A preform for being blow-molded to form a container is provided herein. The preform comprises a finish portion that includes an opening to an interior of the preform and includes a tamper evidence ledge. The tamper evidence ledge cooperates with a tamper-evident ring portion of a cap to indicate that the cap has not been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer. A neck portion is disposed adjacent to the tamper evidence ledge. A tapered portion transitions from a diameter of the neck portion to a smaller diameter of a cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion comprises an elongate member that culminates in an end cap. Threads disposed on the finish portion are configured to threadably receive the cap. A handling valley is disposed between the tamper evidence ledge and the threads. The handling valley enables gripping fingers to engage with and air-convey the container along a manufacturing assembly.

An apparatus for the manufacture and unloading of preforms for the manufacture of plastic containers includes a device for the injection molding of preforms and a device for the cooling and extraction of the preforms from the molding device, and further includes a device for the selective extraction of a predetermined subset of preforms supported by the unloading plate in an orderly manner along at least one pickup direction. The apparatus also includes a component for the orderly transfer of the predetermined subset of preforms to a control and inspection device adapted to perform at least one control on the predetermined subset of preforms.

A fluid channel of a container processing system for processing containers, such as bottles, is described, the container processing system comprising a blow molding machine and a container processing machine arranged downstream of the blow molding machine in the process direction. The fluid channel is arranged downstream of the blow molding machine and upstream of the downstream container treatment machine in the process direction and comprises at least one component, through which the fluid can flow and which comprises at least one outlet opening through which the fluid can escape from the fluid channel in the direction of a bottom of a container transported in the process direction. The component is produced by a generative manufacturing method.

Plant for processing plastic preforms, includes an injection-moulding machine for producing the plastic preforms, a sterile blow-moulding machine for forming the plastic preforms into plastic containers, and a transport system for transporting, at least partially and/or in portions, the produced plastic preforms from the injection-moulding machine to the blow-moulding machine, wherein during transport, the plastic preforms can be guided in particular at a mouth region of the plastic preforms. The transport system includes a sterile pneumatic conveyor or a plurality of transport shuttles, in particular magnetic shuttles, and the plastic preforms are transported from the injection-moulding machine to the blow-moulding machine by the sterile pneumatic conveyor or magnetic shuttle.

Plant for processing plastic preforms, includes an injection-moulding machine for producing the plastic preforms, a sterile blow-moulding machine for forming the plastic preforms into plastic containers, and a transport system for transporting, at least partially and/or in portions, the produced plastic preforms from the injection-moulding machine to the blow-moulding machine, wherein during transport, the plastic preforms can be guided in particular at a mouth region of the plastic preforms. The transport system includes a sterile pneumatic conveyor or a plurality of transport shuttles, in particular magnetic shuttles, and the plastic preforms are transported from the injection-moulding machine to the blow-moulding machine by the sterile pneumatic conveyor or magnetic shuttle.

A fluid channel of a container processing system for processing containers, such as bottles, is described, the container processing system comprising a blow molding machine and a container processing machine arranged downstream of the blow molding machine in the process direction. The fluid channel is arranged downstream of the blow molding machine and upstream of the downstream container treatment machine in the process direction and comprises at least one component, through which the fluid can flow and which comprises at least one outlet opening through which the fluid can escape from the fluid channel in the direction of a bottom of a container transported in the process direction. The component is produced by a generative manufacturing method.

A preform for being blow-molded to than a container is provided herein. The preform comprises a finish portion that includes an opening to an interior of the preform and includes a tamper evidence ledge. The tamper evidence ledge cooperates with a tamper-evident ring portion of a cap to indicate that the cap has not been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer. A neck portion is disposed adjacent to the tamper evidence ledge. A tapered portion transitions from a diameter of the neck portion to a smaller diameter of a cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion comprises an elongate member that culminates in an end cap. Threads disposed on the finish portion are configured to threadably receive the cap. A handling valley is disposed between the tamper evidence ledge and the threads. The handling valley enables gripping fingers to engage with and air-convey the container along a manufacturing assembly.

A feed device (1) for a conveyor system (10) for preforms (4) is described, which is designed to convey preforms (4) coming in an orderly manner from an upstream module (109) of the conveyor system (10) to a downstream module (1011) of the conveyor system (10), the feed device (1) comprising a first and a second conveyor belt (11; 12), wherein a conveying path for the preforms (4) is formed between a first belt section of the first conveyor belt (11) and a second belt section of the second conveyor belt (12), wherein the first and second conveyor belts (11; 12) are arranged in such a way that a lateral edge surface (110) of the first conveyor belt (11) and a lateral edge surface (120) of the second conveyor belt (12) form a support for a supporting ring (41) of a preform (4), wherein the support can be brought into engagement with the underside of the supporting ring (41) in such a way that an accumulation force is applied in the conveying direction (F) to the preform (4) located in the conveying path.

An apparatus for the manufacture and unloading of preforms for the manufacture of plastic containers includes a device for the injection molding of preforms and a device for the cooling and extraction of the preforms from the molding device, and further includes a device for the selective extraction of a predetermined subset of preforms supported by the unloading plate in an orderly manner along at least one pickup direction. The apparatus also includes a component for the orderly transfer of the predetermined subset of preforms to a control and inspection device adapted to perform at least one control on the predetermined subset of preforms.

A preform for being blow-molded to form a container is provided herein. The preform comprises a finish portion that includes an opening to an interior of the preform and includes a tamper evidence ledge. The tamper evidence ledge cooperates with a tamper-evident ring portion of a cap to indicate that the cap has not been previously loosened after being installed by the manufacturer. A neck portion is disposed adjacent to the tamper evidence ledge. A tapered portion transitions from a diameter of the neck portion to a smaller diameter of a cylindrical portion. The cylindrical portion comprises an elongate member that culminates in an end cap. Threads disposed on the finish portion are configured to threadably receive the cap. A handling valley is disposed between the tamper evidence ledge and the threads. The handling valley enables gripping fingers to engage with and air-convey the container along a manufacturing assembly.