Apparatus for forming hollow containers (110), suitable to contain in particular one or more liquid or semi-liquid food products, starting from parisons (F) made of thermoplastic material. The apparatus comprises a matrix (11) defined by a pair of molds (12) cooperating with each other to define a cavity (13) shaped like the container (110) to be formed, and to define a support channel (14), configured to define an additional portion (112) of said container (110). The apparatus also comprises a forming punch (17), operatively mobile through said support channel (14) to enter into/exit from said cavity (13) so as to thrust and blow one of said parisons (F) against the walls of said cavity (13) to form at least said container (110).

A mold block includes a tool body with a contoured finished surface adapted to receive a tool insert having a forming surface for forming a bottle neck in a molding operation. The tool body defines an internal channel for heat transfer with the forming surface. At least a portion of the channel is offset generally equidistant from the finished surface to provide a path contoured for conformal cooling of the insert. The tool body has a pair of ports intersecting the channel. Several methods for forming a mold block are disclosed and include machining a contoured finished surface adapted to receive a tool insert on a tool body, forming a heat transfer channel within the tool body, and forming a pair of ports into the tool body. At least a portion of the channel is offset generally equidistant from the finished surface for conformal cooling of the insert.

A blowing mold array includes a blowing mold unit forming a cavity, inside of which plastic preforms are expanded to plastic containers. The blow mold unit includes a blowing mold retainer having at least two mold retainer elements for accommodating parts of the blowing mold unit, and a locking mechanism to arrest at least one part of the blowing mold unit against at least one mold retainer element. The locking mechanism includes an engagement element that can be pivoted and/or shifted relative to a default axis, which in an arrested state abuts a segment of a part of the blowing mold unit. The locking mechanism has an actuating element to loosen the arrest between the mold retaining element and the blowing mold unit. Actuation of the actuating element is coupled with actuation of the engagement element.

The present invention relates to an injection and blow mold for an injection machine, the mold comprising one or more rows of molding cavities arranged in a base plate (5), each row of cavities including several injection cavities (1) and several blow cavities (2) arranged in an alternating manner and aligned with one another, with blow cavities (2) at opposite ends of the row. The injection cavities (1) are formed individually in respective injection blocks (3) and the blow cavities (2) are formed individually in respective blow blocks (4). The injection blocks (3) and the blow blocks (4) are separated from one another and project from the base plate (5). The injection blocks (3) are heated by external heating means relative to the base plate (5), and the blow blocks (4) are cooled by a cooling fluid circulating through cooling conduits (7a) arranged inside the blow blocks (4).

A molding unit (10) for forming a container made of thermoplastic material, includes: a mold bottom (16) that is movable between a low position, an intermediate boxing position and a high position; a carriage (24) that supports the mold bottom (16) and is mounted in a movable manner in a fixed holder (26); actuation elements for moving the carriage (24) into its intermediate boxing position; the actuation elements including a cylinder (32) that houses a piston (98) liable to push the mold bottom (16) through a boxing travel; characterized in that the mold bottom (16) is supported in a fixed manner by the carriage (24), the cylinder (32) being fixed with respect to the fixed holder (26). A method for employing the molding unit is also described.

Disclosed is a method for cooling heated molds from a machine for molding containers from thermoplastic material by stretch-blow molding hot preforms using at least one pressurized fluid. The cooling method includes, in order to cool the molds, at least one cooling step that involves selectively feeding at least one cooling fluid into the molding cavity of at least some of the molding units that, after the carousel has been stopped in order to immobilize the molding units at least during the cooling step, are located in a predetermined cooling region in which the molding units are in a closed position.

Disclosed is a method for cooling heated molds from a machine for molding containers from thermoplastic material by stretch-blow molding hot preforms using at least one pressurized fluid. The cooling method includes, in order to cool the molds, at least one cooling step that involves selectively feeding at least one cooling fluid into the molding cavity of at least some of the molding units that, after the carousel has been stopped in order to immobilize the molding units at least during the cooling step, are located in a predetermined cooling region in which the molding units are in a closed position.

A blow mold assembly for forming a polymeric container. The blow mold assembly has a thread insert defining threads configured to form finish threads on a finish of the polymeric container. An electric heater of the blow mold assembly is configured to heat the thread insert as the polymeric container is formed.

Systems and methods for automatic and dynamic temperature adjustment and over-cooling of a rotary Blow-Fill-Seal (BFS) manufacturing device to reduce the fill product temperature such as for filling of BFS vials with cold-temperature vaccines.

A hollow container producing device for producing a hollow container using a pair of parison sheets is provided. The hollow container producing device includes a pair of molds; an intermediate frame to be clamped to the pair of molds; and a transport unit that carries the intermediate frame and a pair of parison sheets to a position between the pair of molds, with the pair of parison sheets being respectively held on opposite sides of the intermediate frame.