Infrared Preform Heating for Offset Bottle Uniformity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for heating preforms to manufacture bottles with offset necks, such as those using halogen lamps, fail to achieve homogeneous thickness, leading to uneven bottle walls when the preform body portion has varying thicknesses.

Innovation Solution

A method involving an array of infrared emitters arranged in columns and rows, where the preform is oriented and rotated to ensure zones of different thicknesses receive varying power levels, allowing for controlled temperature gradients during heating, and subsequently blow-moulding to achieve bottles with offset necks and homogeneous thickness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If halogen lamps are used to heat the preform, then the heating process is simple and fast, but the bottle wall thickness becomes uneven when manufacturing offset bottles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating speedVSAvoidbottle wall thickness uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system is segmented into multiple independent infrared emitter modules arranged in columns and rows, allowing each module to be controlled independently. This enables differential heating of different preform zones to compensate for varying wall thicknesses in offset bottles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different power levels are applied to different spatial zones of the preform based on their local thickness requirements. Thinner zones receive higher power density while thicker zones receive lower power density, achieving uniform overall heating

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If a preform with varying body portion thickness is used to manufacture offset bottles, then the neck can be offset for easier pouring and aesthetics, but the bottle wall thickness becomes non-uniform

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepouring easeVSAvoidbottle wall thickness uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The preform is pre-oriented at a specific angular position before heating, and the infrared emitter modules are pre-configured with appropriate power levels to compensate for the varying thickness distribution. This preliminary setup ensures that the heating process automatically compensates for thickness variations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The power levels of individual infrared emitter modules are adjusted as a function of the preform's angular position and local thickness. By dynamically changing the heating parameters based on spatial location, uniform wall thickness is achieved despite the offset neck configuration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If the preform is heated with uniform power distribution, then the heating process is simple to control, but zones of different thickness receive insufficient or excessive heating

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating control simplicityVSAvoidtemperature distribution uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system transitions from static uniform power distribution to dynamic spatially-varying power distribution. The power levels of different emitter modules are dynamically adjusted based on the preform's rotational position and local thickness requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback through the coordinated rotation and translation of the preform, allowing each zone to pass sequentially under emitter modules with appropriate power levels. This sequential exposure ensures proper thermal treatment of each thickness zone

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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 approach enables the production of bottles with offset necks and uniform thickness, where the thickness variation across transverse cross-sections does not exceed 20%, improving manufacturing precision and aesthetic consistency.

Implementation Method 1

introducing the preform into a heating apparatus comprising an array of infrared emitters

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInfrared radiation: Infrared Radiation

Implementation Method 2

heating the preform with the array of infrared emitters

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentEP4200117B1Method for heating a preform and corresponding method for forming a container

Publication Date: 2024.09.11 SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE SA

Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C~2E

AI summary

A method for heating a preform (1) comprising a body portion (4) having a thickness which varies progressively along any transverse cross-section between a thick zone and a thin zone of the body portion. The method comprises the following steps: - introducing the preform (1) into a heating apparatus (5) comprising an array of infrared emitters (50) arranged in multiple columns (Cj) and multiple rows (Ri); - setting power levels of the infrared emitters (50) so as to divide the array of infrared emitters into subsets of columns (SCn); and - heating the preform while translating it in a direction parallel to the rows (Ri), and simultaneously rotating said preform (1) around its longitudinal axis, the rotation and translation speeds, and the power levels of the infrared emitters (50) being set so that the greater the thickness of the zones of the body portion (4), the higher is the power level of the subsets of columns (SCn) facing said zones.