An apparatus for producing plastic containers with a heating device configured to heat plastic preforms and with a forming device which forms the heated plastic preforms into plastic containers, wherein this forming device being arranged downstream of the heating device in the transport direction of the plastic preforms, and wherein the heating device and/or the forming device having at least one regulating device which makes it possible to regulate the heating process and/or the forming process as a function of at least one property of the plastic preforms. According to the invention, the at least one control device for controlling takes into account in advance at least one variable value which influences the heating process and/or the forming process.

An apparatus for producing plastic containers with a heating device configured to heat plastic preforms and with a forming device which forms the heated plastic preforms into plastic containers, wherein this forming device being arranged downstream of the heating device in the transport direction of the plastic preforms, and wherein the heating device and/or the forming device having at least one regulating device which makes it possible to regulate the heating process and/or the forming process as a function of at least one property of the plastic preforms. According to the invention, the at least one control device for controlling takes into account in advance at least one variable value which influences the heating process and/or the forming process.

A preform heating apparatus has cover members 164 provided to close upper parts of two transport lines arranged in parallel, heating units 162 each having heaters 166 for heating preforms 200, and a first supply section for supplying cooling air into the cover members 164. The heating units 162 are each provided within each cover member 164 on a side between the transport lines. The first supply section introduces cooling air from air delivery spaces 169 provided between the transport lines into the cover members 164 through gaps between the heaters 166 to supply the cooling air toward the preforms 200.

A preform heating apparatus has cover members 164 provided to close upper parts of two transport lines arranged in parallel, heating units 162 each having heaters 166 for heating preforms 200, and a first supply section for supplying cooling air into the cover members 164. The heating units 162 are each provided within each cover member 164 on a side between the transport lines. The first supply section introduces cooling air from air delivery spaces 169 provided between the transport lines into the cover members 164 through gaps between the heaters 166 to supply the cooling air toward the preforms 200.

A method of thermal imaging a preform for a blow molding operation is provided. The method involves heating a preform and measuring its temperature along is longitudinal axis and around its circumference and converting the temperature measurements into a two-dimensional thermal image.

A closed-loop method of heating a preform for a blow molding operation is provided. The method involves inspecting a preform upon entry into a system, heating the preform, measuring a preform temperature along its longitudinal axis and around its circumference, heating the preform again, measuring a preform temperature again along its longitudinal axis and around its circumference, comparing the second temperature measurement to a known, acceptable temperature measurement, and optimizing the heating step(s) to ensure subsequent optimization of the heating of subsequent preforms.

An apparatus for handling plastic preforms includes a feeding line for preforms that comprise a preform body and a preform mouth, a conditioning oven, a setdown device for the preforms being provided which is designed to feed the preforms to a transfer or blow-molding carousel, the conditioning oven being associated with a closed conveyance circuit which includes supporting elements to support respective preforms. The feeding line has a feeding device to feed the preforms to respective supporting elements; the setdown device has an overturning element adapted to pick up the preforms and to bring them to a pickup condition in which the respective mouths are directed upward. The setdown device further includes a pickup device to pick up the preforms in the pickup condition from the overturning element to feed them to the transfer or blow molding carousel.

An apparatus for handling plastic preforms includes a feeding line for preforms that comprise a preform body and a preform mouth, a conditioning oven, a setdown device for the preforms being provided which is designed to feed the preforms to a transfer or blow-molding carousel, the conditioning oven being associated with a closed conveyance circuit which includes supporting elements to support respective preforms. The feeding line has a feeding device to feed the preforms to respective supporting elements; the setdown device has an overturning element adapted to pick up the preforms and to bring them to a pickup condition in which the respective mouths are directed upward. The setdown device further includes a pickup device to pick up the preforms in the pickup condition from the overturning element to feed them to the transfer or blow molding carousel.

A storage system for storing objects of plastic material processed in a bottling line (45) comprises: a plurality of drawers (4) configured to contain groups of objects (5); a frame (2) which defines a plurality of compartments (3) configured to house the drawers (4); a conveyor (8) movable in the storage system (1) itself and configured to access the compartments (3) in such a way as to withdraw and place drawers (4) from and into the compartments (4); a loading bay (11) having one or more loading compartments for receiving corresponding drawers (4) and having a loading manipulator (28) configured to place in the drawers (4) the loose objects (5) received from an infeed conveyor (29); an unloading bay (12) having at least one unloading compartment for receiving a corresponding drawer (4) and having an unloading manipulator (41) configured to place onto an outfeed conveyor (43, 44) the loose objects (5) stored in the drawer (4).

A device for heating thermoplastic preforms, including a heating channel formed from a heating module and through which the regions of the preforms to be heated are guided by a conveyor device. Radiant heaters are arranged on a side wall of the heating channel. In the region of a side that lies opposite the radiant heaters and/or the base of the heating channel, reflector elements which act as counter or base reflectors are arranged. The reflector has a reflection layer and a carrier layer. The reflection layer includes a material with a silicon dioxide base and an IR reflection value greater than 90% in the range of 500 to 2500 nm. The carrier layer is a material with greater mechanical strength than the reflection layer and is used as a carrier for the reflection layer. Both layers have a similar coefficient of thermal expansion and are permanently interconnected.