In a method of forming a container from a thermoplastic material, a thermoplastic preform may be introduced into a blow cavity at a temperature greater than or equal to a glass transition temperature of a thermoplastic material and less than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material. A fluid pressure may be introduced into a preform that may expand the preform radially outwardly to form a semi-finished container. An external surface of the semi-finished container may be engaged with a wall of the blow cavity. The wall of the blow cavity may be rapidly heated. Heat may be transferred to the external surface of the semi-finished container. A surface finish may be imparted from the wall of the blow cavity onto the external surface of the semi-finished container.

In a method of forming a container from a thermoplastic material, a thermoplastic preform may be introduced into a blow cavity at a temperature greater than or equal to a glass transition temperature of a thermoplastic material and less than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material. A fluid pressure may be introduced into a preform that may expand the preform radially outwardly to form a semi-finished container. An external surface of the semi-finished container may be engaged with a wall of the blow cavity. The wall of the blow cavity may be rapidly heated. Heat may be transferred to the external surface of the semi-finished container. A surface finish may be imparted from the wall of the blow cavity onto the external surface of the semi-finished container.

A method includes injection molding a preform using a two phase injection system having a first phase in which a material is injected into the preform and a second phase in which the material is injected into the preform. The preform is disposed in a mold. The preform is blow molded into an intermediate article. The intermediate article is trimmed to form a finished container. The first phase includes injecting a material into the preform to form a single layer of the preform and the second phase includes injecting the material to form inner and outer layers and an intermediate layer between the inner and outer layers. The inner and outer layers include the material and the intermediate layer includes at least one additive. Finished containers are disclosed.

A heat-resistant and biaxially stretched blow-molded plastic container includes a base movable to accommodate vacuum forces generated within the container and thereby decrease the volume of the container. Embodiments of a container include a push-up portion, and first and second parting lines that are separated from one another by a gap and that extend on opposite sides of the push-up portion. Embodiments of such a container exhibit one or more of the following: (a) a distance between each parting line and the center of the base is not more than 20 mm; (b) a distance between the two parting lines is not more than 40 mm; and/or (c) a distance between the two parting lines is less than 50% of the transverse dimension of the base measured between the two outermost points of the parting lines. Methods for blow molding heat-resistant plastic containers are also disclosed.

A method of forming a container, the method comprising the steps of: providing an injection moulded preform composed of a biaxially-orientable thermoplastic material, the preform being substantially planar and having a peripheral edge and a central portion; clamping at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the preform in a frame; heating the preform; stretch blow moulding the heated preform, clamped with the frame, within a mould cavity defined by a first female mould to form an intermediate article having a bottom wall and an annular sidewall beneath an upper edge clamped within the frame, the stretch blow moulding step using a stretch rod to engage an inner side of at least the central portion of the preform and axially to stretch at least a part of the central portion of the preform prior to blowing a pressurized gas against the inner side which urges the opposite side of the preform radially outwardly against the mould; and shrinking the intermediate article, clamped with the frame, onto a second male mould to form a container having a bottom wall, defining a base, and an annular sidewall, defining a body portion, beneath the upper edge clamped within the frame, the container comprising biaxially oriented thermoplastic material in the annular sidewall and at least an outer portion of the bottom wall. Also disclosed is a wide mouth container which may be formed by the method.

Disclosed is a method for molding plastic preforms into plastic containers using a blow mould assembly including a blow mould unit, wherein a part of the blow mould unit is retained on a blow mould holder element using negative pressure.

A device for the integrated production and filling of containers and a method for cleaning and/or disinfecting at least the mold of at least one molding and filling station of the device. During a cleaning and/or disinfecting operation of the device, at least the inside of the mold is cleaned and/or disinfected with at least one cleaning and/or disinfecting agent by at least one cleaning element. During the cleaning and/or disinfecting operation, the at least one mold is opened and closed at least once, preferably many times and/or the plunger is moved at least once, preferably many times, between its initial position and end position.

A stretch blow moulding method for manufacturing a plastic container, wherein a preform, configured in an essentially tubular manner with a neck part, is inserted into a mould cavity of a blow moulding tool of a stretch blow moulding machine. The preform is stretched with a stretching mandrel and is inflated in accordance with the mould cavity by overpressure with a fluid. A dome connects onto a container section which is provided with at least one structure which projects or recedes with respect to the container wall and is separated away. With the stretch blow moulding method, at least one section of the structure is axially compressed to a settable extent within the mould cavity before the plastic container is removed from the mould.

A container of plastic material is produced using the blow, fill and seal method, with the filler material, enclosed by a container wall (15, 20) that can be autoclaved. At least one shape (19, 21, 23, 25, 29, 33) is provided in the container wall (15, 20) that ensures, despite a low relative air volume in the container, that when administering the filler material by infusion, the container wall (15, 20) collapses at least partially reducing the volume, without aeration of the container.

A plastic, hot-fillable container is provided. The container comprises a blow molded body including a neck and a base having a center portion and a plurality of spaced apart radial segments. At least a portion of each segment is tapered from an outer side to an inner side thereof. Container systems and methods of manufacturing containers are disclosed.