Oven-pallet alignment and profiled heating of preforms

A system for thermally profiling preforms prior to blow molding, said system comprising:

• a pallet for holding a plurality of preforms;
• a station for thermally conditioning said preforms;
• means for causing relative movement between said pallet and said thermal conditioning station so as to optimize the distance between said preforms and said thermal conditioning station;
• a support having a center;
• said pallet being movably mounted to said support;
• and
• said pallet moving means comprising a camming arrangement for cooperating with said pallet so that said pallet is caused to move relative to said thermal conditioning station as it enters, passes through, and exits said thermal conditioning station.

A system for thermally profiling preforms prior to blow molding, said system comprising:

• a pallet for holding a plurality of preforms;
• said pallet being mounted to a rotary table;
• a station for thermally conditioning said preforms;
• means for adjusting the relative position between said preforms on said pallet and said thermal conditioning station;
• said adjusting means comprising means for moving said thermal conditioning station towards said pallet and towards a center of said rotary table as said thermal conditioning means enters said thermal conditioning station to optimize the distance between said preforms on said pallet and said thermal conditioning station and thereby customize the thermal profile for said preforms on said pallet and for moving said thermal conditioning means away from said pallet and said center of said rotary table as said pallet exits said thermal conditioning station.

A system for thermally profiling preforms prior to blow molding, said system comprising:

• a pallet for holding a plurality of preforms;
• a station for thermally conditioning said preforms;
• means for causing relative movement between said pallet and said thermal conditioning station so as to optimize the distance between said preforms and said thermal conditioning station;
• said relative movement causing means comprising means for moving said thermal conditioning station relative to said pallet to optimize the distance between said preforms on said pallet and said thermal conditioning station and thereby customize the thermal profile for said preforms on said pallet;
• a support having a center;
• said thermal conditioning station moving means comprising means for guiding movement of said thermal conditioning station toward and away from the center of said support;
• and
• drive means for moving said thermal conditioning station toward said pallet as a leading preform on said pallet passes a first end of said thermal conditioning station and away from said pallet after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since said leading preform passed said first end.

A system for heating a plurality of preforms prior to blow molding, said system comprising:

• a rotary table having a center;
• a plurality of pallets fixed to said rotary table;
• each of said pallets having means for supporting a plurality of preforms;
• a heating station for heating said preforms prior to blow molding;
• and
• means for moving said heating station toward and away from each of said pallets as the table rotates and the pallets move into and out of said heating station.

A method for thermally profiling preforms prior to blow molding, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a pallet mounted to a rotary table for holding a plurality of preforms;
• providing a station for thermally conditioning said preforms;
• loading a batch of preforms on said pallet and transporting said preforms and said pallet along a non-linear path to said thermal conditioning station;
• and
• adjusting the relative position between said preforms on said pallet and said thermal conditioning station as said pallet travels along said non-linear path.

A method for thermally profiling preforms prior to blow molding, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a pallet for holding a plurality of preforms;
• providing a station for thermally conditioning said preforms;
• loading a batch of preforms on said pallet and transporting said preforms and said pallet to said thermal conditioning station;
• causing relative movement between said pallet and said thermal conditioning station so as to optimize the distance between said preforms and said thermal conditioning station and to provide said preforms with a desired thermal profile;
• mounting said pallet to a rotary table having a center;
• and
• said relative movement step comprising moving said pallet toward and away from the center of said rotary table as said pallet moves through said thermal conditioning station.

A method for thermally profiling preforms prior to blow molding, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a pallet for holding a plurality of preforms;
• providing a station for thermally conditioning said preforms;
• loading a batch of preforms on said pallet and transporting said preforms and said pallet to said thermal conditioning station;
• causing relative movement between said pallet and said thermal conditioning station so as to optimize the distance between said preforms and said thermal conditioning station and to provide said preforms with a desired thermal profile;
• said pallet providing step comprising providing a plurality of pallets;
• said loading step comprises loading different batches of preforms from an injection molding machine onto said pallets;
• said thermal conditioning station providing step comprising providing a station for heating said preforms in said different batches;
• and
• programming said heating station to provide heat at a first level to a first batch of preforms passing through said heating station on a first pallet and to provide heat a level higher than said first level to a second batch of preforms passing through said heating station on a second pallet.