A continuously rotating, non-symmetric preform feed, stretch-blow-moulding machine dedicated to the stretch-blow-moulding of containers from non-symmetric injection moulded preforms; the non-symmetric preforms including an integral handle extending from a first junction point to a second junction point on a body of the preform; the body of the preform and the integral handle constituted from the same material.

Disclosed herein, amongst other things, is a container having a printing layer that is printable with exposure to laser light of selected properties.

A blow molding mold in which a holding mechanism is independently provided to a bottom mold and is configured to be capable of gripping a protruding portion provided to a bottom portion of a preform independently of a gate portion, and a rotation mechanism is configured to be capable of rotating the bottom mold, relative to a neck portion of the preform which is in a stationary state held by neck molds, in a state where the protruding portion is gripped by the holding mechanism.

Disclosed herein, amongst other things, is a molded article, such as a preform that is blow moldable to form a container, and a related method of forming and recycling a container. The structure and steps includes injection molding a molded article having tubular body.

A preform suitable for subsequent blow-molding into a final-shaped container comprises: a neck portion; a base portion; and a body portion extending between the neck portion and the base portion; the body portion being defined between an inner surface having a circular transverse cross-sectional shape and an outer surface also having a circular transverse cross-sectional shape, the inner and outer surfaces being non-concentric, such that a wall thickness of the body portion varies circumferentially around the preform. A preform handling apparatus for retrieving a preform from a mold comprises a take-off device having a preform carrier and a take-off device alignment mechanism for maintaining the preform carrier in alignment with a contact surface of a body portion of the preform regardless of any offset between a longitudinal axis of a cylindrical outer surface of the body portion and a longitudinal axis of a cylindrical inner surface of the body portion.

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 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 method for fabricating a preform by providing a plurality of preform segments which each define a portion of a preform, positioning said preform segments in continuous contact with each other along at least one edge of said preform segments such that said plurality of preform segments define a cavity, and bonding each of said preform segments to at least one other preform segment such that said plurality of preform segments forms a continuous whole.

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 method for fabricating a preform (100) by providing a plurality of preform segments (101-103) which each define a portion of a preform (100), positioning said preform segments (101-103) in continuous contact with each other along at least one edge of said preform segments (101-103) such that said plurality of preform segments (101-103) define a cavity (107), and bonding each of said preform segments (101-103) to at least one other preform segment such that said plurality of preform segments (101-103) forms a continuous whole.