Apparatus and method for producing objects in continuous cycle from plastic material

An apparatus for producing objects in continuous cycle from plastic material, comprising:

• a distributor unit, including
• an infeed duct, having an inlet configured to receive a continuous pressurized flow of molten plastic from an extruder unit, and a plurality of outfeed branches in fluid communication with the infeed duct through a distribution zone, each outfeed branch having an outlet, the distributor unit defining an internal volume between the inlet and the outlets so that the molten plastic can flow from the inlet to the outlets in a feed direction;
• a forming station for forming a plurality of objects by compression moulding, including
• a plurality of female elements, positionable at the plurality of outfeed branches of the distributor unit and defining a corresponding plurality of seats,
• a plurality of male elements, acting in conjunction with the plurality of female elements to delimit a corresponding plurality of forming cavities to form the plurality of objects from plastic material by compression;
• a metering unit, including
• an outlet valve system having a plurality of outlet valves, each outlet valve being positioned in a respective outfeed branch;
• an additional valve system, positioned upstream of the outlet valve system relative to the feed direction, wherein the outlet valve system and the additional valve system are each switchable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, a portion of the internal volume between the outlet valve system and the additional valve system constituting a working portion of the internal volume,
• a plurality of partition elements, disposed between the additional valve system and the outlet valve system, each of the plurality of partition elements being movable between an upper limit position and a lower limit position to vary the working portion of the internal volume of the distributor unit,
• wherein the metering unit includes:
• a charging configuration, in which the outlet valve system is in the closed configuration and the additional valve system is in the open configuration, to allow plastic to accumulate in the working portion of the internal volume,
• a discharging configuration, in which the additional valve system is in the closed configuration and the outlet valve system is in the open configuration, to allow plastic to be discharged from the working portion of the internal volume;
• a control unit, configured to switch the metering unit
• from the charging configuration to the discharging configuration, with the plurality of partition elements positioned at the lower limit position, and
• from the discharging configuration to the charging configuration, with the plurality of partition elements positioned at the upper limit position, so as to make a plurality of doses of plastic, the doses being fed to the plurality of seats.