Method for the direct and continuous production of hollow articles from a polymer melt
AssigneeZimmer, Inc.
InventorsBrigitta Otto, Roland Schafer, Holger Bachmann, Ludwig Holting, Stefan Deiss
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of making shaped articles from highly condensed polyester melt and especially preforms for the blow molding of food and especially beverage containers. A melt is continuously withdrawn from the polycondensation reactor and is fed to the shape-imparting units, especially a multiplicity of injection-molding machines without solidification between the final reactor and the injection molders and without degassing between the final reactor and the injection molding machines.
Claims32
A method of making molded articles of high-condensation polyester, comprising the steps of:
- (a) producing a melt of a high-condensation polyester in a polycondensation reactor system whereby the high-condensation polyester melt is outputted by a final reactor stage;
- (b) passing the high-condensation polyester melt without any solidification and without degasification from said final reactor stage to a molding unit;
- and
- (c) shaping said molded articles from said high-condensation polyester melt in said molding unit.
A method of making molded articles of high-condensation polyester, comprising the steps of:
- (a) producing a melt of a high-condensation polyester in a polycondensation reactor system whereby the high-condensation polyester melt is outputted by a final reactor stage;
- (b) feeding a main flow of 50 to 100% of the high-condensation polyester melt outputted by the final reactor stage to at least one molding unit;
- (c) diverting 0 to 50% of the high-condensation polyester melt outputted by the final reactor stage selectively to an esterification stage or to a granulation stage to control a pressure of the melt supplied to said at least one molding unit;
- (d) distributing said main flow of the high-condensation polyester melt outputted by the final reactor stage to an even umber of said molding units in at least one distribution into a separate stream for each molding unit;
- (e) adding to each stream of the high-condensation polyester melt before it enters the respective molding unit and after a last distribution a substance or mixture of substances in solid form or as a slurry including an acetaledhyde-reducing substance;
- and
- (f) passing the high-condensation polyester melt without any solidification and without degasification from said final reactor stage to each molding unit.
An apparatus for making molded articles of high-condensation polyester, comprising
- a polycondensation reactor system for producing high-condensation polyester whereby a high-condensation polyester melt is outputted by a final reactor stage;
- at least one molding unit for producing molded articles of high-condensation polyester from said melt;
- a path for the melt between the final reactor stage and the at least one molding unit and configured for passing the high-condensation polyester melt without any solidification and without degasification from said final reactor stage to each said molding unit;
- and
- at least two additive feeders along said path for supplying additives to said melt before said melt enters each said molding unit.
An apparatus for making molded articles of high-condensation polyester, comprising
- a polycondensation reactor system for producing high-condensation polyester whereby a high-condensation polyester melt is outputted by a final reactor stage;
- at least one molding unit for producing molded articles of high-condensation polyester from said melt;
- and
- a path for the melt between the final reactor stage and the at least one molding unit and configured for passing the high-condensation polyester melt without any solidification and without degasification from said final reactor stage to each said molding unit, said path including a length of flexible conduit containing a flexible swivel joint system between each molding unit and a last of said feeders along said path enabling horizontal movement of the respective molding unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.