Molding device (1) for molding a container starting with a parison (3) in plastic material, comprising: two half-molds (4a, 4b), which may be joined to define at least one housing cavity (5) for the parison (3); a blowing nozzle (6) applicable on the neck (3b) of the parison (3); a plasma generator (8) receiving a blowing fluid at a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure and supplying plasma at a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure to the blowing nozzle (6), so that the plasma is blown into the parison (3) placed in the housing cavity (5) to mold it and to decontaminate it.

Even when the filling speed increases, the surface temperature of a molded bottle falls within a constant range, and a sterilizer adequately sterilizes the bottle. A preform is heated, the heated preform is sealed in a mold, the preform sealed in the mold is blow-molded into a bottle, the surface temperatures of a neck portion, a body portion, and a bottom portion of the molded bottle are measured, and the mold temperatures of a neck portion, a body portion, and a bottom portion of the mold is so adjusted that the measured surface temperature of the bottle falls within a specified temperature range.

A method for operating a system for handling containers, wherein said system for handling containers has a first handling device which handles the containers in a first predetermined manner, and at least one second handling device which handles the containers in a second predetermined manner, and a transport device which transports the containers from the first handling device to the second handling device. In accordance with the invention, a control device controls the handling of the containers by at least one of the two handling devices using at least one first physical parameter which is characteristic of environmental conditions at an operating site of the system and/or using at least one second physical parameter which is characteristic of a physical property of the containers to be handled, wherein at least one of these physical parameters is determined and an operating recipe is determined independently of the system and taking this parameter as a basis, which operating recipe is used by the control device to control at least one handling device.

A method of sterilizing a preform includes steps of: sterilizing bacteria adhering to a preform (1) made of resin by gasifying a sterilizer, discharging a sterilized gas (G) from a nozzle (6) toward a preform (1), now traveling, so as to adhere to the preform (1); activating the sterilizer adhering to the preform (1) by blasting hot air (P) to the preform; and sterilizing bacteria adhering to the preform, and removing the sterilizer adhering to the preform (1), wherein the above steps are performed sequentially in order. According to the above-mentioned steps, the sterilizer does not enter a blow-molding machine.

A method for operating an apparatus for sterilizing containers where the containers are each held and are transported along a predefined path by means of a movable carrier, and a plurality of sterilization units are arranged on the carrier, each having rod-like bodies that are introduced into the containers and apply charge carriers onto an internal wall of the containers. The charge carriers exit through an exit window of the rod-like bodies, as the charge carriers move in a longitudinal direction relative to the rod-like bodies.

To sterilize a container during blow molding thereof.

After a preform (1) is put in a molding die (6), the molding die (6) is clamped, and a mist or gas of a sterilizer or a mixture thereof is blasted into the preform (1), a blow molding air is blasted into the preform (1) to expand the preform (1) into a container (2) as a finished product, and the used blow molding air is discharged from the container (2) to remove the sterilizer in the container (2).

A preform is heated, the heated preform is sealed in a sealing apparatus including a neck portion mold, a trunk portion mold and a bottom portion mold at a predetermined temperature range, and the heated preform sealed in the molds is blow-molded into a bottle. Any molded bottle is removed if the mold surface temperature of the neck portion mold, the trunk portion mold and the bottom portion mold are outside of the predetermined temperature range. A sterilizer is blasted to any molded bottle not removed when the mold surface temperature of all of the molds is in the predetermined temperature range.

A preform is heated, the heated preform is sealed in a sealing apparatus including a neck portion mold, a trunk portion mold and a bottom portion mold at a predetermined temperature range, and the heated preform sealed in the molds is blow-molded into a bottle. Any molded bottle is removed if the mold surface temperature of the neck portion mold, the trunk portion mold and the bottom portion mold are outside of the predetermined temperature range. A sterilizer is blasted to any molded bottle not removed when the mold surface temperature of all of the molds is in the predetermined temperature range.

A container sterilizing device includes a transport mechanism that transports a container and a supply unit that supplies a sterilizing agent to the container that is being transported by the transport mechanism. The supply unit includes a nozzle for spraying the sterilizing agent. The nozzle does not move in a vertical direction and, without being inserted into the container, moves in synchronization with the container that is being transported by the transport mechanism.

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.