US 12,220,856 B2
Apparatus for making a container
Giovanni Mondini, Cologne (IT); and Nazzareno Mondini, Cologne (IT)
Assigned to G.MONDINI S.P.A., Cologne (IT)
Filed by G.MONDINI S.P.A., Cologne (IT)
Filed on Dec. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/089,686.
Claims priority of application No. 102021000033041 (IT), filed on Dec. 30, 2021; and application No. 102022000015891 (IT), filed on Jul. 27, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0211542 A1, Jul. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. B29C 51/26 (2006.01); B29C 51/02 (2006.01); B29C 51/12 (2006.01); B29C 51/16 (2006.01); B29C 51/22 (2006.01); B29C 51/42 (2006.01); B29C 51/46 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 51/261 (2013.01) [B29C 51/12 (2013.01); B29C 51/162 (2013.01); B29C 51/264 (2013.01); B29C 51/42 (2013.01); B29L 2031/7162 (2013.01)] 42 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for making a container (2) which has a bottom wall (3), a plurality of lateral walls (4) and a perimetric flange (5), the container (2) comprising an outer skeleton (6) and a layer of thermoplastic material (7) adhering to the inside of the outer skeleton (6), the outer skeleton (6) including at least one first sheet (8) and one second sheet (9), the apparatus (1) comprising:
a supporting structure (11);
a conveying element (15) which defines a housing (22), which is mounted on the supporting structure (11) and which is movable relative to the supporting structure (11) along a movement path (16) which extends from an infeed station (17) to an outfeed station (18), along the movement path (16) the apparatus (1) having a first feeding station (19), a second feeding station (20), and a thermoforming station (21) placed downstream of the feeding stations;
a first feeding device (23) positioned at the first feeding station (19), configured to insert, in use, the first sheet (8) into the housing (22) of the conveying element (15) placed at the first feeding station (19);
a second feeding device (24) positioned at the second feeding station (20), configured to insert, in use, the second sheet (9) into the housing (22) of the conveying element (15) placed at the second feeding station (20); and
a thermoforming device (31) positioned at the thermoforming station (21), which is configured to thermoform, in use, a thermoplastic material (10) on the first sheet (8) and on the second sheet (9), when the conveying element (15) is placed at the thermoforming station (21), and thereby to make the layer of thermoplastic material (7).