Apparatus and method for heating plastics material preforms with inspection of the holding devices

Abstract

An apparatus for heating plastics material preforms includes a transport device which transports the plastics material preforms along a predefined transport path, wherein the transport device has a circulating transport device on which a plurality of holding devices for holding the plastics material preforms to be heated are arranged. The apparatus has an inspection device which is configured for inspecting holding devices not loaded with plastics material preforms.

Claims

1. An apparatus for heating plastics material preforms, comprising a transport device configured to transport the plastics material preforms along a predefined transport path, wherein the transport device has a circulating transport means, on which a plurality of holding devices for holding the plastics material preforms to be heated are arranged, wherein the apparatus has an inspection device which is configured for inspecting holding devices not loaded with plastics material preforms.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inspection device has an image-capturing device which is configured for capturing spatially resolved images of the holding devices.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image-capturing device is arranged below the holding devices.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding devices are holding mandrels which configured for insertion into the mouths of the plastics material preforms.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inspection device is configured for detecting a value of the holding devices that is characteristic of a concentricity.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inspection device is arranged in a deflection region of the transport device, in which deflection region a direction of movement of the plastics material preforms is reversed.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has an assignment device which is configured to assign to an image captured by an inspection device exactly one specific holding device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding devices have a coating for improving the capturing of images.

9. A method for heating plastics material preforms, wherein a transport device transports the plastics material preforms along a predefined transport path and wherein the transport device has a circulating transport device, on which a plurality of holding devices for holding the plastics material preforms to be heated are arranged, wherein an inspection device is provided which inspects holding devices not loaded with plastics material preforms and which outputs a value which is characteristic of a concentricity of the holding devices.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the inspection occurs while the plastics material preforms move with a transport speed which is reduced in comparison with a working mode.

11. An apparatus for producing plastics material containers, comprising a forming device, which has a blow molding wheel with a plurality of forming stations, wherein the forming stations each having a blow mold, within which plastics material preforms are formed to plastics material containers, and having at least one treatment element for treatment, wherein the apparatus has an inspection device which is configured for inspecting the at least one treatment element of the forming station.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the at least one treatment element is selected from a group of treatment elements which contains a stretching rod, a blowing nozzle, a blow mold, and a bottom mold.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the inspection device is configured to inspect the treatment element in a state in which the blow mold is open.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the inspection device is configured for determining a value that is characteristic of a state of the treatment element.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the inspection device is configured for determining a value that is characteristic of a type of the treatment element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0060] Further advantages and embodiments emerge from the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0061] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus according to the invention;

[0062] FIG. 2 shows a representation of a holding device;

[0063] FIG. 3a shows a representation of an image of a proper holding device; and

[0064] FIG. 3b shows a representation of an image of a faulty holding device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0065] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an apparatus 1 according to the invention for heating plastics material preforms 1.

[0066] This apparatus has a separating device such as a clocking star wheel 30 which separates the plastics material preforms, which are fed in a row by means of a feed device 17, and feed these separated plastics material preforms 10 to a transport device 2.

[0067] The transport device 2 transports the plastics material preforms 10 along a transport path T. This transport path T has two straight portions, which are connected by a deflection region.

[0068] The reference sign 20 refers to a circulating transport means, such as in particular a conveyor chain. A plurality of holding devices 22 for holding the plastics material preforms are arranged on this transport means.

[0069] The reference sign 24 designates a heating device such as a heating box which is stationarily arranged along the transport path T. This heating device has a plurality of heating radiators 26 which preferably extend along the transport path T; preferably a plurality of heating radiators 22 are arranged one above the other in the longitudinal direction of the plastics material preforms to be heated.

[0070] The reference sign 12 designates a further transport device, which transports the heated plastics material preforms 10 away.

[0071] The reference sign 4 designates an inspection device which is used to inspect the holding devices 22 not occupied by plastics material preforms. This can take place, for example, outside a working mode of the apparatus 1, in which working mode no plastics material preforms are arranged on the holding devices 22. This inspection device 4 preferably has an image-capturing device which captures images of the holding devices 22. This image-capturing device is in particular a camera.

[0072] The inspection device is shown here in the deflection region of the transport path T, in which deflection region the direction of movement of the plastics material preforms is reversed.

[0073] For this purpose, the image-capturing device 42 is preferably arranged below the holding devices. However, the image-capturing device could also be arranged laterally next to the transport path T, and image capturing could be enabled by deflection means such as mirrors.

[0074] Furthermore, the apparatus 1 preferably has an assignment device (not shown) which assigns to captured images the respective holding devices 22 captured in the images.

[0075] FIG. 2 shows a representation of a holding device 22. This holding device has a (lower) front face 32, which is preferably inspected by the inspection device. The reference sign 52 designates a fastening means, which preferably fastens the individual elements of the holding device to one another.

[0076] During the transport of the plastics material preforms, the lower region of the holding device 22 enters their mouths. The reference sign 36 designates clamping means, such as protrusions pushed radially outwards, which are used to hold the plastics material preforms. The reference sign 34 designates a flexible circumferential element, such as an o-ring.

[0077] FIGS. 3a and 3b show two images of a holding device. Here, the fastening means 52, which is located in the center of the holding device 22, can again be seen. The reference sign 54 designates a front face which, in particular, is used for observation or inspection. This front face can have a special coating which facilitates the observation or image evaluation.

[0078] The reference sign 56 designates an outer wall of the holding device. Preferably, this outer wall 56, the fastening means 52 and the front face 54 are concentric to one another. These elements can thus be used to detect the concentricity or to determine an eccentricity.

[0079] The reference sign 58 designates a shielding plate, which is used to prevent excessive heating of the mouths of the plastics material preforms. A circumferential gap 57 is formed between the shielding device 58 and the outer wall.

[0080] FIG. 3a shows a proper holding device. It can be seen that here the fastening means, the end face 45 and the outer wall 56 are concentric to the circumferential gap. Thus, the holding device here is aligned concentrically and thus properly.

[0081] In the case of the holding device 22 shown in FIG. 3b, there is an eccentricity. Here, the front face of the holding device 22 is slightly offset to the left relative to its target position. Thus, the holding device 22 shown in FIG. 3b is faulty.

[0082] The images captured in FIGS. 3a and 3b are preferably compared with reference images, wherein such a reference image can show a proper holding device, for example.

[0083] The apparatus 1 preferably also has an evaluation device which is suitable and intended for evaluating the captured images. The evaluation device is preferably also suitable and intended for outputting a value that is characteristic of a certain eccentricity.

[0084] This value can be assigned to a specific holding device. Depending on this value, different measures can preferably be initiated.

[0085] The applicant reserves the right to claim all features disclosed in the application documents as essential to the invention, provided that they are novel over the prior art individually or in combination. It is also pointed out that features which can be advantageous in themselves are also described in the individual figures. The person skilled in the art will immediately recognize that a particular feature described in a figure can be advantageous even without the adoption of further features from this figure. Furthermore, the person skilled in the art will recognize that advantages can also result from a combination of several features shown in individual or in different figures.