An apparatus for heating plastic preforms comprises a transport device, which transports the plastic preforms along a predefined transport path. The transport device comprises a first circulating transport device and a second transport device; a plurality of first holding elements constructed and arranged on the first transport device for holding the plastic preforms; at least one heating device along the transport path that heats the plastic preforms during a movement of the plastic preforms along the transport path, wherein the transport path has at least one first portion with a first curvature and at least one second portion with a second curvature which differs from the first curvature; and a plurality of second holding elements constructed and arranged on the second transport device for holding the plastic preforms.

A liquid blow molding method molds a bottomed tubular-shaped preform into a liquid containing container. The method includes a nozzle engaging step of engaging a blow nozzle with a mouth of the preform; a molding step of molding the preform into a container of a predetermined shape by supplying a pressurized liquid from a pump into the preform; a suck-back step of sucking back a predetermined volume of liquid out of the container into a supply path; a nozzle closing step of closing the blow nozzle by a sealing body; and a discharge step of discharging a liquid in the supply path by a predetermined volume from a discharge port by operating, after the nozzle closing step, a pump in a positive direction with the discharge port connected to the supply path opened.

Provided is a device for treating containers and in particular plastic containers, including a first transport device having a continuous carrier on which a first plurality of transport elements are moveably arranged, each having at least one retainer for retaining plastic preforms and being designed and configured to transport said plastic preforms along a first transport path, and including at least one heating device arranged along the first transport path in order to heat the plastic preforms at least in sections during their transportation along the first transport path.

In one embodiment, a system for conditioning a preform for molding includes a heating cavity for receiving the preform, a heater configured to heat a gas, and a blower configured to force the gas heated by the heater into the heating cavity. In another embodiment, a method of conditioning a preform for molding includes positioning the preform in a heating cavity and forcing a heated gas into the heating cavity onto an exterior surface of the preform.

A transport and feed unit for preforms, in particular for PET bottles, in which the transport and feed unit can be charged with preforms at its upstream end and supplies the preforms to a conveyor unit arranged at the downstream end of the transport and feed unit. The transport and feed unit has a first conveyor and a second conveyor, in which at the downstream end of the first conveyor a funnel-like device is provided through which the preforms reach the second conveyor which supplies the preforms to the conveyor unit arranged at its downstream end.

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 machine for producing containers filled with a liquid product from preforms made from a thermoplastic material that includes a heating section (1) for thermal conditioning of the preforms in a drying region (2) of the machine, a molding and filling section (3) for simultaneous molding and filling of the containers within a mold by a filled product inserted into the preform under pressure in a wet region (4) of the machine and transport wheels (5, 6, 7, 8, 10) for transporting the preforms or the molded containers through the machine. A distance of adjacent preforms is smaller in the heating section (1) than in the molding and filling section (3). An enlarging of the distance of adjacent preforms between the heating section (1) and the molding and filling section (3) is performed by a transfer wheel (11) and the drying region (2) is separated from the wet region (4) by a lock (13) having a lock chamber (14). The transfer wheel (11) is arranged in whole or at least in part before the lock (13) in the drying region (2).

In one embodiment, a system for conditioning a preform for molding includes a heating cavity for receiving the preform, a heater configured to heat a gas, and a blower configured to force the gas heated by the heater into the heating cavity. In another embodiment, a method of conditioning a preform for molding includes positioning the preform in a heating cavity and forcing a heated gas into the heating cavity onto an exterior surface of the preform.

An actuator system for use in a mold system includes a first actuator operatively coupled to a first mold portion and configured to move the first mold portion along an axis in a first direction from a first molding position toward a first ejecting position. The system also includes a second actuator operatively coupled to a second mold portion and configured to move the second mold portion along the axis in the first direction from a second molding position toward a second ejecting position. The system further includes a controller in communication with the first and second actuators and configured to independently activate the first and second actuators.

A system for molding an object includes an articulated mold having an axis and a plurality of mold portions configured to collectively define a molding cavity for shaping the object when arranged in respective molding positions. The system includes a plurality of actuators, each operatively coupled to a respective mold portion and configured to move the respective mold portion along the axis from the respective molding position toward a respective ejecting position for releasing the object. The system includes a controller in communication with each of the plurality of actuators and configured to independently activate each of the plurality of actuators such that one of the plurality of mold portions moves along the axis from the respective molding position toward the respective ejecting position while at least one other of the plurality of mold portions remains stationary relative to the object in order to at least partially support the object.