be changed, preferably by a changing device. In this case the blow mould devices 14 are arranged on blow mould supports 16 and can be removed therefrom or arranged thereon.

[0067] The reference 40 identifies a changing device which serves to remove the blow mould devices from their blow mould supports or to dispose the blow mould devices on the blow mould supports. The reference 6 identifies a base carrier on which the station carrier 12 is rotatably mounted. The changing device 40 is also arranged on or adjacent to the base carrier 6. Thus the changing device 40 can be integrated in the apparatus. However, the changing device 40 can likewise also be arranged outside the apparatus, for example before the change position W, and can engage from the exterior in the blow moulding wheel.

[0068] The reference W designates a changing position. As mentioned above, the blow moulding devices are preferably replaced at a specific changing position. This means that the blow moulding stations 8 can be moved successively into this changing position W by a rotation of the carrier 12, and then in this changing position the old blow moulding devices can be removed and preferably new blow moulding devices can also be delivered. The reference R designates a radial direction. In this radial direction the changing device or a gripping device of the changing device is preferably advanced to the blow moulding stations 8 or the blow moulding devices in order to change them.

[0069] FIG. 2 shows a schematic detail of an embodiment of an apparatus 1 according to the invention. The reference numeral 14 designates a blow moulding device or a blow mould half of a blow moulding device. In this embodiment an electrical heating element 32 which is connected by means of an electrical connection 34 to an electrical contact 36 is arranged inside the blow mould half itself. In the illustrated embodiment the electrical contact 36 is arranged in the mould support shell 18 of the blow moulding station. By means of this electrical contact 36 the electrical heating element 32 can be connected to an electrical current supply. The mould support shell 18 is in turn arranged on the blow mould support 16. It is shown that the electrical connection 34 can be configured for instance as a plug connection and thus can be plugged in and unplugged in a simple manner directly during insertion and removal of the blow mould. In this case several heating elements 32 or heating rods can be provided, which can be arranged for instance with substantially equidistant spacing (viewed in the peripheral direction of the blow moulding device). Thus in the variant shown here the heating rods or the electrical heating elements are located directly in the blow moulding device. The production of an electrical connection then takes place for example by the insertion of the mould or of a part of the blow moulding device 14 into the mould support shell 18 or the blow mould support 16. The breaking of the connection takes place in turn by the removal of the mould.

[0070] FIGS. 3 and 4 show schematic representations of details of modified embodiments of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 of an apparatus 1 according to the invention. In this case in FIG. 3 the temperature control device 30 or the electrical heating element 32 is arranged in the mould support shell 18, and the electrical contact 36 is arranged on the blow mould support 16. In the illustrated embodiment the temperature control device 30 merely controls the temperature of the blow moulding device indirectly, as it controls the temperature of the mould support shell 18 and, by means of the temperature control of the mould support shell 18, brings about temperature control of the blow moulding device 14. Thus in this variant the heating rods are located directly in the mould support shell 18. Here the making or breaking of an electrical connection 34 by plugging in and unplugging a plug outside the mould or the blow moulding device 14 is possible. In this case the plug can comprise an electrical connection 34, as well as a feed flow and/or return flow for an additional cooling medium.

[0071] In FIG. 4 the electrical heating element 32 of the temperature control device 30 is in turn arranged in a blow mould half of the blow moulding device 14. In the illustrated embodiment the electrical contact 36, to which the electrical heating element 32 is connectable by means of the electrical connection 34, is arranged on the upper side of the mould support shell 18 and thus outside the blow moulding device 14. For example, this electrical contact can also be arranged preferably on the upper side of the blow mould support(s) 16 (shown by broken lines line).

[0072] The applicant reserves the right to claim all the features disclosed in the application documents as essential to the invention in so far as they are individually or in combination novel over the prior art. Furthermore it is pointed out that in the individual drawings features were also described which may be advantageous per se. The person skilled in the art recognises immediately that a specific feature described in a drawing may also be advantageous without the incorporation of further features from this drawing. Furthermore the person skilled in the art recognises that advantages may also result from a combination of several features shown in individual drawings or in different drawings.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0073] 1 apparatus [0074] 2 transport device [0075] 6 base carrier [0076] 8 blow moulding station [0077] 10 plastic preform [0078] 12 station carrier [0079] 14 blow moulding device [0080] 16 blow mould support [0081] 18 mould support shell [0082] 20 plastic container [0083] 30 temperature control device [0084] 32 electrical heating element [0085] 34 electrical connection [0086] 36 electrical contact [0087] 40 changing device [0088] D axis of rotation [0089] W change position