Abstract: The invention relates to a method for managing a module for sorting units, which involves arranging said units loose in a reservoir; sorting said units according to a specific orientation into a batch inserted into a housing, by lifting from said reservoir towards an exit at an elevation speed; expelling said batch of sorted units from said outlet towards an entrance of a supply column, said expelled units passing through a circulation area situated between said exit and said entrance. The method comprising, at said circulation area, detecting the number of units expelled in each batch; accelerating or decelerating the elevation speed depending on said number of units detected. The invention also concerns a corresponding management device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for transferring products, comprising a means for fetching the products in a line in a first direction, at least one output conveyor, in a transverse direction with respect to said first direction, and a tool for transferring said products in groups. The transfer tool has only two degrees of freedom of movement in a horizontal plane, in said first direction and in said transverse direction. The invention relates also to a corresponding method for transferring products.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for managing captive preforms immobilized in a heating station during an interruption of production, the preforms following a production stream, the heating station including a device for conveying preforms and a heating cavity bordered by at least one row of emitters of monochromatic electromagnetic radiation. The method consists in ejecting from the production stream the cold captive preforms that have been immobilized before they have been exposed to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitters to a recycling stream and rejecting from the production stream the hot captive preforms that have been at least partly exposed to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitters to a reject stream separate from the recycling stream.

Abstract: A system for cleaning heat exchange tubes includes one or more cleaning robots that are assembled with the tubes. Each cleaning robot includes a housing having an opening extending therethrough for receiving one of the heat exchange tubes, a scraper blade extending into the opening of the housing, the scraper blade having an inner scraping edge that opposes the outer surface of one of the tubes, a wheel coupled with the housing for rolling over the outer surface of the tube, and a motor for driving rotation of the wheel to move the cleaning robot over the outer surface of the tube. The system includes a system controller with one or more microprocessors and one or more software programs for monitoring and controlling operation of the cleaning robots.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a container by stretch blow-molding from a preform made of plastic material in a forming unit, the forming unit comprising a mold, an elongation rod that is movable heightwise inside the mold, the method comprising, in succession, a pre-blow-molding step and a blow-molding step, the method also comprising a step of boxing of a handle, a rising phase of the elongation rod being initiated before the blow-molding step, the boxing step being initiated after the rising of the elongation rod, the handle being formed on the extension axis of the elongation rod.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for gripping a container preform having a base, a spindle which is mounted on the base, and an ejector at least partially surrounding the spindle. The spinner includes a spindle mounted such that it pivots in a sliding manner in relation to the base and a spinner tip removably fixed to the spindle. The ejector partially surrounds the spinner and is able to occupy a working position in which it is secured to the base. The spinner tip and the ejector are respectively provided with an imprint and a complementary counter-imprint. The ejector can be removed from the base and can occupy a tooling position in which the counterpart thereof cooperates with the cavity of the spinner tip so that they rotate together.

Abstract: The invention relates to the manufacture of hollow objects made of plastics material by way of an extruder. In order to improve the quality of the manufactured objects and the regularity of manufacture, the extruder that is fed at least with the initial metered quantity and to which at least a part of the molded blanks and/or of the molded and heated blanks used for manufacturing said objects and/or of the finally manufactured objects will be recycled is a twin-screw extruder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a labelling machine for applying labels onto articles intended to contain a pourable product and comprising a conveyor and a transfer element. The labelling machine also comprises first detection means, arranged peripherally to the transfer element in a position downstream of an application station and upstream of a receiving station, relatively to an advancement direction. The first detection means is configured to detect the single labels still retained in use and to generate a presence signal correlated with the presence of the labels, by the lateral surface downstream of the application station. The labelling machine comprises second detection means arranged in a position downstream of the receiving station and upstream of the application station, relatively to the advancement direction, and configured to detect a positioning of each label onto the lateral surface and to generate a positioning signal correlated with the positioning of each label.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a labelling machine (1) for applying labels (2) to receptacles (3) comprising a web (11) having a succession of decorative patterns (15); a cutting unit (12) configured to cut said web (11) so as to obtain individual labels (2); a conveying means (14) configured to advance the individual labels (2); a control unit (17) configured to control a positioning of the web (11) in relation to a reference station (18); a determination device (19) configured to determine and/or detect a relative positioning of the decorative patterns (15) in relation to the reference station (18); and a removal device (20) configured to remove incorrect labels (2) that are determined and/or detected as a function of the relative positioning of the decorative patterns (15) in relation to the reference station (18). Also included is a method for applying labels (2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transferring products to or from a collecting surface within a line for the continuous processing of said products, wherein a first transit zone is fed longitudinally with products by an entry conveyor; a second transit zone supplies products longitudinally to an exit conveyor; at least one column of products is transferred, by being pushed transversely, via a transfer tool provided with members disposed on either side of each column; wherein, at the moment of transfer, each column is gripped by said members being moved toward one another, a first member being fixed, while a second member is mounted in a movable manner. The invention also relates to a transfer device for implementing such a method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for inverting the diaphragm of a filled and capped container. According to the invention, the container is placed on a support ring of an inversion device, a pressing member is applied to the container and a pusher is raised through the support ring to invert the diaphragm and shape the diaphragm into an arch. While the pusher inverts the diaphragm, the seat is moved away from the upper plane of the support ring, so that when the pusher reaches the raised position, a space is opened between the seat and the support ring to enable a longitudinal expansion of the container under the combined effect of the increase in internal pressure caused by the decrease in the volume due to the inversion and the forces generated inside the container by the pusher and the support member.

Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a palletization device (1) comprising a freely accessible multiaxial robot (3) for gripping and moving the products (2) to be palletized and, at least one station (5) arranged on the ground, for receiving the pallets (4) on which the products (2) are deposited, which device is characterized in that the at least one station (5) is designed to receive and to position-reference a stack (6) of pallets (4) one above the other. A further subject matter of the invention is a corresponding method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for providing stopper elements that are sorted in order to feed a downstream workstation. The devices comprising a lifting means; a means or referencing said stopper elements one by one, located downstream from the lifting means; a conveyor for bringing the referenced elements to said workstation, positioned at the outlet of said referencing means; a vision means for verifying the conformance of said elements in an inspection zone extending at the level of the referencing means and/or of the conveyor; and a means for expelling those elements that do not conform located downstream of said vision means. The inspection zone comprises at least two successive sections each including a distinct color. The invention also relates to a corresponding method.

Abstract: A device for ejecting products in a unit for processing products, a flow of the products moving one behind the other along a circulation trajectory. The device having an ejector for individually ejecting a product out of the circulation trajectory and a motor of the ejector. The ejector having at least one plate with a peripheral edge provided with at least one recess for receiving a single product and the motor having a rotation drive for the plate and a way for synchronizing the drive with the flow of the products. The invention relates also to an installation and an ejection method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling confined preforms which are stopped in a heating station during a production interruption, the heating station comprising a device for conveying preforms comprising individual supports which move in a closed circuit and a heating cavity which is bordered by at least one row of transmitters of monochromatic electromagnetic radiation. The method includes a step of heating, by the transmitters of the heating cavity, the confined preforms referred to as “cold” preforms which have been stopped before being exposed to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transmitters.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for production of a container by blowing or blowing-stretching within a production unit comprising a mold and a nozzle which is designed to close the mold hermetically. The process comprises a sequence of forming with a blowing phase and a phase of degassing. The degassing phase comprises spacing the nozzle from the mold in order to interrupt the hermetic closure. The spacing of the is nozzle carried out (i) after the beginning of the degassing phase, when the pressure in the interior of the container has dropped and has reached an intermediate pressure which is lower than the pressure at the end of the forming sequence, and is between 14 and 3 bars or (ii) after completion of the blowing phase, and within an interval of time of between 0 and 200 ms after the stoppage of the injection of gas into the container.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for transferring products, to or from a product collection surface of a product processing line, on which they can accumulate, in which method products are stored in trays. The method includes a loaded tray transfer step, during which a tray, namely the collection tray, is separately moved between the collection surface and a receiving zone, where tray conveyor is provided, as well as a product transfer step, during which products are transferred between the collection surface and the collection tray with a planar sweeping movement, while the collection tray is held flush with the collection surface. Also disclosed is a corresponding device for transferring products.

Abstract: The invention relates to a container made of plastic material comprising a petaloid bottom having an axis of symmetry and comprising a central dome that projects toward the interior of the container; a series of feet projecting toward the exterior of the container that radiate from the central dome and each of which has a crest path that extends from an external edge of the dome to a peak radially remote from the dome; and a series of valleys each formed as a hollow between successive feet. Each crest path has an internal section extending from the external edge of the dome to a junction at a distance R2 from the central axis. Each crest path also has an external section extending from the junction tangentially in line with the internal section to the peak. The distances R1 and R2 are in a ratio where 45%?R1/R2?60%.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transfer device for a hollow article comprising a conveyor wheel, transfer arms mounted moveably on the conveyor wheel, and at least one static cam. The at least one static cam comprising at least one cam path that cooperates with cam followers carried by the transfer arms to control the position thereof. The wheel carries at least one cleaning tool for a related cam path, and the cleaning tool is mounted movably and pressed against the cam path with sufficient force to enable the automatic cleaning of the cam path as the conveyor wheel rotates.

Abstract: A locking finger for a unit having a molding cavity for molding the container delimited at least by a first shell attached to a first mold carrier and by a second shell attached to a second mold carrier that is movable relative to the first mold carrier between an open position and a closed position, the first mold carrier comprising a control member for controlling the locking finger and the second mold carrier comprising a locking opening, the locking finger comprising an interface for mechanical coupling to the control member, and a locking portion designed to cooperate with the locking opening in the closed position. The molding unit is a subassembly of a plurality of mechanical parts assembled together rigidly, including a main body of the finger comprising the mechanical coupling interface, and said locking portion, which is a main sleeve made from anti-friction material assembled on the main body.