Abstract: Described is a facility for palletising products and a method for palletising products. The facility has a pick area for picking up the products, and two place areas for placing products on pallets. The facility includes a work station situated between the two place areas and the facility includes a separating wall that moves between a first position between the work station and the first place area, and a second position between the work station and the second place area, so as to alternately separate one of the two place areas from the work station.

Abstract: The invention relates to a preform intended for forming containers by blow molding or stretch-blow molding, the preform being made of plastic material including at least one additive giving the plastic material the property of at least partially filtering the visible light spectrum, the preform comprising a wall forming a hollow body, said one or more additive(s) giving the plastic material the property of at least partially allowing the passage of light in the infrared spectrum.

Abstract: Provided are methods for automatically positioning ramps in a station for the heating of preforms. The method includes acquiring an image of a preform traveling along a slot delimited by a pair of ramps, where at least one of the ramps is transversely mobile to vary the width of the slot (56) and where a motorized device transversely moves the at least one mobile ramp and is controlled automatically by an electronic control unit. The method further includes automatically determining the diameter below the neck of the preform by computer processing the image and automatically adjusting the width of the slot by moving the at least one mobile ramp according to the determined diameter below the neck.

Abstract: An installation for regulation of the angular position of hollow bodies in an installation for production of containers. The hollow bodies are moved by individual support members each of which is equipped with means for causing the hollow body to turn about its axis. The installation includes a means for measuring, in a first step an angular offset of at least one particular hollow body relative to a reference angular position in a particular measurement zone. The installation also includes a means for compensating, in a second step the angular position of the subsequent hollow bodies in a compensation zone upstream of said measurement zone during which the angular orientation of the subsequent hollow bodies is modified by an updated compensation angle that is a function of the angular offset measured for the at least one particular hollow body.

Abstract: Method for the production of containers from a series of plastic preforms heated in a container production facility having at least one heating station, a forming machine with a number of forming stations, one or more treatment machines with a number of treatment stations. The method includes: forming the preforms in the forming machine; treating the individual containers in the treatment machine; and circulating each container held individually between the forming machine and the treatment machine(s). The method also includes individual identification of each container that is produced during a predetermined tracking period, an individual identification phase including a marking step during which each individual container that is produced during the tracking period receives a marking that matches the container, making it possible to identify individually the container by distinguishing it from all of the other containers produced by the production facility during the tracking period.

Abstract: Described is a device for treating products, which includes a tool and a movable support of the tool for treating products. Each support is slidably mounted along a rail and includes a blocker that can be actuated by locking, an actuator for locking and unlocking the blocker, a power supply for the actuator, at least one member for coupling with said support, a relative and indexed motorization between the member and the support. The member incorporates the actuator, allowing power to be supplied to the blocker.

Abstract: A palletizing device for container packs including a structure and a loading surface of the packs with side-by-side parallel rollers mounted on mobile frames with a freely rotation. Two side parts are movable from a closed position to an open position, and reversely. When a locking system of the rollers with a locking means with a cart with a locker mobile from a folded position to an unfolded position, and reversely, is in the unfolded position, the locker is blocking the freely rotation of the rollers, and the locking system has a fixed locking actuator cooperating with the locking actuator to move the locker from the folded position to the unfolded position to lock the rollers of the two sides parts during the movement from the closed to the opened position. In some examples, displacement of the loading surface can cause the locker to either engage or disengage.

Abstract: A thermal conditioning device for thermally conditioning preforms, comprising a heating module provided with an enclosure with a transport volume for said preforms; a heating means and a cooling means that are oriented toward the volume; a control means for controlling said heating and cooling means; said cooling means comprising a circulating means for circulating a flow of air with a nominal flow rate determined by said control means; a channel between said circulating means and said enclosure and leading toward said volume; wherein it comprises, along said channel, a measuring means for measuring the actual flow rate and an adjusting means for adjusting said nominal flow rate with respect to said actual flow rate, by controlling the control means. The invention also relates to a corresponding thermal conditioning method.

Abstract: Provided is a container preform made of plastics material having a body exhibiting symmetry of revolution about a central axis and a bottom closing the body from one of its ends. The bottom has an annular bead forming a standing plane of the preform, and the bottom has an external skin oriented toward the outside of the preform and an internal skin oriented toward the inside of the preform. At least one of the internal skin and the external skin has, radially from the central axis as far as the annular bead, a profile having a break in curvature.

Abstract: A device for conveying a cap-type capping elements, which are pushed aeraulically to circulate the capping elements in a forward direction. In example embodiments, the device includes firstly an elongate plenum in which a gaseous fluid circulates, and secondly a channel in which the capping elements circulate in a forward direction and that has a front face, a rear face, and two edge faces. In example embodiments, the device comprises an aeraulic circuit to convey the gaseous fluid from the plenum to the channel to push the capping elements, the rear face of said channel being arranged against the plenum and the front face thereof being at least partially closed by a back-plate of the device. In example embodiments, the back-plate may be removable.

Abstract: Provided is a thermal conditioning method of preforms. The method includes heating each preform by transport along a heating path exposed to heating radiation with a determined production rate; transporting the preforms (in line along a diffusion path; transforming the preforms in forming units at the determined production rate. The diffusion path includes a final buffer section along which the preforms travel for an adjustable duration.

Abstract: A method of starting a machine comprising a plurality of modules, each module having a standard run-up time until optimum operating conditions are obtained. The method includes acquiring for each module of an initial state at a time T0 and a run-up time to reach the optimum operating conditions from the time T0. The method also includes identifying a slow module having the longest run-up time and determining a time T1 of optimum operation, following run-up, at which said slow module has its optimum operating conditions. For each module (6) other than the slow module (6), the method establishes a starting or run-up time set point for which its optimum operating conditions are reached only at the time T1 or in the immediate vicinity of the time T1.

Abstract: A branch of a clamp for handling hollow bodies in a plant manufacturing containers made of plastic material, the handling clamp comprising two branches intended to be held by a holding member and being intended to grip a hollow body, the branch comprising a base, and a jaw extending from the base. The base has a front edge intended to be in contact with the hollow bodies. The branch is formed by a metal core extending in the jaw set back from the front edge, and a plastic supplement at least partially covering the metal core, the plastic supplement constituting at least the front edge and being secured to the metal core.

Abstract: Provided is a method for verifying holding members in a heating station equipped with a device for transporting the preforms. The device includes a plurality of movable supports circulating in a closed circuit and members for individually holding the preforms by their neck, where each of the holding members is borne by a movable support. The method includes setting the movable supports in movement to bring them successively into an acquisition zone, acquiring an image of each individual holding member in the acquisition zone, and automatically verifying the presence of a holding member on each of the images taken.

Abstract: Provided is a device for transferring products in a longitudinal direction of movement from upstream to downstream, having a transfer region and a structure supporting the transfer region. The structure has at least two parallel and contiguous rows of rollers mounted in rotation so as to be aligned along transverse axes, including a first row of first rollers and an adjacent second row of second rollers. The transfer region is inclined with a slope decreasing longitudinally. The rollers have bearings mounted in rotation about the axes and the first rollers of the first row are mounted in staggered fashion with respect to the second rollers of the second row, forming a generally planar transfer face. Also provided is conveying installation equipped with the transfer device.

Abstract: Provided is a vibratory support device for an installation for conveying products, the device having a fixed chassis and guides mounted on the chassis that are parallel to one another and oriented in a longitudinal direction. The guides are configured as sliding supports for an endless-type belt of a conveying installation and are mounted movably with respect to the chassis with a vibratory movement in a horizontal or substantially horizontal plane. Also provided is an installation for conveying products that is equipped with a vibratory support device for supporting a portion of the length of its conveyor belt.