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 modular system for blow molding a container. The system may include a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion and second portion may each include a shell, a mold removably coupled to the shell, and a top plate. The third portion may include a base and a base mold. The molds may be 3D printed. The molds together may define a blow mold cavity. The modular system may be used at lab scale, pilot scale, or full production scale. The molds may be durable and smooth enough for full production scale. Some embodiments are directed to methods for making a modular system for blow molding a container.

A preform is heated, the heated preform is sealed in a sealing apparatus including a neck portion mold, a trunk portion mold and a bottom portion mold at a predetermined temperature range, and the heated preform sealed in the molds is blow-molded into a bottle. Any molded bottle is removed if the mold surface temperature of the neck portion mold, the trunk portion mold and the bottom portion mold are outside of the predetermined temperature range. A sterilizer is blasted to any molded bottle not removed when the mold surface temperature of all of the molds is in the predetermined temperature range.

A temperature adjustment mold capable of performing local temperature adjustment in an axial direction from the inside of a preform while restricting shrinkage and deformation of the preform, for adjusting a temperature of an injection-molded bottomed resin-made preform includes a rod portion inserted into the preform and extending in the axial direction of the preform. The rod portion includes an annular projection portion that protrudes in a radial direction of the rod portion and contacts an inner peripheral surface of the preform. The rod portion contacts a bottom portion of the preform to restrict shrinkage in the axial direction of the preform. The projection portion restricts shrinkage in a radial direction of the preform, conducts heat between the rod portion and the preform, and adjusts a temperature at a predetermined part in an axial direction of the preform.

Method for forming a container, includes the steps of: positioning a first preform made of plastic material in a forming chamber of the mould; counter-shaping the first preform to the mould obtaining the first container; the step of counter-shaping the first preform includes the step of performing a blowing of the first preform placed inside the forming chamber; at least a portion of a surface of the mould which delimits the forming chamber being shaped to obtain an opacification of at least a portion of the first container; cooling the first container by introducing a gaseous stream into the container for fixing the opacification on the first container; removing the first container from the mould; and keeping the mould at a higher temperature than room temperature at least from the step of performing the blowing to that of removing the first container.

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 bottle having good mechanical properties and lightness due to its bottom design includes a bottom, a body, and a neck. The bottom has a dome, a coronal arch, an annular seat, a side wall, six main radial grooves, five secondary radial grooves situated between the main grooves, each having an end Ev in the arch, and a peripheral end Ep in the side wall. The bottom is such that the ratio Mf/Vuf, wherein Mf is the weight of the bottom and Vuf is the useful volume of the bottom, is less than or equal to 0.050 g/mL and the ratio .sup.do/H.sup.do, wherein .sup.do is the diameter of the dome at its base and H.sup.do is its apex height along an axis Z, is greater than or equal to 4.4. The invention also relates to a manufacturing method and a mold for the bottle.

The injection-blow-moulding mould comprises: a punch (1) having a blow opening (3) connected to a first conduit (5) which is in communication with a first source of pressurised gas supply (6) configured to supply pressurised gas through the blow opening (3) at an overpressure (OP) above a blowing pressure (BP) suitable to blow a preform (30a) into a container (30b) and an exhaust opening (4) connected to a second conduit (7) which is in communication with a pressure-limiting device set at the blowing pressure (BP); a blow-moulding cavity (2) configured to receive therein the punch (1) with a hot and soft preform (30a) arranged thereon; and a cooling device associated to the blow-moulding cavity (2). Gas inside the container (30b) exceeding the blowing pressure (BP) is allowed to escape through the exhaust opening (4) thereby a cooling gas stream is created from the blow opening (3) to the exhaust opening.

An injection molding apparatus includes: a female mold portion that is columnar includes a recessed portion formed therein; and a peripheral member that is provided around the female mold portion to cover at least a part of an outer peripheral surface of the female mold portion. A hole extending in a direction intersecting a center line direction of the female mold portion is formed in the peripheral member, a groove recessed from the outer peripheral surface is formed over an entire periphery of the female mold portion at a position outside the recessed portion and facing the hole, and a flow path through which a medium for cooling the recessed portion flows is formed by the hole of the peripheral member and the groove of the female mold portion.

Conditioning station tooling for adjusting a temperature of a preform. The tooling comprises a mold presenting a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the preform. The mold is configured to receive the preform such that a gap is present between the mold and the preform. The mold includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The tooling is configured to permit air to be injected from the air inlet, through the gap between the mold and preform, and out of the air outlet. The tooling further comprises a core configured to be received within an interior of the preform and to contact an interior surface of the preform.