An inspection and ejector unit for preforms for plastic containers in a transportation line, has at least one driver device which picks up preforms travelling from an inward conveyor device to the inspection and ejector unit, transports them further and passes on at least some of the preforms to an outward conveyor device, at least one detection device by which faulty preforms in the driver device are detected, and at least one ejection device by which preforms which are detected as faulty are removed from the driver device, and a corresponding method.

An apparatus and a method for conveying preforms, to a blow molding machine. The apparatus includes a conveying device which conveys preforms away from a supply of preforms, a feeding device that receives preforms from the conveying device, and a sorting device that sorts the preforms and conveys them in a direction of travel. The conveying device ends above the sorting device. The inlet end of the feeding device has a holding zone which the preforms reach as they arrive from the conveying device, and the discharge end of the feeding device has a transfer zone via which the preforms reach the sorting device. The feeding device has an orienting zone with an orienting device designed so that the flow of preforms is oriented in the direction of the flow of the preforms in the sorting device (direction of travel), and the oriented preforms run through the transfer zone.

A preform for being blow-molded to form a container is provided herein. The preform comprises a finish portion that includes an opening to an interior of the preform and includes a tamper evidence ledge. The tamper evidence ledge cooperates with a tamper-evident ring portion of a cap to indicate that the cap has not been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer. A neck portion is disposed adjacent to the tamper evidence ledge. A tapered portion transitions from a diameter of the neck portion to a smaller diameter of a cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion comprises an elongate member that culminates in an end cap. Threads disposed on the finish portion are configured to threadably receive the cap. A handling valley is disposed between the tamper evidence ledge and the threads. The handling valley enables gripping fingers to engage with and air-convey the container along a manufacturing assembly.

A method for forming a container with an integral handle includes heating a preform having an integral handle in a first oven, stretching the preform, closing a first mold having a first mold recess and a second mold having a second mold recess around the preform, and blowing air into the preform. A handle pocket wedge block is inserted into a handle pocket of the integral handle of the preform within the first mold and the second mold.

A method for transporting articles (2) to a station, in particular preforms to a blow-molding apparatus, wherein each article has a protrusion (10) and is moved along a guide (16) by a drive means (18), the article (2), along at least part of the guide (16), should be retained on an abutment (19, 21, 23), and advanced along this abutment, by an air stream.

The invention relates to a device and a method for transporting and handling containers, in particular containers made of a thermoplastic material. The, containers are transported from an inlet point (41) to an outlet point (30) in a transport direction by the transport device, The transport device has at least one handling device (26) which moves in the transport direction for handling one or more of the containers in a simultaneous manner in particular, and the handling device (26) is arranged in a movable manner relative to the transport device in order to move in a direction which deviates from the transport direction. The invention is characterized in that the transport device has at least one motor (32, 34, 37), by means of which the at least one handling device (26) can be moved in a motor-driven manner in the direction which deviates from the transport direction.

A cooling mold for cooling a resin preform that has a gate portion protruding outward from a center of a bottom portion, in which an accommodating space that accommodates the preform is formed in the cooling mold, a bottom region facing the bottom portion of the preform in the accommodating space has a shape following the bottom portion of the preform, and an air sucking hole for sucking air is formed in the bottom region at a position shifted from the center of the bottom portion of the preform. In the accommodating space, a region facing a body portion of the perform and a bottom region facing the bottom portion of the perform are formed as a single member.

A continuously rotating, non-symmetric preform feed, stretch-blow-moulding machine dedicated to the stretch-blow-moulding of containers from non-symmetric injection moulded preforms; the non-symmetric preforms including an integral handle extending from a first junction point to a second junction point on a body of the preform; the body of the preform and the integral handle constituted from the same material.

A system for producing plastic containers from preforms, comprising: a plurality of blowing stations comprising at least a first and a second blowing station (31, 32) for blowing the preforms; a movement system (2) for moving the preforms comprising a delivery line (21) for delivering the preforms towards said blowing stations. The delivery line (21) comprises a first and a second outlet zone (211, 212) of the preforms from said delivery line (21). The first and the second outlet zone (211, 212) for the outlet of the preforms are in mutually distinct positions and are intended to supply the first blowing station (31) and the second blowing station (32), respectively.

A polymeric container including a base, a body, a finish, finish threads, and a tamper lip. The finish threads are at an outer surface of the finish, and are configured to cooperate with closure threads of a closure to secure the closure to the finish. The tamper lip extends from the outer surface of the finish, and is configured to replace the support flange during handling, and to cooperate with a tamper band of the closure. A recess is below the tamper lip. The recess retains the tamper band below the tamper lip when the closure is removed from cooperation with the finish. A gripper ring is between the finish threads and the tamper lip. The gripper ring is configured to cooperate with a gripper for grasping the finish.