Abstract: A method for forming containers from preforms. The method includes loading successive preforms into successive molds at a mold loading station, each mold having a mold cavity in the shape of the containers to be produced. The containers being formed in a forming station by injecting a gaseous or liquid fluid into the preform in order to expand the preform and acquires the shape of the container defined by the mold cavity. The steps performed at the mold loading station and the forming station are distinct from each other, and a transferring step occurs at a transferring station arranged between the mold loading station and the forming station where successive molds containing the preforms are transferred from the mold loading station to the forming station.

Abstract: Ways for simultaneously forming and filling a container with a liquid product are provided that include a mold cavity, a dispensing means, a blow nozzle, a conduit, and a hydrophobic surface. The mold cavity defines an internal surface and accepts a preform. The dispensing means receives the liquid product and dispenses a charge of the liquid product. The blow nozzle transfers the charge of the liquid product dispensed from the dispensing means into the preform to urge the preform to expand toward the internal surface of the mold cavity and form a resultant container. The liquid product remains within the container as an end product. The conduit fluidly couples the dispensing means to the blow nozzle. The hydrophobic surface contacts the liquid product when the system simultaneously forms and fills the container, where the hydrophobic surface forms part of the dispensing means, the blow nozzle, and/or the conduit.

Abstract: Ways for simultaneously forming and filling a container with a product are provided that include a mold cavity, a two-stage injection unit, and a blow nozzle. The mold cavity defines an internal surface and is configured to accept a preform. The two-stage injection unit receives and dispenses the product where a first stage includes an extruder and a second stage includes an accumulator. The extruder imparts mechanical energy to the product to reduce a viscosity of the product and transfers the reduced-viscosity product to the accumulator. The accumulator receives the reduced-viscosity product from the extruder and dispenses a charge of the reduced-viscosity product. The blow nozzle transfers the charge of the reduced-viscosity product dispensed from the accumulator into the preform to urge the preform to expand toward the internal surface of the mold cavity and form a resultant container.

Abstract: A molded container of plastic material. The molded container including a neck finish defining an opening into the molded container, a body extending from the neck finish and including a shoulder adjacent the neck finish, a base defining a closed end of the container, and a sidewall extending between the shoulder and the base. Formed on a surface of the container and being defined by the plastic material forming the container are a series of raised dots defining a tactile writing feature.

Abstract: Systems and methods for making a reduced material container are provided that hold a preform adjacent to an open end of the preform, stretch the preform, close a mold about the stretched preform to form a truncated preform, and introduce a pressurized fluid into the truncated preform to expand the truncated preform and form the reduced material container. A stretch rod can be inserted into the preform to mechanically stretching the preform. The mold accepts the preform at a first end thereof, has an open state and a closed state, and the closed state forms a cavity defining an internal surface having a second end located remotely from the first end. A first length is defined by a distance between the first end and the second end, the stretch rod mechanically stretching the preform to a second length, the second length being greater than the first length.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Systems and methods for making a reduced material container (105) are provided that hold a preform (130) adjacent to an open end (165) of the preform (130), stretch the preform (130), close a mold (110, 120) about the stretched preform (175) to form a truncated preform (185), and introduce a pressurized fluid (160) into the truncated preform (185) to expand the truncated preform (185) and form the reduced material container (105). A stretch rod (125) can be inserted into the preform (130) to mechanically stretching the preform (130). The mold (110, 120) accepts the preform (130) at a first end (135) thereof, has an open state and a closed state, and the closed state forms a cavity (140) defining an internal surface (145) having a second end (150) located remotely from the first end (135).

Abstract: A method of hydraulically blow molding a container from a preform using a liquid end product as a liquid blow medium. The method includes the steps of hydraulically blow molding a formed and filled container from a preform using the liquid blow medium and engaging a fluid tight seal with the container while the container is retained within a mold in the forming station. The engaging of the seal includes engaging an axially extending ring of the seal in one of a press-fit or frictional engagement with an inner surface of the container such that the seal is retained on the container by that engagement.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for simultaneously forming and filling a plastic container without the use of a mold forming a mold cavity (116, 16) is provided. A pressure source (120, 20) includes an inlet (146, 150, 46, 50) and a piston-like device (140, 40). The piston-like device (140, 40) is moveable in a first direction wherein liquid is drawn into the pressure source (120, 20) through the inlet (146, 150, 46, 50) and in a second direction wherein the liquid is urged toward the preform (112, 12). A blow nozzle (122, 22) may be adapted to receive the liquid from the pressure source (120, 20) and transfer the liquid at high pressure (P2) into the preform (112, 12) thereby urging the preform (112, 12) to freely expand until an unopened end thereof contacts a platen (118). The platen (118) forms a bottom in a resultant container. The liquid remains within the container as an end product.

Abstract: A method of making a container via a simultaneous filling and forming of the container with a liquid product is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of extruding a parison (12, 2), capturing a portion of the parison (12, 2) within a mold (15), and inflating the captured portion of the parison (12, 2) against the mold (15). The captured portion of the parison (12, 2) is inflated against the mold (15) by introducing the liquid product into an interior of the captured portion of the parison (12, 2), wherein the liquid product forms an end product to be sealed within the resultant container.

Abstract: Systems and methods for simultaneously forming and filling a container are provided where a pressure source is accelerated from an initial state to attain a predefined process speed while applying pressure to a volume of fluid. The volume of fluid is fluidly coupled to a preform upon attaining the predefined process speed, the pressure source directs at least a portion of the volume of fluid into the preform and stretching the preform to form the container, where the container includes at least the portion of the volume of fluid. The volume of fluid is fluidly decoupled from the container and the pressure source is then decelerated from the predefined process speed toward the initial state.

Abstract: A hydraulic blow molding apparatus having a container forming station with a forming head coupled to a source of liquid blow medium. The container forming station further includes a mold configured to receive a preform and has interior surfaces that define the container shape. The container forming station injects a liquid end product into the preform and expands the preform to simultaneously form and fill a container with the liquid end product. Prior to the container being removed from the container forming station and while it is still full of the liquid end product, a seal is engaged with the container.

Abstract: A method of forming a container (1) and a container (1) formed thereby. A preform (2), having a generally cylindrical body (60, 8) extending between a closed end (12) and an open mouth, is placed within a mold (20, 22) having surfaces corresponding in shape to the desired container (1). An incompressible medium, which is the end product that remains in the molded container (1), is injected under pressure into the preform (2). Under the influence of the incompressible medium, the preform (2) is expanded into contact with the surfaces defining the cavity, simultaneously forming and filling the container (1). During expanding of the preform (2), portions of the plastic material are forced into a series of recesses (72) defined in the cavity surface (82, 85). With the incompressible medium contained therein, the container (1) is removed from the mold (20, 22) and including a series of raised dots corresponding to the series of recesses (72) defined in the cavity surface (82, 85).

Abstract: A method comprising a first injection step, wherein a first predetermined volume of pressurized liquid is injected into the preform, the predetermined volume corresponding to a fraction of the container volume, the first injection step causing an expansion of the preform into a first intermediate container. The method further comprising a second injection step, wherein, once the first predetermined volume of liquid has been injected, the liquid injection speed is reduced and the pressurized liquid is further injected in the first intermediate container until a predetermined switch pressure in the liquid injection circuit is reached, the second injection step causing an expansion of the first intermediate container into a second intermediate container, and —a third injection step starting once the predetermined switch pressure is reached, wherein the liquid injection speed is decelerated until the liquid injection is stopped.

Abstract: A liquid-blow molding apparatus including a blow-molding mold that houses a preform leaving a mouth that serves as an open end thereof; a blow nozzle that supplies a pressurized liquid into the preform; a partition-wall member that closely surrounds a periphery of an outer-wall surface of the mouth of the preform and defines a mouth-external pressurized space with the outer-wall surface; and pressurized liquid-supply means for supplying a pressurized liquid into the mouth-external pressurized space so that pressure in the mouth-external pressurized space is higher than pressure inside the preform during liquid blow-molding.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a container from a preform and delivering a predetermined volume of a liquid end product, formed by the addition of first and second liquid products, into the container. The apparatus includes a heating oven to heat the preform, a mold defining a cavity in the shape of the container, a stretch member coupled to an actuator to stretch the preform in the mold, an injection head configured to inject the second liquid product through the mouth of the preform so as to cause expansion of the preform within the mold thereby obtaining the container, and a preform filler to at least partially fill the preform with the first liquid prior to injecting of the second liquid product and before expanding of the preform into the container.

Abstract: A machine for producing a container from a preform having a body and a neck defining an inner cylindrical opening. The machine includes a container forming and filling station where the preform is placed in a mold having a molding cavity and a forming liquid is injected into the preform thereby forming and filling the container with a liquid. Prior to forming of the container, an extension device is attached to the neck of the preform thereby forming an assembly. The extension device includes a connection part for attaching to the preform and an extension part defining an inner opening extending in the continuity of the inner opening of the neck of the preform. The extension device remains attached to the neck of the preform at least during the forming and the filling of the container.

Abstract: A method of forming a container from a plastic preform while using a liquid as a blow medium. During the method, liquid is withdrawn from the container to reduce pressure within the container prior to disengaging of the injection head from the container. In one aspect the method involves the opening of a recirculation valve to reduce the pressure. The opening of the recirculation valve allowing air dispersed within the liquid to rise to the top of the container before disengaging of a forming head from the container. As a result, splashing and spillage of liquid from the neck of the container is eliminated when the forming head disengages from the container.

Abstract: A liquid blow molding apparatus for liquid blow molding a resin preform into a container having a prescribed shape. The apparatus includes a blow molding mold in which the preform is disposed; a blow nozzle that engages in an opening of the preform; a pressurized liquid supply that supplies a pressurized liquid to a supply path that is connected to the blow nozzle; and a seal member that is provided inside the supply path and opens and closes the supply path with respect to the blow nozzle. The pressurized liquid supply is configured to start supplying the pressurized liquid to the supply path after the seal member has begun to open.