Abstract: The method and device are used to plasma-treat workpieces. The workpiece is inserted into a chamber of a treatment station that can be at least partially evacuated. The plasma chamber is bounded by a chamber bottom, a chamber cover, and a lateral chamber wall. The method process is optically monitored at least at times. In the optical monitoring, spectral lines of the radiation of the plasma above 500 nanometers are evaluated. Preferably, the evaluation is performed for frequencies above 700 nanometers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device used to blow-mold containers. After thermal conditioning, a preform is shaped into the container inside a blow mold by the effect of blowing pressure. Required blowing gas is introduced into an interior of the preform through a connecting element. After the blow-molding, a purging gas is conducted through the interior of the container. A plurality of blowing stations are used, and, for at least one of the blowing stations, at least part of the required amount of the purging gas is stored in a storage volume associated only with said blowing station.

Abstract: A separator device for preforms with an alignment device for handling incorrectly aligned preforms, wherein the separator device is a roller sorter with two transport rollers rotating in opposite directions to one another, between which rollers preforms are transported in a conveying direction, in a suspended manner and with an intended alignment. The alignment device has a rotating body mounted rotatably about an axis, which body is arranged above the roller sorter so that the rotating body projects into the movement path of incorrectly aligned preforms. The rotating body is designed to exert an alignment force on incorrectly aligned preforms. The rotating body also projects into the movement path of the preforms with the intended alignment and is therefore designed and arranged to exert an alignment force only on incorrectly aligned preforms.

Abstract: Method for producing containers which are filled with a liquid filling substance from parisons made from a thermoplastic material, wherein the respective parison is conditioned thermally and is subsequently shaped into the container during a shaping and filling phase in a mold by way of the filling substance as pressure medium, wherein, during the shaping into the container, the parison is preferably guided at least temporarily through a stretching rod and is stretched in the axial direction.

Abstract: The method and the device according to the invention are used to sterilize preforms (1) made of a thermoplastic material that are intended for producing blow-molded containers. During the sterilization, a sterilizing agent is introduced into the area of the preform (1). The sterilizing agent is discharged at least partially from at least one nozzle (44) in the direction of the preform (1). An average direction (45) of the escape of the sterilizing agent from the nozzle (44) is provided with an angle of inclination (46) from a longitudinal axis (47) of the preform (1).

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying preforms to a blow molding machine, including a sorter that sorts and uniformly orients the preforms. A gravity conveyor feeds the preforms from the sorter to the blow molding machine. A transfer device between the sorter and the conveyor transfers the preforms from the sorter to the conveyor. The sorter, the conveyor, and the transfer device all have stepless adjoined guiding surfaces with specific contours that guide the preforms through the apparatus. The transfer device is an element with a curved guiding surface adjusted to the contour of the guiding surface of the sorter at the end facing the sorter, while being adjusted to the contour of the guiding surface of the gravity conveyor at the end facing the gravity conveyor. The two contours of the guiding surfaces facing the ends of the two devices are different, the guiding surface is stepless between the two ends.

Abstract: A method for the plasma treatment of a workpiece that includes inserting the workpiece into a plasma chamber and depositing, with the effect of a partial vacuum after plasma ignition, a coating on the workpiece by plasma treatment. Plasma ignition occurs by pulsed microwave energy, and alternating “on” phase times and “off” phase times from pulsed microwave excitation are provided by a control. During a beginning portion of the plasma treatment, a first portion of the coating is deposited. Subsequently, a quotient of the “on” phase times and the “off” phase times is increased to deposit a second portion of the coating, which has a different composition than the first portion of the coating. The quotient of the “on” phase times and the “off” phase times is then decreased to form a third portion of the coating, which has a different composition than the second portion of the coating.

Abstract: A separator device for preforms with an alignment device for handling incorrectly aligned preforms, wherein the separator device is a roller sorter with two transport rollers rotating in opposite directions to one another, between which rollers preforms are transported in a conveying direction, in a suspended manner and with an intended alignment. The alignment device has a rotating body mounted rotatably about an axis, which body is arranged above the roller sorter so that the rotating body projects into the movement path of incorrectly aligned preforms. The rotating body is designed to exert an alignment force on incorrectly aligned preforms. The rotating body also projects into the movement path of the preforms with the intended alignment and is therefore designed and arranged to exert an alignment force only on incorrectly aligned preforms.

Abstract: Method and device for blow molding containers, wherein a preform made of a thermoplastic material is shaped to give a container using blow molding pressure in a blow mold once the preform has been subjected to a thermal conditioning step in the region of a heating section along a transport path, and wherein at least one parameter characterizing the blow molding process is measured and supplied to a control device which acts upon at least one adjusting element to change at least one parameter influencing the blow molding process. The control device (51) calculates at least one property of the finished blow-molded container (2) based on the measured parameters characterizing the blow molding process and using a simulation model (48) and compares said property with a set value. Based on a possible deviation between the set value and the actual value, the parameter influencing the blow molding process is changed such that a possible remaining deviation is minimized.

Abstract: The method and the apparatus are used for blow molding and for filling containers. To this end, after a thermal conditioning step, a preform is shaped into a container using blowing pressure inside a blow molding tool. The blow molded containers are positioned at least along part of the transport path thereof by a carrying element, which is held by a rotating transfer wheel. The transfer wheel provides at least part of a coupling between a blow molding module for producing the containers and a filling module for filling the containers. An outfeed wheel of the blow molding module can be arranged in a transport direction of the containers upstream of the transfer wheel, and an infeed wheel of the filling module can be arranged in said transport direction downstream of the transfer wheel, wherein each wheel can be equipped with carrying elements for the containers. The number of carrying elements (42) in the region of the transfer wheel (41) is varied in accordance with a production speed.

Abstract: A device for forming containers from heated parisons of thermoplastic material, which includes a heating section and a blow molding unit provided with at least one blow molding station. The parisons are held along at least a portion of a transport path between the heating section and the blow molding unit by a carrying element, which has a head that can be inserted into a mouth section of a parison and which includes at least two positionable clamping elements. At least one of the clamping elements is positioned in a recess provided on a side of the head relative to a longitudinal axis of the carrying element. The recess has upper and lower sliding surfaces that extend obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis for acting on the clamping element. The upper head part and the lower head part are braced relative to each other by at least one spring.

Abstract: The method and the device serve for the blow molding of containers. A preform of a thermoplastic material is first subjected to thermal conditioning in the region of a heating section along a transporting path. Subsequently, the preform is transformed into the container inside a blow mold by the effect of blowing pressure. The thermal conditioning of the preforms is carried out by a number of radiant heaters positioned one above the other. The radiant heaters are activated during production in accordance with a first heating profile and activated during standby mode in accordance with a second heating profile (50), which is different from the first heating profile.

Abstract: The device is used to retain workpieces, has a tong-like design, and is provided with two tong arms. The tong arms are retained by a tong base and can be arranged at least in an open position and in a closed position. The tong base is retained by a main element. When a specified actuating force is applied, the tong base is released and can be pivoted relative to the main element within a certain range. Respectively one movable counter-element is arranged adjacent to two lateral surfaces of the tong base. The counter-elements are retained in a starting position by means of at least one spring.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a device for plasma treating workpieces (5). Said workpiece is inserted into a chamber (7) of a treatment station (3), which can be at least partly evacuated, and is positioned within the treatment station by means of a holding element. In order to simultaneously supply at least two chambers with at least one operating means, a flow of the operating means is branched at least once so as to form at least two partial flows (55).

Abstract: A blow-molded container includes an opening section that can be closed, a side wall, and a closed bottom. The material in the region of the side wall is shaped by blow forming an injection-molded preform. At least three recessed grips are arranged along an outer perimeter of the container. At least two longitudinal ribs oriented in a longitudinal direction of the container are arranged between each pair of recessed grips. The longitudinal ribs are separated from each other by a recess, which also extends in a longitudinal direction. At least one circumferential rib, which extends in a circumferential direction of the container, is arranged inside each of the recessed grips.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for blow-molding containers. Following thermal conditioning inside a blow-mold of a blow-molding machine, a preform (1) is formed into the container (2) by means of blowing pressure. The necessary blow-molding gas (P1, P2) is provided by a supply device. The stored, pneumatic pressure energy inside the blown container is at least partially transformed into another form of energy.

Abstract: The device used to hold workpieces is designed in a manner of tongs and is provided with two tong arms (45, 46). The tong arms are held by a tong base (47) and can be arranged at least in an open position and in a closed position. The tong base is held by a base element (48). The tong base is arranged on a transfer wheel, an opening movement of the tong arms being carried out by means of a movement component transverse to a radial direction of the transfer wheel. The first tong arm (45) extends on both sides of a central line of the tong base at least in some regions, said central line being oriented in a radial direction of the transfer wheel. A workpiece holding recess, which is spanned by the tong arms at least in some regions, is delimited by the second tong arm (46) only in a holding recess (68) region arranged on the outside in a radial direction of the transfer wheel relative to a holding recess transverse central line that runs transverse to the central line of the tong base.

Abstract: The device according to the invention is used to blow-mold containers. After thermal conditioning, a preform is shaped into the container inside a blow mold by the effect of blowing pressure. The blow mold is retained by a support. A pressure area (43) is sealed from the surroundings by a seal (41). The seal (41) has at least two areas (45, 46). A first area (45) is composed of a harder material than the second area (46). The two areas are rigidly connected to each other.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for blow-molding containers are disclosed. A parison made of a thermoplastic material is first subjected to a thermal treatment in the zone of a heating section along a conveying path. The parison is then shaped into the container within a blow mold under the effect of a blowing pressure. Once the container has been blow-molded, a wall thickness is measured on at least one vertical level of the container. A preset value for the wall thickness is fed to a controller as a desired value, and the measured wall thickness is fed thereto as an actual value. The controller presets the quantity of at least one parameter influencing the blowing process in accordance with a difference between the desired value and the actual value. More specifically, the controller presets the quantity of at least one parameter influencing the supply of blowing gas. The quantity of the parameter is preset on the basis of a blowing process simulation model implemented in the controller.

Abstract: A device for forming containers from heated parisons of thermoplastic material, which includes a heating section and a blow molding unit provided with at least one blow molding station. The parisons are held along at least a portion of a transport path between the heating section and the blow molding unit by a carrying element, which has a head that can be inserted into a mouth section of a parison and which includes at least two positionable clamping elements. At least one of the clamping elements is positioned in a recess provided on a side of the head relative to a longitudinal axis of the carrying element. The recess has upper and lower sliding surfaces that extend obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis for acting on the clamping element. The upper head part and the lower head part are braced relative to each other by at least one spring.