A container (1) made of thermoplastic material, defining an axis (X) and having a petaloid type bottom (2), the bottom (2) comprising: —a central area (3); —a plurality of first convex surfaces (4) towards the outside of the container, which extend from the central area (3); —a plurality of feet (5), arranged alternately with the first convex surfaces (4), and projecting outwards with respect to the first convex surfaces (4); —an annular rib (6), which is coaxial to the axis (X); wherein the first convex surfaces (4) belong to the same spherical surface having the center (C) arranged on the axis (X).

The invention relates to a preform for producing a plastic container in a 2-stage stretch blow molding method, said preform having a preform body that extends along a central axis and that comprises: a first end a second end that lies opposite the first end, wherein the first end is closed and a neck part with a pouring opening adjoins the second end; and an inner wall that delimits an interior of the preform. Along a length of at least 30 mm of the interior, every point of the inner wall is at a distance of less than 3.5 mm from the central axis. Also disclosed are a suitable method and a device for producing such a preform.

A system for forming a container includes an injection station configured to inject a liquid material into a mold to form a preform. The system also includes a forming station including an apparatus for forming a container. The apparatus includes a blow mold configured to receive the preform and inject air into the preform to form the container. The blow mold includes an inner mold surface. The apparatus also includes at least one stretching rod configured to contact the preform in the blow mold and stretch the preform. The apparatus further includes electric heating elements coupled to the blow mold and positioned adjacent the inner mold surface to heat the inner mold surface. The system further includes a removal station configured to release the container from the system.

A method, system, and preform for liquid forming of the preform into a final-shaped container using the liquid to be contained in the final-shaped container. The preform undergoes a stretching step to a size less than the size of a base of the final-shaped container, before being relocated and stretched to the final shape by the liquid. A stretch rod sealably connects with an interior surface of the preform to partially isolate a gate portion of the preform. The isolation is effected by a portion of the inner surface of the preform extending inwardly, or by a deformable member on the stretch rod which can selectively extend outwardly to contact the interior surface of the preform. The stretch rod includes a selectively heatable tip to heat the gate portion of the preform. The gate portion of the preform includes inner, outer, and core layers which comprise a material configured to affect the thermal properties of the gate portion.

The invention relates to a mold for a container that includes a mold base. The mold base includes a peripheral face, a central dome, and a central well formed in the dome and extending along a frustoconical sidewall from a top edge of the dome having a top diameter, to a bottom having a bottom diameter smaller than the top diameter. The mold also includes a stretching rod that ends with a hemispherical distal end having a radius, the value of which is between that of the bottom radius and that of the top radius of the central well. When the rod is in the bottom position, it is separated from the sidewall of the central well by a distance smaller than the distance that separates it from the bottom of the well.

A filling cylinder assembly for a container forming and filling system that simultaneously forms and fills a container from a preform with fluid. The filling cylinder assembly includes a cylinder having an inner wall defining a cavity. A piston head is at a distal end of a piston rod. An insert is configured to be seated in the cavity to provide the cavity with a reduced volume such that with the insert seated within the cavity the cavity has a first volume, and without the insert seated in the cavity the cavity has a second volume that is greater than the first volume.

A stretch blow molding process for producing a plastic container from a preform, having an elongated, tubular preform body, extending along a center axis. The first end of the preform body is closed by a preform bottom and the second end is adjoined by a neck part with a pouring opening. A wall, bounds an interior space of the preform. The preform body is heated and introduced into a cavity of a blow mold. A stretching mandrel enters the preform until the stretching mandrel tip reaches the preform bottom. The preform body and the preform bottom are stretched by the stretching mandrel. The preform body and the preform bottom are deformed by introducing a fluid into the preform under pressure. The stretching mandrel makes contact with the inner side of the wall in the region of the preform body.

A hydraulic blow molding system for forming a container from a preform by injecting a liquid product into the preform. The system includes a seal pin located within the forming head and moveable between a closed position and an opened position. In the closed position a sealing portion of the seal pin is in sealing engagement with a portion of the forming head so that an exit orifice is closed and liquid product is prevented from being injected into the preform. In the opened position, the sealing portion is disengaged from the portion of the injection head so that the exit orifice is open and the liquid product can be injected into the preform.

The present application includes an injection molding step and a stretch blow molding step. The stretch blow molding step is configured to include: a first step in which preliminary blow air is introduced into a preform to stretch the preform in a state in which a stretching rod does not contact the bottom of the preform; a second step which is executed after the first step, and in which the preliminary blow air is introduced into the preform and the stretching rod is moved at a set speed and pressed against the bottom of the preform to stretch the preform; and a third step which is executed after the second step, and in which final blow air is introduced into the preform to stretch the preform.

A method for forming and filling a container with liquid. The container being formed from a preform located within a mold and the method utilizing a hydraulic blow molding device that is coupled to a source of the liquid, which is used as the blow molding medium. The hydraulic blow molding device has a blow nozzle and a member that is extended from a retracted position to a position within the preform. A blow nozzle engages in fluid tight communication with an open end of the preform so as to provide a sealing engagement of the blow nozzle with the preform. The liquid blow medium is injected into the preform so as to form the container after sealing engagement of the blow nozzle with the preform. The member initiates its advancement into the preform prior to the time of sealing engagement of the blow nozzle with the preform.