Transport apparatus

{
  "publication_number": "US9580252B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Transport apparatus",
  "abstract": "A transport apparatus (300) for transporting a preform (200) for blow molding comprises: a transport device that transports the preform while allowing the preform to rotate on its axis in a horizontal direction; and an engaging device (310) that engages the preform being transported while being allowed to rotate on its axis, and setting the orientation of the preform to a predetermined orientation. The engaging device engages a convexity or a concavity provided in the outer periphery of the preform.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A transport apparatus for transporting a preform for blow molding, comprising: a transporter having transport jigs, each of the transport jigs for holding one preform of a plurality of preforms in an inverted state with a neck of each of the preforms facing downward, and which transporter continuously transports the preforms at a transport speed along a transport line in a horizontal direction along with the transport jigs while rotating the transport jigs and allowing each of the preforms to rotate about its own vertical axis with rotation of the transport jigs; and an engaging device comprising an engager provided so as to be movable along the transport line in conformity with the transport speed of each of the preforms by the transporter, and the engager provided so as to engage a convexity or a concavity provided in an outer periphery of each of the preforms with the preforms moving to stop the rotation of each of the preforms about the axis thereof, thereby setting an orientation of each of the preforms to a predetermined orientation, wherein the transport line is provided with a curved transport portion which is curved with a predetermined radius, and the engager is provided rotatably along the curved transport portion radially inwardly of the curved transport portion.",
    "2. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a path of rotation of the engager has a radius set to follow the curved transport portion.",
    "3. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the engaging device has a rolling member, the rolling member is configured to move in a groove part formed in the transport apparatus, and the groove part has, at a predetermined position, a retreat area formed so that a relative distance between the engaging device and the preform lengthens.",
    "4. The transport apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the engager has a rolling member, the rolling member is configured to move in a groove part formed in the transport apparatus, and the groove part has, at a predetermined position, a retreat area formed so that a relative distance between the engager and the preform lengthens.",
    "5. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the engager has a support portion, one end of the support portion is provided with a protrusion formed to engage the concavity formed in the preform, another end of the support portion is fixed, and the one end of the support portion is urged outward.",
    "6. The transport apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the engager has a support portion, one end of the support portion is provided with a protrusion formed to engage the concavity formed in the preform, another end of the support portion is fixed, and the one end of the support portion is urged outward.",
    "7. The transport apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the engager has a support portion, one end of the support portion is provided with a protrusion formed to engage the concavity formed in the preform, another end of the support portion is fixed, and the one end of the support portion is urged outward.",
    "8. The transport apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the engager has a support portion, one end of the support portion is provided with a protrusion formed to engage the concavity formed in the preform, another end of the support portion is fixed, and the one end of the support portion is urged outward."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention relates to a transport apparatus.\n\nAs a blow molding apparatus in which a preform is disposed in a blow cavity mold and blow-molded into a container, there has been known an injection stretch blow molding apparatus operated by a so-called 1.5 stage process (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The injection stretch blow molding apparatus by the 1.5 stage process adopts a 1 stage process connecting an injection molding section and a blow molding section inline, but has the advantage of a 2 stage process in which the number of products simultaneously injection molded and the number of products simultaneously blow molded are inconsistent.\n\nSuch a blow molding apparatus is provided with a transport line for transporting the preforms continuously. The transport line, for example in Patent Document 1, has a plurality of sprockets, a plurality of transport members capable of engaging the plurality of sprockets for holding the preforms, and a guide rail for guiding the transport members along a transport direction.\n\nIf the shape of the container is a uniform shape in a diametrical direction, such as a nearly circular shape in a plan view, the preform is also of a uniform shape nearly circular in a plan view. Depending on the shape of the container, however, there may be a case where the shape of the preform is not uniform in the diametrical direction of the preform, for example, a case in which the preform is elliptical in a plan view, or a case in which the thickness of the preform is not uniform. Such a preform is used, for example, in molding a flat container or a square-shaped container.",
  "cpc": [
    "B65G 47/244",
    "B29C 2049/4231",
    "B29C 2949/0715",
    "B29C 49/06",
    "B29C 49/4205",
    "B29C 49/42057",
    "B29C 49/42065",
    "B29C 49/42093",
    "B29C 49/42119",
    "B65G 2201/0244"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B29C 49/06",
    "B29C 49/42",
    "B65G 47/244"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Nissei ASB Machine Co Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Kazuyuki Yokobayashi",
    "Shuichi Ogihara"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-12-18",
  "publication_date": "2017-02-28",
  "grant_date": "2017-02-28",
  "priority_date": "2013-06-21",
  "application_number": "US-201514974344-A",
  "family_id": "52104701",
  "cited_by_count": 4,
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}