Apparatus for machining a preform

Abstract

An apparatus (1) for processing plastic preforms includes a line (10) for supplying preforms (50), the preforms including a preform body (51) and a preform opening (52), the supply line (10) being arranged upstream of a furnace (2) for regulating the preforms (50), an assembly (20) being configured for unloading the preforms (50), the assembly being arranged downstream of the regulating furnace (2) and designed to supply the preforms (50) to a transfer turntable or blow molding turntable, the regulating furnace (2) being associated with a closed conveying loop (3), the closed conveying loop including a plurality of support elements (4) configured to support corresponding preforms (50), the supply line (10) having a supply device (11) designed to supply the preforms (50) to the closed conveying loop (3), and the unloading assembly (20) having an unloading device (21) designed to unload from the closed conveying loop. The device is characterized in that it includes a control and actuation device configured to actuate the device (1) between an operating state and a recirculation state, in which the preform (50) is supplied to the closed conveying loop (3) via a supply line (10) and sent to a transfer turntable or blow molding turntable via an unloading assembly (20), in which the supply of the preform (50) to the closed conveying loop (30) via the supply line (10) is interrupted and the unloading assembly (20) is functionally not connected to the closed conveying loop (30), in which the preform (50) supported by a corresponding support element (4) moves along the closed conveying loop (3) and the preform (50) supported by the corresponding support element (4) that has not been taken out by the unloading assembly (20) is sent again toward the regulating furnace (2).

Description

[0001] This invention relates to an apparatus for processing preforms.

[0002] Facilities (plants) for blow molding plastic containers are known, and these facilities include equipment for blow molding preforms to obtain containers such as bottles.

[0003] Preforms are fed to the preform blow molding equipment via a conveyor associated with the preform heat treatment furnace.

[0004] Conveyors are typically associated with preform conveying devices, which may consist of, for example, a control device that removes preforms from the conveyor to transfer them to a preform blow molding machine.

[0005] The conveyor is also associated with an additional conveying device at the input end, which is designed to extract preforms from the supply line and transfer them to the conveyor.

[0006] The conveying device usually also consists of an operating mechanism equipped with a clamp for picking up prefabricated parts.

[0007] However, while the known solutions are widely used, they are not without their drawbacks.

[0008] In particular, the equipment may encounter a series of problems that affect devices located upstream and downstream of the conveyor, in which case, in many cases, the equipment needs to be stopped until the problems are resolved.

[0009] If this operation continues for more than a certain period of time, the precast components will be forced to be discarded due to excessive thermal stress they have already endured.

[0010] Therefore, when restarting the facility, the prefabricated components must be unloaded before supply can resume.

[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for processing preforms that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art in one or more of the above aspects.

[0012] To this end, the objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for processing preforms that allows for a significant increase in productivity while reducing waste during equipment downtime.

[0013] A particularly important objective of this invention is to provide a highly reliable, relatively readily available, and cost-competitive preform processing apparatus.

[0014] The preform processing apparatus according to claim 1 achieves this purpose and these objectives, as will become more apparent below, and other objectives, optionally provided with one or more of the features of the dependent claims.

[0015] Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of some preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of the apparatus for processing preforms according to the invention, shown in the accompanying drawings by way of non-limiting example, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic top view of the device according to the present invention in its operating state; Figure 2 It is a view similar to the aforementioned view, in which the device is in a transition state between an operating state and a recycle state; Figure 3 It is a view similar to the one described above, in which the device is in a recycle state; Figure 4 It is a view similar to the aforementioned view, in which the device is in a transition state between a recycle state and an operating state; Figure 5 and Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the supply area, showing the equipment in both operational and recirculation states.

[0016] The preform processing equipment, generally indicated by reference numeral 1 in the accompanying drawings, includes a line 10 for supplying preforms 50 (plastic preforms), which include a preform body 51 and a preform opening 52.

[0017] The supply line 10 is located upstream of the furnace 2 used for regulating the preform 50.

[0018] The equipment includes a component 20 for unloading the preform 50, which is located downstream of the conditioning furnace 2 and designed to feed the preform 50 to a transfer turntable or blow molding turntable (not shown).

[0019] The regulating furnace 2 is associated with a closed conveying loop 3, which includes a plurality of support elements 4 configured to support corresponding preforms 50.

[0020] The supply line 10 is provided with a supply device 11, which is designed to supply the preform 50 to the closed conveying loop 3, while the unloading assembly 20 is provided with an unloading device 21, which is designed to remove the preform 50 from the closed conveying loop 3.

[0021] According to the present invention, the device 1 includes an actuation and control device (not shown) configured to actuate the device 1 to switch between an operating state and a recirculation state. In the operating state, the preform 50 is supplied to the closed conveying loop 3 via the supply line 10 and sent to a transfer turntable or blow molding turntable via the unloading assembly 20. In the recirculation state, the supply of the preform 50 to the closed conveying loop 30 via the supply line 10 is interrupted, and the unloading assembly 20 is functionally disconnected from the closed conveying loop 30.

[0022] Specifically, in the recirculation state, the preform 50 supported by the corresponding support element 4 moves along the closed conveying loop 3, and the preform 50 that has not been removed by the unloading assembly 20 and is supported by the corresponding support element 4 is sent back to the regulating furnace 2.

[0023] Advantageously, as shown in the figure, the closed conveying loop 3 includes a plurality of support elements 4 that can move along a corresponding movement path 102 between a supply area 200 and a release area 300, the supply area being formed at the supply line 10 upstream of the regulating furnace 2 and the release area being arranged at the unloading assembly 20 (arranged downstream of the regulating furnace 2).

[0024] Conveniently, the control and actuation devices are functionally connected to a device for controlling the travel speed of the preform 50 along the closed conveying loop 3 when the device 1 is in a recirculation state.

[0025] In addition, the control and actuation devices are functionally connected to a device for controlling the temperature of the regulating furnace 2 when the equipment 1 is in a recirculation state.

[0026] Advantageously, the supply device 11 includes a supply star conveyor 11a associated with the supply guide 201.

[0027] The supply guide 201 is configured to guide the preform traveling along the supply line 10 to engage the corresponding support element 4.

[0028] Specifically, the supply guide 201 can be moved according to a command to switch between an active state in which the device 1 is in operation and an inactive state in which the device 1 is in recycling.

[0029] The active supply guide 201 has at least a portion that influences the closed transport loop 2 to supply the preform 50 to the closed transport loop 3, while the inactive supply guide 201 moves away from the closed transport loop 3 to allow the preform 50 to be transported along the closed transport loop 3 in the supply area 200.

[0030] Referring to the embodiment shown in the figure, the support body 4 is configured to form a support for the edge of the preform opening 52.

[0031] In this respect, the upper part of the support body 4 is arranged at a height lower than that of the precast part 52 located in the supply area 200.

[0032] The supply device 11 includes, for example, a supply star conveyor that forms a plurality of receptacles for the respective preforms 50 in the peripheral area.

[0033] The preform 50 is conveyed to the supply device 11 with the opening 52 of the preform facing downward.

[0034] The receiving portion 11a includes a corresponding recessed region in which the concave surface faces downward and the recessed region is designed to at least partially receive the corresponding preform 50, the opening 52 of which faces downward.

[0035] According to a preferred embodiment, the support element 4 is supported by a chain extending along the closed conveying loop 3.

[0036] The chain comprises multiple pins interconnected by corresponding links; the support element comprises a corresponding body, namely a support spindle arranged coaxially with the corresponding pin of the chain.

[0037] The support mandrel is associated with a moving device adapted to allow the support mandrel to rotate about its own axis, at least when passing through the regulating furnace 2.

[0038] Specifically, the preform 50 is of the type having a preform body 51, which has a smaller lateral dimension than the preform opening 52.

[0039] Of course, preform 50 can have a greater height extension than the diameter of the preform.

[0040] Advantageously, the preform 50 has a conical extension or a truncated body extension.

[0041] The operation of the device 1 according to the present invention is as follows.

[0042] Precast component 50 is supplied to closed conveying loop 3 via supply line 10 at supply area 200.

[0043] Precast component 50 is supplied from supply line 10 to corresponding support body 4, which can move along conveying loop 3 so that the corresponding precast component 50 passes through regulating furnace 2.

[0044] Upon exiting the furnace 2, the support body 4 carries the preform 50 (e.g., supported with its opening 52 facing downwards) toward the pick-up area 300 at the unloading assembly 20, which includes, for example, a tipping device that continues to pick up the preform from the corresponding support body 4 so that the preform (with its corresponding opening 52 facing upwards) is in a picked-up state.

[0045] At this time, the picking device (e.g., a hinged arm with a gripping device at the free end) picks up the preform 50 from the tilting element to supply the preform to the blow molding turntable.

[0046] If a problem occurs during use, such as at the blow molding machine or feeder, the control and actuation devices act on equipment 1 to move the equipment from the operating state to the recirculation state.

[0047] In practice, the supply device and unloading components are essentially stopped, and the supply guide 201 moves from an active state to an inactive state, so that once it has passed through the unloading area 300, the preform 50, which has been supported by the closed conveying loop 3, continues to circulate by passing through the regulating furnace 2 multiple times.

[0048] In this step, the control and actuation devices can also act on the travel speed of the preform 50 along the closed conveying loop 3, and optionally also act on the temperature of the furnace so as not to damage the preform during recirculation.

[0049] Moving the supply guide 201 from the active position to the inactive position allows the preforms arriving from the unloading area 300 to pass through the supply area 200 again to return to the regulating furnace 2.

[0050] Once the problem is resolved, the supply unit will be restarted.

[0051] In practice, it has been found that the present invention achieves the intended purpose and objective by providing an apparatus for blow-molded containers that allows for the supply of preforms of different diameters and shapes without having to be joined to the outer surface of the preforms.

[0052] The invention conceived thus allows for numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; furthermore, all details may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

[0053] In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and sizes, can be arbitrary, depending on the needs and the current state of technology, as long as they are compatible with the specific application.

[0054] This application claims priority to Italian Patent Application No. 102023000026391, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0055] Where any technical feature mentioned in a claim is followed by a reference numeral, such reference numerals are included for the sole purpose of increasing the comprehensibility of the claim, and therefore such reference numerals have no limiting effect on the interpretation of each element represented by such reference numerals by way of example.

Claims

1. An apparatus (1) for processing plastic preforms, comprising a line (10) for supplying preforms (50), the preforms including a preform body (51) and a preform opening (52), the supply line (10) being arranged upstream of a furnace (2) for regulating the preforms (50), an assembly (20) being configured for unloading the preforms (50), the assembly being arranged downstream of the regulating furnace (2) and designed to supply the preforms (50) to a transfer turntable or a blow molding turntable, the regulating furnace... (2) Associated with a closed conveying loop (3), the closed conveying loop comprising a plurality of support elements (4) configured to support corresponding preforms (50), the supply line (10) having a supply device (11) designed to supply the preforms (50) to the closed conveying loop (3), and the unloading assembly (20) having an unloading device (21) designed to remove the preforms (50) from the closed conveying loop (3), characterized in that, The device includes a control and actuation device configured to actuate the device (1) between an operating state and a recirculation state, in which the preform (50) is supplied to the closed conveyor loop (3) via the supply line (10) and sent to the transfer turntable or the blow molding turntable via the unloading assembly (20), in which the supply of the preform (50) to the closed conveyor loop (30) via the supply line (10) is interrupted and wherein the unloading assembly (20) is functionally not connected to the closed conveyor loop (30), in which the preform (50) supported by a corresponding support element (4) moves along the closed conveyor loop (3), and the preform (50) supported by the corresponding support element (4) that has not been removed by the unloading assembly (20) is sent again toward the regulating furnace (2).

2. The device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The closed conveying loop (3) includes a plurality of support elements (4) that are movable along a corresponding moving path (102) between a supply area (200) and a release area (300), the supply area being formed at the supply line (10) upstream of the regulating furnace (2) and the release area being located at the unloading assembly (20) downstream of the regulating furnace (2).

3. The device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control and actuation device is functionally connected to a means for controlling the travel speed of the preform (50) along the closed conveying loop (3) when the device (1) is in the recirculation state.

4. The device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control and actuation device is functionally connected to a means for controlling the temperature of the regulating furnace (2) when the device (1) is in the recirculation state.

5. The device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The supply device (11) includes a supply star conveyor (11a) associated with a supply guide (201) configured to guide the preform traveling through the supply line (10) to engage a corresponding support element (4). The supply guide (201) is capable of moving according to a command to switch between an active state in which the device (1) is in operation and an inactive state in which the device (1) is in recirculation. In the active state, the supply guide (201) has at least a portion that influences the closed conveying loop (3) to supply the preform (50) to the closed conveying loop (3). In the inactive state, the supply guide (201) moves away from the closed conveying loop (3) to allow the preform (50) to be transported along the closed conveying loop (3) in the supply area (200).

6. The device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support element (4) includes a support body (4a) configured to form a support for the edge of the preform opening (52).

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