DE102017120190A1 - Injection-molded preform of a drinking container, injection molding tool for the production of the preform and method for producing a drinking container - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an injection molded preform (1) for producing a drinking container (7) of a drinking container unit, having a first opening section (2) defining a substantially circular first opening (3) with a first outer diameter (d _{a, 1} ) second opening section (4), which defines a first opening (3) preferably concentric, substantially circular second opening (5) having a second outer diameter (d _{a, 2} ), which falls below the first outer diameter (d _{a, 1} ), and a hollow body portion (6) disposed between the first opening portion (2) and the second opening portion (4), wherein the first opening portion (2) is dimensioned to correspond to a drink opening portion (8) of the final drinking container (7) and the second one Opening portion (4) is dimensioned such that it corresponds to a Befüllöffnungsabschnitt (9) of the final drinking container (7). The invention also relates to a method for producing a drinking container (7) and an injection molding tool for producing the preform (1).

Description

The present invention relates to an injection-molded preform of a drinking container having two openings, according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing such a drinking container. Another object of the invention is an injection molding tool for producing the preform.

Background of the invention

Plastics, in particular PET, are gaining more and more importance for drinking vessels in recent years. In addition to their low weight compared to glass, they have an increasingly lower permeability, which has a positive effect on the stored drinks therein.

Another trend is to design drinking vessel units such that they combine the advantages of a bottle (for example easily fillable, sturdy transportable) with those of a drinking glass (eg wide drinking openings, formation of a foam crown), as for example the German patent EN 10 2016 115 660 B3 disclosed.

State of the art

Conventional bottles are made according to a blow molding process, such as from the WO 2010/108291 A1 is known.

If, as in the present case, attention is paid to providing a container with two openings, it will be approximately in the US 4,988,399 f ündig. Therein, a tubular preform, the opening diameter of which may slightly deviate from each other, is first stretched and pressure-formed in a stretch-blown process, before being centrally cut off such that two containers having different opening cross-sections are produced from a preform.

Also the German patent DE 23 60 432 C3 discloses a tubular preform having two openings. This is pressure-formed in a subsequent step, for example, to take the form of a lampshade. In the search for how to design an injection-molded preform for a drinking container, one will not find it when studying this document.

Thus, the prior art does not disclose a solution for designing an injection-molded preform in order to use it as a preform of a drinking container which can be used on the one hand as a bottle and on the other hand as a glass to form a drinking-container unit.

The prior art further contains any teaching by means of which method a drinking container with two different openings, which occupy different functions, is to be produced.

Finally, no injection molding tools for the production of generic preforms are known.

Brief description of the invention

The object of the present invention, in view of this prior art, is to remedy or at least mitigate the disadvantages of the prior art, and in particular to provide an injection-molded preform which takes into account the different functions of the respective apertures so that these already come from the preform are considered.

The invention is preferably based on the object to provide exactly one preform per drinking container, wherein the preform already has the opening portions of the later drinking container.

In addition, the invention aims to disclose a method by means of which a (plastic) drinking container of a drinking container unit, which has a drinking opening and a separate filling opening, can be produced by means of a so-called blown or stretch blow molding method. According to the method, the injection-molded preform is intended to pass through a stretching step and / or pressure-forming step that essentially concerns the hollow body section in order to provide the drinking container for a drinking-container unit.

The invention is based on a further aspect of the idea to provide an injection molding tool for producing an injection-molded preform, which guarantees an efficient and at the same time reliable production of the preform.

This is achieved by means of a preform with the features of claim 1, by means of a method having the features of claim 6 and by means of an injection molding tool having the features of claim 13. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The subject of the invention in a first aspect is therefore an injection molded preform for producing a drinking container of a drinking container unit, with a first Opening portion defining a substantially circular first opening having a first outer diameter, a second opening portion defining a first opening preferably concentric, substantially circular second opening with a second outer diameter which is smaller than the first outer diameter, and one between the first Opening portion and the second opening portion disposed hollow body portion, which also has a substantially circular cross-section. The first and second opening sections are two essentially rotationally symmetrical body sections. While the outer diameter of the first opening portion is preferably constant across the preform height direction, the outer diameter of the second opening portion may take different values through the preform height direction. In other words, the first opening portion forms a cylindrical shape and the second opening portion forms the shape of a bottle head, as will be explained below in a preferred embodiment. The division of the preform into a first and a second opening portion and a hollow body portion is not meant to be exhaustive. Thus, in particular between those sections intermediate sections / transition sections whose shapes are described in more detail in the further course of this application, arranged. If the first opening to the second opening is not arranged concentrically, then the opening cross-sections are at least plane-parallel to one another.

According to the invention, the first opening section is dimensioned such that it corresponds to a drinking opening section (also called drinking opening) of the final drinking container (ie that it remains unchanged in the further processing of the preform) and the second opening section is dimensioned such that it corresponds to a filling opening section (FIG. also called filling opening) of the final drinking container (ie that it remains unchanged in the further processing of the preform). The term "final" describes the drinking container that results from the injection-molded preform. Accordingly, the two sections, which in the context of the drinking container unit, which in addition to the drinking container still has a lid and a closure element interfaces with other components, already injection-molded with the preform, whereby a high accuracy of their geometry is achieved, which the quality and the Reliability increases.

Characterized in that the first opening portion predetermines the preferably screw-down drinking opening and the second opening portion also predetermines the preferably closable filling opening, are specified for both, for example due to the thread, strict adherence to geometries. These geometries are easier and more reliable to achieve by means of injection molding than by means of the downstream pressure molding. Accordingly, the design of the preform with the "final", d. H. the drinking container corresponding opening sections, the efficient compliance with the geometric specifications. Moreover, distortion of the thread due to pressure molding is prevented.

In other words, the invention can be described such that a preform is provided which has an opening at both ends, which openings occupy different functions relative to one another. The first opening realizes a drinking opening in the drinking container produced from the preform. This is designed in the dimension of the opening of a drinking glass. Furthermore, it can be closed with a specially adapted to this lid, preferably screwed. The second opening serves as a filling opening for the drinking container produced from the preform. The filling opening can be coupled to a filling installation and, moreover, can be made lockable with conventional closures, such as a crown cap or a screw cap. Due to the fact that exactly one drinking container can be produced from the one preform, the production steps after production of the preform are limited to a minimum since the two openings with different functions that are essential for the drinking container are already realized by the preform.

In an advantageous embodiment, the outer diameter of the first opening section exceeds the outer diameter of the second opening section by a factor greater than 1.5. In further embodiments, the factor is even greater than 1.9, greater than 2.2, and even more preferably exactly 2.5. Thus, the preform according to the invention makes it possible to assign different functions to the two openings because of the greatly differing shapes. In this way, exactly one preform is used to produce exactly one drinking container, which on the one hand enables compatibility with a filling system by means of the filling opening and on the other hand makes it impossible to refill from a bottle into a glass by means of the drinking opening.

The high factor between the respective outside diameters compared with the prior art is a challenge, in particular for the pressure injection of the liquid plastic, since it should be noted that the area of the second opening section with its smaller diameter is filled with plastic much faster than the area of the first opening portion. Thus, the preform according to the invention in its entirety has such an outer contour that this at a wide range of Anspritzwinkeln and positions uniform hardening of the plastic despite different diameters possible.

The material thickness of the preform is at least approximately constant in the circumferential direction, while it preferably assumes different values in the preforming height direction. Thus, the material thickness in the region of the second opening section preferably exceeds the material thickness in the region of the first opening section. Thus, the factor by which the inner diameters of the first and second opening portions are different is preferably larger than 1.5 or larger than the outer diameter.

More preferably, the first opening portion on an internal thread, which is prepared to be screwed to an external thread of a lid of the drinking container unit. An internal thread of the first opening portion of the preform is obtained such that in a core used to produce the preform, the corresponding negative of the desired thread is present. On the one hand this affects the shape of the core, on the other hand, the process by which the core is released from the preform, not by a simple longitudinal displacement feasible. Instead, either a folding core / core is to be used (as will be described below for one embodiment) or the preform is to be detached from the core by means of a screwing movement. The internal thread of the first opening portion according to the invention is designed either continuously in the circumferential direction or as a pressure relief thread. The configuration of the internal thread in the first opening section is opposed to a preferably smooth configuration of the outer surface of the first opening section. In addition to the increased drinking comfort (since the lips of the consumer rest against it), that smooth surface has the effect that the drinking-container unit can be easily cleaned after filling.

Additionally or alternatively to the embodiment described above with the internal thread in the first opening portion of the second opening portion is formed like a bottle head. Thus, the second opening can be used as a filling opening and coupled with an industrial bottling plant. The nature of a bottle head is characterized for example by the fact that a crown cap, as is well known from the prior art, can be placed on the bottle head. As an example, the bottle head of a NRW bottle is called. In such a placement of a crown cork prevail high forces, which has a corresponding effect on the geometry of the bottle head. Further alternatively, the bottle head is characterized for example by the fact that a lid with an internal thread is placed on this, so that the second opening portion formed as a bottle head has an external thread. In both embodiments, the bottle head further preferably has a radially outwardly projecting collar, which forwards the high forces when placing the crown cork / lid on a gripping arm, as will be explained in more detail below.

The hollow body section of the preform according to the invention also has, in a preferred embodiment, a conical profile that decreases continuously or gradually in longitudinal section so that the preform assumes a funnel shape. The funnel shape has a positive effect on the removal of the core after injection molding due to the omission of an undercut. Furthermore, the conical shape according to the invention promotes a uniform distribution of the liquid plastic in the negative mold during injection molding, which is particularly advantageous because of the high diameter differences between the first opening portion and the second opening portion. Thus, the slope of the conical shape is chosen such that the flow rates during injection molding are so high that hardening of the plastic before it has completely formed the negative mold is excluded.

In an alternative embodiment to the conical shape of the hollow body portion, the hollow body portion has a cylindrical profile in longitudinal section, which is tapered in its diameter relative to the first opening portion and the second opening portion. This tapered diameter has a positive effect on the production of the preform downstream Druckausformen, since with increasing diameter difference before and after Druckausformen a concatenation of the polymers in the plastic is favored, which reduces the permeability and thus keeps the stored by the drinking container unit carbonated beverage longer fresh , For example, in the embodiment of the tapered hollow body portion, the core is configured, for example, as a pleat core / pit core / decay core which is capable of presenting the undercuts resulting from the taper using a core.

More preferably, a first transition section is arranged between the first opening section and the hollow body section. This bridges the difference in diameter between the first opening portion and the first opening portion facing the end of the hollow body portion. Particularly in the embodiment in which the first opening portion has an internal thread, the first transition portion is of particular importance. So is a removal of the core, unless this designed as a folding core is only possible if a diameter taper begins immediately after the last thread has run out. The first transition portion is approximately in the length of the preform height direction in the order of magnitude of the first opening portion and significantly smaller than the hollow body portion. Between the diameter of the location of the first transition portion facing the opening portion and the location facing the hollow body portion, there is a factor greater than 1.3. In one embodiment, the amount of that difference in diameter exceeds the amount of the length of the first transition section in the preform height direction. In the embodiment in which the hollow body portion is formed cylindrically, a second transition portion is formed between the second opening portion and the hollow body portion, which interconnects the different portions.

Alternatively or in addition to the embodiment with the first transition section, a radially outwardly extending collar, also referred to as a neck ring, English neck ring, is arranged between the second opening section and the hollow body section on the outside. This collar is used after filling the drinking container produced from the preform, when the closure element is placed on the filling, to close the power flow by embracing a gripping arm.

• -Spritzgießen eines Vorformlings um einen Kern in eine der vorstehend beschriebenen Formen des Vorformlings;
• - Anordnen, vorzugsweise mittels einer Verschwenkbewegung, zumindest zweier Druckausformaußenbacken um den spritzgegossenen Vorformling, welche Druckausformaußenbacken eine Negativform des Trinkbehälters ausformen;
• - Druckausformen, auch Blasen oder Aufblasen genannt, des spritzgegossenen Vorformlings mittels komprimierter Luft in die von den Druckausformaußenbacken definierte Negativform, sodass sich dieser mit seiner Außenseite an die Negativform anschmiegt, um die Form des Trinkbehälters zu erhalten.

In a further aspect of the invention, a method for producing a drinking container of a drinking container unit is claimed. This procedure goes through the following steps in succession:

• Injection molding a preform around a core into one of the above-described preform shapes;
• - Arrange, preferably by means of a pivoting movement, at least two Druckausformaußenbacken to the injection-molded preform, which Druckausformaußenbacken form a negative mold of the drinking container;
• - Forming, also called blowing or inflation, of the injection-molded preform by means of compressed air in the defined by the Druckausformaußenbacken negative mold, so that this conforms with its outside to the negative mold to obtain the shape of the drinking container.

Thus, a drinking container is manufactured in a few steps, which has two mutually fundamentally different in terms of their dimension openings and can be produced in large quantities. Furthermore, as a result of the fact that the respective opening sections of the preform can already be assigned to the drinking or filling opening section, a subsequent treatment aimed at eliminating distortions in the opening sections is no longer necessary.

The preform underlying the above-described method substantially corresponds in its length in the preform height direction in one embodiment to the drinking container. Accordingly, the hollow body portion as well as the first and (if present) the second transitional portion are affected by the pressure forming, which expand purely radially. In this embodiment, the method according to the invention can therefore be realized as an injection blow molding method which produces a drinking container for a drinking-container unit in only two plastic processing steps (injection of the preform, pressure-forming of the drinking container). In this embodiment, after injection molding of the preform, injection molding dies are swung away from the core. Subsequently, the core itself, around which the preform continues to nestle, pivots so that the two pressure-forming outer jaws are arranged around the core. As soon as the compressed air is supplied to the interior of the preform, nestling takes place against the negative mold of the pressure-exerting outer jaws, whereby the drinking container is produced.

In an alternative embodiment, the pressure-forming step is preceded by a stretching step in which the preform is stretched to the length of the final drinking container. In that stretching step, which is also referred to as stretching or stretching, a drinking opening base which supports the first opening section moves in relation to a filling opening base which supports the second opening section, which base in each case surrounds the preform from the outside in one embodiment. Alternatively, the Befüllöffnungssockel and / or the Trinköffnungssockel should also be designed such that the respective opening portion of the inner force and / or positive fit is used. In the respective gripping (from inside or outside), the position of the drinking opening base preferably remains unchanged, while the Befüllöffnungssockel relatively moves. A mold closure enabling such a process is advantageously produced via the aforementioned collar between the second opening section and the hollow body section of the preform. In this embodiment, the method according to the invention can therefore be implemented as an injection stretch blow molding method which produces a drinking container for a drinking container unit in three plastic processing steps (injection of the preform, stretching of the preform, pressure forming of the drinking container).

An advantageous embodiment of that method, both alternatives (injection blown and injection stretch blow molding method) is characterized in that the core during injection molding corresponds to that of pressure molding. Thus, between the injection molding and the pressure forming only the respective outer jaws to replace, while eliminating the costly removal of the freshly injection-molded preform from its core before Druckausformen. Thus, the drinking container can be produced in a very short time with minimal tooling.

More preferably, the drinking container is pressure-formed / blown such that only the portion of the preform (which is composed of the hollow body portion and the transition portions) between the two opening portions is changed in shape and dimension by the pressure forming and / or stretching. In the present invention, the shape and dimension of the first opening portion of the preform and the shape and dimension of the second opening portion of the preform are unaffected by the pressure forming so as to correspond in shape and dimension to the drinking or filling opening portion of the final drinking container.

As soon as the largest outer diameter of the drinking container exceeds the outer diameter of the first opening portion, easy handling of the drinking container unit can be realized during the later filling of the drinking container unit in the filling system. Because on the first opening portion / the drinking opening portion of the lid after the preparation of the drinking cup is placed, the maximum outer diameter exceeds the outer diameter of the drinking opening. Because the largest outer diameter of the drinking container also exceeds that of the drinking opening (that is to say that of the first opening section), these two diameters can be matched to each other, so that a line guidance of the drinking container unit in the filling system is made possible.

In a further advantageous embodiment, compressed air is used for the pressure forming, which flows out of the core. In other words, the core according to the invention has Luftentströmelemente that allow outflow / outflow of compressed air on. This further advantageously has the effect that the first opening section and the second opening section of the preform correspond to those of the drinking container, since due to the openings in the core no supply of compressed air at the ends of the preform is necessary.

In a further aspect of the invention, an injection molding tool for producing the preform is claimed. This has a core, which essentially forms a negative mold of the inner contour of the preform and has two injection-molded outer jaws, which together form a negative mold of the outer contour of the preform. Due to the (thermal) shrinkage of the preform inevitably downstream of injection molding, the negative shape of the inner contour and the core do not coincide one hundred percent. The injection molding tool is characterized in that the two injection-molded outer jaws are pivotable about the one core and / or moved. It is expressly a single core, that is, a single core unit (which may be composed of several individual components), which, however, by means of a drive as a coherent unit is movable. Thus, undercuts in the outer contour of the preform are easily implemented, whereby the embodiments described above can be produced efficiently. The core itself is preferably pivotable. Thus, in the above-mentioned method, after injection molding, it is efficiently pivotal away from the injection molding outer jaws toward the pressure-forming outer jaws.

In a preferred embodiment of the injection molding tool, the core is configured as a foldable folding core, also called an incident core or decay core. Here, the core remains a single component, which can assume a different geometry in itself. This allows the problem-free formation of undercuts in the inner contour of the preform. About the thread design of the first opening portion can be produced in this way by means of pressure relief furrows. The folding core, which is composed of several individual components, combines the advantages that, in addition, only one core is necessary, while complicated undercut geometries can be produced. Accordingly, he increases the flexibility in the shaping. The folding core in one embodiment has Luftentströmelemente that allow a discharge / outflow of compressed air on.

The core is either one-sided, that is in the region of one of the opening sections, or also mounted on both sides. The one-sided storage allows a high effort multi-axial pivoting. The two-sided storage increases the robustness of the core and has a positive effect on the molding of the preform by means of injection molding.

• 1a bis 1 d: ein Vorformling gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform in verschiedenen Darstellungen;
• 2a bis 2d: den Vorformling gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform in verschiedenen Darstellungen;
• 3a bis 3d: den Vorformling gemäß einer dritten Ausführungsform in verschiedenen Darstellungen;
• 4a bis 4d: den Vorformling gemäß einer vierten Ausführungsform in verschiedenen Darstellungen;
• 5: den Vorformling nach einem Spritzgießen in Spritzgusswerkzeug eingesetzt;
• 6: einen Trinkbehälter, der aus dem Vorformling aus 5 nach einem Druckausformen resultiert, in Druckausformwerkzeug eingesetzt;
• 7: den Vorformling in einer weiteren Ausführungsform nach einem Spritzgießen in Spritzgusswerkzeug eingesetzt;
• 8: den Vorformling der Ausführungsform aus 7 nach einem Längsstrecken in Längsstreckwerkzeug eingesetzt;
• 9a bis 9c: die Entwicklung des Vorformlings zum Trinkbehälter gemäß einem Streckblasverfahren;
• 10: den Trinkbehälter in einer perspektivischen Ansicht;
• 11: den Vorformling nach einem Spritzgießen in ein alternatives Spritzgusswerkzeug eingesetzt; und
• 12a und 12b: den Vorformling in einer Ausführungsform mit modifiziertem zweiten Öffnungsabschnitt.

The invention will be explained below with reference to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

• 1a to 1 d a preform according to a first embodiment in various representations;
• 2a to 2d FIG. 2: the preform according to a second embodiment in various representations; FIG.
• 3a to 3d FIG. 3: the preform according to a third embodiment in various representations; FIG.
• 4a to 4d : the preform according to a fourth embodiment in various representations;
• 5 : the preform used in injection mold after injection molding;
• 6 : a drinking container that comes out of the preform 5 after a pressure forming results, used in Druckausformwerkzeug;
• 7 the preform used in a further embodiment after injection molding in injection molding tool;
• 8th : the preform of the embodiment 7 used after a longitudinal stretching in longitudinal stretching tool;
• 9a to 9c the development of the preform into the drinking container according to a stretch blow molding method;
• 10 : the drinking container in a perspective view;
• 11 : the preform used after injection molding in an alternative injection molding tool; and
• 12a and 12b FIG. 2 shows the preform in an embodiment with a modified second opening section. FIG.

The figures are merely schematic in nature and are for the sole purpose of understanding the invention. The same elements are provided with the same reference numerals. The features of the individual embodiments are interchangeable.

The 1a to 1d show an injection molded preform 1 in a first embodiment. The upper section off 1a represents a first opening section 2 which has a substantially circular first opening 3 Are defined. In 1c you look into this first opening 3 into it. At the first opening portion 2 opposite end of the preform 1 is a second opening section 4 arranged. This has the shape of a bottle head, as described in more detail below. The second opening section 4 defines a second opening 5 which are concentric with the first opening 3 is arranged and in which one in 1b looketh. Between the first opening section 2 and the second opening portion 4 is inter alia a hollow body section 6 arranged.

The outer diameter d _{a, 1} of the first opening portion 2 exceeds the outer diameter d _{a, 2} of the second opening portion 4 by a factor greater than 1.5. In the present case, the factor is 2.5. This allows the first opening section 2 as a drinking opening section 8th (also called drinking opening) one (approximately in connection with 5 described in detail) drinking container 7 , and the second opening portion 4 as Befüllöffnungsabschnitt 9 (also called filling opening) to design. The second opening section 4 has a Kronkorkenaufnahmewulst 23 on. This annular bead allows the industrial placement of a crown cap as part of a downstream filling.

With regard to the relationship between the first and the second opening portion 2 . 4 and the drinking and the filling opening 8th . 9 be on the description of the 6 directed.

Coming back to 1a has the hollow body portion 6 a conical shape. So takes its (outer and inner) diameter of the second opening portion 4 to the first opening section 2 towards continuously. At the first opening portion 3 facing the end of the hollow body portion finally includes a first transition section 10 at. This bridges the remaining diameter difference between the "upper" end of the hollow body portion 2 and the "lower" end of the first opening portion 2 , The terms "top" and "bottom" refer to the arrangement 1a ,

The upper end of the first transition section 10 starts with the last thread flank of an in 1d recognizable internal thread 11 of the first opening portion 2 , The internal thread 11 of the preform 1 corresponds to an internal thread of the drinking container 7 prepared to receive a lid of a drinking container unit (composed of the drinking container, the lid (not shown) and a closure member (not shown) such as a crown cap or a screw cap).

In 1a is that of the first transition section 10 bridged diameter difference compared to the embodiment of 2 high. This has the advantage that when the preform shown 1 is pressure-formed in a subsequent step, a chaining of the polymer chains is promoted due to the high expansion factor, which the permeability (which is negative on the durability of the later located in the drinking container unit drinks) lowers.

The bottle head shape of the second opening portion 4 is at the hollow body portion 6 facing the end radially outward with a collar 12 Mistake. This favors the placement of the closure element (crown cap or lid) on the second opening portion 4 , the later filling opening 9 of the drinking container 7 equivalent.

Another embodiment of the preform 1 is in the 2a to 2d shown. The essential components of the preform 1 are made 1 and, in order to avoid repetition, are not listed again here.

The first and second opening sections 2 . 4 of the embodiment 2 correspond to that 1 , Accordingly, the outer diameter behave d _{a, 1} and d _{a, 2} , In the 1b and 1c are also the inner diameter d _{i, 1} and d _{i, 2} located. These differ slightly in their ratio from the outer diameter d _{a, 1} and d _{a, 2} , This is due to the fact that on the second opening section 4 or the filling opening 9 the closure element is placed with high forces, which is why an increased wall thickness is sought here to form a conventional flanged head. This also causes the stretching in the second opening section 4 is greater than in the first opening section 2 According to this, the ratio of the inner diameter d _{i, 1} and d _{i, 2} even bigger than the outside diameter d _{a, 1} and d _{a, 2} ,

The cone shape of the hollow body section 6 out 2 is more pronounced than in 1 , Accordingly, the slope of the cone is larger, creating the first transition section 11 here only a smaller diameter difference has to bridge.

Furthermore, between the through the collar 12 limited bottle head of the second opening section 4 and the "lower" end of the hollow body portion 6 a second transitional section 13 arranged. In contrast to the first transition section 10 holds the second transition section 13 in the embodiment 2 the (outer and inner) diameter constant.

A third embodiment of the preform 1 is in the 3a to 3d shown. In relation to 3a is also this preform 1 (from top to bottom) in the first opening section 2 , the first transitional section 10 , the hollow body section 6 , the second transitional section 13 and the second opening portion 4 assigned.

The hollow body section 6 points in the embodiment 3 no conical, but a cylindrical course. This is opposite the smaller outer diameter d _{a, 2} of the second opening portion 4 still rejuvenated. In this way, in the subsequent stretching a strong concatenation of the polymer chains, as has already been described above, possible. This reduces the CO ₂ diffusion from the CO ₂ -containing beverage accommodated by the drinking-container unit to the environment and vice versa the diffusion of O ₂ into the beverage. In the present embodiment, the first transition section 10 in its length in the preform height direction of the order of magnitude of the hollow body portion 6 ,

A fourth embodiment of the preform 1 is in the 4a to 4d shown. In relation to 4a is also this preform 1 (from top to bottom) in the first opening section 2 , the first transitional section 10 , the hollow body section 6 , the second transitional section 13 and the second opening portion 4 assigned.

The hollow body section 6 points in the embodiment 4 a continuous conical course. Thus, it bridges the section between the (in this case cylindrical) second transition section 13 and the first transition section 10 with linear gradient. In terms of the total length of the preform 1 in the preform height direction, the hollow body portion 6 in the present case about half of the total amount.

According to the invention, the first and second opening portions correspond 2 . 4 of the preforms 1 from the 1 to 4 each other and are on the drinking or filling opening 8th . 9 customized.

5 shows the preform 1 according to one embodiment in an injection molding tool 14 used. The injection mold 14 consists of a first injection-molded outer jaw 15a a second injection-molded outer jaw identical to this second embodiment in this embodiment 15b as well as an injection molding core 16 , also called simply core, together. As an alternative to the identical embodiment, it is possible, in particular, to make the respective injection point, the suspension and other parameters different from one another. The conical hollow body section 6 as well as the first transition section 10 immediately after the last turn of the first opening section 2 causes a reduction in diameter, allow a single injection molding core 16 is used, around which the two injection molded outer jaws 15a . 15b pivot.

In the embodiment of 5 is the injection molding core 16 stored on one side. Thus ends it is substantially flush with the second opening in the preform height direction 5 , As an alternative to this, in particular 11 and their description.

The injection-molded outer jaws 15a . 15b are also tempered in addition to their shape so that they cool the first and second opening portion 2 . 4 just after injection allow it, while the section between the first and second opening section 2 . 4 leave hot and thus deformable. This allows an exact design of the drinking and filling 8th . 9 which may also be followed by downstream processing steps (such as in 6 described) remains unaffected.

6 shows one of the injection molding 5 downstream pressure molding step. Here is the (still identical) injection molding core 16 has been pivoted, so that around this now two Druckausformaußenbacken 17a . 17b Arrange. Together form the injection molding core 16 and the press-out dies 17a . 17b a pressure forming tool 18 , This allows the preform 1 out 5 to the drinking container 7 out 6 to be molded. For this purpose, compressed air flows into the interior of the preform 1 so that, in this embodiment, it moves along the horizontal arrows in FIG 6 to the from the Druckausformaußenbacken 17a . 17b formed negative mold snuggles. In the injection molding core 16 are about this Luftentströmelemente 19 provided, which allow the air supply. Those elements 19 are, as in the present case, designed round or preferably slit-like. In the present case, a deformation takes place along one axis (namely the horizontal axis), which is why the present pressure forming is also called monoaxial deformation.

The drinking container according to the invention 7 is preferably formed such that the largest outer diameter d _{a, max} of the drinking container 7 the opposite of the preform 1 unchanged first outer diameter d _{a, 1} exceeds. This allows, as already mentioned, an efficient alignment of the drinking container unit in the filling plant. With regard to a perspective view of the drinking container 7 without pressure forming tool 18 be on 10 directed.

The drinking container 7 continues to shape a shoulder 20 off, which blocks the Trinkbehältereinheit against tipping. The first opening section 2 and the second opening portion 4 of the preform 1 stay unchanged. Nevertheless, these have in connection with the drinking container 7 the term drinking opening (sabschnitt) 8th and filling opening (section) 9.

The embodiment of the injection molded preform 1 out 4 is in 7 in injection mold 14 shown used. The features of that preform 1 are in particular from 4 known. Compared with the embodiments of the 1 and 2 is the length of the hollow body section 6 in the preform height direction due to the configuration of the present injection molding tool 14 low. For this, the wall thickness of the hollow body portion 6 increased, as in the sectional drawing 7 recognizable. This is due to the fact that the present preform 1 is still stretched before Druckausformen.

The step of longitudinal stretching from the preform 1 out 7 is in 8th shown. Here is the injection molding core 16 moved so / pivoted that now a two-piece upper longitudinal stretching tool 21a . 21b around the top of the preform 1 and the injection molding core 16 arranges while a two-piece lower longitudinal stretching tool 22a . 22b around the lower part of the preform 1 arranges. The lower longitudinal stretching tool 22a . b then goes out along the vertical arrow 8th moved to a longitudinal stretching of the preform 1 to reach. This longitudinal stretching is made possible by the fact that the plastic, the first transition section 10 , the hollow body section 6 and the second transition section 13 forms, after the injection molding is not yet hardened and thus easily deformed. At the end of that longitudinal stretch, the preform points 1 , as in 8th shown, the length of the final drinking container 7 on. The first and second opening sections 2 . 4 remain uninfluenced by the longitudinal stretches following the inventive idea.

The development of the preform 1 to the drinking container 7 (without representation of the tools 14 . 18 in a biaxial deformation (along two axes: horizontal: pressure forming, vertical: stretching) is in the 9a . 9b . 9c shown in summary. The central idea of the invention, namely that the first and second opening section 2 . 4 with the preform 1 injection molded (because they have high geometric requirements) and of the further manufacturing process, until the drinking container 7 is preserved, unaffected, is certainly done in this embodiment, too.

The arrows in the 9a and 9b indicate in which direction the section between the two opening sections 2 . 4 has been deformed immediately before. Once the drinking container 7 in the 9c takes form, hardens the plastic, so that the drinking container can be further assembled to the drinking vessel unit so that it can be filled and its contents can then be consumed.

10 puts the drinking container 7 In its final form, it is in perspective. In the present case, it has essentially the form of a white beer glass, which can comfortably be grasped in the center, and the large-diameter drinking opening 8th having. The filling opening 9 in turn can be coupled with a bottling plant, as has already been described. The present Weissbierglasform is not to be understood as limiting. Thus, the principle according to the invention of a preform with final opening sections is to be extended to all CO ₂ -containing beverages.

11 puts the preform 1 in an alternative embodiment of the injection molding tool 14 This is the injection molding core 16 stored on both sides. This increases the storage stability and robustness during injection molding. The injection molded outer jaws are also adapted to the core design 15a . 15b a modified form. The other elements are made in particular 5 known.

In the 12a and 12b Finally, another embodiment of the preform 1 shown. While the general shape is very close to that of the 1a and 1d comes close, the main difference lies in the design of the second opening portion 4 , This further has the shape of a bottle head. However, the bottle head is presently not prepared for receiving a crown cap, but for receiving a screw cap. Thus, the second opening section 2 out 12 instead of the crown cork bulb 23 an external thread 24 on. This preferably has an industrial standard pitch, in conjunction with the collar 12, for efficient placement, as known from industrial filling operations, of a lid engaging the external thread 24 matched internal thread has to allow.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

preform

2

First opening section

3

First opening

4

Second opening section

5

Second opening

6

Hollow body section

7

drinkware

8th

drinking opening

9

filling

10

First transitional section

11

inner thread

12

collar

13

Second transition section

14

injection mold

15a, b

First / second injection molded outer jaw

16

injection molding core

17a, b

First / second press-out jaw

18

Druckausformwerkzeug

19

Luftentströmelemente

20

shoulder

21a, b

Upper, two-piece longitudinal stretching tool

22a, b

Lower, two-piece longitudinal stretching tool

23

Kronkorkenaufnahmewulst

24

external thread

d _{a, 1}

First outer diameter

d _{a, 2}

Second outer diameter

d _{a, max}

Largest outer diameter of the drinking container

di _{, 1}

First inner diameter

di _{, 2}

Second inner diameter

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102016115660 B3 [0003]
• WO 2010/108291 A1 [0004]
• US 4988399 f [0005]
• DE 2360432 C3 [0006]

Claims (14)

Injection-molded preform (1) for producing a drinking container (7) of a drinking container unit, having a first opening section (2) defining a substantially circular first opening (3) with a first outer diameter (d _{a, 1} ), a second opening section (4 ), which defines a first opening (3) preferably concentric, substantially circular second opening (5) having a second outer diameter (d _{a, 2} ), which the first outer diameter (d _{a, 1} ) below, and one between the the first opening portion (2) and the second opening portion (4) arranged hollow body portion (6), characterized in that the first opening portion (2) is dimensioned such that it corresponds to a drinking opening portion (8) of the final drinking container (7) and the second opening portion (4) is dimensioned such that it corresponds to a Befüllöffnungsabschnitt (9) of the final drinking container (7). Injection molded preform (1) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the first outer diameter (d _{a, 1} ) exceeds the second outer diameter (d _{a, 2} ) by a factor greater than 1.5, preferably by 2.5. Injection-molded preform (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first opening section (2) has an internal thread (11) which is prepared to be screwed to an external thread of a lid of the drinking-container unit and / or the second opening section (FIG. 4) is formed in the manner of a bottle head. Injection-molded preform (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hollow body section (6) has a continuous or stepwise decreasing conical profile in longitudinal section, so that the preform (1) assumes a funnel shape or has a cylindrical profile in the longitudinal section its diameter is tapered with respect to the first opening portion (2) and the second opening portion (4). Injection-molded preform (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a first transition section (10) is arranged between the first opening section (2) and the hollow body section (6) and / or between the second opening section (2) and the hollow body section (FIG. 6) on the outside of a collar (12) is arranged. Method for producing a drinking container (7) of a drinking container unit, which passes through the following steps in succession: - Injection molding of a preform (1) around a core (16) into a mold according to one of the preceding claims; - Arranging at least two Druckausformaußenbacken (17a, 17b) to the injection-molded preform (1), which Druckausformaußenbacken form a negative mold of the drinking container (7); Pressure-forming the injection-molded preform (1) into the negative mold defined by the pressure-forming outer jaws (17a, 17b) so that it conforms with its outer side to the negative mold to obtain the shape of the drinking container (7). Method according to Claim 6 , characterized in that the preform (1) in its length substantially corresponds to the drinking container (7). Method according to Claim 6 , characterized in that the step of pressure forming is preceded by a stretching step, in which the preform (1) is stretched to the length of the drinking container (7). Method according to one of Claims 6 to 8th , characterized in that the core (16) of the injection molding corresponds to that of the pressure molding. Method according to one of Claims 6 to 9 , characterized in that only the portion of the preform (1) arranged between the two opening sections (2, 4) is changed in its shape and dimension from the pressure forming. Method according to one of Claims 6 to 10 , characterized in that the largest outer diameter of the drinking container (7) exceeds the outer diameter (d _{a, 1} ) of the first opening portion (2). Method according to one of Claims 6 to 11 , characterized in that for the pressure forming compressed air is used, which flows out of the core (16). Injection molding tool (14) for producing a preform (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 5 , comprising a core (16), which essentially forms a negative mold of the inner contour of the preform (1) and with two injection-molded outer jaws (17a, 17b), which form a negative mold of the outer contour of the preform (1), characterized in that the two injection-molded outer jaws (17a, 17b) are pivotable about the one core (16) and / or moved. Injection molding tool (14) after Claim 13 , characterized in that the core (16) is designed as a folding core foldable in itself.

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