Abstract: A device (10) for loading containers (12), which are provided with a neck (20), on an transporting element (14) includes a member (28) for individually grasping the container by the neck thereof, wherein the grasping member is used for catching or releasing the neck of a preform by the vertical slide of the preform with respect to the grasping member during an operation for catching or releasing it, the loading device includes elements (42, 68) for selectively ejecting the container from the transporting element during the releasing operation. The elements for ejecting the container are provided with container receiving members (42) which are used for catching the container prior to the releasing operation and are mounted in a horizontally movable manner in such a way that the trajectory of the receiving members are vertically superimposed and synchronized with the trajectory of the grasping device.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method which consists in cyclically: transferring a first row of products (3) between the station for preparing said products (6) and the pre-assembly station (7), at a speed V; transferring similarly a second row of products (3) onto said pre-assembly table (7), and in order to manage the docking of said second row with the row of products already set on said pre-assembly table (7), moving said set row at a speed v selected between zero and V, depending on the type or products (3); transferring, as the case may be, another row of products (3) onto the table (7), and, when the number of rows is reached to obtain said layer, transferring said layer onto the setting table (13) of the palletizing station (14). The installation comprises transfer means consisting of pushers (25) and (26) mobile between different stations, driven at suitable speeds.

Abstract: The invention deals with the field of labelling machines with tubular labels made of heat-shrinking film that are directly formed on the machine starting from coiled film. More precisely, the invention refers to a device (1) or (10) for positioning a tubular label (8) at a pre-established height from a bottle bottom and to means (21) for keeping the label position during the label transfer to an outlet conveyor where a first partial heat-shrinkage occurs. The positioning device is supported by the drum, on which the label is formed, and must allow sliding the bottle inside the formed label.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal conditioning furnace (10) including a first infrared (IR1) heating element (32), an ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer (76) and a second infrared (IR2) heating element (34) for successively carrying out a decontamination for sterilizing at least the outer surface (28) of the body (14) of the perform (12), and to an equipment (56) including such a furnace (10) for producing sterile vessels (68) by a blowing or stretching-blowing technique from decontaminated performs (12) of a thermoplastic material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vacuum pumping circuit comprising: an upper chamber (34) and a lower chamber (36) that communicate via a connecting orifice (38), and comprising a valve (40) provided with a stem guided so as to slide along a vertical axis (A1) in order to close the connecting orifice (38), which circuit is characterized in that the valve stem (48) is provided with a section forming a piston (52) which constitutes the mobile upper wall of a control chamber (54) communicating with the upper chamber (34), the piston (52) having an upper face (56) at atmospheric air pressure and a lower face (58) on which the pressure is that present in the control chamber (54).

Abstract: Hollow body extending along a principal axis and having a neck provided with a first relief suitable for allowing a predetermined angular indexing of the hollow body around its principal axis with respect to a device for gripping the hollow body. The neck having a second relief, axially offset with respect to the first relief, suitable for allowing a predetermined angular indexing of the hollow body around its principal axis with respect to a second gripping device superimposed on the first one.

Abstract: An apparatus for sterilizing objects, comprising: a sterile conduit (2) having an inlet for introducing non sterile objects and an outlet for extracting sterilized objects; spraying means for introducing a sterilization fluid heated and vaporized inside the conduit (2); sucking means (30; 115) for capturing exhaust fluids exiting from the conduit (2). The apparatus is provided with injecting means (10) for injecting a flow of fluid transversely to the conduit (2) to generate a fluid barrier for isolating said sterile conduit from an exterior non sterile area, said fluid barrier being generated at said inlet of the conduit (2). A method for regulating the distribution of a sterilization fluid inside a sterile conduit for sterilizing objects.

Abstract: Bottom (2) of a hollow body obtained by blowing or stretch-blowing a preform of a thermoplastic material, wherein said bottom (2) includes a transverse support surface (4) and, on either side of said transverse support surface (4), a transverse outer edge (5) and a concave inner wall with a transverse central portion (10) comprising a pellet (11) of a low-crystallinity material, said pellet corresponding to the injection point of the perform; the bottom (2) comprises reinforcing ribs (1) having an outer edge (12) adjacent to the outer edge (5) of the bottom (2) as well as an inner edge (13) adjacent to the transverse central portion (10) but not reaching said transverse central portion (10), wherein said reinforcing ribs (1) flare from their outer edge (12) toward their inner edge (13).

Abstract: Centrifugal feeder device having an outer enclosure (2) which accommodates a ring (3) mounted rotatably in the enclosure (2) and lying in an approximately horizontal plane, and a disc (4) rotatable in the ring (3). The axis (5) of rotation of the disc (4) is inclined with respect to the axis (6) of rotation of the ring (3), the disc (4) and the ring (3) approximately tangent to each other in a transfer area (10) and distant from each other in a loading area (8). The ring (3) is surrounded by a lateral guide (15). The ring (3) supplies an outlet channel (13) whose inlet is situated above a part of useful width of the ring, the ring (3) is provided with approximately radial notches (3a), and the device includes a mechanism for adjusting the useable width of the ring (3).

Abstract: A device (10) for gripping a hollow body (12) having a tubular neck (16), the device (10) includes a back plate (38) defining an axial bearing surface (40), a head (34) delimiting a radial bearing surface (50), a locking catch (54) supported by the head (34), characterised in that the head (34) is movably mounted between a locking position of the neck (16), in which the locking catch (54) bears on an inner surface (58) of the neck (16), such that the bearing surfaces (40, 50) define an so-called gripping area (Z), and an unlocking position (16) of the neck, in which the catch (54) is removed from the gripping area (Z).

Abstract: A forming method, in a mold fitted with a wall forming a cavity, of a container from an intermediate container including at least one lateral protrusion projecting toward the exterior of the container. The method includes a boxing operation of pushing the lateral protrusion by an insert movably mounted with respect to the mold between a retracted position in which the insert is retracted into a recess formed in the wall and a deployed position in which the insert protrudes with respect to the wall, in order to form, by overturning, a hollow reserve projecting toward the interior of the container. Also included is an operation to pressurize the intermediate container, including, prior to the boxing operation, injecting a fluid under pressure into the intermediate container; and a local pressurization operation, prior to the boxing operation, of injecting a fluid under pressure into the volume defined in said recess between the lateral protrusion and the insert.

Abstract: A forming method, in a mold fitted with a wall forming a cavity, of a container from an intermediate container including at least one lateral protrusion projecting toward the exterior of the container. The method includes a boxing operation of pushing back the lateral protrusion in order to form, by turning it around an articulation zone, a hollow reserve projecting toward the interior of the container and a local cooling operation, after turning the protrusion over, of sweeping a circulation fluid over the articulation zone.

Abstract: Device for forming containers from blanks made of plastic material, having a mold provided with a wall defining a cavity intended to receive the blank; a boxing insert mounted movably with respect to the mold between a retracted position in which the insert is retracted into the wall, and an extended position in which the insert projects from the wall toward the interior of the cavity; a plate, on which the insert is rigidly fixed; a support on which the plate is removably mounted; and a system for the quick attachment of the plate to the support.

Abstract: An oven (10) for the heat treatment of preforms and a method for operating an air-cooling device (42) fitted to such an oven includes controlling elements (58) to vary the cooling air flow rate onto the body (18) and bottom (20) of the preforms (12) along the heating path.

Abstract: A forming method, in a mold provided with a wall forming a cavity, of a container from a blank, which includes a boxing operation of pushing back the material of the blank by an insert movably mounted with respect to the wall of the mold between a retracted position in which the insert is retracted into the wall, and a deployed position in which the insert protrudes with respect to the wall, in order to form on the container, by pushing back, a hollow reserve projecting toward the interior of the container. Additionally, a local pressurization operation is performed, after formation of the hollow reserve, of injecting a pressurized fluid between the insert and the hollow reserve.

Abstract: An equipment (10) for producing vessels (12), includes at least one variable pitch wheel (38) arranged between a blower (14) having a first pitch (P1) and a filler (16) having a second pitch (P2), and that includes transfer elements (40) controlled by control elements adapted for selectively varying the pitch between two successive transfer elements (40) between an initial pitch (P) and a final pitch (P?), the initial pitch (P) being for example equal to once or twice the first pitch (P1) and the final pitch (P?) being equal to the second pitch (P2).

Abstract: A device is disclosed for discharging elongate, coarse bulk products—such as bottle preforms—from a product hopper. The device includes a product hopper with a discharge opening and a rotating disc that is configured to receive bulk products passing through the discharge opening.

Abstract: The deck for lifting a layer of products (2) onto a pallet (10) is constituted by a sole plate (26) of reduced thickness carried by a frame defined by crosspieces (22) and (23) also of reduced thickness and by side pieces (21). The side pieces (21) are of square-shaped cross-section with at least the horizontal wing (40) thereof being provided so as to receive and enable the locking of a piece of equipment forming said sole plate (26) and which is adapted to the nature of said products (2) constituting the layer to be loaded onto a pallet, said piece of equipment being in the form of tabular components (27) of small diameter, about 30 mm, placed between and parallel to said crosspieces (22), (23), said components (27) being able to constitute fully or partially free rolls (28), or able to be locked.