Terry V Potter

US Patent:

20040047941, Mar 11, 2004

Filed:

Jun 19, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/297463

Inventors:

Leon Salenbien - Dundee MI, US
Michelle Belin - Ann Arbor MI, US
Terry Potter - Lambertville MI, US
Peter Hatas - Sylvania OH, US
James Potter - Livonia MI, US
Liguo Zhao - Toledo OH, US
J. Rosenbeck - Jackson MI, US
Robert Cooper - Grass Lake MI, US

International Classification:

B29C049/64

US Classification:

425/526000, 425/534000

Abstract:

A two-step blow molding machine () having flexible cavitation which includes a plurality of stations, a preform loading station (), a thermal conditioning station () where preforms are heated and thermally conditioned prior to blow molding, a blow molding station () having a plurality of molds, the number of which defines the cavitation of the blow molding station, and an article unloader station (). The machine includes a plurality of carriers () adapted to receive the preforms thereon at said preform loading station. The carriers are transported about the machine in an unrestrained manner where spacing of the carriers does not correspond with cavitation of the machine. First and second conveyors and associated drives convey the carriers at different rates. The first and second conveyors and their associated drivers are independently controllable from one another such that the first and second rates are independently variable which allows changeable cavitation.