Integrated Capping Head for Simultaneous Blowing and Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for blowing, filling, and capping plastic containers from preforms are inefficient, requiring separate stations for capping and leading to liquid splashing during transfer.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a capping head integrated between the injection head and the mould, allowing for simultaneous blowing, filling, and capping, with a rotatable capping head and driving means for screwing caps onto the container without moving it, reducing splashing and simplifying the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a separate capping station is used after blowing and filling, then the capping operation can be performed, but the process becomes more complex and time-consuming requiring transfer of the filled container
Solution Approach 1:
The capping head is integrated into the injection head assembly, combining three operations (blowing, filling, and capping) into a single unified device. The capping head with traversing hole is positioned within the injection head, allowing the container to be blown, filled, and capped without leaving the molding station, thereby simplifying the overall process structure while maintaining operational ease
2Ease of operation
If the container is transferred to a distant capping station, then the capping operation can be performed, but liquid splashing occurs during transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The capping head is pre-positioned within the injection head at the molding station before the filling operation completes. The traversing hole is already aligned with the container opening, allowing the cap to be applied immediately after filling without any transfer movement, thereby eliminating liquid splashing that would occur during transportation to a separate capping station
3Productivity
If the capping head is integrated between the injection head and mould, then the process is simplified and speeded up, but the capping head must be rotatably mounted
Solution Approach 1:
The capping head is rotatably mounted on the injection head, providing dynamic movement capability. This rotational mounting allows the capping head to be positioned at different angles during the capping operation and then return to its original position, enabling efficient cap application while maintaining a compact integrated structure. The dynamic rotational capability resolves the contradiction by allowing functional versatility without requiring a complex multi-component assembly
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3D
AI summary
The invention concerns an apparatus (10) for simultaneously blowing and filling a plastic container from a preform, the apparatus comprising: a mould (14) for enclosing a preform, so as to leave access to the mouth of the preform, stretching means (42) for stretching the preform within the mould, an injection head (16) for injecting a liquid through the mouth so as to cause expansion of the preform within the mould, thereby obtaining a blown and filled container (12) that comprises a dispensing opening (22), characterized in that the apparatus further comprises a capping head (18) for fixing a cap (40) on the dispensing opening of said blown and filled container, the capping head being permanently arranged between the injection head (16) and the mould (14).