Abstract:
A device for processing performs may include at least a holder device for holding at least one preform and for at least temporary contacting arrangement of at least one wall part of the preform on at least one contact device. By the at least one contact device, a temperature of the first wall part can be prespecified, which at least temporarily differs from the temperature of a second wall part that is always spaced from the contact device. The contact device may be releasably held by a carrier device forming at least in parts a holding zone for the contact device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority of German Patent Application No. 10 2010 044 831.1, filed Sep. 9, 2010, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure concerns a device for processing preforms, in particular for production of plastic containers. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Devices and methods for processing performs for production of plastic containers have been known for some time from the prior art. Plastic preforms made for example from PET, usually with circular cross section, are first heated and then expanded within a blow mould into plastic containers. During this expansion process the plastic containers are pressurised with compressed air in order to be thus expanded against the inner wall of the blow mould. 
         [0004]    However sometimes plastic containers are required on the market which do not have a circular cross section but have a different cross section, such as for example an oval base shape. Several methods for production of such plastic containers are also known from the prior art. Thus it is known for example that certain regions of the outer wall of the plastic preform are heated more greatly so that they expand further in the subsequent stretch blowing process, so that overall a bottle form deviating from the circular cross section is produced. This process is also known in the prior art as “preferential heating”. 
         [0005]    Japanese patent publication JP 08174552 A discloses a blow mould device. Heat-insulating reinforcing materials are used so that the mould as a whole has a double structure. Furthermore heating devices and water bores for cooling water are provided. Japanese publication JP 63207630 A also describes a possibility of controlling a thickness in a peripheral direction of a bottle. Here too an elliptical blow mould is provided. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,526 discloses a device and a method for producing non-cylindrical articles from PET preforms. Blow moulds are used which themselves have an elliptical cross section. The surface of the blow mould against which the thermoplastic material is pressed can have effects on the shaping. For this it is proposed to apply a heat-insulating material in the region which forms the container. This teflon material is intended to improve the coefficient of friction with the plastic material of the plastic preform and reduce a heat transfer from the preform material to the blow mould. 
         [0007]    German patent application DE 10 2009 021 792.4 (not yet published) by the applicant describes a method in which the plastic preforms are partially touched by means of a contact element and thus tempered. The disclosure content of this application is hereby fully incorporated by reference in the present disclosure. 
         [0008]    Here too the objects of the patent application submitted by the applicant on the same day which concern “preferential heating” are fully incorporated by reference in the present application. 
         [0009]    It may be desirable to provide a device which allows or facilitates the production of oval containers. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    According to various aspects of the disclosure, a device for processing, in particular tempering, containers, in particular performs comprises at least one holder device to receive at least one preform, wherein the holder device in some aspects comprises a preform gripper for at least temporary contacting arrangement of at least one wall part of the preform on at least one contact device. With the at least one contact device a temperature of the first wall part can be set which at least temporarily differs from the temperature of a second wall part of the preform that is in some aspects always spaced from the contact device. The contact device is releasably held by a carrier device at least partly forming a receive zone (for the contact device). 
         [0011]    This may be advantageous as the contacting arrangement allows the preform or container concerned to be partially tempered very efficiently, whereby again production of an oval container form is advantageously possible. Furthermore the device may have the advantage that because of the releasable connection, different tempering profiles are or can be provided or changed for different containers or container shapes or preforms. Such preforms or containers in some aspects consist of plastic, such as for example PET. 
         [0012]    The holder device can be physically fixedly arranged, but it is in some aspects mobile if for example designed in the form of a rotation conveyor, linear conveyor or a combination thereof. The holder device can thus be formed as any arbitrary device for holding preforms or containers and thus for example as a transport unit. 
         [0013]    The temperature difference of the contact device in the region of the first wall part in relation to the second wall part is in some aspects adjustable. 
         [0014]    In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure the carrier device has several outer holder areas i.e., for example, forming part of the surface of the carrier device to hold at least temporarily a contact device for tempering the wall part. 
         [0015]    Tempering the wall part or the contacting wall part in some aspects means cooling of the wall part, wherein in some aspects cooling also means only applying slightly less heat than in another area, for example, in an area allocated to the second wall region. Thus the tempering device is in some aspects a device for cooling the first wall part or contacting wall part. The first wall part can extend completely or only partly in the peripheral direction and/or longitudinal direction of the preform. In some aspects the second wall part is superficially larger than the first wall part. The multiplicity of holding zones in some aspects allows movement of the individual holding zones in relation to each other. 
         [0016]    This embodiment may be advantageous as it allows construction of a unit, which is easy to produce and easily accessible, from several components. 
         [0017]    In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure the outer holding zones are at least in sections formed negative to the surface regions of the contact devices, wherein the contact device is in contact with the holding zones with part of its outer surface facing the holding zones, and the inner surface forms a cooling contact contour. The contact device thus has an inner contour part which forms the cooling contact contour, whereby different preforms can be processed using forms specially adapted to the contour of the preforms or containers or bottles. 
         [0018]    This embodiment may be advantageous as the broad area cooperation of the outer holding zone or zones and the outer surface of the contact device allows a very defined or precise arrangement and positioning of the individual components to each other, whereby again a very high process accuracy can be achieved which in turn leads to a high throughput and low rejection rate. 
         [0019]    In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure the outer holding zones and the contact device can be coupled together by means of fast coupling connection(s), for example, they can be connected and/or released manually. 
         [0020]    This embodiment may be advantageous as it allows the possibility of rapid exchange of the contact devices, requiring no complex conversion. Thus different contact devices can be inserted or the contact devices exchanged in the shortest time and without need for specialist personnel. 
         [0021]    According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, to form the fast connections the outer holding parts in some aspects each have a sliding section for (for example, linear) guidance of a positioning device of the contact device in a slide direction, or to form the fast connection the contact device has a sliding section to guide a positioning device of the outer holding parts in the slide direction. The sliding section here for example can be formed by a rail-like cooperation of two sliding elements, whereby in each case one sliding element is provided on the contact device and one sliding element on the positioning device, for example in the form of tongue and groove. 
         [0022]    This embodiment may be advantageous as it allows a very defined positioning or fixing of the contact device in relation to the positioning device. 
         [0023]    According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the outer holding parts or the contact devices each have at least one fixing means for fixing the positioning device. 
         [0024]    This embodiment may be advantageous as the position of the contact device in relation to the positioning device can be fixed very easily, whereby no undesirable release of the contact device in relation to the positioning device can occur, or any wobble of the contact device in the positioning device is prevented or reduced. 
         [0025]    According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the outer holding parts or the contact devices each have at least two fixing means spaced apart in the sliding direction for fixing and/or positioning of the positioning device. 
         [0026]    This embodiment may be advantageous as it allows a very precise positioning over a substantial length proportion. 
         [0027]    According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure the fixing means for fixing are mobile substantially at right angles to the sliding direction. This may be advantageous as it allows a very high force application or induction, whereby a high surface pressure and hence substantial friction connection results between the contact device and the positioning device. 
         [0028]    According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure the fixing means for fixing are each formed differently in the region of a surface for contacting the positioning device. 
         [0029]    This may be advantageous as it allows a function separation, whereby individual fixing means perform a first task while other fixing means perform a further task. This may be furthermore advantageous as costs can be saved since not all fixing means need be provided with the corresponding production tolerances or properties. 
         [0030]    According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure at least one fixing means for fixing in the region of the surface for contacting the positioning device has a structure to create a form fit with the positioning device. 
         [0031]    This embodiment may be advantageous as the fixing of the contact device in or on the positioning device can be achieved by a form fit connection instead of or in addition to a friction connection. 
         [0032]    According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure in the region of the contact device and/or in the region of the outer holding zones is provided in some aspects at least one channel for guiding a fluid, such as for example a cooling medium. This fluid is in some aspects a liquid but can also be a gas. The fluid in some aspects dissipates heat from the contact device or positioning device by convection. 
         [0033]    It is however also conceivable that by means of the fluid heat can be supplied to the contact device and/or positioning device. It is also conceivable that by means of a first fluid heat can be supplied to the positioning device and/or contact device while by means of a second fluid heat can be dissipated from the positioning device and/or contact device. In some aspects furthermore a cooling device is provided for cooling the fluid. 
         [0034]    It is furthermore conceivable that a control device is provided to control the fluid flow i.e. for example the flow speed. It is furthermore conceivable that a detection device is provided for detecting device properties or preform properties or container properties, e.g. temperature. It is also conceivable that by means of the detection device an identification of the individual wall parts is possible, for example, the first and second wall parts. It is also conceivable that the preforms, in some aspects if surrounded by the contact device at least in sections, can be rotated about their longitudinal axes by means of an actuator device, in particular a stepper motor. 
         [0035]    Further advantages and embodiments will become evident from the attached drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0036]    In the drawings: 
           [0037]      FIG. 1  shows a three-dimensional front and rear view of an exemplary positioning device according to various aspects of the disclosure; 
           [0038]      FIG. 2  shows a two-dimensional cross section through an exemplary positioning device according to various aspects of the disclosure; 
           [0039]      FIG. 3  shows a two-dimensional section view of an exemplary positioning device in which a contact device is inserted, and two detailed depictions of the fixing means; 
           [0040]      FIG. 4  shows a three-dimensional front view and a three-dimensional rear view of the contact device according to various aspects of the disclosure; 
           [0041]      FIG. 5  shows a further cross section view of the positioning device with partially inserted contact device; 
           [0042]      FIG. 6  shows a three-dimensional depiction of part of the container processor device according to various aspects of the disclosure; and 
           [0043]      FIG. 7  shows a three-dimensional detailed depiction of a section of the container processing device shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0044]      FIG. 1  shows a three-dimensional depiction of a front and a rear view of the carrier device  10  according to the disclosure which can also be called a mould carrier. It is evident from this depiction that the carrier device  10  has holding zones  8 . These holding zones  8  are each connected via a slot  17  with a fast coupling connection  14   a ,  14   b . These fast coupling connections  14   a ,  14   b  each form a sliding section  16  in each of which a corresponding element of the contact device (not shown) can be guided in direction L. Reference numerals  46   a ,  46   b  designate clamping elements, in particular clamping claws which serve for fixing or positioning the contact device in relation to the carrier device  10 . The carrier device  10  or mould carrier can also be tempered and fitted with a temperature sensor to control the nominal temperature. 
         [0045]      FIG. 2  shows a two-dimensional cross section view of the carrier device  10  shown in  FIG. 1  in the area of section “A”. This depiction again shows the holding zone  8  and the fast coupling connection  14   a . Furthermore clamping bolts  48  are shown for clamping or fixing the clamping claws  46   a . The clamping bolts  48  are each formed by means of spring elements  54 , which are in some aspects designed as coil springs (in particular compression springs), washers  50  and/or nuts  52  to accept spring force. The clamping claws  46  therefore in some aspects are or can be pretensioned with the spring element  54  and particularly in some aspects may lie with their underside in the mould carrier or carrier device  10 . Thus on holding the contact device  6 , clamping or fixing the contact device  6  in the carrier device  10  is easily possible. 
         [0046]      FIG. 3  again shows a two-dimensional view of the carrier device  10 . This depiction shows firstly a part of a contact device  6  partly coupled via the fast coupling connection  14   b . The contact device  6  in some aspects has a positioning device  18 , for example, a sliding block. 
         [0047]    The areas marked “C” and “D” are each shown enlarged in the section drawings. These section drawings show fixing means  22   a ,  22   b  respectively. The fixing means  22   a ,  22   b  each have surfaces for contact  24   a ,  24   b  with which they are in or can be brought into contact with the sliding block  18  of the fast coupling connection  14   b  of the contact device  6 . 
         [0048]    It is furthermore clear from the section views “C” and “D” that the surfaces for contact  24   a ,  24   b  are formed differently. Surface  24   a  for example has only a smooth structure, while structure  26  of surface  24   b  is formed rough or corrugated and in particular suitable for creating a form fit. Reference numeral  40  designates in some aspects an outer radius or outer surface of the contact device  6 . 
         [0049]    The clamping claws  46   a ,  46   b  and fixing means  22   a ,  22   b  are in some aspects designed such that they only come into contact with the sliding block  18  immediately before locking. When the contact device  6  is pressed down for coupling with the positioning device  10 , clamping claws  22   b  are pressed by the chamfers and the radius of the sliding block and move back; when pressed further down the clamping claw  22   b  snaps into engagement in the radius of the sliding block  18 . The contour of the clamping claw  22   b  is designed such that autonomous detachment is prevented. A contact is produced with the face  41  on the support surface  8   a  in the mould carrier, whereby the end position is defined. 
         [0050]    The clamping claw  22   a  and fixing means  22   a  also press on the sliding block  18 , whereby the die is also clamped in the upper area. In the clamped state thus the contact device  6  lies defined via its face  42  on the holding zone  8  of the preferably tempered mould carrier  10 , whereby a heat transfer from the mould carrier  10  to the contact device  6  is guaranteed. 
         [0051]      FIG. 4  shows two three-dimensional views of the contact device  6 . The three-dimensional view of contact device  6  shown on the left in  FIG. 4  shows the inner surface of the contact device  6  and hence the cooling contact contour  12 . It is here conceivable that the cooling contact contour  12  extends in a straight line as shown in  FIG. 4 , wherein it is also conceivable that the cooling contact contour  12  extends in a curve or is curved in sections and touches a wall region of the preform. In some aspects the cooling contact contour  12  optionally consists of a heat-conductive or heat-insulating material to dissipate heat from at least one wall part of the preform  2  or to supply heat in a targeted manner to a wall part. In some aspects for better heat conduction, aluminium can be provided as a material for the cooling contact contour  12 , or teflon for better heat insulation. In an exemplary embodiment the cooling contact contour  12  is provided in the form of a composite part. 
         [0052]    Thus it would be conceivable for a cooling contact contour to comprise a heat-conductive material and for a further cooling contact contour to comprise a heat-insulating material. It would also be possible for a cooling contact contour to have regions which consist of a heat-conductive material in order to dissipate heat from a wall part of the preform  2  and also regions consisting of a heat-insulating material to supply heat to a wall part of the preform  2 . 
         [0053]    The fast coupling connection  14   b  arranged on the face  42  of contact device  6  is for example designed as a positioning device  18 , in particular as a sliding block. The reference numerals  21  designate screw connections with which the fast coupling connection  14   b  can be connected with the face  42  or wall element of the contact device  6 . Reference numeral  23  designates a pin, such as for example a positioning pin. 
         [0054]    The handle  44  constitutes a means for applying force to the contact device  6 . By means of this handle  44  a release or fixing force can be applied to the contact device  6 . The contact device  6  or die  6  is designed in each case for one bottle contour and preform geometry, whereby to change types and reduce the fitting time the contact device  6  is designed for easy and fast exchange. 
         [0055]      FIG. 5  corresponds substantially to  FIG. 3 , wherein the fast coupling connections  14   b  of the contact device  6  do not yet fully cooperate with the fast coupling connection  14   a  of the carrier device  10 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 6  shows part of a device  1  for processing containers in a three-dimensional view. The depiction shows a multiplicity of devices connected together and the supply of a preform  2  by means of a holding device  4 , for example a preform gripper, to the contact device  6  which in turn is surrounded by the carrier devices  10 . The preform gripper  4  is connected with a stepper motor  28  which is connected with an arm  56 , a coupling  58 , for example a slip coupling, and a means for forced guidance  60 , for example a splined shaft, and can be moved in the preform longitudinal direction by a control curve component  62 , in particular a roller running on a control curve. 
         [0057]      FIG. 7  shows an enlarged three-dimensional view of part of the processing device  1  already shown in  FIG. 6 . This figure shows one or more additional connections  30  for supply of a tempering medium to the carrier  10  and deflector elements  32  for deflecting the tempering medium. The deflector elements can connect respectively the individual carrier devices  10  and/or contact device  6  together fluidically. 
         [0058]    Reference numeral  34  designates a thermosensor and hence a detector unit. The thermosensor  34  can for example serve to determine the fluid temperature, the temperature of the carrier device  10  of the contact device  6  and/or the temperature of the preform  2 . It is also conceivable that further detection devices are provided for example to detect the position of the preform  2  and/or to determine ambient conditions such as for example relative humidity, pressure or similar. 
         [0059]    The preform gripper  4  can for example be held via a bayonet lock. On a change, the preform gripper  4  is unscrewed from the holder  38  for example by twisting counter-clockwise. On a change, stepper motor  28  can be powered up to hold the spindle in position. 
         [0060]    Reference numeral  36  designates a cylinder or further stepper motor by which for example the movement of the carrier devices  10  in relation to each other can be achieved. 
         [0061]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the device for processing preforms of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the invention. Throughout the disclosure, use of the terms “a,” “an,” and “the” may include one or more of the elements to which they refer. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only.