Blow-mold wheel speed-up package

A system for use with a container molding machine having a mold wheel, the mold wheel having a plurality of molds for molding the containers, each of the molds having an opening direction substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the mold wheel, the system comprising:

• a mold opening controller;
• and
• a receiving device for receiving the containers dropped from the mold wheel and transferring the containers to a container conveyor,
• the receiving device having a longitudinal direction substantially perpendicular to the opening direction of the molds and substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container when released from the mold, and
• the longitudinal direction of the receiving device being non-horizontal and wherein the mold opening controller is for opening the molds such that each of the containers is released from the mold wheel after the mold molding that container has rotated past a lowest point of rotation of the mold wheel.

A system for use with a container molding machine having a mold wheel, the mold wheel having a plurality of molds for molding the containers, each of the molds having an opening direction substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the mold wheel, the system comprising:

• a mold opening controller;
• and
• a receiving device for receiving the containers dropped from the mold wheel and transferring the containers to a container conveyor,
• the receiving device having a longitudinal direction substantially perpendicular to the opening direction of the molds and substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container when released from the mold, and
• the longitudinal direction of the receiving device being non-horizontal;
• and
• a blow air controller for controlling blow air that molds the containers within the molds,
• wherein the blow air controller turns the blow air on and off such that the blow air is on in each mold for at least 200° of rotation of the mold wheel.

An apparatus for blow molding containers, the apparatus comprising:

• a mold wheel having a rotational axis;
• a plurality of molds attached to the mold wheel, the molds being openable for discharging the containers after molding, and each of the molds having an opening direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the mold wheel;
• an air blower for introducing blow air into the molds to form the containers within the molds;
• a mold opening controller for controlling when the molds are opened and closed;
• and
• a receiving device for receiving the containers dropped from the mold wheel and transferring the containers to a container conveyor,
• the receiving device having a longitudinal direction substantially perpendicular to the opening direction of the molds and substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container when released from the mold, and
• the longitudinal direction of the receiving device being non-horizontal;
• and
• wherein the longitudinal direction of the receiving device is between 10° and 30° from horizontal.

An apparatus for blow molding containers, the apparatus comprising:

• a mold wheel having a rotational axis;
• a plurality of molds attached to the mold wheel, the molds being openable for discharging the containers after molding, and each of the molds having an opening direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the mold wheel;
• an air blower for introducing blow air into the molds to form the containers within the molds;
• a mold opening controller for controlling when the molds are opened and closed;
• and
• a receiving device for receiving the containers dropped from the mold wheel and transferring the containers to a container conveyor,
• the receiving device having a longitudinal direction substantially perpendicular to the opening direction of the molds and substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container when released from the mold, and
• the longitudinal direction of the receiving device being non-horizontal;
• and
• wherein the mold opening controller is for opening the molds such that each of the containers is released from the mold wheel after the mold molding that container has rotated past a lowest point of rotation of the mold wheel.

An apparatus for blow molding containers, the apparatus comprising:

• a mold wheel having a rotational axis;
• a plurality of molds attached to the mold wheel, the molds being openable for discharging the containers after molding, and each of the molds having an opening direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the mold wheel;
• an air blower for introducing blow air into the molds to form the containers within the molds;
• a mold opening controller for controlling when the molds are opened and closed;
• and
• a receiving device for receiving the containers dropped from the mold wheel and transferring the containers to a container conveyor,
• the receiving device having a longitudinal direction substantially perpendicular to the opening direction of the molds and substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container when released from the mold, and
• the longitudinal direction of the receiving device being non-horizontal;
• and
• a blow air controller for controlling the blow air that molds the containers within the molds,
• wherein the blow air controller turns the blow air on and off such that the blow air is on in each mold for at least 200° of rotation of the mold wheel.

A method of increasing the production rate of a container molding machine having a mold wheel, the mold wheel having a plurality of molds for molding containers, each of the molds having an opening direction substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the mold wheel, the method comprising:

• increasing a rotational duration over which the molds are held in a closed position to mold the containers;
• increasing a rotational duration over which blow air is introduced to each of the molds;
• and
• angling a receiving device for receiving the containers dropped from the mold wheel and transferring the containers to a container conveyor,
• the receiving device having a longitudinal direction substantially perpendicular to the opening direction of the molds and substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container when released from the mold, and
• the angling of the receiving device being such that the longitudinal direction of the receiving device is non-horizontal;
• and
• wherein the longitudinal direction of the receiving device is angled to between 10° and 30° from horizontal.

A method of increasing the production rate of a container molding machine having a mold wheel, the mold wheel having a plurality of molds for molding containers, each of the molds having an opening direction substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the mold wheel, the method comprising:

• increasing a rotational duration over which the molds are held in a closed position to mold the containers;
• increasing a rotational duration over which blow air is introduced to each of the molds;
• and
• angling a receiving device for receiving the containers dropped from the mold wheel and transferring the containers to a container conveyor,
• the receiving device having a longitudinal direction substantially perpendicular to the opening direction of the molds and substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container when released from the mold, and
• the angling of the receiving device being such that the longitudinal direction of the receiving device is non-horizontal;
• and
• wherein the molds are opened such that each of the containers is released from the mold wheel after the mold molding that container has rotated past a lowest point of rotation of the mold wheel.

A method of increasing the production rate of a container molding machine having a mold wheel, the mold wheel having a plurality of molds for molding containers, each of the molds having an opening direction substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the mold wheel, the method comprising:

• increasing a rotational duration over which the molds are held in a closed position to mold the containers;
• increasing a rotational duration over which blow air is introduced to each of the molds;
• and
• angling a receiving device for receiving the containers dropped from the mold wheel and transferring the containers to a container conveyor,
• the receiving device having a longitudinal direction substantially perpendicular to the opening direction of the molds and substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container when released from the mold, and
• the angling of the receiving device being such that the longitudinal direction of the receiving device is non-horizontal;
• and
• controlling the blow air such that the blow air is on in each mold for at least 220° of rotation of the mold wheel.