Blow Mold Heating Elements on Support Shells

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for reshaping plastic parisons into containers using temperature-controlled blow molds face issues with electrical heating elements, including complex cabling, potential safety hazards, and increased wear due to frequent mold changes, as well as contamination risks with liquid-based heating systems.

Innovation Solution

A machine with electrical heating elements and temperature sensors arranged in the mold support shells or blow mold parts, allowing for automatic connection and disconnection of heating elements during mold changes, reducing the need for complex cabling and minimizing the risk of contamination, while ensuring precise temperature control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If electrical heating elements are used for heating the blow mold, then temperature control precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to cabling requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature control precisionVSAvoidcabling complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heating elements are extracted from the blow mold parts and relocated to the support shells. This separation allows the heating elements to remain stationary while the blow mold parts can be freely changed, eliminating the need for complex cabling arrangements and reducing safety hazards associated with handling cables during mold changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The support shells serve as an intermediary structure that holds the heating elements and provides a stable mounting location. This intermediary allows the heating elements to be positioned close to the blow mold parts for effective heating while maintaining a safe and simple cabling arrangement in the support shell rather than within the mold parts themselves.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Power

If heating elements are mounted inside the blow mold parts, then heating efficiency is improved, but safety risks increase due to potential cable tearing during mold changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating efficiencyVSAvoidsafety reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The heating elements are extracted from the blow mold parts and mounted on the support shells instead. This extraction eliminates the safety hazard of cable tearing during mold changes while maintaining heating efficiency through direct thermal contact between the support shell-mounted heating elements and the blow mold parts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If liquid-based heating systems are used for temperature control, then device complexity is reduced, but contamination risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem component countVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The liquid-based heating system is replaced with an electrical heating system mounted on the support shells. This substitution eliminates the contamination risk associated with liquid heating media while maintaining relatively simple device architecture. The electrical heating elements provide precise temperature control without introducing liquid contamination risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Measurement precision

If multiple supply lines are required for heating elements, then temperature control capability is improved, but mold change time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature control capabilityVSAvoidmold change time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The heating elements are extracted from the blow mold parts and mounted on the support shells, allowing them to remain stationary during mold changes. This extraction means that when a blow mold part is changed, the heating elements and their supply lines remain in place, eliminating the need to disconnect and reconnect multiple supply lines and significantly reducing mold change time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

This configuration simplifies mold changes, reduces the risk of accidents and contamination, and enhances operational efficiency by allowing for quicker temperature adjustments and more precise temperature control, minimizing energy waste and reducing production downtime.

Implementation Method 1

a heating device (62) which is suitable for heating the blow mold parts (22, 24)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a temperature detection device (8) for detecting a temperature of the blow mold parts (22, 24)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11034076B2Blow molding machine comprising a temperature regulating device

Publication Date: 2021.06.15 KRONES AG

AI summary

Provided is a machine and method for reshaping plastic parisons into plastic containers, with a mold which has a cavity for the plastic parison to be reshaped, wherein this mold has at least two blow mold parts, wherein each of these blow mold parts has an inner wall which is suitable for forming a region of the plastic parison to be reshaped, wherein these blow mold parts are mounted movably with respect to one another between an open position, in which the blow mold parts are at least partially separated from one another, and a closed position, in which the blow mold parts abut one another, in order together to form the cavity for reshaping the plastic parisons.