An apparatus for thermoforming plastic containers comprising a pickup station (24), a feeder (25) for feeding flat sheets (8) of thermoformable plastic material to the pickup station (24) and a plurality of thermoforming devices (3) each of which in turn comprises a shaped mould (4) and a closing element (5), the shaped moulds (4) and the closing elements (5) of said plurality of thermoforming devices (3) being simultaneously movable at least between corresponding home and forming positions; the pickup station (24) comprising a positioning device (27) for, in use, positioning a plurality of flat sheets (8) arriving from the feeder (25), in a plurality of pickup locations (28), the number of pickup locations (28) being equal to the number of thermoforming devices (3); a transferring device (26) also being provided, designed to simultaneously transfer a plurality of flat sheets (8) that are positioned in the pickup locations (28) to the closing elements (5).

An apparatus for thermoforming plastic containers comprising a pickup station (24), a feeder (25) for feeding flat sheets (8) of thermoformable plastic material to the pickup station (24), at least one thermoforming device (3), and a transferring device (26) for transferring the flat sheets (8) from the pickup station (24) to the thermoforming device (3), the feeder (25) comprising at least one support (50) for a reel (51) of a web (52) of thermoformable plastic material, unwinding means (53) for unwinding the reel (51) of web (52) which are designed, in use, to feed the web (52) along a sliding path extending from the at least one support (50) to the pickup station (24), and a cutting device (54) for cutting the web (52), positioned along the sliding path, for dividing the web (52) into a plurality of pieces each of which corresponds to a flat sheet (8) to be fed to the pickup station (24).

A thermoforming machine and a thermoforming method are provided, in particular for producing capsules for obtaining beverages. The capsules (C) are produced from a film (F) of thermoformable material by thermoforming one or more predefined portions (X) of the film. The one or more predefined portions (X) of the film of thermoformable material are pre-heated, i.e. they are heated before being subjected to thermoforming so as to minimize the probability that the film of thermoformable material tears or breaks during thermoforming or after thermoforming.

A thermoforming machine and a thermoforming method are provided, in particular for producing capsules for obtaining beverages. The capsules (C) are produced from a film (F) of thermoformable material by thermoforming one or more predefined portions (X) of the film. The one or more predefined portions (X) of the film of thermoformable material are pre-heated, i.e. they are heated before being subjected to thermoforming so as to minimize the probability that the film of thermoformable material tears or breaks during thermoforming or after thermoforming.

A system for forming a thermoplastic may comprise a mandrel configured to receive a thermoplastic charge. The mandrel may rotate about a mandrel axis. A series of rollers may be located circumferentially about the mandrel and configured to apply radially inward pressure. A heating element may be located upstream of the series of rollers.

A system for forming a thermoplastic may comprise a mandrel configured to receive a thermoplastic charge. The mandrel may rotate about a mandrel axis. A series of rollers may be located circumferentially about the mandrel and configured to apply radially inward pressure. A heating element may be located upstream of the series of rollers.

A container that includes a microwave interactive web at least partially overlying and joined to a three-dimensional support, wherein the three-dimensional support may be formed prior to having the microwave interactive web mounted thereto. The three-dimensional support may be a preformed container that is sufficiently rigid and dimensionally stable for use in containing food.

In an embodiment, a rotatable mold apparatus includes a first mold disposed on a first base structure to be integrally moved together with the first base structure, a second mold disposed on a second base structure to be integrally moved together with the second base structure in order to couple to or decoupled from the first mold, a drive device configured to rotate the first mold and the second mold together when the first mold and the second mold are coupled to each other and support devices rotatably supporting the first mold and the second mold on the first base structure and the second base structure, respectively.

In an embodiment, a rotatable mold apparatus includes a first mold disposed on a first base structure to be integrally moved together with the first base structure, a second mold disposed on a second base structure to be integrally moved together with the second base structure in order to couple to or decoupled from the first mold, a drive device configured to rotate the first mold and the second mold together when the first mold and the second mold are coupled to each other and support devices rotatably supporting the first mold and the second mold on the first base structure and the second base structure, respectively.

An assembly for manufacturing containers by thermoforming, which includes a magazine of thermoplastic sheet-like blanks, a feeding station for feeding the blanks, a heating station for heating the blanks, and a station for thermoforming containers starting from the blanks. The feeding station includes a closed-loop path and at least two conveyor elements, which move, following each other, along the path between a loading position, in which the conveyor element faces the blank magazine, and an unloading position, in which the conveyor element faces the heating station. The heating station includes a heating carousel, wherein, in the active condition, the conveyor element in the unloading position moves with a substantially linear motion with a speed that is substantially equal to a peripheral speed of the heating carousel.