An apparatus for heating plastic preforms with a transport device which includes holding devices for holding the plastic preforms and wherein the transport path has at least one heating portion inside which the plastic preforms are heated, and with a heating device arranged stationary at least in portions along the transport path and which heats the plastic preforms transported by the transport device during their transport through the heating portion, wherein the heating device has at least one in particular stationary applicator device which is configured for bombarding the plastic preforms with microwaves to heat them. In the heating portion, the transport device is arranged relative to the applicator device such that at least parts of the holding devices are arranged outside the applicator device, wherein the applicator device is configured to receive several plastic preforms simultaneously for at least some of the time.

Method for processing hot-filled plastic containers are provided. In some embodiments, the method may include hot-filling a plastic container, sealing the container, and conveying the sealed container, each with an inner annular wall and a push-up portion in a first position. In some embodiments, the method may further include creating a vacuum pressure in the hot-filled and sealed container and repositioning the push-up portion from the first position to a second position under a mechanical force.

Method for processing hot-filled plastic containers are provided. In some embodiments, the method may include hot-filling a plastic container, sealing the container, and conveying the sealed container, each with an inner annular wall and a push-up portion in a first position. In some embodiments, the method may further include creating a vacuum pressure in the hot-filled and sealed container and repositioning the push-up portion from the first position to a second position under a mechanical force.

A plastic, hot-fillable container is provided. The container comprises a blow molded body including a neck and a base having a center portion and a plurality of spaced apart radial segments. At least a portion of each segment is tapered from an outer side to an inner side thereof. Container systems and methods of manufacturing containers are disclosed.

A blow molding apparatus includes: an injection molding section for injection molding a plurality of preforms at a time; a cooling section for cooling the preforms; a heating section for heating the preforms while continuously transporting them along a transport line; and a blow molding section for blow molding the preforms to form hollow containers. The blow molding section includes a primary blow molding section which is equipped with a heat-treating blow mold and blow molds the preforms moved from the transport line into the heat-treating blow mold to form intermediate molded products, and a secondary blow molding section which is equipped with a final blow mold and blow molds the intermediate molded products moved from the heat-treating blow mold into the final blow mold to form the hollow containers.

Method for processing hot-filled plastic containers are provided. In some embodiments, the method may include hot-filling a plastic container, sealing the container, and conveying the sealed container, each with an inner annular wall and a push-up portion in a first position. In some embodiments, the method may further include creating a vacuum pressure in the hot-filled and sealed container and repositioning or inverting the push-up portion from the first position to a second position under the vacuum pressure.

A method of blow molding a glossy article having at least one layer of thermoplastic material. The method comprises the steps of feeding a parison of said thermoplastic material into a mold having an inner surface with at least a portion of SPI finish standard selected from the group consisting of A-1, A-2, A-3, B-1, B-2 and B-3 mold and a first temperature of greater than 55 C.; blowing the parison against the inner surface of the mold to form the article; and subsequently lowering the temperature of the mold to a second temperature of between 10 C. to 55 C. before release of the molded article. The cycle time of the mold (t.sub.ct) is less than 250 seconds.

Method for processing hot-filled plastic containers are provided. In some embodiments, the method may include hot-filling a plastic container, sealing the container, and conveying the sealed container, each with an inner annular wall and a push-up portion in a first position. In some embodiments, the method may further include creating a vacuum pressure in the hot-filled and sealed container and repositioning or inverting the push-up portion from the first position to a second position under the vacuum pressure.

Method for processing hot-filled plastic containers are provided. In some embodiments, the method may include hot-filling a plastic container, sealing the container, and conveying the sealed container, each with an inner annular wall and a push-up portion in a first position. In some embodiments, the method may further include creating a vacuum pressure in the hot-filled and sealed container and repositioning the push-up portion from the first position to a second position under a mechanical force.

Apparatus for transforming plastic parisons into plastic containers includes a transforming station having a blow mould within which plastic parisons can be expanded by application of a gaseous medium. The blow mould has a base part arranged releasably on a support. The transforming station has at least one first connector for supplying a flowable temperature control medium to the transforming station, and this supply of the temperature control medium can be disconnected via the connector. The fastening mechanism has a release element which is movable in a predetermined straight direction. By displacement of this release element into a first predetermined position fastening of the base part on the support is releasable and by a displacement of this release element into a second predetermined position the base part can be fastened on the support.