Device for thermoforming containers having translational mould blocks
AssigneeErca
InventorSébastien Le Metayer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for thermoforming containers, the device having mold blocks mounted to move in translation. An example embodiment may include at least first and second analogous mold blocks, a counter-mold, means for causing a thermoplastic material to advance along an advance axis, and two labeling blocks. The mold blocks can be moved in a first movement between a thermoforming level and a disengagement level. The mold blocks can also be moved in a second movement along an axis transverse to the advance axis so as to place each mold facing in succession the counter-mold and one of the labeling blocks.
Claims20
A device for manufacturing, by thermoforming, containers provided with decorative labels, the device comprising:
- a mold device comprising at least first and second analogous mold blocks;
- a counter-mold, a thermoplastic material being caused to advance along an advance axis and to face the counter-mold in a thermoforming plane defined by the advance axis and by a transverse axis;
- and
- two labeling blocks;
- the mold device being placed on the other side of the thermoforming plane relative to the counter-mold, and being configured so that the mold blocks can, in succession, take up a first configuration in which the first mold block is in a thermoforming position facing the counter-mold while the second mold block is in a labeling position facing one of the labeling blocks, and a second configuration in which the second mold block is in the thermoforming position, while the first mold block is in a labeling position facing the other of the labeling blocks;
- the labeling blocks being disposed on either side of the counter-mold along the transverse axis, and the first and second mold blocks forming a set suitable for being moved in a first movement perpendicularly to the thermoforming plane between a thermoforming level close to said plane and a disengagement level spaced apart from said plane, and in a second movement along the transverse axis so as to place the mold blocks facing in succession the counter-mold and one of the labeling blocks.
A method of manufacturing, by thermoforming, containers provided with decorative labels, the method comprising the following steps:
- causing a thermoplastic material to advance along an advance axis, and bringing the thermoplastic material to face a counter-mold in a thermoforming plane defined by the advance axis and by a transverse axis;
- causing two analogous mold blocks of a mold device placed on the other side of the thermoforming plane relative to the counter-mold to be placed, in succession, in a first configuration in which the first mold block is in a thermoforming position facing the counter-mold while the second mold block is in a labeling position facing a labeling block, and in a second configuration in which the second mold block is in the thermoforming position, while the first mold block is in a labeling position facing another labeling block;
- with the labeling blocks being disposed on either side of the counter-mold along the transverse axis, going from one of the first and second configurations to the other is achieved by moving the first and second mold blocks together in a first movement perpendicularly to the thermoforming plane between a thermoforming level close to said plane and a disengagement level spaced apart from said plane, and in a second movement along the transverse axis so as to place the mold blocks facing in succession the counter-mold and one of the labeling blocks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.