Abstract: A container manufacturing plant (10) includes an air circuit (78) employing a recycling method that includes at least the successive steps of: extracting filtered air from an oven (26), after the air has been used in the latter, for the purpose of cooling at least one part of the preforms; treating the sterilizing agent present in the extracted air resulting from the sterilization of the preforms; and recycling the extracted and treated air to the industrial area (16) where the plant (10) is installed. An air recycling method is also described.

Abstract: A recycling method and to a plant (10) for manufacturing containers (12) from thermoplastic preforms (14), is characterized in that the plant (10) includes a circuit (60) for recycling the cooling air from the oven (26) including: extraction elements (56), which are capable of extracting the filtered air injected into the interior of the oven (26) by an air-cooling device (34); and at least one duct (62, 74) capable of bringing all or part of the filtered air extracted from the oven (26) as far as at least one unit (38, 48) of the plant into which the air is injected.

Abstract: A unit (10) for filling containers (14), includes an insulator (16) having a body (18) provided with an inlet (E) and an outlet (S), the structure (20) of the body (18) defining a space (V) forming an aseptic working region (22) and including insufflation elements (28) which are arranged in the upper part of the insulator (16) and are able to insufflate a sterile air flow for creating an overpressure inside the space (V). The insufflation elements (28) are arranged in the insulator (16) in such a way as to project a laminar-type flow (F) to lick the outer surface (44) of the containers (14), and the insulator (16) includes evacuation elements (48) which are separate from the inlet (E) and the outlet (S) and used to enable a controlled evacuation of the insufflated sterile air flow (F).

Abstract: A recycling method and to a plant (10) for manufacturing containers (12) from thermoplastic preforms (14), is characterized in that the plant (10) includes a circuit (60) for recycling the cooling air from the oven (26) including: extraction elements (56), which are capable of extracting the filtered air injected into the interior of the oven (26) by an air-cooling device (34); and at least one duct (62, 74) capable of bringing all or part of the filtered air extracted from the oven (26) as far as at least one unit (38, 48) of the plant into which the air is injected.

Abstract: A container manufacturing plant (10) includes an air circuit (78) employing a recycling method that includes at least the successive steps of: extracting filtered air from an oven (26), after the air has been used in the latter, for the purpose of cooling at least one part of the preforms; treating the sterilizing agent present in the extracted air resulting from the sterilization of the preforms; and recycling the extracted and treated air to the industrial area (16) where the plant (10) is installed. An air recycling method is also described.

Abstract: An installation for manufacturing containers by moulding from a perform includes at least one moulding unit having a control device for controlling at least one nozzle associated with a mould, the nozzle being vertically movably mounted so as to move vertically between a top position and a bottom position in which the mould is closed. The nozzle covers at least one flow opening that includes an upper horizontal wall of the mould. The manufacture involves at least a first step including, the mould being closed, systematically controlling the vertical descent of the nozzle towards the bottom position independently of the presence or absence of a preform in the mould so that, both when the installation is operating and when it is at rest, the internal volume of the mould is isolated in order to avoid the risk of airborne particulate contamination.

Abstract: A sterilization method and an installation for producing sterile bottles by blow molding sterilized preforms includes, at the spraying station, the flow of sterilizing product atomized onto each preform whose temperature (T1) is less than the condensing temperature (Tc) of the sterilizing product so that a film of mist of the sterilizing product deposits by condensation at least onto the inner wall to be sterilized, and, at the activation station of the sterilizing product of the sterilizing unit, each preform treated in the aforementioned manner is heated by radiation to a temperature (T2) greater than or equal to the activation temperature (Ta) in order to sterilize at least the inner wall of the preform.

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 present invention relates to an installation (10) for the manufacture of containers, in particular bottles, by blow moulding or stretch blow moulding from a thermoplastic preform, characterized in that the installation (10) comprises a system (70) for the insufflation of filtered air inside the enclosure (52) thereof to create an excess pressure therein by projecting a flow (F) of air therein which is selectively introduced into at least one first zone (Z1) so as to avoid the risks of specific airborne contamination.

Abstract: A unit (10) for filling containers (14), includes an insulator (16) having a body (18) provided with an inlet (E) and an outlet (S), the structure (20) of the body (18) defining a space (V) forming an aseptic working region (22) and including insufflation elements (28) which are arranged in the upper part of the insulator (16) and are able to insufflate a sterile air flow for creating an overpressure inside the space (V). The insufflation elements (28) are arranged in the insulator (16) in such a way as to project a laminar-type flow (F) to lick the outer surface (44) of the containers (14), and the insulator (16) includes evacuation elements (48) which are separate from the inlet (E) and the outlet (S) and used to enable a controlled evacuation of the insufflated sterile air flow (F).

Abstract: An installation producing sterile bottles by blow molding starting from preforms (12), includes a sterilizing treatment unit (26), a thermal conditioning unit, a molding unit, where the sterilizing treatment unit (26) includes an atomizing device (36) provided with a nozzle (38) which sprays, onto each preform (12), in laminar-flow form, a stream (F) of vaporized sterilizing product at the interior of the preform (12) and along a mean axis of spraying (A2) of the nozzle (38), where this axis is generally parallel to the axis (A1) of the preform (12) during treatment and is radially off-center with regard to the axis (A1) of the preform (12).

Abstract: A method of controlling an installation for manufacturing containers by moulding from a preform, the installation including at least one moulding unit having a control device for controlling at least one nozzle associated with a mould, the nozzle being vertically movably mounted so as to move vertically between a top position and a bottom position in which, the mould is in a closed position. The nozzle covers at least one flow opening that includes an upper horizontal wall of the mould. The method involves at least a first step including, the mould being in a closed position, systematically controlling the vertical descent of the nozzle towards the bottom position independently of the presence or absence of a preform in the mould so that, both when the installation is operating and when it is at rest, the internal volume of the mould is isolated in order to avoid the risk of airborne particulate contamination.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sterilization method and to an installation (10) for producing sterile bottles (14) by blow molding sterilized preforms (12) according to the method, characterized in that, at the spraying station (28), the flow (F) of sterilizing product is atomized onto each preform (12) whose temperature (T1) is less than the condensing temperature (Tc) of the sterilizing product so that a film of mist of the sterilizing product deposits by condensation at least onto the inner wall to be sterilized, and is characterized in that, at the activation station (50) of the sterilizing product of the sterilizing unit (26), each preform (12) treated in the aforementioned manner is heated by radiation to a temperature (T2) greater than or equal to the activation temperature (Ta) in order to sterilize at least the inner wall of the preform (12).

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: An installation producing sterile bottles by blow molding starting from preforms (12), includes a sterilizing treatment unit (26), a thermal conditioning unit, a molding unit, where the sterilizing treatment unit (26) includes an atomizing device (36) provided with a nozzle (38) which sprays, onto each preform (12), in laminar-flow form, a stream (F) of vaporized sterilizing product at the interior of the preform (12) and along a mean axis of spraying (A2) of the nozzle (38), where this axis is generally parallel to the axis (A1) of the preform (12) during treatment and is radially off-center with regard to the axis (A1) of the preform (12).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an installation (10) for the manufacture of containers, in particular bottles, by blow moulding or stretch blow moulding from a thermoplastic preform, characterized in that the installation (10) comprises a system (70) for the insufflation of filtered air inside the enclosure (52) thereof to create an excess pressure therein by projecting a flow (F) of air therein which is selectively introduced into at least one first zone (Z1) so as to avoid the risks of specific airborne contamination.

Abstract: A method for using low pressure plasma to deposit a coating on an object to be treated, whereby the plasma is obtained by partially ionizing, under the action of an electromagnetic field, a reaction fluid injected under low pressure into a treatment zone. The method includes at least two steps: a first step during which the reaction fluid is injected into the treatment zone at a first flow rate and under a given pressure, and a second step during which the same reaction fluid is injected into the treatment zone at a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate.

Abstract: A device for implementing a method for using low pressure plasma to deposit a coating on an object to be treated, the method including at least two steps: a first step during which reaction fluid is injected into a treatment zone at a first flow rate and under a given pressure, and a second step during which the same reaction fluid is injected into the treatment zone at a second flow rate lower than the first. The device includes a reactive fluid feed device having a source of reactive fluid, a flow regulator valve, and an injector that opens into the treatment area, and a controller that, during the transition between the first and second step, controls the regulator valve to cause a decrease in the flow of reactive fluid delivered to the treatment area.

Abstract: A container made of plastic material, produced by coating at least one of its faces with a coating deposited in accordance with a method of using a low pressure plasma to deposit a coating thereon, wherein the plasma is obtained by partial ionization, under the action of an electromagnetic field, of a reactive fluid injected under low pressure into a treatment area, characterized in that the method comprises at least two steps: a first step during which the reaction fluid is injected into the treatment zone at a first flow rate and under a given pressure, and a second step during which the same reaction fluid is injected into the treatment zone at a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate.

Abstract: A barrier coating to gases deposited on a polymer substrate by low pressure plasma, wherein it includes a silicon oxide barrier which is coated with a protective hydrogenated amorphous carbon film.