The invention relates to a heating device (H) for the thermal conditioning of preforms (1) made of a thermoplastic material at a temperature profile that is suitable for a blow molding and a blow molding machine (B) having a heating device (H) of this type. The heating device (H) has multiple heating units (30, 30) arranged behind one another along a heating section (24) and transport means (33) for transporting the preforms (1) on a transport path (55) along the heating section (24) and along the heating units (30, 30). The transport means (33) are connected in a chain-like manner to form a closed continuous transport chain (50) and have a rotary drive body (52) that cooperates with a first engaging device (51) that is driven and arranged such that it circulates at a distance to the transport chain (50) in order to introduce a rotational movement thereof about a longitudinal axis of the transport means (33) via engagement in the rotary drive body (52). The heating device (H) has a first heating section with first heating units (30) for the uniform heating of the preforms (1) in their peripheral direction and a second heating section with second heating units (30) for the non-uniform heating of the preforms (1) in their peripheral direction (preferential heating). The first engaging device (51) is arranged in such a way that it is engaged with the rotary drive body (52) in the region of the first heating section and is not engaged with the rotary drive body (52) in the region of the second section. The heating device (H) has a second engaging device (45, 45, 45) that can be driven and is arranged such that it circulates at a distance to the transport chain (50), said second engaging device being arranged in such a way that it is engaged with the rotary drive body (52) in the region of the second heating section and also has the translation speed of the transport chain (50). Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the thermal conditioning of preforms.

A blow moulding machine for blow moulding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow moulded from a previously injection moulded preform; said preform comprising a body portion and said integrally formed handle; said machine including a preform loading station at which said preform is oriented by a preform orienting apparatus.

A wide-neck synthetic resin container has a neck, a body and a bottom. A top side of the neck is sealed by a cap. The neck includes a neck tubular section, an engagement section protruding outward therefrom and engaging the cap, and a flange protruding outward at the top side. The flange protrudes less than the engagement section. The neck's top side includes a first top side formed by the neck tubular section, and a second top side formed by the flange that is the same height level with the first top side and increases an area of the top side. The neck tubular section has a uniform thickness at an area immediately below the flange and an area where the engagement section is formed. A thickness of the flange is smaller than that of the neck tubular section, and the neck has been crystallized.

A blow molding machine for blow molding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow molded from a previously injection molded preform; said preform comprising a body portion and said integrally formed handle; said machine including a preform loading station at which said preform is oriented by a preform orienting apparatus.

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.

A method of heating a preform for a blow molding operation is provided. The method involves inspecting a preform upon entry into a system, heating the preform, measuring a preform temperature along is longitudinal axis and around its circumference, and optimizing the heating step according to a comparison of data from the inspection and measuring steps to ensure subsequent optimization of the heating of subsequent preforms.

The invention relates to a heating apparatus (H) having at least one heating line (24) for the thermal conditioning of preforms (1) made of thermoplastic material to a temperature profile which is suitable for blow shaping, wherein the heating apparatus (H) comprises a transport device for transporting the preforms (1) along a transport path (T) of the heating apparatus (H), said transport device comprising a revolving conveyor chain (F) having a plurality of pivotably interconnected chain links (33), and wherein the transport device comprises handling means (39) for holding and manipulating a single preform (1) each, wherein the transport device is embodied and configured such that the preforms (1) are guided in a single row in at least a first section of the transport path (T), and are guided in two adjacent rows in at least a second section of the transport path (T), and wherein each chain link (33) comprises a bracket (41) on which a first handling means (39) and a second handling means (39) are arranged, and wherein the bracket (41) comprises a main arm (42) and a pivot arm (43), pivotably connected to the main arm (42), and wherein a change between a single-row transport of the preforms (1) and a double-row transport is enabled by pivoting the pivot arm (43).

A blow molding machine for blow molding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow molded from a previously injection molded preform; said preform comprising a body portion and said integrally formed handle; said machine including a preform loading station at which said preform is oriented by a preform orienting apparatus.

A device for processing performs may include at least a holder device for holding at least one preform and for at least temporary contacting arrangement of at least one wall part of the preform on at least one contact device. By the at least one contact device, a temperature of the first wall part can be prespecified, which at least temporarily differs from the temperature of a second wall part that is always spaced from the contact device. The contact device may be releasably held by a carrier device forming at least in parts a holding zone for the contact device.