A transport apparatus comprises: transport means 150 which is equipped with transport members 152 for holding preforms 200 to be rotatable in a horizontal direction and transports the transport members 152 along a transport line 151; and positioning means 300 for aligning the preforms 200 in a predetermined direction. The transport members 152 include regulation members for regulating the rotation of the preforms 200 aligned in the predetermined, direction by the positioning means 300.

Multi-barrier bottles having tabbed preforms, as well as methods of forming the same are disclosed. A tabbed preform includes an elongate body extending into a cavity of a first barrier, where the cavity is defined by at least one piece having a recess therein. The tabbed preform further includes at least one preform extension piece extending from the elongate body at a predetermined distance from a top surface of the elongate body. The at least one preform extension piece is sized and shaped to correspond to a size and a shape of the recess.

A transport apparatus comprises: transport means 150 which is equipped with transport members 152 for holding preforms 200 to be rotatable in a horizontal direction and transports the transport members 152 along a transport line 151; and positioning means 300 for aligning the preforms 200 in a predetermined direction. The transport members 152 include regulation members for regulating the rotation of the preforms 200 aligned in the predetermined, direction by the positioning means 300.

A method for heating a preform that is rotationally symmetric about its longitudinal axis, has a standard thread, and is made of a thermoplastic material. During heating, the preform is temperature conditioned to be formed into a container having a non-circular cross-section transverse to a longitudinal axis of the container by blow-molding. The preform is provided with a temperature profile along a circumference of the preform such that areas of the preform are differentially heated in a radial direction of the circumference of the preform. The standard thread of the preform is aligned in a predefined target position before the areas of the preform are differentially heated. The preform is rotated into alignment. An alignment element engages in the standard thread of the preform and thereby prevents further rotation of the preform as soon as the alignment element comes in contact with a predetermined contact surface in the standard thread.

A blow moulding machine for producing blown containers with an integrally formed handle; the machine including a preform injection moulding stage wherein the preform comprising a body portion, a neck portion and an integrally moulded handle; the machine further including a handle orientation stage, a preform conditioning stage and a blow moulding stage, and wherein the preform is nested in cavities provided in opposing portions of a conditioning module; the integrally moulded handle nested in cavities lined with an insulating material. Also disclosed is a method of producing a blown container with an integrally formed handle in a blow moulding machine; the blow moulding machine including a preform injection moulding stage for moulding a preform comprising a body portion and an integrally moulded handle; the blow moulding machine further including a handle orienting stage, a preform conditioning stage and a blow moulding stage; the method including the steps of: Injection moulding the preform with an integrally moulded handle, Orienting the handle of the preform into a predetermined orientation, Transferring the preform to a preform conditioning module, Transferring the preform from the preform conditioning module to a die of a blow moulding machine when the preform body and integrally moulded handle are at predetermined temperatures, Blowing the container in the blow moulding machine, and wherein the preform is nested in cavities provided in opposing portions of the conditioning module; the integrally moulded handle nested in cavities lined with an insulating material.

Multi-barrier bottles having tabbed preforms, as well as methods of forming the same are disclosed. A tabbed preform includes an elongate body extending into a cavity of a first barrier, where the cavity is defined by at least one piece having a recess therein. The tabbed preform further includes at least one preform extension piece extending from the elongate body at a predetermined distance from a top surface of the elongate body. The at least one preform extension piece is sized and shaped to correspond to a size and a shape of the recess.

A transport apparatus comprises: transport means 150 which is equipped with transport members 152 for holding preforms 200 to be rotatable in a horizontal direction and transports the transport members 152 along a transport line 151; and positioning means 300 for aligning the preforms 200 in a predetermined direction. The transport members 152 include regulation members for regulating the rotation of the preforms 200 aligned in the predetermined direction by the positioning means 300.

A transport apparatus comprises: transport means 150 which is equipped with transport members 152 for holding preforms 200 to be rotatable in a horizontal direction and transports the transport members 152 along a transport line 151; and positioning means 300 for aligning the preforms 200 in a predetermined direction. The transport members 152 include regulation members for regulating the rotation of the preforms 200 aligned in the predetermined direction by the positioning means 300.

The invention relates to a device and a method for loading a fiber-based container (20) with a preform (30), comprising the following steps:

providing a container (20) on a rotary plate (40);

rotating the rotary plate (40) together with the container (20) into a predetermined position;

inserting a preform (30) into the container (20); the invention also relates to a method for inserting a fiber-based container (20), together with a preform (30) arranged therein, into a blow mold (80).

An installation for regulation of the angular position of hollow bodies in an installation for production of containers. The hollow bodies are moved by individual support members each of which is equipped with means for causing the hollow body to turn about its axis. The installation includes a means for measuring, in a first step an angular offset of at least one particular hollow body relative to a reference angular position in a particular measurement zone. The installation also includes a means for compensating, in a second step the angular position of the subsequent hollow bodies in a compensation zone upstream of said measurement zone during which the angular orientation of the subsequent hollow bodies is modified by an updated compensation angle that is a function of the angular offset measured for the at least one particular hollow body.