A blow moulding machine for producing blown containers with an integrally formed handle; the machine including a preform injection moulding stage wherein the preform comprising a body portion, a neck portion and an integrally moulded handle; the machine further including a handle orientation stage, a preform conditioning stage and a blow moulding stage, and wherein the preform is nested in cavities provided in opposing portions of a conditioning module; the integrally moulded handle nested in cavities lined with an insulating material. Also disclosed is a method of producing a blown container with an integrally formed handle in a blow moulding machine; the blow moulding machine including a preform injection moulding stage for moulding a preform comprising a body portion and an integrally moulded handle; the blow moulding machine further including a handle orienting stage, a preform conditioning stage and a blow moulding stage; the method including the steps of: Injection moulding the preform with an integrally moulded handle, Orienting the handle of the preform into a predetermined orientation, Transferring the preform to a preform conditioning module, Transferring the preform from the preform conditioning module to a die of a blow moulding machine when the preform body and integrally moulded handle are at predetermined temperatures, Blowing the container in the blow moulding machine, and wherein the preform is nested in cavities provided in opposing portions of the conditioning module; the integrally moulded handle nested in cavities lined with an insulating material.

The present invention relates to a movement system of containers to and from operating units, in particular blowing units for bottles made of plastic material or filling units.

In particular, the invention relates to a movement system of containers to and from a processing unit of said containers, comprising: a rotating carousel, at the perimeter of which a plurality of said processing units are arranged; a distribution unit (3) of said containers, comprising at least one distribution star (107) placed substantially at a tangent to said carousel and rotating in synchrony, but in the opposite direction to said carousel, characterized in that said distribution unit (3) comprises a plurality of upper clamps (13) for transferring a container to a respective processing unit and a plurality of lower clamps (14) for transferring a container from said processing unit to said distribution unit (3), and in that said processing unit comprises a clamp, which is movable between an upper position, at the level of said upper clamps (13) of the distribution unit (3), for the gripping of a container by a respective upper clamp (13) of the distribution unit (3), and a lower position, at the level of said lower clamps (14) of the distribution unit (3), for transferring said container to said processing unit.

The present invention relates to a movement system of containers to and from operating units, in particular blowing units for bottles made of plastic material or filling units.

In particular, the invention relates to a movement system of containers to and from a processing unit of said containers, comprising: a rotating carousel, at the perimeter of which a plurality of said processing units are arranged; a distribution unit (3) of said containers, comprising at least one distribution star (107) placed substantially at a tangent to said carousel and rotating in synchrony, but in the opposite direction to said carousel, characterized in that said distribution unit (3) comprises a plurality of upper clamps (13) for transferring a container to a respective processing unit and a plurality of lower clamps (14) for transferring a container from said processing unit to said distribution unit (3), and in that said processing unit comprises a clamp, which is movable between an upper position, at the level of said upper clamps (13) of the distribution unit (3), for the gripping of a container by a respective upper clamp (13) of the distribution unit (3), and a lower position, at the level of said lower clamps (14) of the distribution unit (3), for transferring said container to said processing unit.

A molding machine configured to simultaneously produce differently shaped articles in a blow molding operation in which similar or identical preforms are used for making each of the differently shaped articles.

Apparatus for heating plastic parisons, with a transport device which transports the plastic parisons along a predetermined transport path, and with at least one heating device, wherein the heating device has at least one first radiation source which emits thermal radiation as well as at least one reflector device which reflects at least a proportion of the thermal radiation emitted by the radiation source in the direction of the plastic parisons. The reflector device can be attached to the radiation source and has a support and a reflection component which bears against the support on at least one region and is suitable for reflection of the radiation.

Apparatus for heating plastic parisons, with a transport device which transports the plastic parisons along a predetermined transport path, and with at least one heating device, wherein the heating device has at least one first radiation source which emits thermal radiation as well as at least one reflector device which reflects at least a proportion of the thermal radiation emitted by the radiation source in the direction of the plastic parisons. The reflector device can be attached to the radiation source and has a support and a reflection component which bears against the support on at least one region and is suitable for reflection of the radiation.

A method and system for hydraulic blow molding a container from a preform 24. A molding medium is injected into the preform from a nozzle 12 during a first molding stage. In the first molding stage, the molding medium is injected so as to be specifically directed at a closed end of the preform 24. During the first molding stage, the preform is axially stretched in response to the force exerted on the preform by the molding medium. The molding medium is also injected into the preform during a second molding stage, where the molding medium is injected at a flow rate greater than a flow rate during the first molding stage. During the second molding stage, the preform is radially expanded into the shape of the container.

Disclosed is a method for controlling a conveyor for conveying hollow bodies through a hollow-body heating station including:a heating tunnel defining a heating path,a conveyor including at least one travel track and shuttles capable of moving along the track while picking up at least one hollow body, the movement of each shuttle being controlled individually,a travel-track loading portion on which two consecutive shuttles move at a first predetermined input separation, and a travel-track unloading portion. Two consecutive shuttles moving on this unloading portion are spaced apart by a predetermined output separation that is different from the first input separation.

Disclosed is a method for controlling a conveyor for conveying hollow bodies through a hollow-body heating station including:a heating tunnel defining a heating path,a conveyor including at least one travel track and shuttles capable of moving along the track while picking up at least one hollow body, the movement of each shuttle being controlled individually,a travel-track loading portion on which two consecutive shuttles move at a first predetermined input separation, and a travel-track unloading portion. Two consecutive shuttles moving on this unloading portion are spaced apart by a predetermined output separation that is different from the first input separation.

An apparatus for reheating and conditioning an elongate preform for forming a blow molded container, said apparatus comprising: a receiver including an elongate annular non-cylindrical inner surface portion, wherein the surface portion defines a cavity and is adapted to engage with an elongate outer surface of an elongate preform to transfer heat thereto by conduction from said surface portion, wherein the surface portion includes a three-dimensional relief to provide substantially non-uniform contact between the receiver and the elongate preform; and means for heating said receiver.