Owens-illinois Plastic Products Inc.

Owens-illinois, Inc.

Owens-brockway Plastic Products Inc.

Hewlett-packard Company

Graham Packaging Plastic Products, Inc.

Owens-illinois Closure, Inc.

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Thomas J Krall

Albert R Uhlig

Robert A Myers

Norman E Pawlowski

Roger P Smith

Susan M Hmelar

Eric L Gasvoda

Gregory A Geisinger

David C Kamp

Dennis W Houpt

Rhonda Lynn Wilson

William E Fillmore

David O Merrill

Jared E Neff

Michael D Norton

Daniel McGlynn

Ambrose B Dybala

Christopher T Evans

Richard H Lewis

Michael J Lonsway

Casimir W Nowicki

Mark R Hock

John A Plenzler

Theodore M Czesak

James Kenneth Wallace

William P Atkins

Jeffery S Lugar

Jeffrey S Lugar

A single-sided shuttle-type blow molding apparatus having an extruder for substantially continuously extruding a thermoplastic material in tubular form at a moldable temperature downwardly along a vertical axis. The apparatus includes a mold having a set of mold parts adapted to open and close relative to each other to define, when closed, a mold cavity. A shuttle having the mold mounted thereon is arranged to move along a closed path from a first position wherein the mold engages, when open, a finite length of the thermoplastic tube, to a second position away from the first position. The apparatus further includes a blow head adapted to blow the finite length of the thermoplastic tube to form the container as the mold moves from the first position to the second position of the closed path. The apparatus includes no more than one mold. A method is also described.

Single sided shuttle-type blow molding method

Single-sided shuttle-type blow molding apparatus

Shuttle blow molding apparatus having an extruder for substantially continuously extruding a thermoplastic material in tubular form at a moldable temperature downwardly along a vertical axis. A first finite length of the thermoplastic material is grasped by a first mold set, which then moves outwardly and downwardly with respect to the extruder to provide clearance for a second mold set to move to a position to grasp a second finite length of the extruded thermoplastic tube. The first mold set is then moved horizontally away to permit the finite length of thermoplastic tube therein to be blown into a hollow article, and thereafter removed from the first mold set at a second position of the first mold set. The second mold set, after grasping a second finite length of the extruded thermoplastic tube, moves outwardly in a direction opposed to the direction of movement of the first mold set away from the extruder and downwardly to permit the extruded length of thermoplastic tube therein to be blown into a hollow article, and thereafter removed from the second mold set at the position where the hollow articles are removed from the first mold set.

Shuttle-type blow molding method and apparatus

A container and closure package includes a container having a body with a finish surrounding a fill/dispensing opening, and a closure having a peripheral skirt removably secured to the container finish. The closure has a base wall with a fill opening aligned with the fill/dispensing opening in the container when the closure is secured to the container and a recessed ledge surrounding the fill opening. A seal is provided at the underside of the base wall in sealing engagement with the fill/dispensing opening of the container. A disk has an electrically conductive underlayer that is induction fusion welded to the closure.

Container and closure package and a method of filling

An ink container for an off-carriage printing system including an ink supply station. The ink container contains a collapsible reservoir filled with ink that is in fluidically connectable to a conduit that leads to a pressure regulator. The outlet of the regulator delivers ink to a printhead. A pressure vessel surrounds the reservoir. The system pressurizes the pressure vessel, which results in pressurized ink being delivered to the regulator. The ink container has a sensor that infers the actual volume of ink in the reservoir by sensing the relative position of the reservoir walls. This sensor is mounted between the pressure vessel and the collapsible reservoir. The sensor is electrically connected to pads that are accessible from the outside of the ink container. Leads route from the pads, through a seal zone, and to the sensor. The seal is provided by a compressed o-ring.

Ink container providing pressurized ink with ink level sensor

A container and closure package includes a container having a body with a finish surrounding a fill/dispensing opening, and a closure having a perpherial skirt removably secured to the container finish. The closure has a base wall with a fill opening aligned with the fill/dispensing opening in the container when the closure is secured to the container and a recessed ledge surrounding the fill opening. A seal is provided at the underside of the base wall in sealing engagement with the fill/dispensing opening of the container. A disk has an electrically conductive underlayer that is induction fusion welded to the closure.

Shuttle blow molding apparatus having an extruder or a blow head for substantially continuously emitting a thermoplastic material in tubular or parison form at a moldable temperature downwardly along a vertical axis. A finite length of the thermoplastic material is grasped by a first mold set, which then moves downwardly with respect to the extruder or blow head to provide clearance for a second mold set to move to a position to grasp a second finite length of the emitted thermoplastic. The first mold set is then moved horizontally away to permit the emitted thermoplastic length therein to be blown into a hollow article, and thereafter removed from the first mold set that is permitted to return and engage an other finite length of the thermoplastic material. The second mold set follows the first mold set in a path of travel traced by the first mold set. A single in-mold labelling device can be provided to sequentially apply labels to the interior of the mold sets, while the mold sets are open, for application to the articles being blown in the mold sets.

An ink container for holding a supply of liquid ink for use in an inkjet printing system. The container includes a collapsible ink reservoir for holding a supply of liquid ink, and a multiple functioned chassis. The chassis rigidly supports an air inlet for receiving pressurized air from the printing system and an ink outlet for delivering pressurized ink to the system. The chassis supports a collapsible ink container by providing an attach surface over which the collapsible container is attached. The attach surface allows a relatively simple pleated bag construction to be used by providing a surface whose normal is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the container. The chassis is adapted to engage with a pressure vessel opening, providing a seal that separates the pressure vessel from an outside atmosphere. The chassis provides a surface for outside electrical contacts along with locating means for a mating electrical connector, and provides pathways for them to be routed into the pressure vessel region. An efficient method of assembly of an ink container is described.

Ink container having a multiple function chassis

A container and closure package that includes a container having a body with a finish surrounding a fill/dispensing opening, and a thread on the finish for removably securing a closure. A closure has a peripheral skirt with a thread for removably securing the closure to the container finish, and a base wall with a fill opening aligned with the fill/dispensing opening in the container when the closure is secured to the container. A cap is secured to the closure base wall closing the fill opening. In accordance with the preferred method for filling the package, the container and closure are provided to the packager as an assembled unit. The container is filled with product through the fill opening in the closure and the fill/dispensing opening in the container. The cap is then secured to the closure base wall over the fill opening to close and seal the package.

Container and closure package and method of filling

Extrusion blow molding apparatus (,) having a blow mold (,), a neck mold (,) positioned above the blow mold and an anvil (,) positioned in an outwardly facing cavity (,) of the neck mold. A container (C) is produced in the molding apparatus from a parison of a heated thermoplastic material by introducing pressurized blowing fluid into the container being formed by way of a blow pin assembly (,) that is reciprocable relative to the blow mold. The blow pin assembly has an inner tubular member (,) with a free end that is within the container during blowing, and an outer tubular member (,) that surrounds the inner tubular member and defines an annulus therewith for withdrawing spent blowing fluid from the container. The outer tubular member has radial ports (,) for directing spent blowing fluid against a moil (M) being formed at a rim (R) of a finish (F) of the container. A restricted outlet from the finish of the container is obtained by providing the anvil with an inwardly and downwardly directed nose portion (,) to form a restricted annular portion (P) in the finish at a location below the rim.

Extrusion blow molding apparatus for manufacture of thermoplastic containers

In a method and apparatus wherein a container is formed, decorated by rotating the container and then the base of the contianer is cut off for a plastic tube, a container is formed with a diametral lug on the base to facilitate rotating the container during decorating. In another form, opposed diametral surfaces are provided on the lower end of the container adjacent the base. In another form, the diametral surfaces are arcuate. In another form, the lower end of the container includes a frustoconical surface. In another form, circumferentially spaced axial grooves are provided in the frustoconical surface.

Flexible tube and method of making

An ink container for an inkjet printing system is described, including an assembly of a simple housing with caps bearing indicia and protective surfaces to enable effective handling, aligning, keying and latching of the ink container. The ink container includes an ink container housing, the housing including an ink reservoir and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with said reservoir. The fluid outlet is for providing ink to the inkjet printhead. The container further includes a separately fabricated first cap attached to an end of the housing, the first cap having a plurality of mechanical features that provide mechanical functions for the ink container. The end of the housing is a leading end relative to a direction of insertion of the ink container into the printing system. The mechanical functions can include positioning the ink container relative to the supply station, a keying function for preventing installation of an ink container in the supply station without a cap providing the keying function. The mechanical features can include a boss for protecting a leading surface of the ink container and the fluid outlet from physical damage. The trailing end of the housing has attached to it a second cap having a latch feature for latching the ink container in the supply station, and an oversized handle that prevents backwards insertion. The housing includes a pressure vessel that surrounds the ink reservoir, and the first cap is secured to the pressure vessel.

High performance ink container with efficient construction

An ink container for holding a supply of liquid ink for use in an inkjet printing system. The container includes a collapsible ink reservoir for holding a supply of liquid ink, and a multiple functioned chassis. The chassis rigidly support an air inlet for receiving pressurized air from the printing system and an ink outlet for delivering pressurized ink to the system. The chassis support a collapsible ink container by providing an attach surface over which the collapsible container is attached. The attach surface allows a relatively simple pleated bag construction to be used by providing a surface whose normal is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the container. The chassis is adapted to engage with a pressure vessel opening, providing a seal that separates the pressure vessel from an outside atmosphere. The chassis provides a surface for outside electrical contacts along with locating means for a mating electrical connector, and provides pathways for them to be routed into the pressure vessel region. An efficient method of assembly of an ink container is described.

A flexible plastic tube and a method of forming a flexible plastic tube includes injection molding a finish having an opening, extruding a tube integrally with the finish by relevant movement of the finish with respect to an extruder, moving the finish axially away from the extruder while continuing continuously extruding the tube, closing a blow mold about the extruded tube, blowing the tube into an integral container body having a closed bottom, opening the molds to provide an integral flexible tube with a finish thereon. Thereafter the method includes decorating the body with indicia, cutting the closed end of the tube leaving an open-ended tube of the end opposite the finish, and applying a closure to the finish. Subsequently, the tube is filled through the open end and the open end is closed. The decorating includes rotating the tube about the longitudinal axis of the tube while engaging the finish and bottom. The step of decorating preferably includes rotating the container relative to a silk screen printing device. The step of injection molding and extrusion molding preferably includes injecting and extruding linear low density polyethylene. A closure is applied before or after cutting the bottom from the container.

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Toledo, OH, United States of America

Thomas J Krall