Patent ID: 6649119
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
A method for blow molding comprising:rotating a mold wheel of a plastic blow molding machine with the mold wheel supporting a plurality of molds for rotary movement along a rotary path about a mold wheel axis and for concomitant pivotal movement of mold sections of the molds between open and closed positions about associated mold axes that extend parallel with the mold wheel axis and with the mold sections opening in an outward direction from the mold wheel axis and symmetrically about associated mold parting planes that extend from the mold wheel axis through the associated mold axes; rotating a dispensing wheel of a dispensing assembly of an in-mold labeler about a dispensing wheel axis that extends parallel to the mold wheel axis, with the dispensing wheel including a plurality of dispensing head assemblies each of which includes a support and a dispensing head mounted on the support for movement along a dispensing head axis of the support between pick and place positions, and with each dispensing head including at least one label carrier for receiving a label in the pick position thereof and for transferring the label in the place position thereof to an adjacent open mold of the blow molding machine; moving the support of each dispensing head assembly during a label depositing operation along the rotary path of the adjacent open mold about the mold wheel axis and angularly positioning the support of the dispensing head assembly about a support axis such that the dispensing head axis moves in alignment with the moving mold parting plane of the adjacent open mold as the dispensing head is moved on the support during the label depositing operation from the pick position to the place position to deposit the label within the adjacent open mold in a manner that permits high speed operation of the in-mold labeling; and transferring labels from a label magazine to the dispensing assembly by: moving a transfer head adjacent the label magazine which stores a stack of labels with an exposed end from which the labels are sequentially dispensed; drawing a vacuum through a vacuum opening of the transfer head; and moving the transfer head with a rolling motion to engage the vacuum opening with the label at the exposed end of the label magazine and to initially pull an extremity of that label away from the label stack and thereby permit air to move behind the label, to subsequently pull an intermediate portion of the label away from the label stack and thereby permit more air to move behind the label, and to finally pull an opposite extremity of the label away from the label stack in a manner that permits high speed labeling as the label is subsequently transferred from the transfer head to the in-mold labeler for the in-mold labeling of the plastic blow molding machine.