A method for forming a container with an integral handle includes heating a preform having an integral handle in a first oven, stretching the preform, closing a first mold having a first mold recess and a second mold having a second mold recess around the preform, and blowing air into the preform. A handle pocket wedge block is inserted into a handle pocket of the integral handle of the preform within the first mold and the second mold.

Apparatus for heating plastic preforms, having a microwave generating device which generates microwaves, and having a resonator device which forms a receiving space into which the plastic preforms can be introduced so as to be acted upon by the microwaves in the resonator device in order to be heated, wherein the apparatus has a reflector element which is arranged at least partially in the receiving space and which is suitable and intended for conducting microwaves in the direction of a base region of the plastic preforms. According to the invention, the reflector element is movable relative to the receiving space and the apparatus has a drive device for moving the reflector element relative to the receiving space.

Provided is a machine for heating plastic parisons, including a transport device which transports the plastic parisons along a predetermined transport path, a heating device which heats the plastic parisons at least intermittently, wherein the heating device includes at least: a bottom heating element which is suitable and intended for heating a bottom portion of the plastic parisons; a reflector element which is installed below the bottom portion of the plastic parisons in the longitudinal direction of the plastic parisons and reflects thermal radiation onto the plastic parisons; an adjusting device which is suitable and intended for adjusting the reflector element in the longitudinal direction of the plastic parisons; and wherein the bottom heating element is arranged on the reflector element and/or is adjustable jointly therewith.

An installation (26) for thermally conditioning thermoplastic preforms (14) that are intended to be formed, the installation (26) including:a thermal-conditioning zone (40) divided vertically into a heating first part (42) which is intended to house a body (16) of the preform (14) and a cooling second part (44) which is intended to house a neck (20) of the preform (14);a device (62) for cooling a portion of the preform (14) by producing a stream of gas passing through the thermal-conditioning zone (40); characterized in that the cooling device (62) produces a blade (63) of gas blown with laminar flow through an axial outlet slit (72).

A module (10) for heating a preform (12) made of a thermoplastic, includes: a lamp (16) having an emissive portion (22) emitting heating electromagnetic radiation and a non-emissive portion (24) that does not emit the heating radiation; and a longitudinal lens (32) that is fastened to the lamp (16), by at least one fastening brace (34), parallel to the emitting portion (22) in order to focus the heating radiation toward a selected zone of the preform; wherein each brace (34) is only fastened to the non-emissive portion (24) of the lamp (16).

A method for temperature conditioning thermoplastic preforms for blow molding. The preforms are guided along a chain path in a transport direction by a plurality of transport and handling means through a heating apparatus. In a heating section, the plurality of heating devices are arranged one after another in the transport direction. On at least one side opposite the heating devices, counter-reflectors are provided, which together with heating devices, form a tunnel-like heating area through which the preforms are transported. In an area of the heating section, a concurrently moving counter-reflector is assigned to each perform or each transport and handling means. The counter-reflectors are guided on a circulating reflector path separate from the chain path, which in the area of the heating section runs parallel to the chain path and in at least one area outside the heating section takes a path route deviating from the chain path.

The invention relates to a heating device (H) comprising a heating section (24) for thermally conditioning preforms (1) consisting of thermoplastic material, comprising an upper orifice portion (21) having an opening, a collar-like support ring (54) arranged below the orifice portion (21), and a bottom portion (56) closed at the lower end, to a temperature profile suitable for blowmolding, wherein the heating device (H) has transportation means (33) for the transportation of the preforms (1) along a transportation path (55) of the heating device (H), and wherein the transportation means (33) each bear at least one handling means (41) for holding and handling the preforms (1), wherein a radiation screen (52), which follows the transportation path of the preforms (1), and which has a recess (53) at least on one end face to partially enclose a preform (1) held in the handling means (41) adjoining the recess (53), is provided in an intermediate space between two handling means (41) each provided for handling a preform (1), wherein the radiation screen (52) is arranged such that a surface region of the radiation screen (52), viewed in the longitudinal direction of the preform (1), at least temporarily overlaps on its side facing away with the orifice portion (21) with a surface region of the support ring (54) during the transportation of the preforms (1).

The unit (1) for processing hollow-body plastic blanks (2) includes a chamber (6) wherein the blanks (2) move along a predetermined path. The chamber (6) is defined, on both sides of the path, by two side walls (3, 4) having inner surfaces (5) that face each other. The chamber (6) includes a main section (9) wherein at least one of the walls (3, 4) is provided with a plurality of electromagnetic radiation sources (10). The side walls (3, 4) define therebetween, on at least one end of the chamber, an opening (8) for the preforms to pass therethrough. The chamber (6) includes at least one optical confinement section (12) that extends between the main section (9) and the opening (8) and wherein the inner surfaces (5) of the side walls (3, 4) are optically reflective and converge toward the opening (8).

An apparatus (1) for the heating of plastics material pre-forms (10) with a conveying device (2) which conveys the plastics material pre-forms (10) along a pre-set conveying path (T), with at least one heating element (4) which is arranged along the conveying path (P) of the plastics material pre-forms (10) and which heats the plastics material pre-forms (10), wherein in addition a cooling device is provided which cools the plastics material pre-forms (10) and/or at least one element of the apparatus (1) during the heating of the plastics material pre-forms (10) by acting upon them with a gaseous medium.

An apparatus for heating plastics material preforms includes a transport device which transports the plastics material preforms along a predefined transport path, wherein the transport device has a circulating transport device on which a plurality of holding devices for holding the plastics material preforms to be heated are arranged. The apparatus has an inspection device which is configured for inspecting holding devices not loaded with plastics material preforms.