Sterile Blow Molding Ejection with Sheath and Airlock Seal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in sterile blow molding processes is the removal of damaged containers without disrupting the sterility of the process, as damaged containers can cause issues in the production facility.
Innovation Solution
A device with a transport system featuring a rotatable carrier and forming stations, integrated with a clean room and discharge device that allows for the ejection of plastic preforms or containers within the clean room boundary, maintaining sterility by using a sealing mechanism and controlled discharge process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If damaged containers are removed from the transport path in a sterile blow molding process, then the production facility is protected from contamination, but the sterility of the blow molding process is disturbed or interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge device is segmented into multiple functional components: a discharge flap for removing containers, a sealing mechanism with barrier film, and an airlock chamber. This segmentation allows the system to remove damaged containers while maintaining sterility through the barrier film that seals off the clean room environment during discharge operations.
Solution Approach 2:
An airlock chamber serves as an intermediary between the sterile clean room and the non-sterile external environment. The airlock chamber with its sealing mechanism acts as a buffer zone that allows container discharge without direct exposure of the clean room to potential contaminants, thus maintaining sterility while enabling continuous production.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If containers are discharged from the clean room, then damaged containers can be removed, but the risk of contamination to the clean room increases
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible barrier film is used as part of the sealing mechanism in the discharge device. This thin film creates a dynamic seal that can adapt to the discharge operations while maintaining the sterility boundary. The flexible film allows for easy opening and closing during container discharge while preventing contamination of the clean room environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The airlock chamber acts as an intermediary that isolates the discharge operation from the clean room. By placing the discharge flap and sealing mechanism in the airlock chamber rather than directly in the clean room, the system enables easy discharge operations while the airlock serves as a protective barrier against contamination.
3Reliability
If the discharge device is integrated into the clean room, then sterility is maintained during discharge, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge device is merged with the clean room structure by integrating the discharge flap, sealing mechanism, and airlock chamber into the clean room wall or boundary. This integration allows the discharge functionality to be part of the sterile environment while the sealing mechanism maintains the sterility boundary, reducing the need for separate external discharge systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated discharge device serves multiple functions: it acts as both a container discharge mechanism and a sterility barrier. The sealing mechanism with barrier film and airlock chamber serves dual purposes of enabling container removal and maintaining clean room sterility, thereby reducing overall system complexity despite the integrated design.
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
Ensures continuous sterile operation by allowing the discharge of defective containers without re-sterilizing the clean room, thus preventing contamination and maintaining production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an ejection device for ejecting plastic preforms or plastic containers from the transport path, wherein this ejection device is at least partially and particularly preferably completely integrated into the clean room
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Device (1) for forming plastic preforms (10) into plastic containers (15) with a transport device (2) which transports the plastic preforms to be formed along a predetermined transport path, wherein the transport device (2) has a rotatable transport carrier (22) on which a plurality of forming stations (4) are arranged, wherein these forming stations (4) each have blow molding devices within which the plastic preforms (10) can be formed into the plastic containers (15) by being supplied with a flowable medium, and the forming stations (4) each have supply devices (40) for supplying the plastic preforms (10) with the flowable medium, and wherein the device has a cleanroom (8) within which the plastic preforms (10) are expanded into the plastic containers, and wherein the device (1) has a feeding device.to supply the transport device with plastic preforms (10) to be formed, and a discharge device to remove formed containers (15) from the transport device, characterized in that the device (1) has an ejection device (60) to remove plastic preforms or plastic containers from the transport path, wherein this ejection device is arranged between the discharge device and the supply device.