A method of controlling a preform for stretch blow-moulding a container with an integrally formed handle; the preform comprising a body portion and the integrally formed handle; the preform transferred from a perform supply source to a blow moulding die for blowing the container; the method including the steps of passing the preform through a preform handle orientating apparatus, transferring the preform to a preform transportation system, maintaining orientation of the preform handle imposed by the perform handle orientating apparatus during transfer to the perform transportation system and transfer to the blow moulding die, rotating the preforms during transport along the transportation system past an array of preform heating elements while shielding the integrally formed handle from excessive exposure to the heating elements, transferring the preform from the transportation system to the blow moulding die, and wherein the handle comprises a loop of orientable material extending between an upper connection region and a lower connection region on the body portion of the preform; characterised in that the handle has a generally uniform cross section from proximate the lower connection region to a gradually widening cross section approaching the upper connection region; the cross section reaching and maintaining a maximum width proximate the upper connection region.

A plastic molding system comprises: dispensing, pre-shaping and shaping cells and a transport subsystem. The dispensing cell has a station for dispensing a dose of plastic feedstock. The pre-shaping and shaping cells each comprise a plurality of stations for shaping the workpiece into a preform shape and into a final shape, respectively. The transport subsystem advances a workpiece along a selected one of a plurality of process paths to form a molded article. Each of the plurality of process paths is defined by a combination of stations of the dispensing cell, the pre-shaping cell and the shaping cell.

An apparatus for treating containers with a first treatment device configured to treat the containers in a predetermined first manner, with a transport device which transports the containers in a predetermined transport direction, wherein the transport device transports the containers in a transport stream extending in the transport direction, and with a reject device arranged after the first treatment device, which is configured to reject a plurality of containers arranged one after the other in the transport direction from the transport stream, wherein the apparatus has a second treatment device which is arranged before the first treatment device in the transport direction of the containers. The apparatus has a gap generating device which is arranged in front of the first treatment device in the transport direction of the containers and which generates at least one gap in the transport stream of the containers.

Provided are a handle-orienting preform feeding mechanism and orienting preform feeding method for a bottle preform with a handle. Under the combined action of the axial rotation of a plastic bottle preform and a handle positioning structure on a preform feeding tray, the handle of the plastic bottle preform with an integrated handle (especially a PET plastic bottle preform with an integrated handle) is positioned so that the plastic bottle preform with an integrated handle enters a heating machine and a bottle blowing machine of the next process according to the predetermined orientation. Accordingly, the wrong orientation of the integrated handle of the plastic bottle preform is avoided so that a mechanical arm can grasp the plastic bottle preform correctly and place the plastic bottle preform at the correct position of a bottle blowing mold. Thus the plastic bottle preform can be blown successfully.

This method for manufacturing a resin container includes injection molding a plurality of preforms in an arrangement direction, a adjusting the temperature of the preforms, and molding containers from the preforms. The manufacturing method includes, between the injection molding and the temperature adjusting, changing the orientation of the preforms aligned in the arrangement direction to an orientation aligned in a conveying direction.

A process for angular indexing of a pre-form having a body and a neck. The process includes a step of marking the neck of the pre-form which consists of production of at least one reference point on the neck of the pre-form. The process also includes a step of a heating station taking charge of the pre-form, during which the pre-form is transported along a heating course by a support unit, known as a spinner, which makes it possible to turn the pre-form around its axis, and during which the body of the pre-form is heated. The marking step is carried out during the step of taking charge, when the pre-form, supported by a spinner, travels along the heating course.

This extracting device 30 is for extracting a small and lightweight molded article 10 from a molding machine 20, and is provided with a first extracting member 40a, a second extracting member 40b, a first drive mechanism 50, and a second drive mechanism 60, wherein the first extracting member 40a and the second extracting member 40b are provided with accommodating portions 41a, 41b for accommodating the molded article 10, and shutter plates 42a, 42b for opening and closing the accommodating portions 41a and 41b.

The invention concerns a device for handling preforms for heating units. The device includes a mandrel that defines a rotation axis of the preforms; a tip mounted at an end of the mandrel and having a part penetrating into the neck of the preforms; a rubbing contact rigidly connected to the tip; and a heatsink rigidly connected to the mandrel and intended to come into contact with the tip. The tip also includes a cooling part axially in line with the penetrating part. The cooling part includes at least one thermal exchange raised portion in contact with the surrounding air. Furthermore, the tip is mounted such that it can be mobile on the mandrel.

Apparatus for heating plastic preforms with a transport device which transports the plastic preforms during their heating along a predetermined transport path, with a first feed transport device which directly transfers the plastic preforms to the transport device in a transfer region, wherein this first feed transport device having a carrier which can be rotated with respect to an axis of rotation and has a plurality of holding devices which hold the plastic preforms, wherein each of these holding devices is in each case assigned an application device, wherein these application devices being arranged on a carrier which can be rotated about an axis of rotation.

A system for producing plastic containers from preforms, comprising: a plurality of blowing stations comprising at least a first and a second blowing station (31, 32) for blowing the preforms; a movement system (2) for moving the preforms comprising a delivery line (21) for delivering the preforms towards said blowing stations. The delivery line (21) comprises a first and a second outlet zone (211, 212) of the preforms from said delivery line (21). The first and the second outlet zone (211, 212) for the outlet of the preforms are in mutually distinct positions and are intended to supply the first blowing station (31) and the second blowing station (32), respectively.