Apparatus for blowing and filling plastic containers

Abstract

The invention concerns an apparatus (10) for simultaneously blowing and filling a plastic container from a preform, the apparatus comprising: a mold (14) for enclosing a preform, so as to leave access to the mouth of the preform, stretching means (42) for stretching the preform within the mold, an injection head (16) for injecting a liquid through the mouth so as to cause expansion of the preform within the mold, thereby obtaining a blown and filled container (12) that comprises a dispensing opening (22), characterized in that the apparatus further comprises a capping head (18) for fixing a cap (40) on the dispensing opening of said blown and filled container, the capping head being permanently arranged between the injection head (16) and the mold (14).

Claims

1. Apparatus for simultaneously blowing and filling a plastic container from a preform, the apparatus comprising: a mold configured to enclose a preform, so as to leave access to a mouth of the preform, a stretching member configured to stretch the preform and being movable to position within the mold, an injection head having an outlet and configured to inject a liquid from the outlet through the capping head and the mouth of the preform so as to cause expansion of the preform within the mold, thereby obtaining a blown and filled container that comprises a dispensing opening, the stretching member being received within the injection head and axially movable relative thereto, and a capping head configured to affix a cap on the dispensing opening of said blown and filled container, the capping head being permanently arranged between the injection head and the mold such that liquid is injected from the outlet into the capping head and into the mouth of the preform during blowing and filling.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capping head includes portions defining a traversing hole extending through the capping head that is centered about an axis of alignment along which the injection head and the mold are aligned, the capping head configured to inject the liquid into the traversing hole and into the opening of the container from the injection head.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, comprising a driver coupled to the capping head and configured to rotate the capping head around an axis of rotation that coincides with the axis of alignment of the injection head and the mold.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the driver is laterally offset relative to the axis of rotation.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the driver is coupled to an outer periphery of the capping head.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the driver is activated while the container is maintained within the mold.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the driver comprises a brushless motor.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a receiving member comprises the traversing hole.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a holder is arranged around the traversing hole.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capping head is rotatably mounted relative to the injection head.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capping head has a receiving member configured to receive a cap to be fixed on the opening of the container and a holder configured to hold the cap within the receiving member.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 comprising: a bringing member configured to position a cap to be fixed on the opening of the container between the capping head and the mold after the capping head has been moved away from the mold, and positioning member configured to position the cap within the receiving member of the capping head.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stretching member comprising a stretch rod.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising an actuator configured to move the stretch rod downwardly towards a receiving member in which a cap may be blocked.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the injection head is mobile in a translational movement.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the injection head and the capping head are mobile together in a translational movement so as to bring the capping head against the mold or move it away therefrom.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the translational movement is a vertical movement that takes place above the mold.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic and overall view of an apparatus according to the invention with its main components;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic and partial view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with means for bringing and positioning a cap on the capping head;

(4) FIGS. 3A-D are successive schematic views illustrating the different operations for bringing and positioning a cap on the capping head and fixing it on the dispensing opening of the container:

(5) FIGS. 4A and 4B are two successive views showing the use of a stretch rod to disengage a cap trapped inside the capping head.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(6) FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic and partial view of the main components of an apparatus 10 for simultaneously blowing and filling a plastic container from a preform.

(7) As represented in FIG. 1, the container is a bottle 12 which has been filled with a liquid.

(8) Apparatus 10 comprises a mould 14 enclosing bottle 12 in the position of FIG. 1.

(9) Also, apparatus 10 comprises an injection head 16 through which the liquid has been injected into the bottle during its shaping.

(10) Apparatus 10 also comprises stretching means which, here, comprise a stretch rod represented in FIGS. 4A and 4B and which will be described subsequently.

(11) Apparatus 10 further comprises a capping head 18 that is rotatably mounted relative to injection head 16.

(12) As represented in dotted lines, capping head 18 has a traversing hole 20 that is centered about a longitudinal axis A.

(13) Axis A is an axis of alignment along which injection head 16 and mould 14 are aligned in the manufacturing configuration of FIG. 1.

(14) Traversing hole 20 has two opposite sides 20a and 20b. Side 20a faces injection head 16 while opposite side 20b faces mould 14 and, more particularly, the dispensing opening 22 of container 12.

(15) Although not represented in the drawings, injection head 16 has an outlet through which liquid flows before entering into traversing hole 20 and dispensing opening 22 when capping head 18 rests against mould 14 and traversing hole 20 surrounds dispensing opening 22.

(16) This position is not illustrated in the drawings and represents the position in which the container is simultaneously blown and filled.

(17) Furthermore, apparatus 10 comprises driving means 24 for driving capping head 18 in rotation around an axis of rotation that coincides with longitudinal axis of alignment.

(18) As represented in FIG. 1, driving means 24 are laterally offset relative to axis A and are coupled to the periphery of capping head 18.

(19) More particularly, driving means comprise a gear 26 which cooperates with a gear 28 provided at the periphery of capping head 18.

(20) These gears may be in a mesh engagement and for instance, may be toothed gears.

(21) Gear 26 is for instance mounted on the output shaft 30 of a motor 24.

(22) Motor 24 is for example a brushless motor.

(23) This motor makes it possible to accurately control the force transmitted to capping head 18 and therefore to the cap during the screwing process that will be described subsequently.

(24) FIG. 1 shows a manufactured container 12 after it has been simultaneously blown and filled with a liquid through a conventional process such as described in the Applicant's patent application EP 1 529 620.

(25) Briefly, container 12 has been produced from a plastic preform.

(26) According to this known process, the plastic preform is first manufactured through a moulding process and then heated before being positioned within mould 12 so as to leave access to the mouth of the preform.

(27) Thus, the mouth of the preform protrudes from the upper part of the mould which encloses the rest of the preform.

(28) Mould 14 may be spited into two or more parts depending on the manufacturing process.

(29) The preform usually assumes the shape of a cylindrical tube closed at its bottom end and open at its opposite end.

(30) Once the preform has been positioned within the mould, only the open end of preform with its protruded mouth is visible from above the mould.

(31) The open end is shaped during the process, thereby leading to dispensing opening 22.

(32) The blowing and filling process makes use of a stretch rod (represented in FIGS. 4A and 4B) which is downwardly engaged into the open end of the preform so as to come into contact with the closed bottom end thereof.

(33) The stretch rod is then further actuated to push the closed end downwardly and stretch the preform accordingly in a controlled manner.

(34) After the stretching phase has been initiated, the liquid supplied by the injection head 16 is injected into the preform through its open end around the stretch rod, while the latter is still being actuated.

(35) This liquid injection causes expansion of the preform together with the movement of the stretch rod until coming into contact with the inner walls of the mould.

(36) The final shape of the container 22 is thus achieved.

(37) Once the container has been blown and filled according to the above-described process, a cap has to be fixed to the dispensing opening 22 of the container.

(38) In this respect, injection head 16 and capping head 18 which are mobile together in a translational movement along axis A are caused to be raised along axis A so as to leave free sufficient space between capping head 18 and dispensing opening 22.

(39) It is to be noted that the connection between injection head 16 and capping head 18 is a rotatable connection comprising needle bearings.

(40) Such a rotatable connection is known to the skilled person.

(41) It is to be noted that dispensing opening 22 has a neck 32 with an outside thread 34 and a flange 36 that is provided at the basis of the neck. Flange 36 is positioned within a recess provided in the upper part of mould 14.

(42) FIG. 2 is a schematic and simplified view representing container 12 maintained within mould 14 and capping head 18 away from mould 14 and neck 32.

(43) Apparatus 10 comprises bringing means 38 for bringing a cap 40 to be fixed on dispensing opening 22. Bringing means 38 have been moved from a rest position (not represented) to an active position located between capping head 18 and dispensing opening 22.

(44) Bringing means 38 may assume the shape of a cap distributing plate provided, for instance, with a slight recess on the upper surface thereof for positioning and maintaining in a fixed position cap 40 on the plate.

(45) This plate may be a rotating plate comprising several caps at its periphery or an elongated plate which carries only one cap at one end and is elongated along an axis that is perpendicular to axis A.

(46) FIGS. 3A to 3D illustrate successive views showing the capping process of the container.

(47) FIG. 3A is identical to FIG. 2 where cap 40 has been brought between capping head 18 and neck 32 and positioned below traversing hole 20 vis--vis side 20b thereof. Injection head 16 and attached capping head 18 are actuated to be lowered towards bringing means 38 and cap 40.

(48) As represented in FIG. 3B, capping head 18 is moved downwardly towards neck 32 and cap 40 is forcibly engaged within traversing hole 28 as capping head 18 is actuated downwardly.

(49) The inner dimensions of the traversing hole 20 (inner diameter) and the outer dimensions of cap 40 (outside diameter) are adjusted so that cap 40 can be introduced in force within traversing hole 20 and remain in place as represented in FIG. 3C.

(50) It is to be noted that cap 40 is partly engaged within hole 20.

(51) Cap 40 is kept in position within receiving means of capping head (inner whole of traversing hole 20) thanks to friction forces. Cap 40 is tight fitted within filled said receiving means.

(52) The degree of introduction of cap 40 into traversing hole 20 depends on the respective dimensions of the cap and the hole. The more the respective dimensions correspond to each other, the less cap 40 is introduced into traversing hole 20.

(53) In the present embodiment, cap 40 has been positioned within the receiving means of the capping head 18 only by virtue of the translational movement of the injection head and capping head.

(54) This is a very convenient means for putting in place the cap within the capping head which does not require any other device. Moreover, bringing means 38 may be simplified since they do not need to be movable along vertical axis A.

(55) However, other positioning means may be envisaged for positioning the cap within the receiving means of capping head 18.

(56) Other bringing means for bringing cap 40 between capping head 18 and the dispensing opening of the container may be alternatively envisaged.

(57) Reverting to FIG. 3C, once cap 40 has been appropriately positioned within traversing hole 20 bringing means 38 are withdrawn as indicated by the arrow.

(58) Next, capping head 18 equipped with cap 40 is driven into a downwardly translational movement along axis A thanks to the accordingly actuated injection head 16 so as to place cap 40 around neck 32.

(59) As represented in FIG. 3D, driving means 24 are activated in order to drive into rotation capping head 18 such as already described above.

(60) Capping head is therefore driven into rotation around axis A. This rotational movement of capping head 18 causes cap 40 to be driven into rotation around neck 32, thereby tightly screwing cap 40 around the neck of the container.

(61) Other capping techniques may be alternatively envisaged for capping container 12. For instance, press-on cap type or ultrasonic sealing techniques may be used. In case of ultrasonic sealing, the neck and the cap may be made together using over-moulding techniques.

(62) It will be appreciated that the apparatus which has been described is of a particularly simple construction and has movable parts or components which are capable of moving only according to fewer and simple movements (translation and rotation).

(63) Also, the capping head is either driven into a translational movement along longitudinal axis A (for example vertical axis) during the blowing, filling and capping process or driven into rotation during the last step of the capping process (FIG. 3D).

(64) FIGS. 4A and 4B represent injection head 16 and capping head 18 only. Mould 14 and closing container 12 are still located under the capping head but have been removed for clarity purpose.

(65) As represented in FIG. 4A, apparatus 10 comprises a stretch rod 42 which is in a sliding connection within injection head 16.

(66) Stretch rod 42 is actuated by conventional actuating means not represented in the drawings and which cause it to move upward and downward along longitudinal axis A.

(67) Injection head 16 comprises an inner housing 44 which is substantially cylindrical in shape and accommodates therein stretch rod 42 as well as an injection nozzle not represented in the drawings for the sake of clarity.

(68) The injection nozzle rests against the frusto-conical inner surface 46 of the inner housing 44 to achieve fluidtight sealing when injection of fluid into the container is no longer necessary.

(69) This injection nozzle stays in this resting position during the capping process which has been described above.

(70) The injection nozzle is perforated in its middle portion so as to receive stretch rod 42 therein.

(71) In FIG. 4A, a cap 48 is held within the receiving means (traversing hole 20 of injection head 18).

(72) However, cap 48 is incorrectly positioned within injection head 18.

(73) For instance, cap 48 has been introduced within traversing hole 20 over a too great distance which has led to blocking the cap.

(74) Alternatively, the cap may have been introduced within hole 20 in a slanted manner, thereby leading to blocking it inside the hole.

(75) This blocking situation may be detected when positioning a cap within the injection head (FIG. 3B) or when fixing the cap on the dispensing opening of the container (FIG. 3D), for instance after screwing it and trying to move the injection head away from the FIG. 3D position.

(76) This situation has been addressed as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B using stretch rod 42.

(77) As represented in FIG. 4B, when cap 48 has been detected as being blocked stretch rod 42 is caused to move downwardly towards injection head 18 and more particularly, receiving means 20.

(78) Stretch rod 42 then exerts a vertical force on cap 48 and pushes it downwardly out of receiving means 20 as illustrated in FIG. 4B, thereby freeing said receiving means and removing the blocked cap.