Side mounted temperature probes for pressware die sets
AssigneeFort James Corporation
InventorsAlbert D. Johns, Mircea T. Sofronie, Mark B. Littlejohn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a temperature controlled segmented die for forming pressed containers such as plates, trays, bowls or the like including a die segment with a forming surface and an outer movable annular die member there is provided a side mounted temperature probe which extends laterally around the movable annular die member and toward the forming surface of the die segment. The apparatus is particularly useful for forming pressed paperboard containers such as paper plates.
Claims27
In a temperature controlled, segmented die for forming pressed containers such as plates, trays, bowls or the like, mounted about an axis of reciprocation and being provided with an outer annular die member and a die segment with a forming surface, said outer annular die member being moveable along said axis of reciprocation with respect to said die segment and forming surface along a stroke length proximate to said forming surface;
- a flexible temperature probe provided with a sensor tip inserted laterally into a sidewall of said segmented die, outside of said stroke length of said annular die member, said flexible temperature probe extending laterally into said segmented die and being angled toward said forming surface such that said sensor tip is within from about ½ to about {fraction (1/32)} inch of said forming surface of said base plate.
A temperature controlled segmented die for forming pressed containers such as plates, bowls, trays, or the like, mounted about an axis of reciprocation comprising:
- (a) a die segment defining a forming surface;
- (b) means for heating said die segment;
- (c) an outer annular die member movably mounted along said axis of reciprocation with respect to said die segment and forming surface along a stroke length proximate to said forming surface;
- (d) a flexible temperature probe with a sensor tip;
- (e) a temperature controller coupled to said means for heating said base plate and said flexible temperature probe;
- and
- (f) means for securing said flexible temperature probe to said segmented die such that said flexible temperature probe is inserted laterally into the sidewall of said segmented die outside of said stroke length of said outer annular die member and said flexible temperature probe is angled toward said forming surface of said base plate such that said sensor tip is within from about {fraction (1/32)} to about ½ inch from said forming surface of said base plate.
A method of forming a press container from a container blank comprising:
- (a) measuring the temperature with a temperature sensor in a segmented die mounted about an axis of reciprocation, said die being provided with an annular outer member and a die segment with a forming surface, said outer annular die member being moveable along said axis of reciprocation with respect to said die segment and forming surface along a stroke length proximate, to said forming surface, said temperature sensor being disposed on the tip of a flexible temperature probe inserted laterally in a sidewall of said segmented die outside of said stroke length of said outer annular die member, said flexible temperature probe extending laterally into said segmented die and being angled toward said forming surface such that said sensor is within from about ½ to about {fraction (1/32)} inch of said forming surface of said base plate;
- (b) in response to the measurements from said temperature sensor, controlling the temperature of said die segment;
- and
- (c) forming said container by contacting said forming surface with said container blank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.