Method for the production of a series of containers comprising a step for marking containers

Abstract

Method for the production of containers from a series of plastic preforms heated in a container production facility having at least one heating station, a forming machine with a number of forming stations, one or more treatment machines with a number of treatment stations. The method includes: forming the preforms in the forming machine; treating the individual containers in the treatment machine; and circulating each container held individually between the forming machine and the treatment machine(s). The method also includes individual identification of each container that is produced during a predetermined tracking period, an individual identification phase including a marking step during which each individual container that is produced during the tracking period receives a marking that matches the container, making it possible to identify individually the container by distinguishing it from all of the other containers produced by the production facility during the tracking period.

1 . Method for the production of a series of containers ( 2 ) from a series of preforms ( 4 )
 made of plastic materials that are heated in a container production facility ( 1 ) that comprises at least one station ( 6 ) for heating the series of preforms ( 4 ), a forming machine ( 8 ) that comprises a number of forming stations ( 24 ), one or more treatment machines ( 34 ) that each comprise a number of treatment stations ( 36 ), with the method comprising the following steps:
 Circulation of the series of preforms ( 2 ) in the heating station ( 6 ) up to the forming machine during which each preform ( 4 ) is held individually and heated at a reference temperature, 
 Forming of the series of preforms ( 4 ) in the forming machine ( 8 ), each heated preform ( 4 ) being placed in a forming station ( 24 ) in which said preform ( 4 ) is formed into a container ( 2 ), in such a way that said series of preforms ( 4 ) is formed into a series of individual containers ( 2 ), 
 Treatment of the series of individual containers ( 2 ) in the treatment machine ( 34 ,  10 ,  46 ), with each individual container ( 2 ) being placed in a treatment station ( 36 ,  40 ,  48 ), 
 Circulation of each container that is held individually between the forming machine and the treatment machine(s), 
   the method further comprising a phase for individual identification of each container that is produced during a predetermined tracking period, an individual identification phase comprising a marking step during which each individual container ( 2 ) that is produced during said tracking period receives a marking that matches said container, making it possible to identify individually said container by distinguishing it from all of the other containers produced by the production facility during said tracking period.   
     
     
         2 . Production method according to  claim 1 , in which the marking that matches the container that is to be identified comprises station information relative to at least one of the elements that has held, or is supposed to hold, said container that is to be identified during the production of the container that is to be identified, and time-stamping information ( 62 ) relative to the time when said container ( 2 ) that is to be identified is marked. 
     
     
         3 . Production method according to  claim 2 , in which the time-stamping information ( 62 ) comprises the date and the hour ( 68 ) within the second at which the marking ( 52 ) of the container ( 2 ) takes place. 
     
     
         4 . Production method according to  claim 1 , in which the marking that matches the container that is to be identified comprises a chronology number of the production of the container during the tracking period. 
     
     
         5 . Production method according to  claim 1 , in which the marking that matches the container that is to be identified also comprises a coding that matches the facility that has produced said container and/or a coding of the tracking period. 
     
     
         6 . Production method according to  claim 1 , comprising a step for applying a barrier layer to the series of containers ( 2 ), with one of said treatment machines being a machine ( 34 ) for application of said barrier layer onto the inner wall of the container ( 2 ) that comprises a number of application stations ( 36 ), with each container ( 2 ) being placed in an identified application station ( 36 ) in which a barrier layer is applied onto the inner wall of said container, the step for marking the container ( 2 ) that is to be identified comprising the marking ( 52 ) of a piece of information ( 58 ) relative to the identified application station in which a barrier layer has been or will be applied to said container. 
     
     
         7 . Production method according to  claim 6 , comprising another treatment step that is a step for filling each container that is produced, with one of the corresponding treatment machines being a filling machine, the step for marking the container that is to be identified taking place between the step for applying a barrier layer and the filling step. 
     
     
         8 . Production method according to  claim 7 , in which the facility that comprises a capping unit ( 46 ) that comprises a number of capping stations ( 48 ); method in which, during the step for capping the series of containers ( 2 ), each container ( 2 ) is placed in an identified capping station ( 48 ) in which a cap is attached to said container ( 2 ), with the step for marking the container ( 2 ) that is to be identified comprising the marking ( 52 ) of a piece of information ( 60 ) relative to the identified capping station ( 48 ) in which a cap has been attached to said container ( 2 ). 
     
     
         9 . Production method according to  claim 7 , in which the marking step comprises the marking ( 52 ) of a piece of product information ( 70 ) pertaining to the filler product that is introduced into the container ( 2 ) during the filling step. 
     
     
         10 . Production method according to  claim 1 , in which the production facility comprises a labeling unit that has a number of labeling stations; method in which, during the labeling step, each container ( 2 ) is placed in an identified labeling station in which a label is attached to said container, with the step for marking the container that is to be identified comprising the marking ( 52 ) of a piece of information ( 58 ) relative to the identified labeling station in which a label has been attached to said container. 
     
     
         11 . Production method according to  claim 1 , in which the marking ( 52 ) of each container ( 2 ) is carried out in a unique zone of said container ( 2 ), with the information ( 54 ,  58 ,  56 ,  60 ,  62 ) relative to the identified stations and time-stamping being placed adjacent to one another in said unique zone. 
     
     
         12 . A production facility's method for controlling a series of containers ( 2 ) from a series of preforms ( 4 ) made of plastic materials comprising:
 A first step of machine data acquisition implementing the method according to  claim 1 , in which for each individual container that is produced, the control console records, on the one hand, the marking that matches said container, and, on the other hand, a series of specific data relative to the forming and/or treatment stations and/or relative to the elements that have held said container during its production, and/or a series of general data relative to the operation of the facility during the production of said container,   A second step of container data acquisition, during which one or more physical values of each of the individually identified containers is/are measured during the first step,   A third step of compiling a mixed database that matches, for each individually identified container during the first step, on the one hand, the measurement(s) of the second step, and the series of data acquired during the first step.   
     
     
         13 . Control method according to  claim 12 , comprising a diagnostic step, during which the container data are compared in relation to pre-set target values that correspond to the measured values, and a detected or imminent malfunction at one or more of the forming and/or treatment stations and/or holding elements of the facility is determined. 
     
     
         14 . Control method according to  claim 12 , comprising a step for analysis of the mixed database, during which at least one law of correlation between the container data and the machine data is established, and a correction step in which according to the correlation law(s), one or more likely adjusted machine parameters is/are calculated during the next production cycle for producing containers, one or more physical values of which will be closer to the pre-set target(s) than during the first step. 
     
     
         15 . Facility ( 1 ) for production of a series of containers ( 2 ) from a series of preforms ( 4 ) made of heated plastic materials making it possible to implement a production method according to  claim 2 , with said facility comprising:
 A station ( 6 ) for heating the series of preforms ( 4 ) making it possible to hold and to heat each of said preforms ( 4 ) at a reference temperature,   A machine ( 8 ) for forming the series of preforms ( 4 ) into a series of containers ( 2 ), with said forming machine ( 8 ) comprising a number of identified forming stations ( 24 ), each forming station ( 24 ) receiving a preform ( 4 ) and forming said preform into a container ( 2 ),   At least one machine ( 34 ) for treatment of the series of containers ( 2 ), with said treatment machine ( 34 ) comprising a number of stations ( 36 ) for treatment of the container that is produced,   A positive transport device ( 12 ) that holds each container individually between the forming machine ( 8 ) and the treatment machine(s) ( 34 ,  10 ,  46 ),   A marking unit ( 14 ) that applies a marking ( 52 ) to each of the containers ( 2 ) of the series of containers, and a control console ( 27 ) that is connected to the marking unit ( 14 ) and that generates the marking that is to be applied,   with said production facility ( 1 ) being wherein the control console comprises software that is designed so that said marking ( 52 ) matches said container and makes it possible to identify individually each container that is produced during a predetermined tracking period by distinguishing it from all of the other containers that are produced by the production facility during said tracking period.   
     
     
         16 . Production facility according to  claim 15 , in which each preform that circulates in the heating station is held by a gripping element; each individual container in the process of forming is held by the forming station ( 24 ) that forms it; each individual container in the course of treatment is held by the treatment station ( 36 ) that treats it; each individual container that circulates between the forming machine and the treatment machine(s) is held by an element for gripping the positive transport device ( 12 ); said gripping elements, the forming station or the station for treatment of the or each treatment machine constitute elements that have held, or that should hold, the container that is to be identified, on which information is recorded in the control console that is
 associated with the marking that matches the container that is to be identified.   
     
     
         17 . Production facility according to  claim 15 , in which one of the treatment machines is a machine for filling the container that is produced by the facility, with the filling machine ( 10 ) comprising a number of filling stations ( 40 ), and in which each filling station ( 40 ) of the filling machine ( 10 ) is combined with an identified forming station ( 24 ) of the forming machine ( 8 ) in such a way that for each filling station ( 40 ), the control console knows from which forming station ( 24 ) the container that the filling station is in the process of filling systematically comes. 
     
     
         18 . Production method according to  claim 2 , in which the marking that matches the container that is to be identified also comprises a coding that matches the facility that has produced said container and/or a coding of the tracking period. 
     
     
         19 . Production method according to  claim 3 , in which the marking that matches the container that is to be identified also comprises a coding that matches the facility that has produced said container and/or a coding of the tracking period. 
     
     
         20 . Production method according to  claim 4 , in which the marking that matches the container that is to be identified also comprises a coding that matches the facility that has produced said container and/or a coding of the tracking period.