The invention concerns a method of controlling a device for conveying thermoplastic material preforms for use in a heat treatment oven and such a device for conveying preforms including at least one principal wheel and one auxiliary wheel at least one of which is driven in rotation to move at least one transport device to which are connected in movement holding device each configured to cooperate with a preform, said holding device being adapted to be actuated relative to a preform—or vice versa—between an inactive position and an active holding position, said principal wheel of the conveyor device including electric actuators that selectively drive at least in rotation said holding device in such a manner as to index said preform in a reference position.

Provided is a method for treating plastic preforms, wherein the plastic preforms are transported in a row by a feed transport device and are separated by a separating device, wherein the separating device has a carrier which is rotatable with respect to a predetermined axis of rotation and has on its outer circumference a plurality of recesses for receiving the plastic preforms in a takeover area and which are equidistant from one another in a circumferential direction of the carrier, wherein the separating device transporting the plastic preforms separately along a predetermined transport path section, and wherein the separating device transferring the plastic preforms in a transfer area to a further transport device which transports the plastic preforms further at a predetermined transport speed. During a start-up process, the separating device increases a transport speed at which it conveys the plastic preforms from the takeover area to the transfer area.

Apparatus for heating plastic preforms with a transport device which transports the plastic preforms during their heating along a predetermined transport path, with a first feed transport device which directly transfers the plastic preforms to the transport device in a transfer region, wherein this first feed transport device having a carrier which can be rotated with respect to an axis of rotation and has a plurality of holding devices which hold the plastic preforms, wherein each of these holding devices is in each case assigned an application device, wherein these application devices being arranged on a carrier which can be rotated about an axis of rotation.

A machine and method for forming containers from preforms. The machine includes a mold loading station for loading successive preforms into successive molds, each mold forming a mold cavity having the shape of the container to be produced. The machine also including a forming station for forming the containers by injecting a gaseous or liquid fluid into the preform contained in each mold in order to expand the preform such that each preform acquires the shape of the container defined by the mold cavity. In the machine, the mold loading station and the forming station are distinct from each other, and the machine further includes a transferring station arranged between the mold loading station and the forming station for transferring the successive molds containing the preforms from the mold loading station to the forming station.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a production facility of a series of containers from a series of preforms made of plastic materials. The method includes a first step of producing a preliminary series of individual containers from a preliminary series of preforms made of plastic materials. For each individual container produced during a tracking period, the method records (i) a marking that distinguishes said container other containers produced during said tracking period, and (ii) data relative to the production facility, its operation, and/or the preform or container. The method also includes a second step during which one or more physical values of each of the individually identified containers are measured during the first step, and a third step of compiling a database that matches, for each individually identified container, the measurement(s) of the second step, and the series of data acquired during the first step.

The invention relates to a transfer device for a hollow article comprising a conveyor wheel, transfer arms mounted moveably on the conveyor wheel, and at least one static cam. The at least one static cam comprising at least one cam path that cooperates with cam followers carried by the transfer arms to control the position thereof. The wheel carries at least one cleaning tool for a related cam path, and the cleaning tool is mounted movably and pressed against the cam path with sufficient force to enable the automatic cleaning of the cam path as the conveyor wheel rotates.

An apparatus for shaping plastic preforms into plastic containers is disclosed. Said apparatus comprises a conveying device on which a plurality of blowing stations are arranged. Each of said blowing stations encompasses a blow mold, within which a plastic preform can be shaped into a plastic container. The apparatus further comprises a clean chamber, within which the plastic preforms can be conveyed. According to the invention, the zone of the conveying device in which the blowing stations are arranged is located in the clean chamber, and at least one additional zone of the conveying device is located outside the clean chamber.

Plant for processing plastic preforms, includes an injection-moulding machine for producing the plastic preforms, a sterile blow-moulding machine for forming the plastic preforms into plastic containers, and a transport system for transporting, at least partially and/or in portions, the produced plastic preforms from the injection-moulding machine to the blow-moulding machine, wherein during transport, the plastic preforms can be guided in particular at a mouth region of the plastic preforms. The transport system includes a sterile pneumatic conveyor or a plurality of transport shuttles, in particular magnetic shuttles, and the plastic preforms are transported from the injection-moulding machine to the blow-moulding machine by the sterile pneumatic conveyor or magnetic shuttle.

Method for forming plastic preforms (10) into plastic containers (20), wherein at least one and preferably a plurality of forming stations (4) for forming the plastic preforms (10) into the plastic containers (20) is arranged on a movable carrier (2) and these forming stations (4) are moved along a predetermined transport path at least temporarily during the forming process, wherein the forming stations (4) each have blow mould arrangements (6), wherein blow mould parts (62, 64) of these blow mould arrangements (6) are moved for opening and closing the blow mould arrangements (6), and in a closed state of the blow mould arrangement (6) in a cavity formed by the blow mould parts (62, 64) the plastic preforms (10) are formed into the plastic containers (20) by being acted upon by a flowable medium, wherein at least temporarily a value characteristic of the forming station (4) and/or of the blow mould arrangement (6) being measured by means of a measuring device (8). According to the invention, the measurement is carried out by means of a measuring device (8) not arranged on the blow mould arrangement (6).

Fixation of a container shape of a hollow molded body is not completed during a blow molding process but is completed during an ejection process of an ejection section, thereby shortening an operation time in a stretch blow molding section, and improving the production efficiency of hollow molded bodies by shortening the time required for the blow molding process during a molding cycle. Cooling air is blown into the inside of the hollow molded body disposed in the ejection section in the ejection process C during the blow molding process B in the next molding cycle to cool the hollow molded body disposed in the ejection section to solidify the container shape.