A method for the production of blow-molded containers that are sterile at least in certain regions, and a blow-molding machine configured to carry out the method. In accordance with the method, blowing stations are arranged on a rotating blowing wheel. A preform of a thermoplastic material is first heated and then stretched in a blowing station by a stretching rod and subjected to a pressurized blowing fluid via a blowing nozzle. A sterilizing fluid is supplied to the preform in the blowing station to perform a sterilization. The sterilizing fluid is fed into the preform from an outlet and is carried away again via an inlet and in between follows a flow path. The sterilizing fluid is made to pass through or pass by the stretching rod on its flow path, and the sterilizing fluid is supplied while the blow-molding machine continues to operate.

The present invention relates to a mold for a multi-layer container. The mold includes a cold-half portion containing a cavity, and a hot-half portion containing a first resin flow path for connecting an interior of a first injection cylinder to the cavity, a second resin flow path for connecting an interior of a second injection cylinder to the cavity, and a junction portion of the first resin flow path and the second resin flow path. The junction portion in the hot-half portion is positioned upstream of a gate portion opened to the cavity included in the cold-half portion, the second resin flow path contains an inhibitor for partially inhibiting a resin flow.

A method of analyzing preforms for potential bursting during forming and filling by injecting an incompressible liquid to shape the successive heating preforms into containers and fill the containers. The method defines at least one stress parameter correlated to the internal stress of the thermoplastic material of the preform and defines a range of acceptable values for the stress parameter. The method includes analyzing each successive initial preform and each successive heated preform, determining a value of the stress parameter, comparing the determined value to a range of acceptable values, and emitting an output signal when the determined value is outside the acceptable range of values.

An apparatus for forming a thermoplastic container from a cylindrical preform and for delivering a predetermined volume of a beverage component into the container. The apparatus includes: a mold defining a shape of the container; a member configured to inject at least one beverage component into a recess in the preform so as to promote expansion of the preform inside the mold into the shape of the container, the member being further configured to inject the at least one beverage component in a first volume intentionally greater than the predetermined volume; and the member also being configured to remove a fraction of the first volume of the beverage component until a second volume of beverage component remaining in the container is equal to the predetermined volume.

Systems and methods for controlling the operation of a blow molder are disclosed. An indication of a crystallinity of at least one container produced by the blow molder may be received along with a material distribution of the at least one container. A model may be executed, where the model relates a plurality of blow molder input parameters to the indication of crystallinity and the material distribution and where a result of the model comprises changes to at least one of the plurality of blow molder input parameters to move the material distribution towards a baseline material distribution and the crystallinity towards a baseline crystallinity. The changes to the at least one of the plurality of blow molder input parameters may be implemented.

Disclosed are preforms which incorporate improvements in the region of the neck and upper segment of the body to allow the production of lightweight containers, such as bottles suitable for containing water or other beverages. In accordance with certain embodiments, the improvements include a thinner neck finish area than conventional bottles, where the thinner area is extended into the upper segment of the body portion below the support ring. Reducing the thickness in these areas of the bottle allows for less resin to be used in forming the preform and bottle.

A method for manufacturing packaging comprises the steps of: temperature conditioning one or more selected portions of at least one preform; and blowing and/or stretching the at least one temperature conditioned preform into a blow mold to form a container including an offset neck finish. Containers, packaging systems and packaging products are disclosed.

The invention relates to a method of delivering a predetermined volume of beverage into a thermoplastic container formed from a heated preform positioned in a mold, characterized in that the product includes a step of injecting at least some beverage into a recess in the preform so as to promote expansion of the preform inside the mold, the mold defining the shape of the container, a volume of beverage introduced during the injection step being at least equal to said predetermined volume, and, in addition, the method includes a step of sucking out a fraction of said volume of the beverage introduced until the volume of beverage remaining in the container is approximately equal to said predetermined volume.

A method for tempering preforms in a blowing machine, wherein at least one heating box is arranged along a transport path for the preforms. The heating box has reflective walls and forms a heating channel through which the preforms are guided. The heating box also has a heater for heating the preforms in the heating channel, and a cooling device, having a blower, for cooling the reflective walls. The walls are cooled by a quantity of air flowing along the walls outside the heating channel. The heating output of the heater is adjustable. A control device provides open loop and closed-loop control of the cooling output produced by the cooling device, in particular the supplied quantity of air, depending on the respective heating output of the heater, depending on a measurement of the heating output.

The invention relates to a method for producing plastics containers (15) from thermoplastics with inserts (13) which, by exploiting the heat of plasticization, are connected during shaping of the plastics container (15) by a material bond and/or interlocking connection to the container wall (140), wherein the method provides the use of at least one opening (26) on the insert (13), which opening forms a melt duct or melt inlet and/or melt passage for plasticized or plastic material of the container wall (140), wherein the method is distinguished in that the opening (26) is monitored as a reference opening (26) by optical and/or sensory means during the production of the connection, wherein the degree of penetration of the opening (26) with thermoplastic from the container wall (140) is used as a measure of the quality of the connection.