Installation, device, and method for shaping the mouth of a hollow-body-shaped precursor from glass

Abstract

A method for shaping the mouth of a hollow precursor made of glass is provided, as well as glass produced thereby. The method includes heating the mouth of the hollow precursor; introducing a mandrel along a first direction into the mouth while the hollow precursor is rotating; and pressing shaping rollers along a second direction on an outside of the mouth while the hollow precursor is rotating with the mandrel in the mouth. The first and second directions are perpendicular to one another. The method can include moving the mandrel along second and/or third directions together or separate from expanding the mandrel along the second and third directions.

Claims

1. A method for shaping the mouth of a hollow precursor made of glass, comprising: heating the mouth of the hollow precursor; introducing a mandrel along a first direction into the mouth while the hollow precursor is rotating; pressing shaping rollers along a second direction on an outside of the mouth while the hollow precursor is rotating with the mandrel in the mouth, the first and second directions being perpendicular to one another; moving the mandrel along a third direction and the second direction, wherein the first, second, and third directions are perpendicular to one another; guiding the mandrel so that when the mandrel is moved along any of the first, second and third directions, tilting of the mandrel is avoided; preventing tilting of the mandrel while the mouth is being shaped; enabling movement of the mandrel along the first direction by moving a base element; enabling movement of the mandrel along the second direction by moving a first compensation element along a first passage disposed between the first compensation element and the base element; and enabling movement of the mandrel along the third direction by moving a second compensation element along a second passage disposed between the first compensation element and the second compensation element, wherein movement of the mandrel is achieved by a floating mounting of the mandrel such that a self-acting alignment of the mandrel with the precursor is enabled.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: withdrawing the mandrel along the first direction from the mouth; and withdrawing the shaping rollers along the second direction from the outside of the mouth.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of withdrawing the mandrel from the mouth occurs before or after the step of withdrawing the shaping rollers from the outside of the mouth.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising moving the mandrel along the second direction.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising expanding the mandrel along the second direction and the third direction while the hollow precursor is rotating with the mandrel in the mouth.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of expanding the mandrel comprises expanding the mandrel before or after the step of pressing the shaping rollers on the outside of the mouth.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising retracting the mandrel along the second and third directions while the hollow precursor is rotating with the mandrel in the mouth.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of retracting the mandrel along the second and third directions occurs before or after the step of withdrawing the shaping rollers from the outside of the mouth.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of retracting the mandrel along the second and third directions occurs before or after the step of withdrawing the mandrel along the first direction from the mouth.

10. A method for shaping the mouth of a hollow precursor made of glass, comprising: supporting a mandrel on a floating mount comprising a base element, a first compensation element movably connected to the base element via a first passage disposed therebetween, and a second compensation element movably connected to the first compensation element via a second passage disposed therebetween; rotating the hollow precursor; heating the mouth of the hollow precursor; moving the base element along a first direction to introduce the mandrel into an inside of the mouth while rotating the hollow precursor; and moving shaping rollers along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction so that the shaping rollers are pressed onto an outside of the mouth while rotating the hollow precursor with the mandrel in the inside of the mouth, wherein the first compensation element is movable along the second direction and the second compensation element is movable along a third direction perpendicular to both the first and second directions, wherein the first and second passages each receive a connection element disposed with clearance to enable the movement so that the mandrel self-aligns with the hollow precursor without tilting.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: moving the shaping rollers along the second direction so that the shaping rollers are withdrawn from the outside of the mouth while rotating the hollow precursor with the mandrel in the inside of the mouth; and moving the base element along the first direction so that the mandrel is retracted from the inside of the mouth while the hollow precursor is rotating.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of moving the base element along the first direction so that the mandrel is retracted occurs after the step of moving the shaping rollers along the second direction so that the shaping rollers are withdrawn from the outside of the mouth.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising, after the step of moving the base element along the first direction so that the mandrel is introduced into the inside of the mouth, expanding the mandrel along the second and third directions while rotating the hollow precursor with the mandrel in the mouth.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1a in a schematic, partially sectional, lateral view shows part of a pharmaceutical glass vial;

(2) FIG. 1b in a schematic, partially sectional, lateral view shows an enlarged fragment of the pharmaceutical glass vial from FIG. 1a;

(3) FIG. 2a in a schematic, partially sectional, lateral view shows part of a further pharmaceutical glass vial;

(4) FIG. 2b in a schematic, partially sectional, lateral view shows an enlarged fragment of the pharmaceutical glass vial from FIG. 2a;

(5) FIG. 3a in a schematic illustration shows part of a device for machining a hollow-body-shaped precursor in a first operating position;

(6) FIG. 3b in a schematic illustration shows part of a device for machining a hollow-body-shaped precursor in a further operating position;

(7) FIG. 4 in a schematic illustration shows a sectional lateral view of an exemplary embodiment of an installation according to the invention;

(8) FIG. 5 in a schematic illustration shows a sectional lateral view of a further exemplary embodiment of an installation according to the invention;

(9) FIG. 6a in a schematic illustration shows a plan view of part of an installation according to FIG. 5 in a first position;

(10) FIG. 6a in a schematic illustration shows a plan view of part of an installation according to FIG. 5 in a further position;

(11) FIG. 7 in a schematic illustration shows a perspective view of a mandrel;

(12) FIG. 8 in a schematic illustration shows a perspective view of a further mandrel;

(13) FIG. 9 in a schematic illustration shows a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention; and

(14) FIG. 10 shows a block diagram for visualizing an embodiment of a method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(15) Pharmaceutical glass vials 1, the mouth 2 thereof being able to be produced while using the teaching according to the invention are illustrated in FIGS. 1a to 2b.

(16) FIGS. 1a and 1b show an exemplary embodiment of pharmaceutical glass vial 1, the mouth 2 thereof on the internal wall having an encircling bead 3 which extends in the radial direction. This is thus a mouth 2 having a so-called European blow back.

(17) FIGS. 2a and 2b show a further exemplary embodiment of a pharmaceutical glass vial 1, the mouth 2 thereof on the internal wall being configured so as to be flat. This is thus a mouth 2 having a so-called no blow black.

(18) A device for machining a hollow-body-shaped precursor 4 from glass is illustrated in FIGS. 3a and 3b. The device has a chuck 5 for clamping the precursor 4. In order for the mouth 2 of the precursor 4 to be shaped, said mouth 2 by way of a heating installation (not illustrated) is heated to the required temperature. Furthermore illustrated is an external shaping installation 6 which has two shaping rollers 7. The shaping rollers 7 are in each case movable along the arrows of said shaping rollers 7 towards the precursor 4.

(19) A mandrel 8 for introducing into the mouth 2 along a first direction 9 is furthermore disposed. The diameter of the mandrel 8 corresponds to the mouth internal diameter 26 of the mouth 4 to be generated. The soft precursor 4 heated in the mouth region, for example by way of a spring force, is pressed by the shaping rollers 7 towards the mandrel 8, said shaping rollers 7 being moved from the outside towards the precursor 4. The precursor 4 herein rotates on account of the driven chuck 5, so that the mouth internal diameter is created.

(20) It can moreover be seen that the mandrel 8 is disposed on a mounting 10. The mounting 10 has a base element 11 and a compensation element 13 which conjointly with the latter is movable along a second direction 12. The mandrel 8 is fixedly disposed on the compensation element 13 which is configured as a compensation plate 14. The mandrel 8, conjointly with the compensation element 13, when introduced into the mouth 2, or by the force of the shaping rollers 7, respectively, is thus moved or displaced, respectively, to an optimal alignment along the second direction 12. It is furthermore conceivable herein that the compensation element 13, or optionally a further compensation element, is also movable along a third direction 15 in relation to the base element 11, said third direction 15 in the exemplary embodiment illustrated here being identified by x and running perpendicularly to the drawing plane of FIGS. 3a and 3b. The mandrel 8 can thus be aligned even more precisely with the mouth 2. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated here, the base element 11 is configured as a base plate 16.

(21) FIG. 4 in a schematic illustration shows a sectional lateral view of an exemplary embodiment of an installation according to the invention. The installation has a mandrel 8 which serves for introducing into the mouth of a precursor (not illustrated) along a first direction 9. The mandrel 8 is disposed on a mounting 10. The mounting 10 has a base element 11, a first compensation element 13, and a second compensation element 13. The first compensation element 13 is movable along a second direction 12 in relation to the base element 11, and the second compensation element 13 is movable along a third direction 15 in relation to the base element 11. The third direction 15 marked by x herein runs perpendicularly to the drawing plane.

(22) The base element 11 and the compensation elements 13, 13 have in each case passages 17 in which connection elements 18 implemented as pins are disposed. The passages 17 herein are dimensioned in such a manner that the compensation elements 13, 13 are movable along the second direction 12, or along the third direction 15, respectively.

(23) FIG. 5 shows a further exemplary embodiment of an installation for shaping the internal wall of the mouth of a hollow-body-shaped precursor. The installation comprises a mounting 10 having a base element 11, and a compensation element 13 which is movable in relation to the base element 11. The base plate 11 and the compensation element 13 are connected to one another by way of connection elements 18 implemented as pins, wherein the passages 17 which receive the pins are configured in such a manner that the compensation element 13 is movable in the second direction 12 and in the third direction 15 in relation to the base element 11. The mandrel (not illustrated) of the installation is configured as an expansion mandrel which is activatable by way of two expansion arms 19, 19. To this end, a movable conical element 20 which activates the preloaded expansion arms 19, 19 is disposed, said expansion arms 19, 19 supporting in each case one element of the expansion mandrel.

(24) The conical element 20 as well as the expansion arms 19, 19 are shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b. FIG. 6a herein shows the operating position in which the conical element 20 has been moved in the direction of the expansion arms 19, 19 such that the elements of the expansion mandrel are moved apart in such a manner that the dimension of the desired mouth diameter is reached. FIG. 6b shows the resting position in which the expansion arms 19, 19, and thus the elements of the expansion mandrel, lie closer on one another such that the expansion mandrel can be retracted from the shaped mouth.

(25) FIG. 7 in a schematic illustration shows a perspective view of a mandrel 8. The mandrel 8 herein is configured as a single part and serves for generating a no blow back mouth.

(26) FIG. 8 in a schematic illustration shows a perspective view of a mandrel 8 which is configured as an expansion mandrel. The mandrel 8 comprises two elements 21, 21, which have in each case one groove 22 such that a mouth having a European blow back can be shaped.

(27) FIG. 9 in a schematic illustration shows a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention. The latter has a machine plate 23 having a plurality of chucks 5 for receiving a precursor, a heating installation, and an external shaping installation 6. An installation according to the invention for shaping an internal wall of the mouth of a hollow product is disposed below the external shaping installation 6 and is thus not visible. The machine plate 23 having the chucks 5 by way of a rotating movement is indexed from one machining station to the next. For machining, the machine plate 23 having the chucks 5 remains stationary for a defined temporal period. A total of 18 machining stations are present in this example. Each of said chucks 5 on account of the indexing of the machine plate 23 thus repeatedly passes a machining station, thus also the illustrated installation for shaping an internal wall of the mouth of a hollow product. The pitch circle diameter of the chucks 5 on the plate can be between, for example, 100 and 200 cm, depending on the respective machine type.

(28) FIG. 10 shows a block diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention. In a first step 24 herein, at least the mouth of the precursor is heated such that said mouth is sufficiently softened in order to be shaped. In a next step 24, the mandrel of an installation according to the invention is introduced into the mouth of the rotating precursor, and the shaping rollers are pressed from the outside onto the mouth.

(29) It is to be pointed out here that further method steps can be carried out before, between, or after the first step 24 and the second step 25.

(30) The deviations of the mouth internal diameter 26 and of the mouth external diameter 27 (cf. FIG. 1a) from the respective nominal value are stated in the table hereunder, in each case while using an installation according to the invention and while using a conventional mandrel which is movable only in the first direction.

(31) TABLE-US-00001 Deviation from Deviation from nominal value nominal value with with conventional installation according installation to the invention Mouth internal diameter 0.2 mm 0.05 mm Mouth external diameter 0.25 mm 0.01 mm

(32) It is unequivocally derived from the table that a significantly more stable production arises in particular at those diameters, wherein the further mouth dimensions also become more stable since the mouth is better formed, this leading to fewer operator interventions.

(33) In terms of further advantageous design embodiments of the teaching according to the invention, reference is made to the general part of the description as well as to the appended claims, in order to avoid repetitions.

(34) Finally, it is to be explicitly pointed out that the exemplary embodiments of the subject matter according to the invention described above serve only for discussing the claimed teaching but do not limit the latter to the exemplary embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(35) 1 Glass vial 2 Mouth 3 Bead 4 Precursor 5 Chuck 6 External shaping installation 7 Shaping roller 8 Mandrel 9 First direction 10 Mounting 11 Base element 12 Second direction 13, 13 Compensation element 14 Compensation plate 15 Third direction 16 Base plate 17 Passage 18 Connection element 19, 19 Expansion arm 20 Conical element 21, 21 Element (expansion mandrel) 22 Groove 23 Machine plate 24 First step 25 Second step 26 Mouth internal diameter 27 Mouth external diameter