To simply sterilize a blow-molding machine.

A mist or gas of hydrogen peroxide or a mixture thereof is introduced through a valve block (14) disposed adjacent to a molding die (13), thereby sterilizing at least the molding die (13) and an extension rod (15) that extends into the molding die (13) through the valve block (14).

The invention relates to a method and an plant for the production and treatment of sterile plastic containers, in which preforms made of a thermoplastic material are heated in the region of a heating section and then formed into containers by pneumatic or hydraulic pressure, and wherein the preforms or the containers or both are sterilized and pass through at least one low-germ zone which is surrounded by an enclosure, characterized in that the enclosure 2, 2′ has an outer housing 3, 3′ and an airlock chamber 4, 4′ through which treatment medium is extracted from the low-germ zone 1, 1′ and at the same time air is extracted from the outer environment of the outer housing 3, 3′.

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.

An apparatus for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, with a movable carrier on which at least one forming station is arranged for forming the plastic preforms, wherein the forming station is transported along a predefined transport path, and wherein the apparatus has a clean room inside which the plastic preforms are formed, wherein this clean room is isolated from a non-sterile environment by at least one wall, with a sterilisation device for sterilising the plastic preforms and/or plastic containers, which device acts upon the plastic preforms and/or plastic containers to be sterilised with a flowable sterilisation medium for their sterilisation. According to the invention, the apparatus comprises an ejection device for ejecting containers from the clean room, and this ejection device has a lock chamber from which the ejected containers can be removed, wherein this lock chamber can be acted upon with an atmosphere containing a sterilisation medium.

Apparatus for treating plastic preforms, having a heating device for heating the plastic preforms, having forming devices for forming the plastic preforms into plastic containers, and having a sterilization device for sterilizing the plastic preforms, wherein the sterilization device has at least one first sterilization unit which has a rotatable transport carrier and a plurality of holding devices arranged on this transport carrier for holding the plastic preforms, as well as a plurality of first application devices for acting upon the plastic preforms, and the sterilization device has a second sterilization unit.

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.

To make a sterilization step appropriate in an aseptic filling apparatus. Provided is an aseptic filling apparatus including a step of sterilizing a preform and a step of sterilizing a container obtained by molding the preform, wherein assuming sterilization effects in the respective sterilization steps as X [LRV] and Y [LRV], a relationship of 5≤X+Y≤10 (where Y≥0) is established.

A container manufacturing plant (10) includes an air circuit (78) employing a recycling method that includes at least the successive steps of: extracting filtered air from an oven (26), after the air has been used in the latter, for the purpose of cooling at least one part of the preforms; treating the sterilizing agent present in the extracted air resulting from the sterilization of the preforms; and recycling the extracted and treated air to the industrial area (16) where the plant (10) is installed. An air recycling method is also described.

An apparatus (1) for producing sterile receptacles (2), comprising: a moulding unit (13) for moulding parisons (4) starting from granules of thermoplastic material; a stretch-blowing forming unit (3) in aseptic conditions which receives the parisons (4) from the moulding unit (13); a plurality of picking organs (14, 15) of the parisons (4) which are operatively active only on the neck (4b) of the parisons (4) for handling and transferring them inside the apparatus (1).

An apparatus (1) for producing sterile receptacles (2), comprising: a moulding unit (13) for moulding parisons (4) starting from granules of thermoplastic material; a stretch-blowing forming unit (3) which receives the parisons (4) from the moulding unit (13), the forming unit (3) having a plurality of forming stations (5) in each of which there is a mould (6) and a sterilisation device (12) so as to form and sterilise the corresponding parison (4).