Equipment for applying release agents to molds for final finishing of glass bottles; methods for applying release agents to molds for final finishing of glass bottles; equipment for glass bottle manufacturing; and methods for glass bottle manufacturing.

Abstract

This invention eliminates the need for manual work requiring the use of lubricants. Release of molds, blow molds, and bottom molds by the operator and reduce obstructions on the operator which... This involves the use of lubricants to release molds while enhancing worker safety during the process. Using lubricants to release molds also reduces downtime associated with the job. Using lubricant to release the mold reduces the need for changes in the mold's position. Mold release and variations in the amount used for blow molding, and other factors are also involved. To ensure quality stability in glass bottles. The device (40) for applying lubricant to release the mold is structured to Use a mold release lubricant on at least a portion of the forming surface of the blow molding die. (31f) provided on the blow mold (31) or the entire surface of the mold forming surface. The bottom side (32f) is positioned on the bottom side (32) mold, which is positioned in the lower part of the mold. Final decoration (31) either one or both;

Description

Apparatus for applying release agent to a mold for finishing glass bottles, method for applying release agent to a mold for finishing glass bottles, glass bottle manufacturing apparatus, and glass bottle manufacturing method

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for applying a release agent to a glass bottle finish molding die (finishing die and bottom die), a method for applying a release agent to a glass bottle finish molding die, an apparatus for manufacturing glass bottles, and a method for manufacturing glass bottles.

[0002] In the glass bottle manufacturing process, a gob (a mass of molten glass at a high temperature) is typically molded into a parison in a rough mold. The parison is then transferred to a finishing mold, where a base mold is disposed below it, where the parison is inflated with compressed air for final molding. This completes the molding of the glass bottle. Since the finishing mold and base mold require high releasability, it is important to apply a release agent to them. Therefore, to prevent a decrease in releasability, the release agent must be applied to the inner surface of the mold periodically, for example, every few tens of minutes. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a configuration for applying a release agent.

[0003] Special Publication No. 2009-538818

[0004] If the release properties of the finishing and bottom dies are reduced due to a lack of release agent, a large load is placed on the glass bottle when the split dies of the finishing die are opened, which can cause cracks in the bottle. These cracks can cause the glass bottle to break, leading to significant losses such as the need to reinspect the product before the cracks occur or to discard the cracked product.

[0005] The application of release agent to prevent cracks is carried out between bottle formations without stopping the bottle-making machine, which operates at high speed. Therefore, if the application of release agent is done manually, it is difficult to train workers on the application process, and there are large differences in the skills of workers. Such differences in skill can lead to variations in the quality of glass bottles. In addition, in some cases, it is necessary to stop the bottle-making machine to apply the release agent.

[0006] Furthermore, depending on the structure of the glass bottle, the work of applying the release agent to the finishing mold and the bottom mold may require application of the release agent to many locations. Moreover, since the finishing mold is usually located at the back of the conveyor along which the product is transported, the work is carried out at high temperatures, and manual work tends to place a heavy burden on the worker.

[0007] On the other hand, there is also a mold release agent applicator disclosed in Patent Document 1. This mold release agent applicator is configured to form a uniform oil film over the entire surface of the mold cavity using a movable spray pipe.

[0008] However, the areas of the inner surface of the finishing mold that require the release agent are not uniform, and the above-mentioned release agent application device cannot apply the release agent in a manner that is suited to the characteristics of such a finishing mold.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to eliminate the need for workers to manually apply a release agent to the finishing mold and the bottom mold, reduce the burden on workers involved in the application of the release agent, and further improve the safety of workers during the application of the release agent, shorten the time that glass bottle molding is stopped due to the application of the release agent, reduce variations in the application position and amount of release agent applied during finish molding, and further provide a configuration suitable for applying a release agent to the finishing mold, thereby contributing to the stabilization of the quality of glass bottles.

[0010] (1) In order to solve the above problems, a device for applying a release agent to a glass bottle finish molding mold according to one aspect of the present invention is configured to apply a release agent to at least one of a portion of a finishing mold molding surface provided on the finishing mold and the entire surface of a bottom mold molding surface provided on a bottom mold located below the finishing mold.

[0011] According to this configuration, the release agent is applied to the finishing mold and the bottom mold by an applicator. As a result, manual application of the release agent to the finishing mold and the bottom mold is no longer necessary, reducing the burden on the worker involved in the bottle-making process and improving worker safety during the application of the release agent. Furthermore, rapid application of the release agent by machine reduces the downtime of glass bottle molding due to the application of the release agent. Furthermore, compared to manual application of the release agent, application of the release agent by an applicator reduces variations in the application position and amount of the release agent to the finishing mold and the bottom mold. Furthermore, the release agent is applied to at least one of a portion of the molding surface of the finishing mold provided on the finishing mold and the entire molding surface of the bottom mold located below the finishing mold. This configuration allows sufficient application of the release agent to areas of the finishing mold where releasability is particularly required, while minimizing application of the release agent to areas where it is not particularly required. This prevents the adverse effects on glass bottles caused by an excess of release agent, making it possible to realize a configuration suitable for applying release agent to finishing molds, which in turn contributes to stabilizing the quality of glass bottles.

[0012] (2) The applicator may be equipped with a nozzle for spraying the release agent, and the finishing mold forming surface may include a neck forming surface for forming the neck of the glass bottle, a shoulder forming surface located below the neck forming surface for forming the shoulder of the glass bottle, and an engraving portion forming surface located below the shoulder forming surface and provided on a part of the body forming surface for forming the body of the glass bottle, for forming an engraving portion having an uneven shape relative to the body of the glass bottle, and the nozzle may be configured to apply the release agent to at least one of the neck forming surface, the shoulder forming surface, the engraving portion forming surface, and an opposing surface of the finishing mold that faces the mouth mold and is provided adjacent to the neck forming surface, as well as to the entire bottom mold forming surface.

[0013] With this configuration, the nozzle applies the release agent to the entire bottom mold molding surface as well as to at least one of the neck molding surface, shoulder molding surface, carved portion molding surface, and the surface of the finishing mold facing the mouth mold. Therefore, with this configuration, the release agent can be applied to the entire bottom mold molding surface, and the release agent can be more reliably applied to areas of the finishing mold where releasability is particularly required.

[0014] (3) The applicator may be configured such that the nozzle applies the release agent to an opposing surface of the finishing mold that faces the mouth mold and is adjacent to the neck molding surface, and to the neck molding surface.

[0015] With this configuration, the release agent can be applied to the surface facing the mouth mold and the neck molding surface, which prevents a large load from being applied to the boundary between the mouth and neck of the glass bottle and prevents cracks from occurring at the boundary between the mouth and neck. Therefore, with this configuration, the release agent can be more reliably applied to areas of the finishing mold where releasability is particularly required, and cracks can be prevented from occurring at the boundary between the mouth and neck.

[0016] (4) The applicator may include a multi-directional nozzle as the nozzle for spraying the release agent in a plurality of different directions, and the multi-directional nozzle may be configured to apply the release agent to at least one of the neck molding surface, the shoulder molding surface, the carved portion molding surface, and an opposing surface of the finishing mold that faces the mouth mold and is adjacent to the neck molding surface, and to the entire surface of the bottom mold molding surface.

[0017]

[0004] With this configuration, the release agent can be applied more quickly. Furthermore, the release agent is applied from spray nozzles located at different positions on the nozzle to multiple locations on at least one of the neck molding surface, shoulder molding surface, engraving surface, and surface of the finishing mold facing the mouth mold, as well as the entire bottom molding surface. This eliminates the need to change the orientation of the nozzle when applying the release agent, unlike when a single nozzle is used to apply the release agent to at least one of the neck molding surface, shoulder molding surface, engraving surface, and surface of the finishing mold facing the mouth mold, as well as the entire bottom molding surface. This reduces variations in the application position and amount of release agent, contributing to the stabilization of the quality of glass bottles.

[0018] (5) The applicator may be configured to apply the release agent when the pair of split dies of the finishing die are in a closed state.

[0019] This configuration allows the release agent to be applied with a more uniform distance between the nozzle and each part of the finishing mold to which the release agent is to be applied. Furthermore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the release agent from scattering outside the finishing mold.

[0020] (6) The applicator may be configured to apply the release agent when the parison is not inserted into the finishing mold.

[0021] This configuration can prevent the release agent applied from the application device to the finishing mold from directly adhering to the parison.

[0022] (7) The application device may be configured to apply the release agent to the sliding surface of the bottom mold between the finishing mold and the bottom mold when the pair of split molds of the finishing mold are opened.

[0023] With this configuration, the applicator can apply the release agent to the sliding surface between the finishing mold and the bottom mold, which makes the sliding between the finishing mold and the bottom mold smoother and as a result, prevents excessive force from being applied to the glass bottle molded in the finishing mold.

[0024] (8) The application device may be configured to apply the release agent to the finishing mold when the mouth mold is positioned above the finishing mold, thereby applying the release agent to the mouth mold and the finishing mold simultaneously.

[0025] According to this configuration, the applicator can apply the release agent to the mouth mold simultaneously when applying it to the finishing mold. Furthermore, this configuration more reliably prevents the release agent applied from the applicator to the mouth mold from adhering to areas where the release agent is undesirable, such as the plunger located below the blank mold. This prevents the occurrence of stains and foreign matter on the interior surface of the parison, i.e., the occurrence of stains and foreign matter on the interior surface of the glass bottle, thereby preventing a decrease in the strength of the glass bottle. Furthermore, when performing press blow molding (PB) or narrow neck press blow molding (NNPB), for example, release agent adhering to the plunger can deteriorate the adhesion between the plunger and the parison, preventing molding defects due to insufficient solidification of the glass.

[0026] (9) The application device may be configured to apply the release agent while a gap is provided between the finishing mold and the mouth mold, thereby simultaneously applying the release agent to the opposing surfaces of the mouth mold and the finishing mold.

[0027] According to this configuration, the release agent can be applied to the area of ​​the mouth mold that slides against the rough mold, together with the finishing mold. Furthermore, if the release agent is applied to the opposing surfaces of the mouth mold and the finishing mold, the mouth mold and the finishing mold themselves can function as fences, and it is possible to more reliably prevent the release agent applied from the applicator from scattering to areas where it is not needed.

[0028] (10) The applicator may be configured to apply the release agent to the finishing mold and the mouth mold when the mouth mold is positioned above the finishing mold during a swab cycle (in which each operation of the molding machine can be turned on or off as desired), which is an operation cycle in which no gob is introduced into the glass bottle manufacturing apparatus including the finishing mold and which differs from a normal bottle-making cycle (in which gobs are supplied at regular intervals and the operations required to mold a glass bottle are repeated).

[0029] This configuration prevents the release agent applied from the applicator to the finishing mold from directly adhering to the parison. Furthermore, when applying the release agent to the finishing mold, the applicator can also apply the release agent to the mouth mold. This configuration more reliably prevents the release agent applied from the applicator to the mouth mold from adhering to areas where adhesion of the release agent is undesirable, such as the plunger located below the blank mold. This prevents the occurrence of stains and foreign matter on the interior surface of the parison, i.e., the occurrence of stains and foreign matter on the interior surface of the glass bottle, thereby preventing a decrease in the strength of the glass bottle. Furthermore, for example, when press blow molding (PB) or narrow neck press blow molding (NNPB) is performed, release agent adhering to the plunger can deteriorate the adhesion between the plunger and the parison, preventing molding defects due to insufficient solidification of the glass.

[0030] (11) It is preferable that the application device includes an application section that applies the release agent to the finishing mold, and a control unit that controls the operation of the application section.

[0031] According to this configuration, the control unit can control the actual release agent application operation by controlling the application section.

[0032] (12) It is preferable that the application section is configured to be displaced relative to the finishing mold by a displacement mechanism, and the control unit includes a control section that controls the operation of the displacement mechanism and the supply of the release agent from the application section.

[0033] According to this configuration, the control unit can operate the displacement mechanism to change the position of the applicator, thereby allowing the applicator to apply the release agent more accurately to a desired location on the inner surface of the finishing mold.

[0034] (13) In order to solve the above problems, a method of applying a release agent to a glass bottle finish molding mold according to one aspect of the present invention applies a release agent to at least one of a part of the molding surface of the finishing mold provided on the finishing mold and the entire molding surface of the bottom mold provided on the bottom mold located below the finishing mold.

[0035] (14) In order to solve the above problem, a glass bottle manufacturing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is provided with the release agent application device.

[0036] (15) In order to solve the above problem, a glass bottle manufacturing method according to one aspect of the present invention includes a release agent application step in which a release agent is applied to at least one of a portion of a finishing mold molding surface provided on a finishing mold and the entire surface of a bottom mold molding surface provided on a bottom mold located below the finishing mold, and a molding step in which a glass bottle is molded using the finishing mold.

[0037] According to the above configurations (13) to (15), when the release agent is applied to the finishing mold and the bottom mold by an applicator, manual application of the release agent by an operator is not required. This reduces the burden on the operator during the bottle-making process and improves the safety of the operator during the application of the release agent. Furthermore, the release agent can be applied quickly by machine, thereby shortening the downtime of glass bottle molding due to the application of the release agent. Furthermore, compared to manual application of the release agent, application of the release agent by an applicator reduces variations in the application position and amount of the release agent applied to the finishing mold and the bottom mold. Furthermore, the release agent is applied to at least one of a portion of the molding surface of the finishing mold provided on the finishing mold and the entire molding surface of the bottom mold provided on the bottom mold located below the finishing mold. This configuration allows sufficient application of the release agent to areas of the finishing mold where releasability is particularly required, while minimizing application of the release agent to areas where it is not particularly required. This prevents the adverse effects on glass bottles caused by an excess of release agent, making it possible to realize a configuration suitable for applying release agent to finishing molds, which in turn contributes to stabilizing the quality of glass bottles.

[0038] According to the present invention, the manual application of the release agent by the worker is no longer necessary, which reduces the burden on the worker involved in applying the release agent and improves safety during the application of the release agent. Furthermore, the downtime of glass bottle molding due to the application of the release agent can be shortened, and variations in the application position and amount of the release agent during the finish molding can be reduced. Furthermore, a configuration suitable for applying the release agent to the finish mold can be realized, which contributes to stabilizing the quality of glass bottles.

[0039] 1 is a schematic side view of a glass bottle manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, with a portion shown in cross section and a portion omitted; 2 is a schematic plan view of the glass bottle manufacturing apparatus, with a portion omitted; 3 is a schematic side view showing an applicator, a mouth mold, a finishing mold, etc.; 4 (A) and (B) are diagrams for explaining an example of a flow of glass bottle molding; 5 (A) and (B) are diagrams for explaining an example of a flow of glass bottle molding; 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of an application operation of a release agent by an applicator; 7 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a flow of a swab cycle preparation operation (step S2); 8 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a flow of a release agent application operation (step S3); 9 (A) to (C) are diagrams for explaining an example of an application operation of a release agent by an applicator; 10 (A) and (B) are diagrams for explaining an example of an application operation of a release agent by an applicator; 11 is a diagram for explaining a first modified example of the present invention; 12 (A) is a partially cross-sectional side view showing a main portion of a second modified example of the present invention; 13 (B) is a partially cross-sectional side view showing a main portion of a third modified example of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a main part of a fourth modified example of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of a main part for explaining a fifth modified example of the present invention;

[0040] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0041] Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a glass bottle manufacturing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, with a portion shown in cross section and with some parts omitted. Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of the glass bottle manufacturing apparatus 1, with some parts omitted. Fig. 3 is a schematic side view showing an application device 40, a mouth mold 21, a finishing mold 31, etc. Figs. 4(A) and 4(B) are diagrams illustrating an example of the glass bottle molding process. Figs. 5(A) and 5(B) are diagrams illustrating an example of the glass bottle molding process.

[0042] 1 to 5B, a glass bottle manufacturing apparatus 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as manufacturing apparatus 1) uses a blow-blowing process to form a gob 101 (a molten glass gob) into a parison 102, and then molds the parison 102 into a glass bottle 103. Gobs 101 are supplied to the manufacturing apparatus 1 from a gob supply mechanism (not shown). In this embodiment, the manufacturing apparatus 1 can simultaneously mold two gobs 101 into glass bottles 103. Note that some manufacturing apparatuses 1 can simultaneously mold one, three, or four gobs 101 into glass bottles 103, and the number of gobs that can be simultaneously molded is not limited to two.

[0043] The manufacturing apparatus 1 has a rough mold section 10, a mouth mold section 20, a finish mold section 30, and a release agent application device 40.

[0044] The rough mold section 10 is used to mold the gob 101 into a parison 102 in cooperation with the mouth mold section 20. The rough mold section 10 is supplied (filled) with the gob 101 from the gob supply mechanism described above.

[0045] The rough mold section 10 has a rough mold 11, a funnel 13, a baffle 14, a thimble 15, a plunger 16, and a rough mold opening and closing mechanism (not shown).

[0046] In this embodiment, two rough molds 11 are provided. Each rough mold 11 has a pair of split molds 11a, 11b facing each other on the left and right. These split molds 11a, 11b are fitted together to form a cavity 17 into which the gob 101 is filled. The pair of split molds 11a, 11b of each rough mold 11 are opened and closed by a rough mold opening and closing mechanism (not shown).

[0047] The lower surface 11c of the rough mold 11 is formed with an upward recess at a location corresponding to the cavity 17, and a mouth mold 21 of the mouth mold section 20 is disposed in this recess. The mouth mold section 20 is provided to form the mouth 103a of the glass bottle 103 from the gob 101. The mouth mold section 20 is also configured to transfer the parison 102 formed in the rough mold 11 to the finishing mold section 30.

[0048] The mouth mold section 20 has a mouth mold 21, a mouth mold holder 22 that supports the mouth mold 21, a rotating shaft 24 to which the mouth mold holder 22 is attached, and a mouth mold opening and closing mechanism (not shown).

[0049] In this embodiment, two mouth dies 21 are provided. A portion of the mouth dies 21, including the opposing surface 21e, is fitted into a fitting surface formed on the underside 11c of the rough mold 11. When the mouth dies 21 are arranged on the rough mold 11 side, the plunger 16 is positioned to close the opening of the mouth dies 21. The mouth dies 21 have a pair of semi-cylindrical split dies 21a and 21b facing each other on the left and right. These split dies 21a and 21b are combined to form the cylindrical mouth dies 21. The split dies 21a and 21b are appropriately switched between an open state in which they are separated from each other and a closed state in which they are closed together by the operation of an opening / closing mechanism (not shown). A guide ring 23 is fitted into the axial middle portion of the mouth dies 21. A spiral groove or concave / convex portion is formed on the mouth forming surface 21d. The gob 101 is pressed against the mouth forming surface 21d to form the mouth 103a.

[0050] The upper surface of the die 21 facing the bottom surface 11c (lower surface) of the rough die 11 includes an opposing surface 21e. In this embodiment, the opposing surface 21e is a generally flat surface. The die 21 is supported by a die holder 22. In this embodiment, the die holder 22 is an L-shaped arm member. The base end of the die holder 22 is attached to a horizontally extending rotation shaft 24, and the die holder 22 and die 21 can rotate around the central axis of the rotation shaft 24 by a rotation mechanism (not shown). This rotation movement allows the die 21 to reciprocate between a position below the rough die 11 (position in FIG. 1 ) and a position above the finishing die section 30 (position in FIG. 3 ).

[0051] Returning to the description of the rough mold section 10, the funnel 13 is cylindrical and assists the gob 101 in entering the cavity 17. The funnel 13 also cooperates with the baffle 14 to close the upper end of the rough mold 11 during the Settle blow process. After this closing operation, compressed air is injected toward the gob 101 in the cavity 17 through the ventilation holes in the baffle 14.

[0052] The plunger 16 is configured to be able to blow compressed air supplied from a compressor (not shown) toward the gob 101 in the cavity 17. The plunger 16 is guided by a cylindrical thimble 15 and is able to move up and down. The plunger 16 is exposed to the rough mold 11 side through the opening of the mouth mold 21. This allows the plunger 16 to come into direct contact with the gob 101 that has reached the mouth mold 21, thereby forming the inner surface of the mouth.

[0053] In this embodiment, the finishing mold section 30 is disposed on the opposite side of the rough mold section 10 across the rotation shaft 24 to which the mouth mold holder 22 is attached. In this embodiment, the rotation shaft 24 to which the mouth mold holder 22 is attached is used as a reference, and the area on the rough mold section 10 side from an imaginary vertical plane P1 passing through the rotation shaft 24 is referred to as the "rough mold side," and the area on the finishing mold section 30 side from the imaginary vertical plane P1 is referred to as the "finishing mold side."

[0054] The finishing mold section 30 has a finishing mold 31, a bottom mold 32 disposed below the finishing mold 31, a blow head 34, and a finishing mold opening / closing mechanism (not shown). The finishing mold 31 and the bottom mold 32 constitute the glass bottle finish molding mold in this embodiment.

[0055] In this embodiment, two finishing dies 31 are provided. The finishing dies 31 cooperate with the bottom die 32 to mold the parison 102 except for the mouth portion 103a, thereby forming the glass bottle 103. The finishing die 31 has a pair of split dies 31a, 31b facing each other on the left and right. These split dies 31a, 31b are combined to form the finishing die 31.

[0056] The top surface of the finishing mold 31 has an opposing surface 31e that faces the opposing surface 21e of the mouth mold 21. The opposing surface 31e is a generally flat surface formed around the opening of the finishing mold 31. The opposing surface 31e faces the mouth mold 21 of the finishing mold 31 and is configured as a surface provided adjacent to a neck molding surface 31g of a finishing mold molding surface 31f (described below). The inner surface of the finishing mold 31 forms a cavity 35 into which the portion of the parison 102 other than the mouth portion 103a is inserted. In this specification, the surface of the inner surface of the finishing mold 31 that forms the cavity 35 is referred to as the finishing mold molding surface 31f. The finishing mold molding surface 31f of the finishing mold 31 and the bottom mold molding surface 32f (described below) of the bottom mold 32, which serve as the areas where the parison 102 is molded into the glass bottle 103, are coated with a coating such as carbon coating. Furthermore, a release agent is periodically applied to this inner surface by an application device 40.

[0057] The inner surface of the finishing die 31 includes a finishing die forming surface 31f and a fitting surface 31j disposed below the finishing die forming surface 31f.

[0058] The finishing mold forming surface 31f has a neck forming surface 31g adjacent to the opposing surface 31e for forming the neck portion 103b of the glass bottle 103, a shoulder forming surface 31h arranged below the neck forming surface 31g for forming the shoulder portion 103c of the glass bottle 103, and a body forming surface 31i arranged below the shoulder forming surface 31h for forming the body portion 103d of the glass bottle 103.

[0059] The neck forming surface 31g is, for example, a cylindrical surface having a diameter smaller than that of the body forming surface 31i. In this embodiment, the neck forming surface 31g is disposed on the upper side of the finishing mold forming surface 31f.

[0060] The shoulder molding surface 31h is a surface connecting the neck molding surface 31g and the body molding surface 31i. The upper end of the shoulder molding surface 31h, which continues from the neck molding surface 31g, is curved so that its diameter increases toward the bottom, forming a convex shape toward the center of the cavity 35 in side view. The middle portion of the shoulder molding surface 31h is tapered, with its diameter increasing downward. The lower end of the shoulder molding surface 31h, which continues from the body molding surface 31i, is curved so that its diameter increases downward, forming a convex shape toward the outside of the cavity 35 in side view. With this configuration, the shoulder molding surface 31h is configured to mold the glass bottle 103 from the rounded portion at the base of the neck 103b to the portion that meets the body 103d.

[0061] The body forming surface 31i is a cylindrical surface with a substantially constant diameter, with the diameter of the lower portion of the body forming surface 31i being slightly smaller than the diameter of the middle portion of the body forming surface 31i. The bottom portion of the body forming surface 31i also serves as the skirt forming surface. The lower portion of this body forming surface 31i abuts against the bottom mold forming surface 32f of the bottom mold 32, which will be described later. A mating surface 31j is located on the bottom side of this body forming surface 31i. In addition, part of the body forming surface 31i is provided with an engraving portion forming surface 31m for forming an engraving portion with a concave-convex shape on the body portion 103d of the glass bottle 103. The engraving portion formed on the body portion 103d of the glass bottle 103 is formed as letters or patterns engraved to create a concave-convex shape on the surface of the body 103d. The engraving molding surface 31m is formed with a concave-convex shape corresponding to the shape of the engraving, which is used to imprint and mold an engraving formed as letters or a pattern on the body portion 103d. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the shape of the engraving molding surface 31m for molding an engraving formed as the character string "AAA" on the body portion 103d. Note that the engraving molding surface 31m is omitted from the drawings of the finishing mold 31 other than FIG. 1. Note that, although the present embodiment illustrates a finishing mold 31 in which the engraving molding surface 31m is provided on the body portion molding surface 31i, this example is not limiting. A finishing mold without an engraving molding surface may also be implemented.

[0062] The mating surface 31j is provided as a portion that mates with a protrusion 37 (described later) of the bottom mold 32. The mating surface 31j includes an annular groove portion adjacent to the body molding surface 31i and a cylindrical portion that is connected from the annular groove portion to a flat sliding surface 31k that serves as the bottom surface of the finishing mold 31.

[0063] Two bottom dies 32 are provided corresponding to the two finishing dies 31. The bottom dies 32 are arranged on the bottom side of the finishing dies 31 and cooperate with the finishing dies 31 to form a cavity 35.

[0064] The bottom mold 32 has a base portion 36 and a protrusion 37 protruding from the base portion 36 .

[0065] The base portion 36 is a block-shaped portion disposed below the finishing die 31. The upper surface of the base portion 36 includes a sliding surface 36k that is in slidable contact with the sliding surface 31k of the finishing die 31. The sliding surface 36k is a flat surface that is parallel to the sliding surface 31k formed on the bottom surface of the finishing die 31. When the finishing die 31 opens or closes, the sliding surface 31k slides against the stationary sliding surface 36k.

[0066] The protrusion 37 is a portion that is fitted into the fitting surface 31j of the finishing mold 31 and has the bottom mold forming surface 32f.

[0067] The outer periphery of the convex portion 37 is formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the mating surface 31j of the finishing mold 31, and the base end portion continuing from the base portion 36 is formed in a cylindrical shape, while the tip side portion is formed in a disk shape that bulges radially outward from the base side portion.

[0068] A bottom mold forming surface 32f is formed on the top surface of the convex portion 37. In this embodiment, the bottom mold forming surface 32f is formed on the entire top surface of the convex portion 37, which cooperates with the finishing mold 31 to form the cavity 35. That is, the bottom mold forming surface 32f is configured as the surface of the portion of the top surface of the convex portion 37 that is exposed to the cavity 35. The inner surface forming the cavity 35 is composed of the finishing mold forming surface 31f and the bottom mold forming surface 32f. In this embodiment, the bottom mold forming surface 32f is formed in a circular shape, and the outer peripheral edge of this circular portion contacts the lower end of the body portion forming surface 31i of the finishing mold forming surface 31f. The bottom mold forming surface 32f is formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the bottom of the glass bottle 103, and is formed as a flat surface or a shape with a raised center, for example.

[0069] With the above configuration, when the pair of split dies 31a, 31b of the finishing die 31 are closed, the convex portion 37 of the bottom die 32 fits into the fitting surface 31j of the finishing die 31, and the sliding surface 31k of the finishing die 31 and the sliding surface 36k of the bottom die 32 are in contact. When the pair of split dies 31a, 31b of the finishing die 31 are opened or closed, the sliding surface 31k of the finishing die 31 slides against the sliding surface 36k of the bottom die 32. For this reason, a lubricant (mold release agent) is applied between the sliding surface 36k of the bottom die 32. The pair of split dies 31a, 31b of the finishing die 31 are opened and closed by a finishing die opening and closing mechanism.

[0070] The blow head 34 is provided to supply high-pressure air from a compressed air supply source such as a compressor (not shown) into the parison 102. The blow head 34 is formed in the shape of a hollow block, has a nozzle for blowing air built into the center, and is configured to be movable by a movement mechanism (not shown) between a position where it is placed on the opposing surface 31 e of the finishing mold 31 and a position where it is retracted from the opposing surface 31 e of the finishing mold 31.

[0071] The main points of the molding process for glass bottles 103 using manufacturing apparatus 1 having the above configuration are described below. Referring to Figure 1, during the rough molding process (parison molding) of the glass bottle 103 molding process, gobs 101 are first filled into each cavity 17 of blank mold 11, to which funnels 13 are attached. Baffles 14 are then attached to funnels 13. Next, a Settle-Blow process is performed in which compressed air is sprayed from baffles 14 toward cavities 17, deforming gob 101 as it is pressed against mouth mold 21. This forms mouth 103a.

[0072] Next, as shown in Figure 4(A), with the upper end of the blank mold 11 blocked by the baffle 14, the plunger 16 is lowered. Then, compressed air is blown from the lower part of the plunger 16 through the inside of the plunger 16 toward the inside of the gob 101 as shown by the arrows. In other words, the counter-blow process is performed. As a result, the gob 101 is pressed against the blank mold 11, and a cavity is formed inside the gob 101. By this process (i.e., the rough molding process of the molding process for a glass bottle 103), a parison 102 is molded.

[0073] After the rough molding process is completed, the parison 102 molded in the rough mold 11 is transferred to the finishing mold section 30. To transfer the parison 102, the baffle 14 is first removed from the rough mold 11, and the pair of halves 11a and 11b of the rough mold 11 are opened by the rough mold opening / closing mechanism. The rotary shaft 24 to which the mouth mold holder 22 is attached then rotates. As a result, the mouth mold 21 is positioned above the finishing mold 31 from below the rough mold 11 (the rough mold 11 side), as shown in FIG. 4B . At this time, the pair of halves 31a and 31b of the finishing mold 31 are open. Furthermore, when the pair of halves 31a and 31b of the finishing mold 31 are closed, a small gap G1 of approximately 1 mm is formed between the opposing surface 21e of the mouth mold 21 and the opposing surface 31e of the finishing mold 31. Through this operation, the entire parison 102 except for its mouth is positioned within the finishing mold 31.

[0074] Next, the pair of split dies 31a, 31b of the finishing die 31 are closed by a finishing die opening / closing mechanism (not shown). Next, the pair of split dies 21a, 21b of the mouth die 21 are opened by the mouth die opening / closing mechanism (not shown), and the parison 102 drops slightly and is received by the opposing surface 31e of the finishing die 31, as shown in Figure 5(A). This completes the transfer of the parison 102 to the finishing die section 30. After the transfer of the parison 102 is completed, the mouth die 21 is returned to the rough die 11 side by the rotation of the rotating shaft 24 to which the mouth die holder 22 is attached.

[0075] Once the transfer of the parison 102 is complete, the next step is the finish molding process of the glass bottle 103. That is, the finish molding process is performed to mold the glass bottle 103 using the finishing mold 31. This finish molding process constitutes the molding step in the glass bottle manufacturing method of this embodiment, in which the glass bottle 103 is molded using the finishing mold 31. In the finish molding process, as shown in FIG. 5B , the blow head 34 first moves above the finishing mold 31, covering the mouth 103a. The blow head 34 supplies compressed air to the parison 102 through a built-in nozzle. This initiates the final blow process, in which the parison 102 is pressed against the molding surfaces 31f, 32f of the finishing mold 31 and the bottom mold 32, expanding the space within the parison 102. As a result, the glass bottle 103 is molded. Once the glass bottle 103 has been molded, the blow head 34 retracts from the finishing mold 31, and the pair of halves 31a, 31b of the finishing mold 31 are opened by the finishing mold opening / closing mechanism. The glass bottle 103 is then removed from the finishing mold 31 by a take-out arm (not shown).

[0076] A release agent is periodically applied to the inner surface of the cavity 35 of the finishing mold 31 to ensure releasability (ease of separation) from the parison 102. The release agent is applied between molding steps of the glass bottle 103. To apply this release agent, an application device 40 shown in FIG. 3 is used.

[0077] An example of the release agent applied by the applicator 40 is mineral oil containing graphite particles as a solid lubricant. The applicator 40 constitutes a device for applying a release agent to a glass bottle finish molding die in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the applicator 40 is configured to apply the release agent to at least one of a portion of the finish molding surface 31f of the finish mold 31 and the entire bottom molding surface 32f of the bottom mold 32.

[0078] In this embodiment, the applicator 40 is configured to apply the release agent particularly to a portion of the finishing mold molding surface 31f provided on the finishing mold 31, the entire bottom mold molding surface 32f provided on the bottom mold 32 located below the finishing mold 31, and the sliding surface 36k of the bottom mold 32 that slides against the finishing mold 31. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the applicator 40 is configured to apply the release agent to a position away from the plunger 16 of the rough mold 11, that is, to the mouth mold 21 located above the finishing mold 31, based on the position A1 of the mouth mold 21 during parison molding (see FIG. 1; the position below the rough mold 11).

[0079] Referring to FIG. 3, the coating device 40 includes a control unit 41, a displacement mechanism 42, a release agent supply mechanism (not shown), and two nozzles 43 for spraying the release agent.

[0080] The control unit 41 has a configuration that outputs a predetermined output signal based on a predetermined input signal, and can be formed, for example, by using a programmable logic controller (PLC). The control unit 41 may be formed by using a computer that includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), and ROM (Read Only Memory). The control unit 41 may also be configured to spray the release agent from the nozzle 43 and displace the nozzle 43 mechanically, without including an electric circuit.

[0081] The control unit 41 is configured to control the operation of the displacement mechanism 42 (nozzle 43) and the supply amount (spray amount) of the release agent from the spray nozzles 43a and 43b of the nozzle 43, which will be described later. The control of the amount of spray (including the setting of the spray area) to each area of ​​the finishing mold molding surface 31f and the bottom mold molding surface 32f can be performed by controlling the amount of spray itself (liquid pressure) from the nozzle 43, controlling the ascending and descending speed of the nozzle 43 while keeping the amount of spray fixed, and controlling the timing of spraying the release agent from the nozzle 43. Of course, the desired application can also be achieved by controlling the on / off state of the spray of the release agent from the nozzle 43.

[0082] The control unit 41 is configured to be able to detect the open / closed state of the pair of split dies 31a, 31b of the finishing die 31. For example, a sensor that detects the open / closed positions of the pair of split dies 31a, 31b may be connected to the control unit 41, thereby allowing the control unit 41 to detect the open / closed state of the pair of split dies 31a, 31b. Also, for example, a control circuit that controls the operation of the pair of split dies 31a, 31b may be connected to the control unit 41, thereby allowing the control unit 41 to detect the open / closed state of the pair of split dies 31a, 31b by receiving a signal from the control circuit. Also, for example, a configuration may be adopted in which the control unit 41 controls the open / close operation of the pair of split dies 31a, 31b. Also, the control unit 41 may be able to control each component of the manufacturing apparatus 1.

[0083] The displacement mechanism 42 is used to displace the nozzle 43 relative to the finishing mold 31 and the mouth mold 21 and to maintain the position of the nozzle 43. The displacement mechanism 42 is formed, for example, by using an articulated robot such as a six-axis robot. Note that the specific mechanism of the displacement mechanism 42 is not limited as long as it is at least capable of moving the nozzle 43 into and out of the cavity 35 of the finishing mold 31. Furthermore, the displacement mechanism 42 may be configured to be movable along each section on the finishing mold side of the glass bottle molding machine (IS machine).

[0084] The aforementioned release agent supply mechanism is used to supply the release agent to the nozzle 43, and includes, for example, a hose, a pump, and a control valve for transporting the release agent to the nozzle 43. The release agent supply mechanism is electrically connected to the control unit 41, and is configured so that the supply and stop of the release agent to the nozzle 43 are controlled by the control unit 41.

[0085] The nozzle 43 is used to spray the release agent. The nozzle 43 is formed in the shape of a long, thin rod. The base end of the nozzle 43 is supported at the tip of the displacement mechanism 42. The nozzle 43 is formed to a length that allows it to be inserted at least to a portion of the cavity 35 that faces horizontally the neck molding surface 31g. In this embodiment, when the applicator 40 sprays the release agent, the tip of the nozzle 43 is inserted into a portion that faces horizontally the body molding surface 31i. The nozzle 43 may spray the release agent while ascending, may spray the release agent while descending, or may spray the release agent while stopped after being inserted into the cavity 35.

[0086] The nozzle 43 in this embodiment is a multidirectional nozzle that sprays the release agent in a plurality of different directions. That is, the application device 40 includes a multidirectional nozzle that sprays the release agent in a plurality of different directions as the nozzle 43 that sprays the release agent. Moreover, the nozzle 43 exemplified as a multidirectional nozzle in this embodiment is a bidirectional nozzle that sprays the release agent in two mutually different directions. More specifically, the nozzle 43 is configured to spray the release agent laterally along the horizontal direction and downward along the vertical direction. The nozzle 43 is formed with a first spray nozzle (application portion) 43a and a second spray nozzle (application portion) 43b.

[0087] The first spray nozzle 43a and the second spray nozzle 43b are respectively disposed at the tip end and the middle of the nozzle 43, and are formed by slits or the like and configured to spray the release agent. The first spray nozzle 43a sprays the release agent in the axial direction of the finishing mold 31, i.e., in the present embodiment, in a first direction along the vertical direction (downward). On the other hand, the second spray nozzle 43b sprays the release agent in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the finishing mold 31, i.e., in the present embodiment, in a second direction along the horizontal direction.

[0088] For example, one first spray nozzle 43a is disposed at the tip of the nozzle 43, and faces the bottom mold molding surface 32f when spraying the release agent. The release agent reaches the first spray nozzle 43a through a path (not shown) inside the nozzle 43 and is sprayed from the first spray nozzle 43a onto the entire bottom mold molding surface 32f. The second spray nozzle 43b is disposed above the first spray nozzle 43a (at a position further toward the base end of the nozzle 43 from the first spray nozzle 43a). For example, multiple second spray nozzles 43b are disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the nozzle 43, centered around the central axis of the nozzle 43. Note that, in this embodiment, the second spray nozzle 43b is disposed at a single vertical position of the nozzle 43, but this example is not limiting. The second spray nozzle 43b may be disposed at multiple vertical positions of the nozzle 43.

[0089] In the initial stage of spraying the release agent, the second spray nozzle 43b is located inside the cavity 35 and faces horizontally at least a part of the neck molding surface 31g and the shoulder molding surface 31h. The release agent reaches the second spray nozzle 43b through a path (not shown) inside the nozzle 43 and is sprayed onto the neck molding surface 31g and the shoulder molding surface 31h. For example, as the nozzle 43 rises, the release agent is sprayed from the second spray nozzle 43b, and the release agent is applied to the entire surfaces of the neck molding surface 31g and the shoulder molding surface 31h.

[0090] In the later stage of spraying the release agent, the nozzle 43 is raised by the displacement mechanism 42 so as to be removed from the cavity 35. Accordingly, the second spray nozzle 43b sprays the release agent so that the release agent is applied to the opposing surface 31e of the finishing mold 31, the opposing surface 21e of the mouth mold 21, and the entire mouth portion molding surface 21d of the inner surface of the mouth mold 21.

[0091] In this way, each of the spray nozzles 43 a and 43 b functions as an application section that applies the release agent to the finishing mold 31 , the bottom mold 32 and the mouth mold 21 .

[0092] With this configuration, when the mouth mold 21 is positioned above the finishing mold 31, the nozzle 43 applies the release agent to the mouth molding surface 21d of the mouth mold 21, the opposing surface 31e of the finishing mold 31 that faces the mouth mold 21, the portion of the finishing mold molding surface 31f from the neck molding surface 31g to the shoulder molding surface 31h, and the entire bottom mold molding surface 32f. While the above example illustrates a configuration in which the nozzle 43 applies the release agent to the neck molding surface 31g and the shoulder molding surface 31h of the finishing mold molding surface 31f, the area to which the nozzle 43 applies the release agent on the finishing mold molding surface 31f is not limited to this example. For example, the nozzle 43 may apply the release agent to a portion of the body molding surface 31i on the finishing mold molding surface 31f.

[0093] If an engraving of letters or a pattern is to be formed on the side of the body 103d of the glass bottle 103, the release agent may be sprayed from the first spray nozzle 43a or the second spray nozzle 43b onto a portion of the finishing mold molding surface 31f where an engraving surface for forming the engraving of the letters or pattern will be formed. In this embodiment, the release agent may be sprayed onto the engraving surface 31m provided on a portion of the body molding surface 31i, for example, from the second spray nozzle 43b.

[0094] With the above-described configuration, the nozzle 43 is configured to apply a release agent to at least one of the neck molding surface 31g, shoulder molding surface 31h, and engraving portion molding surface 31m of the finishing mold molding surface 31f, and the opposing surface 31e of the finishing mold 31 that faces the mouth mold 21 and is provided adjacent to the neck molding surface 31g, as well as to the entire bottom mold molding surface 32f. Furthermore, the nozzle 43 configured as a multi-directional nozzle is configured to apply a release agent to both at least one of the neck molding surface 31g, shoulder molding surface 31h, engraving portion molding surface 31m, and the opposing surface 31e of the finishing mold 31 that faces the mouth mold 21 and is provided adjacent to the neck molding surface 31g, and to the entire bottom mold molding surface 32f. Furthermore, the nozzle 43 is configured to apply a release agent to the opposing surface 31e of the finishing mold 31, which faces the mouth mold 21 and is adjacent to the neck molding surface 31g, and to the neck molding surface 31g.

[0095] Inside the nozzle 43, the path through which the release agent is supplied to the first spray nozzle 43a and the path through which the release agent is supplied to the second spray nozzle 43b may be continuous or may be different paths. For example, inside the nozzle 43, one path extending in the vertical direction for supplying the release agent may be provided, and the release agent may be supplied to the second spray nozzle 43b midway along this path, and the release agent may be supplied to the first spray nozzle 43a downstream of this path. Alternatively, inside the nozzle 43, two paths extending in the vertical direction for supplying the release agent separately may be provided, and the release agent may be supplied to the second spray nozzle 43b through one path, and the release agent may be supplied to the first spray nozzle 43a through the other path.

[0096] The method of spraying the release agent from each of the spray nozzles 43 a, 43 b may be a method using a pump (for example, a plunger pump) or a method using a two-fluid mixture (a mixture of the release agent and air) using compressed air.

[0097] The first spray nozzle 43a sprays the release agent so as to form, for example, a full cone-shaped first spray pattern J1. The full cone-shaped first spray pattern J1 is formed so that the first spray nozzle 43a faces downward from a position surrounded by the finishing mold 31. The region where this full cone-shaped first spray pattern J1 is formed can be appropriately set by setting the shape of the first spray nozzle 43a, the height position of the first spray nozzle 43a, the spray pressure of the release agent from the first spray nozzle 43a, etc.

[0098] The second spray nozzle 43b may have, for example, a number of nozzles arranged around a circumference, each of which sprays the release agent so as to form a full cone-shaped second spray pattern J2. The full cone-shaped second spray pattern J2 is formed so as to face a substantially horizontal direction. The area in which the full cone-shaped second spray pattern J2 is formed can be appropriately set by setting the shape of the second spray nozzle 43b, the height position of the second spray nozzle 43b, the spray pressure of the release agent from the second spray nozzle 43b, and the like.

[0099] When the release agent is sprayed by the nozzle 43, the nozzle 43 may be displaced up and down by the displacement mechanism 42 relative to the finishing mold 31, or may be stationary. In addition, an annular plate disposed coaxially with the nozzle 43 may be attached to the outer circumferential surface of the nozzle 43 near the second spray port 43b. When this annular plate is provided, it is possible to prevent the release agent from scattering excessively and widely to unintended locations.

[0100] In this embodiment, the application of the release agent by the application device 40 is performed in a swab cycle, which is an operation cycle different from a normal bottle-making cycle, and in which the gob 101 is not introduced into the manufacturing apparatus 1. In this swab cycle, when the mouth mold 21 is positioned above the finishing mold 31, the application device 40 applies the release agent to the finishing mold 31 and the mouth mold 21.

[0101] Next, a more specific description will be given of an example of the application of the release agent by the application device 40. As described above, the application of the release agent by the application device 40 applies the release agent to at least one of a portion of the finish mold forming surface 31f of the finish mold 31 and the entire bottom mold forming surface 32f of the bottom mold 32. The application of the release agent by the application device 40 constitutes the method of applying the release agent to the glass bottle finish molding mold in this embodiment, and also constitutes the release agent application step in the glass bottle manufacturing method in this embodiment.

[0102] 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the release agent application operation by the application device 40. Note that, when the following explanation is given with reference to the flowchart, other figures will also be referred to as appropriate.

[0103] 6, the applicator 40 applies a release agent between glass bottle molding operations performed by the manufacturing apparatus 1. Specifically, the control unit 41 periodically issues a swab cycle command (step S1). This initiates a swab cycle preparation operation (step S2). Next, a release agent application operation (step S3) is performed. When the release agent application operation is completed, the glass bottle molding operation described above is resumed (step S4).

[0104] Next, the swab cycle preparation operation (step S2) and the release agent application operation (step S3) will be described in detail.

[0105] Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the swab cycle preparation operation (step S2). Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the release agent application operation (step S3).

[0106] 7 , in the swab cycle preparation operation, first, the gob supplying device (not shown) receives a command from the control unit 41 and uses its interceptor function to stop the supply of the gob 101 from the gob supplying device to the blank mold 11 (step S21). Next, after the final blow process is completed on the finishing mold side, the blow head 34 is operated by the drive mechanism in response to a command from the control unit 41 to retract from the top surface of the finishing mold 31 and stop in that state (step S22). Next, the finishing mold 31 opens, and a take-out arm (not shown) removes the glass bottle 103 molded in the finishing mold 31 from the finishing mold 31. Then, the drive mechanism in response to a command from the control unit 41 stops the take-out arm in that state (retracted state) (step S23).

[0107] 9A, the drive mechanism receives a command from the control unit 41 and operates the rotary shaft 24 to which the die holder 22 is attached, and the die 21 is positioned above the finishing die 31 (step S24). This operation is performed almost simultaneously with step S23.

[0108] Next, the pair of split dies 31a, 31b of the finishing die 31 are closed by the operation of the finishing die opening / closing mechanism in response to a command from the control unit 41, and the pair of split dies 21a, 21b of the mouth die 21 are closed by the operation of an opening / closing mechanism (not shown) (step S25). At this time, the vertical distance (length of gap G1) between the opposing surface 21e of the mouth die 21 and the opposing surface 31e of the finishing die 31 is set to about 1 mm.

[0109] Next, the release agent application operation (step S3) will be described.

[0110] Referring to FIG. 8 , in the release agent application operation, first, the control unit 41 operates the displacement mechanism 42 to insert the nozzle 43 into the mouth mold 21 and the finishing mold 31, as shown in FIG. 9(B) (step S31). Next, the control unit 41 operates the release agent supply mechanism to spray the release agent from the first spray nozzle 43a and the second spray nozzle 43b of the nozzle 43, as shown in FIG. 9(C). As a result, the release agent is sprayed onto the entire bottom mold molding surface 32f of the bottom mold 32 and the shoulder molding surface 31h and neck molding surface 31g of the finishing mold 31 (step S32). As a result, a film F1 of the release agent is formed on the bottom mold molding surface 32f, the shoulder molding surface 31h, and the neck molding surface 31g. In this way, the nozzle 43 applies the release agent when the pair of split molds 31a, 31b of the finishing mold 31 are closed.

[0111] Next, the control unit 41 temporarily stops spraying of the release agent from the nozzle 43 (step S33). Then, as shown in FIG. 10A, the control unit 41 operates the finishing mold opening / closing mechanism to temporarily open the pair of split dies 31a, 31b of the finishing mold 31. At this time, spraying is temporarily performed to apply the release agent (lubricant) to the sliding surface 36k of the bottom mold 32. Thereafter, the control unit 41 operates the finishing mold opening / closing mechanism to close the pair of split dies 31a, 31b of the finishing mold 31 again (step S34). Step S33 may be omitted, and the pair of split dies 31a, 31b of the finishing mold 31 may be opened and closed while the release agent is still being sprayed from the nozzle 43, and the release agent may be applied to the sliding surface 36k of the bottom mold 32.

[0112] Next, as shown in FIG. 10(B), the control unit 41 operates the displacement mechanism 42 to displace the nozzle 43 upward (step S35). Next, the control unit 41 operates the release agent supply mechanism to resume spraying of the release agent from the spray ports 43a, 43b of the nozzle 43 (step S36). The order of steps 35 and 36 may be reversed. For products with long necks that require coating over the entire surface, the nozzle 43 may be displaced after coating is resumed to coat the entire neck molding surface 31g. For products with short necks that do not require coating over the entire surface, displacing the nozzle 43 while stopping spraying of the release agent from the nozzle 43 can prevent excessive supply of release agent. As a result, the control unit 41 causes the first spray nozzle 43a to spray the release agent onto the bottom mold molding surface 32f again, and at the same time, by positioning the second spray nozzle 43b near the opposing surfaces 21e, 31e of the mouth mold 21 and the finishing mold 31, the release agent is sprayed onto these opposing surfaces 21e, 31e. When the nozzle 43 is further displaced upward, the release agent from the second spray nozzle 43b is applied to the mouth molding surface 21d. Note that the upward displacement of the nozzle 43 may be temporarily stopped when the second spray nozzle 43b is facing the gap G1 between the opposing surfaces 21e, 31e. This allows a larger amount of release agent to be applied to the opposing surfaces 21e, 31e.

[0113] Then, when the spraying of the release agent onto the mouth molding surface 21d of the mouth mold 21 by the second spray nozzle 43b is completed, the control unit 41 stops the operation of the release agent supply mechanism and stops the spraying of the release agent from the nozzle 43 (step S37).The control unit 41 then operates the displacement mechanism 42 to retract the nozzle 43 from the mouth mold 21 (step S38).

[0114] The above is an example of the release agent application operation by the application device 40. Next, a modified example of the release agent application operation by the application device 40 will be described. This modified example differs from the above-described release agent application operation in that the release agent application operation is performed with the mouth mold 21 positioned below the blank mold 11 (at position A1). Note that this modified example also performs a swab cycle command (step S1), a swab cycle preparatory operation (step S2), a release agent application operation (step S3), and a glass bottle molding operation resumption (step S4). However, this modified example differs in the details of the swab cycle preparatory operation (step S2) and the release agent application operation (step S3). The following mainly describes the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0115] In this modified example, the operation of positioning the mouth mold 21 above the finishing mold 31 in step S24 of Fig. 7 is not performed. Therefore, the mouth mold 21 is positioned at position A1 below the rough mold 11 as shown in Fig. 11, similar to when molding a parison.

[0116] In the release agent application operation of step S3, the release agent is not sprayed onto the mouth mold 21 by the nozzle 43 in step S36, but the release agent is applied to the opposing surface 31e of the finishing mold 31 by the second spray nozzle 43b of the nozzle 43 (step S36').

[0117] In the above-described embodiment and one modified example, the release agent is applied to the sliding surface of the bottom mold 32 by first performing the opening and closing operation of the finishing mold 31 (step S34) in the release agent application operation (step S3), but this is not necessarily the case. Step S34 may be omitted.

[0118] In addition, although the above-described embodiment and one modified example have been described with reference to an example in which the glass bottle 103 is formed by blow molding, this is not the only option. For example, the glass bottle may be formed by press blow molding (PB) or narrow neck press blow molding (NNPB).

[0119] As described above, in this embodiment, the applicator 40 is configured to apply a release agent to at least one of a portion of the finishing mold molding surface 31f of the finishing mold 31 and the entire bottom mold molding surface 32f of the bottom mold 32 located below the finishing mold 31. With this configuration, the application of the release agent to the finishing mold 31 and the bottom mold 32 is performed by the applicator 40. This eliminates the need for workers to manually apply the release agent to the finishing mold 31 and the bottom mold 32, thereby reducing the burden on workers involved in the bottle-making process and improving worker safety during the application of the release agent. Furthermore, the rapid application of the release agent by machine operation reduces downtime during the molding of the glass bottle 103. Furthermore, compared to manual application of the release agent, application of the release agent by the applicator 40 reduces variations in the application position and amount of the release agent applied to the finishing mold 31 and the bottom mold 32. Furthermore, a release agent is applied to at least one of a portion of the finishing mold molding surface 31f provided on the finishing mold 31 and the entire bottom mold molding surface 32f provided on the bottom mold 32 located below the finishing mold 31. With this configuration, it is possible to apply a sufficient amount of release agent to areas of the finishing mold 31 where releasability is particularly necessary, while minimizing the application of release agent to areas where it is not particularly necessary. This prevents the occurrence of adverse effects on the glass bottle 103 due to an excess of release agent, thereby realizing a configuration suitable for applying release agent to the finishing mold 31, and as a result, contributes to stabilizing the quality of glass bottles.

[0120] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the application device 40 is equipped with a nozzle 43 for spraying the release agent, and the finishing mold forming surface 31f is provided as a part of a neck forming surface 31g for forming the neck 103b of the glass bottle 103, a shoulder forming surface 31h arranged below the neck forming surface 31g for forming the shoulder 103c of the glass bottle 103, and a body forming surface 31i arranged below the shoulder forming surface 31h for forming the body 103d of the glass bottle 103. The nozzle 43 is configured to apply a release agent to at least one of the neck molding surface 31g, shoulder molding surface 31h, engraving surface 31m, and opposing surface 31e of the finishing mold 31 that faces the mouth mold 21 and is provided adjacent to the neck molding surface 31g, as well as to the entire bottom mold molding surface 32f. With this configuration, the nozzle 43 applies a release agent to the entire bottom mold molding surface 32f, as well as to at least one of the neck molding surface 31g, shoulder molding surface 31h, engraving surface 31m, and opposing surface 31e of the finishing mold 31 that faces the mouth mold 21. Therefore, with this configuration, the release agent can be applied to the entire surface of the bottom mold molding surface 32f, and the release agent can be more reliably applied to areas of the finishing mold 31 where releasability is particularly required.

[0121] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the applicator 40 is configured such that the nozzle 43 applies release agent to the facing surface 31e of the finishing mold 31, which faces the mouth mold 21 and is adjacent to the neck-forming surface 31g, and to the neck-forming surface 31g. This configuration allows the release agent to be applied to the facing surface 31e of the mouth mold 21 and the neck-forming surface 31g, thereby preventing a large load from being applied to the boundary between the mouth 103a and the neck 103b of the glass bottle 103, thereby preventing cracks from occurring at the boundary between the mouth 103a and the neck 103b. Therefore, this configuration not only more reliably applies release agent to areas of the finishing mold 31 where releasability is particularly required, but also prevents cracks from occurring at the boundary between the mouth 103a and the neck 103b of the glass bottle 103.

[0122] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the applicator 40 includes a multidirectional nozzle 43 (a bidirectional nozzle 43 in this embodiment) that sprays the release agent in multiple different directions. The multidirectional nozzle 43 applies the release agent to at least one of the neck molding surface 31g, the shoulder molding surface 31h, the engraving surface 31m, and the facing surface 31e of the finishing mold 31 that faces the mouth mold 21 and is adjacent to the neck molding surface 31g, as well as to the entire bottom mold molding surface 32f. This configuration allows for more rapid application of the release agent. Furthermore, the release agent is applied from separate locations on the nozzle 43 to multiple locations (two locations in this embodiment) on at least one of the neck molding surface 31g, the shoulder molding surface 31h, the engraving surface 31m, and the facing surface 31e of the finishing mold 31 that faces the mouth mold 21, as well as to the entire bottom mold molding surface 32f. This eliminates the need to change the orientation of the nozzle 43 when applying the release agent, which differs from the case where a single nozzle is used to apply the release agent to at least one of the neck molding surface 31g, the shoulder molding surface 31h, the engraving molding surface 31m, and the surface 31e of the finishing mold 31 facing the mouth mold 21, and to the entire bottom mold molding surface 32f. This reduces variations in the application position and amount of release agent, contributing to stabilizing the quality of glass bottles.

[0123] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the applicator 40 applies the release agent when the pair of halves 31a, 31b of the finishing mold 31 are closed. With this configuration, the release agent can be applied with a more uniform distance between the nozzle 43 and the locations in the finishing mold 31 to which the release agent is to be applied. Furthermore, scattering of the release agent outside the finishing mold 31 can be more reliably prevented.

[0124] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the applicator 40 applies the release agent before the parison 102 is inserted into the finishing mold 31. This configuration can prevent the release agent applied by the applicator 40 from directly adhering to the parison 102.

[0125] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the applicator 40 applies a release agent to the sliding surface 36k of the bottom mold 32 when the pair of halves 31a, 31b of the finishing mold 31 are opened. This allows for smooth sliding between the finishing mold 31 and the bottom mold 32, thereby preventing excessive force from being applied to the glass bottle 103 molded by the finishing mold 31.

[0126] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the applicator 40 applies the release agent to the finishing mold 31 when the mouth mold 21 is positioned above the finishing mold 31, thereby simultaneously applying the release agent to the mouth mold 21 and the finishing mold 31. With this configuration, the applicator 40 can also apply the release agent to the mouth mold 21 when applying the release agent to the finishing mold 31. Furthermore, with this configuration, the release agent applied from the applicator 40 to the mouth mold 21 can be more reliably prevented from adhering to areas where adhesion of the release agent is undesirable, such as the plunger 16 located below the blank mold 11. This makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of stains and foreign matter on the inner surface of the parison 102, i.e., the occurrence of stains and foreign matter on the inner surface of the glass bottle 103, and as a result, to prevent a decrease in the strength of the glass bottle 103. Furthermore, for example, when press blow molding (PB) or narrow neck press blow molding (NNPB) is performed, the release agent adhering to the plunger deteriorates the adhesion between the plunger and the parison, and molding defects caused by insufficient solidification of the glass can be suppressed.

[0127] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the applicator 40 applies the release agent while a gap G1 is provided between the finishing mold 31 and the mouth mold 21, thereby simultaneously applying the release agent to the opposing surfaces 21e, 31e of the mouth mold 21 and the finishing mold 31. With this configuration, the release agent can be applied to the portion of the mouth mold 21 that slides against the rough mold 11, along with the finishing mold 31. Furthermore, with the configuration in which the release agent is applied to the opposing surfaces 21e, 31e of the mouth mold 21 and the finishing mold 31, the mouth mold 21 and the finishing mold 31 themselves function as fences, which more reliably prevents the release agent applied from the applicator 40 from scattering to unnecessary areas.

[0128] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the gob 101 is not loaded into the manufacturing apparatus 1 and the mouth mold 21 is positioned above the finishing mold 31 during the swab cycle, which is an operating cycle different from the normal bottle-making cycle, the applicator 40 applies release agent to the finishing mold 31 and the mouth mold 21. This configuration prevents the release agent applied by the applicator 40 from directly adhering to the parison 102. Furthermore, the applicator 40 can also apply release agent to the mouth mold 21 when applying release agent to the finishing mold 31. This configuration more reliably prevents the release agent from adhering to areas where adhesion of the release agent is undesirable, such as the plunger 16 located at the bottom of the blank mold 11. This prevents the occurrence of stains and foreign matter on the inner surface of the parison 102, i.e., the occurrence of stains and foreign matter on the inner surface of the glass bottle 103, and as a result, prevents a decrease in the strength of the glass bottle 103. Furthermore, for example, when press blow molding (PB) or narrow neck press blow molding (NNPB) is performed, the release agent adhering to the plunger deteriorates the adhesion between the plunger and the parison, and molding defects caused by insufficient solidification of the glass can be suppressed.

[0129] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the applicator 40 can control the actual application of the release agent by controlling the nozzle 43 with the control unit 41. More specifically, the control unit 41 can apply the release agent from the nozzle 43 toward the mouth mold 21 and the finishing mold 31 while changing the position of the nozzle 43 by operating the displacement mechanism 42. This allows the release agent to be applied more accurately to desired locations on the inner surface of the mouth mold 21 and the inner surface of the finishing mold 31.

[0130] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the applicator 40 applies the release agent to the mouth mold 21 at a position away from the plunger 16 on the rough mold 11 side, based on the position A1 of the mouth mold 21 during parison molding. In other words, in this embodiment, the mouth mold 21 is positioned above the finishing mold 31. This configuration prevents the release agent from adhering to unintended locations other than the mouth mold 21, such as the plunger 16, when applying the release agent to the mouth mold 21. This prevents the occurrence of stains or foreign matter on the inner surface of the parison 102, i.e., the occurrence of stains or foreign matter on the inner surface of the glass bottle 103, and as a result, prevents a decrease in the strength of the glass bottle 103. Furthermore, for example, when press blow molding (PB) or narrow neck press blow molding (NNPB) is performed, release agent adhering to the plunger 16 can deteriorate the adhesion between the plunger 16 and the parison 102, preventing molding defects due to insufficient solidification of the glass. Furthermore, the application of the release agent to the mouth mold 21 is performed by the applicator 40. This eliminates the need for an operator to manually apply the release agent to the mouth mold 21, reducing the burden on the operator involved in the application of the release agent and further improving the safety of the operator during the application of the release agent. Furthermore, because the release agent can be applied quickly by machine, the time during which the molding of the glass bottle 103 is stopped can be shortened. Furthermore, compared to manual application of the release agent, application of the release agent by the applicator 40 reduces variations in the application position of the release agent on the mouth mold 21 and variations in the amount of application.

[0131] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the applicator 40 applies the release agent to the mouth forming surface 21d of the inner surface of the mouth mold 21, which forms the mouth 103a of the glass bottle 103, and to the opposing surface 21e of the mouth mold 21, which is the opposing surface 21e that faces the lower surface 11c of the rough mold 11 and the opposing surface 31e of the finishing mold 31. With this configuration, the release agent can be applied to the portion of the mouth mold 21 that slides against the rough mold 11, along with the inner surface of the mouth mold 21.

[0132] Furthermore, the applicator 40 simultaneously applies the release agent to the mouth mold 21 and the finishing mold 31. With this configuration, the applicator 40 can also apply the release agent to the finishing mold 31 when applying the release agent to the mouth mold 21.

[0133] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0134] (1) In the above-described embodiment and first modified example, the nozzle 43 is described as a two-way nozzle. However, this is not necessarily the case. For example, as shown in FIG. 12A , which shows the main part of a second modified example of the present invention, the nozzle 43 may be configured as a three-way nozzle by adding a third spray nozzle (applicator) 43c to the nozzle 43. This nozzle 43 has the third spray nozzle 43c in addition to the first and second spray nozzles 43a and 43b.

[0135] The third spray nozzle 43c is located in the middle of the nozzle 43, and is formed by a slit or the like, and is configured to spray the release agent. The third spray nozzle 43c sprays the release agent in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the finishing mold 31, that is, in this embodiment, in a third direction along the horizontal direction, which is parallel to the second direction in which the second spray nozzle 43b faces.

[0136] The third spray nozzles 43c are arranged above the second spray nozzles 43b (at a position further from the second spray nozzles 43b toward the base end of the nozzle 43). For example, a plurality of third spray nozzles 43c are arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the nozzle 43, with the center being the central axis of the nozzle 43. In the initial stage of spraying the release agent, the third spray nozzles 43c are arranged inside the cavity of the mouth mold 21 and face the mouth molding surface 21d in the horizontal direction. The release agent then passes through a path inside the nozzle 43 (not shown) to the third spray nozzles 43c and is sprayed onto the mouth molding surface 21d.

[0137] In this way, the spray nozzles 43a, 43b, 43c function as application sections that simultaneously apply the release agent to the finishing mold 31, the bottom mold 32, and the mouth mold 21.

[0138] (2) In the above-described embodiment and each modification, the nozzle 43 is arranged inside the finishing mold 31 and sprays the release agent onto the finishing mold 31. However, this is not necessarily the case. For example, as shown in FIG. 12(B) , which shows the main part of a third modification of the present invention, the release agent may be sprayed from the nozzle 43 when the pair of split molds 31a, 31b of the finishing mold 31 are opened by the finishing mold opening / closing mechanism and when the mouth mold 21 is arranged above the bottom mold 32. In this case, the nozzle 43 has, for example, a second spray nozzle 43b arranged at the tip of the nozzle 43. The release agent from the second spray nozzle 43b is sprayed onto the mouth molding surface 21d of the mouth mold 21. The release agent dripping from the mouth 21 and the release agent sprayed from the second spray nozzle 43b and falling downward are received by the bottom mold 32. As a result, the release agent may be applied to the entire bottom mold molding surface 32 of the bottom mold 32 .

[0139] (3) In the above-described embodiment and each modified example, the release agent is sprayed from the nozzle 43 onto the mouth mold 21, the finishing mold 31, and the bottom mold 32. However, this is not necessarily the case. The nozzle 43 may spray the release agent onto each of the mouth mold 21, the finishing mold 31, and the bottom mold 32, one at a time.

[0140] (4) In the above-described embodiment and modified examples, a single applicator 40 may be used to apply release agent to multiple sections 44, each pairing a finishing mold 31 and a mouth mold 21. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, a plan view showing the main components of a fourth modified example of the present invention, if finishing molds 31 (mouth molds 21) are arranged in multiple sections 44, 44, 44, ..., a single applicator 40 may apply release agent to the finishing molds 31, bottom molds 32, and mouth molds 21 in the multiple sections 44. For example, a bottle-making machine may be configured with 8 to 12 sections (each section having a pair of a rough mold side and a finishing mold side), and the total length of these sections is approximately 6 to 8 meters. Note that FIG. 13 illustrates four sections 44 as an example. In such a configuration, a single displacement mechanism 42 may be installed in the bottle-making machine 45 (for all sections 44). The displacement mechanism 42 is configured to be able to reciprocate by power from a drive mechanism (not shown) on rails 46 that pass along the sides of each of the multiple sections 44. As a result, the applicator 40 moves along the side of each section 44 and sprays the release agent onto at least one of the finishing mold 31 and the mouth mold 21 in the adjacent section 44.

[0141] (5) In the above-described embodiment and each modified example, the manufacturing apparatus 1 has been described as molding a long-necked glass bottle. However, this is not necessarily the case. For example, a parison may be molded using a press-molding blank mold (not shown) instead of the blank mold 11, and then this parison may be finish-molded using a finishing mold 31A shown in FIG. 14 instead of the finishing mold 31 to form a wide-mouth glass bottle 103A. FIG. 14 is a diagram of the main parts of a fifth modified example of the manufacturing apparatus 1, showing the side views of the finishing mold 31A and the bottom mold 32. The following description will mainly focus on differences from the above-described embodiment, and similar components will be designated by similar reference numerals in the drawings and will not be described in detail.

[0142] The finishing mold 31A cooperates with the bottom mold 32 to mold the parison 102A (shown by an imaginary two-dot chain line in the right-hand finishing mold 31A) excluding the mouth portion 103aA, thereby forming a glass bottle 103A (shown by an imaginary two-dot chain line in the left-hand finishing mold 31A). Of the inner surfaces of the finishing mold 31A, the surface that forms the cavity 35A is the finishing mold molding surface 31fA.

[0143] The finishing mold forming surface 31fA has a neck forming surface 31gA, a shoulder forming surface 31hA, and a body forming surface 31iA.

[0144] The neck forming surface 31gA is, for example, a cylindrical surface having a diameter smaller than that of the body forming surface 31iA. The length of the neck forming surface 31gA in the vertical direction is shorter than that of the body forming surface 31iA.

[0145] The vertical length of the shoulder forming surface 31hA is shorter than the vertical length of the body forming surface 31iA. The shoulder forming surface 31hA is configured to form the glass bottle 103A from the rounded portion at the base of the neck 103bA to the portion that meets the body 103dA.

[0146] The body molding surface 31iA is a cylindrical surface with a substantially constant diameter. A fitting surface 31j is disposed on the bottom side of the body molding surface 31iA.

[0147] The application of the release agent to this finishing mold 31A is carried out by an application device 40. In this case, the nozzle 43 may move up and down during the spraying of the release agent, or may remain stationary without moving up and down. The first spray nozzle 43a of the nozzle 43 sprays the release agent onto the bottom mold molding surface 32f, and the second spray nozzle 43b sprays the release agent onto the neck molding surface 31gA and the shoulder molding surface 31hA.

[0148] (6) In the above-described embodiment, the release agent is applied using the application device 40. However, this is not necessarily the case. For example, the release agent may be applied manually by an operator. Furthermore, the application device 40 may apply the release agent using another application member, such as a brush, instead of the nozzle 43.

[0149] The present invention can be widely applied as an apparatus for applying a release agent to a mold for finish-molding a glass bottle, a method for applying a release agent to a mold for finish-molding a glass bottle, an apparatus for manufacturing a glass bottle, and a method for manufacturing a glass bottle.

[0150] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Glass bottle manufacturing apparatus 21 Mouth mold 21e Opposing surface 31, 31A Finishing mold 31a, 31b Pair of split molds of finishing mold 31e Opposing surface of finishing mold facing the mouth mold 31f, 31fA Finishing mold molding surface 31k Sliding surface 32 Bottom mold 32f Bottom mold molding surface 36k Sliding surface 40 Mold release agent application device 41 Control unit (control unit) 42 Displacement mechanism 43 Nozzle 43a, 43b, 43c Spray nozzle (application unit) 101 Gob 102, 102A Parison 103, 103A Glass bottle