The invention relates to devices and to methods for transporting preforms in the region of a blow-molding machine, in particular a sorting device (10) for transporting preforms (20) composed of a thermoplastic material in the region of a blow-molding machine for the blow-molding of containers, comprising a transportation wheel (12), which has a plurality of accommodating recesses (18) for accommodating and conveying the preforms (20), which accommodating recesses are arranged on the circumference of the transportation wheel in such a way that the accommodating recesses are distributed in the circumferential direction, a guide collar (16), which extends circumferentially around the transportation wheel (12) in some regions in such a way that the guide collar is radially spaced apart from the transportation wheel, wherein the preforms (20) are transported in suspension between the transportation wheel (12) and the guide collar (16) in the region of the sorting device (10), and a selection unit for selectively removing a respective individual preform (20) transported in one of the accommodating recesses (18) of the transportation wheel (12), wherein the selection unit comprises a pivotable ejecting star (14) with a plurality of ejecting arms (31), which ejecting star, when in the idle position, reaches into the peripheral region of the transportation wheel (12) by means of a first ejecting arm (31) immediately adjacent to the guide collar (16) in the transportation direction of the preforms (20), in such a way that the preforms (20) in the accommodating recesses (18) that are transported past the first ejecting arm (31) are secured against unintentionally falling out, wherein the ejecting star (14), in the event of a rotational motion, pushes an individual preform (20), which is marked for removal, out of one of the accommodating recesses (18) of the transportation wheel (12) by means of a second ejecting arm (32) following after the first ejecting arm (31), and wherein, in a recurring manner after the preform (20) marked for removal has been pushed out, the second ejecting arm (31) takes on the securing of the preforms (20) transported past the second ejecting arm against falling out of the accommodating recesses (18).

A blow molding apparatus including: a mold; a blow nozzle; a pressurized fluid supply unit; and a blow nozzle moving unit configured to cause a relative movement of the blow nozzle between a connected position and a standby position, wherein a preform is molded into a container by supplying a pressurized incompressible fluid into the preform. The blow molding apparatus includes: a drawing member including a drawing port; a drawing pump configured to be connected to the drawing member; and a drawing member moving unit configured to move the drawing member so that the drawing port is positioned below the blow nozzle, after the container has been molded and the blow nozzle has been moved from the connected position to the standby position.

A support (100) for handling pre-formed woven fabric layers to be used for conical shell composite components or segments is described. The support comprises a shaped portion (120) having a plurality of peaks (170) and a plurality of troughs (180) extending between first and second longitudinal edges (130, 140). Each peak has a varying amplitude along its extent and is configured to maintain warp and weft fibres of the pre-formed woven fabric layers perpendicular to one another. A clamping member may be used to retain a stack of pre-formed woven fabric layers in place on the support. The support may also be used for forming non-woven fibre layers and stacks formed from such non-woven fibre layers, and, for the subsequent handling thereof.

An injection molding apparatus comprises a support base and a mold carrier removably mounted to the support base. The mold carrier includes a mounting plate with attachment features for engaging the support base. A mold with two mold plates is slidably mounted to the mounting 5 plate. A clamp is operable to move the plates between open and closed positions. In the closed position, the plates abut one another. In the open position, the plates are spaced apart for removing molded articles.

Apparatus (1) for transforming plastic preforms (10) to form plastic containers (20) with a plurality of blow moulding stations (8), wherein these blow moulding stations (8) each have a blow moulding device (14) which consists of two blow mould halves and a base mould, and wherein the blow moulding device in each case forms a cavity inside which the plastic preforms (10) can be transformed to form the plastic containers (20), and which is releasably arranged indirectly or directly on blow mould supports (16), wherein each blow moulding device has at least one temperature control device (30) with at least one electrical heating element (32) for temperature control of at least some regions of the blow moulding device (14). According to the invention the apparatus (1) has at least one electrical connection (34) which can be automatically released and/or automatically made between at least one electrical heating element (32) and the blow moulding station (8).

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.

A method and a device for producing blow-molded containers which are sterile at least in some areas. A preform made of a thermoplastic material is first heated in a heating device on a transport path through a blow-molding machine and then supplied with a pressurized fluid in a blow-molding station of the device. The preform is guided along a channel, which conducts a sterile gas, at least over one sub-section of the transport path of the preform. The transport path of the preform out of the channel is supplied with the sterile gas in order to produce a sterile gas corridor in which at least the opening region of the preform is guided. Multiple radiation sources are arranged along the channel and one behind the other in the transport direction. The radiation sources emit a sterilizing radiation onto the preform and/or onto the channel, and/or onto the sterile gas corridor.

The invention relates to a gripper for holding workpieces, in particular preforms or containers, in their neck region, having a gripper base on which two gripper arms are pivotably arranged, which each have gripping ends for partially enclosing the neck region, wherein the gripper arms are held in a base position under spring tension, in which the gripping ends can jointly enclose and hold a neck region and, if they come into contact with an obstacle, can be pivoted out of the base position jointly in one direction, wherein one of the gripper arms as the main arm (13, 13′) is clamped via a spring (20) with the gripper base (11), which pulls the main arm (13, 13′) into contact with the other gripper arm, functioning as a secondary arm (14, 14′), in the base position, and the main and secondary arm (13, 13′; 14, 14′) are each mounted in a joint (18, 19), wherein the joint (19) of the secondary arm (14) is closer to its gripping end (16) than the joint (18) of the main arm (13), and the main and secondary arm press against one another in the closed position at least in two regions (21, 22), one of which is located above the joint (19) of the secondary arm (14) and the other below it on a lever (25) of the secondary arm (14) extending downward from the joint (19).

Non-symmetric and volume reduced preforms and containers stretch blow moulded therefrom by a continuously rotating, preform feed, stretch-blow-moulding machine dedicated to the stretch-blow-moulding of containers from non-symmetric or reduced volume injection moulded preforms; the non-symmetric or reduced volume 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.

A device for receiving objects from a support on which the objects are arranged so as to lie side-by-side, in individual receptacles, in an axially parallel manner in rows. The device comprises a receiving zone. The device comprises a feed device for moving the support equipped with the objects through the receiving zone such that the objects arrive, in the sequence, at the receiving zone to be removed at the receiving zone, in the sequence, from the support; The device comprises a receiving wheel comprising grippers, the grippers being arranged around a periphery of the wheel and protruding outwards, wherein the receiving wheel is rotatable such that the grippers past the receiving zone one after another to receive, at the receiving zone, the objects, in sequence, from the support provided, wherein each gripper of the grippers is associated with a respective counterhold for securing a received object on the gripper.