A module (10) for heating a preform (12) made of a thermoplastic, includes: a lamp (16) having an emissive portion (22) emitting heating electromagnetic radiation and a non-emissive portion (24) that does not emit the heating radiation; and a longitudinal lens (32) that is fastened to the lamp (16), by at least one fastening brace (34), parallel to the emitting portion (22) in order to focus the heating radiation toward a selected zone of the preform; wherein each brace (34) is only fastened to the non-emissive portion (24) of the lamp (16).

A module (10) for heating a preform (12) made of a thermoplastic, includes: a lamp (16) having an emissive portion (22) emitting heating electromagnetic radiation and a non-emissive portion (24) that does not emit the heating radiation; and a longitudinal lens (32) that is fastened to the lamp (16), by at least one fastening brace (34), parallel to the emitting portion (22) in order to focus the heating radiation toward a selected zone of the preform; wherein each brace (34) is only fastened to the non-emissive portion (24) of the lamp (16).

A continuous non-symmetric preform feed stretch-blow-moulding machine dedicated to the stretch-blow-moulding of containers from non-symmetric injection moulded preforms; the non-symmetrical preforms including an integral handle extending from a first junction point to a second junction point on a body of the preform; the body of the preform and the integral handle constituted from the same material.

A heating unit for heating preforms made of plastics material and having a flange separating a body and neck. The heating unit comprising a plurality of supports, each bearing a gripping member for gripping the preforms. The supports are movable in the heating unit such that each gripping member moves along a conveying path of the preforms. The heating unit also comprises a plurality of shells secured to the supports, where each shell is connected to one or more supports by an actuating member. The actuating member is mounted on said support to pivot about an axis situated at a distance from the conveying path of the preforms. The heating unit further comprising means for pivoting the actuating member to drive the shell from an open position to a protection position when the support to which said shell is connected is passing from an admission/releasing zone to a holding zone.

A heating unit for heating preforms made of plastics material and having a flange separating a body and neck. The heating unit comprising a plurality of supports, each bearing a gripping member for gripping the preforms. The supports are movable in the heating unit such that each gripping member moves along a conveying path of the preforms. The heating unit also comprises a plurality of shells secured to the supports, where each shell is connected to one or more supports by an actuating member. The actuating member is mounted on said support to pivot about an axis situated at a distance from the conveying path of the preforms. The heating unit further comprising means for pivoting the actuating member to drive the shell from an open position to a protection position when the support to which said shell is connected is passing from an admission/releasing zone to a holding zone.

A continuous cycle bottling line for containers of thermoplastic material comprises: a parison molding unit; a blow-molding unit for making containers; a unit for filling the containers; a thermal conditioning structure for the parisons, for heating and cooling the parisons in a heating module and in a cooling module, respectively; an automatic controlled-atmosphere storage system for containing the parisons and interconnected with the other parts of the line; a pressurization system configured to pressurize at least the following parts of the line: the storage system, the at least one blow-molding unit and the connections between the thermal conditioning structure and the storage system; where the heating and cooling modules, alternatively or in combination, i) are pressurized, ii) have a plurality of shutters configured to occlude the opening at the end of each parison, so that the interior of the parison remains closed when the parison is inside the heating and cooling module.

A continuous cycle bottling line for containers of thermoplastic material comprises: a parison molding unit; a blow-molding unit for making containers; a unit for filling the containers; a thermal conditioning structure for the parisons, for heating and cooling the parisons in a heating module and in a cooling module, respectively; an automatic controlled-atmosphere storage system for containing the parisons and interconnected with the other parts of the line; a pressurization system configured to pressurize at least the following parts of the line: the storage system, the at least one blow-molding unit and the connections between the thermal conditioning structure and the storage system; where the heating and cooling modules, alternatively or in combination, i) are pressurized, ii) have a plurality of shutters configured to occlude the opening at the end of each parison, so that the interior of the parison remains closed when the parison is inside the heating and cooling module.

A facility for the production of containers from blanks, which facility includes: a forming unit equipped with a rotating carrousel driven by a motor; a unit for heating blanks, equipped with infrared emitters and a power feed for each emitter; a control unit having in the memory a nominal speed setpoint .sub.N of the rotation of the carrousel and a nominal electrical power setpoint P.sub.N. The control unit is programmed for: controlling the rotation of the carrousel according to the nominal speed setpoint .sub.N. During its acceleration: taking into account the real instantaneous speed of rotation of the carrousel, and regulating the electrical power of the feed to an instantaneous value P such that:

[00001]$P\left(t\right)=P_N.Math.\frac{}{{}_N}$

Method for thermal conditioning, within a thermal conditioning unit that is equipped with a row of adjacent emitters that each comprise a number of monochromatic electromagnetic-radiation sources, of a queue of preforms of containers having a head preform or a tail preform, with this method comprising the following operations: Periodically determining the position of the head preform, or, respectively, of the tail preform; As the queue of preforms moves along, gradually igniting the emitters that are located downstream and in the vicinity of the head preform or, respectively, gradually extinguishing the emitters that are located upstream and in the vicinity of the tail preform.

Method for thermal conditioning, within a thermal conditioning unit that is equipped with a row of adjacent emitters that each comprise a number of monochromatic electromagnetic-radiation sources, of a queue of preforms of containers having a head preform or a tail preform, with this method comprising the following operations: Periodically determining the position of the head preform, or, respectively, of the tail preform; As the queue of preforms moves along, gradually igniting the emitters that are located downstream and in the vicinity of the head preform or, respectively, gradually extinguishing the emitters that are located upstream and in the vicinity of the tail preform.