An apparatus for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, has a plurality of forming stations each having application devices that apply the plastic preforms with a flowable and gaseous medium for their expansion. The apparatus has at least one first compressed air reservoir configured to store compressed air at a first predefined pressure. Each forming station has a valve arrangement with a plurality of valve devices configured to apply the plastic preforms with at least two pressures, wherein at least one of the valve devices is a pneumatically-controlled valve device. This valve device has a working chamber for receiving gaseous medium, used to act upon the plastic preforms, and a valve piston that can be moved between at least two positions. The valve device further has a control chamber that can be applied with a gaseous control medium for moving the valve piston.

A continuous cycle bottling line for containers of thermoplastic material comprises: a parison molding unit; a blow-molding unit for making containers; a unit for filling the containers; a thermal conditioning structure for the parisons, for heating and cooling the parisons in a heating module and in a cooling module, respectively; an automatic controlled-atmosphere storage system for containing the parisons and interconnected with the other parts of the line; a pressurization system configured to pressurize at least the following parts of the line: the storage system, the at least one blow-molding unit and the connections between the thermal conditioning structure and the storage system; where the heating and cooling modules, alternatively or in combination, i) are pressurized, ii) have a plurality of shutters configured to occlude the opening at the end of each parison, so that the interior of the parison remains closed when the parison is inside the heating and cooling module.

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.

A storage system for storing objects of plastic material processed in a bottling line (45) comprises: a plurality of drawers (4) configured to contain groups of objects (5); a frame (2) which defines a plurality of compartments (3) configured to house the drawers (4); a conveyor (8) movable in the storage system (1) itself and configured to access the compartments (3) in such a way as to withdraw and place drawers (4) from and into the compartments (4); a loading bay (11) having one or more loading compartments for receiving corresponding drawers (4) and having a loading manipulator (28) configured to place in the drawers (4) the loose objects (5) received from an infeed conveyor (29); an unloading bay (12) having at least one unloading compartment for receiving a corresponding drawer (4) and having an unloading manipulator (41) configured to place onto an outfeed conveyor (43, 44) the loose objects (5) stored in the drawer (4).

Apparatus for forming hollow containers (110), suitable to contain in particular one or more liquid or semi-liquid food products, starting from parisons (F) made of thermoplastic material. The apparatus comprises a matrix (11) defined by a pair of molds (12) cooperating with each other to define a cavity (13) shaped like the container (110) to be formed, and to define a support channel (14), configured to define an additional portion (112) of said container (110). The apparatus also comprises a forming punch (17), operatively mobile through said support channel (14) to enter into/exit from said cavity (13) so as to thrust and blow one of said parisons (F) against the walls of said cavity (13) to form at least said container (110).

An apparatus for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, having a transport device which transports the plastic preforms to be formed along a predetermined transport path, wherein the transport device has a rotatable transport carrier wherein a plurality of forming stations are arranged. The forming stations each have blow-molding devices within which the plastic preforms can be formed into the plastic containers by applying a flowable medium. The forming stations each have application devices for applying the flowable medium to the plastic preforms, and the apparatus has a feed device for feeding plastic preforms to be formed to the transport apparatus, and a discharge device for discharging formed containers from the transport device. The apparatus has a clean room within which the plastic preforms or the plastic containers are transported at least sectionally. The apparatus has an ejection device to eject plastic preforms or plastic containers from the transport path.

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.

Apparatus for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers with a transport device which transports the plastic preforms along a predefined transport path, wherein the transport device has a movable station carrier on which a plurality of forming stations are arranged, wherein these forming stations each have blow-moulding devices, each forming cavities within which the plastic preforms can be formed into plastic containers, and the blow-moulding devices are arranged on respective blow-mould carriers, wherein the apparatus has a clean room inside which the plastic preforms can be formed into the plastic containers, isolated from a non-sterile environment by at least one wall. The apparatus has a change device which is suitable and intended for at least removing the blow-moulding devices from their blow-mould carriers and/or arranging blow-moulding devices on the blow-mould carriers, wherein this change device is integrated in a module which can be separated from the clean room.

A blow molding machine is simply sterilized. The blow molding machine is sterilized by filling a preform (1) with a liquid sterilizer (P) containing an ethanol constituent or both an ethanol constituent and a hydrogen peroxide constituent, and blasting blow air into the preform (1) in a state where the liquid sterilizer (P) remains in the preform (1) to diffuse the liquid sterilizer (P).

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).