Method and device for manufacturing and filling thin-walled beverage containers

Abstract

A method for manufacturing and filling beverage containers ( 12 ) having thin walls and/or at least partially unstable shapes under the influence of heat is described, in which the containers ( 12 ) are manufactured by blow molding of preforms ( 10 ), then filled with a hot liquid filling product ( 16 ), next pressurized by a compressed gas ( 18 ), and then sealed. The preforms ( 10 ) and the containers ( 12 ) molded therefrom are pressurized during blow molding at a blow molding temperature, which is essentially below 110° C.

1 . A method for manufacturing and filling beverage containers having thin walls and/or at least partially unstable shapes under the influence of heat, comprising:
 blow molding performs to form a container, the performs and containers molded therefrom pressurized during blow molding at a blow molding temperature below 110° C.;   filling the container with a heated liquid filling product;   pressurizing the filled container with a compressed gas; and   sealing the filled and pressurized container.   
   
   
       2 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the blow molding temperature is below 100° C. 
   
   
       3 . The method as recited in  claim 2  wherein the blow molding temperature is in a range of approximately 80° C. to 100° C. 
   
   
       4 . The method as recited in  claim 3  wherein the blow molding temperature is in a range of 80° C. to 90° C. 
   
   
       5 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein a blow mold has a liquid temperature-regulating medium flowing through the blow mold via a duct system. 
   
   
       6 . The method as recited in  claim 5  wherein the temperature-regulating medium is water. 
   
   
       7 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the containers, which are still hot after the blow molding operation, are cooled on a conveyance path to the filling operation. 
   
   
       8 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the containers are sent directly to the filling operation after blow molding. 
   
   
       9 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein at least some individual containers are stored temporarily in a buffer storage at least from time to time before filling and after blow molding. 
   
   
       10 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the containers are blown, conveyed, and filled with the hot liquid through design and/or structural integration of a blow molding station with a downstream filling station. 
   
   
       11 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the containers are treated and drawn during the blow molding operation by a liquid-cooled and/or liquid-rinsed drawing rod or by a gas-cooled and/or gas-purged drawing rod. 
   
   
       12 . The method as recited in  claim 11  wherein liquid or gas escapes on an end face of the drawing rod directed toward a bottom of the container to be molded. 
   
   
       13 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the compressed gas is nitrogen. 
   
   
       14 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the liquid filling product is filled into the container at a temperature above 60° C. 
   
   
       15 . The method as recited in  claim 14  wherein the liquid filling product is filled into the container at a temperature above 75° C. 
   
   
       16 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the filling pressure when the compressed gas is introduced is more than 2 bar. 
   
   
       17 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the containers are PET bottles or containers having a low thermal stability. 
   
   
       18 . A container processing device for molding and/or manufacturing beverage containers having thin walls and/or at least partially unstable shapes under the influence of heat and for sterile filling with a heated liquid filling product, the container processing device comprising:
 a container molding station for molding preforms to form beverage containers by a blow molding method;   a container filling station for filling the containers with a heated liquid filling product;   a gassing station for pressurizing the filled containers with a compressed gas; and   a sealing device for pressure-tight and airtight sealing of the containers, the container molding station being formed by a blow molding station for stretch blow molding to form the plastic beverage containers, the blow molding station including a blowing mold having a duct system for a temperature-regulating medium to flow through, the temperature-regulating medium being water.   
   
   
       19 . The device as recited in  claim 18  wherein the container molding station and the container filling station are spatially and/or structurally integrated or combined. 
   
   
       20 . The device according to  claim 18  wherein the blow molding station has a liquid- or gas-cooled drawing rod, an opening for the escape of liquid or gas being situated on an end face of the drawing rod facing a bottom of the container to be molded. 
   
   
       21 . The device as recited in  claim 18  wherein the device is a rotary machine for continuous container molding and container bottling in an integrated process.