Method of controlling shape uniformity in glass tube transformation processes

Abstract

A method of producing a glass article from a glass tube includes securing the glass tube in a holder of a converting machine, rotating the glass tube, and passing the glass tube through processing stations including at least a heating station and a forming station to form one or more features at a working end of the glass tube. An active time is an amount of time the glass tube is engaged with a heating element or a forming tool in the processing station, and an exposure index of the processing station is a rotational speed of the glass tube multiplied by a number of heating elements or forming tools in the processing station multiplied by the active time. An absolute difference between the exposure index and a nearest integer is less than or equal to 0.30, which reduces temperature and dimensional non-uniformity around a circumference of the glass tube.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 064,631, filed August 12, 2020, pursuant to 35 U.S. SC §119, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This specification generally relates to systems and methods for producing glass articles from glass tubes, and more specifically, to systems and methods for controlling the shape uniformity in the glass tube transition process. Background Technology

[0004] Historically, glass has been a preferred material for pharmaceutical packaging due to its superior airtightness, optical clarity, and excellent chemical durability compared to other materials. Specifically, the glass used in pharmaceutical packaging must possess sufficient chemical durability to prevent affecting the stability of the pharmaceutical formulation contained therein. Glasses with suitable chemical durability include those glass compositions in ASTM standard 'Type IA' and 'Type IB' glass compositions, which have proven chemical resistance.

[0005] Glass tubes can be transformed into other glass articles (e.g., various glass containers) for pharmaceutical applications, including but not limited to: bottles, syringes, ampoules, cartridges, and other glass articles. The transformation of glass tubes can be performed, for example, in a "transformation machine." Transformation machines have been in use for over 75 years and are currently manufactured by various commercial and in-house suppliers. Typically, these transformation machines reshape long glass tubes into multiple glass articles using steps including: flame processing, rotary and fixed tooling forming, thermal separation, or scribing and vibratory cutting steps. Various burners and forming tools are often used to form one or more articles from the glass tube and to separate the articles from the glass tube. Summary of the Invention

[0006] During the transformation process, thermal and dimensional nonuniformity around the circumference of the glass tube is a problem and can lead to asymmetries in quality and shape in the forming process of producing glass articles from the glass tube. These problems are particularly pronounced at larger process outputs. They can also occur as the size of the glass tube increases (e.g., when the outer diameter increases). Throughout the transformation of the glass tube into one or more articles, the glass tube rotates about its central axis. To achieve greater process output, the glass tube spends less time at each processing station. Furthermore, as the outer diameter of the glass tube increases, the rotational speed of the glass tube typically decreases. In both cases, the number of rotations of the glass tube at each processing station can decrease, leading to temperature and dimensional nonuniformity around the circumference of the glass tube during forming. This temperature and dimensional nonuniformity results in asymmetries in the quality and shape of the final articles produced from the glass tube. Therefore, there is a need for systems and methods that reduce the temperature and dimensional variations of the glass tube around its circumference while transforming it into glass articles (e.g., pharmaceutical packaging).

[0007] In a first aspect of this disclosure, a method for producing a plurality of glass articles from a glass tube may include: securing the glass tube in an accumulator of a converter comprising a plurality of processing workstations. The processing workstations may include at least one heating workstation and at least one forming workstation. The method may further include: rotating the glass tube about a central axis within the accumulator, and passing the glass tube through each of the plurality of processing workstations to form one or more features at a working end of the glass tube. For any of the plurality of processing workstations, the activity time of the processing workstation may be the amount of time the glass tube is engaged with at least one heating element or at least one forming tool while held in the processing workstation; the exposure index of the processing workstation may be equal to the rotational speed of the glass tube within the accumulator multiplied by the number of heating elements or forming tools in the processing workstation and multiplied by the activity time of the glass tube in the processing workstation; and the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer is less than or equal to 0.30.

[0008] The second aspect may include the first aspect, and further includes: identifying non-uniformity of temperature or size in the glass tube around the circumference of the glass tube; determining an exposure index of the glass tube in one or more of the plurality of processing workstations; comparing the exposure index with the nearest integer; and adjusting the rotational speed, activity time, or both of the glass tube to maintain the absolute difference between the exposure time and the nearest integer at less than or equal to 0.30.

[0009] The third aspect may include either the first or the second aspect, which includes maintaining the exposure index within + / - 0.30 of the nearest integer, wherein maintaining the exposure index within + / - 0.30 of the nearest integer can reduce instability during glass tube rotation and temperature variations around the glass tube in a circumferential manner.

[0010] The fourth aspect may include any of the aforementioned aspects, wherein the exposure index may be an integer.

[0011] The fifth aspect may include any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the converter may include a plurality of assemblies, and the method may include securing a plurality of glass tubes in the plurality of assemblies, and causing each of the plurality of assemblies and the plurality of glass tubes to pass through the plurality of processing workstations.

[0012] The sixth aspect may include any of the foregoing aspects, comprising: maintaining a constant activity time for each of the plurality of glass tubes in each of the plurality of processing workstations; and adjusting the rotational speed of each of the plurality of glass tubes so that the absolute difference between the exposure index of each of the plurality of glass tubes in each of the plurality of processing workstations and the nearest integer is maintained at less than or equal to 0.30, which can reduce temperature and dimensional nonuniformity in the glass tubes around the circumference of the glass tubes.

[0013] The seventh aspect may include any one of aspects 1 to 5, comprising: altering the activity time of each of the plurality of glass tubes in one or more of the plurality of processing workstations, such that the absolute difference between the exposure index of each of the plurality of glass tubes in each of the plurality of processing workstations and the nearest integer is maintained at less than or equal to 0.30, thereby reducing temperature and dimensional nonuniformity in the glass tubes around the circumference of the glass tubes.

[0014] The eighth aspect may include any of the foregoing aspects, wherein each of the plurality of processing workstations may be in a fixed position, and the transfer machine may sequentially draw the glass tube to each of the plurality of processing workstations.

[0015] The ninth aspect may include any one of aspects 1 through 7, wherein the converter enables the glass tube to be continuously displaced through the processing workstations, and each of the plurality of processing workstations can move in a manner coordinated with the displacement of the glass tube during the activity period.

[0016] In a tenth aspect of this disclosure, a system for producing multiple glass articles from a glass tube may include a transfer machine having multiple processing workstations, which may include at least one heating workstation, at least one forming workstation, and a separating workstation. The system may also include multiple loader units, each of which operably holds the glass tube and causes the glass tube to rotate about its central axis. The transfer machine may operably move the multiple loader units and the glass tube through the multiple processing workstations. Each of the multiple processing workstations may have an exposure index defined as: the rotational speed of the glass tube in the loader unit (in revolutions per hour) multiplied by the number of heating elements in the processing workstation or the number of forming tools in contact with the outer surface of the glass tube multiplied by the activity time of the glass tube in the processing workstation. The activity time of the processing workstation may be the amount of time the glass tube remains engaged with at least one heating element or at least one forming tool while in the processing workstation. For each of the multiple processing workstations, the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer may be less than or equal to 0.30.

[0017] The 11th aspect may include the 10th aspect, wherein the converter may be a traction converter that can operatively draw the glass tube through each of the plurality of processing workstations.

[0018] The 12th aspect may include the 11th aspect, wherein the activity time may be less than or equal to the dwell time of the converter.

[0019] The 13th aspect may include the 10th aspect, wherein the converter may be a continuous converter that allows the glass tube to be continuously displaced through the plurality of processing workstations in an operable manner.

[0020] The 14th aspect may include any one of aspects 1 to 13, wherein the at least one heating station of the converter may include at least one rotary burner that may be operatively connected to a rotary burner brake, operatively causing the rotary burner pivot to engage with and disengage from the glass tube in the at least one heating station, which may change the activity time of the glass tube in the at least one heating station.

[0021] The 15th aspect may include any one of aspects 10 to 13, wherein the at least one heating station of the converter may include a burner displacement system that is operable to cause at least one burner to be horizontally or vertically displaced into and out of engagement with the glass tube, which may change the activity time of the glass tube in the at least one heating station.

[0022] The 16th aspect may include any one of aspects 1 to 15, wherein the at least one heating workstation of the converter may include one, two, three, four or more heating elements.

[0023] The 17th aspect may include any one of aspects 1 to 16, wherein the at least one forming workstation of the converter may include at least one forming tool that may be operatively connected to a forming tool brake and operatively displaced to engage with and disengage from the glass tube, which may change the activity time of the glass tube in the at least one forming workstation.

[0024] The 18th aspect may include any one of aspects 10 to 17, wherein the converter may include a measuring system that can operably determine at least the glass tube temperature around the circumference of the glass tube, at least the glass tube size around the circumference of the glass tube, or a combination thereof.

[0025] The 19th aspect may include the 18th aspect, wherein the measurement system may be a thermal imaging system.

[0026] The 20th aspect may include any one of aspects 1 through 19, and further includes a system controller communicatively connected to the converter. The system controller may include at least one processor and at least one storage medium containing computer-readable and executable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, may cause the system controller to automatically identify one or more temperature or dimensional nonuniformities in the glass tube around its circumference, determine an exposure index of the glass tube in one or more of the plurality of processing workstations, compare the exposure index of each of the one or more processing workstations with the nearest integer, and adjust the rotational speed of the glass tube in the processing workstation, the activity time of the glass tube (or both) to maintain an absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer less than or equal to 0.30.

[0027] The 21st aspect may include the 20th aspect, wherein, when executed via a processor, computer-readable and executable instructions can cause the system to adjust the rotational speed of the glass tube, thereby adjusting the exposure index for one or more processing workstations.

[0028] The 22nd aspect may include either the 20th or the 21st aspect, wherein, when executed via a processor, computer-readable and executable instructions may cause the system to adjust the activity time in one or more processing workstations to adjust the exposure index.

[0029] The 23rd aspect may include the 22nd aspect, wherein the converter may be a traction converter that operably tractions the glass tube through each of the plurality of processing workstations, and when executed via a processor, computer-readable and executable instructions may cause the system to automatically increase or decrease the dwell time of the converter to increase or decrease the activity time of the glass tube in the plurality of processing workstations.

[0030] The 24th aspect may include any one of aspects 20 to 22, wherein, when executed via a processor, computer-readable and executable instructions can cause the system to automatically adjust the activity time of the at least one heating workstation by changing the timing of the movement of the heating element into and out of engagement with the glass tube.

[0031] The 25 aspects include any one of aspects 20 to 24, wherein the at least one heating workstation may include a rotary burner operatively connected to a rotary burner brake. The rotary burner brake may be communicatively connected to a system controller and may operatively receive control signals from the system controller and cause the rotary burner pivot to engage with and disengage from the glass tube.

[0032] The 26th aspect may include the 25th aspect, wherein, when executed via a processor, computer-readable and executable instructions can cause the system to automatically change the timing of the rotation of the rotary burner pivot into engagement and disengagement with the glass tube, thereby altering the activity time of the glass tube in the heating workstation.

[0033] The 27th aspect may include any one of aspects 1 to 26, wherein the at least one forming workstation may include at least one forming tool operatively connected to a forming tool brake, wherein the forming tool brake may be communicatively connected to a system controller and may operatively receive one or more control signals from the system controller and cause the forming tool to displace into and out of engagement with the glass tube.

[0034] The 28th aspect may include the 27th aspect, wherein, when executed via a processor, computer-readable and executable instructions can cause the system to automatically change the timing of the displacement of the forming tool into and out of engagement with the glass tube, thereby changing the activity time of the glass tube in the forming workstation.

[0035] The 29th aspect may include any one of aspects 20 to 28, wherein the conversion machine may include a measuring system disposed near the at least one heating workstation, near the at least one forming workstation, or both, wherein the measuring system may be communicatively connected to a system controller and may operablely measure at least one property of the glass tube around the circumference of the glass tube and transmit a system controller signal indicating the property to the system controller.

[0036] The 30th aspect may include the 29th aspect, wherein the at least one property of the glass tube may include at least one temperature, at least one dimension, or both, about the circumference of the glass tube.

[0037] The 31st aspect may include either the 29th or the 30th aspect, wherein, when executed via a processor, computer-readable and executable instructions may cause the system to automatically receive from the measurement system a signal indicating one or more properties of the glass tube, determine changes in such properties of the glass tube around its circumference, and adjust the activity time in the processing workstation, the rotational speed of the glass tube about its central axis, or both, thereby changing the exposure index in response to changes in such properties of the glass tube.

[0038] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description both depict various embodiments and are intended to provide an overall overview or framework for understanding the nature and characteristics of the claimed subject matter. The included drawings provide a further understanding of the various embodiments and are incorporated in and form a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate the various embodiments described herein and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles and operation of the claimed subject matter. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 The illustration schematically shows an embodiment of a transfer machine for producing glass articles from a glass tube according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0040] Figure 2 Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 1 Top view of the main tower, secondary tower and feed tower of the converter;

[0041] Figure 3A Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 1 The heating workstation of the converter;

[0042] Figure 3B Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 1 The forming workstation of the conversion machine;

[0043] Figure 3C Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 1 Another implementation of the forming workstation of the converter;

[0044] Figure 3D Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 1 Cooling workstation for the converter;

[0045] Figure 3E Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 1 The separation workstation of the converter;

[0046] Figure 3F Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 1 The puncture workstation of the conversion machine;

[0047] Figure 4 Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of a section of glass tube before the transformation process in the converter.

[0048] Figure 5 The illustration shows the surface temperature variation (y-axis) of the inner and outer surfaces of a glass tube processed in a heating workstation with a constant residence time according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein, as a function of the loading device rotation speed (x-axis).

[0049] Figure 6A Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 1 Another front view of the heating workstation of the converter;

[0050] Figure 6B Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 6A A top view of the heating workstation;

[0051] Figure 7 Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 1 A top view of another heating workstation with two heating elements in the converter;

[0052] Figure 8 Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 1 A top view of another heating workstation with three heating elements in the converter;

[0053] Figure 9A Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 1 A front view of the forming workstation of the converter;

[0054] Figure 9B Schematic illustration of one or more embodiments shown and described herein Figure 9A A top view of the forming workstation of the converter;

[0055] Figure 10 The illustration shows one or more embodiments shown and described herein under constant residence time. Figure 6A The functional relationship between the relative length dimension (y-axis) of the glass tube processed in the heating workstation and the glass tube exposure index (x-axis);

[0056] Figure 11 The illustration shows the effect of a constant dwell time on one or more embodiments shown and described herein. Figure 6A The functional relationship between the relative flange thickness (y-axis) and the glass tube exposure index (x-axis) of glass bottles manufactured from glass tubes processed in the heating workstation; and

[0057] Figure 12 The schematic diagram shows a top view of a main tower with 18 processing workstations according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein. Detailed Implementation

[0058] Specific embodiments of systems and methods for controlling shape uniformity to reduce dimensional variations in glass articles produced by a transformation process that converts a glass tube into a glass article are now specifically referenced, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals are used in the drawings to denote the same or similar parts. The method disclosed herein for producing multiple glass articles from a glass tube may include securing the glass tube in an accumulator of a transformation machine comprising multiple processing stations (which may include at least one heating station and at least one forming station). The method may further include: rotating the glass tube about a central axis within the accumulator, and passing the glass tube through each of the multiple processing stations to form one or more features at the working end of the glass tube. For any of the multiple processing stations, the activity time of the processing station may be the amount of time the glass tube remains engaged with at least one heating element or at least one forming tool while in the processing station. The exposure index of the processing station may be equal to the rotational speed of the glass tube in the accumulator (in revolutions per second) multiplied by the number of heating elements or forming tools in the processing station, and multiplied by the activity time of the glass tube in the processing station. For any of the plurality of processing workstations, the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer can be less than or equal to 0.30. Maintaining the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer to 0.30 can reduce temperature and dimensional non-uniformity around the circumference of the glass tube. Various methods for producing glass articles from glass tubes will be described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] The directional terms used in this article, such as up, down, left, right, front, back, top, and bottom, are only for reference to the attached diagrams and the provided coordinate axes, and are not used to indicate absolute orientation.

[0060] Unless otherwise stated, it is not intended to be construed as requiring the steps of any method described herein to be performed in a specific order, nor is it intended to be construed as requiring any particular orientation of any device. Therefore, if a method claim does not actually describe the order in which its steps are to be followed, or any device claim does not actually describe the order or orientation of the components, or the claims or description do not otherwise specifically state that the steps are limited to a specific order, or do not describe a specific order or orientation of the device components, then in no way should an order or orientation be inferred. This also applies to any possible unstated basis for interpretation, including: the logic regarding setup steps, operational flow, component order, or component orientation; the general meaning obtained from grammatical structures or punctuation; and the number or type of embodiments described in the specification.

[0061] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” used herein include plural references. Thus, for example, a “a” component may include aspects having two or more such components, unless otherwise explicitly stated in the text.

[0062] As used in this article, the “working end” of a glass tube is the end of the glass tube oriented toward the processing station of the converter relative to the loader, while the “non-working end” of a glass tube is the end of the glass tube oriented away from the processing station.

[0063] As used in this article, the “dwell time” of a converter refers to the duration of time a glass tube spends in a particular processing station before entering the next subsequent processing station.

[0064] As used herein, the term "active time" refers to the duration during which a glass tube remains engaged with at least one heating element or at least one forming tool while in a particular processing workstation.

[0065] When used in the context of a heating workstation, "engagement" of burner 302 with glass tube 102 can mean that burner 302 is positioned such that the flame from burner 302 extends toward or contacts glass tube 102, thereby heating glass tube 102. Conversely, when burner 302 is disengaged from glass tube 102, burner 302 is positioned such that the flame from burner 302 is directed away from glass tube 102 or moved sufficiently away from glass tube 102 that the flame does not contact or directly heat glass tube 102. Some heat transfer from burner 302 may still occur when burner 302 is disengaged from glass tube 102, but this heating is incidental and minimized compared to the heating of glass tube 102 when burner 102 is engaged with glass tube 102. The term "engagement" used for burner 302 as described above also applies to other types of heating elements 301.

[0066] When referring to the forming tool 324 used in the forming workstation 204, the term "engagement" means that the forming tool 324 is in contact with the glass tube 102. When the forming tool 324 is disengaged, the forming tool 324 is not in contact with the glass tube 102.

[0067] As used in this article, the term "part rate" refers to the production rate or yield of the converter, measured in the number of glass products per unit time.

[0068] As used herein, the term "circumference" of a glass tube refers to the set of points at a specific Z-position (i.e., the position on the + / - Z-axis in the accompanying drawings) at a constant radius r from the central axis D of the glass tube 102. For example, the circumference of the glass tube 102 may coincide with the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 at a specific Z-position or with the inner surface 146 of the glass tube 102 at a specific Z-position.

[0069] Glass tubes can be transformed into glass products, specifically glass products for pharmaceutical applications, including but not limited to: bottles, syringes, ampoules, cartridges, and other glass products. A conversion machine (e.g., a conversion apparatus) comprising multiple processing workstations can be used to transform glass tubes into these glass products. Processing workstations may include: heating workstations, forming workstations, thermal separation workstations, and puncture workstations, among other types of processing workstations. Typically, a conversion apparatus reshapes a long glass tube into multiple glass products using steps including but not limited to: flame processing, rotary and fixed tool forming, thermal separation, or scribing and vibratory cutting steps. Thus, glass products produced by the conversion process on a conversion apparatus are passed through a series of flame burners or other heating elements and forming tools to shape the glass tube into a specific shape and size and separate from the glass tube to obtain the formed product.

[0070] See now Figure 1 The diagram schematically shows a transducer 100 for producing glass articles from a glass tube 102. The transducer 100 can be used to transform the glass tube 102 into multiple glass articles. The transducer 100 may include a base 104 having multiple processing workstations 106 and a main tower 108 positioned above the base 104 and rotatable relative to the base 104 about a central axis A. The transducer 100 may also include a glass tube loading tower 110 positioned above the main tower 108 for feeding the glass tube 102 into the main tower 108. The transducer 100 may also include multiple secondary processing workstations 112 on the base 104 and secondary tower 114, which may be rotatable relative to the base 104.

[0071] like Figure 1As schematically shown, the base 104 of the converter 100 may be fixed, and the processing workstations 106 may be connected to the upper portion 105 of the base 104. The plurality of processing workstations 106 may be spaced apart from each other and arranged in a main line 116. In one or more embodiments, the main line 116 may be circular, such that the main tower 108 can pull or continuously move the glass tube 102 through the plurality of processing workstations 106 by rotating the main tower 108 about a central axis A. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the main line 116 may be linear. Although described herein with reference to a circular arrangement of processing workstations 106, it is to be understood that the subject matter disclosed herein is equally well applicable to processing workstations 106 with other arrangements, such as linear, curved, or irregularly shaped arrangements.

[0072] The type and / or shape of the articles to be manufactured from the glass tube 102 may affect the number of processing workstations 106 in the converter 100. The number of processing workstations 106 in the main tower 108 may be from 14 to 32. Although the converter 100 and the conversion process are described herein in the context of a converter 100 having 16 processing workstations 106 in the main line 116, it is to be understood that the converter 100 may have more or fewer than 16 processing workstations 106 in the main line 116. Processing workstations 106 may include, for example, but not limited to, one or more heating, forming, polishing, cooling, separating, piercing, measuring, feeding, discharging workstations, other processing workstations, or combinations thereof for producing glass articles from the glass tube 102. The type and / or shape of the articles to be manufactured from the glass tube 102 may also affect the type and / or order of the processing workstations 106 in the converter 100.

[0073] The main tower 108 can be positioned above and rotatably connected to the base 104, such that the main tower 108 is rotatable relative to the base 104 about a central axis A. A drive motor (not shown) can be used to rotate the main tower 108 relative to the base 104. The main tower 108 may include a plurality of holders 130 configured to removably secure each glass tube 102 to the main tower 108. The holders 130 may be clamps, suction cups, or other holding devices, or combinations thereof. The holders 130 may orient each glass tube 102 such that the glass tube 102 is substantially parallel to the central axis A of the main tower 108 and substantially perpendicular to the upper portion 105 of the base 104. Although this specification describes the converter 100 as a vertically oriented converter 100, it should be understood that the converter 100 may be horizontally or angularly oriented. Each container 130 can extend from the bottom portion 109 of the main tower 108 in a direction toward the base 104 (i.e., relative to...). Figure 1 The coordinate axis (Z-direction) is used, and each loader 130 can be oriented to place the glass tube 102 in or near each of the successive processing workstations 106 of the main tower 116 of the base 104 when the main tower 108 is pulled about the central axis A. The vertically oriented glass tubes 102 enable the downwardly projecting portion of each glass tube 102 to be progressively moved or pulled through the processing workstations 106. In one embodiment, the converter 100 can operably pull each of the plurality of loaders 130 progressively through the plurality of processing workstations 106. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the converter 100 can operably cause the plurality of loaders 130 to be continuously displaced through the conversion process. Each loader 130 can be individually rotatable relative to the main tower 108, thereby allowing the glass tube 102 to rotate about the central axis D of the glass tube 102 (which can be substantially parallel to the central axis A of the main tower 108). Each loader 130 can be operatively connected to a motor, continuous drive belt, or other drive mechanism (not shown) for rotating each loader 130 relative to the main tower 108. Rotation of the loader 130 causes the glass tube 102 to rotate about its central axis D relative to a fixed burner, forming tool, cooling nozzle, or other feature of the processing station 106. The heating element or forming tool in the processing station 106 can be maintained in a fixed position relative to the glass tube 102, while rotation of the glass tube 102 about its central axis D exposes the entire circumference of the glass tube 102 to the heating element or forming tool.

[0074] See Figure 1 and 2 The converter 100 may include multiple secondary processing workstations 112, which may also be separated from each other and arranged in the secondary lines 118. Figure 2 The converter 100 may include a secondary tower 114. Figure 1 ) for traction or continuous movement of product 103 (which has been separated from glass tube 102) Figure 1 The secondary tower 114 is rotatable relative to the base 104 about a second axis B. The second axis B is generally parallel to the central axis A of the main tower 108. The secondary tower 114 may also include a plurality of containers 130 for receiving glass articles 103 and placing the glass articles 103 in sequence to engage with each of the secondary processing workstations 112. The secondary tower 114 can be separated from the main tower 108 by the separation workstation 206. Figure 2 The process receives the product 103, pulls or moves the product 103 continuously through the plurality of secondary processing workstations 112 via the rotation of the secondary tower 114, and discharges the completed product from the converter 100.

[0075] The glass tube loading tower 110 may be positioned close to the main tower 108. In one embodiment, the glass tube loading tower 110 may be offset from the central axis A of the main tower 108. The glass tube loading tower 110 may be rotatable about an axis C, which may be substantially parallel to the central axis A of the main tower 108. The glass tube loading tower 110 may be independently supported in a fixed position relative to the main tower 108, and the rotation of the glass tube loading tower 110 may be independent of the rotation of the main tower 108. See also Figure 1 and 2 In some embodiments, the glass tube loading tower 110 may include a plurality of loading channels 132 arranged in a circular line 134 and configured to hold the glass tube 102. The glass tube loading tower 110 may be positioned such that one of the loading channels 132 is vertically aligned (i.e., parallel to...). Figure 1 The main tower 108 is aligned with the central axis A and / or a direction parallel to the Z-axis. The processing station 106 of the main line 116 of the converter 100 and the corresponding loading device 130 on the main tower 108 move through the processing station 106 of the main line 116. In one or more embodiments, the processing station 106 aligned with the glass tube loading tower 110 may be a tube loading station 214. Figure 2 After the converter 100 converts all or at least part of the glass tube 102 at a specific loading station 136 into one or more articles, the glass tube loading tower 110 can transfer a new length of glass tube 102 through the top of the main tower 108 to the loading station 130 at loading station 136, when the loading station 136 is pulled into the tube loading workstation 214 of the main line 116. Figure 2During alignment. In an alternative embodiment, the converter 100 may include an arm (not shown) movable between the main tower 108 and the glass tube loading tower 110. When the converter 100 has converted all or part of the glass tube 102 at a specific loader position 136, the arm may grab a new length of glass tube 102 from the glass tube loading tower 110 or other glass tube racking device and transfer the new length of glass tube 102 to the main tower 108 at the specific loader position 136. Other methods and apparatus for transferring the new length of glass tube 102 to the main tower 108 are also contemplated.

[0076] See Figure 2 As described above, the plurality of processing workstations 106 of the converter 100 may include one or more heating workstations 202, forming workstations 204, separating workstations 206, cooling workstations 210, piercing workstations 212, tube loading workstations 214, discharging workstations 216, measuring workstations 218, tube length drop workstations 220, or other workstations and / or combinations of these workstations. Figure 2 The diagram schematically illustrates the arrangement of the machining workstations 106 in a converter 100 for a main line 116 having 16 machining workstations 106 and a secondary line 118 having 18 secondary machining workstations 112. As described above, the machining workstations 106 of the main line 116 can be evenly spaced and distributed around the circular line, and the secondary machining workstations 112 of the secondary line 118 can also be evenly spaced and distributed around the circular line. Figure 2 A glass tube loading tower 110 with multiple loading channels 132 is also schematically shown. Figure 2 For illustrative purposes, the location of the glass tube loading tower 110 is shown to be separate from the main line 116. Although the glass tube loading tower 110 is shown to have 24 loading channels 132, it should be understood that the glass tube loading tower may have more or fewer than 24 loading channels 132.

[0077] like Figure 2 The schematically illustrated main circuit 116 of the converter may include one or more heating workstations 202, separating workstations 206, piercing workstations 212, one or more forming workstations 204, one or more cooling workstations 210, measuring workstations 218, tube length drop workstations 220, and tube loading workstations 214. Although Figure 2The main line 116 shown has a circular arrangement of processing workstations 106, but as mentioned above, the main line 116 can have processing workstations 106 arranged in other shapes, such as linear, curved, irregular, or other arrangements. For the traction direction 222 of the main tower 108, the heating workstation 202 can be placed before each of the forming workstation 204 and the separating workstation 206, thereby preheating the target area of ​​the glass tube 102 to a target temperature at which the target area of ​​the glass tube 102 becomes viscous and deformable and can be effectively formed or stretched and separated. At the separating workstation 206, the formed glass article 103 ( Figure 1 It can be separated from the glass tube 102 while being formed at its bottom. Figure 1 Separation workstation 206 can also be a processing workstation 106 where, after separation, the partially formed glass product 103 is transferred to a secondary tower 114. Figure 1 This pulls the secondary line 118 through the secondary processing station 112. The piercing station 212 can be located on the main line 116, downstream of the separation station 206 in the traction direction 222 of the main tower 108. At the piercing station 212, the meniscus 350 of the glass tube 102 previously formed in the separation station 206 is pierced, thereby reopening the working end 150 of the glass tube 102.

[0078] In the traction direction 222, the forming station 204 of the main tower 108 may be located downstream of the piercing station 212 and one or more heating stations 202. The one or more forming stations 204 may repeatedly form the glass tube 102 to create one or more features of the final glass article. As described above, the one or more heating stations 202 may be positioned before each forming station 204 to preheat the target area of ​​the glass tube 102 to a temperature at which the glass tube 102 can be formed and shaped into the desired features. The forming station 204 of the main tower 108 may heat the working end 150 of the glass tube 102. Figure 3A The glass article 103 is formed by shaping to create features at one end, and the forming station 204 of the secondary tower 114 can form the other end of the glass article 103 after it has been separated from the glass tube 102. In an embodiment, the converter 100 can be used to produce bottles from the glass tube 102, and the forming station 204 of the converter 100 may include one or more stations for forming shoulders, forming flanges, flange finishing, or combinations thereof with one or more heating stations 202, located before and between each forming station 204.

[0079] The main line 116 may also include a measuring workstation 218, where a dimensional system (not shown) can be used to measure one or more dimensions of the glass tube 102, such as diameter and thickness, and one or more dimensions of features formed by the forming workstation 204. Feature dimensions may include: flange thickness, flange length, neck length, neck thickness, overall article length, other feature dimensions, or combinations thereof. The measuring workstation 218 may be located directly after the final forming workstation 204, so that dimensions are measured while the glass tube 102 is still at an elevated temperature. Alternatively, the measuring workstation 218 may be located after one or more cooling workstations 210, so that dimensions of the glass tube 102 and / or the glass article are measured at lower temperatures.

[0080] See still Figure 2 In the traction direction 222 of the main tower 108, one or more cooling stations 210 may be located after the forming station 204. The tube length drop station 220 may be located after the forming station 204, between the forming station 204 and the separation station 206, so that partially formed glass tubes 102 fall, thereby placing the glass tubes 102 at the separation station 206 to separate the glass product 103 from the glass tubes 102. The main line 116 may also include a tube loading station 214 for loading a new length of glass tube 102 from the glass tube loading tower 110 onto the main tower 108. Figure 1 In one embodiment, the tube loading station 214 may be integrated into the cooling station 210. The tube loading station 214 may be located between the final forming station 204 and the separating station 206.

[0081] The forming station 204 of the main tower 108 can form features at the first end of the glass article 103. For example, the forming station 204 can form a shoulder 142 and a flange 144 at the top (first end) of the glass article 103 (which is a bottle or cartridge), such as Figure 3A As shown. See again. Figure 2 Once the glass article 103 is separated from the glass tube 102 at the separation workstation 206, the glass article 103 can be transferred to the secondary processing workstation 112 of the secondary tower 114. The secondary processing workstation 112 may include one or more forming workstations 204 for forming a second end of the glass article 103 (opposite to the first end of the glass article 103). For example, the forming workstation 204 of the secondary processing workstation 112 may form one or more features on the bottom (second end) of the glass article 103. The secondary tower 114 can rotate about axis B in a direction 224 opposite to that of the main tower 108. In an embodiment, the secondary tower 114 can rotate in the same direction as the main tower 108.

[0082] The secondary processing workstations of the secondary circuit may include one or more heating workstations 202, forming workstations 204, polishing workstations 208, cooling workstations 210, discharge workstations 216, or other workstations, or combinations of secondary workstations 112. Although Figure 2 The secondary circuit shown has a circular arrangement of secondary processing workstations 112; however, as described above, the secondary circuit may have secondary processing workstations 112 arranged in other shapes, such as linear, curved, irregular, or other arrangements. In embodiments, the secondary processing workstations 112 of the secondary circuit 118 may be used to form one or more features of the glass article 103 (e.g., a bottle, ampoule, cartridge, or syringe), for example, at the end of the glass article 103 opposite the end formed by the main tower 108. For example, in some embodiments, the glass article 103 is a bottle, and the forming workstation 204 of the secondary circuit 118 may form the bottom of the bottle. Other features are also contemplated, such as those characteristic of ampoules, cartridges, and syringes. The secondary circuit 118 may include one or more polishing workstations 208 to finish the surface of the glass article. The secondary circuit 118 may also include a plurality of cooling workstations 210 and an exhaust workstation 216, at which the finished glass article 103 may be discharged from the converter 100.

[0083] The above description of processing station 106 of main line 116 and secondary processing station 112 of secondary line 118 represents a typical transshipment machine 100 for producing bottles from glass tube 102. However, it should be understood that more or fewer processing stations 106 and secondary processing stations 112 can be used to manufacture bottles or other glass products of different shapes or features, such as cartridges, syringes, ampoules, or other pharmaceutical glass products. Furthermore, it should be understood that processing stations 106 and secondary processing stations 112 can be arranged in any number of different sequences and / or configurations to produce glass products of different shapes.

[0084] See now Figure 3A The diagram schematically shows the heating workstation 202 of the converter 100. Each heating workstation 202 may include one or more heating elements 301. Figure 3A As shown, in this embodiment, the heating element 301 may include one or more burners 302, which are used to perform forming operations at the forming workstation 204. Figure 2 Alternatively, the separation operation can be performed at separation workstation 206. Figure 2 The target area of ​​the glass tube 102 was heated beforehand. Although Figure 3AA single burner 302 is shown, but it should be understood that multiple burners 302 can be used in a single heating workstation 202 (as shown in Figures 6 and 7), which show two burners 302 and three burners 302, respectively. See again Figure 3A Each burner 302 may be fluidly connected to a fuel supply 304, an oxygen supply 306, and optionally an air supply 308. Examples of fuels for the burners 302 may include, but are not limited to, hydrogen, hydrocarbon fuel gases (e.g., such as methane, propane, and butane), other fuels, or combinations thereof. Each burner 302 may include a fuel control valve 310 to control the flow rate of fuel gas to the burner 302. Each burner 302 may also include an oxygen control valve 312 to control the mass flow rate of oxygen to the burner 302. Each burner 302 may also include an air control valve 314 to optionally control the flow rate of air to the burner 302. The burners 302 cause the fuel gas to burn in the presence of oxygen and / or air, thereby producing a flame that at least heats a target area of ​​the glass tube 102. Although the heating workstation 202 of the converter 100 is described herein as employing a burner to heat the glass tube 102, it is to be understood that other heating elements or methods besides burners may be used to heat the glass tube 102.

[0085] See now Figure 3B and 3C An example of a forming workstation 204 of a converter 100 is schematically shown. Each forming workstation 204 may include a portion of the tool axis E relative to the base 104. Figure 1 There are one or more rotatable forming tools 324. When entering the forming workstation 204, the glass tube 102 (which has been heated in the previous heating workstation 202) rotates via the housing 130. As it rotates, the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 can engage with the forming tool 324. When engaged, the contact between the forming tool 324 and the heated outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 allows the glass tube 102 to be formed into the desired shape. The forming tool 324 can remain in contact with the glass tube 102 for a continuous period of time. After the period of contact ends, the forming tool brake 326 can retract the forming tool 324 from the state of engagement with the glass tube 102. Figure 3B An embodiment of a forming workstation 204 for forming the shoulder 142 of a glass bottle formed from a glass tube 102 is schematically shown. Figure 3CAn exemplary embodiment of a forming workstation 204' for forming a flange 144 of a glass bottle formed from a glass tube 102 is schematically shown. The forming workstation 204' for forming the flange 144 includes three forming tools 324a, 324b, and 324c. Depending on the desired article characteristics, other types of forming tools 324 may be used in the forming workstation 204.

[0086] Figure 3D The schematic diagram shows a cooling workstation 210 having one or more cooling nozzles 340 positioned to direct cooling fluid 342 (e.g., cold air or inert gas) toward a glass tube 102. One or more of the cooling nozzles 340 may be positioned to direct the cooling fluid 342 to specific areas of the glass tube 102. One or more cooling fluid control valves 344 may be fluidly connected to the cooling nozzles 340 to control the mass flow rate of the cooling fluid 342 reaching the cooling nozzles 340, thereby achieving control over the cooling rate of the glass tube 102, as well as the temperature of the glass tube 102 and the temperature gradient within the glass tube 102.

[0087] See now Figure 3E The schematic diagram shows the separation workstation 206 of the converter 100. Figure 3E The separation station 206 shown is a thermal separation station and can be placed after one or more heating stations 202 in the traction direction 222 of the main tower 108. Heating stations 202 positioned before separation station 206 heat the glass tube 102, making the glass viscous. Separation station 206 may include a separation burner 348. As the glass tube 102, which has previously become viscous due to the preceding heating station 202, rotates through the receiver 130 about the central axis D of the glass tube 102, the separation burner 348 can engage the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102, thereby heating the glass tube 102 to a temperature at which the viscosity of the glass causes the article to separate from the glass tube 102. Once separated from the glass tube 102, the article can be transferred to the secondary tower 114. Figure 1 Alternatively, it can be discharged from converter 100. Although in Figure 3E The image shows a thermal separation workstation, but separation workstation 206 may not be a thermal separation workstation, for example, a separation workstation using scribing and fracturing techniques, which can be used for, for example, syringes and cartridges.

[0088] See now Figure 3FThe diagram schematically shows a typical puncture station 212 of the converter 100. The puncture station 212 may be located downstream of the separation station 206 in the traction direction 222 of the main tower 108. As described above, thermal separation of article 103 from glass tube 102 in separation station 206 may result in the formation of a meniscus 350 of glass at the working end 150 of glass tube 102. In the puncture station, the meniscus 350 is punctured to prepare for the formation of the next article at the working end 150 of glass tube 102. The puncture station 212 may include a puncture burner 352. The puncture burner 352 may be located below the working end 150 of glass tube 102 and may be oriented toward the working end 150 of glass tube 102. The puncture burner 352 may be fluidly connected to one or more of fuel gas supply 304, oxygen supply 306, and air supply 308, or a combination thereof. (Previously discussed in...) Figure 3A The fuel gas supply 304, oxygen supply 306, and air supply 308 have already been discussed in the burner 302. When the main tower 108 pulls the glass tube 102 into the puncture workstation 212, the flame from the puncture burner 352 heats the meniscus 350 of the glass, causing it to melt and thus puncture the meniscus 350, and reopening the working end 150 of the glass tube 102. In an embodiment, the meniscus 350 can be punctured by guiding a gas flow at or through the meniscus 350, the gas being, for example, compressed air, nitrogen, argon, or other gases. In an embodiment, the meniscus 350 can be punctured using mechanical devices or other methods.

[0089] Figures 3A-3F The illustrations include several different examples of processing workstations 106 that can be used in the conversion machine 100. However, it should be understood that other processing workstations 106 with different structures, combinations of structures, or functions can be used to achieve the desired conversion of the glass tube 102 into one or more glass articles.

[0090] See Figure 4 The glass tube 102 can be a stretched hollow cylindrical tube made of glass. The glass tube 102 can have a circular cross-sectional shape and can have an outer surface 140, an inner surface 146, and a thickness t. The thickness t of the glass tube 102 can be the radial distance between the inner surface 146 and the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102. Figure 4 The length L in the + / -Z direction of the coordinate axes. The glass tube 102 can have an outer diameter OD, such as... Figure 4 As shown. As discussed above, throughout the transition process, the glass tube 102 rotates about its central axis D.

[0091] See you again Figure 1 and 2 During operation, the main tower 108 can pull or move the glass tube 102, fixed in the loading container 130, into the processing workstation 106. Specific operations can be performed on the glass tube 102 at each processing workstation 106, such as heating, forming, piercing, separating, cooling, dropping, feeding, and measuring. As used herein, the “dwell time” of the transshipment machine 100 can refer to the time spent in a particular processing workstation 106 before the glass tube 102 is pulled by the main tower 108 to the next subsequent processing workstation 106. The transshipment machine 100 can be adjusted so that all processing workstations 106 complete their operations within the dwell time. At the end of the dwell time, the main tower 108 can pull the glass tube 102 to the next processing workstation 106. As used herein, the “traction time” can refer to the time taken by the main tower 108 to pull the glass tube 102 from one processing workstation 106 to the next processing workstation 106 and is measured in units of time. For traction converters, as used in this disclosure, the total time for each component of each workstation is the sum of dwell time and traction time.

[0092] In one embodiment, the converter 100 may be a continuous converter operable to allow the glass tube 102 and the loading device 130 to move continuously through a plurality of processing workstations 106. In another embodiment, as the glass tube 102 passes through the processing workstation 106, heating elements, burners, forming tools, measuring devices, and other components of the conversion process may move with the glass tube 102. For both traction converters and continuous converters, the activity time of the processing workstation is the duration for which the glass tube 102 remains engaged with at least one heating element or at least one forming tool while in the processing workstation 106.

[0093] Examples of transshipment machines 100 used to convert glass tubes 102 into glass bottles include bottle forming machines model RP16 or RP18 manufactured by AMBEG Dr.J.Dichter, which have an automatic tube feeder and include 16 processing workstations 106 in a main line 116 and 18 secondary processing workstations 112. Other examples include bottle forming machines model RP32 manufactured by AMBEG Dr.J.Dichter, which have 32 processing workstations 106 in a main line 116 and two secondary lines 118, each with 8 secondary processing workstations 112; and the Zeta098 bottle forming machine manufactured by Euromatic SRL, which has 36 processing workstations. Another example may include the Zeta 103 cartridge forming machine manufactured by Euromatic SRL, which is a transshipment machine for converting glass tubes into cartridges. The cartridge transshipment machine has similar characteristics to the bottle transshipment machine 100 described above, but is used to form glass articles with a cartridge shape factor rather than a bottle.

[0094] Although described in the context of a transfer machine 100 for producing glass bottles from glass tubes 102, it should be understood that the transfer machine 100 can be configured to produce one or more other articles, such as other types of pharmaceutical containers or articles, by changing the forming tools 324 and / or sequence or configuration of the processing workstations 106 in the main line 116 or the secondary processing workstations 112 in one or more secondary lines 118. Pharmaceutical articles may include, but are not limited to, bottles, cartridges, syringes, ampoules, jars, or other glass pharmaceutical articles.

[0095] During the conversion process, thermal and dimensional nonuniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102 is a problem and can lead to asymmetry in the articles and shapes produced from the glass tube 102 in forming processes. It has been observed that these problems are particularly pronounced at higher process yields and in articles produced from glass tubes of varying sizes (e.g., increased outer diameter (OD)). As discussed above, the glass tube 102 rotates about a central axis D in the housing 130 as it passes through the plurality of processing workstations 106. As the yield of the converter 100 increases, the time spent by the glass tube 102 in each processing workstation 106 may be reduced. For a traction converter 100, increasing the part rate yield of the converter 100 can include reducing the dwell time, traction time, or both. In embodiments, the traction time may typically be fixed, while the part rate can be increased by reducing the dwell time of the glass tube 102 in each processing workstation 106. For a continuous changeover, the part rate can be increased by increasing the rate at which the glass tube 102 passes through a series of processing workstations 106. Reducing the dwell time of the traction changeover 100 or increasing the speed of the continuous changeover can reduce the amount of time the glass tube 102 spends in each processing workstation 106. As a result, for a given constant rotational speed of the glass tube 102, the number of rotations of the glass tube 102 in each processing workstation 106 may be reduced.

[0096] When the outer diameter of the glass tube is increased, the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 usually decreases as the outer diameter of the glass tube increases. However, under the condition of constant output of the converter 100, reducing the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 in the loading unit 130 can also reduce the number of rotations of the glass tube 102 in each processing workstation 106.

[0097] Therefore, increasing the output rate of the converter 100, increasing the diameter of the glass tube 102 (or both) may result in a reduction in the number of rotations of the glass tube 102 in each processing station 106. Reducing the number of rotations of the glass tube 102 in the processing station 106 may reduce the number of times a point on the outer surface of the glass tube 102 engages with the burner 302 or forming tool 324 in the processing station 106. This can lead to temperature non-uniformity within the glass tube 102 around its circumference during forming, resulting in asymmetry in the quality and shape of the final product.

[0098] Temperature variations around the circumference of glass tube 102, and the resulting dimensional and aesthetic variations, can limit the operating window of the transition process, reduce process capacity (Cpk), reduce yield, or a combination of these. Yield reductions may stem from lower production rates to reduce temperature and / or dimensional inhomogeneities around glass tube 102, or from yield losses due to dimensional and aesthetic variations that cause products to fall outside specifications. For certain nominal bottles or glass products with dimensions falling within certain process conditions, yield losses due to dimensional and aesthetic variations caused by temperature variations within glass tube 102 during the transition process can exceed 30%.

[0099] Certain combinations of component rates and rotational speeds of the glass tube 102 in the loading unit 130 have been found to cause highly unstable rotation of the heated portion of the glass tube 102 (which may be referred to as the pre-forming region of the glass tube 102). In some of these combinations of component rates and rotational speeds, significant lateral and vertical movement of the bottom portion of the pre-forming region (i.e., the portion of the pre-forming region in the -Z direction of the coordinate axis in the attached figures) has been observed as the glass tube 102 in the loading unit 130 rotates. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as "shaking" in transition processes. Shaking is most pronounced in the final heating station after the shoulder formation and before the forming or processing station in the production of bottles and cartridges. Shaking may originate from inconsistent heating of the glass tube 102 in the heating station 202, inconsistent contact with the forming tool in the forming station 204, or both.

[0100] Certain combinations of component speeds and rotational speeds in these containers of the glass tube 102 can produce temperature nonuniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102. See also Figure 5 The diagram illustrates the functional relationship between the surface temperature changes (y-axis) of the inner surface (reference numeral 902) and outer surface (reference numeral 904) of the glass tube 102 processed in the heating workstation 202 and the loader rotation speed (x-axis) at a constant residence time. Figure 5 The heating workstation 202 has a single burner 302, and the residence time is equal to the activity time of the burner 302 during engagement with the glass tube 102. Surface temperature change is the absolute difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures measured on the surface. For example... Figure 5 As shown by the periodic peaks, for both the inner and outer surfaces of the glass tube 102, the surface temperature variations around the circumference of the glass tube 102 are significantly greater at certain rotational speeds during a constant residence time. As discussed previously, this greater temperature variation at these rotational speeds leads to dimensional non-uniformity in the glass articles produced from the glass tube 102.

[0101] Therefore, there is a persistent need for systems and methods to reduce or prevent temperature and / or dimensional nonuniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102 during the transformation of the glass tube 102 into a glass article, and more specifically, to reduce or prevent temperature and dimensional nonuniformity that may result from inconsistent heating in the processing station 106 or contact with the forming tool. The systems and methods of this disclosure reduce or prevent temperature and dimensional nonuniformity of the pre-formed region of the glass tube 102 around its circumference during heating, forming (or both) processes by a combination of maintained activity time and rotational speed resulting in consistent heating around the circumference of the glass tube 102 in the heating station 202, maintaining consistent contact between the glass tube 102 and the forming tool 324 around its circumference in the forming station 204, or a combination thereof. Specifically, the system and method of this disclosure relates to reducing the variability in the number of engagements of each point on the outer surface of the glass tube 102 around its circumference with the heating element 301 in the heating station 202, the variability in the number of contacts with the forming tool 324 in the forming station 204, or both, during the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the processing workstation 106.

[0102] In a specific processing workstation 106, the average number of times a point on the outer surface of the glass tube 102 engages with the heating element 301 or the forming tool 324 is characterized by an exposure index. The exposure index can be defined as: the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 in the loader 130 multiplied by the number of heating elements 301 in the processing workstation 106, or the number of forming tools 324 contacting the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 multiplied by the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the heating workstation 106. Exposure Index I E This can be expressed as equation I(EQU1):

[0103] I E =r×n×t A EQU.1

[0104] In EUQ1, r is the rotational speed of the glass tube 102, n is the number of heating elements 301 in the processing workstation 106 or the number of forming tools 324 in contact with the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102, and t AThis is the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the heating workstation 106. For a heating workstation 202 with multiple burners 302, EQU1 assumes that all burners in the heating workstation 202 have the same heating rate. For a heating workstation 202 where multiple burners have different heating rates, or for a forming workstation 204 where two or more forming tools are different, a scaling factor that takes into account the different heating rates of each burner or the different degrees of contact with the forming tool may be included. Alternatively, in an embodiment, when the heating workstation 202 contains multiple burners with different heating rates, or when the forming workstation 204 contains two or more different types of forming tools, the value of n in EQU1 may be set to 1. As discussed above, the activity time t A This can be the total duration for which the glass tube 102 remains engaged with at least one heating element 301 or at least one forming tool 324 while in the processing workstation 106. For a traction converter, the activity time can be less than or equal to the dwell time of the converter 100.

[0105] The exposure index can be the Z position on the circumference of the glass tube 102 when it is in the processing workstation 106 (e.g., along the Z position on the circumference of the glass tube 102). Figure 4 The average number of times each point at the + / - Z-axis position is exposed to the heating element 301 or the forming tool 324. A point on the circumference of the glass tube 102 exposed to the heating element 301 can be rotated to engage with the heating element, thus heating that point of the glass tube 102. Rotation of the glass tube 102 in the processing station 106 causes each point on the circumference to rotate sequentially until it engages with the heating element 301. Similarly, for the forming station 204, a point on the circumference of the glass tube 102 exposed to the forming tool 324 can be rotated to engage with the forming tool 324, thus deforming the glass at that point on the glass tube 102.

[0106] It has been found that maintaining an exposure index as close as possible to an integer can reduce or prevent temperature and / or dimensional nonuniformity in the glass tube 102 around its circumference during the conversion process. The converter 100 may have an exposure index such that the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer is less than or equal to 0.30, for example: less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, less than or equal to 0.15, less than or equal to 0.10, or even less than or equal to 0.05. Without being limited to any particular theory, it is believed that when the exposure index differs from the nearest integer by within 0.3, sufficient points on the circumference of the glass tube 102 have the same number of exposures as the heating element or forming tool in the processing station 106, thereby reducing or preventing wobbling and reducing the resulting temperature and / or dimensional nonuniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102. Each exposure to the heating element 301 increases the heat reaching the glass tube 102, thereby increasing the temperature of the glass. As the exposure index approaches an integer, a larger proportion of points along the circumference of the glass tube 102 receive the same number of exposures as the heating element 301. This results in a larger proportion of points around the circumference of the glass tube 102 receiving the same amount of heat during the active time. Therefore, when the exposure index differs from the nearest integer by less than 0.30, heating around the circumference of the glass tube 102 can be more uniform, resulting in greater temperature and dimensional uniformity. In other words, when the exposure index approaches an integer, the entire circumference of the glass tube 102 receives substantially the same amount of heat from the steady-state burner. In the case of the forming tool 324, contact with the forming tool 324 removes heat from the glass tube 102. Therefore, in the forming workstation 204, maintaining the exposure index closer to an integer value ensures that substantially the same amount of heat is removed from most points around the circumference of the glass tube 102 by the forming tool 324.

[0107] When the exposure index of the converter 100 differs from the nearest integer by 0.30, 70% or more of the points around the circumference of the glass have the same number of exposures as the heating element or forming tool in the processing workstation 106. When the exposure index of the converter 100 differs from the nearest integer by 0.25, 75% or more of the points around the circumference of the glass have the same number of exposures as the heating element or forming tool in the processing workstation 106. When the exposure index of the converter 100 differs from the nearest integer by 0.20, 80% or more of the points around the circumference of the glass have the same number of exposures as the heating element or forming tool in the processing workstation 106. When the exposure index of the converter 100 differs from the nearest integer by 0.10, 90% or more of the points around the circumference of the glass have the same number of exposures as the heating element or forming tool in the processing workstation 106. When the exposure index of the converter 100 is an integer, theoretically, the 100% point around the circumference of the glass has the same number of exposures as the heating element or forming tool in the processing workstation 106. Therefore, the closer the exposure index is to the nearest integer, the more consistent the heating or forming is around the circumference of the glass tube 102.

[0108] See now Figure 6A and 6B The heating workstation 202 with a single heating element 301 is schematically shown in front and top views, respectively. When the heating workstation 202 has a single heating element 501, the number of heating elements in EQU1 is equal to 1. For a single heating element 501 in the heating workstation 202, the exposure index is equal to the rotational speed (rotation / time) of the glass tube 102 about the central axis D multiplied by the active time of engagement between the glass tube 102 and the heating element 301. Therefore, the exposure index of the heating workstation 202 with a single heating element 301 is equal to the number of rotations (or rotations / active time) of the glass tube 102 during the active time. For each complete rotation of the glass tube 102 during the active time in the heating workstation 202, each point in the preforming region 141 around the circumference of the glass tube 102 can directly engage with the heating element 301 once, for example, entering into the... Figure 6B Point H in the middle is aligned with line G.

[0109] However, if the combination of the activity time and rotational speed of the glass tube 102 results in an additional portion of the glass tube 102 rotating at the end of the activity time, the circumference of the first portion of the glass tube 102 will receive additional exposure to the heating element 301. The circumference of the first portion of the glass tube 102 receiving additional exposure to the heating element 301 may have a higher temperature than the circumference of the second portion of the glass tube 102 that does not receive additional exposure. This may result in temperature nonuniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102, which can lead to wobbling and / or dimensional nonuniformity in the final glass articles made from the glass tube 102. Temperature and / or dimensional nonuniformity may be maximized when the rotation is halfway through, in which case the first portion receiving additional exposure is equal to the second portion that does not receive additional exposure. It has been found that temperature and / or dimensional nonuniformity is reduced when the rotation per activity time differs from the nearest integer by 0.30 or 0.25.

[0110] See now Figure 7 and 8 In one embodiment, the heating workstation 202 of the converter 100 may have multiple heating elements 301, such as multiple burners 302. See also Figure 7 The diagram schematically illustrates a heating station 202 having two burners 302 radially spaced 180 degrees apart. With two burners 302, each complete rotation of the glass tube 102 within the heating station 202 results in each point on the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 receiving two exposures to the burner 302. Therefore, the exposure index of the heating station 202 with two burners 302 can be equal to 2 (the number of burners 302) multiplied by the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 about the central axis D multiplied by the activity time of the glass tube 102 within the heating station 202. For an exposure index equal to an integer, a point on the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 starting at point H will terminate at the end of the activity time. Figure 7 Point H or point J in the process. This results in very small temperature and / or dimensional nonuniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102. When the exposure index is half between two integers, the point on the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 starting from point H will terminate at the end of the activity time. Figure 7Point I or point K. In these cases (at point I or point K), the portion of glass tube 102 downstream of points I and K relative to the rotation direction 148 receives additional exposure to one of the burners 302, while the portion of glass tube upstream of points I and K does not receive additional exposure. Therefore, temperature and / or dimensional nonuniformity may be greatest when the exposure index is half between two integers. Temperature and / or dimensional nonuniformity can be reduced by adjusting the exposure index such that the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer is less than 0.30, less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, less than or equal to 0.15, less than or equal to 0.10, or even less than or equal to 0.05.

[0111] See now Figure 8 The diagram schematically illustrates a heating station 202 having three burners 302 radially spaced evenly from each other. With three burners 302, each complete rotation of the glass tube 102 within the heating station 202 results in each point on the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 receiving three exposures to the burner 302. Therefore, n equals 3 in EQU1, and the exposure index of the heating station 202 with three burners 302 can be equal to 3 multiplied by the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 about the central axis D multiplied by the activity time of the glass tube 102 within the heating station 202. The case of more than three burners 302 in the heating station 202 is also considered.

[0112] Temperature and / or dimensional nonuniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102 can be reduced by adjusting the exposure index such that the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer is less than 0.30, less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, less than or equal to 0.15, less than or equal to 0.10, or even less than or equal to 0.05. As discussed above, the exposure index can be changed by altering the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 in the loader 130 or by adjusting the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the processing workstation 106. For the heating workstation 202, the activity time of the glass tube 102 can be changed by altering the residence time of the converter 100 or by moving the heating element 301 (e.g., burner 302) to engage with and disengage from the glass tube 102 during the residence time. The heating element 301 can be moved to engage with and disengage from the glass tube 102 by pivoting the heating element 301 toward and away from the glass tube 102, displacing the heating element 301 closer to or further away from the glass tube 102, or both. Other methods for moving the heating element 301 to engage with or disengage from the glass tube 102 are also considered.

[0113] See you again Figure 6B In one embodiment, the burner 302 in the heating workstation 202 may be a rotary burner 330, which is operably pivotable about a vertical axis F laterally (e.g., according to the XY plane of the coordinate axes in FIG. 6) to engage and disengage from the glass tube 102. The rotary burner 330 may include a rotary burner brake 332 operably connected to the rotary burner 330. The rotary burner brake 332 allows the rotary burner 330 to pivot about axis F to move the flame of the rotary burner 330 to engage and disengage from the glass tube 102. Figure 6B The rotary burner 330 is shown in a position where its flame engages with the glass tube 102, thereby heating the glass tube 102. In the engaged position with the glass tube 102, the flame of the rotary burner 330 can contact or point towards the glass tube 102. In one embodiment, in the engaged position with the glass tube 102, the rotary burner 330 and its flame can be aligned along a line G that extends through the rotation axis D of the glass tube 102. In the disengaged position, the flame of the rotary burner 330 can be pointed away from the glass tube 102, so that the flame does not touch or directly point towards the glass tube 102. In one embodiment, when disengaged, the rotary burner 330 can be oriented so that it is not aligned with the line G, which intersects the rotation axis D of the glass tube 102. The burner 302 can also be operatively connected to a brake, which causes the burner 302 to... Figure 6B Move toward or away from glass tube 102 in the XY plane or Figure 6A The burner 302 moves vertically in the + / -Z direction, thereby moving it to engage with and disengage from the glass tube 102. Other methods of changing the activity time are also considered.

[0114] See now Figure 9A and 9B The diagram schematically shows a forming workstation 204 having two forming tools 324 in contact with the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102. Unlike the heating element 301 (e.g., Figure 7 and 8The burner 302 in the forming station 204 can operate the contact between the forming tool 324 and the glass tube 102 to reduce the temperature of the glass tube 102. The glass tube 102 entering the forming station 204 may have a higher temperature at its outer surface 140 compared to the surface temperature of the forming tool 324, which may cause heat to be transferred from the glass tube 102 to the forming tool 324 via the contact between the forming tool 324 and the glass tube 102. When some portions of the circumference of the glass tube 102 are exposed to the forming tool 324 more times than other portions of the circumference of the glass tube 102, it may result in temperature non-uniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102.

[0115] The dimensional nonuniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102 may be due to temperature nonuniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102, or it may be due to differences in glass offset between points on the circumference of the glass tube 102 caused by differences in the number of exposures to the forming tool 324. As discussed above, contact with the forming tool 324 causes glass offset in the pre-formed region of the glass tube 102, thereby forming one or more features of the final glass article. Each exposure of a point on the circumference of the glass tube 102 to the forming tool 324 results in some offset of the glass at that point. Therefore, dimensional nonuniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102 may occur when some portions of the circumference of the glass tube 102 have more exposures to the forming tool 324 and greater glass offsets compared to other portions of the circumference of the glass tube 102.

[0116] Similar to the heating workstation 302, the temperature and / or dimensional non-uniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102 can be reduced by keeping the exposure index of the glass tube 102 in the forming workstation 324 as close to an integer as possible. The forming workstation 204 may have an exposure index such that the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer is less than or equal to 0.30, for example: less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, less than or equal to 0.15, less than or equal to 0.10, or even less than or equal to 0.05.

[0117] See Figure 9BThe diagram schematically shows a forming workstation 204 having two forming tools 324 in contact with the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102. These two forming tools 324 can be radially spaced 180 degrees apart. In the case of two forming tools 324, each complete rotation of the glass tube 102 within the forming workstation 204 results in each point on the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 receiving two exposures to the forming tool 324. Therefore, the exposure index of the forming workstation 204 with two forming tools 324 contacting the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 can be equal to 2 multiplied by the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 about the central axis D multiplied by the activity time of the glass tube 102 within the forming workstation 204. For an exposure index equal to an integer, a point on the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 starting from point H will terminate at the end of the activity time. Figure 9B Point H or point J in the process. This results in very small temperature and / or dimensional nonuniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102. When the exposure index is half between two integers, the point on the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 starting from point H will terminate at the end of the activity time. Figure 9B Point I or point K. In these cases (at point I or point K), the portion of the glass tube 102 downstream of points I and K relative to the rotation direction 148 receives additional exposure to one of the forming tools 324, while the portion of the glass tube upstream of points I and K does not receive additional exposure. Thus, temperature and / or dimensional nonuniformity may be greatest when the exposure index is half between two integers. In an embodiment, the forming workstation 324 may include a third forming tool (e.g., inserted into the interior of the glass tube 102) Figure 3C (Forming tool 324c in the middle). In the case that the forming workstation 204 includes two forming tools 324 that contact the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 and a third forming tool inserted into the interior of the glass tube 102, the exposure index is still equal to 2 multiplied by the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 about the central axis D multiplied by the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the forming workstation 202.

[0118] The temperature and / or dimensional nonuniformity around the glass tube 102 can be reduced by adjusting the exposure index so that the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer is less than 0.30, less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, less than or equal to 0.15, less than or equal to 0.10, or even less than or equal to 0.05. The exposure index of the forming workstation 204 can be changed by altering the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 around the central axis D or by changing the activity time of the forming tool 324 engaging and / or contacting the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102. The activity time can be changed by moving the forming tool 324 to enter and exit contact with the glass tube 102.

[0119] See Figure 9A In one embodiment, each forming tool 324 may be operatively connected to a forming tool brake 326. The forming tool brake 326 may be operatively movable to engage and disengage the forming tool 324 with the glass tube 102. The braking time for the forming tool 324 to engage and disengage with the glass tube 102 may be adjusted to change the active time of contact between the glass tube 102 and the forming tool 324.

[0120] Although Figure 9A and 9B The display shows two forming tools 324, but it should be understood that the forming workstation can have more than two forming tools, such as three, four, or more than four forming tools. In each case, the exposure index can be equal to the number of forming tools 324 in contact with the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 multiplied by the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 multiplied by the activity time.

[0121] See you again Figure 1 A system for producing multiple glass articles from a glass tube 102 may include a transducer 100 having multiple processing workstations 106, including at least one heating workstation 202, at least one forming workstation 204, and a separating workstation 206. The transducer 100 may be capable of operably moving the glass tube 102 through or through each of the multiple processing workstations 106. The transducer 100 may include the multiple assemblies 130. Each of the multiple assemblies 130 may be operably securing the glass tube 102 and causing the glass tube 102 to rotate about its central axis D. It is to be understood and noted that the transducer 100 may include any of the features, processing workstations, or operating parameters described herein with respect to the transducer 100. Each of the plurality of processing workstations 106 may have an exposure index defined as follows: the rotational speed (in revolutions per hour) of the glass tube 102 in the loader 130 multiplied by the number of heating elements 301 in the processing workstation 106 or the number of forming tools 324 in contact with the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102 multiplied by the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the processing workstation 106. One or more of the processing workstations 106 (e.g., heating workstation 202, forming workstation 204, separating workstation 206, or a combination thereof) may have an exposure index with an absolute difference from the nearest integer as follows: less than or equal to 0.30, less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, less than or equal to 0.10, or less than or equal to 0.05.

[0122] In any system disclosed herein, the converter 100 may be a traction converter that operably tractions the glass tube 102 through each of the plurality of processing workstations 106. In embodiments, the activity time in one or more processing workstations 106 may be less than or equal to the dwell time of the converter 100. In any system disclosed herein, the converter 100 may be a continuous converter that operably causes the glass tube 102 to be continuously displaced through the plurality of processing workstations 106. In embodiments, the converter 100 may operably change the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 in the loader 130, thereby changing the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the processing workstation 106.

[0123] See you again Figure 5 In any of the systems disclosed herein, at least one heating station 202 of the converter 100 may include at least one rotary burner 330 operatively connected to a rotary burner brake 332. The rotary burner brake 332 may operatively pivot the rotary burner 302 to engage and disengage with the glass tube 102 in the heating station 202, thereby altering the activity time of the glass tube 102 engaged with the rotary burner 330. Alternatively or supplementally, in embodiments, the systems disclosed herein may include a heating station 202 having a burner displacement system operatively capable of displacing at least one burner 302 horizontally or vertically to engage and disengage with the glass tube 102, thereby altering the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the heating station 202. Each heating station 202 of the converter 100 may include one, two, three, four, or more than four heating elements 301, such as burners 302 and rotary burners 330, etc.

[0124] This document describes the heating workstation 202 in the context of a burner 302 used for heating the glass tube 102. However, it is to be understood that other heating elements may also be used to heat the glass tube. Other heating elements may include, but are not limited to, lasers, such as CO2 lasers, induction heaters, other heating devices, or combinations thereof. The laser heating element may be turned on and off to engage or disengage the heating element from the glass tube 102.

[0125] See you again Figure 9A and 9BIn any system disclosed herein, at least one forming workstation 204 may include one or more forming tools 324. One or more of the forming tools 324 may be operatively connected to a forming tool brake 326. The forming tool brake 326 may operatively displace the forming tool 324 to engage and disengage with the glass tube 102, thereby altering the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the forming workstation 204. In one embodiment, the forming tool 324 may be positioned to contact the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102. In another embodiment, the forming workstation 204 may include a central forming tool 324c, which may be inserted into the interior of the glass tube 102 during the activity time of the forming workstation 204.

[0126] Any system disclosed herein may additionally include a measurement system capable of operably measuring at least the temperature of the glass tube 102, at least the dimensions of the glass tube, or a combination thereof, around the circumference of the glass tube 102. The measurement system may be a thermal imaging system, such as U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 928,837, filed March 22, 2018, entitled “Systems and Methods for Measuring the Temperature of Glass During Tube Conversion,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The thermal imaging system can operably measure one or more temperatures around the circumference of the glass tube. The measurement system may additionally include a dimensional measurement system, such as one or more of the following: a visual imaging system, a laser reflector, a laser gauge, an optical rangefinder, or other measuring devices capable of operably measuring one or more dimensions of the glass tube 102 around its circumference. Other feasible measurement systems are also considered to determine one or more temperatures, dimensions, or both of the glass tube 102 around its circumference. The measurement system may be placed at one or more heating workstations 202, one or more forming workstations 204, a measuring workstation 218 downstream of the forming workstation 204, or a combination thereof. In embodiments, the measurement system may be located at or immediately after the heating workstation 202, the forming workstation 204, or both, to directly measure the temperature and / or dimensional non-uniformity around the glass tube 102 from the heating workstation 202 or the forming workstation 204, respectively.

[0127] See you again Figure 1The system for producing multiple glass articles from glass tube 102 may further include a system controller 400 communicatively connected to the converter 100. The system controller 400 may include at least one processor 402 and at least one storage medium 404 containing computer-readable and executable instructions 406. When executed by the processor 402, the computer-readable and executable instructions 406 may cause the system to automatically identify one or more temperature or dimensional nonuniformities in the glass tube 102 around its circumference, and to determine the exposure index of one or more of the multiple processing workstations 106. As discussed above, the exposure index of the glass tube 102 in a particular processing workstation 106 may be equal to the rotational speed (in rotational speeds per time) of the glass tube 102 in the loading unit 130 multiplied by the number of heating elements 301 in the processing workstation 106 or the number of forming tools 324 in contact with the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102, multiplied by the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the processing workstation 106. When executed by processor 402, computer-readable and executable instruction 406 can cause the system to automatically compare the exposure index of one or more processing workstations 106 with the nearest integer, and adjust the rotational speed of glass tube 102, the activity time of glass tube 102 in processing workstation 106 (or both) to maintain the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer less than or equal to 0.30, less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, less than or equal to 0.10, or even less than or equal to 0.05.

[0128] In an implementation, when executed by processor 402, computer-readable and executable instruction 406 can cause the system to automatically receive or obtain the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 from converter 100, and multiply the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 by the number of heating elements 301 or the number of forming tools 324 in contact with the outer surface 140 of the glass tube 102, and multiply by the activity time of the glass tube 102 in processing workstation 106, thereby determining the exposure index of processing workstation 106. System controller 400 can receive the number of forming tools 324 or heating elements 301 in processing workstation 106 from converter 100, or can find this information from the at least one storage medium. System controller 400 can also receive the activity time from converter 100 or can find the activity time from the at least one storage medium.

[0129] In one embodiment, when executed by processor 402, computer-readable and executable instructions 406 can cause the system to automatically adjust the rotational speed of the glass tube 102, thereby adjusting the exposure index of one or more of the processing workstations 106. Alternatively or supplementarily, in one embodiment, when executed by processor 402, computer-readable and executable instructions 406 can cause the system to automatically adjust the activity time in one or more processing workstations 106, thereby adjusting the exposure index. In one embodiment, the converter 100 can be a traction converter that operably tractions the glass tube 102 through each of the plurality of processing workstations 106, and when executed via processor 402, computer-readable and executable instructions 406 can cause the system to automatically increase or decrease the dwell time of the converter 100 to increase or decrease the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the plurality of processing workstations 106.

[0130] In this implementation, when executed by processor 402, computer-readable and executable instructions 406 can cause the system to automatically change the activity time in one or more processing workstations without altering the dwell time of converter 100. See again Figure 6A and 6B The system can operably change the activity time in the heating workstation 202 by altering the time it takes for the heating element 301 or burner 302 to move into and out of engagement with the glass tube 102.

[0131] In one embodiment, the converter 100 may include at least one heating workstation 202 having at least one rotary burner 330 operatively connected to a rotary burner brake 332, wherein the rotary burner brake 332 is operatively pivotable to engage and disengage with the glass tube 102. The rotary burner brake 332 may be communicatively connected to a system controller 400, for example, electrically connected to the system controller 400. The rotary burner brake 332 may operatively receive control signals from the system controller 400, wherein the control signals may cause the rotary burner brake 332 to pivot to engage and disengage with the glass tube 102. When executed by the processor 402, computer-readable and executable instructions 406 may cause the system to automatically change the time at which the rotary burner 330 pivots to engage and disengage with the glass tube 102, thereby altering the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the heating workstation 202. When executed by processor 402, computer-readable and executable instruction 406 can cause the system to automatically send a control signal indicating the time for the rotary burner 330 to pivot into and out of engagement with glass tube 102 to the rotary burner brake 332. When executed by processor 402, computer-readable and executable instruction 406 can cause the system to automatically send a first control signal to rotary burner 330 or rotary burner brake 332 at time T1, thereby causing rotary burner 330 or rotary burner brake 332 to displace rotary burner 330 into engagement with glass tube 102. At the end of the activity at time T2, system controller 400 can send a second control signal to rotary burner 330 or rotary burner brake 332 indicating a command to displace rotary burner 330 out of engagement with glass tube 102. The system can operably change the duration between T1 and T2, thereby changing the activity time.

[0132] Although Figure 6A and 6B The diagram shows a rotary burner 330 that pivots about axis F to move the flame into and out of engagement with glass tube 102. However, it should be understood that other mechanisms for moving the burner 302 into and out of engagement with glass tube 102 are also considered. In an embodiment, heating station 202 may include a displacement system (not shown) that operably allows the burner 302 to be linearly displaced into and out of engagement with glass tube 102. The displacement system can allow the burner 302 to be laterally (i.e., Figure 6A and 6BThe burner 302 moves in the XY plane or longitudinally (i.e., in the + / -Z direction of the coordinate axes in Figure 6) to engage and disengage with the glass tube 102. The displacement system can be communicatively connected to the system controller 400 to receive control signals from the system controller 400. When executed by the processor 402, computer-readable and executable instructions 406 can cause the system to automatically send one or more control signals indicating a command to displace the burner 302 to engage and disengage with the glass tube 102 to the burner displacement system. When executed by the processor 402, computer-readable and executable instructions 406 can cause the system to automatically adjust the timing of the control signals arriving at the displacement system, thereby changing the active time of engagement between the glass tube 102 and the burner 302 in the heating workstation 202.

[0133] See you again Figure 9A and 9BIn one embodiment, the converter 100 may include the at least one forming workstation 204 having at least one forming tool 324 operatively connected to a forming tool brake 326, wherein the forming tool brake 326 is operatively capable of displacing the forming tool 324 to engage and disengage with the glass tube 102. The forming tool brake 326 may be communicatively connected to a system controller 400, for example, electrically connected to the system controller 400. Each forming tool brake 326 may be operatively capable of receiving a control signal from the system controller 400, wherein the control signal may cause the forming tool brake 326 to displace the forming tool 324 to engage and disengage with the glass tube 102. When executed by the processor 402, computer-readable and executable instructions 406 may cause the system to automatically change the time at which the forming tool 324 is displaced to engage and disengage with the glass tube 102, thereby altering the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the forming workstation 204. When executed by processor 402, computer-readable and executable instruction 406 can cause the system to automatically send a control signal indicating the time for the forming tool 324 to displace into and out of engagement with the glass tube 102 to the forming tool brake 326. When executed by processor 402, computer-readable and executable instruction 406 can cause the system to automatically send a first control signal to the forming tool brake 326 at time T1, causing the forming tool brake 326 to displace the forming tool 324 into engagement with the glass tube 102. At the end of the activity at time T2, system controller 400 can send a second control signal to the forming tool brake 326 indicating a command to displace the forming tool 324 out of engagement with the glass tube 102. In an embodiment, the at least one forming workstation 204 may include a plurality of forming tools 324 and a plurality of forming tool brakes 326, each forming tool brake 326 being communicatively connected to system controller 400 and receiving control signals from system controller 400 in an operable manner.

[0134] In implementations, any system disclosed herein may include a measurement system (not shown) communicatively connected to the system controller 400. When executed by the processor 402, computer-readable and executable instructions 406 may cause the system to automatically receive from the measurement system one or more signals or data indicating one or more properties of the glass tube 102. The properties of the glass tube 102 may be one or more temperatures, one or more dimensions, or both around the circumference of the glass tube 102. When executed by the processor 402, the computer-readable and executable instructions 406 may cause the system to automatically determine, based on signals from the measurement system, changes in temperature, dimensions, or both around the circumference of the glass tube 102, and, in response to changes in temperature, dimensions, or both, adjust the activity time in the processing workstation 106, the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 about the central axis D, or both, thereby altering the exposure index.

[0135] See you again Figure 1 and 2 The method disclosed herein for producing a plurality of glass articles from a glass tube 102 may include securing the glass tube 102 in one of the plurality of housings 130 of a converter 100, wherein the converter 100 may include a plurality of processing workstations 106. The plurality of processing workstations 106 may include at least one heating workstation 202, at least one forming workstation 204, at least one separating workstation 206, or a combination thereof. It is to be understood and noted that in any method disclosed herein, the converter 100 may include any of the features, processing workstations, or operating parameters described herein for the converter 100. The method may also include rotating the glass tube 102 about its central axis D in the housing 130, and passing the glass tube 102 through each of the plurality of processing workstations 106 to form one or more features at the working end of the glass tube 102. For each processing workstation 106, the activity time of the processing workstation 106 can be the amount of time that the glass tube 102 remains engaged with at least one heating element 301 or at least one forming tool 324 while in the processing workstation 106. The exposure index of each processing workstation 106 can be equal to the rotational speed (in revolutions per hour) of the glass tube 102 in the loader 130 multiplied by the number of heating elements 301 or the number of forming tools 324 in the processing workstation 106 and multiplied by the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the processing workstation 106. The method may include operating the converter 100 such that the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer can be less than or equal to 0.30, less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, less than or equal to 0.10, or even less than or equal to 0.05.

[0136] Any method disclosed herein may further include: identifying temperature or dimensional nonuniformity in the glass tube 102 around its circumference; determining an exposure index of the glass tube 102 in one or more of the plurality of processing workstations 106; comparing the exposure index with the nearest integer; and adjusting the rotational speed of the glass tube 102, the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the processing workstation 106 (or both), thereby maintaining the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer less than or equal to 0.30, less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, less than or equal to 0.10, or less than or equal to 0.05. Identifying temperature or dimensional nonuniformity may include: measuring at least one temperature, at least one dimension (or both) around the circumference of the glass tube 102; and determining, based on the measurement, the temperature or dimensional deformation around the circumference of the glass tube 102.

[0137] Any method disclosed herein may include maintaining the exposure index in one or more processing workstations 106 within + / - 0.30, + / - 0.25, + / - 0.20, + / - 0.15, or + / - 0.10 of the nearest integer, wherein maintaining the exposure index within + / - 0.30, + / - 0.25, + / - 0.20, + / - 0.15, or + / - 0.10 of the nearest integer can reduce rotational instability of the glass tube 102, temperature variation around the circumference of the glass tube 102, dimensional variation around the circumference of the glass tube 102, or a combination thereof. In embodiments, the exposure index may be equal to an integer.

[0138] In any of the methods disclosed herein, the converter 100 may include a plurality of housings 130, and the methods disclosed herein may include securing one of a plurality of glass tubes 102 in each of the plurality of housings 130 and causing each of the plurality of housings 130 and the glass tube 102 disposed therein to pass through the plurality of processing workstations 106. In embodiments, any of the methods disclosed herein may include: maintaining a constant activity time for each of the plurality of glass tubes 102 in each of the plurality of processing workstations 106; and adjusting the rotational speed of each of the plurality of glass tubes 102 to maintain an absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer less than or equal to 0.30, less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, less than or equal to 0.10, or less than or equal to 0.05, thereby reducing temperature and dimensional nonuniformity in the glass tube 102 around the circumference of the glass tube 102.

[0139] Any method disclosed herein may include adjusting the dwell time of each of the plurality of glass tubes 102 in the processing workstation 106 to maintain the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer being less than or equal to 0.30, less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, less than or equal to 0.10, or less than or equal to 0.05. Adjusting the dwell time may include increasing or decreasing the dwell time of the converter, changing the time for the heating element 301, the forming tool 324 (or both) to move or deactivate into or out of engagement with the glass tube 102, or a combination thereof.

[0140] See Figure 6A and 6B In any embodiment of the methods disclosed herein, one of the processing workstations 106 may be a heating workstation 202 including a rotary burner 330, and the method may include pivoting the rotary burner 330 to engage and disengage with the glass tube 102 in the heating workstation 202. The method may include altering the exposure index by changing the time it takes for the rotary burner 330 to pivot to engage or disengage with the glass tube 102. In embodiments, the heating workstation 202 may include a displacement system or burner brake that allows the burner 302 to be linearly displaced to engage or disengage with the glass tube 102, rather than by pivoting the burner 302.

[0141] See now Figure 9A and 9B In any implementation of the methods disclosed herein, one of the processing workstations 106 may be a forming workstation 204 comprising one or more forming tools 324 operatively connected to one or more tool brakes 326, and the method may include braking the forming tool 324 to engage / disengage with the glass tube 102 in the forming workstation 204. The method may include altering the exposure index by changing the duration of engagement or contact between the glass tube 102 and the forming tool 324, thereby varying the timing of braking the forming tool 324 to engage or disengage with the glass tube 102.

[0142] In any of the methods disclosed herein, each of the plurality of processing workstations 106 of the converter 100 may be in a fixed position, and the method may include traction of the glass tube 102 sequentially through each of the processing workstations 106. Alternatively, in an embodiment, in any of the methods disclosed herein, the converter 100 may be a continuous converter, and the method may include causing the glass tube to continuously pass through the plurality of processing workstations, wherein each of the plurality of processing workstations may move in a manner coordinated with the displacement of the glass tube 102 during the activity time.

[0143] See you again Figure 1 and 2 A method for producing a plurality of glass articles from a glass tube 102 may include securing the glass tube 102 in one of the housings 130 of a converter 100, wherein the converter 100 may include the plurality of processing workstations 106. Each processing workstation 106 may include at least one heating workstation 202, at least one forming workstation 204, and a separating workstation 206. The method may include rotating the glass tube 102 about its central axis D, and passing the glass tube 102 through each of the plurality of processing workstations 106 to form one or more features at the working end of the glass tube 102. For any one or more of the plurality of processing workstations 106, the active time of a processing workstation 106 may be the amount of time during which the glass tube 102 remains engaged with the heating element 301 or the forming tool 324, and the rotation ratio per active time is defined as the ratio of the number of rotations of the glass tube 102 during the active time in each of the plurality of processing workstations 106. The absolute difference between the rotation ratio per activity time and the nearest integer can be less than or equal to 0.30, less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, or less than or equal to 0.10. Any method disclosed herein may also include determining the rotation ratio per activity time by multiplying the rotational speed (in revolutions per time) of the glass tube 102 in the container 130 about the central axis D by the activity time.

[0144] Any method disclosed herein may include: identifying temperature or dimensional nonuniformity of the glass tube 102 around its circumference; determining the rotation ratio of the glass tube 102 per activity time in one or more processing workstations 106; comparing the rotation ratio per activity time with the nearest integer; and adjusting the rotation speed of the glass tube 102, the activity time (or both) to maintain the absolute difference between the rotation ratio per activity time and the nearest integer being less than or equal to 0.30, less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, or less than or equal to 0.10. Any method may include maintaining the rotation ratio per activity time within + / - 0.30, within + / - 0.25, within + / - 0.20, within + / - 0.15, or within + / - 0.10 of the nearest integer. Maintaining the rotation ratio per activity time within + / - 0.30, + / - 0.25, + / - 0.20, + / - 0.15, or + / - 0.10 of the nearest integer can reduce rotational instability of the glass tube 102 and temperature and / or scalar variations around the circumference of the glass tube 102. In an embodiment, the method may include maintaining the rotation ratio per activity time equal to an integer.

[0145] Any method disclosed herein may include maintaining a constant activity time for each of the plurality of glass tubes 102 in each of the plurality of processing workstations 106. In embodiments, the constant activity time of each processing workstation 106 may be maintained by maintaining a constant dwell time. Any method disclosed herein may include, for each of the plurality of glass tubes 102 in each of the plurality of processing workstations 106, adjusting the rotational speed of each of the plurality of glass tubes 102 to maintain an absolute difference between the rotation ratio per activity time and the nearest integer being less than or equal to 0.30, less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.20, even less than or equal to 0.10, or even less than or equal to 0.05, thereby reducing temperature and dimensional non-uniformity in the glass tube 102 around the circumference of the glass tube 102. In embodiments, the method may include maintaining a constant rotational speed of the glass tube 102 and increasing or decreasing the activity time of the glass tube 102 in the processing workstation 106, thereby changing the rotation ratio per activity time. The time the glass tube 102 spends in the processing station 106 can be increased or decreased by changing the amount of time the glass tube 102 spends in the processing station 106 (e.g., changing the dwell time), or by changing the time when the heating element 301 and / or forming tool 324 brakes or moves into or out of engagement with the glass tube 102 while in the processing station 106.

[0146] In one embodiment, the converter 100 may include a plurality of holders 130, and the method may include securing a plurality of glass tubes 102 in the plurality of holders 130 and causing each of the plurality of holders 130 and the plurality of glass tubes 102 to pass through the plurality of processing workstations 106. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of processing workstations 106 may be in a fixed position, and the converter 100 may guide the glass tubes 102 sequentially to each of the plurality of processing workstations 106. In one embodiment, the converter 100 may be a continuous converter, which allows the glass tubes 102 to continuously traverse through the processing workstations 106, and each of the plurality of processing workstations 106 may move together with the glass tubes 102 during an activity period.

[0147] Maintaining the exposure index in the processing station 106 of the converter 100 close to the nearest integer, for example, within 0.30, 0.25, 0.20, 0.15, 0.10, or 0.05, can reduce wobbling during the conversion process and reduce temperature and / or dimensional non-uniformity around the circumference of the glass tube 102. This reduction in temperature and / or dimensional non-uniformity around the circumference of the glass tube can reduce or prevent dimensional or aesthetic defects in glass articles produced from the glass tube. Thus, the yield from the conversion process can be increased by reducing yield loss and increasing production rate, among other characteristics. It should be understood that the systems and methods and various aspects disclosed herein are described in the context of a conversion process for producing pharmaceutical vials; however, it is to be understood that the systems and methods can be applied to conversion processes for producing other articles (e.g., but not limited to cartridges, syringes, ampoules, etc.).

[0148] Implementations of this disclosure can be embedded in hardware and / or software (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.). The system controller 400 of the converter and / or other controllers on the converter 100 may include at least one processor and a computer-readable storage medium (i.e., a storage module), as described above in this specification. The system controller 400 may be communicatively connected to one or more system components (e.g., converter 100, rotary burner brake 332, forming tool brake 326, displacement system, measurement system, etc.) via any wired or wireless communication path. The computer-usable or computer-readable storage medium or storage module may be any medium capable of loading, storing, communicating, propagating, or transmitting programs for use through or in conjunction with a specified execution system, device, or apparatus.

[0149] Computer-usable or computer-readable storage media or modules can be, for example, but not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, devices, apparatuses, or propagation media. More specific examples (non-exclusive) of computer-readable storage media include: electrical connections with one or more wires, portable computer disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, and portable optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). It should be noted that computer-usable or computer-readable storage media can even be paper or other suitable media for printing programs, as programs can be captured electronically by optical scanning of, for example, paper or other media, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed (if necessary), and then stored in computer memory.

[0150] Computer-readable storage media may include machine-readable and executable instructions for performing the operations of this disclosure. These machine-readable and executable instructions may include computer program code, which may be written in a high-level programming language (such as C or C++) for ease of development. Furthermore, the computer program code for performing the operations of this disclosure may also be written in other programming languages, such as, but not limited to, interpreted languages. Some modules or routines may be written in assembly language or even microcode to improve performance and / or memory utilization. However, the software implementation of this disclosure is not dependent on the execution of a particular programming language. It will also be understood that the functionality of any or all program modules may also be implemented using discrete hardware components, one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or programmable digital signal processors or microcontrollers.

[0151] Example

[0152] The following embodiments illustrate the disclosed system and method for producing multiple glass articles from a glass tube in a conversion machine. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0153] The following examples illustrate how the disclosed system and method can reduce dimensional and aesthetic variations in articles manufactured from glass tubes by minimizing temperature and dimensional non-uniformity around the circumference of the glass tube. In these examples, the glass tube is an aluminosilicate glass tube, such as those manufactured and marketed by Corning Incorporated. Glass. The aluminosilicate glass tube can also be further processed after the transformation by annealing and / or ion exchange. Although aluminosilicate glass is used in the embodiments, the effectiveness of the systems and methods disclosed herein does not depend on the type or composition of the glass.

[0154] Example 1: The effect of exposure index on the scale uniformity of RP18

[0155] In Example 1, an experiment was conducted on a conversion machine used for producing glass bottles to demonstrate the effect of the exposure index on the dimensional non-uniformity around the circumference of the glass tube. For Example 1, a conversion machine was used to convert the glass tube into a glass bottle. The conversion machine was a bottle forming machine model RP18 manufactured by AMBEG Dr. J. Dichter, equipped with an automatic tube feeder, which included 18 processing workstations in the main line. Table 1 below provides a description of the processing workstations in the main line of the conversion machine used in Example 1. Figure 12 The illustration shows the main tower 108 with 18 processing workstations allocated according to Table 1.

[0156] Table 1: Description of the processing workstation of the converter in Example 1

[0157]

[0158]

[0159] For Example 1, the exposure index was adjusted using two independent parameters: the rotational speed of the glass tube in the loader and the component rate (related to residence time). Whether the exposure index was changed by the rotational speed of the glass tube or by the component rate, a consistent relationship was found between the uniformity of the shape around the tube and the exposure index. For Example 1, the burner was fixed, so the active time used to calculate the exposure time was equal to the residence time of the converter. Heating workstations A7-A9 each comprised a single flame burner. Therefore, the exposure index for Example 1 was calculated as follows: the rotational speed of the glass tube about the central axis multiplied by the residence time. Table 2 provides the rotational speeds of the glass tube in revolutions per minute (rpm) and revolutions per second (rps). Table 2 also provides the component rates of the converter for each operating condition. The traction time was fixed. Therefore, changes in the component rate reflected changes in the residence time. The residence time used to calculate the exposure index in Table 2 is the residence time corresponding to the component rates listed in Table 2.

[0160] Table 2: Exposure index data for Example 1

[0161]

[0162]

[0163] For each set of operating conditions, for processing workstations A9 and A10 with multiple glass tubes, at the end of the dwell time, the length dimension of the glass tube is measured in the + / -Z direction from a point around the circumference of the glass tube. The change in length dimension relative to the circumference of the glass tube is determined by obtaining the difference between the maximum and minimum dimensions. Figure 10The results of Example 1 are illustrated. Figure 10 In the attached diagram, reference numeral 1002 (solid circle) represents data for operation numbers 1-1 to 1-5 (changing the rotational speed of the glass tube while maintaining a constant component speed), and reference numeral 1004 (plus sign) represents data for operation numbers 1-6 to 1-10 (changing the component speed while maintaining a constant rotational speed). Figure 10 As shown, changing either the component speed or the rotational speed has no difference in the effect of the exposure index on the length scale.

[0164] The increased variability in the vertical length of the glass tube indicates wobbling, leading to dimensional and aesthetic non-uniformity in the final glass product. For example... Figure 10 As shown, for processing workstations A9 and A10, when measured at the end of the dwell time, the vertical length-scale variation (and consequently, the wobbling of the glass tube) of the exposure index 6.5 was more pronounced than that of 6.0 and 7.0. These observations confirm that when the difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer is greater than approximately 0.30 or approximately 0.25, a larger circumferential thermal gradient is resulting, which in turn leads to instability in the rotating glass preform and dimensional nonuniformity of the glass tube during heating and forming. Whether the exposure index was changed by altering the part rate or by changing the chuck speed (i.e., the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 in the loader 130), a general trend was observed in the functional relationship between the dimensional variability of the glass tube 102 (for A9 or A10, at the end of the dwell time) and the exposure index: greater instability at 6.5 rotational speed than at 6.0 or 7.0. This result strongly suggests that the average number of rotations of the glass tube during the active time in the processing workstation is responsible for the instability, as wobbling is shown by changing two different process variables.

[0165] Example 2: Effect of Exposure Index on the Scale Uniformity of RP18

[0166] In Example 2, experiments were conducted on a conversion machine used for producing glass bottles to demonstrate the effect of the exposure index on the dimensional non-uniformity of the circumference around the glass tube. For Example 2, a conversion machine was used to convert the glass tube into a glass bottle. The conversion machine used was a bottle forming machine model RP16 manufactured by AMBEG Dr. J. Dichter, equipped with an automatic tube feeder, which included 16 processing workstations in the main line. Table 3 below provides a description of the processing workstations in the main line of the conversion machine used in Example 2.

[0167] Table 3: Description of the processing workstation of the converter in Example 1

[0168]

[0169] For Example 2, the exposure index was adjusted using two independent parameters: the rotational speed of the glass tube in the loader and the component rate (related to residence time). Whether the exposure index was changed by the rotational speed of the glass tube or by the component rate, a consistent relationship was found between the uniformity of the shape around the tube and the exposure index. For Example 1, the activity time used to calculate the exposure time was equal to the residence time of the converter. Heating workstations A7-A9, A11, and A13 each comprise a single flame burner. Therefore, the exposure index for Example 2 was calculated as follows: the rotational speed of the glass tube about the central axis multiplied by the residence time. Table 4 provides the rotational speeds of the glass tube in revolutions per minute (rpm) and revolutions per second (rps). Table 4 also provides the component rates of the converter for each operating condition. The traction time was constant. Therefore, changes in the component rate reflected changes in the residence time. The residence time used to calculate the exposure index in Table 4 is the residence time corresponding to the component rates listed in Table 4.

[0170] Table 4: Exposure index data for Example 2

[0171]

[0172] For each set of operating conditions in Example 2, for multiple glass tubes, at the end of the dwell time at processing workstation A10, the flange thickness of the bottle is measured at points around the circumference of the glass tube. The variation in flange thickness relative to the circumference of the glass tube is determined by obtaining the difference between the maximum and minimum thicknesses. Figure 11 The results of Example 2 are illustrated. Figure 11 In the attached drawing, reference numeral 1102 (solid circle) represents data for operation numbers 2-1 to 2-5 (changing the rotational speed of the glass tube while maintaining a constant component speed), and reference numeral 1104 (plus sign) represents data for operation numbers 2-6 to 2-10 (changing the component speed while maintaining a constant rotational speed). Figure 11 As shown, changing either the component speed or the rotational speed has no difference in the effect of the exposure index on the length scale.

[0173] Similarly, for the RP16 converter, it was observed that the exposure index of the glass tube in the processing workstation had a strong influence on the dimensional uniformity around the circumference of the glass tube. Specifically, in Example 2, changing the exposure index confirmed that the variability of the flange thickness decreased when the exposure index was close to an integer value (8 or 9 in Example 2), and significantly more when the exposure index differed from the nearest integer by more than 0.25 or 0.3 (e.g., for batches 2-3 and 2-8, the exposure index was approximately 8.5).

[0174] like Figure 11As shown, for the A9 processing workstation, measurements taken at the end of the dwell time revealed a more pronounced variability in flange thickness at an exposure index of 8.5 compared to the exposure index ranges of 8.0 to 8.3 and 8.7 to 9.0 (both ranges differing from integers by less than 0.3). These observations confirm that a larger circumferential thermal gradient results from the exposure index being greater than approximately 0.30 or approximately 0.25, which in turn leads to instability in the rotating glass preform and dimensional nonuniformity of the glass tube during heating and forming. Therefore, the dimensional nonuniformity of glass articles manufactured from glass tubes can be reduced by adjusting the operating parameters so that the exposure index of the glass tube differs from the nearest integer by less than 0.30 or less than 0.25. A general trend in the variability of the flange thickness of the glass tube 102 was observed whether the exposure index was changed by altering the part rate or by changing the chuck speed (i.e., the rotational speed of the glass tube 102 in the loader 130).

[0175] Although various embodiments of the conversion machine 100, system and method for producing multiple articles from glass tube 102 have been described herein, it should be understood that each of these embodiments and techniques can be used separately or in combination with one or more embodiments and techniques.

[0176] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. Therefore, this specification is intended to cover modifications and variations of the various embodiments described herein, provided that such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for producing a plurality of glass articles from a glass tube, the method comprising: The glass tube is fixed in the housing of a converter containing multiple processing workstations, the processing workstations including at least one heating workstation and at least one forming workstation; This causes the glass tube in the container to rotate around the central axis of the glass tube; This causes the glass tube to pass through each of the plurality of processing workstations, thereby forming one or more features at the working end of the glass tube, wherein, for any one of the plurality of processing workstations: The activity time of the processing workstation is the amount of time that the glass tube remains engaged with at least one heating element or at least one forming tool while in the processing workstation. The exposure index of the processing workstation is equal to the rotational speed of the glass tube in the loading device multiplied by the number of heating elements or forming tools in the processing workstation, and then multiplied by the activity time of the glass tube in the processing workstation; and The absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer is less than or equal to 0.30; and A system controller, communicatively connected to the converter, controls the converter. The system controller includes at least one processor and at least one storage medium containing computer-readable and executable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the system controller to automatically perform the following steps: To identify one or more temperature or dimensional non-uniformities of the glass tube around its circumference. Determine the exposure index of the glass tubes in one or more of the plurality of processing workstations; The exposure index of each of the one or more processing workstations is compared with the nearest integer; and Adjust the rotational speed of the glass tube, the time the glass tube spends in the processing workstation, or both, to maintain the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer less than or equal to 0.

30.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the exposure index within + / - 0.30 of the nearest integer, wherein, Maintaining the exposure index within + / - 0.30 of the nearest integer reduces instability during glass tube rotation and temperature variations around the glass tube in a circular manner.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The activity time of each of the plurality of glass tubes in each of the plurality of processing workstations is kept constant; And by adjusting the rotational speed of each of the plurality of glass tubes so that the absolute difference between the exposure index of each of the plurality of glass tubes and the nearest integer in each of the plurality of processing workstations is maintained at less than or equal to 0.30, thereby reducing the non-uniformity of temperature and scale in the glass tubes around the circumference of the glass tubes.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: By altering the activity time of each of the plurality of glass tubes in one or more of the plurality of processing workstations, such that the absolute difference between the exposure index of each of the plurality of glass tubes in each of the plurality of processing workstations and the nearest integer is maintained at less than or equal to 0.30, the non-uniformity of temperature and scale in the glass tubes around the circumference of the glass tubes is reduced.

5. A system for producing a plurality of glass articles from a glass tube, the system comprising: A converter having multiple processing workstations, the multiple processing workstations including at least one heating workstation, at least one forming workstation and a separating workstation; as well as A plurality of holders, each of which operably secures the glass tube and allows the glass tube to rotate about its central axis. The converter enables the multiple loading units and glass tubes to move through the multiple processing workstations in an operable manner. Each of the plurality of processing workstations has an exposure index defined as follows: the rotational speed of the glass tube in the loader, in units of revolutions per time, multiplied by the number of heating elements in the processing workstation or the number of forming tools in contact with the outer surface of the glass tube, and multiplied by the activity time of the glass tube in the processing workstation. Wherein, for each of the plurality of processing workstations, the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer is less than or equal to 0.30; and The system controller includes at least one processor and at least one storage medium containing computer-readable and executable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the system controller to automatically: To identify one or more temperature or dimensional non-uniformities of the glass tube around its circumference. Determine the exposure index of the glass tubes in one or more of the plurality of processing workstations; The exposure index of each of the one or more processing workstations is compared with the nearest integer; and Adjust the rotational speed of the glass tube, the time the glass tube spends in the processing workstation, or both, to maintain the absolute difference between the exposure index and the nearest integer less than or equal to 0.

30.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein, The at least one heating station of the converter includes at least one rotary burner operatively connected to a rotary burner brake, which operatively causes the rotary burner pivot to engage and disengage with the glass tube in the at least one heating station, thereby altering the activity time of the glass tube in the at least one heating station.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein, The at least one heating station of the converter includes a burner displacement system that allows at least one burner to be displaced horizontally or vertically to engage and disengage with the glass tube, thereby altering the activity time of the glass tube in the at least one heating station.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein, The at least one forming workstation of the converter includes at least one forming tool operatively connected to a forming tool brake, the forming tool brake being operatively displaced to engage and disengage with the glass tube, thereby altering the activity time of the glass tube in the at least one forming workstation.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein, The converter includes a measuring system that can operably determine at least the temperature of the glass tube around its circumference, at least the dimensions of the glass tube around its circumference, or a combination thereof.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein, When executed by the processor, the computer can read and execute instructions that cause the system to adjust the rotational speed of the glass tube, thereby adjusting the exposure index for one or more processing workstations.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein, When executed by the processor, computer-readable and executable instructions cause the system to automatically adjust the activity time in one or more processing workstations, thereby adjusting the exposure index.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein, When executed by the processor, computer-readable and executable instructions cause the system to automatically adjust the activity time of the at least one heating workstation by changing the timing of the movement of the heating element into and out of engagement with the glass tube.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein, The at least one heating workstation includes a rotary burner operatively connected to a rotary burner brake, wherein the rotary burner brake is communicatively connected to a system controller and operatively receives control signals from the system controller to cause the rotary burner pivot to engage and disengage with the glass tube, and, when executed by a processor, computer-readable and executable instructions cause the system to automatically change the time at which the rotary burner pivot is rotated to engage and disengage with the glass tube, thereby altering the activity time of the glass tube in the heating workstation.

14. The system of claim 5, wherein, The at least one forming workstation includes at least one forming tool operatively connected to a forming tool brake, wherein the forming tool brake is communicatively connected to a system controller and operatively receives one or more control signals from the system controller to displace the forming tool into and out of engagement with the glass tube.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein, When executed by the processor, computer-readable and executable instructions cause the system to automatically change the timing of the forming tool's movement into and out of engagement with the glass tube, thereby altering the glass tube's activity time within the forming workstation.

16. The system of claim 5, wherein, The conversion machine includes a measuring system disposed near the at least one heating workstation, near the at least one forming workstation, or both, wherein the measuring system is communicatively connected to a system controller and operablely measures at least one property of the glass tube around the circumference of the glass tube and transmits a system controller signal indicating the property to the system controller.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein, The at least one property of the glass tube includes at least one temperature, at least one dimension, or both around the circumference of the glass tube.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein, When executed by the processor, computer-readable and executable instructions cause the system to automatically receive signals from the measurement system indicating one or more properties of the glass tube, determine the change of that property of the glass tube around its circumference, and adjust the activity time in the processing workstation, the rotational speed of the glass tube about the central axis, or both, thereby changing the exposure index in response to the change of that property of the glass tube.

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