Graphical interface driven injection blow molding apparatus

In an injection blow molding apparatus including a plurality of injection blow molding machines, each machine having a plurality of work stations and a plurality of molds, said molds including injection molds and blow molds, wherein work pieces in each machine are first injection molded, then blown and removed at successive work stations, the improvement comprising:

• a plurality of process controllers and a plurality of processors for operating said plurality of machines, each of said process controllers coupled to a respective machine and to a respective processor and operating in accordance with a respective set of processing parameters, each processing parameter in each respective set having a respective desired operating range;
• a plurality of monitors, each of said monitors coupled to a respective processor, each of said monitors displaying a plurality of command buttons and icons and having a respective touch screen, each touch screen transmitting signals to a respective processor for adjusting said processing parameters;
• a master processor coupled to each of said plurality of processors, said master processor having a monitor, wherein each respective processor transmits a respective set of signals to said master processor representing a respective set of processing parameters being used by the respective one of said process controllers which is coupled to said respective processor;
• a remote processor coupled to said master processor, said remote processor having a monitor, wherein said master processor transmits a respective set of signals to said remote processor representing the respective set of processing parameters received by the master processor,
• wherein said master processor and said remote processor each include:
• main menu means for displaying a plurality of command buttons, each button representing a respective machine, for selecting one of said machines for which a respective one of said sets of processing parameters is to be displayed,
• display means for displaying a plurality of icons, each icon representing a respectively different processing parameter from said selected machine, and for displaying, adjacent to each of said icons, the value of its respective parameter, and
• alarm means for displaying an alarm message identifying whether any one of said processing parameters in said selected machine is operating outside its desired operating range,
• wherein said master processor, said remote processor and each one of said plurality of processors are coupled to a network, and each one of said plurality of processors includes:
• means for detecting an error condition which prevents said one processor from transmitting data to said master processor;
• means for automatically disconnecting said one processor from said network in response to said error condition;
• and
• means for automatically establishing a new connection between said processor and said network, whereby said error condition is corrected.

In an injection blow molding apparatus including an injection blow molding machine having a plurality of work stations and a plurality of molds, which include injection molds and blow molds, wherein work pieces are first injection molded, then blown and removed at successive work stations, the machine including an injection screw having a pressure sensor and a position sensor, the apparatus including control means for operating said machine in accordance with a set of processing parameters, each processing parameter having a respective desired operating range, the improvement comprising:

• a monitor having a a touch screen, said touch screen transmitting signals to said control means for adjusting said processing parameters;
• display means coupled to said control means for causing said monitor to display an icon in the form of a picture of a portion of said machine, said icon representing a selected processing parameter and, adjacent to said icon, the value of said selected processing parameter, the display means including means for displaying a transfer mode control switch on said monitor;
• graphing means for transmitting to said monitor signals which cause said monitor to display a graph of said selected processing parameter value plotted as a function of time in response to an operator touching a portion of said touch screen beneath which said icon is displayed;
• alarm means coupled to said control means for causing said monitor to display an alarm message identifying whether any one of said processing parameters is operating outside a desired operating range;
• means for transmitting signals to operate the machine in response to an operator touching a portion of said touch screen beneath which said transfer mode control switch is displayed, so that the injection mold is filled according to either one of a desired transfer pressure profile and a desired screw velocity profile;
• means for measuring and displaying the position of the injection screw when the injection mold is filled, if the transfer pressure profile is used to control injection mode filling.

In an injection blow molding apparatus including an injection blow molding machine having a plurality of work stations and a plurality of molds, which include injection molds and blow molds, wherein work pieces are first injection molded, then blown and removed at successive work stations, and including control means for operating said machine in accordance with a set of processing parameters, each processing parameter having a respective desired operating range, the improvement comprising:

• a monitor having a a touch screen, said touch screen transmitting signals to said control means for adjusting said processing parameters;
• display means coupled to said control means for causing said monitor to display an icon in the form of a picture of a portion of said machine, said icon representing a selected processing parameter and, adjacent to said icon, the value of said selected processing parameter;
• graphing means for transmitting to said monitor signals which cause said monitor to display a graph of said selected processing parameter value plotted as a function of time in response to an operator touching a portion of said touch screen beneath which said icon is displayed, wherein the graphing means comprises:
• (1) means for retrieving from the storage means a set of previously stored data values for the selected processing parameter,
• (2) means for assigning said data values to a plurality of subgroups, each respective subgroup having data values collected by said control means during an interval of time,
• (3) means for selecting a minimum value and a maximum value from one of said subgroups which is collected during said one interval, and
• (4) means for generating signals which cause said monitor to display a line segment extending from said minimum value to said maximum value, said line segment having a time coordinate equal to a time at which said data values within said subgroup were previously stored;
• and
• alarm means coupled to said control means for causing said monitor to display an alarm message identifying whether any one of said processing parameters is operating outside a desired operating range, said alarm means transmitting to said monitor signals which cause said alarm message to be displayed as text on a background field, said background field having a first color while each respective processing parameter value is within a respective desired operating range, said background field having a second color while any one of said processing parameter values exceeds a maximum value in said desired operating range, said background field having a third color while any one of said processing parameter values is less than a minimum value in said desired operating range.