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 (1) for producing sterile receptacles (2), comprising: a molding unit (13) for molding parisons (4) starting from granules of thermoplastic material; a stretch-blowing forming unit (3) which receives the parisons (4) from the molding unit (13), the forming unit (3) having a plurality of forming stations (5) in each of which there is a mold (6) and a sterilization device (12) so as to form and sterilize the corresponding parison (4).

A liquid blow molding apparatus includes a rod guide interposed between the seal body and the stretching rod to suppress misalignment in the radial direction of the stretching rod with respect to the seal body and to seal a gap between the seal body and the stretching rod in a fluid-tight manner, and the seal body has a detachable portion detachably attached to the main body of the seal body to hold the rod guide between the detachable portion and the main body.

To provide a resin container and a method for manufacturing the same with which it is possible to generate more effervescence than hitherto. This resin container is provided with: a resin container main body inside which is formed an accommodating space that is hermetically sealed using a cap; and a textured region which is formed on an inner surface of the container main body and is formed from a rough surface.

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.

Ways for simultaneously forming and filling a container with a product are provided that include a mold cavity, a two-stage injection unit, and a blow nozzle. The mold cavity defines an internal surface and is configured to accept a preform. The two-stage injection unit receives and dispenses the product where a first stage includes an extruder and a second stage includes an accumulator. The extruder imparts mechanical energy to the product to reduce a viscosity of the product and transfers the reduced-viscosity product to the accumulator. The accumulator receives the reduced-viscosity product from the extruder and dispenses a charge of the reduced-viscosity product. The blow nozzle transfers the charge of the reduced-viscosity product dispensed from the accumulator into the preform to urge the preform to expand toward the internal surface of the mold cavity and form a resultant container.

A method for the production of blow-molded containers that are sterile at least in certain regions, and a blow-molding machine configured to carry out the method. In accordance with the method, blowing stations are arranged on a rotating blowing wheel. A preform of a thermoplastic material is first heated and then stretched in a blowing station by a stretching rod and subjected to a pressurized blowing fluid via a blowing nozzle. A sterilizing fluid is supplied to the preform in the blowing station to perform a sterilization. The sterilizing fluid is fed into the preform from an outlet and is carried away again via an inlet and in between follows a flow path. The sterilizing fluid is made to pass through or pass by the stretching rod on its flow path, and the sterilizing fluid is supplied while the blow-molding machine continues to operate.

A container defining a longitudinal axis and a transverse direction that is transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis. The container includes a finish and a sidewall portion extending from the finish. A plurality of ribs are defined by the sidewall. A base portion extends from the sidewall portion and encloses the sidewall portion to form a volume therein for retaining a commodity. The base portion has a contact surface for supporting the container. A plurality of straps extend radially along the base portion away from the longitudinal axis in the transverse direction, each one of the straps defines a strap surface that is closer to the finish than the contact surface. The plurality of ribs and the base portion are configured to place the container in a state of hydraulic charge-up when top load is applied to the container after the container is filled.

(1) for moulding a container starting with a parison (3) in plastic material, comprising: two half-moulds (4a, 4b) defining at least one housing cavity (5) for the parson (3); a stretching rod (23), made of metal material and insertable into said parson (3) to stretch it; a hollow body (25), made of metal material, sized so as to envelop at least partially the parison (3) placed in said housing cavity (5), a voltage difference being applied between the stretching rod (23) and the hollow body (25) so as to generate a plasma inside said housing cavity (5), said plasma having a pressure equal to or higher than the atmospheric pressure.

Method for moulding and sterilizing a container made of plastic material, comprising the steps of: opening a mould (4) made of metal material; inserting a parison (3) into the mould (4); closing the mould (4); inserting a stretching rod (23) made of metal material into the parison (3); blowing and stretching the parison (3) in such a manner as to obtain the container; keeping the stretching rod (23) inside the moulded container; evacuating the blowing fluid; applying a voltage difference between the stretching rod (23) and the closed mould (4) in such a manner as to transform the fluid at atmospheric pressure remaining inside the moulded container into plasma.