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.

Moving servo motors of molds in synchronization with the operations of platens which enables fine patterns or shapes to be formed even on a large molded article. A mold clamping device forms patterns or the like on a molded article by detecting a mold position of a second platen among first, second, third platens with digital mold opening/closing position detector, and driving servo motors for molds of the molds in synchronization with a digital mold opening/closing position signal from the digital mold opening/closing position detector.

A method and apparatus for operating an apparatus for transforming plastic parisons into plastic containers, wherein the apparatus has a movable carrier, on which a plurality of transforming stations are arranged for transforming plastic parisons into plastic containers. The transforming stations each have at least two mould supports on which blow mould parts are arranged, which blow mould parts are components of a blow mould and form a hollow space within which the plastic parisons can be expanded into the plastic containers by application of a flowable medium. The mould supports are pivotable with respect to one another for opening and closing the blow mould and wherein furthermore the transforming stations have a latching mechanism which is configured to latch the two mould supports at least at times to one another such that an opening movement of the blow mould is prevented.

A stretch-blow molded plastic container includes a container body. A container neck, adjoins the container body via a shoulder region and has a container opening. The container body and the container neck are mutually separated by a support ring, which substantially radially protrudes, runs circumferentially in at least some regions and which has a support ring underside. The shoulder region has a first shoulder section, which runs in immediate proximity to the support ring underside, and a second shoulder support, which is integrally connected to the first shoulder support and which substantially radially adjoins the support ring. In a stretch-blow molding method a support ring of a preform, which is placed into a mold cavity of a blow molding tool, is overblown during radial and axial stretching of the preform.

Transforming station for transforming plastic parisons into plastic containers, wherein the transforming station has two side part supports for supporting side parts of a blow mould, and preferably has a base part support for supporting a base part of the blow mould, wherein these side parts and the base part of the blow mould together form a hollow space within which the plastic parisons can be transformed into the plastic containers by application of a free-flowing medium, wherein at least one of the two side part supports for opening and/or closing the blow mould is pivotable relative to the other side part with respect to a predetermined main axis, and wherein the transforming station has a locking mechanism in order in a closed state of the blow mould to lock a side part support with the other side part support, and wherein the locking mechanism has a second locking element which is pivotable with respect to a predetermined pivot axis and which interengages with a first locking element for locking the side parts. According to the invention at least one of the two locking elements has a first contact surface which is suitable to co-operate with a second contact surface of the first locking element during locking with the first locking element, wherein at least one of these contact surfaces is designed in such a way that in a pivoting operation of the second locking element with respect to the pivot axis in the direction of the first locking element the two side part supports are pushed towards one another.

An extrusion blow mold machine forming hollow containers. The machine has at least one pair of opposing half molds that combine to form a mold and define a mold cavity. Each of the half molds is positioned on a carrier plate and includes first, second, and third mold segments. The first and third mold segments can move with respect to each other and with respect to the second, fixed mold segment. A mechanical structure creates vertical movement of the first and third mold segments relative to the second mold segment as the mold opens horizontally, without the aid of any electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic device. A closing unit engages the carrier plate to move the carrier plate and its respective half mold toward and away from the opposing half mold and its respective carrier plate, thereby closing and opening the mold.

Blowing mold (10, 100) for blowing thermoplastic material containers, comprising two half molds (1, 2) and a device for the cyclic opening and closing of the half molds (1, 2) which comprises a control shaft connected to the half molds by means of connecting rods (14, 20) and a control hub (15). The control hub is provided with a plurality of holes appropriately positioned so that by choosing the holes to which the connecting rods are hinged, it is possible to change the maximum opening angle of the mold.

Disclosed is a locking device for a molding unit for containers of thermoplastic material. The device includes a lock with at least one locking pin, the at least one locking pin being made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and advantageously has at least one metal insert.

Moving servo motors of molds in synchronization with the operations of platens which enables fine patterns or shapes to be formed even on a large molded article. A mold clamping device forms patterns or the like on a molded article by detecting a mold position of a second platen among first, second, third platens with digital mold opening/closing position detector, and driving servo motors for molds of the molds in synchronization with a digital mold opening/closing position signal from the digital mold opening/closing position detector.

Transforming station for transforming plastic parisons into plastic containers, wherein the transforming station has two side part supports for supporting side parts of a blow mould, and preferably has a base part support for supporting a base part of the blow mould, wherein these side parts and the base part of the blow mould together form a hollow space within which the plastic parisons can be transformed into the plastic containers by application of a free-flowing medium, wherein at least one of the two side part supports for opening and/or closing the blow mould is pivotable relative to the other side part with respect to a predetermined main axis, and wherein the transforming station has a locking mechanism in order in a closed state of the blow mould to lock a side part support with the other side part support, and wherein the locking mechanism has a second locking element which is pivotable with respect to a predetermined pivot axis and which interengages with a first locking element for locking the side parts. According to the invention at least one of the two locking elements has a first contact surface which is suitable to co-operate with a second contact surface of the first locking element during locking with the first locking element, wherein at least one of these contact surfaces is designed in such a way that in a pivoting operation of the second locking element with respect to the pivot axis in the direction of the first locking element the two side part supports are pushed towards one another.