Adjustment station tooling

Abstract

Tooling for a conditioning station for adjusting the temperature of a preform. The tooling includes a mold having a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the preform. The mold is configured to receive the preform such that a gap exists between the mold and the preform. The mold includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The tooling is configured such that air is injected from the air inlet, through the gap between the mold and the preform, and out the air outlet. The tooling further includes a core configured to be received within the interior of the preform and to contact an inner surface of the preform.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This PCT patent application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 481,258, entitled "CONDITIONING STATION TOOLING," filed January 24, 2023. The entirety of the above-identified provisional patent application is incorporated by reference into this non-provisional patent application.

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to blow molding tooling systems and methods for use in manufacturing plastic articles such as bottles. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to tooling for conditioning stations used during blow molding to condition preforms before they are formed into the resulting articles. [Background technology]

[0003] Blow molding machines, such as injection stretch-blow machines, form hollow plastic preforms (e.g., plastic tubes) and then convert the preforms into finished articles (e.g., bottles) before they exit the machine. Typically, a turret-like rotating plate on the machine indexes a set of thread splits (which support the preforms) through multiple stations, including at least an injection station, a conditioning station, a stretch-blow station, and an extrusion station.

[0004] At the injection station, hot molten thermoplastic material is injected into a set of preform molds associated with the thread splits. After the injection cycle is complete, the preforms remain gripped by the thread splits on the rotating platen for indexing to the next station. At the conditioning station, the preform's temperature can be adjusted as needed to properly form the resulting article (e.g., with the appropriate shape, structural integrity, appearance, etc.). At the stretch-blow station, the preforms remain gripped by the thread splits but are then mechanically and pneumatically stretched through internal stretch rods and internally introduced air pressure, expanding to fill the hollow molds of the stretch-blow station. Once stretch-blown in the stretch-blow station, the preforms are transformed into articles. Finally, the rotating plate indexes the thread splits and the articles they support to the removal station, where the thread splits are separated to release the articles. Note that each station can include multiple molds so that multiple preforms / articles can be formed per cycle.

[0005] Many modern blow molding machines have been improved to achieve shorter cycle times for the article manufacturing process described above. Such improvements include the elimination of conditioning stations from the machines to enable the formation of final articles from injection-molded preforms at faster rates. However, to ensure sufficient quality of the resulting articles, it is important to maintain and / or regulate the temperature of the preforms after they are formed via injection molding in the injection station. Specifically, such temperature regulation may be necessary to properly regulate the temperature of the preforms so that they are blown into their final article shape within the blowing station. For example, blowing a preform while it is too hot (e.g., due to heat retention from the injection station) can result in improper article formation and visual defects (e.g., crystallization). Therefore, a need exists for conditioning station tooling that can properly maintain and / or regulate the temperature of the preforms so that they are properly blown into final articles. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One aspect of the present invention relates to tooling for a conditioning station for adjusting the temperature of a preform. The tooling includes a mold having a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the preform. The mold is configured to receive the preform such that a gap exists between the mold and the preform. The mold includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The tooling is configured such that air is injected from the air inlet, through the gap between the mold and the preform, and out the air outlet. The tooling further includes a core configured to be received within the interior of the preform and configured to contact an inner surface of the preform.

[0007] A method for manufacturing a preform, the method including transporting a preform to a conditioning station of a blow molding machine. An additional step includes adjusting the temperature of the preform at the conditioning station. Such temperature adjustment includes inserting a core inside the preform. An additional step of adjusting the temperature includes positioning the preform at least partially within a cavity of a mold with the outer surface of the preform not in contact with the mold. An additional step of adjusting the temperature includes supplying air between the mold and the preform to condition the outer surface of the preform. A further step of adjusting the temperature includes conditioning the inner surface of the preform via contact between the preform and the core.

[0008] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following Detailed Description of the Embodiments and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to the following drawings. [Figure 1a] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blow molding machine. [Figure 1b] FIG. 1b is a plan view of the blow molding machine from FIG. 1a. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of a rotating plate supporting a thread split at a conditioning station. [Figure 3] 3 is a bottom perspective view of a portion of the rotating plate and adjustment station from FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4]A cross-sectional view of a thread split supporting a preform on tooling of a conditioning station according to a first embodiment, the tooling of the conditioning station including a mold having a cavity for receiving the preform and further including a core configured to be received within the preform. [Figure 5] A cross-sectional view of a thread split supporting a preform on tooling of a conditioning station according to a second embodiment, the tooling of the conditioning station including a mold having a cavity for receiving the preform and further including a core configured to be received within the preform. [Figure 6] A cross-sectional view of a thread split supporting a preform on tooling of a conditioning station according to a third embodiment, the tooling of the conditioning station including a mold having a cavity for receiving the preform and further including a core configured to be received within the preform. [Figure 7] A cross-sectional view of a thread split supporting a preform on tooling of a conditioning station according to a fourth embodiment, the tooling of the conditioning station including a mold having a cavity for receiving the preform and further including a core configured to be received within the preform. [Figure 8] A cross-sectional view of a thread split supporting a preform on tooling of an adjustment station according to a fifth embodiment, the tooling of the adjustment station including a mold having a cavity for receiving the preform and further including a core configured to be received within the preform, the mold having multiple cooling layers separated from each other by baffles. [Figure 9] 9 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the mold from FIG. 8, the mold including multiple cooling layers, but with the baffles removed for clarity. [Figure 10] 10 is a top perspective view of one of the cooling layers from FIG. 9, the cooling layer comprising an upper portion spaced apart from a lower portion, further illustrating the upper portion engaged with the lower portion in dashed lines. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a bottom perspective view of the cooling layer from FIG. 10 with the upper portion of the cooling layer separated from the lower portion. [Figure 12] 10 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a conditioning station mold according to another embodiment of the present invention, the mold including multiple cooling layers. [Figure 13] 13 is a top perspective view of one of the cooling layers from FIG. 12, the cooling layer comprising an upper portion spaced apart from a lower portion, further illustrating the upper portion engaged with the lower portion in dashed lines. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a bottom perspective view of the cooling layer from FIG. 13, with the upper portion of the cooling layer separated from the lower portion. [Figure 15] 10 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a conditioning station mold according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the mold including multiple cooling layers. [Figure 16] 16 is a top perspective view of one of the cooling layers from FIG. 15, the cooling layer comprising an upper portion spaced apart from a lower portion, further illustrating the upper portion engaged with the lower portion in dashed lines. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a bottom perspective view of the cooling layer from FIG. 16, with the upper portion of the cooling layer separated from the lower portion.

[0010] The drawings are not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments shown in the drawings. The drawings do not necessarily provide precise dimensions or tolerances of the structures or components illustrated, but the drawings are to scale with respect to the relationships between the components of the structures illustrated in the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The following detailed description of the invention refers to various embodiments. The embodiments are intended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments may be utilized, and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the present invention is defined solely by the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

[0012] Throughout this specification, orientational terms such as "horizontal" and "vertical" may be used, as well as relative or directional terms such as "above," "below," "up," "top," "upward," "downward," "downward," "lower," "top," "bottom," "outer," and "inner." These terms retain their generally accepted definitions and are used with reference to embodiments of the technology as shown in the accompanying drawings, and their locations, directions, and orientations. Embodiments of the technology may be positioned and oriented in other ways or moved in other directions. Thus, the terms do not limit the scope of the technology.

[0013] 1a and 1b illustrate an exemplary injection stretch blow molding machine 10. At a first injection station, generally designated by the numeral 12, hot molten thermoplastic material is injected through a nozzle 14 into a set of mold cavities (not shown) to form preforms. Often, the preforms are ultimately shaped as tubes or cups that can be formed into articles such as bottles, cups, containers, etc. At a second conditioning station, generally designated by the numeral 16, the preforms molded at the injection station can undergo certain additional temperature and / or shape conditioning. At a third stretch blow station, generally designated by the numeral 18, the preforms are blown and / or stretched to their final configuration within a blow mold. At a fourth removal station, generally designated by the numeral 20, the finished articles are released from the machine 10 and pulled by gravity into a waiting container or conveyor belt for further processing. 2 and 3, a large turret-like rotating plate 22 is used to transport preforms and finished articles from one station to the next. While machine 10 includes multiple stations (as discussed above), the following description of embodiments of the invention will generally relate to conditioning station 16 and associated tooling.

[0014] More particularly, embodiments of the present invention generally relate to tooling for a conditioning station, such as the conditioning station 16 of the blow molding machine 10 described above. As previously mentioned, the conditioning station 16 is a portion of the blow molding machine 10 that can be used to adjust the temperature of a preform or otherwise modify the shape of a preform after it has been formed via injection molding in the injection station. Such temperature adjustment or shape modification may be necessary to properly adjust the preform so that it can be blown into its final article shape within the blowing station. For example, blowing a preform while it is too hot (e.g., due to heat retention from the injection station) can result in improper article formation and visual defects (e.g., crystallization). To address such issues, a newly formed preform can be temperature-adjusted (e.g., cooled) via the conditioning station 16 before being blown within the blowing station 18. While the following description generally describes the conditioning station tooling of the present invention being used to cool the preform, it should be understood that the conditioning station tooling may simultaneously, additionally, and / or alternatively be used to heat the preform or otherwise modify the shape of the preform, which may include stretching the preform, compressing the preform, modifying the surface of the preform, modifying the thickness of the preform, etc.

[0015] 2 and 3 illustrate one embodiment of tooling for conditioning station 16 configured to perform temperature conditioning of a preform (not shown). A preform can be moved to conditioning station 16 via a thread split 24 that grips the mouth and / or neck of the preform so that the preform is secured between the thread splits. The thread split 24 can be associated with a rotating plate 22 such that rotation of the plate 22 causes a corresponding rotation of the thread split 24 and the preform gripped by the thread split 24. Once the thread split 24 and preform are transferred to conditioning station 16, the preform can be transferred into a recessed cavity present in a mold 26 of conditioning station 16. The relative position of the preform with respect to the mold 26 can be adjusted via movement of the mold 26 toward the preform (e.g., upward toward the preform).

[0016] 4 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of tooling for a conditioning station, where the tooling includes mold 26A. Preform 30 is shown inserted into a cavity present in mold 26A, with preform 30 shaped as a hollow tube having a closed lower end, an open upper end, and a body extending between the upper and lower ends. A neck and / or mouth of preform 30 is located at or adjacent to the open upper end, and a shoulder portion of preform 30 is a transition between the neck / mouth and body of preform 30. As discussed further below, the open end provides access to the hollow interior of preform 30.

[0017] The mold 26A of the present embodiment is configured so that the outer surface of the preform 30 does not contact the mold 26A when the preform 30 is inserted into the cavity of the mold 26A. As a result, a gap 32 exists between the preform 30 and the inner surface of the mold 26A. The gap 32 may be created by pausing the operation of the mold 26A as the mold 26A moves toward the preform 30. Such pausing the operation of the mold 26A may, at least temporarily, prevent the mold 26A from operating to a fully closed position around the preform 30.

[0018] In other embodiments, the gap 32 may be formed between the mold 26A and the preform 30 even with the mold 26A actuated to the fully closed position (i.e., thereby eliminating the need to pause the movement of the mold 26A). In such embodiments, the adjustment station has one or more mechanical stop elements, such as structural standoffs, between the mold 26A and the thread split 24, which allow the gap 32 to exist even while the mold 26A is in the fully closed position. In still other embodiments, the blow molding machine may be configured, for example, via programming of a control system (e.g., a computing device having at least one processing element and a memory element), to move the mold 26A to the fully closed position while the gap 32 exists, without the need for a mechanical stop element.

[0019] Additionally, the conditioning station may include tooling in the form of a core 34A that can be inserted into the interior of the preform 30 (e.g., through an open end of the preform 30) such that the core 34A contacts the interior surface of the preform 30, as illustrated in Figure 4. It should be noted that while a single preform 30, mold 26A, and core 34A are shown and described, it is understood that the conditioning station of embodiments of the present invention may include multiple molds and cores such that multiple preforms can be temperature conditioned at the conditioning station during a given cycle.

[0020] In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 4 , the outer and inner surfaces of the preform 30 can be cooled in a conditioning station. In particular, the conditioning station can be provided so that cooling air is introduced through a gap 32 between the preform 30 and the mold 26A. For example, a gas inlet 36 can be provided at the bottom of the mold 26A, and a gas outlet 38 can be provided at the top of the mold 26A (e.g., between the mold 26A and the thread split 24). Air can be provided to the gas inlet 36 via an air port 40 (see FIG. 2 ) fluidly connected to the gas inlet 36. As a result, the cooling air flow can flow from the gas inlet 36 through the gap 32 to the gas outlet 38 (i.e., from the bottom to the top of the mold 26A). In an alternative embodiment, the gas inlet can be at the top of the mold and the gas outlet can be at the bottom of the mold, thereby causing the cooling air flow to flow from the top to the bottom of the mold 26A. In either case, such cooling air flow can be used to cool the outer surface of the preform 30.

[0021] Additionally, the core 34A may include a bubbler mechanism 42 within the core 34A. The bubbler mechanism 42 may comprise an elongated mechanism positioned within the core 34A and configured to facilitate the flow of a cooling fluid (e.g., liquid water) through the core 34A. Specifically, the bubbler mechanism 42 may include an inlet 44 that introduces the cooling fluid through an inner channel 45 that extends along the length of the bubbler mechanism 42 and through the interior of the bubbler mechanism 42. The cooling fluid exits the channel 45 and flows through an outer channel 46 formed between the bubbler mechanism 42 and the inner surface of the core 34A. The cooling fluid may then exit through a fluid outlet 48. In this manner, the bubbler mechanism 42 may cool the core 34A, which, due to contact between the core 34A and the preform 30, may cool the inner surface of the preform 30.

[0022] Therefore, in view of the above, the conditioning station of the present invention can cool or otherwise condition both the inside and outside of the preform. Specifically, cooling airflow provided through the gap 32 existing between the mold 26A and the preform 30 can cool the outside of the preform 30, while cooling fluid flowing through the core 34A and associated bubbler mechanism 42 cools the inside of the preform 30. Once the preform 30 is sufficiently cooled, it can be transferred to a blowing station and blown into a final article.

[0023] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of tooling for a conditioning station. The tooling shown in FIG. 5 can be similar to the tooling described above and illustrated in FIG. 4. For example, the tooling of FIG. 5 can include a mold 26B and a core 34B having a bubbler mechanism 42. However, the tooling can further include channels or tubing (i.e., "cooling tubing 50") extending through the mold 26B. Such cooling tubing 50 can allow a cooling liquid, such as water, to flow through the mold 26B to cool the mold 26B. Cooling fluid can be provided to the cooling tubing 50 via a fluid inlet conduit 52 and can exit the cooling tubing 50 via a fluid outlet 54. In some embodiments, the mold 26B can include multiple fluid inlets 52 and fluid outlets 54 so that different amounts of cooling can be provided to different portions of the mold 26B. For example, more cooling fluid (or cooler cooling fluid) may be provided to a vertically higher portion of mold 26B (as measured along the height of mold 26B shown in FIG. 5 ), while less cooling fluid (or hotter cooling fluid) may be provided to a vertically lower portion of mold 26B. Thus, precise temperature control of different portions of the length of preform 30 may be achieved. When different cooling rates are provided to different locations within a conditioning station mold (e.g., mold 26B), such cooling is referred to herein as “variable cooling.”

[0024] 5 may include gas channels 56 that allow pressurized air to flow from gas inlets 57 through the gas channels 56 in the core 34B to injection ports 58. Injection ports 58 are directed toward the shoulder or neck of the preform 30 so that the pressurized air can be injected into the interior of the preform 30.

[0025] Considering the above, the tooling of the conditioning station illustrated in FIG. 5 can function as follows: first, the sled splitter 24 can transfer the preform 30 to the conditioning station. Next, the preform 30 can be transferred into the cavity present in the mold 26B via upward movement of the mold 26B toward the preform 30. Notably, however, the outer surface of the preform 30 may not initially contact the mold 26B, thereby creating a gap 32 between the preform 30 and the mold 26B. The gap 32 can be created by pausing the operation of the mold 26B as it moves toward the preform 30. Such pausing of the operation of the mold 26B can, at least temporarily, prevent the mold 26B from operating to a fully closed position around the preform 30.

[0026] In other embodiments, the gap 32 can be formed between the mold 26B and the preform 30 even with the mold 26B actuated to the fully closed position (i.e., thereby eliminating the need to pause the movement of the mold 26B). In such embodiments, the adjustment station has one or more mechanical stops, such as structural standoffs, between the mold 26B and the thread split 24, which allow the gap 32 to exist even while the mold 26B is in the fully closed position. In still other embodiments, the blow molding machine can be configured, for example, via control system programming, to move the mold to the fully closed position with the gap 32 present.

[0027] Additionally, core 34B is inserted into preform 30 such that core 34B contacts the inner surface of preform 30. In this manner, and similar to the embodiment described above with respect to Figure 4, a cooling airflow can be passed through gap 32 between mold 26B and preform 30 to cool or otherwise condition the outer surface of preform 30. Additionally, water from bubbler mechanism 42 can cool core 34B, and thus cool or otherwise condition the inner surface of preform 30 due to core 34B contacting the inner surface of preform 30.

[0028] Next, if mold 26B is not already in the fully closed position, mold 26B can continue to move upward to the fully closed position, and the air flow through gap 32 (via gas inlet 36 and gas outlet 38 of mold 26B) can be stopped. In such a configuration, air can be injected into the interior of preform 30 from injection port 58 of core 34B. Specifically, air is introduced via gas inlet 57 and flows through gas channels 56 of core 34B. Air flows from gas channels 56 to injection port 58, where it is directed into the shoulder of preform 30 (note that the shoulder of the preform is the transition portion of preform 30 connecting the mouth and body of preform 30). Such injected air expands the preform 30 and forces the outer surface of the preform 30 against the mold 26B, where it can cool or otherwise condition the outer surface of the preform 30 in the mold 26B (such cooling can be enhanced by flowing water through the cooling tubing 50 of the mold 26B).

[0029] As mentioned above, in some embodiments, mold 26B can include variable cooling with multiple sets of independent cooling tubing within mold 26B (each independent set is referred to herein as a cooling circuit). Such independent cooling circuits can be positioned at specific locations within the mold to provide different cooling rates to different portions of preform 30. For example, separate cooling circuits can be positioned at different vertical locations within mold 26B, with each cooling circuit configured to provide a different cooling rate to a specific portion of preform 30 (e.g., each portion is spaced apart along the length of preform 30). Each cooling circuit can allow cooling fluid to flow therethrough to provide a different cooling rate, with the cooling fluid having a different temperature than the cooling fluid flowing through the other cooling circuits. Thus, different cooling circuits can enable mold 26B to have multiple cooling zones, each cooling a specific portion of preform 30 at a specific rate. Such differences in cooling rates of portions of preform 30 can be beneficial in controlling the wall thickness of preform 30 and the resulting article formed at the blow station.

[0030] Note that in the fully closed position, mold 26B may contact the outer surface of preform 30 at the shoulder of the preform. However, in some embodiments, mold 26B may not automatically contact the shoulder of preform 30 (even in the fully closed position) until preform 30 is expanded against mold 26B by air injected into preform 30 by injection ports 58 of core 34B. Note further that in response to injecting pressurized air into preform 30 to expand preform 30 by core 34B, any remaining air present in gap 32 between mold 26B and preform 30 may be forced (e.g., vented) out of gap 32 through gas inlets 36 and / or gas outlets 38 of mold 26B. After a sufficient amount of time has passed, the air flow through core 34B may be stopped, core 34B may be moved up and away from preform 30, and mold 26B may be moved down and away from preform 30. The preform 30 may then be allowed to cool sufficiently before being transferred to a blowing station and blown into an article.

[0031] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of tooling for the conditioning station. The tooling shown in FIG. 6 can be similar to the tooling described above and illustrated in FIG. 5. For example, the tooling of FIG. 6 can include a mold 26B having cooling tubing 50 therein. In addition, the tooling can include a core 34C having a bubbler mechanism 42. However, the core 34C can have a different configuration for injecting air into the interior of the preform 30. In particular, the core 34C can have an open distal end configured to be received within the interior of the preform 30. The distal end can include an actuation tip 60 that can be actuated toward and / or away from the closed end of the preform 30 to activate a valve in the core 34C, thereby injecting pressurized air into the interior of the preform 30 through a gas injection port 62 positioned at or adjacent the distal end of the core 34C. Specifically, air may flow through gas conduit 64, which is centrally positioned within and extends along the length of core 34C. In this manner, pressurized air may be provided to core 34C, where it may flow through gas conduit 64 and be injected into the interior of preform 30 (i.e., toward the bottom, inner surface of preform 30) via injection port 62.

[0032] Considering the above, the tooling of the conditioning station illustrated in FIG. 6 can function as follows: first, the sled splitter 24 can transfer the preform 30 to the conditioning station. Next, the preform 30 can be transferred into the cavity present in the mold 26B via upward movement of the mold 26B toward the preform 30. Notably, however, the outer surface of the preform 30 cannot contact the mold 26B, thereby creating a gap 32 between the preform 32 and the mold 26B. The gap 32 can be created by pausing the operation of the mold 26B as it moves toward the preform 30. Such pausing of the operation of the mold 26B can, at least temporarily, prevent the mold 26B from operating to a fully closed position around the preform 30.

[0033] In other embodiments, the gap 32 can be formed between the mold 26B and the preform 30 even when the mold 26B is actuated to the fully closed position (i.e., thereby eliminating the need to pause the movement of the mold 26B). In such embodiments, the adjustment station has one or more mechanical stops, such as structural standoffs, between the mold 26B and the thread split 24, which allow the gap 32 to exist even while the mold 26B is in the fully closed position. In still other embodiments, the blow molding machine can be configured, for example, via control system programming, to move the mold 26B to the fully closed position while the gap 32 exists.

[0034] Additionally, the core 34C is inserted into the preform 30 such that the core 34C contacts the inner surface of the preform 30. In this manner, and similar to the embodiment described above, a cooling airflow can be passed through the gap 32 between the mold 26B and the preform 30 to cool or otherwise condition the outer surface of the preform. Additionally, water from the bubbler mechanism 42 can cool the core 34C, and thus cool or otherwise condition the inner surface of the preform 30 due to the core 34C contacting the inner surface of the preform 30.

[0035] Next, if the mold 26B is not already in the fully closed position, the mold 26B can continue to move upward to the fully closed position, and the air flow through the gap 32 can be stopped (via the gas inlet 36 and gas outlet 38 of the mold 26B). As described above, the actuation tip 60 of the core 34C can be positioned at the distal end of the core 34C. Specifically, the actuation tip 60 can be operably connected to an elongated piston 65 extending centrally along the length of the core 34C. In some embodiments, the tip 60 can form a portion of the piston 65. The piston 65 (and thus the tip 60) can be extended downward via the supply of pressurized air to a cylindrical space 66 positioned with the upper portion of the tooling of the conditioning station. When the supply of pressurized air to the cylindrical space 66 is stopped, the piston 65 (and thus the tip 60) can be retracted upward via a spring force provided by a spring 67 also positioned within the upper portion of the tooling of the conditioning station and operably connected to the piston 65. In this manner, the actuation tip 60 of the core 34C can be actuated downward by introducing pressurized air into the cylindrical space 66 and extending the piston 65 downward, thereby opening a valve in the core 34C and allowing an airflow to be injected into the interior of the preform 30 through the injection port 62 of the core 34C. Such airflow expands the preform 30 and forces the outer surface of the preform 30 against the mold 26B, where it can be cooled or otherwise regulated (such cooling can be enhanced by flowing water through the cooling tubing 50 of the mold 26B). As previously discussed, the mold 26B can include variable cooling having multiple sets of independent cooling tubing within the mold 26B (each independent set is referred to herein as a cooling circuit). Such independent cooling circuits can be positioned at specific locations within the mold 26B to provide different cooling rates to different portions of the preform 30. For example, separate cooling circuits may be positioned at different vertical positions within mold 26B, with each cooling circuit configured to provide a different cooling rate to a particular portion of preform 30 (e.g., each portion spaced apart along the length of preform 30).Each cooling circuit can allow cooling fluid to flow therethrough to provide a different cooling rate, the cooling fluid having a different temperature than the cooling fluid flowing through the other cooling circuits. Thus, the different cooling circuits can allow mold 26B to have multiple cooling zones, each cooling zone cooling a particular portion of the preform at a particular rate. Such differences in cooling rates of portions of preform 30 can be beneficial in controlling the wall thickness of preform 30 and the resulting article formed at the blow station.

[0036] It should be noted that in response to injecting pressurized air into the preform 30 to expand it via the core 34C, any remaining air present within the gap 32 between the mold 26B and the preform 30 may be forced out of the gap 32 through the gas inlet 36 and / or gas outlet 38 of the mold 26B. Additionally, the core 34C may be configured to further cool or otherwise condition (e.g., stretch) the preform 30 via contact between the tip 60 of the core 34C and the interior of the preform 30. Such cooling or other conditioning via contact provided by the tip 60 may only be provided for a pre-established period of time. After a sufficient amount of time has elapsed, the air flow from the core 34C may be stopped. Specifically, the supply of pressurized air to the cylindrical space 66 may be stopped so that the piston 65 and tip 60 retract upwardly away from the preform 30. Such retraction of tip 60 closes a valve in core 34C, thereby stopping the flow of air from injection port 62 of core 34C into the interior of preform 30. In this manner, core 34C can be moved up and away from preform 30, and mold 26B can be moved down and away from preform 30. Preform 30, after being sufficiently cooled or otherwise conditioned, can then be transferred to a blowing station and blown into an article.

[0037] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of tooling for a conditioning station. The tooling shown in FIG. 7 can be similar to the tooling described above and illustrated in FIG. 5. For example, the tooling of FIG. 7 can include mold 26B having cooling tubing 50 therein. In addition, the tooling can include core 34D having bubbler mechanism 42. However, in contrast to core 34B, core 34D can have two gas injection ports, including gas injection port 58 (i.e., first injection port 58) and second gas injection port 68 (i.e., second injection port 68). Second injection port 68 can be fluidly connected to gas channels 56 extending through core 34D along with first injection port 58. Second injection port 68 is directed toward preform 30 near the mouth of preform 30 and is positioned above first injection port 58. As a result, the second injection port 68 is configured to function as a seal between the core 34D and the preform 30, preventing air injected into the interior of the preform 30 from the first injection port 58 from accidentally escaping from the interior of the preform 30. Specifically, when the gas channel 56 is pressurized with air via the gas inlet 57, the first injection port 58 directs the pressurized air toward the shoulder of the preform to inflate the preform, while the second injection port 68 directs the pressurized air toward the neck / mouth of the preform 30 (over the shoulder of the preform 30 through which the first injection port 68 is directed). As a result, the pressurized air provided by the second injection port 68 functions as a seal between the core 34D and the preform 30 (over the first injection port 58). In some embodiments, the second injection port 68 may include a physical seal (e.g., a rubber O-ring or gasket). In such an embodiment, the pressurized air provided by the second injection port 68 acts as a seal between the core 34D and the preform 30 by forcing a physical seal against the neck / mouth of the preform.

[0038] Considering the above, the tooling of the conditioning station in FIG. 7 can function as follows: first, the thread split 24 can transfer the preform 30 to the conditioning station. Next, the preform 30 can be transferred into a cavity present in the mold 26B via upward movement of the mold 26B toward the preform 30. Notably, however, the outer surface of the preform 30 cannot contact the mold 26B, thereby creating a gap 32 between the preform 30 and the mold 26B. The gap 32 can be created by pausing the operation of the mold 26B as it moves toward the preform 30. Such pausing of the operation of the mold 26B can, at least temporarily, prevent the mold 26B from operating to a fully closed position around the preform 30.

[0039] In other embodiments, the gap 32 can be formed between the mold 26B and the preform 30 even when the mold 26B is actuated to the fully closed position (i.e., thereby eliminating the need to pause the movement of the mold 26B). In such embodiments, the adjustment station has one or more mechanical stops, such as structural standoffs, between the mold 26B and the thread split 24, which allow the gap 32 to exist even while the mold 26B is in the fully closed position. In still other embodiments, the blow molding machine can be configured, for example, via control system programming, to move the mold 26B to the fully closed position while the gap 32 exists.

[0040] Additionally, the core 34D is inserted into the preform 30 such that the core 34D contacts the inner surface of the preform 30. In this manner, and similar to the embodiment described above with respect to the conditioning station tooling illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, a cooling airflow can be passed through the gap 32 between the mold 26B and the preform 30 to cool or otherwise condition the outer surface of the preform 30. Additionally, water from the bubbler mechanism 42 of the core 34D can cool the core 34D and, therefore, cool or otherwise condition the inner surface of the preform 30 due to the core 34D contacting the inner surface of the preform 30.

[0041] Next, if mold 26B is not already in the fully closed position, mold 26B can continue to move upward to the fully closed position, and air flow through gap 32 (via gas inlet 36 and gas outlet 38 of mold 26B) can be stopped. Additionally, air can be flowed from second injection port 68 of core 34D to create a seal against the mouth of preform 30 over first injection port 58. In some embodiments, including any of those described above with respect to FIGS. 4-7 , a physical seal (e.g., a rubber O-ring or gasket) can be used as a direct seal between core 34D and preform 30. In either case, pressurized air is also injected from first injection port 58 into the interior of the preform, generally directed against the shoulder of preform 30. Such injected air expands the preform 30, forcing the outer surface of the preform 30 against the mold 26B, where it can cool or otherwise condition the outer surface of the preform 30 in the mold 26B (such cooling can be enhanced by flowing water through the cooling tubing 50 of the mold 26B). Note that, similar to the embodiment of the core 34C shown in FIG. 6 above, the distal end (or head) of the core 34D can be operatively connected to an elongated piston 69 extending centrally along the length of the core 34D. In some embodiments, the head of the core 34D can form part of the piston 69. The piston 69 (and thus the head of the core 34D) can be extended downward via pressurized air being supplied to a cylindrical space 66 positioned with the upper portion of the tooling of the conditioning station. Downward actuation of the piston 69, and thus the head of the core 34D, may cause a valve within the core 34D to open, activating the flow of air to each of the first injection port 58 and / or the second injection port 68. Such downward actuation of the head of the core 34D may also function to stretch or otherwise condition the preform 30. In any event, when the supply of pressurized air to the cylindrical space 66 is stopped, the piston 69 (and thus the head of the core 34D) may be retracted upward via spring force provided by a spring 67, which is also positioned in the upper portion of the tooling of the conditioning station and operably connected to the piston 69.Upward actuation of the piston 69, and therefore the head of the core 34D, may cause a valve in the core 34D to close, stopping the flow of air to each of the first injection port 58 and / or second injection port 68.

[0042] In some embodiments, mold 26B can include variable cooling with multiple sets of independent cooling tubing 50 within mold 26B (each independent set is referred to herein as a cooling circuit). Such independent cooling circuits can be positioned at specific locations within mold 26B to provide different cooling rates to different portions of preform 30. For example, separate cooling circuits can be positioned at different vertical locations within mold 26B, with each cooling circuit configured to provide a different cooling rate to preform 30. Each cooling circuit can allow cooling fluid to flow therethrough to provide the different cooling rate, with the cooling fluid having a different temperature than the cooling fluid flowing through the other cooling circuits. Thus, different cooling circuits can enable mold 26B to have multiple cooling zones, each cooling zone cooling a specific portion of preform 30 at a specific rate. Such differences in cooling rates of portions of preform 30 can be beneficial in controlling the wall thickness of preform 30 and the resulting article formed at the blow station.

[0043] It should be noted that in response to injecting pressurized air into the preform 30 to expand it, any remaining air present in the gap 32 between the mold 26B and the preform 30 may be forced out of the gap 32 through the gas inlet 36 and / or gas outlet 38 of the mold 26B. After a sufficient amount of time has passed, the air flow from the core 34D (e.g., through the first injection port 58 and the second injection port 68) may be stopped. Specifically, the supply of pressurized air to the cylindrical space 66 may be stopped such that the piston 69 and the head of the core 34D retract upward and away from the preform 30. This retraction of the head of the core 34D causes a valve within the core 34D to close, thereby stopping the air flow from the core 34D through the first injection port 58 and / or the second injection port 68 into the interior of the preform 30. In this manner, core 34D can be moved up and away from preform 30, and mold 26B can be moved down and away from preform 30. Preform 30, after being sufficiently cooled or otherwise conditioned, can then be transferred to a blowing station and blown into an article.

[0044] Embodiments of the present invention include additional configurations of conditioning station tooling molds that are capable of providing variable cooling. Specifically, in addition to cooling tubing 50 for delivering cooling liquid through a mold (e.g., mold 26B described above), certain other molds are configured to deliver cooling gas (e.g., air) through the mold.

[0045] More specifically, FIG. 8 illustrates a mold 26C forming part of the tooling of the conditioning station. The mold 26C includes one or more (e.g., multiple) temperature-regulating layers (referred to herein as "cooling layers 70"), each configured to direct airflow through the mold 26C to a cavity of the mold 26C that can receive the preform 30. In some embodiments, the cooling layers 70 may each comprise a generally annular or ring-shaped section of material. However, embodiments may provide cooling layers 70 formed in other shapes, such as rectangular or cuboid. The mold 26C may have a varying number, as may be needed to sufficiently provide variable cooling or other conditioning to the preform 30. The embodiment discussed herein includes five cooling layers 70. However, more or fewer cooling layers 70 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more cooling layers 70) may be provided. Nevertheless, the cooling layers 70 are stacked on top of each other and held in place via dowel pins and / or threaded fasteners. A gasket or baffle 71 may be positioned between each adjacent cooling layer 70 to separate the cooling layers 70 and provide a secure bond between adjacent cooling layers 70. As a result, the entire stack of cooling layers 70 forms the mold 26C, which includes providing a cavity capable of regulating the temperature of the preform 30. The cavity is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 9.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 9 , each of the cooling layers 70 can be fluidly connected to a gas (e.g., air) supply via one or more inlet ports 72. As illustrated, the inlet ports 72 can be positioned on both sides of each of the cooling layers 70. Air conduits (not shown) can be connected to the inlet ports 72 and extend to the gas supply, which can be in the form of a manifold. The manifold can include adjustable valves associated with each inlet port 72 and / or each cooling layer 70 (e.g., five valves associated with each of the five cooling layers 70) to individually control the flow of gas (e.g., air) through each of the cooling layers 72. Specifically, each of the valves can be individually adjusted (e.g., open, partially open, or closed) to individually control the airflow (and possibly the temperature of the air) through each of the cooling layers 70. When the airflow from the supply is stopped, air provided to the cooling layer 70 from the inlet ports 72 can exit the cooling layer 70 from the inlet ports 72.

[0047] 9 , each of the cooling layers 70 may include an annular chamber 76 extending around the cooling layer 70. The chamber 76 is fluidly connected to an associated inlet port 72 of the cooling layer 70 such that airflow can be introduced into the cooling layer 70 from the inlet port 72 and flow around the chamber 76. Additionally, each of the cooling layers 70 may include an injection portion 78 that allows air to be injected from the chamber 76 of the cooling layer 70 into the cavity of the mold 26C to cool the outer surface of the preform 30 (not shown in FIG. 9 ). As shown in FIG. 9 , the injection portion 78 for each of the cooling layers 70 of the mold 26C extends continuously around the inner periphery of the cooling layer 70. Specifically, the injection portion 78 is formed as a small air gap extending around the inner periphery of the cooling layer 70. Thus, for each cooling layer 70 , the airflow from the injection portion 78 is emitted around the entire circumferential area of ​​the preform 30 that is aligned with the cooling layer 70 .

[0048] 10 and 11, cooling layer 70 may each be formed from an upper portion 70a and a lower portion 70b, which are separable from one another. However, when upper portion 70a and lower portion 70b are joined together (to form cooling layer 70), upper portion 70a and lower portion 70b cooperatively define an annular chamber 76 and an emission portion 78. Alternatively, only one of upper portion 70a and lower portion 70b may form emission portion 78.

[0049] In the tooling configuration of the conditioning station shown in FIG. 8 , both the outer and inner surfaces of the preform 30 can be cooled, and the cooling provided by the mold 26C can include variable cooling. First, the sled split 24 can transfer the preform 30 to the conditioning station. Next, the preform 30 can be transferred into an existing cavity in the mold 26C via upward movement of the mold 26C toward the preform 30. Notably, however, the outer surface of the preform 30 cannot contact the cooling layer 70 of the mold 26C or the baffle 71. Instead, the mold 26C can be moved upward until the outer surface of the preform 30 is positioned adjacent to (but not in contact with) the end of the baffle 71, which extends further into the cavity of the mold 26C than the cooling layer 70. As a result, by positioning the preform 30 in the cavity of the mold 26C, a space exists between each of the cooling layers 70 and the preform 30. This space may be created by pausing the operation of mold 26C as it moves toward preform 30. Such pausing the operation of mold 26C may, at least temporarily, prevent mold 26C from operating to a fully closed position around preform 30. In any event, as perhaps best illustrated in FIG. 8 , baffle 71 may not contact preform 30, but the ends of baffle 71 are generally positioned sufficiently close to preform 30 to create a fluid seal that prevents or substantially restricts airflow from passing between the ends of baffle 71 and preform 30.

[0050] In other embodiments, a space may be formed between the cooling layer 70 of the mold 26C and the preform 30 even when the mold 26C is actuated to the fully closed position (i.e., thereby eliminating the need to pause the movement of the mold 26C). In such embodiments, the adjustment station has one or more mechanical stop elements, such as structural standoffs, between the mold 26C and the thread split 24, which allows a space to exist even while the mold 26C is in the fully closed position. In still other embodiments, the blow molding machine may be configured, for example, via control system programming, to move the mold 26C to the fully closed position while a space exists between the cooling layer 70 and the preform 30. Additionally, the core 34E is inserted into the preform 30 such that the core 34E contacts the inner surface of the preform 30. Note that the core 34E may include a bubbler mechanism 42.

[0051] In this manner, cooling airflow can flow from the inlet port 72 through the chamber 76 and out the injection portion 78 of each cooling layer 70 to cool the outer surface of the preform 30. As noted above, mold 26C may include variable cooling with multiple sets of independent cooling layers 70 within mold 26C (each independent set may be referred to as a cooling circuit). In either case, because each cooling layer 70 is separated (e.g., above and below) from adjacent cooling layers 70 by baffles 71 that provide a sealed connection with the preform 30, the airflow emitted by the injection portion 78 of a given cooling layer 70 does not travel beyond the adjacent baffles 71. Instead, the cooling airflow remains in the space between a given cooling layer 70 and the preform 30 (or may flow within the chamber 76 of a given cooling layer 70).

[0052] Additionally, as discussed above, each cooling layer 70 may be individually connected to a gas supply via a manifold with individually controlled valves. As a result, the amount of airflow, the duration of airflow, and / or the temperature of the airflow to each cooling layer 70 may be individually controlled, with such airflow generally remaining within the space between the cooling layer 70 and the preform 30. Thus, because each cooling layer 70 is positioned at a different vertical position than the other cooling layers 70, the mold 26C may provide different cooling rates to different portions of the preform 30. As a result, the different cooling layers 70 may enable the mold 26C to have multiple cooling zones (e.g., for localized conditioning of the preform 30), with each cooling zone cooling a specific portion of the preform 30 at a specific rate. Such differences in cooling rates of portions of the preform 30 may be beneficial in controlling the wall thickness of the preform 30 and the resulting article formed at the blow station. Furthermore, it should be noted that the mold 26C may be used to condition the preform before the preform 30 is fully positioned within the cavity of the mold 26C. Specifically, airflow to one or more (or all) of the cooling layers 70 can be initiated while the mold 26C is moving upward around the preform 30. Such pre-cooling can be used to achieve localized conditioning of the preform 30. For example, if the closed end or tip of the preform 30 requires additional cooling, airflow to the top cooling layer 70 can be activated when the tip of the preform 30 is aligned with the top cooling layer 70 during the upward movement of the mold 26C. In this manner, cooling airflow can be directed from the top cooling layer 70 toward the tip of the preform 30. As the mold 26C continues to move upward, airflow to the lower cooling layers 70 can be sequentially activated, such that the lower cooling layer 70 also directs cooling airflow toward the tip of the preform 30 when aligned between one of the cooling layers 70 and the tip of the preform 30. As a result, the tip of preform 30 can experience increased cooling while inserted within the cavity of mold 26C.Such cooling of the preform 30 can be applied to other portions of the preform 30 (other than the tip portion) as needed while the preform 30 is inserted within the cavity of the mold 26C.

[0053] In addition to the above, due to the core 34E contacting the inner surface of the preform 30, the water from the bubbler mechanism 42 can cool the core 34E and therefore the inner surface of the preform 30. Thus, after the preform 30 has sufficiently cooled, it can be transferred to a blowing station and blown into an article.

[0054] FIG. 12 illustrates conditioning station mold 26D, which is similar to mold 26C, except that mold 26D includes a cooling layer 80 having an annular chamber 86 but with an injection portion 88 that is different from injection portion 78 of cooling layer 70. More specifically, for each cooling layer 80, injection portion 88 comprises a plurality of rectangular, cuboid, or notch-shaped openings spaced about the inner periphery of cooling layer 80. For each cooling layer 80, chamber 86 is fluidly connected to the associated inlet port 72 of cooling layer 80 such that airflow can be introduced from inlet port 72 into cooling layer 80 and flow around chamber 86. As air flows through chamber 86, a portion of such air is injected into the cavity of mold 26D via injection portion 88 to cool the outer surface of preform 30 (not shown in FIG. 12 ). As shown in FIG. 12 , injection portions 88 for each cooling layer 80 of mold 26D are spaced about the inner periphery of cooling layer 80. Thus, for each cooling layer 80 , the airflow from the injection portion 88 is emitted around a portion of the circumferential area of ​​the preform 30 that is aligned with the injection portion 88 of the cooling layer 80 .

[0055] 13 and 14, cooling layer 80 may each be formed from an upper portion 80a and a lower portion 80b, which are separable from one another. However, when upper portion 80a and lower portion 80b are joined together (to form cooling layer 80), upper portion 80a and lower portion 80b may cooperatively define annular chamber 86 and an emission portion 88. Alternatively, only one of upper portion 80a and lower portion 80b may form emission portion 88.

[0056] FIG. 15 illustrates conditioning station mold 26E, which is similar to mold 26D, except that mold 26E includes cooling layer 90 having an annular chamber 96, but with an injection portion 98 that is different from injection portion 88 of cooling layer 80. More specifically, for each cooling layer 90, injection portion 98 comprises a plurality of circular, cylindrical, or pinhole openings spaced about the inner circumference of cooling layer 90. Note that each of injection portions 98 may be smaller than injection portion 88. In any event, for each cooling layer 90, chamber 96 is fluidly connected to the associated inlet port 72 of cooling layer 90 such that airflow can be introduced from inlet port 72 into cooling layer 90 and flow around chamber 96. As air flows through chamber 96, a portion of such air is injected via injection portion 98 into the cavity of mold 26E to cool the outer surface of preform 30 (not shown in FIG. 15 ). 15, the injection portions 98 for each of the cooling layers 90 of mold 26E are spaced apart around the inner periphery of the cooling layer 90. Thus, for each cooling layer 90, the airflow from the injection portion 98 is emitted around a portion of the circumferential area of ​​the preform 30 that is aligned with the injection portion 98 of the cooling layer 90.

[0057] 16 and 17, cooling layers 90 may each be formed from an upper portion 90a and a lower portion 90b, which are separable from one another. However, when upper portion 90a and lower portion 90b are joined together (to form cooling layer 90), upper portion 90a and lower portion 90b may cooperatively define an annular chamber 96 and an emission portion 98. Alternatively, only one of upper portion 90a and lower portion 90b may form emission portion 98.

[0058] Additional Considerations Throughout this specification, references to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "an embodiment" mean that one or more referenced features are included in at least one embodiment of the present technology. Separate references to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "an embodiment" in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor are they mutually exclusive, unless so stated and / or readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the description. For example, features, structures, acts, etc. described in one embodiment may, but are not necessarily, included in other embodiments. Thus, the present invention can include various combinations and / or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

[0059] While this application describes detailed descriptions of many different embodiments, it should be understood that the legal scope of the descriptions is defined by the language of the claims and their equivalents set forth in the patent specifications at the end of this specification. The detailed description should be construed as merely exemplary and does not describe every possible embodiment, as describing every possible embodiment would be impractical. Numerous alternative embodiments may be implemented using either the present technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, and still fall within the scope of the claims.

[0060] Throughout this specification, multiple examples may implement components, operations, or structures that are described as a single example. While individual operations of one or more methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of the individual operations may be performed simultaneously, and the operations need not occur in the order illustrated. Structures and functions presented as separate components in example configurations may be implemented as combined structures or components. Similarly, structures and functions presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the subject matter of this specification.

[0061] Certain embodiments are described herein as including logic or a number of routines, subroutines, applications, or instructions. These may constitute either software (e.g., code embodied on a machine-readable medium or in a transmission signal) or hardware. In hardware, routines, etc., are tangible units capable of performing particular operations and may be configured or arranged in a particular manner. In exemplary embodiments, one or more computer systems (e.g., standalone, client, or server computer systems), or one or more hardware modules of a computer system (e.g., a processor or processors), may be configured as hardware that operates by software (e.g., an application or application portion) to perform particular operations described herein.

[0062] In various embodiments, computer hardware such as processing elements may be implemented mechanically or electronically. For example, a processing element may comprise dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently configured, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or permanently configured, such as an FPGA, to perform particular operations. A processing element may also comprise programmable logic or circuitry (e.g., as contained within a general-purpose processor or other programmable processor) that is temporarily configured by software to perform particular operations. It will be appreciated that the decision to implement a processing element with dedicated, permanently configured circuitry for a specific purpose or with general-purpose, temporarily configured (e.g., configured by software) circuitry may be determined by cost and time considerations.

[0063] Thus, the term "processing element" should be understood to encompass tangible entities that are physically constructed, permanently configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a particular manner or perform particular operations as described herein. Considering embodiments in which the processing elements are temporarily configured (e.g., programmed), each of the processing elements need not be configured or instantiated at a single point in time. For example, if the processing elements comprise a general-purpose processor configured using software, the general-purpose processor may be configured as different processing elements at different times. Thus, the software may configure the processing element to create a particular hardware configuration at one time and a different hardware configuration at a different time.

[0064] Computer hardware components, such as communication elements, memory elements, processing elements, etc., may provide information to and receive information from other computer hardware components. Accordingly, the described computer hardware components may be considered to be communicatively coupled. When multiple such computer hardware components are present simultaneously, communication may be achieved through signal transmission (e.g., through appropriate circuits and buses) connecting the computer hardware components. In embodiments in which multiple computer hardware components are configured or instantiated at different times, communication between such computer hardware components may be achieved, for example, through the storage and retrieval of information to memory structures accessed by the multiple computer hardware components. For example, one computer hardware component may perform an operation and store the output of that operation in a communicatively coupled memory device. Additional computer hardware components may then access the memory device to retrieve and process the stored output. Computer hardware components may also initiate communication with input or output devices and operate on resources (e.g., collections of information).

[0065] Various operations of the example methods described herein may be performed at least in part by one or more processing elements that are temporarily or permanently configured (e.g., by software) to perform the associated operations. Whether temporarily or permanently configured, such processing elements may constitute processing element-implemented modules that operate to perform one or more operations or functions. Modules referred to herein may, in some example embodiments, comprise processing element-implemented modules.

[0066] Similarly, the methods or routines described herein may be at least partially implemented by processing elements. For example, at least some of the operations of a method may be performed by one or more processing elements or hardware modules implementing processing elements. Performance of some of the operations may be distributed among one or more processing elements present within a single machine, as well as among one or more processing elements deployed across multiple machines. In some exemplary embodiments, the processing elements may be located at a single location (e.g., in a home environment, an office environment, or a server farm), while in other embodiments, the processing elements may be distributed across multiple locations.

[0067] As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," "having," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements and may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0068] The claims at the end of this patent application are not intended to be construed under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) unless conventional means-plus-function language, such as "means for" or "step for," is expressly recited in the claim.

[0069] While the present technology has been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it should be noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions may be made herein without departing from the scope of the present technology as set forth in the claims.

[0070] Having therefore described various embodiments of the technology, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:

Claims

1. 1. Tooling for a conditioning station for adjusting the temperature of a preform, said tooling comprising: a mold having a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the preform, the mold configured to receive the preform such that a gap exists between the mold and the preform, the mold including an air inlet; a mold, wherein the conditioning station tooling is configured to allow air to be injected from the air inlet through the gap between the mold and the preform; a core configured to be received within an interior of the preform and configured to contact an interior surface of the preform.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mold further comprises an air outlet, the air inlet positioned at the bottom of the mold and the air outlet located at the top of the mold.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the core is configured to allow a cooling fluid to flow through an interior of the core to assist in cooling the interior surface of the preform.

4. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the core is configured to supply air between the core and the preform to expand the preform, whereby an outer surface of the preform contacts the mold.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the core includes an injection port configured to direct air toward a shoulder of the preform to inflate the preform.

6. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the injection port is a first injection port, and the core includes a second injection port positioned over the first injection port and configured to create a seal between the core and the preform.

7. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the core includes an injection port positioned at a distal end of the core and configured to direct air toward a bottom inner surface of the preform to inflate the preform.

8. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the core includes an actuation tip positioned at the distal end of the core and configured to activate a valve to allow air to flow from the injection port into the preform.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mold is configured to cool an exterior surface of the preform.

10. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the mold includes tubing extending through the mold and configured to allow a cooling liquid to flow through the tubing, and the mold is configured to cool the outer surface of the preform when the outer surface contacts the mold.

11. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the mold is configured to provide variable cooling to the preform, the mold including two or more cooling circuits of tubing extending through the mold, each cooling circuit configured to allow a cooling liquid to flow through the tubing.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the cooling circuits are positioned at different locations along a height of the mold to provide variable cooling along different portions of the length of the preform.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein each of the cooling circuits is configured to provide cooling fluid of a different temperature for passing through the tubing of the respective cooling circuit.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the mold comprises one or more cooling layers, each cooling layer configured to direct a cooling airflow toward the preform.

15. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein each cooling layer comprises a cooling circuit, each cooling circuit positioned at a different location along a height of the mold to provide variable cooling along different portions of the length of the preform.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the airflow to each cooling layer is configured to be individually controlled.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein each cooling layer is separated from an adjacent cooling layer by a baffle.

18. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein a space exists between each cooling layer and the preform such that the air can be injected from a given cooling layer through the space associated with the given cooling layer and toward the preform, and wherein the baffles positioned on either side of the given cooling layer prevent the air injected by the given cooling layer from crossing into the space associated with an adjacent cooling layer.

19. 1. A method for manufacturing a preform, said method comprising: (a) transporting the preform to a conditioning station of a blow molding machine; (b) adjusting the temperature of the preform at the conditioning station; adjusting the temperature of step (b) Inserting a core within the interior of the preform; positioning the preform at least partially within a cavity of the mold with an outer surface of the preform not contacting the mold; supplying air between the mold and the preform to condition the outer surface of the preform; conditioning an inner surface of the preform through contact between the preform and the core.

20. 20. The process of claim 19, further comprising cooling an outer surface of the preform via liquid or air flowing through the mold.

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