Method and device for the production of filled containers from thermally conditioned preforms

Abstract

A method and device for producing containers filled with liquid content from preforms made of thermoplastic material. The liquid content is fed as a pressure medium into thermally conditioned preforms during a forming and filling phase in a mold of one of a plurality of forming stations arranged circumferentially spaced apart on a common, continuously rotationally driven working wheel. A compensating device compensates for thermal consequences of centrifugal force acting on the liquid content fed into the preform during the forming and filling phase. The compensating device imparts a temperature profile to the preform in a circumferential direction, which is not point-symmetrical in relation to a longitudinal axis of the preform to produce a thermally differentiated partial circumferential region. The preform is inserted into the mold such that the thermally differentiated partial circumferential region faces in a radial direction of the working wheel.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method for producing a container filled with at least one liquid content from a preform made of a thermoplastic material, said method comprising:
 thermally conditioning the preform along a heating zone in a heating device; and   subsequently, during a forming and filling phase in a mold of a forming station, feeding the at least one liquid content into the preform as a pressure medium and thereby simultaneously forming and filling the container with the at least one liquid content;   wherein the forming station is one of a plurality of forming stations arranged circumferentially spaced apart on a common, continuously rotationally driven working wheel at a radial distance from an axis of rotation of the working wheel,   wherein a compensating device is used to compensate for thermal consequences of centrifugal force acting on the at least one liquid content fed into the preform during the forming and filling phase,   wherein the compensating device is a temperature control device, which imparts to the preform a temperature profile in a circumferential direction which is not point-symmetrical in relation to a longitudinal axis of the preform and thereby produces a thermally differentiated partial circumferential region in the preform, and   wherein the preform is inserted into the mold in such an alignment that the thermally differentiated partial circumferential region is facing in a radial direction of the working wheel.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein, while the preform is being formed into the container, the preform is guided and stretched in a direction of its longitudinal axis at least for a time by a stretching rod. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the thermally differentiated partial circumferential region is heated more strongly than remaining circumferential regions of the preform. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the temperature profile imparted to the preform in the circumferential direction is regulated or controlled as a function of a selected circumferential speed of the working wheel. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the compensating device is arranged in the heating zone of the heating device. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the thermally differentiated partial circumferential region faces radially outward after insertion of the preform into the mold of the forming station. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the container is rotationally symmetrical about its longitudinal axis, is formed with n-fold symmetrical rotation, and wherein n is greater than 4. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein n is greater than 8, and wherein the container is substantially circularly symmetrical. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the thermally differentiated partial circumferential region has a partial circumferential angle ϕ of less than 180°. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the partial circumferential angle ϕ is less than 90°. 
     
     
         24 . A device for producing containers filled with at least one liquid content from preforms made of a thermoplastic material, said device comprising:
 a plurality of forming stations each having a forming and filling head and a mold, wherein each forming station is configured to feed the at least one liquid content into one of the preforms as a pressure medium and thereby simultaneously form the one of the preforms into a container and fill the container with the at least one liquid content during a forming and filling phase in the mold; and   a heating device for thermally conditioning the preforms along a heating zone;   wherein formation of the container takes place against an inner wall of the mold with the mold being closed,   wherein the plurality of forming stations are arranged circumferentially spaced apart on a common, continuously rotationally driven working wheel at a radial distance from an axis of rotation of the working wheel,   wherein the device further comprises a compensating device to compensate for thermal consequences of centrifugal force acting on the at least one liquid content fed into the preforms during the forming and filling phase,   wherein the compensating device is a temperature control device, which is Imparts a temperature profile in the preforms,   wherein the compensating device further has a preform alignment device for aligned insertion of the temperature-profiled preforms into respective molds of the plurality of forming stations,   wherein the temperature control device is configured to impart the temperature profile in the preforms in a circumferential direction, which is not point-symmetrical in relation to a longitudinal axis of the preforms and thereby produce a thermally differentiated partial circumferential region in the preforms, and   wherein the preform alignment device is configured to insert the preforms into the respective molds in such an alignment that the thermally differentiated partial circumferential region is facing in a radial direction of the working wheel.   
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the forming station has a stretching rod configured to stretch the preform in a direction of its longitudinal axis at least for a time during the forming and filling phase. 
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the temperature control device is arranged in the heating zone of the heating device. 
     
     
         27 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the temperature control device is configured such that the thermally differentiated partial circumferential region is heated more strongly than remaining circumferential regions of the preforms. 
     
     
         28 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the preform alignment device is configured such that the thermally differentiated partial circumferential region is facing radially outward after insertion of the preform into the mold of a forming station. 
     
     
         29 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the inner wall of the mold is configured to produce the container such that the container is rotationally symmetrical about its longitudinal axis, and has n-fold symmetrical rotation, wherein n is greater than 4. 
     
     
         30 . The device according to  claim 29 , wherein n is greater than 8, and wherein the inner wall of the mold is configured to produce a container having a substantially circular symmetry. 
     
     
         31 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the temperature control device is configured to control or regulate the temperature profile of the preforms dependent on a circumferential speed of the working wheel. 
     
     
         32 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein the thermally differentiated partial circumferential region has a partial circumferential angle ϕ of less than 180°. 
     
     
         33 . The device according to  claim 32 , wherein the partial circumferential angle ϕ is less than 90°.