Thermal treatment unit for the manufacture of pet containers
US5308233A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 17, 1993 |
| Grant date | May 3, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 17, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S264/906
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A continuous-feed thermal treatment unit for the manufacture of PET containers includes, in succession, a recovery oven (25) and a crystallization oven (42) having respective heater plates (27, 44) for emitting medium-wavelength infrared radiation to heat the bodies of incoming, rotating, bidirectionally stretched, oversize containers to a temperature of 160.degree.-2400.degree.-C. The crystallization oven also includes short-wavelength infrared tubes (47) disposed along the path of the container necks, whose radiation penetrates the necks and heats support mandrels (18) inserted therein to transport the containers. The heated bodies shrink and become at least partially crystallized during their conveyance through the ovens, while the necks undergo spherulitic crystallization. The mandrels are carried at the outer ends of radial arms (15) mounted on links (12) joined by pivots (13) to form an endless conveyor chain (9) led over a portion of a drive wheel (10), during which the spacing between adjacent containers is increased to accommodate their relatively large incoming dimensions. As the conveyor chain and the containers transported thereby enter a straight run into the crystalli…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.