Patent Description:
Current systems for simultaneously forming and filling a container are suitable for their intended use, but subject to improvement. For example, current systems may exhibit issues with under-formed shoulders and container scarring. Liquid from ruptures may fill vents in the container mold, and scar subsequent containers. Current practice of sealing the vents between the striker plate and the mold shoulder with a silicone seal to prevent liquid build-up is subject to improvement. The present disclosure overcomes these issues and provides numerous advantages, as explained in detail herein and as one skilled in the art will appreciate. Related prior art systems and methods are described in <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

The present disclosure provides for a system for simultaneously forming and filling a polymeric container with a product. The system includes a mold defining a container profile and a mold vacuum vent extending from the container profile to an upper surface of the mold. A striker plate is secured to the upper surface of the mold. The striker plate defines a striker vacuum vent that aligns with the mold vacuum vent to allow some of the product to be pulled by vacuum out of the mold through the mold vacuum vent and the striker vacuum vent.

The present disclosure further provides for a method for simultaneously forming and filling a polymeric container. The method includes injecting a product into a preform seated in a mold to simultaneously form the container from the preform and fill the container with the product. The method further includes generating a vacuum to draw excess product out of the mold through a mold vacuum vent defined by the mold and a striker vacuum vent of a striker plate attached the mold.

The present disclosure also provides for a system for simultaneously forming and filling a polymeric container with a product. The system includes a mold defining a container profile and a mold vacuum vent extending from the container profile to an upper surface of the mold. A striker plate is secured to the upper surface of the mold. The striker plate defines a striker vacuum vent that aligns with the mold vacuum vent to allow some of the product to be pulled by vacuum out of the mold through the mold vacuum vent and the striker vacuum vent. A vacuum generator is configured to generate the vacuum that pulls some of the product out of the mold through the mold vacuum vent and the striker vacuum vent. A knock-out vessel is configured to regulate the vacuum and receive the product pulled by the vacuum out of the mold. A vacuum valve is between the striker plate and the knock-out vessel. The vacuum valve is configured to sync the vacuum with consecutive container forming and filling processes.

<FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> illustrate a mold <NUM> and a striker plate <NUM> in accordance with the present disclosure for receiving product from any suitable forming and filling head for simultaneously forming and filling a polymeric container from a container preform seated within the mold <NUM>. The preform and the resulting container can be formed of any suitable polymeric material, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene, and the like, for example. The forming and filling head, mold <NUM>, and striker plate <NUM> are configured for use with any suitable Liquiform® machine, for example, such as described in the following <CIT>; <CIT>; <CIT>; and <CIT>. Any suitable product may be injected from the head into the preform to simultaneously form the container from the preform and fill the container with the product. Suitable products include, but are not limited to, water, sports drinks, juice, sauces, any suitable foodstuffs, etc..

The mold <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is one-half of a mold in accordance with the present disclosure. The other half, which is not illustrated, is substantially similar to, or identical to, the half of the mold <NUM> that is illustrated. Likewise, the striker plate <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is one-half of a striker plate in accordance with the present disclosure. The other half, which is not illustrated, is substantially similar to, or identical to, the half of the striker plate <NUM> that is illustrated. The description of the illustrated halves of the mold <NUM> and striker plate <NUM> set forth herein also applies to the halves that are not illustrated.

The mold <NUM> defines a container profile <NUM> into which the preform is blown. The container profile <NUM> may have any suitable shape and dimensions corresponding to the desired container to be formed and filled. In the example illustrated, the container profile <NUM> includes a body region <NUM>, a shoulder region <NUM>, and a heel region <NUM>. The mold <NUM> further includes an upper surface <NUM>. The striker plate <NUM> is coupled to the mold <NUM> at the upper surface <NUM>, as described further herein.

The mold <NUM> further defines a mold vacuum vent extending from the container profile <NUM> to the upper surface <NUM>. The mold vacuum vent includes an inlet <NUM> defined by the mold <NUM> at the container profile <NUM>. In the example illustrated, the vent inlet <NUM> is at, or proximate to, the shoulder region <NUM>. The vent inlet <NUM> may alternatively be arranged at any other suitable location of the container profile <NUM>. From the vent inlet <NUM>, the mold vacuum vent extends through the mold <NUM> to a vent outlet <NUM> at the upper surface <NUM>. With particular reference to <FIG>, a first portion <NUM> of the mold vacuum vent extends from the vent inlet <NUM> in a direction perpendicular to, or generally perpendicular to, a mid-line A of both the mold <NUM> and the container profile <NUM>. Extending from the first portion <NUM> is a second portion <NUM> of the mold vacuum vent. The second portion <NUM> extends perpendicular to, or generally perpendicular to, the first portion <NUM>. The second portion <NUM> connects to the first portion <NUM> at an area between the vent inlet <NUM> and a plug <NUM>. The plug <NUM> may be an aluminum expansion plug, which blocks the first portion <NUM> downstream of the second portion <NUM>, and thus excess product flowing through the first portion <NUM> flows to the second portion <NUM>.

With particular reference to <FIG>, the second portion <NUM> of the mold vacuum vent is generally semicircular. Extending from the semicircular second portion <NUM> is a wing portion <NUM> of the vent outlet <NUM>. Excess product pulled from the container profile <NUM> is pulled into the mold vacuum vent through the vent inlet <NUM>, and drawn out of the mold vacuum vent through the vent outlet <NUM> at the wing portion <NUM>.

At the upper surface <NUM> are receptacles <NUM> defined within the mold <NUM>. The receptacles <NUM> are configured to receive any suitable fasteners for securing the striker plate <NUM> to the upper surface <NUM> of the mold <NUM>. The striker plate <NUM> defines a plurality of apertures <NUM>, each of which is positioned to align with one of the receptacles <NUM> when the striker plate <NUM> is seated on the upper surface <NUM>. The striker plate <NUM> is secured to the mold <NUM> by fasteners inserted though each one of the apertures <NUM> into the receptacles <NUM>.

The striker plate <NUM> further defines a striker vacuum vent <NUM>, which extends through the striker plate <NUM>. The striker vacuum vent <NUM> is arranged to align with the wing portion <NUM> of the vent outlet <NUM> when the striker plate <NUM> is coupled to the mold <NUM>. A nozzle <NUM> may be connected to the striker vacuum vent <NUM> on an outer surface of the striker plate <NUM>. The nozzle <NUM> may be configured to swivel to facilitate connection of the nozzle <NUM> to a vacuum line. Thus, excess product drawn out of the mold <NUM> through the mold vacuum vent by vacuum flows through the first and second portions <NUM>, <NUM> of the mold vacuum vent, through the striker vacuum vent <NUM>, and through the nozzle <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the vacuum source for generating the vacuum is illustrated at reference numeral <NUM>. The vacuum source <NUM> may include a vacuum pump, or any other device suitable for generating a vacuum sufficient to draw excess product out of the mold <NUM>. Between the vacuum source <NUM> and the striker plate <NUM> is a knock-out vessel <NUM>. The knock-out vessel <NUM> is configured to regulate the vacuum generated by the vacuum source <NUM> and receive the excess product pulled out of the mold <NUM>. Connected to a vacuum line extending from the nozzle <NUM> and a vacuum line extending from the knock-out vessel <NUM> is a vacuum valve <NUM>. The vacuum valve <NUM> is configured to sync the vacuum generated by the vacuum source <NUM> with forming and filling processes for consecutive containers. The vacuum valve <NUM> regulates the vacuum generated by the vacuum source <NUM>, which is particularly advantageous in applications where the vacuum source <NUM> is constantly drawing vacuum on the knock-out vessel <NUM>.

The present disclosure thus provides numerous advantages. For example, the vacuum generated by the vacuum source <NUM> draws excess product out of the mold <NUM> through the mold vacuum vent <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, the striker vacuum vent <NUM>, and the nozzle <NUM> to eliminate accumulation of liquid product between the mold <NUM> and the striker plate <NUM>. Removing excess product in this manner also advantageously facilitates formation of the shoulder region of the container, and prevents container scarring. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure provides numerous additional advantages and unexpected results as well.

Claim 1:
A system for simultaneously forming and filling a polymeric container with a product, the system comprising:
a mold (<NUM>) defining a container profile (<NUM>) and a mold vacuum vent extending from the container profile (<NUM>) to an upper surface (<NUM>) of the mold (<NUM>); and
a striker plate (<NUM>) secured to the upper surface (<NUM>) of the mold (<NUM>),
wherein
the striker plate (<NUM>) defines a striker vacuum vent (<NUM>) that aligns with the mold vacuum vent to allow some of the product to be pulled by vacuum out of the mold (<NUM>) through the mold vacuum vent and the striker vacuum vent (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the system further comprises a knock-out vessel (<NUM>) configured to regulate the vacuum and receive the product pulled by the vacuum out of the mold (<NUM>); and
a vacuum valve (<NUM>) between the striker plate (<NUM>) and the knock-out vessel (<NUM>), the vacuum valve (<NUM>) configured to sync the vacuum with consecutive container forming and filling processes.