A system that uses a manufacturing cell to form a container

Abstract

A method and system for manufacturing a container are disclosed. The system includes one or more manufacturing cells composed of a loading station, a waiting / sequencing station, a heating station, an unloading station, and a forming station. The waiting / sequencing station utilizes a plurality of transfer shuttles configured to traverse a platform composed of a plurality of induction coil sections. Each of the transfer shuttles includes a preform mounting base for receiving a preform. A preform is selected and the transfer shuttles are arranged in a predetermined order. At least one heater of the heating station is disposed above one of the induction coil sections and is adapted to heat the preform. The heated preform is transported by the transfer shuttle from the heating station to the unloading station, and this station transfers the preform to a forming station for a fluid (e.g., gas or liquid) blow molding operation to form a container.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - Reference to Related Applications) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 367,380, filed Jun. 30, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] (Technical Field) The present disclosure relates to a method of forming and filling a container, and more particularly, to a method and system that enable sequencing of preforms for manufacturing a container.

Background Art

[0003] A preform is a product from which a container is made by blow molding. Unless otherwise indicated, the term "container" is a broad term used in its ordinary sense and includes, but is not limited to, both preforms and the bottle containers made therefrom. A number of plastics and other materials are used for containers, many of which are very suitable. Some products, such as carbonated beverages and foods, require containers that do not allow gases such as carbon dioxide and oxygen to pass through. As a result of environmental concerns and other considerations, various plastic containers, including polyolefin and polyester containers, are being used to package many products that were previously supplied in glass and other types of containers. Manufacturers, fillers, and consumers recognize that plastic containers are lightweight, inexpensive, recyclable, and mass - producible. Therefore, blow - molded plastic containers have become commonplace for packaging many products. Examples of plastic materials used in forming blow - molded containers include various polyolefins and polyesters such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), high - density polyethylene (HDPE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0004] Conventionally, blow molding and filling have been developed as two independent processes and have often been operated by different companies. To make container filling more cost-effective, some fillers have brought blow molding in-house and often directly incorporated blow molding machines into the filling line. Equipment manufacturers have recognized this advantage and sell "integrated" systems designed to ensure that the blow molding machine and the filling machine are sufficiently synchronized. Despite efforts to bring the two processes closer together, blow molding and filling remain two separate and distinct processes. As a result, as long as these two processes are run separately, significant costs can occur. Therefore, efforts have been made to develop a liquid or hydraulic blow molding system suitable for forming and filling containers in a single operation.

[0005] Furthermore, during the blow molding operation, the preforms that are to be blow molded later using pressurized liquid or pressurized air are passed through a linear oven or heater. The preforms travel forward along a linear path into the oven or heater and then out of the oven or heater, but in a continuous process, multiple preforms are sequentially ordered to travel forward along the same linear path. Since the preforms may be supplied from different batches or may have different ages or moisture contents, it is difficult to accurately control the heating of each preform when the first preform fed in is discharged first, and thus there is a temperature gradient between the first preform and subsequent preforms, and some preforms may be heated inappropriately or unevenly, resulting in undesirable variations in the formation of the containers from preform to preform. In some cases, the temperature gradient is significant and the preforms become unsuitable for blow molding, which can lead to the rejection of the containers and possibly rupture. If such inappropriate heating and rupture of the preforms occur during blow molding, the entire oven system may be delayed or stopped, and all the preforms in the system need to be removed and discarded. In some cases, more than 50 preforms may be wasted and discarded.

[0006] Known preform heaters typically utilize from about 200,000 to 400,000 watts of power per hour to heat the preforms during continuous blow molding operations to support the forming of 8,000 to 16,000 containers per hour (i.e., about 25 watts per preform), which is part of a system that occupies a large footprint. For example, such a system may be approximately 40 feet long, 28 feet wide, and 19 feet high. Using such levels of power and area increases carbon dioxide emissions and also increases the costs for manufacturing and filling the containers. Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a method and system for manufacturing containers that improves efficiency, minimizes environmental impact, and reduces waste with less power consumption and less occupied space.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] In accordance with and consistent with the present disclosure, a method and system for manufacturing containers have been newly designed that improve efficiency, minimize environmental impact, and reduce waste with less power consumption and less occupied space.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to guarantee that the preforms are heated in the order required for forming, thereby reducing the time, resources, and labor conventionally required for in-line linear heating. By the method and system of the present disclosure, the requirements for handling and human decision-making during preform heating are eliminated. Also, this eliminates unnecessary movement of materials and containers around the facility and reduces the required warehouse storage space.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] In one embodiment, the heater for the preform comprises at least one first heating element positioned in a substantially vertical orientation and a plurality of second heating elements arranged adjacent to the at least one first heating element, the plurality of second heating elements being positioned in a substantially horizontal orientation.

[0010] In one embodiment, the preform heater comprises at least one heating element configured to be selectively controlled and selectively positioned based on the preform to be heated.

[0011] In another embodiment, the preform heater comprises at least one heating element configured to be selectively controlled and selectively positioned based on the container formed from the preform to be heated.

[0012] In another embodiment, the container manufacturing cell comprises a plurality of stations configured to manufacture a container from a preform, one of the stations being a heating station that includes a plurality of heaters, each of the heaters being configured to be at least one of selectively controlled and selectively positioned based on the preform heated therein.

[0013] In another embodiment, the container manufacturing cell comprises a plurality of stations configured to manufacture a container from a preform, one of the stations being a waiting / sequencing station configured to arrange a plurality of preforms in a predetermined order for heating.

[0014] In another embodiment, a system for manufacturing a container comprises a source of preforms used to manufacture the container and at least one manufacturing cell in communication with the source and configured to manufacture the container from the preforms. The at least one manufacturing cell includes a discharge station for providing a plurality of preforms, a waiting / sequencing station configured to arrange the preforms in a predetermined order for heating, the waiting / sequencing station including a platform and a plurality of transfer shuttles configured to traverse across the platform, a heating station including a plurality of heaters, each heater being configured to be at least one of selectively controlled and selectively positioned based on a desired preform to be heated internally, a discharge station for moving the heated preform from the waiting / sequencing station, and a forming station for receiving the heated preform from the discharge station and configured to form a container from one of the heated preforms. The system further comprises a destination location for receiving the formed container.

[0015] In another embodiment, a method for manufacturing a container includes the step of providing a manufacturing cell including a plurality of stations configured to manufacture the container from the preforms, wherein one of the stations is a heating station including a plurality of heaters, and at least one step of selectively controlling and selectively positioning at least one of the heaters based on a preform to be heated internally.

[0016] In another embodiment, a method for manufacturing a container includes the step of providing a manufacturing cell including a plurality of stations configured to manufacture the container from the preforms, wherein one of the stations is a waiting / sequencing station configured to move a plurality of preforms between the stations, and the step of arranging the preforms in a predetermined order for heating.

[0017] In another embodiment, a method system for manufacturing a container includes preparing a source of preforms to be used in manufacturing the container; preparing at least one manufacturing cell in communication with the source and configured to manufacture a container from the preforms, the at least one manufacturing cell including a loading station for providing a plurality of preforms, and a waiting / sequencing station configured to move the preforms within the at least one manufacturing cell, the waiting / sequencing station including a platform and a plurality of transfer shuttles configured to traverse the platform, a heating station including a plurality of heaters configured to heat the preforms, an unloading station configured to move the heated preforms from the waiting / sequencing station, and a forming station configured to receive the heated preforms from the unloading station and form a container from one of the heated preforms; providing a destination location for receiving the formed container; supplying a plurality of preforms to the at least one manufacturing cell; loading a desired preform into the waiting / sequencing station in a predetermined order; arranging the preforms in a predetermined order for heating; moving, using one of the transfer shuttles, a desired preform in a predetermined order to one of the heaters at the heating station; selectively controlling and / or selectively positioning the heater based on the desired preform to be heated internally; heating the desired preform to a desired temperature; moving the heated desired preform in a predetermined order to the forming station; forming the heated preform into a container; and moving the formed container to the destination location.

[0018] In some embodiments, at least one first heating element is configured to be selectively controlled during heating of the preform.

[0019] In one aspect of some embodiments, at least one first heating element is configured to be selectively controlled based on the preform to be heated.

[0020] In one aspect of some embodiments, each of the second heating elements is configured to be selectively controlled during heating of the preform.

[0021] In one aspect of some embodiments, each of the second heating elements is configured to be selectively controlled based on the preform to be heated.

[0022] In one aspect of some embodiments, at least one first heating element is configured to be selectively positioned relative to at least one of the second heating element and the preform.

[0023] In one aspect of some embodiments, each of the second heating elements is configured to be selectively positioned relative to at least one of each other, at least one first heating element, and the preform.

[0024] In one aspect of some embodiments, at least one first heating element is configured to be selectively positioned based on the preform to be heated.

[0025] In one aspect of some embodiments, each of the second heating elements is configured to be selectively positioned based on the preform to be heated.

[0026] In one aspect of some embodiments, certain ones of the second heating elements are grouped together to form a plurality of heating zones of the heater.

[0027] In one aspect of some embodiments, each of the heating zones is configured to be selectively controlled during heating of the preform.

[0028] As an aspect of some embodiments, each of the heating zones is configured to be selectively controlled based on the preform to be heated.

[0029] As an aspect of some embodiments, each of the heating zones is configured to be selectively positioned relative to each other, at least one first heating element, and at least one of the preforms.

[0030] As an aspect of some embodiments, each of the heating zones is configured to be selectively positioned based on the preform to be heated.

[0031] As an aspect of some embodiments, at least one first heating element provides primary heating of the preform and a second heating element provides secondary heating of the preform.

[0032] As an aspect of some embodiments, the heater is configured to maintain a desired temperature of the preform during the holding mode.

[0033] As an aspect of some embodiments, at least one of the second heating elements is disposed on one side of at least one of the first heating elements and at least one of the second heating elements is disposed on the opposite side of at least one of the first heating elements.

[0034] As an aspect of some embodiments, at least one first heating element and the second heating element are connected to form a modular heater.

[0035] As an aspect of some embodiments, a plurality of modular heaters each including the first and second heating elements consume less than 28,000 watts of power per hour to support a container forming cycle time of 2 seconds corresponding to 1,800 containers per hour, or about 15.6 watts per preform.

[0036] As an aspect of some embodiments, the waiting / sequencing station includes a platform and a plurality of transport shuttles configured to traverse the platform.

[0037] As an aspect of some embodiments, the platform includes a plurality of induction coil sections.

[0038] As an aspect of some embodiments, at least one of the transport shuttles is configured to rotate at a speed in the range of about 0 rpm to about 35 rpm.

[0039] As an aspect of some embodiments, at least one of the transport shuttles is configured to be selectively positioned along and relative to the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis.

[0040] As an aspect of some embodiments, at least one of the transport shuttles includes at least one magnet.

[0041] As an aspect of some embodiments, at least one of the transport shuttles is lifted above the platform by magnetic levitation.

[0042] As an aspect of some embodiments, at least one of the transport shuttles includes a preform mounting base that includes elements that complement the internal geometry of the preform.

[0043] As an aspect of some embodiments, the elements of the preform mounting base include a heating device configured to provide internal heating to the preform.

[0044] As an aspect of some embodiments, at least a portion of the preform mounting base is formed from a conductive material.

[0045] As an aspect of some embodiments, at least one preform mounting base of the transport shuttles is interchangeable.

[0046] In one aspect of an embodiment, at least one of the cross-sectional shape, outer diameter, and outer shape of at least one preform mounting base of the transfer shuttle is substantially constant along its central axis.

[0047] In one aspect of an embodiment, at least one of the cross-sectional shape, outer diameter, and outer shape of at least one preform mounting base of the transfer shuttle varies along its central axis.

[0048] The above and other advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, when considered in light of the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0049]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0050] The following detailed description and the accompanying drawings illustrate and exemplify various exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The description and drawings serve to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way. With respect to the disclosed method, the steps presented are exemplary in nature, and thus, the order of the steps is neither essential nor important.

[0051] With respect to the disclosed method, the order of the steps presented is exemplary in nature, and thus, the order of the steps may vary in different embodiments. As used herein, "a" and "an" indicate that there is "at least one" of the item, and where possible, there may be a plurality of such items. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all quantities in this description should be understood to be modified by the term "about," and all geometric and spatial descriptors should be understood to be modified by the term "substantially" when describing the broadest scope of this technology. "About," when applied to a numerical value, indicates that the calculation or measurement anticipates some inaccuracy in that value (approaching the value somewhat, approximately or moderately close to the value, nearly). For any reason, if the inaccuracy given by "about" and / or "substantially" is not understood in this ordinary sense in the art, "about" and / or "substantially" as used herein indicate at least the variations that may result from the normal methods of measuring or using such parameters.

[0052] All documents, including patents, patent applications, and scientific literature, cited in this detailed description are incorporated herein by reference unless explicitly stated otherwise. In the event of any conflict or ambiguity between the documents incorporated by reference and this detailed description, this detailed description shall prevail.

[0053] In this specification, the open-ended term "comprising" is used as a synonym for non-limiting terms such as "including", "containing", or "having" to describe and claim embodiments of the present technology. However, it is also possible to describe embodiments using more limiting terms such as "consisting of only" or "consisting essentially of only". Thus, for any given embodiment that lists materials, components, or process steps, the present technology specifically includes embodiments that consist of or consist essentially of only such materials, components, or process steps, while excluding additional materials, components, or processes (in the case of consisting of only) or while excluding additional materials, components, or processes that affect the important characteristics of the embodiment (in the case of consisting essentially of only), although such additional materials, components, or processes are not explicitly listed in this application. For example, a description of a composition or process that lists elements A, B, and C contemplates embodiments that consist of and consist essentially of only A, B, and C, excluding element D that may be listed in the art, even if it is not explicitly stated in this specification that it is excluded.

[0054] As used herein, all composition ratios are by weight of the entire composition, unless otherwise indicated. The disclosure of a range includes the endpoints and all individual values within the range and further divided ranges, unless otherwise indicated. Thus, for example, a range of "from A to B" or "from about A to about B" includes A and B. The disclosure of values and ranges of values for particular parameters (such as amounts, weight percentages, etc.) does not exclude other values and ranges of values useful herein. It is assumed that two or more specific values exemplified for a given parameter can define the endpoints of a range of values that can be claimed for that parameter. For example, if parameter X is exemplified herein as having a value of A and also as having a value of Z, it is assumed that parameter X can have a range of values from about A to about Z. Similarly, the disclosure of two or more ranges of values for a parameter (regardless of whether such ranges are nested, overlapping, or distinct) encompasses all possible combinations of ranges of values that can be claimed using the endpoints of the disclosed ranges. For example, if parameter X is exemplified herein as having values in the range of 1 to 10, or 2 to 9, or 3 to 8, it is assumed that parameter X can have other ranges of values, including, for example, 1 to 9, 1 to 8, 1 to 3, 1 to 2, 2 to 10, 2 to 8, 2 to 3, 3 to 10, 3 to 9, etc.

[0055] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "engaged with," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, the element or layer can be directly on, engaged with, connected to, or coupled to the other element or layer, or there may be intervening elements or layers. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged with," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there will be no intervening elements or layers. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" and "directly between," "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to," etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0056] In this specification, terms such as first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections, but these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another region, layer, and / or section. The terms "first," "second," etc. used in this specification, and other numerical terms, do not mean order or sequence unless clearly indicated in the context. Thus, the first element, component, region, layer, or section discussed below could be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0057] In this specification, for ease of explanation, spatial relative terms such as "internal", "external", "beneath", "below", "lower", "above", "upper", etc. may be used to describe the relationship between one element or feature and another element(s) or feature(s) as shown in the figures. The spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation shown in the figures. For example, if the device in the figure is turned over, an element described as "below" or "beneath" another element or feature will be oriented "above" the other element or feature. Thus, the term example "below" can encompass both upward and downward orientations. The device can be oriented in another direction (rotated 90 degrees or other orientation), and the spatial relative descriptors used in this specification can be interpreted accordingly.

[0058] According to the attached drawings, as shown in the attached drawings, a just-in-time (JIT) modular system and method for manufacturing a container are provided. This system and method can operate to blow-mold a container using a pressurized fluid containing a gas or a liquid, and to form a raw material or work-in-progress (WIP) material (e.g., the preform 2 shown in FIG. 1) into the container, and it should be understood that it is not limited by the specific fluid used. This system, method, and the preform 2 flowing within the system can be automatically monitored and / or controlled, for example, by an adaptive manufacturing software application (AMSA). This can include software executed on one or more computing devices, which may be on-site, remote, and / or virtual or cloud-based. Each computing device can include one or more controllers (e.g., proportional-integral-derivative control (PID), programmable logic controller (PLC), etc.), and / or can have one or more processors, a memory, and a storage device for storing data and for storing / executing programs and software specific to the operation of the system. A human-machine interface (HMI) such as a tablet or other control console (e.g., equipped with a touch screen display for providing information to and receiving input from a user / operator) may communicate with the computing device or may be integrated into the system. Control by the computing device and communication with the computing device can be performed directly or indirectly via analog or digital hardwiring (e.g., Ethernet) or wireless (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth), or a combination thereof.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows a manufacturing cell 10 of a modular system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Depending on the system, there may be one or more cells 10. The plurality of cells 10 can be arranged in a linear configuration and / or a stacked configuration to minimize the footprint of the system. Also, each cell 10 can be made relatively lightweight, making it suitable for systems and facilities with weight restrictions. In such a configuration, there may be a plurality of machines or stations within each cell 10 that perform separate related operations. In one embodiment, the manufacturing steps are performed by the related stations 20, 40, 60, 80, 100. Depending on the cell 10, these can include a loading step at station 20 (“loading station”), a waiting and sequencing step at station 40 (“waiting / sequencing station”), a heating step at station 60 (“heating station”), an unloading step at station 80 (“unloading station”), and / or a forming step at station 100 (“forming station”), and the degree of automation can vary. In some embodiments, the multi-station cell 10 can utilize one or more controllers, which can be integrated with all or a plurality of the stations 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 within the cell 10 and communicate with each other and / or the computing devices described above. In the example shown, the steps are sequential (e.g., the flow proceeds from the loading station 20 to the waiting / sequencing station 40, the heating station 60, the unloading station 80, and the forming station 100). Each of the stations 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 will be described in detail below. It is also possible to design more complex cells 10 or less complex cells 10.

[0060] A non-limiting example is cell 10 operating in just-in-sequence (JIS) mode. In this situation, containers are manufactured according to a predetermined and optimized production schedule. The production schedule has various containers corresponding to specific customer orders and / or manufacturing requirements. All of these containers can be manufactured in sequence in cell 10 and do not need to be produced by conventional batch manufacturing.

[0061] In the illustrated embodiment, loading station 20 is configured to load preform 2 onto transfer shuttle 42 utilized by waiting / sequencing station 40. Optionally, loading station 20 includes one or more positioning mechanisms 22 (e.g., grippers) and at least one actuator 24 (e.g., a rotary servo motor) for moving positioning mechanism 22. Each of positioning mechanisms 22 can be configured to selectively obtain a predetermined one of preforms 2 from a supply source (not shown) and place that preform 2 onto a corresponding one of transfer shuttle 42. The positioning mechanism 22 shown in FIG. 2 is configured to obtain preform 2 with its threads in an upper position and then rotate it 180 degrees while moving preform 2 to transfer shuttle 42, so that the threads are in a lower position when preform 2 is placed on transfer shuttle 42. It should be understood that loading station 20 of cell 10 can employ any suitable means and method for receiving preform 2 from a supply source and, if necessary, transporting preform 2 and placing it on transfer shuttle 42.

[0062] Once loaded, the preform 2 rides on a transfer shuttle 42 and moves to a waiting / sequencing station 40, where it is positioned and arranged in a predetermined order according to a production schedule for the JIT manufacturing of containers. In some embodiments, each of the transfer shuttles 42 can be assigned a unique identifier and / or a readable label for tracking, control, and / or data collection by a computing device. Accordingly, the computing device of the system can automatically monitor and / or control the movement of the transfer shuttle 42, thereby monitoring and controlling the movement of a particular preform 2 to and from various stations 20, 40, 60, 80 in the cell 10 during JIS / JIT operations. Thus, container manufacturing can be started without a time-consuming homing procedure or manual input by a user / operator. Also, the computing device can be configured to reposition and rearrange the preforms 2 using the transfer shuttle 42 in the event of a delay, defective part, maintenance, and / or repair within the cell 10 or elsewhere in the system. For example, if a defective part occurs at the molding station 100, the heated preform 2 from the heating station 60 can be held within the waiting / sequencing station 40.

[0063] As best seen in FIG. 3, the waiting / sequencing station 40 can utilize a platform 44 that includes one or more sections 46 and a transfer shuttle 42. In a non-limiting example, the platform 44 has nine generally square sections 46, each having a length of approximately 240 millimeters and a width of approximately 240 millimeters. However, it should be understood that the platform 44 can employ any number of sections 26, and each of the sections 46 can have any suitable size, shape, and configuration as needed.

[0064] Each section 46 can include an electromagnetic induction coil 47. Each of the transfer shuttles 42 traverses the platform 44 of the standby / sequencing station 40 and transfers the preform 2 between various stations 20, 60, 80 adjacent to the platform 44. As shown more clearly in FIG. 4, each of the transfer shuttles 42 can include a preform mounting base 48. The preform mounting base 48 can be configured to be at least partially received within a hollow cavity formed in the preform 2 to support and hold the preform 2 thereon. In the illustrated embodiment, the preform mounting base 48 has a generally circular cross-sectional shape. However, it should be understood that the preform mounting base 48 can have any suitable geometric shape that complements a cross-sectional shape such as, for example, elliptical, square, rectangular, triangular, or an irregular cross-sectional shape. Also, it should be understood that the cross-sectional shape of the preform mounting base 48 can remain constant or vary along its central axis. For example, the lower portion of the preform mounting base 48 can have a generally circular cross-sectional shape, and the upper portion of the preform mounting base 8 can have a generally elliptical cross-sectional shape. Further, it should be understood that the outer diameter / outer profile of the preform mounting base 48 can be substantially constant or vary along its central axis. Optionally, the cross-sectional shape and / or the outer diameter / outer profile of the preform mounting base 48 can be determined by the size, shape, and configuration of the preform 2 to be heated and / or the container formed from the preform 2. For example, a preform for manufacturing a container having a triangular body can be most favorably transferred by a transfer shuttle 42 having a preform mounting base 48 with a triangular cross-section. In a particular embodiment, the preform mounting base 48 for each transfer shuttle 42 can be made interchangeable. Thus, a preform mounting base 48 with specific properties and characteristics (e.g., cross-sectional shape, constant or varying outer diameter / outer profile) can be easily exchanged with another preform mounting base 48 having different properties and characteristics required for heating the preform 2 in a predetermined sequence.

[0065] In certain embodiments, the transfer shuttle 42 can be a magnetic levitation (maglev) shuttle 42 configured to cooperate with the electromagnetic induction coil section 46. By magnetic levitation, the transfer shuttle 42 is lifted above the platform 44 without assistance other than the magnetic force used to counteract gravity. With respect to the magnetic levitation transfer shuttle 42, since each includes one or more integrated magnets 49, the transfer shuttle 42 is configured to “float” above the surface of the electromagnetic induction coil section 46. The magnets 49 shown in FIG. 4 are for illustrative purposes only and can be placed elsewhere within the transfer shuttle 42 as needed. The section 46 and the transfer shuttle 42 cooperate to move the preform 2 at a speed in the range of about 0 to about 2 meters per second (m / s) with a positioning reproducibility of about + / - 5 micrometers (μm). Each of the transfer shuttles 42 can move freely within the platform 44 in a two-dimensional space, rotate and tilt along three axes (e.g., the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis), and further be configured to accurately control the exact levitation height of the preform mounting base 48 above each induction coil section 46.

[0066] It should be understood that various other types of transfer shuttles can be employed as the transfer shuttle 42 within the cell 10 of the system.

[0067] In response to the JIT / JIS operation of the cell and / or system, the computing device controls the relevant transfer shuttle 42 to move the desired preform 2 from the waiting / sequencing station 40 into the heating station 60. The heating station 60 can include one or more heaters 62 arranged in a configuration that allows them to operate individually and be controlled independently of each other. In some embodiments, the heaters 62 can be placed adjacent to each other as needed or aligned in a predefined configuration. Unlike conventional linear heating systems, the preform 2 can be accommodated within one of the relevant heaters 62.

[0068] Accordingly, the heating station 60 can receive and selectively heat different preforms 2 substantially simultaneously. It should be understood that the different preforms 2 can have various pre-specified or measured characteristics such as different sizes, shapes (e.g., symmetric, asymmetric, etc.), configurations, colors, basis weights, wall thicknesses, initial temperatures, final temperatures, preferred heating positions on the preform, marked part numbers, threads for different sealing types, etc., and can be made from various materials (e.g., PET or HDPE), resins, and combinations thereof.

[0069] Also, the heater 62 can have a modular design that allows for easy repair and / or removal and replacement without affecting other heaters 62 within the heating station 60, thereby minimizing downtime and maintaining the productivity and efficiency of the system. Optionally, the modular heater 62 may be offline for a relatively short time for repair and / or replacement, so the cycle times of other heaters 62 can be adjusted (i.e., increased or decreased) and / or the processing capacity of the molding station 100 can be decreased to continue container production and prevent the entire system from stopping. The system, more specifically the computing device, can be configured to monitor the heaters 62 of the heating station 60 to predict whether the heaters 62 need repair and maintenance or simply need to be removed and replaced.

[0070] Each of the heaters 62 is installed adjacent to one of the sections 46 of the platform 44 and can include any number of heating elements 64 (e.g., radiators, lamps, bulbs, etc.). In particular, the heating elements 64 within the modular heater 62 can be easily repaired and / or replaced, resulting in a relatively short downtime for the heaters 62 that require maintenance. The heaters 62 can be configured to rise from a minimum temperature (e.g., about 0 degrees) to a maximum temperature in a few milliseconds. Optionally, the heaters 62 are not completely turned off but are maintained at a minimum level (e.g., about 5%) and require only a few milliseconds to reach the maximum level (e.g., about 100%).

[0071] The individual heating elements 64 and / or grouped heating elements 64 (the "heating zones") of the heater 62 can be selectively and independently controlled to adapt to different preforms 2 (i.e., various sizes, shapes, colors, configurations, materials and resins, basis weights, wall thicknesses, initial temperatures, final temperatures, preferred heating positions on the preform, imprinted part numbers, threads, or combinations thereof), and / or can be selectively and independently positioned relative to the preform 2, adapt to a reduction in the life of the heating elements 64, and adapt to changes in the preform 2 during heating. To selectively and independently control, the operation and intensity level of each of the individual heating elements 64 and / or heating zones can be adjusted, for example, higher, increasing the operation and intensity level to generate more heat, or lower, stopping the operation or decreasing the intensity level to stop the heat or generate less heat. Similarly, to selectively and independently position, each of the individual heating elements 64 and / or heating zones can move within three-dimensional space, rotate and tilt along three axes (e.g., the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis), and accurately control the exact spacing between the heating elements 64 and / or heating zones and the preform 2 being heated. For example, move the heating elements 64 and / or heating zones closer to the preform 2 to minimize the spacing therebetween and increase the heat transfer from the heating elements 64 and / or heating zones to the preform 2, or move them farther apart to maximize the spacing and decrease the heat transfer from the heating elements 64 and / or heating zones to the preform 2. The control of the operation and intensity level and the positioning of the heating elements 64 and / or heating zones of the heater 62 can be automated by a computing device, manually, or a combination thereof. In a non-limiting example, the heating elements 64 and / or heating zones can be selectively and independently controlled to provide relatively high heat to the upper part of the preform 2 and relatively low heat to the lower part of the preform 2. In another non-limiting example, the heating elements 64 and / or heating zones with a short life during heating can be positioned close to the preform 2, while the new heating elements 64 and / or heating zones can be positioned away from the preform 2.In yet another non-limiting example, the heating element 64 and / or heating zone on one side of the preform 2 can be positioned closer than the heating element 64 and / or heating zone on the opposite side of the preform 2, and is adapted to various preforms 2 such as the asymmetric preform 2.

[0072] In some embodiments, each of the heaters 62 includes a shroud 66 having a plurality of radiators therein and a plurality of heating lamps located on both sides of the heater 62 between which the preform 2 can be disposed. The shroud 66 and the heating element 64 can be combined to form a modular heater 62. Each of the heating elements 64 can be disposed within the heater 62 in a vertical orientation, a horizontal orientation, or any orientation therebetween. In one preferred embodiment, the heater 62 includes a substantially vertical heating element 64a (e.g., a single vertical bulb shown in FIG. 2) disposed between opposing banks of substantially horizontal heating elements 64b shown in FIG. 5. One or more vertical heating elements 64 can provide primary heating of the preform 2, and the horizontal heating elements 64 can provide secondary heating. As a non-limiting example, the vertical heating element 64 provides 80% of the heating of the preform 2 by an initial heating for 0 to 1.5 seconds before the horizontal heating elements 64 of the opposing banks are activated. However, in another embodiment, the preferential heating is achieved by the horizontal heating element 64.

[0073] In the example shown in FIG. 5, the heater 62 includes a stainless steel shroud 66 having twelve 450 watt (W) radiators therein and six horizontal heating lamps on both sides of the heater 62. The presence or absence of the shroud 66, the number of heating elements 64, the arrangement of the heating elements 64, the heat release from the heating elements 64, and / or the power consumption of the heating elements 64 can be greater or less depending on the processing capacity of the system, the container to be manufactured, the container forming cycle time, the preform 2 to be heated, and / or the desired heating rate of the preform 2.

[0074] In certain embodiments, heater 62 can be configured to output approximately 2,000 watts of power while consuming less than 28,000 watts of power per hour, supporting a container forming cycle time of 2 seconds, equivalent to 1,800 containers per hour, or approximately 15.6 watts per preform, which represents a significant reduction in power compared to conventional blow molding ovens and heating systems that consume approximately 450,000 watts of power. Heater 62 can be configured to consume only the power necessary to selectively heat a particular preform 2, while conventional blow molding ovens and heating systems require specific preheating treatments, are not adjustable, and always operate at maximum intensity.

[0075] In some embodiments, heater 62 can also be supplemented by using a laser (not shown) that communicates with access opening 68 of heater 62 and some preform 2 disposed therein. The laser can be used to directly heat the preform 2 at specific locations.

[0076] In other embodiments, the heater 62 may be supplemented by a heating device 50 disposed on or integrally formed with the preform mounting base 48 of the transfer shuttle 42 to heat the preform 2 from the inside. The preform mounting base 48 may include elements that complement the internal geometry of the preform 2, in which case the elements include a heating device 50 configured to provide internal heating to the preform. The preform mounting base 48 can be selectively preheated by a heating device before receiving the preform 2 thereon and transfer that heat to the preform 2. In another embodiment, the preform mounting base 48 can be preheated by the heater 62 of the heating station 60 before receiving the preform 2 thereon and selectively reheated by induction from the heater 62 during heating of the preform 2. The preform mounting base 48 can be configured to hold the heat from the heating station 60 and transfer that heat to the preform 2. For both embodiments, the preform mounting base 48 can be formed from some conductive material or combination thereof, such as a copper material or copper alloy material. As described above, the preform mounting base 48 can also have any suitable cross-sectional shape and / or outer diameter / outer shape. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape and / or outer diameter / outer shape of the preform mounting base 48 may depend on the various preforms 2 to be heated in order to optimize internal heating and / or provide preferential heating to specific regions of the preform 2 by bringing the preform mounting base 48 or a particular portion thereof closer to the inner surface of the preform 2. As a non-limiting example, the lower portion of the preform mounting base 48 can have a generally triangular cross-section with one outer diameter, while the upper portion can have a generally circular cross-section with another outer diameter, in order to provide preferential internal heating to a preform for a container having a triangular region adjacent to its neck.

[0077] The use of an internal heating device and / or a conductive preform mounting base 48, a laser, and / or a controlled power supply within the heater 62 and individual heating elements 64 is an improvement over conventional heating systems and is preferred for selectively heating various preforms 2.

[0078] In the illustrated embodiment, the transfer shuttle 42, on which the desired preform 2 is disposed, is adapted to move from one of the sections 46 of the platform 44 to another of the sections 46 located beneath a desired one of the heaters 62 of the heating station 60. In this position, the preform 2 can be disposed within or adjacent to one of the heating heaters 62.

[0079] When the preform 2 is moved to the heating station 60, the preform 2 rotates at a desired speed about its central axis. Preferably, the preform 2 can be rotated at a rotational speed in the range of about 0 to about 1000 revolutions per minute (rpm). The rotational speed of the preform can be adjusted to ensure proper and desired heating of the preform 2 within the system. The rotational speed is inversely proportional to the temperature of the preform 2 (e.g., the lower the rotational speed, the higher the temperature of the preform 2, and the higher the rotational speed, the lower the temperature of the preform 2). Thus, selective rotational speeds can be utilized to selectively heat the sides or surfaces of the preform 2 differently. The preform 2 can be rotated about its central axis while being heated by the heater 62 until its temperature exceeds the glass transition temperature T g but before reaching the crystallization temperature T c

[0080] The inspection device 70 can be used in a system for automatically detecting the preform 2. The inspection device 70 can be configured to detect not only the preform introduced into the heating station 60, but also the preform 2 inadvertently or wrongly introduced into the heater 62. The inspection device 70 can detect the preform 2 by means of a unique identifier and / or a readable label on the relevant transfer shuttle 42, or by detecting at least one physical, chemical, and / or geometric characteristic of the preform 2. The inspection device arranged within the system can be at a predetermined angle or position capable of detecting the temperature of the preform 2 within the waiting / sequencing station 40 and / or during heating at the heating station 60. Various inspection devices 70 can be employed. In the illustrated embodiment, the inspection device 70 can be a thermal imaging camera (shown in FIG. 6) that communicates with a controller. The inspection device 70 can be connected to the controller of the computing device either wired or wirelessly, to ensure that the preform 2 is heated to the desired temperature between T g and T c . The inspection device 70 can be configured to monitor the temperature of each preform 2 and cooperate with the computing device to facilitate adjustment of the heating element 64 of the heater 62 and / or the rotational speed of the transfer shuttle 42, and maximize the heating throughput. The inspection device 70 can be used in a computing system and is adapted to predict whether the heater 62 requires repair and maintenance or simply needs to be removed and replaced by monitoring the heating and required time and / or temperature of each preform 2.

[0081] When the preform 2 reaches the desired temperature, the computing device removes the preform 2 from the associated heater 62 of the heating station 60 in a predetermined order and advances the transfer shuttle 42 from the section 46 under the heater 62 of the heating station 60 across the other section 46 of the platform 44 to the unloading station 80. For this reason, the predetermined order does not necessarily have to be first-in, first-out at the heating station 60. Depending on the situation and for various reasons, the preform 2 heated to the desired temperature may not be allowed to be removed from the heater 62, and the transfer from the heating station 60 to the unloading station 80 may be blocked. If such an event occurs, the heater 62 can be configured to operate in a "holding" mode to maintain the desired temperature of the preform 2 until the preform 2 can be removed from the heater 62 and transferred to the unloading station 80. The holding mode of the heater 62 can be achieved by delaying the application of heat to the preform, by independently selectively controlling and / or positioning the heating element 64 of the heater 62, by selectively heating the preform 2 using the heating device 50 of the preform mounting base 48, and / or by adjusting the rotational speed of the transfer shuttle 42 on which the preform 2 is placed. It should be understood that other means and methods can be employed in the cell 10 to maintain the desired temperature of the heated preform 2 before transferring it to the unloading station 80 and subsequently to the forming station 100 for forming into a container.

[0082] As shown in the figure, the unloading station 80 is configured to unload the preform 2 from the transfer shuttle 42 used at the waiting / sequencing station 40. Optionally, the unloading station 80 comprises one or more positioning mechanisms 82 (e.g., grippers) and at least one actuator 84 (e.g., a three-axis servo motor) for moving the positioning mechanism 82. Each of the positioning mechanisms 82 can be configured to obtain a predetermined one of the preforms 2 from the associated transfer shuttle 42 and place that preform 2 into the associated mold 102 at the forming station 100. The positioning mechanism 82 shown in FIG. 2 is configured to obtain the preform 2 with the thread of the preform 2 in the lower position from the transfer shuttle 42 and then rotate it 180 degrees while moving the preform 2 to the forming station 100, so that the thread is in the upper position when the preform 2 is placed in the mold 100. It should be understood that the unloading station 80 of the cell 10 can employ any suitable means and method to receive the preform 2 from the transfer shuttle 42 and, if necessary, transport the preform 2 and place it in the mold 102. Inside the mold 102 of the forming station 100, a pressurized fluid (e.g., air or liquid) can be introduced into the heated preform 2, and the heated preform 2 expands to take the shape of the mold 102 and is made into a container.

[0083] For example, from German Published Patent No. 2657670 (A1), a blow molding and filling head for a device for molding and filling a hollow body formed from a thermoplastic material is known, and the molded container is immediately filled with a filling product by the blow molding and filling head.

[0084] From European Published Patent No. 1529620 (A1), a filling head is known in which the expansion of each plastic container is carried out using a filling product. Thus, as soon as the production is completed, the container is completely filled with the filling product, and in this case, the production and filling are carried out simultaneously.

[0085] In known methods where the container is filled while still within the mold 100, the filling is performed under either atmospheric pressure or overpressure conditions.

[0086] It should be understood that the cell 10 of the system described herein can, if desired, include any desired number of transfer shuttles 42, induction coil sections 46, heaters 62, inspection devices 70, and / or molds 102. In systems that include multiple heating stations 60 and / or molding stations 100, the number of desired platforms 44 can vary, and the components of such systems are modular and can be expanded and replaced without removing them from production. A further advantage of the systems described and illustrated herein is that the footprint occupied by the cell 10 is significantly smaller than that of known systems and can be on the order of about 10 feet by 10 feet by 5 feet, depending on the number of heaters 62, molds 102, and other system components. Additionally, such small footprint cells 10 and systems can, if desired, be stacked on top of one another and can be adjacent or proximate to another cell 10 and / or system.

[0087] In a cell 10 that utilizes multiple heaters 62 within the heating station 60 and / or multiple molds 102 within the molding station 100, the computing device can monitor the heating of multiple preforms 2 simultaneously or substantially simultaneously and, when a preform 2 that has been heated to the desired temperature is suitable for such an operation, cause it to be removed from the heater 62 of the heating station 60 and transferred to the mold 102 of the molding station 100 for blow molding.

[0088] In this way, unlike the linear heating systems known in the art, each preform 2 is monitored and heated to an appropriate temperature for proper blow molding, minimizing improper blow molding or filling operations caused by improperly heated preforms 2. Each preform 2 within the system's cell 10 is monitored, properly heated, removed for blow molding, while at the same time allowing further preforms 2 to be prepared to enter the cell 10, which is because each transport shuttle 42 can move in any direction (forward, backward, left, right) across multiple sections 46 of the platform 44 to facilitate movement within the cell 10. This ensures that the preforms 2 are heated in a predetermined order required for molding, eliminating the time, resources, and labor conventionally required by linear heating systems. The method and system of the present disclosure eliminate the need for handling and human decision-making during preform heating. Also, this eliminates unnecessary movement of materials and containers around the facility, reducing the required warehouse storage space.

[0089] Minimizing improper heating, molding, and filling operations improves efficiency, minimizes waste from defective containers and preforms 2 that would otherwise need to be recycled or discarded, minimizes cell and system cleaning operations due to spillage situations, minimizes cell and system downtime due to the need for repair and maintenance, while reducing power consumption and occupying less space.

[0090] Also, the system can include various storage locations for incoming raw materials, WIP materials, and finished products. Such raw materials, WIP materials, and finished products are transported to the loading station 20 along the flow path and from the molding station 100 using various transport means (e.g., automatic, semi-automatic, manual, and combinations thereof).

[0091] From the above description, those skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential features of the present invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, various modifications and alterations can be made to the present invention to adapt it to various applications and conditions.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0092] 10 Manufacturing cell 20 Loading station 22 Positioning mechanism 24 Actuator 40 Waiting / sequencing station 42 Transfer shuttle 44 Platform 46 Section 47 Electromagnetic induction coil 60 Heating station 62 Heater 64a Substantially vertical heating element 64b Substantially parallel heating element 70 Inspection device 80 Unloading station 82 Positioning mechanism 100 Molding station 102 Mold

Claims

1. A manufacturing cell for the container, comprising a plurality of stations configured to manufacture the container from a preform, wherein one of the stations is a heating station including a plurality of heaters, and each of the heaters is configured to be at least one of selectively controlled and selectively positioned based on a preform to be heated internally. The manufacturing cell.

2. The manufacturing cell according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the heaters includes a plurality of heating zones of the heater.

3. The manufacturing cell according to claim 2, wherein each of the heating zones is configured to be selectively controlled during heating of the preform.

4. The manufacturing cell according to claim 2, wherein each of the heating zones is configured to be selectively controlled based on the preform to be heated.

5. The manufacturing cell according to claim 2, wherein each of the heating zones is configured to be selectively positioned relative to at least one of each other and the preform.

6. The manufacturing cell according to claim 2, wherein each of the heating zones is configured to be selectively positioned based on the preform to be heated.

7. A manufacturing cell for the container, comprising a plurality of stations configured to manufacture the container from a preform, wherein one of the stations is a standby / sequencing station configured to arrange a plurality of preforms in a predetermined order for heating. The manufacturing cell.

8. The manufacturing cell according to claim 7, wherein the standby / sequencing station includes a platform and a plurality of carrier shuttles configured to traverse on the platform.

9. The manufacturing cell according to claim 8, wherein the platform includes a plurality of induction coil sections.

10. The manufacturing cell according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the transport shuttles is configured to rotate at a speed in the range of about 0 rpm to about 1000 rpm.

11. The manufacturing cell according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the transport shuttles is configured to be selectively positioned along and relative to the x-axis, y-axis, and axis.

12. The manufacturing cell according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the transport shuttles includes at least one magnet.

13. The manufacturing cell according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the transport shuttles is lifted above the platform by magnetic levitation.

14. The manufacturing cell according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the transport shuttles comprises a preform mounting base including elements that complement the internal geometry of the preform.

15. The manufacturing cell according to claim 14, wherein the elements of the preform mounting base include a heating device configured to provide internal heating to the preform.

16. The manufacturing cell according to claim 14, wherein at least a part of the preform mounting base is formed of a conductive material.

17. The manufacturing cell according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the preform mounting bases of the transport shuttles is exchangeable.

18. The manufacturing cell according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the cross-sectional shape, outer diameter, and outer shape of at least one of the preform mounting bases of the transport shuttles is substantially constant along its central axis.

19. The manufacturing cell according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the cross-sectional shape, outer diameter, and outer shape of at least one of the preform mounting bases of the transport shuttles varies along its central axis.

20. A system for manufacturing a container, comprising: a source of preforms used for manufacturing the container; at least one manufacturing cell in communication with the source and configured to manufacture the container from the preforms, wherein the at least one manufacturing cell a take-out station for providing a plurality of the preforms; a waiting / sequencing station configured to arrange the preforms in a predetermined order for heating, the waiting / sequencing station including a platform and a plurality of transport shuttles configured to traverse across the platform; a heating station including a plurality of heaters, each of the heaters being configured to be selectively controlled and / or selectively positioned based on a desired preform to be heated internally; a take-out station for moving the heated preforms from the waiting / sequencing station; A molding station for receiving the heated preform from the deposition station, the molding station being configured to mold the container from one of the heated preforms, comprising, a system further comprising a target position for receiving the molded container.

Images