The invention relates to a blow molding tool for a blow molding machine for producing plastic containers in an extrusion or stretch blow-molding process. The blow molding tool comprises two blow mold halves, each of which comprises at least one molding body in which at least one mold cavity is disposed, and a baseplate that receives said molding body. An insulation block consisting of a thermally insulating material is arranged between the molding body and the baseplate and, optionally, further components of the blow mold halves.

The present invention relates to an injection and blow mold for an injection machine, the mold comprising one or more rows of molding cavities arranged in a base plate (5), each row of cavities including several injection cavities (1) and several blow cavities (2) arranged in an alternating manner and aligned with one another, with blow cavities (2) at opposite ends of the row. The injection cavities (1) are formed individually in respective injection blocks (3) and the blow cavities (2) are formed individually in respective blow blocks (4). The injection blocks (3) and the blow blocks (4) are separated from one another and project from the base plate (5). The injection blocks (3) are heated by external heating means relative to the base plate (5), and the blow blocks (4) are cooled by a cooling fluid circulating through cooling conduits (7a) arranged inside the blow blocks (4).

Disclosed is a method for cooling heated molds from a machine for molding containers from thermoplastic material by stretch-blow molding hot preforms using at least one pressurized fluid. The cooling method includes, in order to cool the molds, at least one cooling step that involves selectively feeding at least one cooling fluid into the molding cavity of at least some of the molding units that, after the carousel has been stopped in order to immobilize the molding units at least during the cooling step, are located in a predetermined cooling region in which the molding units are in a closed position.

Disclosed is a method for cooling heated molds from a machine for molding containers from thermoplastic material by stretch-blow molding hot preforms using at least one pressurized fluid. The cooling method includes, in order to cool the molds, at least one cooling step that involves selectively feeding at least one cooling fluid into the molding cavity of at least some of the molding units that, after the carousel has been stopped in order to immobilize the molding units at least during the cooling step, are located in a predetermined cooling region in which the molding units are in a closed position.

A blow mold assembly for forming a polymeric container. The blow mold assembly has a thread insert defining threads configured to form finish threads on a finish of the polymeric container. An electric heater of the blow mold assembly is configured to heat the thread insert as the polymeric container is formed.

A molding unit (10) for manufacturing preforms (100) made of plastics material, includes at least one HR-type mold (10), a nozzle (14) including at least a nozzle body (28) and a nozzle orifice (30) incorporating a preform (100) stabilizer (34) that forms with a tubular member (40) a mobile assembly that is able to slide axially relative to the nozzle orifice (30) between at least a top position and a bottom position, wherein the tubular member (40) is guided so as to slide axially with respect to the nozzle body (28) by at least one guiding element (46) which is interposed radially between the nozzle body (28) and the tubular inlet member (40), and the stabilizer (34), fixed to the tubular member (40), is guided with respect to the nozzle body (28) only by way of the at least one guiding element (46).

A preform has a flange that protrudes outward at a neck, and is supplied in an inverted state. A preform handling device includes a star wheel that is configured so that the preform is supplied to each of a plurality of depressions that are formed in an outer circumferential part of a wheel, and pushes the preform to rotationally transfer the preform from an upstream region to a downstream region, an end face guide member that is provided in the upstream region so as to be situated under the preform and that support and guide an open end face of the preform, and a pair of flange guide members that are provided in the downstream region and that support and guide a lower side of the flange of the preform.

A medical stent mold includes a tube having an interior passage sized and dimensioned to receive a stent assembly disposed at least partially about a central portion of a stent balloon. The medical stent mold may also include a housing forming a chamber through which the tube extends. The tube may include a thermally conductive material and may have a body portion that extends within the chamber and an end portion that is proximate the body portion and that extends away from the housing. Forced convection may be used to quickly heat and cool the tube. Methods of increasing retention of an expandable stent assembly on a stent balloon and of detecting a leak in a stent balloon are also included.

Disclosed is a device for molding containers made of thermoplastic material including: a shell-carrier designed to accommodate an interchangeable molding shell including a bearing face resting against a support face of the shell-carrier; a cold-molding shell whose bearing face is shaped to be directly in contact with the support face; and a cooling unit for each shell-carrier. Moreover, the device includes: a hot-molding shell equipped with a heating unit that heat its bearing face; and thermal insulation interposed between the bearing face of the hot-molding shell and the support face of the shell-carrier.

A method of blow molding an article having at least one layer of thermoplastic material. The method comprises the steps of heating a mold having an inner surface with two or more areas of different surface textures to a first temperature of greater than 55 C. and subsequently feeding a parison into the mold. The parison is then blown against the inner surface of the mold to form an article. The temperature of the mold is subsequently lowered to a second temperature of between 20 C. to about 55 C. and the temperature cycle time (t.sub.ct) of the mold is less than 250 seconds. Using the two phase heating and cooling process in combination with a mold featuring different surface textures provides a finished article with different visual effects.