Apparatus for post mold cooling of plastic pieces

Apparatus for post-mold cooling of a matrix of plastic preforms which are held by a take out plate having a first plurality of receiving tubes configured to receive a first plurality of plastic preforms, and a second plurality of receiving tubes configured to receive a second plurality of plastic preforms, said apparatus comprising:

• movement structure configured to provide relative movement between the take out plate and first and second cooling stations;
• the first cooling station including:
• a plurality of injector devices, each injector device configured to inject a pressurized cooling medium to an interior of a corresponding plastic preform;
• a plurality of sealing devices, each sealing device configured to provide a pressure seal between the injected pressurized cooling medium and a lower ambient pressure;
• the second cooling station comprising a plurality of cooling pins, each cooling pin configured to direct a cooling medium towards a tip of an inside of a corresponding plastic preform so that the directed cooling medium flows down an inside surface of the corresponding plastic preform and is exhausted to an outside of said take out plate;
• and
• control structure to cause said movement structure to move the plurality of plastic preforms from said first cooling station to said second cooling station.

A plastic injection molding system, comprising:

• a plastic molding unit having a plurality of mold cavities and a plurality of carriers configured to carry a plurality of plastic parts;
• a take out device which removes the plurality of plastic parts from said plastic molding unit;
• movement structure configured to cause relative movement between said take out device and at least one of a first cooling station and a second cooling station;
• the first cooling station including first cooling structure configured to seal a pressurized cooling fluid on an interior of each of the plurality of plastic parts;
• and
• the second cooling station including second cooling structure configured to provide a cooling fluid to an inside of the plurality of plastic parts.

Apparatus for cooling a plurality of plastic parts, comprising:

• take out means for holding the plurality of plastic parts oriented such that closed ends thereof are disposed toward an inside of said take out structure and open ends thereof are disposed toward an outside of said take out structure;
• movement means for causing relative movement between said take out means and at least one of a first cooling station and a second cooling station;
• the first cooling station including first cooling means for providing a cooling fluid to an inside of the plurality of plastic parts through the open ends thereof and pressurizing the cooling fluid therein;
• and
• the second cooling station including second cooling means for providing a cooling fluid to an inside of the plurality of plastic parts through the open ends thereof.

Apparatus for post-mold cooling of a matrix of plastic preforms, comprising:

• take out means including a first plurality of receiving means for receiving a first plurality of plastic preforms, and a second plurality of receiving means for receiving a second plurality of plastic preforms, at least one of said first and second plurality of receiving means being configured to cool outside surfaces of the corresponding plurality of plastic preforms;
• movement means for providing relative movement between the take out means and first and second cooling stations;
• the first cooling station including:
• a plurality of injector means, each injector means for injecting a pressurized cooling medium to an interior of a corresponding plastic preform;
• a plurality of sealing means, each sealing means for providing a pressure seal between the injected pressurized cooling medium and a lower, ambient pressure;
• the second cooling station comprising a plurality of cooling means, each cooling means for directing a cooling medium towards a tip of an inside of a corresponding plastic preform so that the directed cooling medium flows down an inside surface of the corresponding plastic preform and is exhausted to an outside of said take out means;
• and
• control means for causing said movement means to move the plurality of plastic preforms from said first cooling station to said second cooling station.