Abstract: A method of fabricating a container from a substantially tubular preform. The preform is preheated to a temperature above the glass-transition temperature of the preform and placed in an expansion zone configured to accommodate the preform and in fluid communication with the nozzle of an injection head. The expansion zone is disposed adjacent to the nozzle and about the longitudinal axis defined by the injection head. A volume of an injection liquid is injected from the injection head into the preform cavity of the preform while the preform is in the expansion zone and the preform is expanded, while still in the expansion zone, into a container. Concurrently with the injecting and expanding of the preform, the preform is heated by energizing a plurality of infrared-emitting elements disposed about the preform and projecting infrared radiation into the expansion zone.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a container from a substantially tubular preform. The preform is preheated to a temperature above the glass-transition temperature of the preform and placed in an expansion zone configured to accommodate the preform and in fluid communication with the nozzle of an injection head. The expansion zone is disposed adjacent to the nozzle and about the longitudinal axis defined by the injection head. A volume of an injection liquid is injected from the injection head into the preform cavity of the preform while the preform is in the expansion zone and the preform is expanded, while still in the expansion zone, into a container. Concurrently with the injecting and expanding of the preform, the preform is heated by energizing a plurality of infrared-emitting elements disposed about the preform and projecting infrared radiation into the expansion zone.

Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a container. The apparatus includes an injection head establishing fluid communication between an injection liquid source and a preform cavity of a substantially tubular preform through a nozzle of the injection head. The longitudinal axis of said injection head being substantially vertically oriented and passing through the nozzle. The apparatus further includes a plurality of infrared-emitting elements projecting infrared radiation into an expansion zone which is disposed adjacent to the nozzle and about the longitudinal axis. The expansion zone is configured to accommodate the preform when it is positioned in fluid communication with the nozzle.

Abstract: A plurality of containers fabricated from plastic preforms, wherein the form of each of the containers is partially defined, through expansion of the containers by other containers adjacent thereto. A package including a plurality of the plastic containers is also provided.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of manufacturing a container in a blowing mould, the blown container having a neck and a bottom aligned along a longitudinal axis and being enclosed within a blowing mould, the blowing mould comprising two side halves which are in contact with each other along a joint plane when the blowing mould is in a closed position, the blown container having at least one transverse dimension in a longitudinal cross-section including the longitudinal axis, characterized in that the method comprises a step of moving apart the two side halves of the blowing mould along a substantially transverse direction, the two side halves being moved apart from the joint plane over an overall distance that is less than the greatest transverse dimension of the blown container and that enables extraction of the blown container from the blowing mould.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a thermoplastic container from a cylindrical preform and for delivering a predetermined volume of a beverage component into the container. The apparatus includes: a mold defining a shape of the container; a member configured to inject at least one beverage component into a recess in the preform so as to promote expansion of the preform inside the mold into the shape of the container, the member being further configured to inject the at least one beverage component in a first volume intentionally greater than the predetermined volume; and the member also being configured to remove a fraction of the first volume of the beverage component until a second volume of beverage component remaining in the container is equal to the predetermined volume.

Abstract: A method for fabricating containers wherein a molding apparatus is provided having a plurality of mold segments, each of which has two substantially opposite faces that form a mold cavity when abutted against an opposite face of an adjacent mold segment. A first mold segment is passed through a manipulation zone at an increased speed to open the mold cavity between the first and second mold segments. After a preform is positioned within the mold cavity, a second mold segment is passed through the manipulation zone at an increased speed to abut a face of the first mold segment against an opposite face of the second mold segment. A volume of a liquid is next injected into the preform, expanding the preform and forming the container. These steps are repeated and a container produced during the previous iteration is removed during an extracting step in an extracting manipulation zone.

Abstract: A process for the manufacturing and filling of plastic containers, the process comprising the steps of: positioning a preform with relation to a mold assembly of two or more components, the preform generally being fabricated from a plastic and being provided with a longitudinal axis and presenting a stretchable portion and a non-stretchable portion; stretching the preform along its longitudinal axis; injecting a fluid into the interior volume of the preform, the fluid being under such pressure as to cause the preform to plastically deform until achieving the desired size and shape; and releasing the container from the mold assembly and sealing the container, and in which at least a portion of the stretchable portion of the perform is at a temperature below its vitreous transition temperature (Tg) and, preferably, at ambient temperatures.

Abstract: A plurality of preforms are positioned in relation to each other and an incompressible fluid is injected into a cavity of each of the preforms to induce them to expand into containers. A portion of the surface of each of the preforms comes into abutment with a portion of the surface of at least one other preform during the injecting step, such that the expansion of the preforms is constrained.

Abstract: A method for fabricating containers wherein a molding apparatus is provided having a plurality of mold segments, each of which has two substantially opposite faces that form a mold cavity when abutted against an opposite face of an adjacent mold segment. A first mold segment is passed through a manipulation zone at an increased speed to open the mold cavity between the first and second mold segments. After a preform is positioned within the mold cavity, a second mold segment is passed through the manipulation zone at an increased speed to abut a face of the first mold segment against an opposite face of the second mold segment. A volume of a liquid is next injected into the preform, expanding the preform and forming the container. These steps are repeated and a container produced during the previous iteration is removed during an extracting step in an extracting manipulation zone.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of manufacturing a container in a blowing mould, the blown container having a neck and a bottom aligned along a longitudinal axis and being enclosed within a blowing mould, the blowing mould comprising two side halves which are in contact with each other along a joint plane when the blowing mould is in a closed position, the blown container having at least one transverse dimension in a longitudinal cross-section including the longitudinal axis, characterized in that the method comprises a step of moving apart the two side halves of the blowing mould along a substantially transverse direction, the two side halves being moved apart from the joint plane over an overall distance that is less than the greatest transverse dimension of the blown container and that enables extraction of the blown container from the blowing mould.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of manufacturing a container in a blowing mold, the blown container (22; 72; 82) having a neck and a bottom aligned along a longitudinal axis (A) and being enclosed within a blowing mold (12; 70; 80), the blowing mold comprising two side halves (12a, 12b; 70a, 70b; 80a; 80b) which are in contact with each other along a joint plane (P) when the blowing mold is in a closed position, the blown container having at least one transverse dimension in a longitudinal cross-section including the longitudinal axis, characterized in that the method comprises a step of moving apart the two side halves (12a, 12b; 70a, 70b; 80a; 80b) of the blowing mold along a substantially transverse direction, the two side halves being moved apart from the joint plane (P) over an overall distance that is less than the greatest transverse dimension of the blown container and that enables extraction of the blown container from the blowing mold (12; 70; 80).

Abstract: An apparatus (500) for fabricating containers (511) comprises a plurality of mold segments (501A-501I) each with two substantially opposite faces (510A-510I) that form a mold cavity (509A-509I) when abutted against another mold segment (501A-501I), and a guiding means (502) to conduct them along a closed path (503) of length greater than the total length of the mold segments (501A-501I); being characterized in that it comprises at least one injecting head configured to inject a volume of liquid into a cavity of a preform (507) disposed within the mold cavity (509A-509I) and expand it into a container (511), and being further characterized in that each mold segment (501A-501I) is conducted along the closed path (503) through at least one manipulation zone (505, 506) of said closed path (503) at an increased speed relative to the immediately adjacent mold segments (501A-501I), said apparatus (500) comprising a positioning manipulation zone (505) where the preform (507) is inserted into said apparatus (500), and

Abstract: A method for the fabrication of a container (802), comprising the steps of: —providing a preform (705), said preform being substantially tubular in form and being provided with a closed end (709), a cavity (707), and an open end (710) communicating with said cavity (707); —positioning at least one restriction device (711, 714) relative to the preform (705) so as to define at least one restriction zone and restrict expansion of the preform (705) therein; —injecting a pre-determined volume of an incompressible fluid (800) into the cavity (707) of the preform (705) via the open end (710), provoking the preform (705) to plastically deform by expansion, said preform (705) expanding freely in at least one expansion zone outside said at least one restriction zone; and —Using for the fabrication of a beverage container (802).

Abstract: The invention relates to a composite package (8) linked together into a single unit, and comprising a plurality of individual containers (1, 2, and 3) of varying shapes and/or volumes and being assembled according to different orientations in the composite package. In the composite package are defined strong and weak containers according to their mechanical resistances on which apply external loads. According to the invention, the strong containers are arranged in their orientation along the direction(s) of external loads placed upon the composite package thereby protecting the weakest ones.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for delivering a beverage into a thermoplastic container formed from a heated preform, the preform being approximately cylindrical and positioned in a mold, characterized in that it includes injection unit for injecting at least one beverage into a recess in the preform so as to promote expansion of the preform inside the mold, the mold defining the shape of the container, the injection unit comprising an injection head designed to inject at least one beverage through a mouth of the recess, the injection head being integrated into the mold.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a thermoplastic container from a cylindrical preform and for delivering a predetermined volume of a beverage component into the container. The apparatus includes: a mold defining a shape of the container; a member configured to inject at least one beverage component into a recess in the preform so as to promote expansion of the preform inside the mold into the shape of the container, the member being further configured to inject the at least one beverage component in a first volume intentionally greater than the predetermined volume; and the member also being configured to remove a fraction of the first volume of the beverage component until a second volume of beverage component remaining in the container is equal to the predetermined volume.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of delivering a predetermined volume of beverage into a thermoplastic container formed from a heated preform positioned in a mold, characterized in that the product includes a step of injecting at least some beverage into a recess in the preform so as to promote expansion of the preform inside the mold, the mold defining the shape of the container, a volume of beverage introduced during the injection step being at least equal to said predetermined volume, and, in addition, the method includes a step of sucking out a fraction of said volume of the beverage introduced until the volume of beverage remaining in the container is approximately equal to said predetermined volume.

Abstract: A plurality of preforms are positioned in relation to each other and an incompressible fluid is injected into a cavity of each of the preforms to induce them to expand into containers. A portion of the surface of each of the preforms comes into abutment with a portion of the surface of at least one other preform during the injecting step, such that the expansion of the preforms is constrained.

Abstract: A plurality of containers fabricated from plastic preforms, wherein the form of each of the containers is partially defined, through expansion of the containers by other containers adjacent thereto. A package including a plurality of the plastic containers is also provided.