WO2016181071A1

WO2016181071A1 - Facility for moulding glass items, and detection device and method for monitoring loading for such a facility

Info

Publication number: WO2016181071A1
Application number: PCT/FR2016/051105
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stephen FOLLIS
Original assignee: Tiama
Priority date: 2015-05-12
Filing date: 2016-05-11
Publication date: 2016-11-17
Also published as: FR3036109A1; FR3036109B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a facility for moulding glass items, comprising: a plurality of forming sections (12); a gob dispenser (20); a detection device comprising at least one photodetector (28) which is arranged to detect light information circulating along a free optical axis (A1, A2, A3) which intercepts at least two specific portions of paths for loading the gobs corresponding to two separate forming sections. The invention also relates to a detection device for such a facility and to a method for monitoring loading, in which a specific instant of a gob passing is allocated to a predetermined path among the at least two loading paths, by recutting the indiscriminate specific instant of passage together with the determination of the forming section being loaded.

Description

MOLDING APPARATUS IN GLASS, AND

The invention relates to a molding installation for glass articles and a method for controlling the loading of a molding cavity in a molding installation comprising a plurality of separate forming sections. .

For the manufacture of glass articles, and especially of containers, for example bottles, facilities with several forming sections are frequently used. Each forming section comprises at least one mold having at least one molding cavity. Each forming section may comprise a plurality of molding cavities, for example offset from one another in a longitudinal direction X of the installation. The forming sections may for example be arranged next to each other, offset along a transverse axis Y of the installation. A glass parity dispenser distributes, by gravity, malleable glass parisons to each mold cavity.

Such installations have a cyclic operation in the sense that each molding cavity is fed regularly with a malleable glass parison. In the molding cavity, the parison undergoes a molding shaping step, which may optionally include a blow molding or punching operation in the molding cavity. Of course, before the arrival of the next parison in the molding cavity in question, the preceding parison, shaped, is discharged, for example to a secondary molding cavity or directly on a conveying system. The time interval between two successive parison arrivals in a molding cavity corresponds to one cycle for this molding cavity.

Generally not all forming sections are fed at the same time. On the contrary, most installations are designed to feed only one forming section at a time. On the other hand, it is generally expected that all the forming cavities of a same section are powered at the same time, or substantially at the same time.

As this distribution is carried out by gravity, and the gobs follow different paths, guided by chutes and / or baffles, the gums travel time between the hot glass source and the mold cavity may vary from a cavity the other, from one forming section to another, and can, even for the same molding cavity, vary over time depending on the many operating parameters of the installation.

Studies have shown that the loading stage is crucial for the quality of the finished product, such as the distribution of the glass. In particular, the moment of arrival of the parison in a molding cavity is an important operating data of the installation which, if it is well controlled, optimizes production. Other data such as the arrival speed, the position of the arrival trajectory with respect to the axis of the cavity, and the length of the parison may also be interesting to know. Also, various solutions have already been proposed to detect the passage of a parison on a portion of its path between the hot glass source and the cavity, in particular to determine one or other of the above data. For example, the document FR-2,440,922 describes a device for the optical detection of the passage of a parison on the loading path of this parison. Document US Pat. No. 5,746,798 describes a method that acts on the loading of parisons into the cavities.

The purpose of the invention is to propose an installation and a method which makes it possible to detect the passage of a parison on the portion of the loading path of this parison which is specific to each cavity, without requiring multiplication, for each molding cavity. , detection means.

For this purpose, the invention firstly proposes a molding installation for glass articles, of the type comprising:

- Several separate forming sections each comprising at least one mold having at least one mold cavity; a glass parity dispenser which distributes, by gravity, malleable glass parisons to each molding cavity along a loading path having at least a specific portion to the corresponding molding cavity;

detection equipment comprising at least a first device for the optical detection of the passage of a parison in at least one given point of a gobs loading trajectory,

characterized in that the first detection device comprises at least one upstream photodetector which is arranged to detect a luminous information circulating along an upstream free optical axis which intercepts, at upstream detection points, at least two specific portions of trajectories of loading gobs corresponding to two separate forming sections.

According to other optional features of such an installation: each forming section may comprise at least one internal molding cavity and one external molding cavity, each fed by the distributor according to a loading path of the parisons, respectively internal and external. , each having a specific portion associated with the corresponding cavity of the section, and the first detection device may comprise separate upstream, internal and external photodetectors, each of which is arranged to detect light information flowing along a free optical axis upstream, respectively internal and external, which intercept, at upstream detection points, respectively internal and external, at least two specific portions, respectively internal and external, respectively of said loading paths of the internal and external parisons, corresponding to two sections of separate forming;

the first detection device may comprise at least one downstream photodetector which is arranged to detect light information flowing along a free optical axis downstream, parallel to the upstream free optical axis, and which intercepts, at downstream detection points, the same at least two specific portions of gob loading paths corresponding to two distinct forming sections, the aval detection points being offset with respect to the upstream detection points according to the corresponding loading path;

the photodetector (s) of the first detection device may be arranged to detect light information circulating along a free optical axis which intercepts a specific portion of the loading trajectory of the parisons corresponding to each of the forming sections;

the luminous information may comprise radiation emitted by a parison circulating in one or the other of the at least two specific portions of gob loading paths;

the luminous information may comprise the interception by a parison circulating in one or the other of the at least two specific portions of gob loading paths, of a light beam emitted by a light source distinct from a light source; parison and emitting light along the free optical axis;

the light emitted by a light source can be collimated and oriented along the free optical axis;

the upstream photodetector and the downstream photodetector may be part of the same linear or matrix optical detector;

the internal photodetector and the external photodetector may be part of the same linear or matrix optical detector;

the specific portion of the parison loading path intercepted by the free optical axis can be aligned with a main axis of the corresponding molding cavity;

the light information detected by the first detection device can correspond to a precise moment of passage of a parison;

the installation may comprise a device for determining the forming section during loading, to which one or more parisons are distributed by the distributor;

the installation may comprise a device for detecting at least one cycle event of the installation; the installation may comprise a second detection device which delivers information making it possible to estimate an approximate moment of passage of a parison in one of the specific portions of loading trajectories of the parisons, the specific portion being determined.

The invention also relates to detection equipment for a molding installation of glass articles, the installation comprising a plurality of separate forming sections each comprising at least one mold having at least one molding cavity and a distributor of glass parisons which distributes, by gravity, malleable glass parisons to each molding cavity along a loading path having at least a portion specific to the corresponding molding cavity, of the type in which the detection equipment comprises at least:

a first device for the optical detection of the passage of a parison, designed to be arranged to detect a light information circulating along an upstream free optical axis which intercepts, at upstream detection points, at least two specific portions of the charging paths of gobs corresponding to two separate forming sections;

- A device for determining the forming section during loading, to which one or more parisons are distributed by the distributor.

According to other optional features of such equipment:

the equipment may comprise a processing unit programmed to assign a precise moment of passage of a parison to a determined trajectory among the at least two loading trajectories, by intersecting a precise instant of detection of the luminous information by the first detection device with a determination of the forming section being loaded determined by the device for determining the forming section being loaded;

the first detection device may comprise separate upstream, internal and external photodetectors, which are designed to be designed to detect light information flowing along two axes; distinct upstream free optical interfaces that intercept two distinct series of specific portions of gob loading paths;

the first detection device may comprise at least one downstream photodetector which is designed to be arranged to detect a light information flowing along a free optical axis downstream parallel to the upstream free optical axis and which intercepts at detection points avals, the same at least two specific portions of gob loading paths corresponding to two separate forming sections, the aval detection points being offset from the upstream detection points according to the corresponding loading path;

the first detection device may be capable of detecting a radiation emitted by a parison circulating in one or other of the at least two specific portions of gob loading paths;

the first detection device may comprise at least one auxiliary light source designed to emit light along the free optical axis;

the light emitted by an auxiliary light source can be collimated;

the device for determining the forming section during loading can comprise an interface device designed to interface with a control unit of the installation;

the device for determining the forming section during loading may comprise a device for detecting at least one cycle event of the installation;

the equipment may comprise a man / machine interface or an interface device with a human / machine interface of the installation.

The invention also proposes a glass article molding installation, the installation comprising a plurality of separate forming sections each comprising at least one mold having at least one molding cavity and a distributor of glass parisons which distributes, by gravity, malleable glass parisons to each molding cavity according to a loading path having at least a specific portion to the corresponding molding cavity provided with equipment having any of the above characteristics.

The invention also relates to a method for controlling the loading of a molding cavity in a glass article molding installation comprising a plurality of separate forming sections each having at least one molding cavity, of the type in which the method comprises the optically detecting the passage of a parison in at least one given point of a gob loading path,

characterized in that the method comprises at least:

indiscriminate precise detection of a precise instant of upstream passage of a parison in one of at least two specific portions of trajectories, each associated with a molding cavity of two distinct forming sections, by detecting a circulating light information along an upstream free optical axis which intercepts the at least two specific portions of paths;

- the determination of the forming section being loaded;

the assignment of the precise instant of passage of a parison to a determined trajectory among the at least two loading trajectories, by crossing the precise instant of upstream passage determined by the indiscriminate precise detection with the determination of the section. forming during loading.

According to other optional features of such a method:

the determination of the forming section during loading may comprise the determination of at least one cycle moment of the installation;

the determination of the forming section during loading can comprise a discriminant estimation which estimates an approximate moment or a passage time interval of a parison in at least one specific portion determined among the at least one of the two specific portions of loading paths of gobs; the indiscriminate detection can determine the precise instant of upstream passage with an accuracy of +/- 10 ms, preferably +/- 5 ms, more preferably +/- 1 ms;

the method may comprise an indiscriminate precise complementary detection which determines a precise moment of downstream passage of the same parison, by detecting a light information circulating along a free optical axis downstream, which is parallel and distinct from the upstream free optical axis; and which intercepts the at least two specific portions of gob loading paths;

indiscriminate precise complementary detection can determine the precise moment of downstream passage with the same temporal resolution as the precise instant of upstream passage;

the method may comprise a determination of the speed of the parison on the basis of precise moments of upstream and downstream passage;

the method may comprise a determination of the length of the parison on the basis of the precise moments of upstream and downstream passage of the parison and on the basis of a duration of the light information detected according to at least one of the two axes; upstream and downstream ;

the indiscriminate precise detection may comprise the detection of a light signal interruption corresponding to the passage of a parison through the optical axis;

the indiscriminate precise detection may comprise the detection of a radiation emitted by a parison as it passes through the optical axis;

the method may comprise a determination, from the attribution of the precise moment of passage of a parison to a determined trajectory, of a moment of arrival of the parison in a corresponding molding cavity;

the method may comprise a monitoring of a temporal evolution of one or more data, determined from the attribution of the precise moment of passage of a parison to a determined trajectory, for a given forming section, and / or for a given forming cavity;

the method may comprise a monitoring of a difference of one or more data, determined from the attribution of the precise moment of passage of a parison to a determined trajectory, for a given forming section, and or for a given forming cavity, with respect to a reference value;

the method may comprise monitoring a deviation of one or more data, determined from the attribution of the precise moment of passage of a parison to a determined trajectory, between given forming cavities and / or between given forming sections;

the method may comprise a modification of at least one operating parameter of the installation as a function of a moment of arrival of the parison in a molding cavity;

the determination of the forming section during loading can use an operating parameter of the installation and not require the detection of a parison;

the indiscriminate precise detection determines a precise instant of passage of a parison in a specific portion of free fall of the parison.

The invention also relates to equipment comprising means for implementing a method having any of the above characteristics, and a molding installation of glass articles implementing such a method.

Various other characteristics appear from the description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of non-limiting examples, embodiments of the subject of the invention.

Figure 1 schematically illustrates, in plan view along a vertical axis Z, a molding installation according to the invention.

Figure 2 schematically illustrates, in front view along a longitudinal axis X, a molding installation according to the invention. Figure 3 schematically illustrates, in side view along a transverse axis Y, a molding installation according to the invention.

Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a method according to the invention. Figures 5 to 7 illustrate schematically, in plan view along a vertical axis Z, several light beam variants may be used in the context of the invention.

Figures 8 and 9 schematically illustrate, in front view along a vertical axis X, a detection principle of the interruption of a light beam may be used in the context of the invention.

FIGS. 10 and 11 schematically illustrate, in front view along a vertical axis X, a principle of detecting the interruption of a light beam that can be used in the context of the invention, in the context of an alternative embodiment.

Figures 1 to 3 illustrate an installation 10 for molding glass articles according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The articles are preferably containers, namely hollow articles. The articles may in particular be bottles or glass jars.

The installation 10 comprises in particular a forming machine 11 comprising several separate forming sections 12 each comprising at least one mold 14 having at least one molding cavity 16. The installation 10 may comprise a source 18 of malleable glass, therefore of glass and a glass gob distributor 20 which distributes, by gravity, malleable glass parisons to each molding cavity 16 of the forming machine 11. In a known manner, the installation may comprise a chisel 22 which is arranged at the outlet of the hot glass source 18 and which is actuated at regular intervals to cut an extruded section of malleable glass from the source 18, or, for installations comprising several section molding cavities, possibly several sections in parallel simultaneously. In this document, an extruded section of malleable glass such as cut by the chisel 22 is called a parison. Such a parison is sometimes called a drop. In English, the parison is, at this stage of a forming process, called "gob". The malleable glass, level of cutting by the chisel 22, generally has a temperature above 900 ° C, for example between 1100 and 1300 ° C. This parison is usually a cylinder full of malleable glass having a length. The time interval between two actuations of the chisel 22 determines the length of the parison, and its weight and its volume since the section of parisons and the flow of glass are determined, in particular according to the operating parameters of the source 18 and the Scissor 22. The source 18 of malleable glass is arranged above the forming machine 11, so above the molds 14 of the forming sections 12 to allow the distribution of gravity parisons. The distributor 20 extends along several branches between the source 18 of hot glass and the molding cavities of each of the forming sections. The source 18, the distributor 20 and the chisel 22 can be of any known type and are not described in more detail.

The hollow glass article forming machines implement various processes combining steps of mold filling and subsequent pressing and / or blowing. For the sake of clarity, the example is taken from the shaping of the bottles according to known methods known as press-blown or puffed-blown.

In bottle forming machines, each forming section 12 may comprise several molds, for example two molds, one of which is a blank mold and the other is a finishing mold. Each section could comprise a set of blank molds and a set of finishing molds, a set of molds being composed of several molds of the same forming section, relating to the same forming step, and generally opening and closing at the same time. It is understood in this case that a given parison is guided by the distributor 20 to a blank mold, for example a blank mold of the forming section where the parison undergoes a first forming operation, called drilling, performed by blow molding. compressed air or penetration of a punch. A transfer system (not shown) is then able to take the parison which has undergone the first forming operation, namely the blank, in the blank mold to take it into a secondary mold generally qualified finisher where the blank can undergo at least a second forming operation, the last so-called finishing operation. Generally, each mold of a forming section comprises two half-molds 14a, 14b which are movable relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to a joint plane P by which the two half-molds 14a, 14b are in contact in a closed position. In the example shown, the joint plane P extends in the vertical Z and longitudinal X directions. In FIGS. 1 to 3, only one mold 14 has been illustrated per forming section 12, but the invention will naturally be found to be applied in installations comprising several successive molds per forming section.

A section 12 may comprise a single molding cavity 16. However, as mentioned above, each of the different forming sections 12 may comprise at least two distinct forming cavities 16, generally because they comprise several molds, more rarely because they comprise a mold with several cavities. FIGS are illustrated the case of molds 14 having three forming cavities 16 per mold. In the illustrated example, the different molding cavities of the same section are offset relative to one another in a longitudinal direction X, thus having an internal cavity, an external cavity, and an intermediate cavity between the internal cavities. and back. In the illustrated example, the molding cavities of the same section are identical in shape, so intended to form articles or blanks of identical articles, but molding cavities of different shapes could be provided.

Generally, the source 18 of hot glass, through the chisel 22, simultaneously delivers as many parisons as there are forming cavities in a forming section. It is therefore understood that the forming sections are supplied in succession successively one after the other. In all cases, there are at least two forming sections that are fed one after the other through the same output of the source 18 of hot glass. These two sections are not powered at the same time.

The distributor 20 thus collects the gobs cut by the chisel 22 and leads them to each of the forming cavities of each of the forming sections along a loading path corresponding to a forming cavity 16. The loading paths for the different forming cavities have common portions, and specific portions. A specific portion is a portion of the loading path corresponding to a forming cavity which is followed only by the parisons which are directed by the distributor to this forming cavity. The dispenser 20 therefore comprises means for guiding and routing parisons. These guide and switching means may comprise chutes, baffles, etc., at least some of which may be movable to form a switch. In the distributor, chutes, baffles and switches determine the loading path of the gobs.

In the illustrated example, the end portion of the gob loading path, which is a specific portion of the loading path, is a free fall portion along which the parison is not guided, and falls without guidance. vertically under the effect of gravity in the molding cavity.

In the illustrated example, the loading of a parison in a mold cavity is done with the mold in the closed position, that is to say with the two half molds pressed against each other in the plane of the mold. In this case, the molding cavities have an opening 22 in an upper face of the mold 14 which is turned towards the distributor 20 and the source 18. In this case, the parison is loaded into the corresponding molding cavity through the opening 22. Advantageously, it can be provided that the forming machine 11 comprises a funnel (not shown) arranged in the immediate vicinity of the opening of the cavity 16. Such a funnel, retractable, guides the falling parison free towards the opening. In this case, the free fall portion of the loading path of the parison extends between the end of a guide means of the distributor 20, generally a deflector, and the funnel positioned on the cavity of the forming machine 11.

It is important to note that the adjustment of the deflector contributes to determining the end of loading path, in particular the position of the trajectory vis-à-vis the opening axis 22 of the cavity.

It is possible to define, for each molding cavity, a main axis 24. In the example shown, the main axis 24 of the molding cavity coincides with the axis of the loading path of the parison at the entrance to the forming cavity, that is to say with the axis of the end portion in free fall of the loading path. In the illustrated example, the main axis 24 of a molding cavity corresponds to the axis of the opening 22. This centering depends on the setting of the deflector, which the operator can adjust aligned perfectly as illustrated, or with a voluntary shift to promote good loading. Generally, the main axis 24 corresponds to an axis of symmetry of the molding cavity. The main axis 24 is vertical. It is therefore clear that each molding cavity 16 has a separate main axis 24.

In the example illustrated in the figures, the forming sections are arranged so as to define series of forming cavities whose main axis 24 is contained, by each forming cavity of the series, in a common vertical and transverse plane. . The molding cavities 16 of the same series of the forming machine 11 each belong to a separate forming section. In the illustrated example, where the molds 14 of each forming section comprise a plurality of forming cavities, the forming machine thus comprises several distinct series of forming cavities, in separate planes (Y, Z). An internal series of internal forming cavities is thus distinguished, the main axes 24 of which are contained in an internal plane PI, an external series of forming cavities whose principal axes 24 are contained in an external plane P3, and an intermediate series of cavities. of forming whose main axes 24 are contained in an intermediate plane P2. Plans PI, P2, P3 are separate transverse and vertical planes, offset relative to each other in the longitudinal direction X.

In the bottle forming machines, the control and synchronization of the forming operations of the parisons, chisel cutting, movement of the molds, movement of the punches, blowing, transfer etc. are done formerly mechanically, by means of a drum. grooved with screw pads, each pad, adjustable has a mechanical control action of valves controlling cylinders. The new machines are now equipped with an electronic control, that is to say by means of a PLC, which allows to control movements with systems of any type, such as working with pneumatic energy. or electric. The electronic control is able to exchange with any internal or external member, synchronization signals, for example by a communication network.

The installation according to the invention comprises a detection device comprising at least a first device for the optical detection of the passage of a parison in at least one given point of a loading path of said parison.

More specifically, the first detection device comprises at least one upstream photodetector 28 which is arranged to detect light information flowing along an upstream free optical axis A1, A2, A3 which intercepts, at upstream detection points, respectively D1, D2, D3, at least two specific portions of gob loading paths corresponding to two separate forming sections. Advantageously, the free optical axis A1, A2, A3 intercepts the specific portion of the loading path of the parisons corresponding to each of the forming cavities of a series, thus corresponding to each of the forming sections.

The free optical axis represents a propagation path of light that can be seen by the photodetector. In the illustrated example, the optical axis is rectilinear. However, it could be expected that it be formed of consecutive but non-aligned lines of segments, each segment being interrupted at level of a reflector. Such a variant is used to circumvent certain obstacles such as mechanical parts related to the structure of the machine.

The optical axis is free in that, at least during certain periods of the installation cycle, there is no material obstacle blocking the light information along the optical axis.

The light information may comprise light radiation emitted or reflected by the parison. A light radiation emitted by the parison is the radiation in the visible range or in the infrared range, all the more powerful because of its high temperature. Reflected light radiation is for example a radiation from a dedicated light source which illuminates by the parison, and is reflected by the parison towards the photodetector. In this case, the photodetector 28 is able to see the light radiation emitted or reflected by the parison, and the detected light information corresponds to the detection of the presence of radiation flowing along the free optical axis. In this case, an optical device will be provided that greatly restricts the viewing angle of the photodetector, so as to approach this viewing angle of the optical axis as much as possible. The optical device may for example be telecentric objective type. The optical device may include one or more lenses and may include at least one diaphragm.

Alternatively, the field of view of the photodetector 28 may advantageously be extended in the longitudinal direction X, to encompass the dispersion of the fall trajectories along the longitudinal direction X. This longitudinal extension is however limited so that the field of view does not intersect. the flow path as a single series of cavities. On the other hand, the field of vision is advantageously the smallest possible in the vertical direction Z to maintain the measurement accuracy. Its dimension is preferably less than 5 mm in the vertical direction Z for all points of intersection with a loading path.

However, in the embodiment of the invention which will be described in more detail below, the light information may comprise the interruption, by the parison, of a light beam emitted by an auxiliary light source 26, 26 ', which, apart from the presence of the parison across the free optical axis, circulates along the optical axis free and is detected by the corresponding photodetector 28, 28 '. In this case, the photodetector captures the light beam emitted by the auxiliary source along the free optical axis, and the detected light information corresponds to the interruption of this beam. The auxiliary light source 26, 26 'may be associated with beam shaping optics, for example a lens or series of lenses. Similarly, the corresponding photodetector 28, 28 'may be associated with an optical 27 for adapting its field of view, for example another lens or series of lenses.

The photodetector preferably comprises a photoelectric cell, for example a photodiode or a phototransistor. A photodetector may consist of a single photocell, or several photocells.

The auxiliary source 26, 26 'of the first detection device is preferably a light source collimated along the free optical axis, that is to say with radii substantially parallel to this free optical axis, for example a laser source. This collimated light source may be point or quasi-point, for example contained in a diameter of less than 10 mm, preferably less than 5 mm, so as to coincide with the free optical axis, as shown in FIG. the light source can be collimated according to a sheet having an extended dimension in a direction perpendicular to the free optical axis, for example in the longitudinal direction X, for example as illustrated in FIG. 6. In this case, it is possible to that a parison intercepts only a part of the light beam emitted by the source 26. In this case, it can be provided that the photodetector 28 detects, at the moment of the passage of the parison 19 across the optical axis free, not a complete interruption of the light information, but a partial interruption of the light information corresponding to a decrease in its intensity. In both cases, the size of the beam emitted by the source is advantageously as small as possible according to the vertical direction Z to maintain the measurement accuracy, preferably less than 5 mm in the vertical direction Z for all points of intersection with the loading paths. The auxiliary source can emit a light beam in the visible range, in the infrared range or in the ultraviolet range.

In the example shown, a free optical axis is an axis that intercepts the main axis of a series of molding cavities that do not belong to the same forming section. In the illustrated example, a free optical axis is therefore contained in the common transverse and vertical plane (Y, Z) in which the main axes 24 of the cavity series are contained. The free optical axis is preferably horizontal, that is to say substantially parallel to the Y axis.

If only a series of forming cavities is considered, for example the internal series having their main axes 24 contained in the internal vertical transverse plane P1, it is thus possible to define a free optical axis Al as being an axis extending in the transverse direction This axis is in this case horizontal, even if it could have another orientation. It intercepts the specific end portions of the trajectories of all internal cavities 16 corresponding to each of the forming sections 12. Thus, it is understood that when a parison is dispensed by the distributor 20 to any of the forming cavities of this series internally, the parison intersects the free optical axis A1. The free optical axes A2 and A3 are similarly defined for the intermediate and outer series of forming cavities 16. The free optical axes Al, A2 and A3 of all the series are arranged at the same height. They preferably extend in the same horizontal plane (X, Y).

FIGS. 1 and 2 schematically illustrate a first detection device comprising, essentially, for the free optical axis A1 of the internal series of cavities, an auxiliary source 26 and a photodetector 28. More precisely, it can be seen in FIG. 1 that, in this exemplary embodiment, the first detection device comprises, for each series of aligned cavities, therefore for each free optical axis, an auxiliary source 26 and a photodetector 28 dedicated to this optical axis, each arranged along the corresponding optical axis A1, A2, A3. There are also three internal, external and intermediate photodetectors 28 and three internal, external and intermediate auxiliary light sources 26 respectively aligned along the free optical axes Al, A3, and A2. However, in the case mentioned above of an auxiliary source capable of delivering a sheet having an extended dimension in the longitudinal direction X, the same auxiliary source could be used for at least two series of cavities, preferably for all series of cavities of the machine, as shown in Figure 7. Such a web should have at least one light ray propagating along the free optical axis of each series of forming cavity. On the other hand, each free optical axis corresponding to each series of aligned cavities retains its own photodetector 28, which is distinct, it being understood that the separate photodetectors may form part of the same linear sensor as shown in FIG. matrix.

In the illustrated example, for each free optical axis, the auxiliary source 26 is arranged, in the transverse direction, opposite the photo-detector 28 corresponding to the series of cavities. Such a system is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. In FIG. 8, it can be seen that, in the absence of a parison 19 across the optical axis, the light signal emitted by the auxiliary source 26 is collected by the photo- 28. In FIG. 9, it can be seen that, as soon as a parison 19 intercepts the optical axis, it blocks, at least in part, the light signal across the optical axis, this interruption being detected by the photo- detector 28 which no longer receives the signal, or which only receives a part of the signal. However, it could be provided that the auxiliary source 26 and the photodetector 28 are arranged on the same side of the machine 11, that is to say on the same side with respect to the series of cavities in the transverse direction, providing for for example a reflector 29, arranged on the free optical axis, on the other side of the machine. Such a system is illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, which respectively illustrate the case of the absence and the presence of a parison 19 across the optical axis. In this variant it is possible to place in front of detector 28 and the source 268, an optical 31 for confusing the field of the sensor 28 and the light rays emitted by the source 26 in the same horizontal plane, for example with a semi-reflective plate or a separator cube.

Of course, in the case where the light information comprises the detection of radiation emitted by the parison, the presence of an auxiliary source 26 is not necessary.

For a given free optical axis, it can be provided that the photodetector is punctual or almost punctual. Such a photodetector is therefore arranged on the corresponding free optical axis and is capable of detecting the presence or absence of a light beam on this free optical axis.

It may also be provided that the first detection device comprises, for a given free optical axis, several photo-detectors, in particular in the form of a linear sensor comprising a plurality of photodetectors contiguous in one direction, or a matrix sensor comprising several photo-detectors contiguous in two directions. In this case, the sensor will have a field of view having an extent respectively in one direction or two directions. However, it will preferably remain of the telecentric type, ie with parallel observation radii, at least in the vertical direction in the case of an extended field in the vertical direction Z. In this case, the sensor delivers a signal representative of an image comprising several "pixels". The electronic technology employed is of any type, for example of the CMOS or CCD type.

In the case of a sensor having an extension in the longitudinal direction X, it is possible to determine the position of the parison in the longitudinal direction X in various ways. For example, when the light emitted by the parison is used, it is possible to determine the position along X of the illuminated portion on the linear or matrix sensor. In a variant using an auxiliary light source 26 emitting a light ply having a dimension extended along the longitudinal direction X, it is possible to determine, along the direction X, the sensor portion in which the light ply is obstructed. Field For example, the vision of the sensor and the light layer, if any, may have a dimension, in the longitudinal direction X, of between 3 and 10 cm, with respect to a series of cavities. This position information according to X of the parison can easily be exploited in order to monitor the manufacturing processes and correct its drifts, for example by acting on a deflector of the distributor 20 to reposition the trajectory of the parison of a given cavity.

The light information detected by the photodetector may also include an evaluation of the light intensity received. However, the light information may be of the binary type, or treated as such.

On a free optical axis, it is understood that the detection by the photodetector of the passage of a parison can detect a precise moment of passage of a parison along one of the specific trajectories corresponding to one of the cavities of the series.

It will be noted that the detection equipment may comprise, in addition to the first detection device, an electronic processing unit 30, in the form of an acquisition card and / or a computer within the equipment which collects an analog or digital signal from the photodetector (s) 28, 28 '. The determination of the precise moment of passage of a parison according to one of the specific trajectories corresponding to one of the cavities of the series may be carried out for example in an electronic device associated with the photodetectors 28, 28 ', or still in the processing unit 30.

On the other hand, the first detection device does not allow, alone, to know, in which cavities of a series is carried out loading. However, this detection of the moment of passage of a parison can be relatively accurate. Preferably, the first detection device makes it possible to detect the passage of the parison with an accuracy of the order of 10 ms, preferably of the order of 1 ms.

Preferably, the detection equipment therefore comprises, in addition to the first detection device, a device for determining the section forming during loading, that is to say the forming section to which one or more parisons are distributed by the distributor at a time considered.

Such a device for determining the forming section during loading may comprise a device for determining at least a moment, in the sense of a period of time, or a cycle time of the installation. Indeed, in such an installation, the operation of all the elements is necessarily coordinated and follows regular cycles. For example, the dispenser is controlled by an electronic control unit of the installation according to the cycle of the forming machine 11. Indeed, the forming machine 11 generally also comprises one or more control unit (s) 32 controlling for example the opening and closing of the molds 14 of the different sections one after the other, controlling the forming operation (s), possibly controlling a transfer member of the blanks to finishing molds or finishing mold transfer means to a distribution chain of containers, etc. The electronic control units of the machine and / or the installation, which can be disjoint or confused, therefore necessarily have information relating to the operating cycles of the machine and its different forming sections. From this information, it is possible to easily determine which of the forming sections is being loaded. Such information is for example correlated with an instantaneous configuration of one or more points of the distributor, or correlated with an instantaneous configuration of a mechanism for opening and closing the molds of a forming section. It is therefore possible to use information already available at these electronic control units for comparing the exact moment of passage of parison detected by the first detection device with the information concerning the section which is in progress. loading, assign to a given cavity the precise moment of passage of a parison detected by the first detection device. In other words, the first detection device determines a precise moment of passage a parison intended for one of the cavities of a cavity series, while the information concerning the section being loaded makes it possible to determine which of these cavities is the one that is actually being loaded. By combining these two pieces of information, one thus obtains accurate information as to a precise moment of passage of a parison in the specific portion of its trajectory towards a given cavity, in this case in the final free-fall portion of this trajectory.

The device for determining the forming section during loading can therefore simply comprise an interface device 34 of the processing unit 30 with a control unit 32 of the installation, so as to exploit the data provided by a device already present in the machine or installation. This interface device 34 may comprise a simple electrical connection capable of transmitting from the control unit 32 to the processing unit analog or digital information, for example a pulse corresponding to a "top" of the installation cycle. , that is to say a moment of cycle of the installation. The interface device 34 may be a data transmission line, for example a serial line, a parallel line, a data bus, a connection to a common computer network, etc. The transmission line may be wired or wireless.

It will be noted that the processing unit 30 of the detection equipment can be integrated into a control unit 32 of the installation.

However, the device for determining the forming section during loading can be a dedicated device, preferably connected to the processing unit 30 of the detection equipment. Such a device may comprise, for example, a dedicated sensor, for example a position sensor of an element of the machine or of the installation, possibly associated with a time counter for measuring the flow of time between a present instant and a time. reference time previously detected by the sensor. Thus on old installations without electronic control it is possible to equip for example the drums of inductive sensors. Alternatively, or in addition, such a dedicated device can include an optical sensor that would be placed so that it can detect which of the forming sections is being loaded.

Advantageously, the device for determining the forming section during loading does not need to be as temporally accurate as the first detection device which is responsible for accurately determining the time of passage. Indeed, the device for determining the forming section being loaded must simply allow to know, in a time interval in which only a passage is detected by the first device, which section is being loaded. In other words, the forming section determining device being loaded may have a time accuracy which may be less than the time accuracy of the first detection device.

In an advantageous variant of the invention, the device for determining an instant of cycle of the installation measures or takes into account with precision and for each forming section or each cavity an event of the forming process, such as the instant of closing the mold, the instant of positioning of the funnel, the instant of beginning of rise of the piercing punch, in order to accurately measure the time difference between the arrival of the parison and the moment considered, in order to provide accurate information synchronization loading with the actual forming.

Of course, it is interesting that the first detection device detects the parison as close as possible to its entry into the molding cavity, which is here allowed by the detection in the end portion of the trajectory in which it is in free fall .

Advantageously, the embodiment which is illustrated in the figures is actually equipped with a first detection device which comprises, for each series of molding cavity, in addition to the photodetector 28 described above and which will be qualified as photodetector upstream, at least one downstream photodetector 28 '. This downstream photodetector 28 'is arranged to detect a light information flowing along a free optical axis downstream, respectively ΑΊ Α'2 and Α'3, which is parallel to the corresponding free optical axis described above, called upstream optical axis, respectively Al, A2, A3. Thus, for each series of cavities whose main axis 24 is aligned in a transverse plane P1, P2 or P3, the free optical axis downstream ΑΊ A'2 and A'3 intercepts, at downstream detection points, respectively D 1, D'2, D'3, the same at least two specific portions of gob loading paths corresponding to two separate forming sections. In this case, it is therefore four specific portions of loading paths corresponding to the four forming sections that are intercepted by an upstream or downstream free optical axis. The aval detection points are offset from the upstream detection points according to the corresponding loading path. However, preferably, these downstream detection points are, like the upstream detection points, included in the free-fall terminal portion of the parison trajectory. The downstream photodetector 28 'and the upstream photodetector 28 are, for each series, arranged parallel to each other, one above the other.

Preferably, the downstream photodetector 28 'and the upstream photodetector 28 are of the same type, and detect the same type of light information, but associated with different detection points. However, the photodetectors could be different, and / or could detect different types of light information.

The downstream photodetector 28 'and the upstream photodetector 28 are distinct. They can be independent of each other. Alternatively, they may each consist of parts or sensitive regions or different pixels of the same linear or matrix sensor.

In the illustrated example, the first detection device comprises downstream auxiliary sources 26 'distinct from the upstream auxiliary sources 26. The downstream auxiliary sources 26' may be identical or similar to the upstream auxiliary sources 26. They are, for each series, arranged parallel to each other, one above the other. Thus, the installation according to the invention is capable, thanks to the first detection device, of detecting, for each series of molding cavities, the precise moment of passage of a parison at two points of its loading path, plus precisely at two distinct points of the terminal portion in free fall of its loading path, just before entering the molding cavity. Of course, these two instants upstream and downstream are very close in time and are assigned to the same cavity according to the information provided by the detection device of the section being loaded.

By knowing these two precise moments of passage, it is possible, as we also know the spacing between the free optical axis upstream and the free optical axis downstream, to determine the movement speed of the parison. It suffices to divide the distance between the upstream and downstream detection points, corresponding to the spacing between the two upstream and downstream free optical axes, by the difference in time between the precise moments of passage of the parison between these two points. . The knowledge of this speed makes it possible, by extrapolation, to deduce a precise instant of arrival of the parison in the molding cavity.

In addition, it is possible, thanks to the first detection device comprising an upstream photodetector and a downstream photodetector, to evaluate the length of the parison. For this, it is necessary to know not only the start time of the light information in a detection point, upstream or downstream, but also the end time of this information. For example, in the case where the photodetector 28, 28 'is provided to detect the disappearance of the light beam emitted by the auxiliary source 26, 26' due to the interception of the beam by the passage of a parison, the beginning of the luminous information corresponds to the precise instant at which the light beam disappears, seen from the photodetector. This corresponds to the moment when the front end of the parison, in the direction of its trajectory, intercepts the free optical axis. The end of the light information corresponds to the precise moment at which the light beam reappears, after the rear end of the parison, in the direction of its trajectory, has passed the free optical axis. The duration of the luminous information is the difference between the start time and the end time of the light information. Knowing this duration of light information and the speed of the parison determined between the upstream and downstream detection points, it is possible, by multiplying these two data, to deduce the length of the parison. This data is interesting because, on the one hand, parisons have a tendency to lengthen during their transfer in the chutes and baffles, and, on the other hand, their length influences the quality of loading, more exactly the way the cavity loaded will be filled by the parison.

The data thus determined and / or calculated by the detection equipment, in particular within its processing unit 30, can be made available to an operator via a man / machine interface 36, for example on a display device, in particular a screen made available to the operator. This human / machine interface 36 may be dedicated to the detection equipment or may be integrated into the installation, in which case the data transmission to the interface may pass through a control unit 32 of the installation, via a device interface.

Of course, these data are advantageously made available to the control unit 32 of the installation, for example to take into account and automatically adapt the operating parameters of the installation.

The invention also relates to a method for controlling the loading of a molding cavity in a glass article molding installation comprising a plurality of separate forming sections each having at least one molding cavity. The method includes a step of optically detecting the passage of a parison in at least one given point of a gob loading path. This loading control method is therefore applicable in an installation as described above.

The method includes an indiscriminate precise detection step that determines a precise moment of upstream parison passage in one of at least two specific path portions, each associated with a mold cavity of two separate forming sections, by detecting a luminous information circulating along an upstream free optical axis which intercepts the at least two specific portions of the trajectories.

FIG. 4 shows a diagram illustrating signals that can be collected by a device according to the invention and that illustrate a method according to the invention.

In this process, only the particular case of a forming machine comprising four separate forming sections has been illustrated. In the description, only two separate molding cavities per forming section are concerned. For example, only the internal and external mold cavity series are considered, which, in the example of FIGS. 1 to 3, are arranged with their main axis 24 contained respectively in the internal transverse plane P1 and in the external vertical transverse plane P3. .

Thus, the evolution over time of an SCC signal which can be used as a result of a step of determining the forming section which is being loaded is illustrated. This signal SCC can thus include signal peaks SCC1, SCC2, SCC3 and SCC4.

The first signal peak SCC1 may be a signal related to a cyclical event of the machine, for example linked to the closing of the blank mold (s) 14 of a first forming section. This first signal peak SCC1 occurs for the first time at a moment you. The signal peaks SCC2, SCC3 and SCC4 are then for example linked to the closing of the blanks 14 or blanks respectively of a second, a third and a fourth forming section, and occur at times t02, t03 , t04, spaced regularly. It will be noted that the order of opening of the molds does not necessarily correspond to the order of physical arrangement of the molding sections along the transverse axis Y of the machine. There is also illustrated a second signal peak SCC1, which occurs after the signal peak SCC4, and which corresponds to a new closure of the blanks 14 or blanks of the first forming section, at a time tOl + T where T represents the cycle time of the forming machine. Of course, rather than determining or detecting an opening moment of the mold or molds For each forming section, it is possible to detect another cycle time of the installation, such as the rise of the punch, the installation or removal of the funnel or any other cyclic event of the machine.

Alternatively, the step of determining the forming section being loaded could include a discriminant estimation step that determines an approximate time, or time interval, for a parison to pass into the final free-fall portion. the trajectory of loading a parison to a specific cavity. One could determine a likely passage time interval for a parison to a given cavity. This time interval can be defined, with respect to absolute reference instant for the cycle of the forming machine, by a start time and an end time. On this basis, the determining step may proceed from the determination that a parison flowing in the final portion of its trajectory between the start of interval time and the end of interval time for that associated time slot. at a forming section, is necessarily directed towards this forming section.

Preferably, the discriminant determination step uses an operating parameter of the installation and does not require the detection of a parison. This operating parameter of the machine may be a parameter determined by one or more sensors existing or installed for this purpose, or determined by a central control unit on the basis of such information.

FIG. 4 also shows the four signals 28in, 28in ', 28ex, 28ex. The signal 28in is, for example, the signal delivered by the photodetector 28 arranged along the upstream free internal optical axis A1. The signal 28in' is for example the signal delivered by the photodetector 28 arranged according to the internal free optical axis downstream A'I. The signal 28ex is, for example, the signal delivered by the photodetector 28 arranged along the upstream external free optical axis A3. The signal 28ex 'is for example the signal delivered by the photodetector 28 arranged according to the external free optical axis downstream A'3.

In the method, the indiscriminate precise detection step may comprise detecting a corresponding light signal interruption. the passage of a parison through the optical axis. In this example, it is considered that, in the absence of parison across a free optical axis considered, the corresponding photodetector delivers a signal of an arbitrary intensity unit, corresponding to the receipt of an incident light ray emitted by the corresponding auxiliary source 26. On the contrary, in the presence of a parison across the free optical axis seen by this photodetector, the photodetector delivers a signal of zero intensity. As a variant, for example with a device not comprising an auxiliary source 26, the method could be such that the indiscriminate precise detection step comprises detecting a light signal emitted, for example in the visible or infrared range, by a parison as it passes through the optical axis.

The evolution over time of the signal 28in shows, on one cycle, four peaks corresponding to four parison passages across the free optical axis Al. A first parison passage is illustrated which starts at the instant tlinli, corresponding at the precise moment when the front end of the parison, in the direction of circulation of the parison along its loading path, intercepts the free optical axis Al. This peak ends at the moment tlinlf, corresponding to the precise moment when the rear end of the parison crosses the free optical axis A1. This first peak, corresponding to the passage of a parison across the free optical axis Al, therefore has a duration dtinl.

There is also illustrated a second peak, corresponding to a second parison opening beginning at time tlin2i, and ending at time tlin2f, as well as third and fourth peaks that all take place, with intervals between them. substantially equivalent time, during the same cycle time T of the forming machine. For each peak, the beginning of the peak corresponds, in this example, to a falling edge of the signal 28in, and the end of the peak corresponds to a rising edge of the signal 28in. This signal can thus make it possible to implement an indiscriminate precise detection step which determines a precise instant of upstream passage of a parison in one of the series of specific portions of trajectories associated with the molding cavities of the forming sections distinct from the series of cavities. Note that for each peak, it is sufficient, for this step of the method, to detect the precise time of beginning or end of the event. It may be possible to simply note either the rising edge or the falling edge of the signal.

In this example, the indiscriminate precise detection step, using one of the photodetectors 28, 28 ', determines a precise moment of passage of a parison in a terminal portion of free fall of the parison.

At this stage, the only information delivered by the photodetector 28 does not make it possible to determine to which forming cavity, that is to say towards which forming section the detected parisons circulate.

However, by simply combining the teaching taken from the two signals SCC and 28in, it is possible to proceed to a step of assigning the precise moment of passage of a parison to a determined trajectory, thus corresponding to a single forming cavity. among the forming cavities of the series. It is thus possible to cross-check the precise instant of upstream passage tlinli, determined by the photodetector 28 in an indiscriminate precise detection step, with the determination of the forming section during loading that can be obtained from the SCC signal. This overlap can be done for example by considering the delay At11 between the precise tivali moment detected by the photodetector 28 and the instant of reference you for the first passage section delivered by the signal SCC. If this delay is within a range corresponding to an approximate time, which can be estimated, of the passage of the parison in the end portions of the trajectories of the cavities of the first forming section, it can easily be determined that, unless major dysfunction of the machine, the parison that has been detected at the precise time tlinli is a parison that flows to the internal forming cavity of the first forming section.

In the process just described, it is understood that the indiscriminate precise detection step determines the precise instant of upstream passage with a first temporal resolution, that is to say with a first precision. For example, this moment, such as the precise moment of upstream Tlinli determined by the photodetector 28, or its delay At11 with respect to the reference moment for the first forming section, is preferably measured with an accuracy of +/- 10 ms, preferably +/- 5 ms. , more preferably +/- 1 ms. On the other hand, the step of determining the forming section during loading by discriminant estimation has a second temporal precision which is less than the first temporal resolution, and therefore less precise. For this determination step, which may for example comprise an estimate of the approximate moment of passage of the parison in the end portions of the trajectories of the cavities of the corresponding forming section, it may be sufficient to know, for example, an approximate estimated moment of passage of the the parison with an accuracy of +/- 50ms, or even +/- 100ms.

However, to determine synchronization drifts, represented by the variations of the delay At11 between the moment of arrival of the parisons, which represents the moment of loading, and the other events which concern the section or sections, such as the closure of the mold of the cavity, the rise of the punch or any other event of the loaded section named SCC, it is preferable that the times SCCi are determined with the accuracy of +/- 10 ms, preferably +/- 5 ms, more preferably +/- 1 ms.

Thus, by combining the signal obtained by a photodetector 28 and reference information, such as the signal SCC described above, it is possible, by comparison, to determine data that varies from section to section. For example, in the example illustrated in FIG. 4, one can compare, from one section to the other, the delays At11, At21, At31, At41 between the precise instant tlinli, tlin2i, ... upstream a parison with respect to the reference moment t0, t0, t03, t04 for the corresponding forming section. It is also possible, for a given forming section, possibly even for a given forming cavity, to analyze an evolution of a data over time. For example one can analyze, for the same forming cavity, the evolution of Atll delays, Atl2, etc .. between the precise moment of upstream parison and the instant of reference you, tOl + T, over the cycles of the machine.

The delays At11, Atl2, etc. can be compared to a reference, in order to determine the drifts of the process. It is also possible to analyze the deviations of delays At11, Atl2, etc., compared between different sections.

Due to the presence of a photodetector for each series of forming cavities, it is possible to compare, within a same section, the data collected for the different forming cavities of the section in question. Thus, the signal 28ex and the signal 28in can be compared. For example, it is thus possible to detect whether, for the external forming cavity, the precise instant of passage from the front end of the parison to the upstream detection point, has a slight offset with respect to the precise instant tlinli of passing from the front end of the parison to the upstream detection point for the internal forming cavity.

By the mere observation of the duration dtinl, of a parison crossing the free optical axis A1, A2, which corresponds to the duration of the low level of the signal 28in or 28ex in the example of FIG. 4, and its possible evolution over the cycles of the machine, it is possible, without necessarily knowing the exact length of the parisons, to detect a drift of the length of parisons over the cycles of the machine, with a single sensor for the series of cavities considered. This drift, over time or with respect to a reference, is in itself sufficient to detect a change in the operating conditions of the installation, for example linked to poor slip parisons in the distributor 20.

Advantageously, the method comprises a complementary step of indiscriminate precise detection which determines a precise instant of downstream passage of the same parison, by detecting a light information circulating along a free optical axis downstream, which is parallel and distinct from the optical axis free upstream, and which intercepts the at least two specific portions of parisons loading paths at downstream detection points. In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, this complementary step is performed, for the inner series of forming cavities, by the downstream photodetector 28 'aligned along the free optical axis A'1 which intercepts the main axis 24 of the forming cavities of the internal series. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the downstream photodetector 28 'associated with the internal series of cavities delivers the signal 28in', which also has four peaks corresponding to the passages of the four parisons already detected by the upstream photodetector. 28 corresponding to the free optical axis A1. The four peaks detected by the downstream photodetector 28 'are, of course, slightly delayed compared with those determined by the upstream photodetector 28. Thus the downstream photodetector 28' of the internal series detects a time tlinli ', tlin2i' corresponding to the precise moment when the front end of a first, a second, etc., parison, in the direction of circulation of the parison along its trajectory of loading, intercepts the free optical axis Al. Of course, one could be interested in another precise moment of each of these peaks, for example the precise moment of end of the event.

Preferably, the complementary step of indiscriminate precise detection determines the precise instant of downstream passage with the first time precision. In this example, this complementary step is preferably performed by the photodetector 28 'of the same type as that 28 which determines the precise instant of upstream passage, therefore with the same temporal resolution, that is to say the same precision.

Advantageously, the method may comprise a step of determining the speed of the parison on the basis of precise moments of upstream and downstream passage. In the example illustrated, it suffices to divide the distance between the upstream and downstream detection points, corresponding to the spacing between the two upstream and downstream optical axes, by the difference in dtil time between the precise moments of passages of the same parison in these two points (tlinli'-tlinli).

In addition, the method may comprise a step of determining the length of the parison on the basis of precise moments of upstream flow tlinli and downstream tlinli 'and on the basis of duration of the light information detected according to at least one of two free optical axes upstream or downstream, for example on the basis of the duration dtinl between the instant tlinli, corresponding to the precise moment when the front end of the parison intercepts the free optical axis Al and the instant tlinlf, corresponding to the precise instant when the The rear end of the parison crosses the free optical axis A1. The length of the parison can for example be determined by multiplying this duration of passage of the parison in front of a photodetector by the speed as calculated above.

Advantageously, the method may comprise a step of determining, from the attribution of the precise moment of passage of a parison to a given position of its loading path, a moment of arrival of the parison in the corresponding molding cavity. For example, if we know the precise terminal distance between the internal free optical axis downstream ΑΊ and the bottom of the molding cavity determined, we can estimate the arrival time of the parison in the molding cavity, for example in adding at the time tlinl 'passing from the front end of the parison to the downstream detection point, a terminal duration of travel corresponding to the terminal distance divided by the speed as calculated above.

Advantageously, the charging method comprises a step of modifying at least one operating parameter of the installation as a function of the data measured and / or estimated by means of the method described above. It is thus possible to modify the operation of the forming machine 11, the distributor 20, and / or the chisel 22, or even of the hot glass source 18. This modification of an operating parameter can thus take into account at least one precise moment of passage as determined above and / or a moment of arrival of the parison in a molding cavity which can be estimated as indicated above. Advantageously, this modification will take into account an analysis of the evolution of the precise passage times and / or the arrival times for example in a statistical form, in particular by noting a possible temporal evolution over these data cycles of operation of the machine. Indeed, the methods according to the invention make it possible to know precisely, for a parison, operating parameters such as a moment of passage, a speed, a duration of passage, a time of arrival in the forming cavity, a delay with respect to an event, etc. ... However, more than this precise moment, the monitoring of an evolution, and therefore of a possible drift, of one or more of these data, for a given forming section , and / or for a given forming cavity, and / or between cavities and / or between given forming sections, may make it possible to signal the appearance, or even to identify any malfunctioning of the installation. On this basis, a corrective action, automatic or decided by an operator, can be undertaken. Such a drift can be analyzed by its intrinsic evolution over time or by its evolution over time compared to a reference value.

The invention is not limited to the examples described and shown since various modifications can be made without departing from its scope.

It is understood that the invention makes it possible to have accurate information as to the precise moment of passage of parisons at a given point of the trajectory, or even as to the precise moment of arrival of a parison in the cavity of forming, without requiring a large number of detection means of high accuracy. In this case, it may be sufficient for one or two photodetectors per series of cavities. It is understood that the advantage of the invention increases with the number of forming sections of the forming machine.

In the embodiments using only one or two photodetectors per series of cavities, it is understood that the volume of information to be processed is particularly small, which correspondingly reduces the cost of the information processing means. of the installation.

Claims

1 - Molding installation for glass articles, of the type comprising:

- a plurality of separate forming sections (12) each having at least one mold (14) having at least one molding cavity (16);

- a dispenser (20) of glass parisons which distributes, by gravity, malleable glass parisons to each mold cavity in a loading path having at least a specific portion to the corresponding molding cavity;

detection equipment comprising at least a first optical detection device (28, 28 ') for the passage of a parison in at least one given point of a gobs loading trajectory,

characterized in that the first detection device comprises at least one upstream photodetector (28) which is arranged to detect light information circulating along an upstream free optical axis (Al, A2, A3) which intercepts at detection points upstream (D1, D2, D3), at least two specific portions of gob loading paths corresponding to two separate forming sections.

2 - Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that each forming section (12) comprises at least one internal molding cavity (16) and an external molding cavity (16), each fed by the distributor (20) according to a loading path of the parisons, respectively internal and external, each having a specific portion associated with the corresponding cavity (16) of the section, and in that the first detection device comprises upstream (28), internal and external photodetectors , which are each arranged to detect light information flowing along an upstream free optical axis, respectively internal (Al) and external (A3), which intercept, at upstream detection points, respectively internal and external, at least two portions specific, respectively internal and external, respectively of said loading paths of the inner and outer parisons, corresponding to two separate forming sections es. 3 - Installation according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the first detection device comprises at least one downstream photodetector (28 ') which is arranged to detect a light information flowing along a free optical axis downstream ( A'1, A'2, A'3), parallel to the upstream free optical axis (A1, A2, A3), and which intercepts, at aval detection points (D'I, D'2, D ' 3), the same at least two specific portions of gob loading paths corresponding to two separate forming sections, the aval detection points being offset from the upstream detection points according to the corresponding loading path.

4 - Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the or the photo-detectors of the first detection device is / are arranged (s) to detect a light information flowing along a free optical axis that intercepts a specific portion loading path of the parisons corresponding to each of the forming sections (12).

5 - Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light information comprises a radiation emitted by a parison circulating in one or the other of at least two specific portions of gobs loading paths.

6 - Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light information comprises the interception by a parison circulating in one or other of the at least two specific portions of the loading paths of the gobs, d a light beam emitted by a light source (26, 26 ') distinct from a parison and emitting light along the free optical axis.

7 - Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that the light emitted by a light source (26, 26 ') is collimated and oriented along the free optical axis.

8 - Installation according to any one of the preceding claims taken in combination with claim 3, characterized in that the The upstream photodetector and the downstream photodetector form part of the same linear or matrix optical detector.

9 - Installation according to any one of the preceding claims taken in combination with claim 2, characterized in that the internal photodetector and the external photodetector are part of the same linear or matrix optical detector.

10 - Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the specific portion of the parison loading path which is intercepted by the free optical axis is aligned with a main axis (24) of the molding cavity ( 16).

11 - Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light information detected by the first detection device corresponds to a precise moment of passage of a parison.

12 - Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a device for determining the forming section during loading, to which one or more parisons are distributed by the distributor.

13 - Installation according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises a device for detecting at least one cycle event of the installation.

14 - Installation according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that it comprises a second detection device which delivers information for estimating an approximate moment of passage of a parison in one of the specific portions of loading paths gobs, the specific portion being determined.

15 - Detection equipment for a glass article molding installation, the installation comprising several separate forming sections (12) each comprising at least one mold (14) having at least one molding cavity (16) and a distributor (20) glass parisons which distributes, by gravity, malleable glass parisons to each molding cavity along a loading path having at least a portion specific to the corresponding molding cavity, of the type in which the detection equipment comprises at least:

a first optical detection device (28, 28 ') for the passage of a parison, designed to be arranged to detect light information circulating along an upstream free optical axis (Al, A2, A3) which intercepts, at points of upstream detection (D1, D2, D3), at least two specific portions of gob loading paths corresponding to two separate forming sections;

16 - Detection equipment according to claim 15, characterized in that it comprises a processing unit (30) programmed to assign a precise moment of passage of a parison to a determined trajectory among the at least two loading paths, for example intersecting a precise moment of detection of the light information by the first detection device with a determination of the forming section during loading determined by the device for determining the forming section being loaded.

17 - Detection equipment according to one of claims 15 or 16, characterized in that the first detection device comprises separate upstream photodetectors (28), internal and external, which are designed to be arranged to detect a circulating light information along two distinct upstream free optical axes that intercept two distinct series of specific portions of gob loading paths.

18 - Detection equipment according to one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that the first detection device comprises at least one downstream photodetector (28 ') which is designed to be arranged to detect a light information circulating according to a downstream free optical axis (ΑΊ, A'2, A'3), parallel to the upstream free optical axis (Al, A2, A3), and which intercepts, at aval detection points (D'I, D'2 , D'3), the same at least two specific portions of gob loading paths corresponding to two distinct forming sections, the aval detection points being offset with respect to the upstream detection points according to the corresponding loading path.

19 - Detection equipment according to one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that the first detection device is capable of detecting a radiation emitted by a parison circulating in one or other of the at least two specific portions of loading paths of parisons.

20 - Detection equipment according to one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that the first detection device comprises at least one auxiliary light source (26, 26 ') provided for emitting light along the free optical axis .

21 - Detection equipment according to claim 20, characterized in that the light emitted by an auxiliary light source (26, 26 ') is col lled.

22 - Detection device according to one of claims 15 to 21, characterized in that the device for determining the forming section being loaded comprises an interface device provided for interfacing with a control unit of the invention. 'installation.

23 - Detection equipment according to one of claims 15 to 22, characterized in that the device for determining the forming section being loaded comprises a device for detecting at least one cycle event of the installation.

24 - Detection equipment according to one of claims 15 to 23, characterized in that it comprises a man / machine interface (36) or an interface device with a man / machine interface of the installation.

25 - Method for controlling the loading of a molding cavity in a molding installation of glass articles comprising a plurality of separate forming sections (12) each having at least one molding cavity (16), of the type in which the process includes the optical detection of the passage of a parison in at least one given point of a gob loading path, characterized in that the method comprises at least:

the indiscriminate precise detection of a precise instant of upstream passage (tlinli, tlinlf, tlinli ', ..., tlexli, ...) of a parison in one of at least two specific portions of trajectories, each associated with a molding cavity of two distinct forming sections, by detecting a light information circulating along an upstream free optical axis (A1, A2, A3) which intercepts the at least two specific portions of paths;

- the determination of the forming section being loaded; the assignment of the precise instant of passage of a parison to a determined trajectory among the at least two loading trajectories, by crossing the precise instant of upstream passage determined by the indiscriminate precise detection with the determination of the section. forming during loading.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that the determination of the forming section during loading comprises the determination of at least one installation cycle time (SCC).

27 - Method according to claim 25 or 26, characterized in that the determination of the forming section during loading comprises a discriminant estimation which estimates an approximate time or a passage time interval of a parison in at least a portion specific of the at least one of the two specific portions of gob loading paths.

28 - Process according to any one of claims 25 to 27, characterized in that the indiscriminate detection determines the precise instant of upstream passage with an accuracy of +/- 10 ms, preferably +/- 5 ms, more preferably + / - 1 ms.

29 - Method according to any one of claims 25 to 28, characterized in that it comprises an indiscriminate precise complementary detection which determines a precise instant of downstream passage (tlinli ', tlinlf, tlin2i, ..., tlexli', tlexlf ', ...) of the same parison, by detecting a light information flowing along a free optical axis downstream (A'1, A'2, A'3), which is parallel and distinct from the upstream free optical axis, and which intercepts the at least two specific portions of gob loading paths.

30 - Process according to claim 29, characterized in that the indiscriminate precise complementary detection determines the precise instant of downstream passage (tlinli ', tlinlf, tlin2i', ..., tlexli ', tlexlf', ...) with the same temporal resolution as the precise moment of upstream passage.

31 - Method according to one of claims 29 or 30, characterized in that it comprises a determination of the speed of the parison on the basis of precise moments of upstream and downstream passage.

32 - Method according to one of claims 29 to 31, characterized in that it comprises a determination of the length of the parison based on the precise moments of upstream and downstream passage (tlarli, tlarli ') of the parison and on the basis of a duration (dtavl) of the light information detected according to at least one of the two upstream and downstream axes.

33 - Method according to any one of claims 25 to 32, characterized in that the indiscriminate precise detection comprises the detection of a light signal interruption corresponding to the passage of a parison through the optical axis.

34 - Process according to any one of claims 25 to 32, characterized in that the indiscriminate precise detection comprises the detection of radiation emitted by a parison at its passage through the optical axis.

35 - Method according to any one of claims 25 to 34, characterized in that it comprises a determination, from the allocation of the precise moment of passage of a parison to a determined trajectory, a moment arrival of the parison in a corresponding molding cavity.

36 - Process according to any one of claims 25 to 35, characterized in that it comprises monitoring a temporal evolution of one or more data, determined from the allocation of the moment precise passage of a parison to a given trajectory, for a given forming section, and / or for a given forming cavity.

37 - Method according to any one of claims 25 to 36, characterized in that it comprises a monitoring of a deviation of one or more data, determined from the allocation of the precise moment of passage of a parison at a determined trajectory, for a given forming section, and / or for a given forming cavity, with respect to a reference value.

38. Process according to any one of claims 25 to 37, characterized in that it comprises a monitoring of a deviation of one or more data, determined from the attribution of the precise moment of passage of a parison at a given path, between given forming cavities and / or between given forming sections.

39 - Process according to any one of claims 25 to 38, characterized in that it comprises a modification of at least one operating parameter of the installation according to a moment of arrival of the parison in a cavity molding.

40 - Process according to any one of claims 25 to 39, characterized in that the determination of the forming section during loading uses an operating parameter of the installation and does not require the detection of a parison.

41 - Method according to any one of claims 25 to 40, characterized in that the indiscriminate precise detection determines a precise moment of passage of a parison in a specific portion of free fall of the parison.