METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING OF A COOLING PROCESS OF CASTING MOLDS FOR COSMETIC PRODUCTS

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for controlling a cooling process of casting molds for cosmetic products during passing through a cooling track in an installation are described. The apparatus comprises a means for determining at least one process parameter corresponding to a first casting mold, a means for controlling the passing time of a second casting mold through the cooling track based on the at least one process parameter, and a means for controlling a cooling behavior of the cooling track during passing through of the second casting mold based on the at least one process parameter.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a cooling process of casting molds for cosmetic products during passing through a cooling track in an installation, the method comprising: determining a first process parameter corresponding to a first casting mold; controlling the passing time of a second casting mold through the cooling track based on the first process parameter; and controlling the cooling behavior of the cooling track during the passing through of the second casting mold based on the first process parameter.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: determining at least one second process parameter corresponding to the first casting mold.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the controlling of the passing time is further based on the at least one second process parameter and/or wherein the controlling of the cooling behavior is further based on the at least one second process parameter.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the controlling of the passing time comprises: shortening the passing time of the second casting mold through the cooling track, if the first and/or the at least one second process parameter falls below a threshold; and extending the passing time of the second casting mold through the cooling track, if the first and/or the at least one second process parameter exceeds a threshold.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the controlling the cooling behavior comprises: reducing the cooling power in at least one area of the cooling track, if the first and/or the at least one second process parameter falls below a threshold; and increasing the cooling power in at least one area of the cooling track, if the first and/or the at least one second process parameter exceeds a threshold.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: adjusting a number of casting molds being present inside the installation based on the first and/or the at least one second process parameter.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the adjusting of the number comprises: removing at least one casting mold from the installation or adding at least one casting mold to the installation.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: feeding the first casting mold to the cooling track before the feeding the second casting mold to the cooling track.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: feeding of at least the first and/or the second casting mold to a buffer area inside the installation after the passing through of the cooling track.

10. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first and/or the at least one second process parameter each is a temperature.

11. An apparatus for controlling a cooling process of casting molds for cosmetic products during passing through a cooling track in an installation, the apparatus comprising: a means for determining at least one process parameter corresponding to a first casting mold; a means for controlling a passing time of a second casting mold through the cooling track based on the at least one process parameter; and a means for controlling the cooling behavior of the cooling track during the passing through of the second casting mold based on the at least one process parameter.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the means for controlling the passing time is adapted to vary the velocity with which the second casting mold is guided through at least one area of the cooling track and/or wherein the means for controlling the cooling behavior is adapted to vary the cooling power of the cooling track in at least one area of the cooling track.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: a means for recognizing a number of casting molds being present in the installation.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: a means for adjusting a number of casting molds being present in the installation, wherein the means for adjusting is adapted to remove at least one casting mold from the installation or to add at least one casting mold to the installation.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the means for determining of the at least one process parameter is adapted to determine a first and at least one second process parameter, wherein the first and the second process parameter each is a temperature.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments with the accompanying drawings. Further details, features and advantages of the subject-matter of the invention arise from the exemplary embodiments described herein. It shows:

[0033] FIG. 1 a top view of an exemplary installation with a schematical depiction of the process steps;

[0034] FIG. 2 the exemplary installation shown in FIG. 1 with a division of the cooling track in three areas.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] FIG. 1 shows schematically an installation 1 for the production of cosmetic products, in which different process steps are carried out in the areas 2, 3, 4. The areas 2, 3, 4 are arranged successively. In the installation 1, for example, lipstick mines are produced. In this case, casting molds 11, 12 are heated in area 2, and a heated pasty mass, for example consisting of waxes and additives, is then filled in the casting molds 11, 12 in area 3. Subsequently, the casting molds 11, 12 are cooled in an area 4. The area 4 may also be referred to as a cooling track. The casting molds 11, 12 pass through the individual regions during the production process, wherein the casting molds are held, for example, by mold carriers, and wherein the mold carriers are moved on a transport system which moves the casting molds 11, 12 through the individual areas 2, 3, 4. In this case, the mold carriers may, for example, move independently of one another. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the first casting mold 11 has already passed through the area 4, i.e. the cooling track, while the second casting mold 12 is still at the beginning of the area 4. The person skilled in the art is aware that a mold carrier may also hold a plurality of casting molds, in which case a first casting mold is one of the casting molds held by a first mold carrier, and a second casting mold is a casting mold of several casting molds held by a second mold carrier.

[0036] Although not shown here, the person skilled in the art is aware that, an area, in which the cooled lipstick mines may be removed from the casting molds, may follow the cooling track 4.

[0037] In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the installation 1 also has two sensors 5, 5c, by ease of which process parameters, here the temperature of the casting molds 11, 12 or the pasty mass in the casting molds 11, 12, may be determined at the sensor location. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the temperature of the casting molds 11, 12 is determined. The sensor 5 is located at the beginning of the cooling track 4 and the sensor 5c is located at the end of the cooling track 4.

[0038] The temperatures determined by the sensors 5, 5c represent actual values and are compared with predetermined desired values, which are, for example, predetermined by an operator. In accordance with the deviation of the actual value from the desired value, the passing time of the casting molds 11, 12 and the cooling power of the cooling track 4 are controlled.

[0039] In the exemplary embodiment shown here, for example, the actual temperature of the first casting mold 11 in front of the cooling track 4 was determined by the sensor 5 and the actual temperature of the first casting mold 11 behind the cooling track 4 with the sensor 5c. Based on the deviation of the at least one actual temperature from the desired temperature, the passing time of the second casting mold 12 through the cooling track 4 and the cooling power of the cooling track 4 are controlled. The passing time and/or the cooling power is controlled in such a way that the difference between the actual temperature and the desired temperature is as low as possible. This control may be carried out even more differentiated if it is known how high the actual temperature of the first casting mold 11 was in front of the cooling track 4 and how high the actual temperature of the second casting mold 12 was in front of the cooling track 4. When the second casting mold 12 has passed the cooling track 4, its actual temperature is determined by the sensor 5c. This detected actual temperature and its deviation from the desired temperature is subsequently used to control the passing time of a casting mold following the second casting moldnot shown hereand/or to control the cooling power of the cooling track 4 for the corresponding casting mold. This provides an iterative control, which independently regulates the passing time and the cooling power, in order to achieve an optimum cooling process, whereby the operator has only to specify the desired values without having to intervene in any other way. It is known to the person skilled in the art that the predetermined desired value may also be predetermined by a higher-level control, whose programming, however, has been carried out by an operator so that the desired value is at least indirectly set by an operator.

[0040] The person skilled in the art is aware that the positions of the sensors 5, 5c and their number shown in this exemplary embodiment are only exemplary, and a larger number of sensors 5, 5c may also be used and these may also be located differently.

[0041] The casting molds 11, 12 may, for example, be supported by mold carriersnot shown here, whereby a mold carrier may at least carry a casting mold. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the casting molds 11, 12 or the mold carriers carrying the casting molds 11, 12 may be exchanged. This means that the casting molds 11, 12 may be removed from the installation 1 or other casting moldsnot shown heremay be added to the installation 1. As a result, the number of mold carriers which are located in the installation 1 and thus the number of casting molds located in the installation 1 may be adapted. This may be done, for example, in an exchange area 6 of the installation 1.

[0042] FIG. 2 once again shows the installation 1 shown in FIG. 1 for the production of cosmetic products, but with a division of the cooling track 4 into three areas 4a, 4b, 4c. Each of the areas 4a, 4b, 4c of the cooling track 4 has an associated temperature sensor 5a, 5b, 5c with which the temperature of the casting molds may be detected at the end of each of the areas 4a, 4b, 4c of the cooling track 4. The plurality of temperature sensors 5a, 5b, 5c make it possible to control the passing times and cooling powers iteratively for the casting molds passing through in the individual areas 4a, 4b, 4c of the cooling track 4 according to an actual-desired value comparison, wherein the casting molds or the mold carriers may move individually, i.e. independently of one another, through the installation 1. As a result, the individual mold carriers or casting molds may have different passing times, which is indicated by their different distances in the exemplary embodiment shown here.

[0043] However, in order that the areas 2 and 3 may at least operate with a constant clocking, which is precisely necessary in the filling area 3, in order, for example, to ensure a constant flow of the pasty mass from feeding lines without the filling having to be interrupted again and again, this installation 1 also comprises a buffer area 7 into which the casting molds may be fed after passing through the cooling track 4. In this buffer area 7, the casting molds may first be collected and fed into the area 2 in a certain clock pulse, for example every 3 seconds, such that a constant clocking may be ensured at least in regions 2 and 3.

[0044] It will be understood by the person skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments shown are only exemplary, and that all the elements, modules, components, participants and units shown may have different configurations but may nevertheless fulfill the basic functionalities described here.