Infrared Preform Heating for Uniform Polygonal Bottle Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for heating preforms to manufacture polygonal bottles, such as rectangular bottles, result in uneven thickness, making it difficult to achieve a homogeneous thickness, which is advantageous for storage and transport.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using infrared emitters with adjustable power levels and controlled translation and rotation of the preform to ensure each point faces emitters at the same power levels, dividing emitters into subsets to accommodate varying thickness zones, allowing for uniform heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If halogen lamps are used to heat the preform, then the heating process is simple, but the thickness of the bottle becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The heating apparatus is segmented into multiple independent heating zones (first heating zone, second heating zone, third heating zone) along the preform's path. Each zone can be controlled independently to apply different heating intensities to different portions of the preform, enabling precise control over the heating process and achieving uniform bottle thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the preform receive different heating intensities according to their specific requirements. The first heating zone applies a first heating intensity, the second heating zone applies a second heating intensity, and the third heating zone applies a third heating intensity. This localized quality approach ensures that each section of the preform is heated appropriately for the desired bottle thickness.
2Device complexity
If the preform is heated uniformly, then the heating process is simple, but polygonal bottles cannot be manufactured with homogeneous thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The heating process is segmented into multiple zones with different heating intensities. The first heating zone, second heating zone, and third heating zone each apply different heating intensities to different portions of the preform, enabling the manufacturing of polygonal bottles with homogeneous thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating apparatus is designed to move the preform through different heating zones at controlled speeds. The preform can be moved at a first speed through the first heating zone, at a second speed through the second heating zone, and at a third speed through the third heating zone. This dynamic control allows the preform to spend appropriate time in each zone to achieve uniform heating and homogeneous bottle thickness.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple heating zones with different intensities are used, then polygonal bottles with homogeneous thickness can be manufactured, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating apparatus is divided into multiple independent heating zones (first, second, and third heating zones) that can be controlled separately. Each zone applies a specific heating intensity to a specific portion of the preform, enabling precise control over the heating process and achieving uniform bottle thickness despite the increased device complexity.
4Productivity
If the preform moves at high speed through the heating zone, then productivity increases, but the heating may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The preform can be moved at different speeds through different heating zones. The first, second, and third heating zones can operate at different processing speeds, allowing the system to optimize both productivity and heating quality. The controller can adjust speeds dynamically to ensure sufficient heating while maintaining high overall productivity.
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
Enables the production of polygonal bottles with a homogeneous thickness, improving storage and transport efficiency by ensuring consistent thickness across the bottle.
Implementation Method 1
A heating apparatus comprising an array of infrared emitters
Implementation Method 2
The preform passes in front of the halogen lamps to be heated
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C~2D
AI summary
A method for heating a preform (1) comprising a body portion (4) extending along a longitudinal axis (A1). 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 rows (Ri); - setting power levels of the infrared emitters (50) so as to divide said array into subsets of columns (SCn); and - heating the preform while translating it in a direction parallel to the rows (Ri), and simultaneously rotating it around its longitudinal axis, the rotation and translation speeds, and the power levels of the infrared emitters (50) being set so that the power levels of the subsets of columns (SCn) facing zones (42) of the body portion extending longitudinally are different from the power levels of the subsets of columns facing the rest of the body portion, said zones extending relative to one another in a polygonal array.