A preform for being blow-molded to form a container is provided herein. The preform comprises a finish portion that includes an opening to an interior of the preform and includes a tamper evidence ledge. The tamper evidence ledge cooperates with a tamper-evident ring portion of a cap to indicate that the cap has not been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer. A neck portion is disposed adjacent to the tamper evidence ledge. A tapered portion transitions from a diameter of the neck portion to a smaller diameter of a cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion comprises an elongate member that culminates in an end cap. Threads disposed on the finish portion are configured to threadably receive the cap. A handling valley is disposed between the tamper evidence ledge and the threads. The handling valley enables gripping fingers to engage with and air-convey the container along a manufacturing assembly.

A continuously rotating, non-symmetric preform feed, stretch-blow-moulding machine dedicated to the stretch-blow-moulding of containers from non-symmetric injection moulded preforms; the non-symmetric preforms including an integral handle extending from a first junction point to a second junction point on a body of the preform; the body of the preform and the integral handle constituted from the same material.

Apparatus for treating plastic preforms, having a heating device for heating the plastic preforms, having forming devices for forming the plastic preforms into plastic containers, and having a sterilization device for sterilizing the plastic preforms, wherein the sterilization device has at least one first sterilization unit which has a rotatable transport carrier and a plurality of holding devices arranged on this transport carrier for holding the plastic preforms, as well as a plurality of first application devices for acting upon the plastic preforms, and the sterilization device has a second sterilization unit.

A preform orienting apparatus for a preform having an integral handle is disclosed. The preform orienting apparatus has a stationary outer guide comprising a friction strip configured to contact a portion of the preform and pick up the preform by the portion of the preform, and configured to rotate the preform, and a moving starwheel assembly comprising a plurality of lugs disposed on an underneath side of the moving starwheel, wherein at least one lug of the plurality of lugs is configured to stop rotation of the preform at a predisposed position of the integral handle.

A method for the production of blow-molded containers that are sterile at least in certain regions, and a blow-molding machine configured to carry out the method. In accordance with the method, blowing stations are arranged on a rotating blowing wheel. A preform of a thermoplastic material is first heated and then stretched in a blowing station by a stretching rod and subjected to a pressurized blowing fluid via a blowing nozzle. A sterilizing fluid is supplied to the preform in the blowing station to perform a sterilization. The sterilizing fluid is fed into the preform from an outlet and is carried away again via an inlet and in between follows a flow path. The sterilizing fluid is made to pass through or pass by the stretching rod on its flow path, and the sterilizing fluid is supplied while the blow-molding machine continues to operate.

Disclosed is a method for producing at least one molded, filled and sealed container product (10) comprising at least the method steps listed below: extruding a hose (32) by means of an extrusion device (12) using supporting gas in vertical extrusion direction in a preforming position; sealing the hose (32) at its lower end and cutting it at its upper open end; transporting of the parison (22) thus cut to length by means of a gripper device (20) in linear transport direction transverse to the extrusion direction from the preforming position into an opened molding tool (18); transferring the parison (22) into the opened molding tool (18) by means of the gripper device (20) in a main forming position; sealing the molding tool (18) for further forming of the parison (22) by a pressure gradient; filling and sealing the parison (22); and returning the gripper device (20) to the preforming position for a repeated sequence of the above method steps

Transfer star-wheel (1) for containers (100) of thermoplastic material, comprising: a rotary carousel (2) bearing a plurality of supporting stations (S) for supporting containers (100) by their neck (100b), in each supporting station (S) being provided a pliers (3) hinged to the rotary carousel (2) at a hinge axis (AA) in such a way that it assumes at least a first configuration in which the pliers (3) is fixed, that means it cannot rotate about its hinge axis (AA), and a second configuration in which the pliers (3) can oscillate about its hinge axis (AA); a cam kinematic motion that is operatively active on each pliers (3) for maintaining it in the first configuration,
characterized in that it comprises a reactivating device (8) for each pliers (3), that comprises elastic means (9, 10) operatively active on the pliers (3) to bring it from the second to the first configuration following an accidental event that deactivated the pliers.

Provided is a device for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, having a feed device for feeding the plastic preforms to the device, at least one first preform store, a multiplicity of plastic preforms being arranged unsorted in the preform store, and having an alignment device for bringing the plastic preforms into a predetermined position before feeding them to the device. The device includes at least a second preform store, wherein a plurality of plastic preforms of exactly one production batch can be accommodated in each preform store.

A polymeric container including a base, a body, a finish, finish threads, and a tamper lip. The finish threads are at an outer surface of the finish, and are configured to cooperate with closure threads of a closure to secure the closure to the finish. The tamper lip extends from the outer surface of the finish, and is configured to replace the support flange during handling, and to cooperate with a tamper band of the closure. A recess is below the tamper lip. The recess retains the tamper band below the tamper lip when the closure is removed from cooperation with the finish. A gripper ring is between the finish threads and the tamper lip. The gripper ring is configured to cooperate with a gripper for grasping the finish.

Apparatus for producing plastic containers has a heating device having a transport device for transporting the plastic preforms singly along a predefined transport path. The transport device has a plurality of holding devices for holding the plastic preforms, and at least one heating unit for heating the plastic preforms, wherein furthermore a rotating device is provided which rotates the plastic preforms held by the holding devices and is connected to a forming device, which transforms the plastic preforms transported by the heating device into plastic containers. The apparatus has an alignment device which enables alignment of the rotational position of the plastic preforms with respect to their longitudinal direction relative to the holding devices holding these plastic preforms and/or the apparatus has a rotational position alignment device arranged along the transport path which enables alignment of a rotational position of the holding devices with the plastic preforms arranged thereon.