When a preform having been molded while released from a mold at an earlier timing in an injection stretch blow molding machine is stretched and blow molded, the bottom of the preform is prevented from rupturing and the bottom of a hollow molded article is prevented from being uneven in wall thickness to produce such a hollow molded article without defect bottom by the injection stretch blow molding machine. An injection molding process of injection molding a preform; and a blow molding process of blow molding the preform to obtain a hollow molded article. The blow molding process allows a tip of a stretching rod cooled to a temperature between 50° C. and 90° C. to be brought into contact with the bottom of the preform in a softened state, and to press down the bottom of the preform while the bottom is cooled.

Provided is a method for producing thermoplastic articles. The method comprises forming a hollow parison of heated thermoplastic material and positioning the parison within a cavity of a mold tool, the cavity defining the external configuration of the desired article. Fluid pressure is then applied to an internal chamber defined by the parison upon closure of the mold tool, to expand the parison to conform to the mold cavity. The formed article is then subjected to an in-mold cooling phase to reduce the thermal energy of the formed article sufficiently to permit for safe ejection with reduced distortion. The cooling phase is defined by a variable cooling protocol that applies one or more cycles of thermal shock to the formed article during the in-mold cooling phase.

Provided is a stretching rod for a molding unit for manufacturing a container from a preform and a method for manufacturing a container by stretch blow-molding. The stretching rod extends longitudinally, parallel to a main axis Y, and comprises a body of cylindrical or tubular form, a distal end in the extension of said body, at least one internal channel to allow the circulation of a cooling gas to said distal end, a flat situated at the distal end of the stretching rod, an end-fitting protruding from said flat and a plurality of orifices, said orifices being fluidically connected with said internal channel and being distributed around said end-fitting on said flat. The rod can include an annular skirt in the extension of said body, at said distal end, said skirt having a height less than the height of said end-fitting.

The injection-blow-moulding mould comprises: a punch (1) having a blow opening (3) connected to a first conduit (5) which is in communication with a first source of pressurised gas supply (6) configured to supply pressurised gas through the blow opening (3) at an overpressure (OP) above a blowing pressure (BP) suitable to blow a preform (30a) into a container (30b) and an exhaust opening (4) connected to a second conduit (7) which is in communication with a pressure-limiting device set at the blowing pressure (BP); a blow-moulding cavity (2) configured to receive therein the punch (1) with a hot and soft preform (30a) arranged thereon; and a cooling device associated to the blow-moulding cavity (2). Gas inside the container (30b) exceeding the blowing pressure (BP) is allowed to escape through the exhaust opening (4) thereby a cooling gas stream is created from the blow opening (3) to the exhaust opening.

Provided is a stretching rod for a molding unit for manufacturing a container from a preform and a method for manufacturing a container by stretch blow-molding. The stretching rod extends longitudinally, parallel to a main axis Y, and comprises a body of cylindrical or tubular form, a distal end in the extension of said body, at least one internal channel to allow the circulation of a cooling gas to said distal end, a flat situated at the distal end of the stretching rod, an end-fitting protruding from said flat and a plurality of orifices, said orifices being fluidically connected with said internal channel and being distributed around said end-fitting on said flat. The rod can include an annular skirt in the extension of said body, at said distal end, said skirt having a height less than the height of said end-fitting.

When a preform having been molded while released from a mold at an earlier timing in an injection stretch blow molding machine is stretched and blow molded, the bottom of the preform is prevented from rupturing and the bottom of a hollow molded article is prevented from being uneven in wall thickness to produce such a hollow molded article without defect bottom by the injection stretch blow molding machine. An injection molding process of injection molding a preform; and a blow molding process of blow molding the preform to obtain a hollow molded article. The blow molding process allows a tip of a stretching rod cooled to a temperature between 50? C. and 90? C. to be brought into contact with the bottom of the preform in a softened state, and to press down the bottom of the preform while the bottom is cooled.

A method and device for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers has a plurality of forming stations each having application devices which apply a flowable medium at least a first pressure level, a second pressure level, a third pressure level and a fourth pressure level respectively, wherein the second pressure level is higher than the first pressure level, the third pressure level is higher than and the second pressure level and the fourth pressure level is higher than the third pressure level and wherein at least at times a bottom area of the plastic preform and/or plastic container is applied with the flowable medium.

The disclosure relates to a plant for producing and treating containers, comprising: a preform production machine for producing preforms, in particular an injection-molding machine; at least one container production unit for producing containers from the preforms; at least one container treatment unit, arranged downstream of the container production unit, for treating the containers produced in the container production unit; a cooling unit for cooling the containers produced in the container production unit, wherein the cooling unit is arranged downstream of the container production unit, and wherein the cooling unit is configured to cool the produced containers, in particular the bottoms of the produced containers, with a cooling medium as a function of control parameters of the preform production machine and/or as a function of control parameters of the container production unit and/or as a function of the container treatment unit.

Disclosed is an apparatus for the follow-up treatment, in particular cooling, of container products, which are produced by means of a blow-moulding, filling and closing process, and which can be fed to a follow-up treatment zone, which has an influencing effect, in particular a cooling effect, on the respective container product. The container products enter the follow-up treatment zone singly separate from one another or together in individual groups separate from one another comprising multiple container products. The follow up treatment zone is provided with at least one control means, acting on the container products and determining the time for which they stay in the follow-up treatment zone.

Method for forming a container, includes the steps of: positioning a first preform made of plastic material in a forming chamber of the mould; counter-shaping the first preform to the mould obtaining the first container; the step of counter-shaping the first preform includes the step of performing a blowing of the first preform placed inside the forming chamber; at least a portion of a surface of the mould which delimits the forming chamber being shaped to obtain an opacification of at least a portion of the first container; cooling the first container by introducing a gaseous stream into the container for fixing the opacification on the first container; removing the first container from the mould; and keeping the mould at a higher temperature than room temperature at least from the step of performing the blowing to that of removing the first container.