# US 2014/0197581 A1 · Apparatus for the heating of plastics material pre-forms with aeration screening capable of being dismantled > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197581 A1 - Document ID: US20140197581A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/100,073 - Filed: 2013-12-09 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-15 - Assignees: Krones AG - Applicants: Krones AG - Inventors: Ulrich Lappe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197581A1 ## CPC - B29C 49/64: Heating or cooling preforms, parisons or blown articles - B29C 49/6418: {Heating of preforms} - B29C 49/6835: {using reflectors} - B29C 49/06: Injection blow-moulding - B29C 49/6435: {from the outside} - B29C 49/6845: {using ventilation, e.g. a fan} - B29C 49/685: {Rotating the preform in relation to heating means} - B29C 49/6855: {Cooling of heating means, e.g. avoiding overheating} - B29C 2949/0715: the preform having one end closed - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) ## Abstract An apparatus (1) for the heating of plastics material pre-forms (10) with a conveying device (2) which conveys the plastics material pre-forms (10) along a pre-set conveying path (T), with at least one heating element (4) which is arranged along the conveying path (P) of the plastics material pre-forms (10) and which heats the plastics material pre-forms (10), wherein in addition a cooling device is provided which cools the plastics material pre-forms (10) and/or at least one element of the apparatus (1) during the heating of the plastics material pre-forms (10) by acting upon them with a gaseous medium. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus (1) for the heating of plastics material pre-forms (10) with a conveying device (2) which conveys the plastics material pre-forms (10) along a pre-set conveying path (T), with at least one heating element (4) which is arranged along the conveying path (T) of the plastics material pre-forms (10) and which heats the plastics material pre-forms (10), wherein in addition a cooling device is provided which cools the plastics material pre-forms (10) and/or at least one element of the apparatus (1) during the heating of the plastics material pre-forms (10) by acting upon them with a gaseous medium, wherein a flow path of the gaseous medium is capable of being changed in such a way that in a first pre-set manner it is capable of being conveyed with respect to the outer surface of the plastics material pre-forms (10) during the heating thereof and in a second pre-set manner, which differs from the first pre-set manner, it is capable of being conveyed with respect to the outer surface of the plastics material pre-forms (10), wherein the first and second pre-set manners differ at least with respect to the volume flow arriving at the outer surface of the plastics material pre-forms. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus (1) has a flow guide element (18) for guiding the gas flow, and as a result of a relative movement of this flow guide element (18) with respect to the conveying path of the plastics material pre-forms (10) a change-over between the first pre-set manner and the second pre-set manner is possible. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus (1) according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus has a heating channel (20) through which the plastics material pre-forms (10) are conveyed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus (1) according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus has heating elements (14) which heat the plastics material pre-forms, and the flow guide element (18) is arranged in such a way that the plastics material pre-forms (10) are conveyed at least locally between the heating elements (14) and the flow guide element (18). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus (1) has a first reflector element (16) and the plastics material pre-forms (10) are conveyed between the heating elements (14) and the first reflector element (16). ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus (1) according to claim 5, wherein the first reflector element (16) is cooled by the gaseous medium. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The apparatus (1) according to claim 2, wherein the flow guide element guides the cooling flow for the plastics material pre-forms (10) in at least one setting in a longitudinal direction (L). ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The apparatus (1) according to claim 2, wherein the flow guide element is formed on at least one surface in such a way that it reflects infrared light with a wavelength of more than 900 nm by at least 20%, preferably by at least 40%, and preferably by at least 60%. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the gaseous cooling medium passes through a cross-sectional area of the first reflector element (16). ### Claim 10 A method of heating plastics material pre-forms (10), wherein the plastics material pre-forms are conveyed by a conveying device (2) along a pre-set conveying path (T) and are heated by at least one heating element (4) which is arranged along the conveying path (T) of the plastics material pre-forms (10), and in addition a cooling device is provided which cools the plastics material pre-forms (10) and/or at least one element of the apparatus (1) by acting upon them or it with a gaseous medium during the heating of plastics material pre-forms (10), wherein a flow path of the gaseous medium is changed in such a way that it is guided in a first pre-set manner with respect to the outer surface of the plastics material pre-forms (10) during the heating thereof and it is guided in a second pre-set manner—which is different from the first pre-set manner—with respect to the outer surface of the plastics material pre-forms (10), wherein the first pre-set manner and the second pre-set manner differ at least with respect to the volume flow which reaches the outer surface of the plastics material pre-forms (10).