Moulding Unit Compensation Gripper for Thermoplastic Container Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing molding units for thermoplastic containers face issues with mechanical deformations and quality defects due to play between molding elements caused by high pressures during blow molding, which are not adequately addressed by compensation chambers, leading to increased costs and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A molding unit with a compensation clamp that directly acts on mold carriers to eliminate play between molding elements, providing a consistent and adjustable compensation force that exceeds the forces exerted by pressurized air, ensuring the molding elements remain contiguous during container formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a compensation chamber is used to counteract forces during blow molding, then molding elements remain pressed together, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the compensation function from a separate compensation chamber and integrates it directly into the mold carrier structure. The mold carrier itself becomes the compensation element, eliminating the need for an additional compensation chamber while maintaining the ability to counteract blow molding forces and keep molding elements pressed together.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the compensation function with the mold carrier structure. The mold carrier is designed to be movable relative to the mold, allowing it to automatically compensate for forces during blow molding by adjusting its position, thereby combining two functions (holding and compensating) into a single component.
2Manufacturing precision
If a compensation chamber is used to maintain molding element contact, then quality improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mold carrier performs compensation automatically through its own movability relative to the mold. The system uses the blow molding forces themselves to drive the mold carrier movement, which in turn maintains molding element contact. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for additional energy-consuming compensation systems while maintaining container quality.
3Reliability
If locking means are used to hold mold carriers in closed position, then molding elements stay together, but operating clearance causes play between elements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a static locking mechanism to a dynamic compensation system. The mold carrier is designed to be movable relative to the mold, allowing it to adapt its position dynamically during blow molding to maintain molding element contact, thereby eliminating the play problem caused by fixed locking means operating clearance.
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 compensation clamp simplifies design and assembly, reduces energy consumption, and enhances manufacturing rates by eliminating the need for complex locking mechanisms, resulting in improved container quality and reduced production costs.
Implementation Method 1
compensation means selectively controlled to exert a compensation force, tending to press the molding elements against each other at the level of the joint plane and to oppose the forces that the pressurized fluid exerts on the molding elements
Implementation Method 2
pressurized fluid exerts on the molding elements during the molding of a container from a preform
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a moulding unit (10) for the manufacture of containers from preforms made of thermoplastic, said moulding unit (10) being characterized in that it comprises compensating means which are formed of at least one gripper (60) which acts on mould carriers (16) that carry the mould (12) of the unit (10) in order to clamp them against one another when the moulding unit (10) is in the closed position and to apply a compensating force that tends to clamp together moulding elements (14) of the mould (12) at said parting line (P) and opposes the forces that a pressurised fluid applies to the moulding elements (14) when a container is being moulded from a preform.