A method for orienting a preform of axis in a forming mold of a blowing machine, a neck of the preform being provided with at least one marker, the method including (i) installing the preform in the mold; (ii) detecting the current angular position of the preform by determining the angle of rotation through which the preform has to be rotated to reach the reference angular position thereof; and (iii) orienting the preform about the axis thereof in relation to the mold until a reference angular position is reached.

Provided is a method for verifying holding members in a heating station equipped with a device for transporting the preforms. The device includes a plurality of movable supports circulating in a closed circuit and members for individually holding the preforms by their neck, where each of the holding members is borne by a movable support. The method includes setting the movable supports in movement to bring them successively into an acquisition zone, acquiring an image of each individual holding member in the acquisition zone, and automatically verifying the presence of a holding member on each of the images taken.

Disclosed is a method for controlling an installation for handling hollow bodies, which includes: a plurality of treatment units; a transfer system; and a covering including a frame that defines casings and door leaves each mounted on a casing; a control unit. Also included are steps of: detection by the control unit of the stopping of a treatment unit; detection by the control unit of the closed position of door leaves located in the vicinity of an interface between the detected treatment unit that is stopped and the transfer system; and if these door leaves are detected in closed position, ordering by the control unit of the locking of these door leaves.

Disclosed is an apparatus for heating plastic preforms, having a transport device which transports the plastic preforms along a predetermined transport path, the transport device having a circulating transport and a plurality of holding devices for holding the plastic preforms, having a plurality of heating devices which are arranged stationarily along the transport path, in such a way that the plastic preforms transported along the transport path are heated by these heating devices, the heating devices each having a plurality of heating lamps, and the apparatus having a detection device which is configured to detect a failure of the heating lamps, wherein the apparatus has a control device which is configured to control the apparatus in dependence on a number of heating lamps detected having failed.

A method for orienting a preform of axis in a forming mold of a blowing machine, a neck of the preform being provided with at least one marker, the method including (i) installing the preform in the mold; (ii) detecting the current angular position of the preform by determining the angle of rotation through which the preform has to be rotated to reach the reference angular position thereof; and (iii) orienting the preform about the axis thereof in relation to the mold until a reference angular position is reached.

Provided is a blow molding machine (1) including a sound collection device (31) that can detect sound; and one or more arithmetic logic devices (33). At least one of the one or more arithmetic logic devices (33) is configured to execute a product determination function for determining a presence or absence of a product defect, based on an electric signal associated with the sound detected by the sound collection device (31).

Disclosed is a method for controlling an installation for handling hollow bodies, which includes: a plurality of treatment units; a transfer system; and a covering including a frame that defines casings and door leaves each mounted on a casing; a control unit. Also included are steps of: detection by the control unit of the stopping of a treatment unit; detection by the control unit of the closed position of door leaves located in the vicinity of an interface between the detected treatment unit that is stopped and the transfer system; and if these door leaves are detected in closed position, ordering by the control unit of the locking of these door leaves.

An apparatus for producing plastic containers includes: a forming machine for producing plastic preforms; a blow-molding machine for blowing the preforms to obtain containers, provided with a blow-molding carousel having a plurality of blow-molding molds that expand the preforms to obtain the containers; a thermal conditioning station interposed between the forming machine and the blow-molding machine; a storage station, configured for receiving and containing preforms; a supplying system for feeding the thermal conditioning station with preforms contained in the storage station.

A rotating disk-type preform alignment apparatus 1 including a disk 10, which is rotationally driven about a rotation axis tilted from a vertical direction, and a partition wall 28 erected outwardly of the disk, the apparatus being adapted to align preforms 100, which have been supplied onto the disk, at the peripheral edge of the disk and discharge the aligned preforms from a discharge section, the apparatus comprising: pockets 30 arranged side by side in a circumferential direction at the peripheral edge of the disk, each pocket having an opening portion into which the preform is dropped, and each pocket having a holding portion provided on the inner peripheral surface of the opening portion for holding the preform in an upright state; and a gas jetting unit 40, provided outwardly of the disk between a region where the preforms are supplied onto the disk and the discharge section, for jetting a gas from outside the pocket and from below the pocket, wherein the inner peripheral surface of the opening portion of the pocket has a tapered shape imitating the trunk shape of the preform.

A rotating disk-type preform alignment apparatus 1 including a disk 10, which is rotationally driven about a rotation axis tilted from a vertical direction, and a partition wall 28 erected outwardly of the disk, the apparatus being adapted to align preforms 100, which have been supplied onto the disk, at the peripheral edge of the disk and discharge the aligned preforms from a discharge section, the apparatus comprising: pockets 30 arranged side by side in a circumferential direction at the peripheral edge of the disk, each pocket having an opening portion into which the preform is dropped, and each pocket having a holding portion provided on the inner peripheral surface of the opening portion for holding the preform in an upright state; and a gas jetting unit 40, provided outwardly of the disk between a region where the preforms are supplied onto the disk and the discharge section, for jetting a gas from outside the pocket and from below the pocket, wherein the inner peripheral surface of the opening portion of the pocket has a tapered shape imitating the trunk shape of the preform.