This application claims priority to Italian Patent Application 102021000026774 filed Oct. 19, 2021, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
This invention relates to the sector of packaging products.
The invention relates to a kit and a method for moulding containers for packaging products.
From a constituent point of view, the prior art kits for moulding comprise moulds for thermoforming containers made of polymeric material.
The prior art kits, even according to their most modern implementations, still have several drawbacks of a structural, operational and economic/productive nature, which make their use not free from problems.
Firstly, in effect, it is necessary to have a plurality of moulds in order to obtain containers of different shapes and sizes. In effect, each mould has a specific shape necessary to obtain a specific container. It follows that the prior art kits are not very versatile and are difficult to adapt to different operating conditions. Moreover, this feature transforms into a disadvantage from an economic point of view since it is necessary to change mould whenever a container with a shape and/or dimensions different from the previous one is to be made.
In this context, the technical purpose of the invention is to provide a kit and a method for moulding containers made of polymeric material which are free of the drawbacks of the prior art.
An aim of the invention is to provide a kit and a method for moulding containers made of polymeric material which are convenient in economic terms.
An aim of the invention is to provide a kit and a method for moulding polymeric containers which can be extremely versatile and with high performance levels.
The technical purpose indicated and the aims specified are fully achieved by a kit and a method for moulding polymeric containers according to the invention as characterised in the appended claims and/or in the description below.
In particular, the kit for moulding containers made of polymeric material comprises a fixing base, having a plate-like shape, and a plurality of modules, which can be fixed to the fixing base and configured for defining, together with each other, a mould of a container to be moulded. In particular, the mould has a containment space.
The fixing base and the plurality of modules have reciprocal fixing elements for determining a stable and reversible coupling between the fixing base and the plurality of modules.
The base and/or the modules are designed to be connected to each other according to a plurality of different configurations and combinations in such a way that the mould can adopt a plurality of different shapes and dimensions.
Advantageously, this technical feature allows the kit to be extremely versatile since, as a function of a predetermined container to be moulded, it is possible to modify the arrangement and the combination of the modules on the fixing base in such a way as to obtain the respective mould. Advantageously, this technical feature allows a thermoforming moulding to be performed which is extremely competitive from the economic point of view since it is sufficient to uncouple the modules from the fixing base and recombine them in a new operating configuration to obtain a “new” mould which can be used for making a container with a shape and/or dimensions different from the container previously made.
The invention relates to a method for moulding polymeric containers which comprises the steps of:
In particular, the step for producing the mould is actuated by stably applying a plurality of modules to the fixing base and defining a containment space equipped with one or more compartments for respective groups of products.
The method comprises the steps of:
Further characteristic features and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the detailed description of several preferred, but not exclusive embodiments of a kit and a method for moulding polymeric containers according to the invention.
The description is set out below with reference to the accompanying drawings which are provided solely for purposes of illustration without restricting the scope of the invention and in which:
With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral “1” denotes a kit for moulding containers made of polymeric material.
The containers obtained using this kit 1 can advantageously be used for the packaging of products having, preferably but not limited to, a substantially parallelepiped or cubic shape.
The kit 1 comprises a fixing base 10, with a plate-like shape, and a plurality of modules 11, 12, 13, which can be fixed to the fixing base 10 and configured to define, together with each other and the fixing base 10, a mould 20 of a container to be moulded. In particular, the mould 20 has a containment space “V”.
The fixing base 10 may be, for example, made of aluminium or aluminium alloy preferably hard anodised.
The modules 11, 12, 13, on the other hand, may be made of aluminium or an aluminium alloy preferably hard anodised.
The fixing base 10 and the plurality of modules 11, 12, 13 have reciprocal fixing elements 14, 15 configured to determine a stable and reversible coupling between the fixing base 10 and the plurality of modules 11, 12, 13.
According to an aspect, the base 10 and/or the modules 11, 12, 13 are designed to be connected to each other according to a plurality of different configurations and combinations in such a way that the mould 20 can adopt a plurality of different shapes and dimensions.
Advantageously, this technical feature allows the kit 1 to be extremely versatile since, as a function of a predetermined container to be moulded, it is possible to modify the arrangement and the combination of the modules 11, 12, 13 on the fixing base 10 in such a way as to obtain a shape of the mould 20 which is suitable for the purpose.
Advantageously, this technical feature allows a thermoforming moulding to be performed which is extremely competitive from the economic point of view since it is sufficient to uncouple the modules 11, 12, 13 from the fixing base 10 and recombine them or combine others in a new operating configuration to obtain a “new” mould 20 which can be used for making a container with a shape and/or dimensions different from the container previously made.
The drawings illustrate by way of a non-limiting example a preferred embodiment of the kit 1.
As shown in particular in
Preferably, the fixing base 10 has a square or rectangular plan shape.
However, alternative plan shapes may be contemplated, provided they are suitable for the purpose.
Functionally, the fixing base 10 may have protuberances and/or recesses designed to determine a stable and reversible coupling with a thermoforming apparatus. For example, as will become clearer as this description continues, according to the preferred embodiment of the kit 1, it may be coupled to a pneumatic suction source.
According to another aspect of the invention, the plurality of modules 11, 12, 13 may comprise different types of modules for dimensions and/or shapes.
As illustrated in
In particular, the wall modules 10 are designed to laterally delimit the containment space “V”, at least partly, and/or to define a separation in compartments “V1”, “V2”, “V3”.
The wall modules 11 delimit the spaces or seats which will house the packaged products in the final container.
In order to further improve the versatility of the kit 1 and its competitiveness from an economic point of view, at least two of the wall modules 11 have a different length.
In other words, the wall modules 11 may be grouped together in at least two sets, where each set comprises homogeneous wall modules 11, having the same length.
The term “homogeneous” means, in effect, that the wall modules 11 of the same set have the same dimensions.
Preferably, the wall modules 11 may be grouped together in a plurality of sets, wherein each set comprises wall modules 11 having a respective length.
Moreover, as illustrated in
In other words, the bottom modules 12 cover the thickness of the products to be packaged. This technical feature is particularly advantageous if containers are to be obtained wherein products having different thicknesses are positioned in such a way that the respective upper surfaces are coplanar once inserted in the respective seats.
Advantageously, the container with all the products positioned in such a way as to have the upper surfaces coplanar simplifies the usual operations for upper sealing of the container.
In order to further improve the versatility of the kit 1 and its competitiveness from an economic point of view, at least two of the bottom modules 12 may have different thicknesses from each other to define respective differently raised bottom surfaces of the containment space “V”.
Advantageously, in this way, depending on the thickness of the product or products to be packaged, the bottom module 12 is selected with the correct thickness. In this way, it is possible to obtain a container wherein the products, even though of different thicknesses, have the respective upper surfaces lying in the same plane, that is to say, coplanar.
For example, the greater is the thickness of the product, the smaller is the thickness of the bottom module 12 used. Moreover, the smaller is the thickness of the product, the greater is the thickness of the bottom module 12 used.
More specifically, the bottom modules 12 may be grouped together in at least two sets, where each set comprises bottom modules 12 which are homogeneous, having the same thickness.
Preferably, the bottom modules 12 may be grouped together in a plurality of sets, wherein each set comprises bottom modules 12 having the same thickness.
Moreover, at least two of the bottom modules 12 may have different plan shapes and/or plan dimensions.
Advantageously, thanks to this technical feature, it is possible to make a container which has seats designed to receive products having different thickness while keeping the upper surfaces coplanar (once inserted in the container).
As illustrated in
In particular, the connecting modules 13, together with the wall modules 11, are designed to laterally delimit the containment space “V” and/or to divide the containment space “V” into two or more separate compartments “V1”, “V2”, “V3”.
In order to further improve the versatility of the kit 1 and its competitiveness from an economic point of view, at least two of the bottom modules 12 may have different plan shapes, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
According to an embodiment, as illustrated in
The through holes 16 and the fixing holes 18 are designed to receive respective threaded fastening members for the stable anchoring, and in the desired position, of the modules 11, 12, 13 to the fixing base 10.
Preferably, the above-mentioned fixing elements 14, 15 comprise the through holes 16 and the fixing holes 18.
According to an embodiment, the fixing elements 15 comprise a pin, in which the fixing hole 18 is made, designed to be inserted in a through hole 16 of the fixing base 10.
Advantageously, this technical feature makes it possible to couple the fixing base 10 and the modules 11, 12, 13 in a stable and reversible manner and to protect from wear the components used.
According to one aspect, as illustrated in
Preferably, but without limiting the scope of the invention, each of the modules 11, 12, 13 has the holes 19 made in the wall 17 and the second holes 22 made on the respective walls 21 for transmitting the pneumatic suction from the fixing base 10 to the containment space.
Structurally, as shown in
According to the same aspect, but with particular reference to the connecting modules 13, at least some of the connecting modules 13, preferably all the connecting modules 13, may have the second holes 22 made close to the respective corners, which are between two adjacent walls 21 and which, in use, face the containment space “V”, in such a way as to support the thermoforming of the container, in particular the edges of the container.
Advantageously, the distribution of the second holes 22 guarantees optimum operation during moulding of the container.
This invention also relates to a method 100 for moulding containers made of polymeric material, illustrated by way of example in
The method 100 comprises a preliminary step “a” in which a kit 1 is prepared having one or more of the technical features described above.
The method 100 comprises a preliminary step “b” in which a configuration is determined for positioning one or more products to be inserted in a respective container to be moulded.
The method 100 comprises a preliminary step “c” in which the mould is made using the kit 1 as a function of the above-mentioned predetermined arrangement configuration. In particular, the step “c” for producing the mould is actuated by stably applying a plurality of modules 11, 12, 13 to the fixing base 10 and defining a containment space “V” equipped with one or more compartments “V1”, “V2”, “V3” for respective groups of products.
In particular, the preliminary step “c” may comprise a step “c1” in which a predetermined quantity of wall modules 11, bottom modules 12 and connecting modules 13 is selected as necessary to define a surface profile to be given to the container and it is preferably actuated by graphical design and simulation software.
Subsequently, the method 100 comprises a cyclical step “d” in which a film of polymeric material is positioned in the containment space “V”, preferably a polyester film, still more preferably a film of thermoplastic resin.
The method 100 comprises a cyclical step “e” in which the film of polymeric material is moulded by thermoforming using the mould 20 in such a way as to obtain a container shaped to match a surface profile defined by the modules 11, 12, 13.
More specifically, the cyclic step “e” of moulding by thermoforming may comprise a sub-step “e1” wherein the film of polymeric material is brought to a forming temperature and a sub-step “e2” wherein the film of heated polymeric material is compressed against the mould 20 by pneumatic suction applied between the film and the mould 20. In particular, the pneumatic suction is fed through conduits formed in the fixing base 10 and in at least one of the modules 11, 12, 13 applied to the fixing base 10.
The invention achieves the above-mentioned aims by eliminating the drawbacks of the prior art: in this regard, it should be noted firstly that the modular structure of the kit 1 as described and/or claimed allows it to be extremely versatile and advantageous from an economic point of view since it allows the mould 20 to be reconfigured as a function of the shape and size of the container to be produced using the mould 20. It is therefore not necessary to produce a plurality of separate moulds for respective containers.
It should also be noted that the particular structure of the kit 1 guarantees the possibility of combining the modules 11, 12, 13 according to countless configurations and combinations in such a way as to be able to make containers which are able to package in an optimum manner any type of product.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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102021000026774 | Oct 2021 | IT | national |