Glass Parison Forming via Plunger Blow Conduit and Neck Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional glass container manufacturing processes involve significant glass-to-metal contact, leading to up to 66% waste glass and limitations in controlling glass thickness distribution, and require the use of physical blank molds.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that form a glass parison using a glass feeder with a plunger and blow conduit, eliminating the need for blank molds by blowing molten glass into a neck ring, which allows for increased control over glass thickness and shape, reducing waste and enabling real-time optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional blank molds are used to form parisons, then the manufacturing process is simple and established, but glass-to-metal contact causes up to 66% waste glass and poor control over glass thickness distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the blank mold from the manufacturing process. Instead of using a physical mold that causes glass-to-metal contact and waste, the system uses a digital projection system to define the parison shape, thereby eliminating the source of glass waste and improving thickness control.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a digital copy or projection of the desired parison shape rather than using a physical mold. The projection system maps the target geometry onto the molten glass surface, allowing precise control of thickness distribution without the need for physical contact that causes waste.
2Adaptability or versatility
If physical blank molds are used, then the process is well-established, but the system lacks adaptability for dynamic shape changes and real-time optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic adaptability by using a projection system that can be programmed to create different parison shapes in real-time. The system can dynamically adjust the projected geometry based on process conditions, allowing flexible shape changes without requiring physical mold reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical blank mold system with a projection-based system. This substitution eliminates the need for physical mold handling, storage, and reconfiguration, while enabling software-controlled adaptability for different container shapes and sizes.
3Manufacturing precision
If glass feeder spout with orifice ring and plunger is used, then glass flow control is improved, but the system requires precise coordination of multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality control by using an orifice ring with specifically designed openings that create controlled annular flows. The plunger is designed with a blow conduit that provides localized gas injection at a specific position, creating focused control over the glass flow and parison formation in the critical region where the glass is shaped.
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 reduces glass waste, enhances container strength, and allows for dynamic shape changes and real-time optimization of glass thickness distribution, providing cost savings and improved manufacturing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
blowing gas through the plunger into the molten glass to establish an interior and an exterior of the glass parison
Implementation Method 2
feeding molten glass through an annular space established between an orifice ring of the glass feeder spout and a plunger of the glass feeder spout
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for forming a glass parison are disclosed. A glass parison forming apparatus includes a feeder spout having an orifice ring, a plunger carried in the feeder spout and including a blow conduit therethrough, and a neck ring located immediately downstream of the orifice ring, with no chutes, scoops, or other gob handling devices therebetween. A glass container produced by the disclosed method and apparatus is also described.