Method for producing a bottle using a multifunctional detabber apparatus

1. A method for producing a bottle in a single cycle, the bottle having a main body portion and a bottom surface having a hook projection integrally molded with and extending from the bottom surface in a deployed position and at least one locking channel molded into the bottom surface in order to receive and releasably secure the hook projection in a non-deployed position, the method comprising:

grabbing the bottle with a moveable first jaw and a moveable second jaw to secure the bottle and prevent movement of the bottle;

detabbing flash from around an outer periphery of the hook projection with a first striker against a counter-striker;

cutting a hole in the hook projection with a second striker against the counter-striker to create a hook;

folding the hook flush with the bottom surface of the bottle and into the at least one locking channel in the bottom surface of the bottle with a mandrel having an elongated shaft; and

releasing the bottle from the first and second jaws.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second strikers move simultaneously to punch the outer periphery of the hook projection and the opening in the hook projection.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein subsequent to detabbing and cutting the hole, the mandrel extends to fold the hook into the at least one locking channel.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to grabbing the bottle, a plurality of bottles are provided in a continuous stream from an upstream operation.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating each of the first jaw, the second jaw, the first striker, the second striker, and the mandrel using a plurality of pneumatic servomotors.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the servomotors apply a pressure of about 6-8 bar to the first and second jaws and the first and second strikers.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein one of the servomotors applies a pressure of about 3-4 bar to the mandrel.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of retracting the first striker after detabbing.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of retracting the second striker after cutting the hole.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of retracting the mandrel after folding the hook.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of guiding the first jaw and the second jaw around the bottle using bumpers.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the need for downstream operations is avoided.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein about 40 bottles per minute are produced.

14. A method for producing a bottle in a single cycle using a multifunctional detabber apparatus, the bottle having a main body portion and a bottom surface having a hook projection integrally molded with and extending from the bottom surface in a deployed position and at least one locking channel molded into the bottom surface in order to receive and releasably secure the hook projection in a non-deployed position, the method comprising:

inputting bottles to the multifunctional detabber apparatus from one or more upstream operations;

supplying the bottles one at a time to the multifunctional detabber apparatus;

closing first and second jaws of the multifunctional detabber apparatus to surround an outer periphery of the bottle and secure and prevent movement of the bottle;

operating first and second strikers of the multifunctional detabber apparatus and optionally, a counter-striker of the multifunctional detabber apparatus to create an outer periphery of the hook projection and an opening in the hook projection;

deploying a mandrel of the multifunctional detabber apparatus to close the hook projection and secure the hook projection in the at least one locking channel previously molded into the bottom surface of the bottle;

opening the first and second jaws to release the bottle; and

outputting the bottles.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the bottles are supplied to the multifunctional detabber apparatus using a claw head of a spider tool.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the first and second strikers are operated simultaneously.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising operating each of the first jaw, the second jaw, the first striker, the second striker, and the mandrel using a plurality of pneumatic servomotors.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the need for downstream operations is avoided.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein about 40 bottles per minute are produced.

20. A method for producing a bottle in a single cycle using a multifunctional detabber apparatus, the bottle having a main body portion and a bottom surface having a hook projection integrally molded with and extending from the bottom surface in a deployed position and at least one locking channel molded into the bottom surface in order to receive and releasably secure the hook projection in a non-deployed position, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of bottles from an upstream operation;

grabbing the bottles one at a time with a moveable first jaw and a moveable second jaw to secure the bottle and prevent movement of the bottle;

detabbing flash from around an outer periphery of the hook projection with a first striker against a counter-striker and simultaneously cutting a hole in the hook projection with a second striker against the counter-striker to create a hook;

retracting the first and second strikers;

folding the hook flush with the bottom surface of the bottle and into the at least one locking channel in the bottom surface of the bottle using a mandrel having an elongated shaft and extending to fold the hook;

retracting the mandrel; and

releasing the bottle from the first and second jaws.