Abstract: An apparatus for shaping plastics material pre-forms into plastics material containers has a movable carrier on which are arranged a plurality of shaping stations for shaping the plastics material pre-forms into the plastics material containers. Each shaping station has a stressing device which acts upon the plastics material pre-forms for the expansion thereof with a gaseous medium, and a pressure preparation device which prepares the gaseous medium. The pressure preparation device is arranged in a stationary manner and supplies the shaping stations with the gaseous medium for the expansion of the plastics material pre-forms by way of at least one connection line. A distribution device is provided which distributes the gaseous medium from the pressure preparation device shaping stations.

Abstract: The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to develop a polyester resin container that can be retort-processed at a temperature in the range of above 120° C. to about 130° C. The object of this invention is to provide a polyester resin container, which is capable of improving the productivity and quality of retort foods, and a molding process thereof. The process of this invention is a double blow molding process, which comprises a primary blow molding step in which a preform is biaxially drawn and blow molded into a primary intermediate product, a thermally shrink-molding step in which the primary intermediate product is heated and forcibly shrink-molded into a secondary intermediate product, and a secondary blow molding step for blow molding the secondary intermediate product into a container, wherein the process is characterized in that a mold temperature higher than 210° C. is used in the secondary blow molding step.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for meltblowing utilize an auxiliary manifold to dispense a fluid between an orifice of a die that is expelling polymeric fibers and an exit of a duct that is dispensing a secondary flow of gas onto the fibers. The fluid dispensed from the auxiliary manifold reduces a recirculation zone of the secondary flow between the exit and the orifice that, absent the fluid from the manifold, results in errant fibers that are blown back into the face of the die by the recirculating secondary flow.

Abstract: Balloon especially useful for dilatation of gastrointestinal lesions have a burst pressure of at least 9 atmospheres, a diameter at 3 atmospheres of about 5 mm or more, and an average compliance over the range of from 3 atmospheres to burst of at least 3% per atmosphere. Such balloons and balloons having other combinations of burst strength, compliance and diameter may be prepared by a method wherein a tubing of a thermoplastic polymer material is radially expanded under a first elevated pressure at an elevated temperature to form the balloon at a first diameter and then annealing the balloon at a second elevated temperature and a second pressure less than the first elevated pressure for a time sufficient to shrink the formed balloon to a second diameter less than the first diameter. The thermoplastic polymer material may be a block copolymer material. Catheters bearing balloons prepared by this method have low withdrawal force requirements, especially catheters used in through-the-scope applications.

Abstract: A heat-resistant container molding apparatus and method which are compact and inexpensive and can reliably increase the crystallinity, reduce the residual stress in a container filled with a hot content such as thermally sterilized fruit juice, and prevent a thermal deformation with improved container stability at a raised temperature. The apparatus has a receiving and removing unit for receiving primary moldings obtained by blow-molding preforms and for removing final products, a heat treatment section for heating the primary moldings by bringing the primary moldings into contact with the inner wall of a heat treatment mold while pressurizing the interior of the primary moldings within the heat treatment mold, a final molding section for blow molding intermittent moldings into final products within a final blow mold, and a rotary plate, neck support fixing plate and neck support member for conveying the moldings through the receiving and removing unit, heat treatment section and final molding section.

Abstract: A container molding method for reducing the amount of released acetaldehyde. The method comprises a primary blow molding step of stretch-blow-molding a preform into a primary blow-molded article; an acetaldehyde reducing step of reducing the amount of acetaldehyde released from the primary blow-molded article; and a final blow molding step of stretch-blow-molding the primary blow-molded article having a reduced amount of acetaldehyde into a final container. The primary blow molding step molds the primary blow-molded article which is larger in size than the final container and which has an average wall-thickness of a stretched barrel portion equal to or less than 0.3 mm, that is smaller than the average wall-thickness of a barrel portion of the final container. The acetaldehyde reducing step heats the thin-walled barrel portion of the primary blow-molded article at a high temperature for a relatively short time.

Abstract: A container (5) such as a bottle made of thermoplastic material and provided with a bottom wall having an inwardly convex curved central portion (3) is disclosed. The container is produced by blow moulding a blank (4) with at least one incipient bottom recess (3) in a finishing mould (15a, 15b, 11) of which the bottom wall (11) has an arched central portion (10) substantially matching the recess in the bottom of the container to be produced. Said container is produced by causing relative rotation of the central portion (10) and the blank (4) when said central portion is positioned in the recess in the bottom of the blank.

Abstract: A heat-resistant container molding apparatus and method which are compact and inexpensive and can reliably increase the crystallinity, reduce the residual stress in a container filled with a hot content such as thermally sterilized fruit juice, and prevent a thermal deformation with improved container stability at a raised temperature. The apparatus has a receiving and removing unit for receiving primary moldings obtained by blow-molding preforms and for removing final products, a heat treatment section for heating the primary moldings by bringing the primary moldings into contact with the inner wall of a heat treatment mold while pressurizing the interior of the primary moldings within the heat treatment mold, a final molding section for blow molding intermittent moldings into final products within a final blow mold, and a rotary plate, neck support fixing plate and neck support member for conveying the moldings through the receiving and removing unit, heat treatment section and final molding section.

Abstract: A method of easily molding a heat-resistant container which has a heat-resistant bottom portion, including a steps of primary blow-molding for molding a preform into a primary molded article, a step of heat treatment for the primary molded article, and a step of final blow-molding for molding the primary molded article which has been subjected the heat treatment into a final container, and a mold used for the method. In the step of primary blow-molding a raised-bottom portion is formed in the primary molded article using a raised-bottom mold, and this raised-bottom portion is of substantially the same shape as a raised-bottom portion of the final container. The preform has sufficient heat for a complicated mold, which thereby allows a raised-bottom portion of some complication and with adequate heat-resistance to be formed without difficulty.

Abstract: A semi-compliant PET balloon and a method for manufacturing the balloon are disclosed. The method for manufacturing the semi-compliant PET balloon includes the steps of varying the temperature and inflation pressure on a tube of PET material in an ordered sequence to i) form the balloon, ii) thin the walls of the balloon, ii) size the balloon and then, iv) crystallize the PET material of the balloon. First, to form the balloon, the tube of PET material is preheated, and simultaneously pressurized and stretched. The pressure in the tube is then increased to conform the balloon to the shape of a mold. Next the balloon walls are thinned by decreasing pressure and providing additional stretch on the PET tube. A subsequent increase in pressure sizes the balloon. The sized balloon is next subjected to an increase in temperature and a decrease in pressure to crystallize the PET material. A cooling step completes the method for manufacture.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a plastic container having an enhanced level of crystallinity for improved thermal stability. A substantially amorphous and transparent preform in the molecular orientation temperature range is expanded by a pulse-blow process one or more times to form an intermediate article, prior to a final expansion step to the full container dimensions. The pulse-blow step is conducted at a relatively high-strain rate to maximize the formation of crystal nucleation sites, followed by deflation to relax the amorphous orientation, and the final expansion step is conducted at a low-strain rate to minimize the amorphous orientation. The resulting container has a higher thermal deformation temperature and reduced thermal shrinkage and is particularly adapted for use as a refillable or hot-fill beverage container. A blow-mold and fluid supply apparatus is provided, including a metering chamber and piston, for alternatively supplying the high and low-strain rate inflations.