Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a container by stretch blow molding starting from a preform made of plastic material within a forming unit that includes: a mold that is provided with a side wall and a mold bottom having the impression, jointly, of the container; and a stretching rod that is mounted to move in translation in relation to the mold between an upper position and a lower position. The method includes: a pre-blow-molding phase during which a fluid with a pre-blow-molding pressure is injected into the preform, and the rod is moved from its upper position to its lower position with a maximum travel speed of greater than or equal to 2.5 m/s.

The invention relates to a stretch rod for the form-and-fill head of a machine for forming and filling of containers produced from preforms. The object of the invention is to devise a stretch rod of this type which can be cleaned and/or disinfected without being disassembled and without any other intervention. According to the invention, the object is achieved by a stretch rod (5) for the form-and-fill head (3) of a machine for forming and filling (molding and filling) of containers produced from preforms (2), which rod comprises a drive unit for axially moving said stretch rod (5). At least the part (6) of the drive unit which is connected to the stretch rod (5) is arranged in a drive chamber (11) which is sealed off from the regions of the form-and-fill head (3) which come into contact with the filling material (the material with which the container is being filled). The inventive stretch rod is characterized in that the sealing action is achieved by a seal (12) which surrounds the stretch rod (5).

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a container (2) from a blank (3) made of plastic material, in a stretch-blow molding unit (7) including: a mold (11) provided with a wall (13) and a mold base (14) which is axially movable relative to the wall (13) between a low position and a raised position; a stretch rod (22) which is axially movable relative to the mold (11) between a high position and a low position; the method including: a phase of inserting the blank (3) in the mold (11); a phase of stretch-blow molding; a phase of boxing; a phase of determining the start and end of the boxing phase, respectively, by detecting the movement of the rod (22) from the low position thereof and the stopping of the rod (22) at the raised position thereof.

An injection device having an inlet for receiving a fluid, an outlet for injecting the fluid and a chamber therebetween. A control rod is provided in the chamber and includes a duct extending through said control rod. A central rod extends in the duct and is movable between a retracted position and an active position. The central rod and the duct being arranged to prevent fluidic communication between the duct and the chamber when the central rod moves between its retracted and active positions. The central rod and the control rod are further movable relative to each other into a cleaning position, in which the duct is placed in fluidic communication with the chamber.

A bottling apparatus (200) in aseptic conditions of containers (100) made of a thermoplastic material, comprising: a stretching rod (5) partially located in a contamination-controlled environment (3) isolated from an external environment (4); a linear motor (6) comprising a cylindrical stator (7) and a rotor (8) integrally connected to the stretching rod (5); a first support (107) and a second support (207) for the rotor (8), arranged at opposite ends of the cylindrical stator (7) and integrally connected thereto, in each of the supports (107, 207) at least one passage (707, 807; 107a, 207a) being obtained to allow a sanitising fluid to pass through a separation volume (30) defined between the cylindrical stator (7) and the rotor (8).

A bottling apparatus (200) in aseptic conditions of containers (100) made of a thermoplastic material, comprising: a stretching rod (5) partially located in a contamination-controlled environment (3) isolated from an external environment (4); a linear motor (6) comprising a cylindrical stator (7) and a rotor (8) integrally connected to the stretching rod (5); a first support (107) and a second support (207) for the rotor (8), arranged at opposite ends of the cylindrical stator (7) and integrally connected thereto, in each of the supports (107, 207) at least one passage (707, 807; 107a, 207a) being obtained to allow a sanitising fluid to pass through a separation volume (30) defined between the cylindrical stator (7) and the rotor (8).

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.

The invention relates to a stretch rod for the form-and-fill head of a machine for forming and filling of containers produced from preforms. The object of the invention is to devise a stretch rod of this type which can be cleaned and/or disinfected without being disassembled and without any other intervention. According to the invention, the object is achieved by a stretch rod (5) for the form-and-fill head (3) of a machine for forming and filling (molding and filling) of containers produced from preforms (2), which rod comprises a drive unit for axially moving said stretch rod (5). At least the part (6) of the drive unit which is connected to the stretch rod (5) is arranged in a drive chamber (11) which is sealed off from the regions of the form-and-fill head (3) which come into contact with the filling material (the material with which the container is being filled). The inventive stretch rod is characterized in that the sealing action is achieved by a seal (12) which surrounds the stretch rod (5).

A container-fabricating apparatus having an injection head establishing fluid communication between an injection fluid port disposed therein and a preform disposed in communication with a nozzle of the injection head. The apparatus also including a stretching rod moveable between a position projecting from the injection head through the nozzle and a substantially retracted position. The apparatus further includes a cleaning chamber at least partially defined by a hollow, elongate housing contiguous with and extending from the injection head, a plurality of cleaning chamber ports in a wall of the housing establishing fluid communication with the cleaning chamber, the stretching rod being substantially disposed within the cleaning chamber when disposed in the substantially retracted position.

A control system (34) for a unit (9) for forming containers (2) from blanks (3) provided with a series of forming stations (10) each provided with a mold (11), the system (34) including a master control unit (36) and a series of slave controllers (37) each associated with at least one forming station (10), each controller (37) being programmed to: control the or each associated forming station (10) according to a forming command (CF) loaded in the controller (37); take into account a pressure measurement in the mold (11), from this measurement, establish a blowing curve describing the change in the fluid pressure in the mold (11), analyze the blowing curve and extract therefrom the coordinates of at least one singular point (S); communicate the singular point (S) to the control unit (36).