Abstract: A machine for plasma treatment of containers, including a chamber for receiving a container to be treated, the chamber connected to a primary vacuum circuit. A pressure sensor is connected to the chamber. There is a first mechanism for communicating the pressure sensor with the chamber; a secondary vacuum circuit dependent on the first circuit and connected to the pressure sensor; and second mechanism for communicating the pressure sensor with the secondary vacuum circuit.

Abstract: An installation (10) for the production of containers (12), includes a wheel (30) for transferring containers respectively between a first chamber (14) having a blowing unit (16) and a second chamber (18) having a filling unit, the wheel (30) being mounted such that it can move between at least: —a transfer position in which the wheel extends through an opening (24) which is common to the chambers (14, 18) in order to transfer the containers (12), and —a retracted position in which the wheel is displaced in order to close the opening (24) by element of associated closure element (26) in order to decontaminate the second chamber (18), and in which the displacement of the transfer wheel (30) between the positions is controlled manually or automatically from outside the first chamber (14) and/or the second chamber (18) of the installation (10).

Abstract: A pneumatic conveyor having upstream (1) and downstream (2) tubular transport channels which are interconnected by a switch device (3) and a support infrastructure (4). The switch device (3) takes the form of a transport and guiding device which is flexible in relation to the longitudinal axis thereof and which is a flexible blade. The flexible blade supports a device (10) for propelling products (6) to be transported, which includes individual rigid parallelepiped elements (18). One end (3?) of the flexible transport and guiding structure is fixed to the support infrastructure (4) or to an upstream (1) or downstream (2) transport case, such that the guide part thereof corresponds to that of a downstream (2) or upstream (1) transport case, while the other end (3) of the flexible transport and guiding structure is guided with possible angular displacement on the support infrastructure (4) or on an upstream (1) or downstream (2) transport case and is connected to a reciprocating displacement means (5).

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for processing container closures (2) comprises a sterilization unit (3), having a sterilization module (7) with means for spraying on the closures (2) a hot sterilization fluid, a capping unit (4), having screwing means active on the closures (2) for connecting them on correspondent containers, applying a predetermined torque, a guide member (5) configured in such a way to allow a plurality of closures (2) to be arranged therein and connected to the sterilization unit (3) and to the capping unit (4) to guide the closures (2) from the sterilization unit (3) to the capping unit (4), and means (13) for regulating the temperature of the closures (2) arranged in the guide member (5), to provide that the closures (2) have a predetermined desired temperature in the capping unit (4).

Abstract: A module (4) in a support structure (5) for container handling machines (2), comprises a connecting bar (6) provided with bearing expansions (7) at its ends, each of the bearing expansions (7) being detachably connectable with a corresponding bearing expansion of another module in such a way as to define a support (8) for a star wheel conveyor (3).

Abstract: A method of measuring the wall temperature of a container blank, including the following operations: inserting a temperature probe into the blank in motion, upon completion of the operation of heating the blank in an oven; maintaining the probe in the blank in motion for a predetermined time; making a temperature measurement by the probe maintained in the blank without contact with the inner wall of the blank; and storing the temperature or the temperature profile thus measured.

Abstract: The distribution table (3) is arranged downstream of an introduction table (2) and upstream of single file channels (12) and comprises an entry zone (10) which is provided at the sides with sensors (17) which detect the presence of bottles and connected to control means for controlling and regulating the introduction flow of said bottles at said entry zone (10) and also between said entry zone (10) and the single file channels (12) and distribution channels (11) of transverse alignment the number of which corresponds to half the number of single file channels (12). The distance separating channels (11) from the channels (12) is of the order of one quarter of the diameter of the bottles. The distribution channels (11) are defined by longitudinal walls (21) supported by a mobile structure (15), said structure being moved in a continuous circular sweep of low amplitude in front of said single file channels (12).

Abstract: The transfer machine extends between the die-cut blank erecting station and the discharge conveyor on which the resulting boxes are carried away. It has a carriage that moves lengthwise underneath the sole plate of the various stations over which the box blank progresses. The carriage carries a system of clamps having movable upstream and downstream arms for gripping the blanks and a pusher. Together, the clamps and the pusher are used to move the blanks along the sole plate and push the box onto the discharge conveyor. The arms and the pusher are situated on a plate which is vertically movable relative to the carriage and the height of the projecting part of the upstream arms is greater than the height of the downstream arms and than that of the pushers. The upstream arm couple is hinged to the plate and pivots to allow it to retract upstream relative to the machine and beneath the sole plate. This pivoting of the arm couple is combined with the up-down movement of the plate.

Abstract: A device for plasma depositing a thin film of a barrier material on an internal wall of a container includes: an electromagnetic wave generator; a cavity connected to the generator and made of a conductive material; a chamber positioned in the cavity and made of a material that is transparent to electromagnetic waves coming from the generator; and openings made in the cavity and oriented parallel to one another.

Abstract: A removable device (3) for attaching with fluidic connection a mold base (1) on a support (4), said device (3) comprising a male part (6) and a female part (7), said male part (6) having a truncated-cone-shaped surface (10), said female part (7) comprising a locking mechanism (26) including balls (33) suitable for engaging with said surface (10), a device wherein the female part (7) comprises a peripheral cage (27) provided with holes (2) where the balls (33) are seated, and a lock (34) provided with an annular ramp (41), mounted around said cage (27), that can be manually accessed and moved between a locking position wherein the ramp (41) is arranged in line with the balls (33), and a release position wherein the ramp (41) is separated from the balls (33).

Abstract: A packing installation having a handling head (10) with replaceable tulip-like gripping tools (11) connected by couplers (13). The installation has a magazine (15) with separate groups of tools (11) and a several presentation units (23) for the tools. The presentation units (23) have a spindle (25) to accommodate the tools (11). The spindle (25) is a floating type to give some flexibility and to engage the tools (11) not only during the depositing operation, but also during the gripping operation. The magazine (15) is mobile and is mounted on tracks (19) to move between its inactive position, away from the field of action of the bottle handling head (10), and its active position within the field of action of the head (10) and in particular at the station (5) where the bottles are picked up by the head (10).

Abstract: The invention relates to a mold base (1) for a mold that is used for the blow molding or stretch-blow molding of thermoplastic containers (2) having a petaloid-shaped base. The mold base (1) includes several cavities (11) separated by radiating ridges (13) with concave crests (14), the bases (15) of the cavities (11) being distributed along a circular contour. As seen radially on either side of the deepest point thereof, each cavity (11) is defined towards the exterior by a curved surface portion (18) having a circular arc radial cross-section and towards the interior by a broken-plane surface portion (19) with at least two slopes that intersect the curved surface portion (18) at a straight edge (20). The plane (T) which contains the aforementioned edge (2) and which is tangent to the curved surface portion (18) is perpendicular to the axis (12) of the mold base.

Abstract: Rotary pressure distributor for a carousel-type hollow-body treatment machine, comprising several treatment stations, this distributor comprising two coaxial rings (2, 3) in sealed contact, one of them (3) a rotary ring comprising communication orifices (6) connected to at least one treatment station and the other (2) stationary and comprising several slots (7) connected to a pressure source of the machine, these orifices and slots being distributed over several concentric circumferences (9) of different diameters; the orifices and/or the slots positioned on the different diameters have anterior and posterior ends (11, 12) shaped in such a way that as the orifices slide past the respective slots, the rates at which the surface area of the passage (13) defined by each orifice and the associated slot increase upon opening and decrease upon closing are substantially the same over all the circumferences.

Abstract: The invention relates to equipment consisting of a stationary base (2) to which a rotary frame (3) is attached, which includes: on the one hand, means for supporting the containers (1) to be cleaned, on the other hand, in correlation with said containers (1), insufflation tubes (4) forming the rods of cylinders (6), suitable for being inserted, on the fly, into the correlating containers. The insufflation tubes comprise a ring (15) the travel of which is adjustable by means of abutments (16) arranged on a plate. Said plate-abutment (16), shared by all the insufflation tubes (4), can be controlled by means of a screw (17) and nut (18) system or by any other means, to adjust the position of the nozzles (9) located at the end of said tubes (4) to adapt said position according to the size of the containers (1).

Abstract: Installation for depositing, by means of a microwave plasma, a barrier coating on thermoplastic containers (5), this installation comprising treatment stations (1) each comprising a treatment enclosure (2) and a cover (3) and including a vacuum pumping chamber in which connection means (4) for sealed connection to the container comprise a sleeve (6) co-axial with the neck (7) of the container, each cover (3) also supporting an injector (8) co-axial with the sleeve (6) for injecting a reactive fluid into the container; the sleeves (6) and/or the injectors (8), of several adjacent stations are fastened to a single support plate (15, 20) that extends in the form of a bridge over the covers (3) of these stations (1), whereby the plate (15, 20) and the sleeves and/or injectors of the stations (1) constitute a unitary assembly (16, 21) that can be maneuvered as one piece.

Abstract: Device for measuring the permeation of a hollow body provided with an opening such as a neck in particular, this device comprising a chamber in which the follow body is placed, on a support; this hollow body, when placed on its support, together with the chamber defining an internal space and an external space, the device being provided with means for providing sealing between the internal space and the external space, the sealing means comprising three seals, namely a first seal, a second seal termed the intermediate seal, and a third seal, these three seals being housed in grooves belonging to the body of the support, these seals projecting from the side edge of the support and being able and configured to bear against the internal face of the opening of the hollow body; the body of the support, the opening of the object and the seals thus define two spaces positioned between the internal space and the external space, a first space being bordered by a first seal and an intermediate seal, the second space be

Abstract: An oven (10) for the thermal conditioning of preforms made of a thermoplastic material, includes at least one cooling circuit (6) with air flow circulation which sequentially extends from the upstream side to the downstream side through at least one cooling air intake area (16a), a heating area (16b) in which a preform heating element (22) and the cooling air flow projected by ventilation elements are provided, and an air extraction area (16c) to which at least one air extraction duct (42) is connected, characterised in that the oven includes a confining housing that extends from the air extraction duct to at least the heating area, and is capable of insulating at least the heating area from the outside of the oven in order to prevent the pollution of the inside of the oven by airborne pollution particles.

Abstract: In an arrangement (10) for grouping a plurality of products (Pn, Pn+1) into batches (Li) carried by at least one conveyor belt (12) travelling in a longitudinal direction at a travelling speed (V1), the products (Pn, Pn+1) arrive with at least one determined upstream spacing (E) between two successive products, and including an advanced phaser (22, 23) provided on the path of the products (Pn, Pn+1) and capable of grouping transversally at least two products (Pn, Pn+1) into a row so as to form, at high speed, batches (Li) obtained by grouping the products (Pn, Pn+1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a distribution star for containers of the type used in systems for manipulating containers (particularly bottles), for example in filling plants. More particularly, the present invention relates to a distribution star of the type used in systems for manipulating containers, comprising a ring structure characterised in that it comprises: an annular fixed element that carries a plurality of grippers; an annular displacing element that carries cam means for the grippers; wherein the said annular displacing element is displaceable along a circumference of the said ring structure to set the said annular displacing element at different positions of the cam means with respect to the said grippers.