Modular blow mold system for blow molding a container
AssigneePepsiCo, Inc.
InventorsAdvait Rasik Bhat, Stefano Giuliani, Maximiliano Rodriguez, Ellie Vineyard
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Abstract
A modular system for blow molding a container. The system may include a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion and second portion may each include a shell, a mold removably coupled to the shell, and a top plate. The third portion may include a base and a base mold. The molds may be 3D printed. The molds together may define a blow mold cavity. The modular system may be used at lab scale, pilot scale, or full production scale. The molds may be durable and smooth enough for full production scale. Some embodiments are directed to methods for making a modular system for blow molding a container.
Claims21
A modular system for blow molding a container, the system comprising:
- a first 3D printed mold portion;
- a second 3D printed mold portion;
- a 3D printed base mold portion;
- and
- a shell removably coupled to the first 3D printed mold portion and the second 3D printed mold portion, and
- a base shell removably coupled to the 3D printed base mold portion and removably coupled to the shell, wherein the base shell is configured to couple to the shell at a first position, and wherein the base shell is configured to couple to the shell at a second position that is higher than the first position along a height of the shell,
- wherein the first 3D printed mold portion, the second 3D printed mold portion, and the 3D printed base mold portion together define a blow mold cavity when the first 3D printed mold portion, the second 3D printed mold portion, and the 3D printed base portion are coupled to the shell, and
- wherein the first 3D printed mold portion, the second 3D printed mold portion, and the 3D printed base mold portion are made of metal.
An interchangeable mold for blow molding a container, the mold comprising:
- a first 3D printed mold portion;
- a second 3D printed mold portion;
- and
- a 3D printed base mold portion,
- wherein the first 3D printed mold portion, the second 3D printed mold portion, and the 3D printed base mold portion are configured to together define a blow mold cavity,
- wherein the first 3D printed mold portion, the second 3D printed mold portion, and the 3D printed base mold portion are each compatible with a blow mold system, and
- wherein the first 3D printed mold portion, the second 3D printed mold portion, and the 3D printed base mold portion are isotropic.
A method of making a modular blow mold system, the method comprising:
- 3D printing a first mold portion, a second mold portion, and a base mold portion;
- coupling the first mold portion to a first shell to form a first half;
- coupling the second mold portion to a second shell to form a second half;
- removably coupling the base mold portion to a base shell to form a base;
- and
- coupling the first half to the second half,
- coupling the base to the first half and the second half such that the first mold portion, the second mold portion, and the base mold portion together define a blow mold cavity for blow molding a container, and
- wherein the base shell is configured to couple to the first shell at a first position, and wherein the base shell is configured to couple to the first shell at a second position that is higher than the first position along a height of the first half.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.