Disclosed is a process for treating at least one hollow body made of thermoplastic material, such as a preform or a cap, the treatment process successively including at least the following steps: a first step, consisting in treating at least the inside of the hollow body using hydrogen peroxide; a second step, consisting in heating the hollow body; a third step, consisting in treating the hollow body with plasma in order to reduce the concentration of hydrogen peroxide residues. Also disclosed is a plant for manufacturing containers in which the process is carried out in particular by way of a unit for the plasma treatment of the preforms.

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.

A method for packaging liquid products under pressure in thermoplastic containers includes blow-molding a container from a sterilized preform, exposing an exterior of the container to a mixture that includes liquid coolant and either a sterilizing agent or a disinfectant, pressure-filling the container with liquid product, and sealing the filled container.

An apparatus for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, with a movable carrier on which at least one forming station is arranged for forming the plastic preforms, wherein the forming station is transported along a predefined transport path, and wherein the apparatus has a clean room inside which the plastic preforms are formed, wherein this clean room is isolated from a non-sterile environment by at least one wall, with a sterilisation device for sterilising the plastic preforms and/or plastic containers, which device acts upon the plastic preforms and/or plastic containers to be sterilised with a flowable sterilisation medium for their sterilisation. According to the invention, the apparatus comprises an ejection device for ejecting containers from the clean room, and this ejection device has a lock chamber from which the ejected containers can be removed, wherein this lock chamber can be acted upon with an atmosphere containing a sterilisation medium.

An aseptic filling machine capable of performing molding and filling at the same time that has a compact facility size, requires a reduced initial investment, requires a reduced running cost because of its simplified process, and ensures an aseptic condition with reliability, and an aseptic filling method therefor. An aseptic filling machine includes a pre-heating sterilizing portion that sterilizes a preform, a heating portion that heats the sterilized preform, a molding and filling portion that fills the heated preform with a sterilized content under high pressure, thereby molding the preform into a bottle and at the same time filling the preform with the content, and a sealing portion that seals the bottle filled with the content. Before the aseptic filling machine starts operating, each portion is sterilized. During operation of the aseptic filling machine, aseptic air is supplied to each portion to maintain the aseptic condition.

A system for producing filled plastic containers from sterilized plastic preforms, includes a transport device for transporting the plastic preforms and plastic containers produced from the plastic preforms by forming, along a predetermined transport path through the system, a forming apparatus for forming the sterilized plastic preforms into plastic containers, and a filling apparatus for filling the plastic containers during their at least sectional transport substantially along a circular line about a central axis of the filling apparatus. The forming apparatus and the filling apparatus have a maximum distance from one another in relation to their respective central axes of 5.5 m, preferably of 5.3 m, and the forming apparatus has a maximum number of 24 forming stations or of 6.0 m, preferably of 5.6 m, and the forming apparatus has more than 24 forming stations.

To simply sterilize a blow-molding machine. A mist or gas of hydrogen peroxide or a mixture thereof is introduced through a valve block disposed adjacent to a molding die, thereby sterilizing at least the molding die and an extension rod that extends into the molding die through the valve block.

Provided is a method for operating a device for shaping plastic preforms to form plastic containers, wherein the device has a movable support on which a plurality of shaping stations for shaping plastic preforms to form plastic containers are arranged, and these shaping stations each have blow molds that are suitable for and intended for molding the plastic preforms and are arranged at least indirectly on blow mold supports. The blow molds are kept at least temporarily in a magazine device, wherein this magazine device is suitable for and intended for receiving several sets of blow molds.

A device (30) for serial treatment of hollow bodies including: a transport member (32); a treatment rod (38) mounted slidably relative to the transport member (32); controlled elements for moving each treatment rod (38) between a retracted position and an extended position in which the treatment rod (38) is intended for being inserted axially into the transported hollow body; wherein the controlled elements consist of an electric actuator (42) controlled by an electronic control unit (44) for stopping the treatment rod (38) in the extended position thereof. A method for serial treatment of preforms using the treatment device is also described.

To simply sterilize a blow-molding machine. A mist or gas of hydrogen peroxide or a mixture thereof is introduced through a valve block disposed adjacent to a molding die, thereby sterilizing at least the molding die and an extension rod that extends into the molding die through the valve block.