Abstract: The invention relates to a device for transporting a hollow body provided with a neck, for a hollow body made of a thermoplastic material. The device comprises at least one mounting translatably mobile along a predetermined path, at least one shaft rotatably mounted in the mounting mobile about a predetermined axis, and a member for gripping the hollow body by a neck which is supported by the rotary shaft. The transport device further comprises means for angular indexing of the rotary shaft in a single predetermined indexed angular position in relation to the mounting.

Abstract: A heating device (14) includes: a tubular lamp (16) having two free end sections (32); at least one reflector (34) that extends longitudinally at a predefined transverse distance (D) from the lamp (16); two holding members (46) for holding the lamp (16) in a transverse position relative to the reflector (34), each holding member (46) being attached to the reflector (34); characterized in that each free end section (32) of the lamp (16) is removably mounted on each holding member (46) by reversibly interlocking a portion of the free end section (32) of the lamp with a housing (54) of complementary shape in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A module (10) for heating a preform (12) made of a thermoplastic, includes: a lamp (16) having an emissive portion (22) emitting heating electromagnetic radiation and a non-emissive portion (24) that does not emit the heating radiation; and a longitudinal lens (32) that is fastened to the lamp (16), by at least one fastening brace (34), parallel to the emitting portion (22) in order to focus the heating radiation toward a selected zone of the preform; wherein each brace (34) is only fastened to the non-emissive portion (24) of the lamp (16).

Abstract: A device for gripping a hollow body includes a freely-rotating shaft and a mandrel that is integral with the shaft. The mandrel itself includes: an end fitting; a radiator that is mounted directly on the end fitting; a crosspiece inserted between the end fitting and the radiator; an expandable ring mounted between the end fitting and the crosspiece; an elastic element mounted between the end fitting and the expandable ring; an insert made of a material with high thermal conductivity, set in a housing made in the end fitting and emptying onto a free end face of the former, with the insert extending up to the point facing the radiator.

Abstract: A device for gripping a hollow body includes a freely-rotating shaft and a mandrel that is integral with the shaft. The mandrel itself includes: an end fitting; a radiator that is mounted directly on the end fitting; a crosspiece inserted between the end fitting and the radiator; an expandable ring mounted between the end fitting and the crosspiece; an elastic element mounted between the end fitting and the expandable ring; an insert made of a material with high thermal conductivity, set in a housing made in the end fitting and emptying onto a free end face of the former, with the insert extending up to the point facing the radiator.

Abstract: A method for ejecting a vessel (12), carried by a transporting device (10), the vessel (12) being provided with a neck (16) including a mouth (18), the transporting device (10) including: —a mobile support (28); —a gripping mandrel (30) that grips by vertical engagement with the neck (16); —an ejection face (64) mounted on the mobile support (28), the gripping mandrel (30) being mounted vertically slidable relative to the ejection face (64) to allow the gripping mandrel (30) to be extracted from the neck (16) when it slides via contact between the ejection face (64) and a bearing face (24) of the neck (16); characterized in that the bearing face (24) of the neck (16) is formed by a shoulder face that protrudes radially towards the outside relative to the mouth (18) and is arranged under the mouth (18) in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A device (20) for gripping a container (16) made of a thermoplastic material, includes: a nose (30) having a main shaft (B) which is suitable for axially inserting into the neck (24) of the container (16); a plurality of jaws (46) which are mounted in the nose (30) in a radially mobile manner between a retracted position allowing the free axial sliding of the nose (30) in the neck (24) and an expanded position allowing the immobilization of the neck (24) in relation to the nose (30) by pressing against the inner part of the neck (24); and elements (54) for elastically returning the jaws to their expanded position, wherein the jaw assembly (46) is maintained circumferentially in a determined circumferential position in relation to the nose (30).

Abstract: A heating device (14) includes: a tubular lamp (16) having two free end sections (32); at least one reflector (34) that extends longitudinally at a predefined transverse distance (D) from the lamp (16); two holding members (46) for holding the lamp (16) in a transverse position relative to the reflector (34), each holding member (46) being attached to the reflector (34); characterized in that each free end section (32) of the lamp (16) is removably mounted on each holding member (46) by reversibly interlocking a portion of the free end section (32) of the lamp with a housing (54) of complementary shape in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A device (20) for gripping a container (16) made of a thermoplastic material, includes: a nose (30) having a main shaft (B) which is suitable for axially inserting into the neck (24) of the container (16); a plurality of jaws (46) which are mounted in the nose (30) in a radially mobile manner between a retracted position allowing the free axial sliding of the nose (30) in the neck (24) and an expanded position allowing the immobilization of the neck (24) in relation to the nose (30) by pressing against the inner part of the neck (24); and elements (54) for elastically returning the jaws to their expanded position, wherein the jaw assembly (46) is maintained circumferentially in a determined circumferential position in relation to the nose (30).

Abstract: A module (10) for heating a preform (12) made of a thermoplastic, includes: a lamp (16) having an emissive portion (22) emitting heating electromagnetic radiation and a non-emissive portion (24) that does not emit the heating radiation; and a longitudinal lens (32) that is fastened to the lamp (16), by at least one fastening brace (34), parallel to the emitting portion (22) in order to focus the heating radiation toward a selected zone of the preform; wherein each brace (34) is only fastened to the non-emissive portion (24) of the lamp (16).

Abstract: A method for ejecting a vessel (12), carried by a transporting device (10), the vessel (12) being provided with a neck (16) including a mouth (18), the transporting device (10) including: a mobile support (28); a gripping mandrel (30) that grips by vertical engagement with the neck (16); an ejection face (64) mounted on the mobile support (28), the gripping mandrel (30) being mounted vertically slidable relative to the ejection face (64) to allow the gripping mandrel (30) to be extracted from the neck (16) when it slides via contact between the ejection face (64) and a bearing face (24) of the neck (16); characterized in that the bearing face (24) of the neck (16) is formed by a shoulder face that protrudes radially towards the outside relative to the mouth (18) and is arranged under the mouth (18) in the vertical direction.

Abstract: Device (1) for switching containers rotating about a fixed axis (10) of rotation and comprising, arranged peripherally around the axis (10) of rotation, a plurality of arms (7, 188) for gripping at least one container, each gripping arm (7, 188) comprising a cam follower (98, 186) for engagement in a cam raceway (91, 184), the raceway (91, 184) comprising at least one fixed section (111, 112, 115) and at least one removable section (120a, 120b, 194, 196) for a retractable cam, said device being characterized in that it comprises at least one rotary transverse plate (152, 153, 185) on which are fixed the radially mobile gripping arms (7, 188) and at least one fixed transverse plate (90a, 90b, 182) containing the raceway (91, 184) of the cam follower (98, 186) of the gripping arm (7, 188), and in that the removable section (120a, 120b, 194, 196) is retractable in a direction approximately parallel to the axis (10) of rotation by means of an actuator (140a, 140b) mounted on the fixed transverse plate (90a, 90b,

Abstract: Device (1) for switching containers rotating about a fixed axis (10) of rotation and comprising, arranged peripherally around the axis (10) of rotation, a plurality of arms (7, 188) for gripping at least one container, each gripping arm (7, 188) comprising a cam follower (98, 186) for engagement in a cam raceway (91, 184), the raceway (91, 184) comprising at least one fixed section (111, 112, 115) and at least one removable section (120a, 120b, 194, 196) for a retractable cam, said device being characterized in that it comprises at least one rotary transverse plate (152, 153, 185) on which are fixed the radially mobile gripping arms (7, 188) and at least one fixed transverse plate (90a, 90b, 182) containing the raceway (91, 184) of the cam follower (98, 186) of the gripping arm (7, 188), and in that the removable section (120a, 120b, 194, 196) is retractable in a direction approximately parallel to the axis (10) of rotation by means of an actuator (140a, 140b) mounted on the fixed transverse plate (90a, 90b,