Abstract: The present invention provides a blow molding machine comprising a plurality of pillars 5 set up facing on a seat 4 above a base 3 located above a blow mold 2; a stationary platen 6 provided bridging on the top portions of the pillars 5; a moving cylinder 7 set on both side of the stationary platen 6; and a holding plate 9 of blow-core members, which is connected with a piston rod 7a of the moving cylinder 7, and in which the pillars 5 are inserted vertically movable; and a clamp plate 15 projecting at both ends from the holding plate 9 outwardly, and a clamp block 16, which includes internally a pair of hydraulic cylinders 18 to clamp the clamp plate 15 from both sides with rams when the holding plate 9 is in the lower limit position, which is provided on both sides of the seat 4.

Abstract: The present invention refers to an Integrated Injection-Stretch-Blow Mold suitable for producing bi-orientated thermoplastics containers, which can be installed in an injection molding machine, occupying the space normally destined for injection molds. It consists of a central chassis (8) having in its interior a central block mechanism (30), with the injection cores (6cores (12) and the mechanisms for stretch and blow (9, 13, 23) and for release of the finish containers (18, 20); a motorized system (31), connected to the central block mechanism (30), by a rotating plate shaft (11), for the transport of the performs at least an injection mold (1) and a blow mold (14) placed around the central chassis (8).

Abstract: A holding jig for such a preform formed of a synthetic resin into a bottomed cylindrical shape as is to be assembled by inserting a mouth cylinder portion to an insertion limit into the leading end portion of a cylindrical jig body having a pin inserting bore formed therethrough at its center for a drawing pin to be inserted thereinto. The holding jig comprises a support portion disposed in the inner circumference of the leading end portion of the jig body at a position to confront a peripheral projecting ridge of the mouth cylinder portion, for making such external contact with the outer circumference of the peripheral projecting ridge as to insert and extract of the mouth cylinder portion, thereby to hold the assembled posture of the preform. The holding jig can hold the preform stably in a predetermined posture thereby to achieve a high productivity for the biaxial orientation blow-molded bottle.

Abstract: A machine for making thermoplastic containers by stretching and blowing a preform including at least a stretch rod which is slidably controlled along its axis by an actuator from a retracted position to a stretching position to stretch the preform during the blowing process. When the stretch rod returns toward its retracted position, the actuator is idle, such that the stretch rod is returned by a blowing pressure prevailing inside the container being produced so as to act on a working end of the stretch rod.

Abstract: A container is made in two stages from thermoplastics material. In the first stage a preform (1) is injection moulded, the mould parts easily releasing a tubular body (2) with a closed end and an outwardly projecting rim (3) at the open end. In the second stage the still heated preform (1) is blow moulded, possibly with some preliminary mechanical stretching, with the blow pin (13) seated in the open end of the body (2) and the preform (1) held by the other part (7) of its rim. The wall of the body (2) is expanded, and immediately below the open end it is stretched outwardly to meld with the underside of the inner part (5) of the rim. The resultant container thus has a mouth defined by an inset lip. It may be of paint tin form, with a drip groove (9) around the mouth.

Abstract: In a biaxial stretch blow molding apparatus (10) for wide-mouthed containers, preforms (6) that are in an inverted state are conveyed on a single plane by preform carriers (40) that go around a carrier circuit (30) in the form of a loop, are heated via a heating station (60), and are then transferred via a transfer station (80) to stretch blow molding mold assemblies (72) that go around a circular looped path (71). The molded wide-mouthed containers (1) are taken out of the stretch blow molding mold assemblies (72) along a conveying path on a same plane and collected by a collection station (90). Wide-mouthed containers can be formed continuously and at high speed, which is less wasteful and more economical than the case where wide-mouthed containers that are formed from films.

Abstract: A blow mold (1) for a stretching machine or a glass blowing machine, comprising two mold halves (3, 4) which are pivotably connected by at least one connecting pin (2), and a shutting device and locking device in the form of a closing clamp (7) which can be slid directly onto the mold halves (3, 4) from the side of the connecting pin (2). The mold halves (3, 4) are closed around the connecting pin (2) by the sliding, pressing contact of the closing clamp (7) and in the closed position, are pressed against each other without a gap, resulting in a mechanically simple, space-saving blow mold (1).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for producing containers from a plastic material that can be shaped by means of stretch blow forming and whose inner space corresponds to the finished container, said container being retained on its open end by a receiving element with gas flow pipes. A moveable stretch die (1) is axially guided through the receiving element and an ignition device is mounted in order to ignite an explosive gas mixture inside the container. In order to produce plastic containers having a better outer appearance, such as a substantially clear, transparent wall, and improve reliability of production, the receiving element can be engaged in a fluidically tight manner with the main distribution block (2) by the end thereof that faces the container, the stretching die (1) being movably guided through said distribution block in the axial extension of the receiving element.

Abstract: A blow mold machine, comprising two lockable mold halves. A locking element is fixed onto one mold half and a shaft with at least one recess is mounted in the other mold half. The shaft can be pivoted between a locking position, in which it lies against the locking element and a release position, in which the locking element can be displaced past the recess. A locking mechanism with a particularly simple construction can thus be achieved.

Abstract: A blow molding machine with at least one blow mold for producing hollow bodies from heated performs, at least one blow nozzle for leading the blow air into the performs and a plurality of valves for controlling the feeding and the removal of the blow air to and from the blow nozzle, whereby the valves are arranged on an annular valve carrier surrounding the blow nozzle, resulting in a compact design with short cycle times.

Abstract: A PET hot fill bottle (2) has a neck (3) and a body (4). It is stretched and blown into a cavity (14), with internal pressure holding the body against the cavity. During a first period, the cavity is heated to 100° to 160° C. for between 3 to 7 seconds to relax stresses in the body. During a second period the cavity is cooled to 60° to 120° C. for 4 to 8 seconds. This solidifies it—without introducing stresses—so that it can be removed from the mould. The resulting bottle is heat stable when filled with water close to its boiling point, namely at 92° C. to 98° C. For the rapid heating and cooling of the mould cavity, it is provided with two series of passages (16, 17). The former house ohmic heaters (18); whilst the latter are connected to water and air supply lines (19, 20).

Abstract: Method and apparatus for blow molding a plastic container with a mouth and neck portion thereof which is inclined or angled with respect to the body portion of the container, plus a plastic container having an inclined or angled mouth and neck portion.

Abstract: In an injection stretch blow molding method, at least one injection molded preform is transferred from a preform molding section to a blow molding section by way of a transfer section and the at least one preform is blow molded into at least one container in the blow molding section. In the preform molding section the at least one preform is injection molded in an upright state with an open neck section thereof facing upward. In the transfer section, the at least one upright preform is turned upside-down and transferred to the blow molding section in an inverted state. Then, the blow molding section blow molds at least one container from the at least one inverted preform.

Abstract: Apparatus for blow moulding plastic containers, comprising a plurality of pairs of half-moulds (1, 2) capable of being coupled with each other, separated from each other and clamped together, said pairs (1, 2) being associated to an appropriate central structure and constituted by a stationary half-mould (1), which is substantially attached to said structure, and a respective moving half-mould (2) capable of being opened and clamped with a rotary motion, in which there are provided means adapted (3, 4) to arrange a respective preform (7) in a pre-defined position adapted for blow moulding, and to hold this preform (7) in this position regardless of the position of the respective half-moulds (1, 2), these means being in particular constituted by: a fork means (3) firmly joined to a respective stationary half-mould (1), a pincer-like gripper (5) adapted to transfer a respective preform (7) from an external position and fit it on to the respective fork means (3), and a small-tube (4) assembly adapted to be inser

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacture of a hollow article having a configuration in which the wall thickness of each of both end portions changes multidirectionally with extremely high accuracy. The apparatus includes an annular orifice nozzle including a nozzle core and a nozzle mouthpiece. The nozzle mouthpiece is multi-divided vertically and laterally, and the divided part is disposed so as to be able to reciprocate laterally. A part of the upper portion of the nozzle mouthpiece is replaced with a blow mold and a lower portion can be moved laterally upon taking out a product.

Abstract: A device for manufacturing containers from a plastic material which can be formed by stretch-blowing with a mold, the internal space of which corresponds to the finished container, which is held by its open end by a receiving portion, wherein lines connected to a metering unit are provided on the receiving portion, a moveable stretching die is guided axially through the receiving portion, and an ignitor is arranged for igniting an explosive gas mixture inside the container, and wherein a heater and cooler are provided.

Abstract: A blow molding machine including at least a blow mold (12), wherein is introduced a preform (14) previously produced by injection molding, and a blow nozzle (22) for injecting pressurized air into the preform (14). It is equipped with a device for orienting the preform in the mold, the device including a grip member (30) adapted to grip the preform (14) by its neck (18) when it is engaged in the mold (12); a device (66) for driving in rotation the grip member (30); a device for detecting (70) at least a reference angular position of the preform (14); and a control device to cause the grip member to rotate until the detecting device detects the reference angular position of the preform.

Abstract: A blow molding machine for producing a biaxially oriented, heat set plastic container, including a blow mold; a high-pressure gas source; a high-temperature gas source; a fluid source; a mixer coupled to the high-temperature gas source and to the fluid source; a blow core assembly having an exhaust; and a controller coupled to the high-pressure gas source, to the, high-temperature gas source, and to the fluid source. The PET containers produced by the machine have an average sidewall crystallinity greater than about 30%, which allows the PET container to maintain its material integrity during any subsequent pasteurization or retort process of the contents in the PET container, and during shipment of the PET container.

Abstract: A holding jig for such a preform formed of a synthetic resin into a bottomed cylindrical shape as is to be assembled by inserting a mouth cylinder portion to an insertion limit into the leading end portion of a cylindrical jig body having a pin inserting bore formed therethrough at its center for a drawing pin to be inserted thereinto. The holding jig comprises a support portion disposed in the inner circumference of the leading end portion of the jig body at a position to confront a peripheral projecting ridge of the mouth cylinder portion, for making such external contact with the outer circumference of the peripheral projecting ridge as to insert and extract of the mouth cylinder portion, thereby to hold the assembled posture of the preform. The holding jig can hold the preform stably in a predetermined posture thereby to achieve a high productivity for the biaxial orientation blow-molded bottle.

Abstract: A blow molding machine for producing a biaxially oriented, heat set plastic container, including a blow mold; a high-pressure fluid source; a high-temperature fluid source; a blow core assembly having an exhaust; and a controller coupled to the high-pressure fluid source, to the high-temperature fluid source, and to the exhaust. The PET containers produced by the machine have an average sidewall crystallinity greater than about 30%, which allows the PET container to maintain its material integrity during any subsequent pasteurization or retort process of the contents in the PET container, and during shipment of the PET container.

Abstract: A rotary machine for blowing thermoplastic containers starting with a previously injected preform, comprising several blowing stations (10) each of which can bear a double cavity mould (16), wherein each station includes a blowing unit (26) which is fixed on a mount frame element (22) and provided with two blow nozzles (24). The machine can be transposed into a single cavity configuration wherein each station bears a single cavity mould (36), and the blowing unit (26) includes a second position for being fixed on the mount frame element wherein one of the nozzels (24) is arranged to correspond with the main axis (A4) of the single moulding cavity (38) of the single cavity mound (36).

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for transferring parisons from an injection-molding machine to a blow-mold machine on an indexed table. The injection-molding machine creates multiple groups of parisons during an injection cycle. The groups from each cycle are transferred to the table and the blow-mold machine at the end of one interval and the beginning of a next interval so that the groups from a single injection-cycle are treated in a substantially like manner. The intervals may be of equal or unequal duration and total the length of an injection cycle.

Abstract: A mould tool comprises a primary cavity part (201), a core part (202), a secondary cavity assembly (203) and an actuation ring (204). The primary cavity part (201) is attached to the fixed platen of a moulding machine in use and incorporates an injection gate (211). The core part (202) is attached to the moving platen and has a fixed portion (2021) having outside its preform shaping surfaces (20211) four pivot points (224)—of which two are shown—for the secondary cavity petals (2030), of which there are four. Also the core part incorporates a movable portion (2022), comprised of a preform shaping end plate (20221), a carrier (20222) for the end plate, a pair of movement rods (20223) to which the carrier is attached and which are housed in bores (20224) in the core (202) via linear bearings (20225).

Abstract: A machine for making thermoplastic containers by stretching and blowing a preform, comprising several molding stations mounted on a rotary carrousel, each station being provided with at least a stretch rod whereof the sliding movement is controlled along an axis (An). The stretch rod is controlled by a magnetic device having at least a fixed magnetic guide arranged about the axis of the carrousel and a slide which is integral with the stretch rod and bears at least a magnetic shoe and the shoe and the guide co-operate by magnetic coupling such that the guide imposes a predetermined axial movement on the slide.

Abstract: A machine for making thermoplastic containers by drawing and blowing a preform including at least a drawing rod which is slidably controlled along its axis (An) by an actuator from a retracted position to a maximum drawing position to draw the preform during the blowing process. When the drawing rod returns toward its retracted position, the actuator is idle, the rod return being ensured by the blowing pressure prevailing inside the container being produced and acting on the working end of the rod.

Abstract: An apparatus for molding balloon catheters is disclosed. The balloon may be molded by providing a polymeric tube within a mold having an interior cavity in the shape of the desired balloon. Microwave energy, which may be generated by a gyrotron, may then be directed toward the mold, to heat the polymeric material without heating the mold. Once heated, pressurized fluid may be injected into the tube to blow the polymeric material against the interior cavity whereupon the material can cool to form the balloon or can be further heatset by additional microwave energy and be cooled to form the balloon.

Abstract: A method for inspecting the material distribution of a sequence of stretch blow molded containers or other articles in a continuous production process, by providing injection molded parisons, each parison having at least one indicator, typically two or more indicators, for detecting material distribution at a predetermined position along the axial extent of the parison. Each of the parisons is subjected to a heating stage in the continuous production process, generally by exposure to infrared heating. Each heated parison is then subjected to a blow molding process, which can be a stretch blow molding process, so that each material distribution indicator is transformed to a corresponding position along the axial extent of the blow molded article. A detector is positioned to detect the location of each indicator on each blow molded article from a given mold in the production process.

Abstract: In a biaxial stretch blow molding apparatus (10) for wide-mouthed containers, preforms (6) that are in an inverted state are conveyed on a single plane by preform carriers (40) that go around a carrier circuit (30) in the form of a loop, are heated via a heating station (60), and are then transferred via a transfer station (80) to stretch blow molding mold assemblies (72) that go around a circular looped path (71). The molded wide-mouthed containers (1) are taken out of the stretch blow molding mold assemblies (72) along a conveying path on a same plane and collected by a collection station (90). Wide-mouthed containers can be formed continuously and at high speed, which is less wasteful and more economical than the case where wide-mouthed containers that are formed from films.

Abstract: An injection blow molding system includes an injection molding station (22), a first delivery section (24), a cooling station (26), a heating station (30), a second delivery section (32) and a plurality of blow molding stations (34). The station (22) simultaneously injection molds M rows of N preforms (36) arranged in a second direction (B) perpendicular to a first direction (A) in which the preforms (36) are carried. The first delivery section (24) removes the M rows of preforms (36) using a removing mechanism (102) in their upright state while decreasing the pitch in the rows. The preforms 36 are inverted with the column pitch changed by an inverting mechanism (104) before delivery to the cooling station in their inverted state. The cooling and heating stations (26), (30) cool and heat one row of N preforms (36) while parallel carrying them along a first carrying chain (200). The second delivery section (32) delivers the preforms (36) to two blow molding stations while in their inverted state.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a blow molding machine with at least one blow mold for producing hollow bodies from heated preforms, at least one blow nozzle for leading the blow air into the preforms and a plurality of valves for controlling the feeding and the removal of the blow air to and from the blow nozzle, whereby the valves are arranged on an annular valve carrier surrounding the blow nozzle. This results in a compact design with short cycle times.

Abstract: Machine for the production of receptacles of plastic. A stretching rod (32) is displaced by actuating means (69) comprising a servo-motor (72) whose operation is controlled by a controller installation (73) by means of an adjustment loop (75). The blowing air is introduced into the preform via a servo-valve (60) whose operation is also controlled by this installation (73) by means of an adjustment loop (76) which can be combined with the first adjustment loop (75). It is thus possible to control in a precise manner the process of transformation of a preform into a receptacle by means of curves of stretching and pressure increase. Calibration operations of the maximum path of the stretching rod as a function of the length of the mould cavities and calibration operations of the path of positioning of the stretching rod as a function of the preform can be carried out easily and in an automated fashion, thereby ensuring excellent safety of production and very high adaptability to all conditions of production.

Abstract: The apparatus for treating the inside surface of a bottle (1) in a plasma enhanced process comprises a vacuum chamber (2), a microwave confinement (3) with a microwave generator (4), evacuation means and gas feed means (5). The microwave confinement (3) is substantially cylindrical and adapted to the shape of at least the body portion of the bottle (1) to be treated as closely as possible. The microwaves are coupled into the microwave confinement (3) form the bottom side of the bottle (1) and the microwave confinement is excited in a TM mode of resonance. The inventive apparatus is very compact and very simple. It can be integrated into a stretch-blow-moulding apparatus or into a filling apparatus. For upscaling, a plurality of one-bottle apparatuses is arranged in a row or in a matrix and all the one-bottle apparatuses are connected to a net of energy, vacuum and gas supply lines.

Abstract: A machine and method for blow molding a polyester bottle for carbonated beverages with an internal web structure positioned between two hand-grip depressions. The machine and method uses an injection-molded preform having a web feature and maintains the web of the preform in a precise position during heat-treatment and eventual blow molding into the bottle. Heat-treatment involves an oven capable of heating and cooling selected regions of the preform by using a combination of shields, heat energy reflective surfaces, and cooling airflows. Bottle blow molding involves precise placement of the preform relative to hand-grip surfaces in a blow mold cavity and cooling airflow of the internal web structure before bottle removal.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for transferring parisons from an injection-molding machine to a blow-mold machine on an indexed table. The injection-molding machine creates multiple groups of parisons during an injection cycle. The groups from each cycle are transferred to the table and the blow-mold machine at the end of one interval and the beginning of a next interval so that the groups from a single injection-cycle are treated in a substantially like manner. The intervals may be of equal or unequal duration and total the length of an injection cycle.

Abstract: A process for producing a plastic blow-molded part. A plastically deformable plastic parison with a first subregion and an opposite second subregion is placed between a molding element having a projecting region and a mold interacting with the molding element. A positive pressure is generated between the molding element and the first subregion and within the parison, to keep the first subregion at a distance from the molding element and to keep the first and second subregions at a distance from each other. A stretching region of the first subregion is preformed by moving the molding element in relation to an edge region in the direction of the mold and by generating a negative pressure between the projecting region and the stretching region of the first subregion. The subregions are deformed for generating a positive pressure within the parison.

Abstract: A biaxially stretching blow molding apparatus perform biaxial stretch-molding for a preform into a predetermined shape by transporting a preform carrier supporting the preform along a transporting path extending across a heating portion and a stretch-molding portion, has first and second reversing means for reversing the preform carrier, and first and second transporting paths forming the transporting path. The first reversing means receives the preform carrier transported in up-side-down position along the second transporting path, reverses the received preform carrier into elected position, and transfers the preform carrier thus reversed to the first transporting path. The second reversing means receives the preform carrier transported in elected position along the first transporting path, reverses the received preform carrier into the up-side-down position, and transfers the preform carrier thus reversed to the second transporting path.

Abstract: The vertically reciprocable eject head at the finished article eject station of a molding machine has a row of cylindrical eject cores that project downwardly from the head during operation. From time-to-time, the eject cores must be replaced with a different set of cores having a different spacing and number. A universal mounting plate forming part of the quick change apparatus of the eject head has an elongated through slot extending longitudinally along the length of the universal plate that receives the eject cores but does not establish their position. One or more adaptor plates detachably fastened to the bottom side of the universal plate has a row of holes therein that register with the receiving slot of the mounting plate so as to establish the number and location of eject cores that can be carried by the eject head.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for making plastic tubes, whereby a tube blank (Te) brought to a temperature close to molecular orientation temperature is subjected to a bi-axial drawing, by radial expansion of the tube blank inside a forming shaft (2), with formation of a contraction cavity at one end of the tube, by controlled displacement of this contraction cavity to the other end of the tube, and by longitudinal drawing. The radial expansion is carried out in at least two phases, viz. a first phase during which the tube blank (Te) is inflated to an intermediate diameter (Di) determined by a double-walled envelope (21), introduced into the forming shaft (2), with circulation of a hot fluid between the two walls of the envelope (21), and then the envelope is gradually removed from the forming shaft (2) to enable, during a second phase, the radial expansion of the plastic tube up to an internal diameter of the forming shaft (2), and its longitudinal drawing.

Abstract: A container is made in two stages from thermoplastics material. In the first stage a preform (1) is injection moulded, the mould parts easily releasing a tubular body (2) with a closed end and an outwardly projecting rim (3) at the open end. In the second stage the still heated preform (1) is blow moulded, possibly with some preliminary mechanical stretching, with the blow pin (13) seated in the open end of the body (2) and the preform (1) held by the outer part (7) of its rim. The wall of the body (2) is expanded, and immediately below the open end it is stretched outwardly to meld with the underside of the inner part (5) of the rim. The resultant container thus has a mouth defined by an inset lip. It may be of paint tin form, with a drip groove (9) around the mouth.

Abstract: A core rod positioning device is provided. The core rod positioning device has a sleeve having an outer surface defining an interior surface of an article molded using the core rod assembly. The sleeve also has an interior surface and a mandrel is located within the sleeve. Portions of the mandrel define a first passageway therethrough and which terminates at a port located in the exterior surface of the mandrel. The exterior surface of the mandrel cooperates with the interior surface of the sleeve thereby defining a second passageway between the sleeve and the mandrel. An adjustment mechanism is operably coupled to the mandrel allowing the mandrel to be adjusted laterally relative to the sleeve.

Abstract: A method for producing a biaxially oriented, heat set plastic container, including the steps of providing a plastic preform within a mold cavity; expanding and stretching the plastic preform into conformity with the surfaces defining the mold cavity to form a biaxially oriented plastic container; inducing crystallinity in the plastic container by using convection heat transfer to heat a surface of the plastic container to a temperature of at least 120° C.; and removing the plastic container from the mold cavity. The PET containers produced by the method have an average sidewall crystallinity greater than about 30%, which allows the PET container to maintain its material integrity during any subsequent pasteurization or retort process of the contents in the PET container, and during shipment of the PET container.

Abstract: A synchronous moving and sealing apparatus for a blow-molded product is disclosed. It mainly comprises a vertical moving mechanism and a sealing mechanism. The sealing mechanism has a clamping gear activator and two pulling rod activators with two pulling rods. The sealing mechanism and the plastic material will move down. The pulling rods and two clamping rods makes this edge closed approximately as a straight line and will seal the edge of the plastic material synchronously. So, a higher quality of the final blow-molded product is obtained and the safety of the operator is enhanced.

Abstract: An injection stretch blow molding machine utilizing a horizontal clamping arrangement and extruder for manufacture of injection stretch blow-molded articles, includes a stationary machine platen; an injection mold mounted to the stationary machine platen, the injection mold having temperature controlled injection cavities; first and second blow-mold assemblies positioned to opposite sides of the stationary machine platen; a shuttle assembly reciprocally movable along a machine axis of the machine toward and away from the stationary machine platen; a movable platen connected with the shuttle assembly for movement toward and away from the stationary machine platen; a retainer plate mounted to the movable platen; a core mold assembly mounted on the retainer plate, the core mold assembly including core pins; a shuttle plate mounted to the shuttle assembly and reciprocally moving perpendicular to the machine axis, the shuttle plate formed with openings and being in close proximity to the retainer plate in a machin

Abstract: A machine and method for blow molding a polyester bottle for carbonated beverages with an internal web structure positioned between two hand-grip depressions. The machine and method uses an injection-molded preform having a web feature and maintains the web of the preform in a precise position during heat-treatment and eventual blow molding into the bottle. Heat-treatment involves an oven capable of heating and cooling selected regions of the preform by using a combination of shields, heat energy reflective surfaces, and cooling airflows. Bottle blow molding involves precise placement of the preform relative to hand-grip surfaces in a blow mold cavity and cooling airflow of the internal web structure before bottle removal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing packaging containers of plastics, a packaging container, in particular produced according to said method, a method of producing filled and closed packaging containers, a molding station for a plastic packaging container and a packaging machine having such a molding station. According to the invention a packaging container is produced in a continuous method and an associated packaging machine in a combined deep-drawing/blow-molding operation with undercuts and is subsequently filled in a continuous process with a packaging material and sealed, wherein the closed packaging containers are subsequently separated from one another and discharged, optionally provided with a reclosable cover.

Abstract: A stretch blow molding process and apparatus for the manufacturing of plastic containers includes the step of preheating the preform. In particular the preheating step includes directly heating the inside of the preform. This is particularly important during the processing of polypropylene. The method for heating plastic preforms for the stretch blow molding thereof comprises the steps of heating the outside of the preforms with at least one infrared radiation lamp and directly heating the inside of the preforms. Preferably the heating of the outside and the heating of the inside is performed concurrently. The apparatus for use in the preheat step of a preform during a stretch blow molding process includes a channel; a plurality of chucks and a method of directly heating the inside of the preforms. The plurality of chucks are movably connected to the channel and each chuck is adapted to receive a preform. The inside of the preform is heated as the chuck moves along the channel.

Abstract: In an injection stretch blow molding method, at least one injection molded preform is transferred from a preform molding section to a blow molding section by way of a transfer section and the at least one preform is blow molded into at least one container in the blow molding section. In the preform molding section the at least one preform is injection molded in an upright state with an open neck section thereof facing upward. In the transfer section, the at least one upright preform is turned upside-down and transferred to the blow molding section in an inverted state. Then, the blow molding section blow molds at least one container from the at least one inverted preform.

Abstract: A heat blow molding apparatus includes a supply section 110, a heating station 112, a transfer section 114 and a blow molding station 116, all of which are disposed linearly in a direction A in which preforms 118 are carried. The supply section 110 supplies the preforms 118 each having a neck portion in their inverted state. The heating station 112 simultaneously heats the inverted preforms 118 while they are being carried parallel to each other. The transfer section 114 transfers the inverted preforms 118 after they have been heated by the heating station. The blow molding station 116 simultaneously blow molds the inverted preforms 118 transferred from the transfer section 114 into containers.

Abstract: In a single-row and expandable into a multi-row stretch blow molding method and apparatus, a robot having a universal gripper assembly is used to pick up molded preforms during the clamp opening stroke of a preform-molding unit and then transfer the preforms at variable time intervals to a conditioning, stretch blow molding and discharge unit, releases finished hollow articles and returns to a waiting position at the preform-molding unit independent of the preform-molding cycle. Simultaneously, component transfer devices pick up external components, i.e. labels, valves or handles during the stretch blow molding phase and release the components into the blow-mold cavities while the universal gripper assembly is in the waiting position. The universal gripper assembly can alternatively also be pivoted to pick up preforms from a lateral reheat unit to supplement the molded preform supply.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a stretch blow mold machine includes devices for monitoring the position of a stretch rod with respect to a mold, an air pressure sensor for monitoring air pressure introduced through the stretch rod, and a sensor for monitoring temperature of fluid within a fluid cavity for chilling the mold. The system includes a display for monitoring position data, pressure data, and temperature data generated by the respective sensors.