Bi-Metallic Neck Ring for Glass Container Forming

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Solution Overview

Problem

Glass container forming machines face issues with 'hollow neck' variations due to insufficient heat removal from the glass neck finish area during the parison forming stage, leading to defects and temperature gradients that affect wear resistance and neck finish geometry.

Innovation Solution

A neck ring composed of two semi-annular bi-metallic sections, where wear-resistant inserts (nickel, bronze, or steel) are embedded in heat-conductive metal bodies (bronze or steel) to provide rapid heat extraction and minimize temperature gradients, ensuring precise tolerances and eliminating hollow neck defects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If wear-resistant inserts are used in the neck ring to improve wear resistance and precision, then manufacturing precision and wear resistance are improved, but heat removal capability deteriorates due to insufficient thermal conductivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneck finish geometry precisionVSAvoidheat removal efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The neck ring is constructed as a composite structure with a heat-conductive body (cast bronze or steel) and wear-resistant inserts (nickel, bronze, or steel). This composite design allows the body to provide rapid heat removal while the inserts provide wear resistance and precise closure attachment feature molding, resolving the contradiction between heat removal efficiency and manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If rapid heat extraction is implemented to eliminate hollow neck defects, then heat removal efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to bi-metallic construction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelimination of hollow neck defectsVSAvoidbi-metallic neck ring structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The neck ring is segmented into two functional zones: a heat-conductive body for rapid heat extraction and wear-resistant inserts for precise feature formation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together to eliminate hollow neck defects without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the neck ring have different material properties tailored to their specific functions. The body provides high thermal conductivity for heat removal, while the inserts provide wear resistance and precise geometry control. This local differentiation of material quality resolves the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If temperature gradient between neck ring and guide plate is reduced to minimize checks, then thermal uniformity is improved, but heat removal speed deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature uniformity to prevent checksVSAvoidheat removal rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the thermal parameters of the neck ring by using a heat-conductive body material that optimizes the balance between heat removal rate and temperature uniformity. This parameter optimization allows rapid heat extraction while maintaining sufficient thermal uniformity to prevent checks, resolving the contradiction between heat removal speed and thermal stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The bi-metallic neck ring design enhances wear resistance and rapid heat removal, reducing 'hollow neck' variations and improving the precision and quality of glass container neck finishes by maintaining optimal temperature control and minimizing defects.

Implementation Method 1

The neck ring body material exposed at the second portion of the cavity face provides rapid heat extraction from the molten glass

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

minimizing the temperature gradient between the neck ring and the guide plate to reduce checks or other variations in this area

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP2271591B1Neck ring and method of making for a glass container forming machine

Publication Date: 2017.01.11 OWENS BROCKWAY GLASS CONTAINER INC

AI summary

A neck ring for molding a glass container neck finish that includes at least one closure attachment feature. The neck ring includes two semi-annular bi-metal neck ring sections (12, 14), each consisting essentially of a neck ring insert (20, 22) of wear- resistant metal construction and a neck ring body (16, 18) of heat-conductive metal construction different from said wear-resistant metal construction and formed around said neck ring insert so as to embed it in said neck ring body. Each of said neck ring halves has a glass-contacting cavity face that includes a first surface portion (30, 32) formed by said inserts for molding the at least one closure attachment feature on the neck finish and a second surface portion (34, 36) formed by said bodies for molding portions of the neck finish excluding the at least one closure attachment feature.