The invention relates to a method for producing a container from a thermoplastic parison, the container being produced from the parison with the aid of a fluid, either by blow molding and subsequent filling with a fluid that is in particular liquid, or being produced by hydroforming and subsequently containing the liquid fluid as contents, and, during the blow-molding process and/or when receiving the in particular liquid fluid, the container revolves about and is spaced apart from an axis of rotation extending, in particular, vertically, in a mold that can be opened. According to the invention, the closed mold adopts, at least temporarily, an inclined position, i.e. that deviates from a perpendicular position.

A liquid blow molding device includes: a supply block including a supply path; a blow nozzle detachably attached to the supply block; a pressurized liquid supply unit configured to supply the pressurized liquid to the blow nozzle; an annular-shaped sealing surface that is provided in a portion of the supply block that is located between an inner circumferential surface defining the supply path and the outlet and that surrounds an entire circumference of the outlet; and a sealing body that is disposed inside the supply path and that is displaceable between a closing position, in which the sealing body abuts against the sealing surface to close the outlet, and an opening position, in which the sealing body is spaced from the sealing surface to open the outlet.

A plastic preform includes a hollow body portion including a closed base portion and a lower portion and a lower portion extending upwardly from the closed bottom portion; and a neck portion extending upwardly from the lower portion. The neck portion includes a dispensing opening positioned at a top of the neck portion, threads positioned below the dispensing opening, a tamper-evident formation having a lower surface and positioned directly below the threads, and a support flange having an upper surface and a lower surface and positioned below the tamper-evident formation. In an embodiment, the plastic preform is formed of a material comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and a vertical distance from the lower surface of the tamper-evident formation to the lower surface of the support flange is from 0.125 to 0.150 inches. Containers and methods for molding preforms and making containers are also disclosed.

Ways for simultaneously forming and filling a container are provided. A hydraulic intensifier (60) receives a first liquid (18) and dispenses the first liquid (18) at a first pressure, where a moveable member (62) having a first surface (64) contacts the first liquid (18) and a second surface (66) contacts a second liquid (68). The second liquid (68) provides a second pressure on the second surface (66) so that the first pressure is applied to the first liquid (18) by the first surface (64). The first surface (64) has a smaller area than the second surface (66) and the first pressure is greater than the second pressure. A blow nozzle (22) transfers the first liquid (18) at the first pressure into a preform (12) within a mold cavity (16) to urge the preform (12) to expand toward an internal surface (34) of the mold cavity (16) and form a resultant container. The first liquid (18) remains within the container as an end product.

Systems and methods for making a reduced material container (105) are provided that hold a preform (130) adjacent to an open end (165) of the preform (130), stretch the preform (130), close a mold (110, 120) about the stretched preform (175) to form a truncated preform (185), and introduce a pressurized fluid (160) into the truncated preform (185) to expand the truncated preform (185) and form the reduced material container (105). A stretch rod (125) can be inserted into the preform (130) to mechanically stretching the preform (130). The mold (110, 120) accepts the preform (130) at a first end (135) thereof, has an open state and a closed state, and the closed state forms a cavity (140) defining an internal surface (145) having a second end (150) located remotely from the first end (135). A first length (155) is defined by a distance between the first end (135) and the second end (150), the stretch rod (125) mechanically stretching the preform (130) to a second length (170), the second length (170) being greater than the first length (155).

An apparatus for forming a container from a preform and delivering a predetermined volume of a liquid end product, formed by the addition of first and second liquid products, into the container. The apparatus includes a heating oven to heat the preform, a mold defining a cavity in the shape of the container, a stretch member coupled to an actuator to stretch the preform in the mold, an injection head configured to inject the second liquid product through the mouth of the preform so as to cause expansion of the preform within the mold thereby obtaining the container, and a preform filler to at least partially fill the preform with the first liquid prior to injecting of the second liquid product and before expanding of the preform into the container.

Methods and systems for simultaneously forming and filling a container from a preform with fluid, adjusting a fill point of the fluid, and removing air and/or foam from within the container. One of the methods includes injecting fluid from a fill source into the preform through a nozzle passage defined between the nozzle and a seal pin of the forming and filling system to simultaneously form the container from the preform and fill the container. After the container is formed and filled, the seal pin is actuated to close the nozzle passage and prevent fluid and air from exiting the container through the nozzle passage, thereby trapping fluid and air within the container under pressure. Air, fluid, and/or foam is extracted out from within the container through a passageway defined within a stretch rod to adjust a fill point of the container.

A liquid container manufacturing method includes: a liquid blow molding step of molding a preform into a liquid container; and a headspace formation step of forming a headspace, by discharging, in a state in which a liquid supply path is closed, a liquid out of the liquid container through a discharge port, the discharge accomplished by drawing-in by a liquid drawing source. In the headspace formation step, a pressurized gas is supplied from a pressurized gas supply source into the liquid container through a gas supply port to thereby assist the discharge, by the drawing-in, of the liquid out of the liquid container through the discharge port, and, when a pressure in a discharge path has increased to a set value, the supply of the pressurized gas by the pressurized gas supply source is stopped.

In a liquid container manufacturing method, a nozzle unit includes a flow path that is configured to be opened and closed by a valve embedded in a blow nozzle, and a seal pin arranged in a pin accommodating space included in the flow path has a protruding portion configured to enter a communication space in a closed state of the valve. The liquid container manufacturing method includes a liquid blow molding step of molding a preform into the liquid container, by supplying, to an interior of the preform, a pressurized liquid.

A liquid blow molding apparatus for liquid blow molding a resin preform into a container having a prescribed shape. The apparatus includes a blow molding mold in which the preform is disposed; a blow nozzle that engages in an opening of the preform; a pressurized liquid supply that supplies a pressurized liquid to a supply path that is connected to the blow nozzle; and a seal member that is provided inside the supply path and opens and closes the supply path with respect to the blow nozzle. The pressurized liquid supply is configured to start supplying the pressurized liquid to the supply path after the seal member has begun to open.