To provide a method and an apparatus for sterilizing a preform that can reduce the amount of the remaining hydrogen peroxide in sterilization of a preform.

A sterilizer at least containing 30% by mass or less of hydrogen peroxide and a solvent having a boiling point of 85 C. or lower is gasified, the sterilizer gas is blasted to the preform, and the preform to which the sterilizer has been blasted is heated to a temperature suitable for molding by blasting hot air or without blasting hot air. Alternatively, after the preform is irradiated with light containing ultraviolet rays, the sterilizer gas is blasted to the preform, and the preform is heated to a temperature suitable for molding.

A method for handling at least sectionally sterile workpieces having a filiable inner volume, wherein the workpieces are each connected to a closure device, and by which the workpieces are guided through a plurality of treatment stations. One of the stations is a sterilization unit, wherein in at least one of the treatment stations, a treatment member is moved through a passage opening of the closure device all the way into the inner volume of the workpiece. The passage opening of the closure device is closed off by a closure element, which opens when the treatment member moves through and closes again upon removal of the member, wherein the closure device sealingly closes the inner volume of the workpiece with respect to an external region.

A method and a preform for blow molding to form a plastic container are disclosed, the preform having a coating formed on an inner surface thereof. The coating reduces a loss of heat energy from the heated preform during expansion thereof to ensure the preform maintains a temperature at or above the phase change/solidification temperature of the material forming the preform.

Disclosed is a method for the preferential heating of a thermoplastic hollow body having at least one portion to be heated and another to be superheated, the portion that is to be superheated initially having a radiation absorption coefficient substantially identical to that of the portion to be heated. The method includes, in succession: a first step of marking the portions of the hollow body that are to be superheated, during which step isolated marks are made in the thickness of the wall of the portion that is to be superheated so as to increase its absorption coefficient; a second step of preferential heating of the hollow body by uniform exposure of the portions that are to be heated and of the portions that are to be superheated to the heating electromagnetic radiation. Also disclosed is a preform marked in accordance with the first step of the method.

A method and a preform for blow molding to form a plastic container are disclosed, the preform having a coating formed on an inner surface thereof. The coating reduces a loss of heat energy from the heated preform during expansion thereof to ensure the preform maintains a temperature at or above the phase change/solidification temperature of the material forming the preform.

A method of sterilizing a preform includes steps of: sterilizing bacteria adhering to a preform (1) made of resin by gasifying a sterilizer, discharging a sterilized gas (G) from a nozzle (6) toward a preform (1), now traveling, so as to adhere to the preform (1); activating the sterilizer adhering to the preform (1) by blasting hot air (P) to the preform; and sterilizing bacteria adhering to the preform, and removing the sterilizer adhering to the preform (1), wherein the above steps are performed sequentially in order. According to the above-mentioned steps, the sterilizer does not enter a blow-molding machine.

The blow molding device (1) is provided with a heating means (4) for heating a preform (P) to a temperature appropriate for molding, an antimicrobial agent-spraying means (50) for spraying an antimicrobial agent on the preform (P), a hot forming means for stretch blow molding the preform into a bottle (B), and an irradiation device (7) irradiating electromagnetic waves or ultrasonic waves on the bottle. After the heating means (4) has heated the preform (P), the anti-microbial agent-spraying means (50) sprays the anti-microbial agent and sterilizes the preform (P) with hot antimicrobial agent. During subsequent stretch blow molding of the preform (P), the hot forming means performs additional drying of antimicrobial agent retained on the preform (P) in the hot state and additional sterilization. The irradiation device (7) irradiates electromagnetic waves or ultrasonic waves to degrade the anti-microbial agent remaining on the molded bottle (B) and further promote antimicrobial agent drying and sterilization.

A blow molding machine is simply sterilized. The blow molding machine is sterilized by filling a preform (1) with a liquid sterilizer (P) containing an ethanol constituent or both an ethanol constituent and a hydrogen peroxide constituent, and blasting blow air into the preform (1) in a state where the liquid sterilizer (P) remains in the preform (1) to diffuse the liquid sterilizer (P).

Mold filling machine for producing and filling containers made from preforms, comprising a mold filling station with a mold for receiving a preform, wherein the mold has an opening, such that an opening region of the preform in the mold is accessible, the mold filling station having a treatment unit with at least two treatment subunits, which are arranged movably in the treatment unit in such a way that the treatment subunits can be positioned alternately over the opening and the treatment unit has a sealing element, which can be positioned over the opening of the mold in such a way as to form a gastight space, which includes the interior space of the preform and/or container and the treatment subunits.

A preform is easily and promptly sterilized. Superheated steam (S) generated from water, and having a temperature of 200 C. to 500 C. and a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure is blasted to entire inner and outer surfaces of a preform (1) including a mouth portion (1a) thereof.