WO2008110887A2

WO2008110887A2 - Apparatuses and methods for manufacturing containers

Info

Publication number: WO2008110887A2
Application number: PCT/IB2008/000516
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fiorenzo Parrinello; Maurizio Borgatti; Matteo Camerani; Emilio Re
Original assignee: Sacmi Cooperativa Meccanici Imola Societa' Cooperativa
Priority date: 2007-03-09
Filing date: 2008-03-05
Publication date: 2008-09-18
Also published as: WO2008110887A3

Abstract

An apparatus comprises compression-moulding mould means (902) arranged for compression-moulding plastics in a pasty state, characterised in that it further comprises heating means (10, 908; 10, 808; 216; 321; 422) arranged for heating said compression-moulding mould means (902).

Description

Apparatuses and methods for moulding plastics.

The invention relates to apparatuses and methods for compression-moulding plastics to obtain objects.

Moulds are known for compression-moulding plastics comprising a .female half-mould and a male half-mould. The moulds are movable between an open position, in which a dose of plastics is introduced into a cavity of the female half-mould, and a closed position, in which a forming element of the male half- mouid penetrates inside the cavity for compression-moulding the dose. When the moulds are in the closed position, between the male half-mould and the female half-mould there is defined a forming chamber having the shape of an object that has to be obtained from the dose. Whilst the forming element penetrates inside the cavity, the plastics that form the dose - which is positioned in a bottom zone of the cavity - flow inside the forming chamber until they fill the forming chamber completely.

The known moulds comprise cooling devices provided with conduits - made in the female half-mould and/or in the male half-mould - through which a cooling fluid flows. The cooling devices cool the plastics, stabilising in this manner the shape of the objects. The cooling devices thus determine the duration of the production cycle for producing the objects. If the forming chamber has very small plastics passage sections - i.e. if the forming chamber is intended to form objects having very thin thicknesses - and the plastics have to travel along rather a long path inside the forming chamber certain drawbacks occur. Firstly, as shown in Figure 51, the moulding force that has to be exerted on the plastics by the female half-mould and by the male half-mould to obtain filling of the forming chamber significantly increases, - in particular exponentially - upon the decreasing of the thickness of the objects that have to be formed. This involves constructional difficulties, inasmuch as the actuators that drive the female half-mould and/or the male half-mould have to be able to provide and support extremely great forces .

Secondly, the plastics may flow with extreme difficulty, or even jam, inside the forming chamber. In this case, the formed objects are defective, either because they are devoid of portions that were theoretically provided, or because, although they are complete they are formed from plastics that are so stressed as to have physical and/or aesthetic properties that are lower than set values. Such objects, for example, have great fragility or a great tendency to deformation.

The aforesaid drawbacks are accentuated by the cooling devices, that, by cooling the plastics, hinder the flowing of the plastics inside the forming chamber. Further, in known moulds, when the dose is inserted inside the cavity, the plastics forming the dose cool by interacting with the bottom of the cavity, which is at a lower . temperature than the temperature of the plastics. The dose thus assumes a shape such as to cause a defect having the appearance of a stain in the formed object. This .stain, in addition to being undesirable from the aesthetic point of view, may make it more difficult or even impossible to decorate the formed object. Further, at the stain, the gas barrier property of the plastics may be broken. A further drawback of known moulds is that they require a certain time to reach a desired set temperature. This entails a significant financial loss inasmuch as the objects formed before the moulds have reached the aforesaid set temperature have to be discarded. An object of the invention is to improve the apparatuses for compression-moulding plastics.

Another object is to obtain an apparatus and a method per compression-moulding plastics in which the temperature of forming means can be adjusted. In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus, comprising compression-moulding mould means arranged for compression-moulding plastics in a pasty state, characterised in that it further comprises heating means arranged for heating said compression-moulding mould means. In a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method, comprising supplying compression-moulding mould means with plastics in a pasty state and compression-moulding said plastics to obtain an object, characterised in that it further comprises heating said compression-moulding mould means . Owing to these aspects of the invention, it is possible to prevent the plastics jamming inside a forming chamber of the compression-moulding mould means. Further, it is possible to promote the flowing of the plastics inside the forming chamber and complete filling of the forming chamber. In addition, as the plastics, at the moment of the first interaction with the compression-moulding mould means, are subjected to less cooling than is the case in known moulds, the objects obtained with the plastics have fewer defects, in particular fewer defects having the appearance of a stain. Owing to these aspects of the invention, it is possible to heat the compression-moulding mould means immediately after the apparatus is started up, so that the compression-moulding mould means reaches a set temperature within a shorter time than is required in the case of known moulds . Further, different zones of the compression-moulding mould means can be heated so as to assume different temperatures.

Still in addition, the quantity of heat given to the compression-moulding mould means may vary during a working cycle of the apparatus . In a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus, comprising compression-moulding mould means arranged for compression-moulding plastics in a pasty state and conduit means, provided in said compression-moulding mould means, through which a thermal conditioning fluid flows, characterised in that it further comprises adjusting means arranged for varying a flow rate of said thermal conditioning fluid in said conduit means . In a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method, comprising supplying compression-moulding mould means with plastics in a pasty state, compression-moulding said plastics and supplying with a thermal conditioning fluid conduit means provided in said compression-moulding mould means, characterised in that it further comprises varying a flow rate of said thermal conditioning fluid in said conduit means . In a fifth aspect of .the invention, there is provided an apparatus, comprising compression-moulding mould means arranged for compression-moulding plastics in a pasty state and conduit means, provided in said compression-moulding mould means, through which a thermal conditioning fluid flows, characterised in that it further comprises adjusting means arranged for varying a temperature of said thermal conditioning fluid in said conduit means.

In a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided -a method, comprising supplying compression-moulding mould means with plastics in a pasty state, compression-moulding said plastics, supplying with a thermal conditioning fluid conduit means provided in said compression-moulding mould means, characterised in that it further comprises varying a temperature of said thermal conditioning fluid in said conduit means . As owing to these aspects of the invention it is possible to adjust the flow rate and/or the temperature of a cooling fluid that traverses the conduit means, the compression- moulding mould means reaches a set temperature in a shorter time than is the case in known moulds . Still in _. addition, the temperature of the compression- moulding mould means can be varied, by acting on the flow rate and/or on the temperature of the cooling fluid, during a working cycle of the apparatus. Further, it is possible to control effectively the temperature of the compression-moulding mould means during a working cycle of the apparatus by adjusting the flow rate and/or the temperature of a heating fluid arranged for heating the compression-moulding mould means.

In a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus, comprising a female half-mould and a male half- mould cooperating for compression-moulding a dose .of plastics in a pasty state and cooling conduit means, provided in said female half-mould, through which a cooling fluid flows, characterised .in that it further comprises supporting means provided inside said female half-mould and arranged for supporting said dose, between said cooling conduit means and said supporting means there being defined thermal insulating chamber means having a variable volume .

Owing to this aspect of the invention, by varying the volume of the thermal insulating chamber means, it is possible to move the plastics towards, and to move the plastics away from, the cooling conduit means. In this manner, it is possible to slow the cooling of a dose of plastics - by maintaining the plastics further from the cooling conduit means - in preset steps of a compression-moulding cycle (for example during inserting of the dose into the female half- mould) and subsequently cooling the dose more effectively - maintaining the dose nearer the cooling conduit means - in preset further steps of the compression-moulding cycle (for example during, stabilising of the shape of an object obtained from the dose) .

In an eighth aspect of the invention there is provided a method, comprising compression-moulding a dose of plastics for obtaining a preform, blow-moulding said preform to obtain a container, characterised in that, before said blow- moulding, heat is given in a differentiated manner to distinct zones of said preform so that said zones have temperatures that are different from one another. Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to improve blow-moulding of the preforms inasmuch as the temperatures of the aforesaid zones can be chosen on the basis of the geometrical features of the preforms and/or of the containers that have to be obtained, therefrom and on the basis of the deformations to which the aforesaid zones have to be subjected during blow-moulding.

In particular, a zone of the preforms intended for being more deformed when the preforms are blow-moulded has a greater temperature than a further zone of the preforms intended to be less deformed when the preforms are blow-moulded.

The invention will be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings showing some embodiments thereof by way of non-limiting example, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an apparatus for producing containers ;

Figures 2 to 9 are longitudinal sections of the apparatus- in

Figure 1, showing the apparatus in subsequent steps of a working cycle;

Figure 10 is a detail of Figure 4;

Figure 11 is a detail of Figure 6;

Figure 12 -is a partial longitudinal section of the apparatus in Figure 1 in a further step of the working cycle; Figure 13 is a detail of Figure 7 ;

Figure 14 is a plan view of the apparatus in Figure 1;

Figure 15 is a section taken along a XV-XV plane in Figure

14;

Figures 16 to 22 are longitudinal sections of the apparatus in Figure 1, which show the apparatus in subsequent steps of a further working cycle;

Figure 23 is a partial longitudinal section of the apparatus in^' Figure 1 in a still further step of the working cycle;

Figure 24 is a longitudinal section showing stretching means in an operating configuration;

Figure 25 is a section like the one in Figure- 24 showing the stretching means in a further operating configuration;

Figure 26 is a section like the one in Figure 24 showing the stretching means in a still further operating configuration; Figure 27 is a longitudinal section that shows the apparatus in an operating configuration; Figure 28 is a longitudinal section that shows the apparatus in another operating configuration;

Figure 29 is a longitudinal section that shows the apparatus in a further operating configuration; Figure 30 is a longitudinal section that shows the apparatus in a still further operating configuration;

Figure 31 is a graph showing a combination of movements of forming tools of the apparatus as a function of time;

Figure 32 is a graph like the one in Figure 31 showing a further combination of movements of the forming tools as a function of time;

Figure 33 is a schematic longitudinal section showing an operating configuration in which a fluid flow is introduced between forming punch means and an internal wall of a preform;

Figure 34 is a section like the one in Figure 33 showing another operating configuration in which a fluid flow is introduced between ^' forming punch means and an internal ^• wall of a preform; Figure 35 is a section like the one in Figure 33 showing a further operating configuration in which a fluid flow is introduced between forming punch means and an internal wall of a preform;

Figure 36 is a section like the one in Figure 33 showing a still further operating configuration in which a further fluid flow is . introduced between forming die means and an outer wall of a preform;

Figure 37 is a section like the one in Figure 33 showing an embodiment of forming punch means of the apparatus; Figure 38 is a section like the one in Figure 33 showing another embodiment of forming punch means of the apparatus ;

Figure 39 is a section like the one in Figure 33 showing a further embodiment of forming punch means of the apparatus ;

Figure 40 is a section like the one in Figure 33 showing a still further embodiment of forming punch means of the apparatus ; Figures 41 to 43 are schematic longitudinal sections of containers that are obtainable using the apparatus,- Figures 44 to 47 are schematic longitudinal sections of preforms which can be obtained and expanded using the apparatus ;

Figures 48 to 50 are schematic cross sections of preforms which can be obtained and expanded using the apparatus ; Figure 51 is a graph that shows the trend of the moulding force applied by a compression-moulding mould to plastics to be formed in function of the thickness of an object that has to be obtained from the aforesaid plastics;

Figure 52 is a schematic plan view of a machine for forming plastics ; Figure 53 is a section taken along a longitudinal plane of a mould for compression-moulding plastics;

Figure 54 is a section like the one in Figure 53 that shows another embodiment of a mould for compression-moulding plastics;

Figure 55 is a section like the one in Figure 53 that shows another embodiment of a mould for compression-moulding plastics;

Figure 56 is a section like the one in Figure 53 that shows a further embodiment of a mould for compression-moulding plastics ; Figure 57 is a section like the one in Figure 53 that shows a still further embodiment of a mould for compression-moulding plastics;

Figure 58 is a section taken along a longitudinal plane of a further embodiment of a mould for compression-moulding plastics in a first step of a working cycle;

Figure 59 is a section like the one in Figure 58 that shows the mould in a second step of the working cycle; Figure 60 is a section like the one in Figure 58 that shows the mould in a third step of the working cycle,- Figure 61 is a section like the one in Figure 58 that shows the mould in a fourth step of the working cycle; Figure 62 is a graph that shows the trend in function of the time of the temperature of an internal surface of the mould shown in Figures 58 to 61 and of the temperature of an internal surface of a prior-art mould; Figure 63 is a section taken along a longitudinal plane of a still further embodiment of a mould for compression-moulding plastics in a first step of a working cycle;

Figure 64 is a section like the one in Figure 63 that shows the mould in a second step of the working cycle; Figure 65 is a section like the one in Figure 63 that shows the mould in a third step of- the working cycle; Figure 66 is a section like the one in Figure 63 that shows the mould in a fourth step of the working cycle; Figure 61 is a section taken along a longitudinal plane of another embodiment of a mould for compression-moulding plastics;

Figure 68 is a graph that, shows the temperature trend in function of the time of four zones of the mould in Figure 67; Figure 63 is a section taken along a longitudinal plane that shows schematically a preform and a bottle obtained by blow- moulding the preform;

Figure 70 is a graph that shows the temperature trend in function of the time of ^• four distinct regions of the preform in Figure 70; Figure 71 is a section taken along a longitudinal plane of a further embodiment of a mould for compression-moulding plastics;

Figure 72 is a graph that shows the trend in function of the time - during a working • cycle - of the temperature of an internal surface of the mould shown in Figure 71 and of the temperature of an internal surface of a prior-art mould, the graph further shows the trend in function of the time - during a working cycle - of the flow rate of cooling fluid that cools the mould shown in Figure 71 and of the flow rate of cooling fluid that cools a prior-art mould;

Figure 73 is a ^• graph that shows the trend in function of the time - from a startup step to an operating step - of the temperature of an internal surface of the mould shown in Figure 71 and of the temperature of an internal surface of a prior-art mould, the graph further shows the trend in function of the time - from a startup step to an operating step - of the flow rate of cooling fluid that cools the mould shown in Figure 71 and of the flow rate of cooling fluid that cools a prior-art mould; Figure 74 is a graph that shows the trend of the temperature of a preform in function of the thickness of the preform.

With reference to Figures 1 to 23, an apparatus 1 is shown for forming containers 2 comprising compression-moulding mould means 3 and stretch-blow-moulding mould means 4. The stretch-blow-moulding mould means 4 comprises die means 9 cooperating with a punch 7 to expand container preforms 8.

The compression-moulding mould means 3 comprises further die means 5 different from the die means 9 and provided with a receiving element 6 - which is cup-shaped - arranged for receiving plastics, for example a dose of plastics 37 in a pasty state.

The receiving element 6 cooperates with the punch 7 to compression-mould the _. aforesaid plastics for obtaining container preforms 8. The apparatus 1 comprises movement means arranged for moving the further die means 5 along a longitudinal axis A of the apparatus 1.

The apparatus 1 further comprises neck-forming means- 10 arranged for compression-moulding a neck portion 11 of the container preforms 8 which is not subsequently subjected to blow-moulding, or stretch-blow-moulding.

The die means 9 comprises a first half-mould 12 and a second half-mould 13 and further moving means arranged for moving the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 transversely to the longitudinal axis A. The first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are movable between an open configuration C, shown in Figure 2, in which the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are distant from one other, and a closed configuration D, shown in Figure 6, in which the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are in contact with one another. The first half-mould 12 comprises a first body 14 in which there is obtained a first forming cavity 15 arranged for forming a side portion of the containers 2.

The first half-mould 12 further comprises a first bottom element 16 connected to the first body 14 by means of first elastic elements 17, such as coil springs, gas springs, or the like.

In the first bottom element 16 there is obtained a further first forming cavity 22. arranged for forming a bottom portion of the containers 2. Similarly, the second half-mould 13 comprises a second body 18 in which there is obtained a second forming cavity 19 arranged for forming a further side portion of the containers 2. The second half-mould 13 further comprises a second bottom element 20 connected to the second body 18 by second elastic elements 21, such as coil springs, gas springs, or the like. In the second bottom element 20 there is obtained a further second forming cavity 23 arranged for forming a further bottom portion of the containers 2. The first bottom element 16 and the second bottom element 20 each comprise a conical surface portion 29 arranged for interacting - as will be disclosed in greater detail subsequently - with corresponding conical surface means 36 with which the further die means 5 is provided. The first bottom element 16 and the second bottom element 20 are movable between a rest configuration X, shown in Figure 2, in which the first bottom element 16 and the second bottom element 20 are distant, respectively, from the first body 14 and from the second body 18, and an operating configuration Y, shown in Figure 6, in which the first bottom element 16 and the second bottom element 20 rest, respectively, on the first body 14 and on the second body 18.

The neck-forming means 10 comprises a further first half- mould 24 and a further second half-mould 25 and still further moving means arranged for moving the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 transversely to the longitudinal axis A.

Owing to the further moving means and to the still further moving means the die means 9 and the neck-forming means 10 can be moved independently of one another. The further first half-mould 24 is associated with the first half-mould 12 and is arranged above the latter. The further first half-mould 24, driven by the still further moving means, slides on the first half-mould 12. Similarly, the further second half-mould 25 is associated with the second half-mould 13 and is arranged above the latter.

The further second half-mould 25, driven by the still further moving means, slides on the second half-mould 13. The die means 9 and the neck-forming means 10 can be made of different materials.

For example, the neck-forming means 10 can be made of steel and the die means 9 can be made of aluminium.

In the further first half-mould 24 a still further first forming cavity 26 is ^• obtained that is arranged for forming a part of the neck portion 11 of the containers 2.

In the further second half-mould 25 a still further second forming cavity 27 is obtained arranged for forming a further part of the neck portion 11 of the containers 2. The further first half-mould 24 and the further second half- mould 25 each comprise a further conical surface portion 28 arranged for interacting with the punch 7, as will be disclosed in greater detail subsequently.

The further first half-mould 24 and the further second half- mould 25 are movable between a release configuration Z, shown in Figure 2, in which the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 are distant from one other, and a forming configuration W, shown in Figure 3, in which the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 are in^"contact with each other.

In the forming configuration W, the still further first forming cavity 26 and the still further second forming cavity 27 define chamber means 81 arranged for shaping the neck portion 11.

The punch 7 comprises a forming element 30 arranged for being received, alternately, in the further die means 5 for forming plastics to obtain the container preforms 8 and in the die means 9 to expand the container preforms 8 to obtain the containers 2.

The apparatus 1 comprises a supporting block, not shown, which is shaped, for example, like a carriage slidable on guides, arranged for supporting the first half-mould 12, the second half-mould 13, the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 and for moving the first half- mould 12, the second half-mould 13, the further first half- mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 along the longitudinal axis A.

The punch 7 comprises a locking element- 31 arranged for maintaining the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 in the forming configuration W.-

The locking element 31 is provided with a seat 32 arranged for partially surrounding the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 and for receiving inside thereof an end portion of the further first half-mould 24 and of the further second half-mould 25.

The seat 32 is partially bounded by further conical surface means 33 arranged for engaging with the further conical surface portions 28.

The apparatus 1 further comprises driving means 34 arranged for moving the punch 7 along the longitudinal axis A.

The punch 7 further comprises a stretching rod 50 movable along the longitudinal axis A and arranged for stretching the container preforms 8. An operating mode of the apparatus 1 is disclosed with reference to Figures 1 to 13.

In an initial working cycle step, shown in Figure 2, the further die means 5 is arranged in a lowered position K in which the further die means 5 is positioned below the die means 9 and does not interact with the punch means 7 or with the die means 9.

In the lowered position K a dose 37 of plastics in a pasty- state is inserted in the receiving element 6. The first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are in the open configuration C.

The further first half-mould 24 and the further second half- mould 25 are in the release configuration Z.

The supporting block is in a first operating position Ql, in which the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 do not interact with the locking element 31.

The punch 7 is in an upper end stop position Tl, in which the moulding element 30 does not interact with the die means 9 or with the further die means 5. The locking element 31 is maintained by elastic means not shown in a lower position Ml.

Subsequently, the further driving means brings the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 to the forming configuration W, as shown in Figure 3. The supporting block raises the first half-mould 12, the second half-mould 13, the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25.

The supporting block moves from the first operating position

Ql to a second operating position Q2, in which the further conical surface means 33 interacts with the further conical surface portions 28.

The locking element 31 is maintained in the lower position

Ml.

The driving means 34 brings the punch 7 near the neck forming means 10 and near the die means 9 and brings the punch 7 to an intermediate position T2. The forming element 30 is partially received inside the neck forming means 10.

The further die means 5 is maintained in the lowered position K, while the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are maintained in the open configuration C.

Subsequently, as shown in Figures 4 and 10, the moving means moves the further die means 5 from the lowered position K to a raised position J, in which the further die means 5 interacts with the neck forming means 10. The further first half-mould 24 and the further second half- mould 25 are maintained in the forming configuration W. The further die means 5 further lifts the neck forming means 10, by overcoming the resistance of the elastic means, so that the supporting block - and consequently the first half- mould 12, the second half-mould 13, the further first half-^' mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 fixed thereto - is brought to a third operating position Q3 , corresponding to an upper position M2 of the locking element 31. The forming element 30 is received in the further die means 5 so that the dose 37 is compression-moulded to obtain a container preform 8.

In the raised position J, the conical surface means 36 engages .with corresponding conical zones 80 of the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25, contributing to maintaining the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 in the forming configuration W.

The first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould¹ 13 are maintained in the open configuration C, while the punch 7 is maintained in the intermediate position T2.

Subsequently, as shown in Figure 5, the moving means moves the further die means ^'5 from the raised position J to the lowered position K. The locking element 31 returns to the lower position Ml. The supporting block is returned to the second operating position Q2. The driving means 34 moves the punch from the intermediate position T2 to a lower end stop position T3.

The further conical, surface means 33 interacts with the further conical surface portions 28 so as to contribute to maintain the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 in the forming configuration W. The first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are maintained in the open configuration C. The neck portion 11 of the container preform 8 is clamped between the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25.

The forming element 30 is kept inside the container preform 8 which has just been formed. An internal surface of the container preform 8 adheres to a corresponding external surface of the moulding element 30.

In a subsequent step of the working cycle shown in Figures 6 and 11, the punch 7 is in the lower end stop position T3 , the locking element 31 is in the upper position M, the supporting block is in the second operating position Q2 , the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 are in the forming configuration W.

The further moving means brings the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 from the open configuration C to the closed configuration D, so that the first forming cavity 15, the second forming cavity 19, the further first forming cavity 22 and the further second forming cavity 23 define - after the first bottom element 16 and the second bottom element 20 have assumed the operating configuration Y, in the manner which will be disclosed subsequently - a chamber 40 of the die means 9 inside which the container preform 8 is- subsequently expanded.

The moving means moves the further die means 5 from the lowered position K to a locking position H in which the further die means 5 interacts with the die means 9. In the locking position H the conical surface means 36 interacts with the conical surface portions 29 so as to contribute to maintain the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 in the closed configuration D.

The further die means 5, passing from the lowered position K to the locking position H, interacts with the first bottom element 16 and the second bottom element 20 so as to shift the first bottom element 16 and the second bottom element 20 from the rest configuration X to the operating configuration

Y.

The die means 9 is aligned with the further die means 5 along the longitudinal axis A.

As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the die means 9 is provided with closing elements 41 which centre the die means 9 in relation to the neck forming means 10 and maintain the die means 9 in the closed configuration D. The closing elements 41 comprise rods 42 positioned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A and sliding inside seats 43 made in the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13.

The seats 43 have first openings 44 facing the first mobile bottom element 16, or the second mobile bottom element 20, and second openings 45 facing the further first half-mould

24, or the further second half-mould 25.

Pins 46 lead away from the first mobile bottom element 16 and the second mobile bottom element 20, said pins 46 being arranged for being received in the seats 43 through the first openings 44.

When the first mobile bottom element 16 and the second mobile bottom element 20 are brought to the operating configuration

Y, the pins 46 interact with the rods 42 causing end portions 47 of the rods 42 to penetrate inside holes 48 made in plate means 49 fixed to the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25.

The closing elements 41 make it possible to maintain the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 in the closed configuration D effectively.

In particular, the closing elements 41 prevent the further moving means from having to act for a longer time to maintain the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 in contact with each other. In an embodiment that is not shown, the closing elements comprise wedge-shaped elements arranged for being received in correspondingly shaped seats so that the die means 9 can be centred more easily in relation to neck forming means 10. As shown in Figure 11, the stretching rod 50 bears the forming element 30 at one end. The stretching rod 50 assumes a retracted configuration F in which an operating surface 51 of the forming element 30 rests on a corresponding further operating surface 52 of a tubular element 53 of the punch 7 inside which the stretching rod 50 slides. In a subsequent step of the working cycle shown in Figure 12, the punch 7 is in the lower end stop position T3 , the locking element 31 is in the upper position M, the supporting block is in the second operating position Q2 , the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 are in the - forming configuration W, the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are in the closed configuration D and the further die means 5 is in the locking position H. The stretching rod 50 is moved^' downwards so that between the operating surface 51 and the further operating surface 52 a passage 54 is defined for supplying fluid under pressure, into the container preform 8 for performing a preliminary step in which the container preform -8 is blow-moulded or stretch- blow-moulded. In a subsequent step of the working cycle shown in Figures 7 and 13, the punch 7 is in the lower end stop position T3 , the locking element 31 is in the upper position M, the supporting block is in the second operating position Q2 , the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 are in the forming .configuration .W, the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are in the closed configuration -D and the further die means 5 is in the locking position H. The stretching rod 50 is moved further downwards to assume an extended configuration G.

In this manner, the moulding element 30 stretches the container preform 8 while the pressurized fluid, which is supplied through conduits made in the punch 7, penetrates into the container preform 8 to expand the latter inside the chamber 40.

The container preform 8 is deformed until it assumes the shape of the chamber 40 to create a container 2. In a subsequent step of the working cycle shown in Figure 8 , the punch 7 is in the lower end stop position T3 , the locking element 31 is in the upper position M, the supporting block is in the second operating position Q2 , the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 are in the forming configuration W.

The moving means moves the further die means 5 from the locking position H to the lowered position K.

The first elastic element 17 and the second elastic element 21 move the first bottom element 16 and the second bottom element 20 respectively from the operating configuration Y to the rest configuration X.

The further moving means moves the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 from the closed configuration D to the open configuration C. The stretching rod 50 is returned to the retracted configuration F.

The container 2 is retained by the further ' first half-mould 24 and by the further second half-mould 25 which clamp the neck portion 11. In a subsequent step of the working cycle shown in Figure 9, the locking element 31 is in the upper position M, the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are in the open configuration C and the further die means 5 is in the lowered position K. The driving means 34 moves the punch 7 from the lower end stop position T3 to the upper end stop position Tl. The supporting block moves from the second operating position

Q2 to the first operating position Ql.

The still further moving means moves the further first half- mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 from the forming configuration W to the release configuration Z.

The container 2 is removed from the further first half-mould

24 and the further second half-mould 25 and a further dose 37 is inserted inside the receiving element 6.

The apparatus can thus start a new working cycle. A further operating mode of the apparatus 1 is disclosed with reference to Figures 16 to 23.

In an initial step of a working cycle, shown in Figure 16, the further die means 5 is arranged in the lowered position K in which a dose 37 of plastics in a pasty state is inserted in the receiving element 6.

The first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are in the open configuration C.

The further first half-mould 24 and the further second half- mould 25 are in the release configuration Z. The supporting block is in an operating position Sl, in which the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half- mould 25 do not interact with the locking element 31.

The punch 7 is kept in a fixed position throughout the duration of the working cycle. The locking element 31 - freely slidable on the punch 7 - is maintained in a further lower position Nl by elastic means that is not shown.

Subsequently, the further driving means bring the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 to the forming configuration W, as shown in Figure 17.

The moving means moves the further die means 5 from the lowered position K to the raised position J, in which the further die means 5 interacts with the neck forming means 10.

The further die means 5 raises the neck forming means 10, by overcoming the resistance of the elastic means, so that the supporting block - and consequently the first half-mould 12, the second half-mould 13, the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 fixed thereto - is brought to a further operating position S2, corresponding to a further upper position N2 of the locking element 31. When the supporting block is in the further operating position S2, the further conical surface means 33 interacts with the further conical surface portions 28. The forming element 30 is received in the neck forming means 10 and in the further die means 5 so that the dose 37 is compression-moulded to obtain a container preform 8.

In the raised position J, the conical surface means 36 engages with corresponding conical zones 80 of the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25, contributing to keeping the further half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 in the forming configuration W. The first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are maintained in the open configuration C. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 18, the movement means moves the further die means 5 from the raised position J to the lowered position K.

The supporting block is maintained in the further operating position S2.

The further conical surface means 33 interacts with the further conical surface portions 28 so as to contribute to keeping the further ^' first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 in the forming configuration W.

The first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are kept in the open configuration C.

The neck portion 11 of the container preform 8 is locked between the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25.

The forming element 30 is kept inside the container preform 8 which has just been formed.

An internal surface of the container preform 8 adheres to a corresponding external surface of the forming element 30.

In a subsequent step of the working cycle shown in Figure 19, the supporting block is in the further operating position S2, the locking element 31 is in the further upper position N2, the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half- mould 25 are in the forming configuration W. The further moving means brings the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 from the open configuration C to the closed configuration D, so that the first forming cavity 15, the second forming cavity 19, the further first forming cavity 22 and the further second forming cavity 23 define - after the first bottom element 16 and the second bottom element 20 have assumed the operating configuration Y - the chamber 40 of the die means 9 inside which chamber the container preform 8 is subsequently expanded. The moving means moves the further die means 5 from the lowered position K. to the locking position H in which the further die means 5 interacts with the die means 9. The further die means 5, passing from the lowered position K to the locking position H, interacts with the first bottom element 16 and the second bottom element 20 so as to move the first bottom element 16 and the second bottom element 20 from the' rest configuration X to the operating configuration Y. In the locking position H the conical surface means 36 interacts with the conical surface portions 29 so as to contribute to maintaining the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 in the closed configuration D.

In a subsequent step of the working cycle shown in Figure 23, the supporting block is in the further operating position 82, the locking element 31 is in the further upper position N2, the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half- ^'mould 25 are in the forming configuration W, the first half- mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are in the closed configuration D and the further die means 5 is in the locking position H. The stretching rod 50 is moved downwards starting from the retracted configuration F, so that between the operating surface 51 and the further operating surface 52 a passage 54 is defined, for supplying a pressurized fluid into the container preform 8 for carrying out a preliminary step in which the container preform 8 is blow-moulded or stretch- blow-moulded. In a subsequent step of the working cycle shown in Figure 20, the supporting block is in the further operating position S2, the locking element 31 is in the further upper position N2 , the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half- mould 25 are in the forming configuration W-, the first half- mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are in the closed configuration D and the further die means 5 is in the locking position H.

The stretching rod 50 is moved further downwards to assume an extended configuration G. In this way, the forming element 30 stretches the container preform 8 while the pressurized fluid, which is supplied through conduits obtained in the punch 7, penetrates inside the container preform 8 to expand the latter- ■ inside the chamber 40. The container preform 8 is deformed until it assumes the shape of the chamber 40 to create a container 2. In a subsequent step of the working cycle shown in Figure 21, the further first half-mould 24 and the further second half- mould 25 are in the forming configuration W, the first half- mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are in the closed configuration D.

The stretching rod 50 is shown in the retracted configuration F.

The first elastic element 17 and the second elastic element 21 move the first bottom element 16 and the second bottom element 20, respectively, from the operating configuration Y to the rest configuration X. The supporting block moves from the further operating position S2 to the operating position Sl. The elastic means moves the locking element 31 from the further upper position N2 to the further lower position Nl. In a subsequent step of the working cycle shown in Figure 22, the supporting block is in the operating position Sl, the locking element 31 is in the further lower position Nl, the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 are. in the open configuration C and the further die means 5 is in the lowered position K. The further moving means moves the first half-mould 12 and the second half-mould 13 from the closed configuration D to the open configuration C.

The still further moving means moves the further first half- mould 24 and the further second half-mould 25 from the forming configuration W- to the release configuration Z. The container 2 is retained by positioning means 90.

Subsequently, the container 2 is removed by the positioning means 90 and a further dose 37 is inserted into the receiving element 6. The positioning means 90 makes it possible to identify with precision a removal position at which the containers 2 are removed from the apparatus 1.

Apparatus 1 can thus start a new working cycle . With reference to Figures 24 to 26, an embodiment is shown of the punch means 7 in which the forming element 30. comprises a first forming body 82 and a second forming body 83.

. In the first forming body 82 a seat 84 is made inside which the second forming body 83 is slidable.

The stretching rod 50 comprises a first actuator member 85 to ■ which the first forming body 82 is fixed and a second actuator member 86 to which the second forming body 83 is fixed.

The first actuator member 85 is tube- shaped and has an inside cavity which houses the second actuator member 86, so that the second actuator member 86 is slidable in relation to the first actuator member 85.

In an initial step of an expansion cycle of . a container preform 8, shown in Figure 24, the forming element 30 assumes an operating configuration Vl, in which an operating surface

51a of the first forming body 82 rests on a corresponding further operating surface 52a of a tubular element 53a of the punch 7 inside which one end 87 of the first actuator member

85 is slidable.

In the operating configuration Vl the second forming body 83 is received in the seat 84.

In the operating configuration Vl the first forming body 82 and the second forming body 83 do not stretch the container preform 8.

Further, in the operating configuration Vl the preform is not expanded by blow-moulding pressurized fluid.

In a subsequent step of the expansion cycle of the container preform 8, shown in Figure 25, the forming element 30 assumes a further operating configuration V2 , in which the first actuator member 85 moves the first forming body 82 away from the tubular element 53a, so that between the operating surface 51a and the further operating surface 52a a passage 88 is defined for supplying a pressurized fluid flow inside the container preform 8.

The aforesaid pressurized fluid flow interacts with a first zone of the container preform 8, for example, a zone of the container preform 8 near the neck portion 11.. In the further operating configuration V2 , the second actuator member 86 moreover moves the second forming body 83 away from the first forming body 82.

The second forming body 83 projects out of the seat 84 so that a further pressurized fluid flow is introduced inside the container preform 8 by conduit means 89 which passes through the second actuator member 86 and the second forming body 83.

The aforesaid further pressurized fluid flow interacts with a second zone of the container preform 8, for example, an end zone of the container- preform 8 opposite the neck portion 11.

In a still further subsequent step of the expansion cycle of the container preform 8, shown in Figure 26, the forming element 30 assumes a still further operating configuration V3 , in which the second actuator member 86 moves the second forming body 83 further away from the first forming body 82, so as to stretch the container preform 8.

While the second forming body 83 moves away from the first forming body 82, the further pressurized fluid flow - together with the aforesaid pressurized fluid flow - expands the container preform 8 completely in such a way as to give the container preform 8 the shape of the chamber 40 in order to create the container 2.

In the still further operating configuration V3 , the first actuator member 85 maintains the first forming body 82 at a certain distance from the tubular element 53a, so that the pressurized fluid flow continues to flow into the container preform 8 through the passage 88.

Since the forming element is made up of two parts - i.e. it comprises the first forming body 82 and the second forming body 83 - it is possible to control the stretching action exerted at two different zones of the container preform 8, so as- to improve the expansion of the container preform 8. Further, since two separate flows of forming fluid are used directed towards two separate zones of the container preform^' 8 - i.e. the first fluid flow directed towards a neck zone and the second fluid flow directed towards an end zone - it is possible to control very precisely the modes in which the container preform 8 is expanded.

With reference to Figure 27, the punch 7 is shown in greater detail which comprises a body 100 from one end of which the tubular element 53. leads away.

The stretching rod 50 passes through the body 100 and the tubular element 53, the stretching rod 50 carrying the moulding element 30 at one end thereof. The forming element 30 comprises the operating surface 51, which, when the stretching rod 50 is in the retracted configuration F, rests on the further operating surface 52 of the tubular element 53.

The body 100 is provided with an abutting surface 101 arranged for interacting with a stop surface 102 with which the neck forming means 10 is provided. The forming element 30 and the tubular element 53 are movable along the longitudinal A axis, independently of one another. The forming element 30 and the tubular element 53 cooperate to define forming punch means 103. In particular, the tubular element 53 forms a part of the container preform 8 nearest to an opening of the preform 8 - i.e. an internal wall of the preform 8 arranged near the neck portion 11 of the preform 8 - while the forming element forms a part of the container preforms further away from the aforesaid opening. Figure 27 shows the same step of the working cycle as that shown in Figures 4 and 17, i.e. the step of compression- moulding the^' dose 37 of plastics to obtain a preform 8. At the end of the compression-moulding step, the tubular element 53 is in an operating position OPl in which the abutting surface 101 is in contact with the ^' stop surface 102, the forming element 30 is in a further operating position 0P2 in which the active surface 51 is in contact with the further active surface 52 and the further die means 5 is in a still further operating position OP3 , corresponding to the raised position J disclosed with reference to Figures 4 and 17.

At the end of the compression-moulding step, therefore, the preform 8 is compressed between the forming tools, i.e. the neck forming means 10, the tubular element 53, the forming element 30 and the further die means 5. Since the temperatures of the aforesaid forming tools are different from the temperature of the plastics, a non-uniform temperature profile is created between an internal zone and the (internal and external) walls of the preform 8. The aforementioned non-uniform temperature profile - measured radially as well as axially in relation to the preform 8 - does not correspond to the optimum conditions for the subsequent blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step of the preform 8. In fact, a better condition for the blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step would be obtained in the case of a completely uniform temperature profile, i.e. if there were no difference in temperature between the internal zone and the walls of the preform.

It was observed that, subsequent to the compression-moulding and the dimensional contraction due to shrinking of the • plastics, the preform shrinks on the punch moulding means 103, i.e. on the tubular element 53 and on the forming element 30.

To this effect a further effect is also added consisting of the mechanical stretching action (generated by the movement of the forming element 30 and, to a lesser extent, by the movement of the tubular element 53) which tends to cause the preform to shrink further on the punch forming means 103. Due to the two effects disclosed above it is possible that, during the expansion of the preform to obtain a container, the plastics surrounding the forming element 30 - in particular the plastics which form a bottom zone 111 of the preform 8 Opposite the aforementioned opening - get detached

" from the forming element 30 later than the remaining plastics

- or even does not get detached at all - so as to be less stretched. Consequently, the preform may have walls the thickness values of which vary axially as well as radially.

This could lead to unacceptable differences in the thickness between adjacent zones of the container obtained by expanding the preform and, in certain cases, tears and breakage of the container. To overcome the aforementioned drawbacks - before starting with the blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step, i.e. before expanding the preform to obtain a container - the preform is retained by the neck forming means 10 and the preform is detached from the further die means 5 and/or from the tubular element 53 and/or from the forming element 30.

This prevents parts of the preform from remaining attached to the forming punch means 103 during the blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step, thus preventing containers being obtained that are provided with walls in which the thickness values vary from one zone to another of the containers in an unacceptable manner .

In addition, detachment of the preform from the forming tools, carried using methods which will be disclosed in greater detail below, makes it possible to obtain a preform having a very limited temperature difference between an internal zone and the walls, which, as mentioned above, constitutes a particularly favourable condition for the blow- moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step.

In particular, when the preform is detached from the further die means 5 and/or from the tubular element 53 and/or from the forming element ^'30, the heat is transmitted from the innermost part to the walls, so that the initially hotter innermost part cools, thereby heating the walls, which were initially colder, until a more uniform temperature profile is reached. Since the further die means^' 5, the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30 are movable independently of one another, different combinations of the movements of forming tools' are possible. With reference to Figure 28, it is shown how, before the beginning of the blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step, the tubular element 53 is separated from the neck forming means 10, after having moved from the operating position OPl, while the forming element 30 has not moved in relation to the neck forming means 10 and has remained in the further operating position 0P2.

The further die means 5 is separated from the neck forming means 10, after having moved from the further operating position 0P3. In particular, the body 100 has moved in relation to the neck forming means 10 so that there is a preset distance between the abutting surface 101 and the stop surface 102. As shown in Figure 28, the tubular element 53 is spaced from an internal wall 104 of the preform 8 and the further cavity means 5 is spaced from an external wall 105 of the preform 8, which enables the preform 8 to assume a condition that is preliminary to the blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step, which is more favourable from the point of view of uniformity of the temperature profile compared with the case in which the tubular element 53 is maintained constantly in contact with the internal wall 104. With the help of Figure 28, it is possible to identify three operating modes corresponding to particular combinations of the movements of the forming tools .

In all the aforementioned operating modes, the tubular element 53 moves away from the neck forming means 10 - with an own law of motion - starting from the operating position OPl, while the forming element remains in the further operating configuration 0P2 and does not move in relation to the neck forming means 10. In a first operating mode, the further die means 5 moves away from the neck forming means 10 - with an own law of motion - starting from the still further operating position OP3 , after a preset time following the beginning of the movement of the tubular element 53. In a second operating mode, the further die means 5 moves away from the neck forming means 10 - with an own law of motion - starting from the still further operating position 0P3 , substantially simultaneously with the beginning of the movement of the tubular element 53. In a third operating mode, the further die means 5 moves away from the neck forming means 10 - with an own law of motion - starting from the still further operating position 0P3, before the tubular element 53 starts moving. The tubular element 53 starts moving after a preset time following the beginning of the movement of the further die means 5. As shown in Figure 28, in the first operating mode, in the second operating mode and in the third operating mode, after the further cavity means 5 has moved away from the neck forming means 10, the tubular element 53 is not in contact with the preform 8 and the forming element 30 is in contact with the preform 8. In these operating configurations, thermal balancing of the preform 8 is by convection in the external wall 105, by convection in a portion of the internal wall 104 which is spaced from the tubular element 53 and by conduction in a further portion of the internal wall 104 which is in contact with the forming element 30. With reference to Figure 29, it is shown how, before starting with the blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step, the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30 are separated from the neck forming means 10, after having moved from the

- operating position OPl and the further operating position OP2, respectively.

The further die means 5 is separated from the neck forming means 10, after having moved from the further operating position OP3. In particular, the body 100 has moved in relation to the neck forming means 10 so that a preset distance has been interposed between the abutting surface 101 and the stop surface 102.

As shown in Figure 29, the tubular element 53 and' the forming element 30 are spaced from the internal wall 104 and the further cavity means 5 is spaced from the external wall 105, which makes it possible to prevent some parts of the preform 8 from being stretched less than the remaining parts of the preform 8, giving rise to a container having walls with nonuniform thickness, and to improve the uniformity of the temperature profile of the preform 8 as compared with the case in which the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30 are maintained constantly in contact with the internal wall 104. It should be noted that advantageously the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30 have conical external surfaces and .cross sections .which decrease from the body 100 towards the further die means 5, along the longitudinal axis A. As a result, even extremely reduced movements of the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30 make it possible to ensure that there are no zones of contact between the aforementioned external surfaces and the internal surface 104.

With the help of Figure 29, it is possible to identify three further operating modes corresponding to particular combinations of the movements of the forming tools . In all the aforementioned further operating modes, the tubular element 53 moves away from the neck forming means 10 - with an own law of motion - starting from the operating position OPl and the forming element 30 moves away from the neck forming means 10 - with an own law of motion - starting from the further operating position OP2.^'

The laws of motion and the movements of the tubular element. 53 and the forming element 30 may be similar or different to one another. The movement of the forming element 30 must be less than, or possibly equal to, the movement of the tubular element 53.

Figure 29 shows a configuration in which the movement of the forming element 30 is less than the movement of the tubular element 53. If the movement of the forming element 30 is equal to the movement of the tubular element 53, the active surface 51 will come into contact with the further active surface 52. In a fourth operating mode, the further die means 5 moves away from the neck forming means 10 - with ^' an own law of motion - starting from the still further operating position OP3 , after a preset time from the beginning of the movement of the tubular element 53 and the movement of the forming element 30.

In a fifth operating mode, "_'the further die means 5 moves away from the neck forming means 10 - with an own law of motion - starting ^• from the still further operating position OP3 , substantially simultaneously with the beginning of the movement of the tubular element 53 and the movement of the forming element 30.

In a sixth operating mode, the further die means 5 moves away from the neck forming means 10 - with an own law of motion - starting from the still further operating position OP3, before the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30 start moving. The tubular element 53 and the forming element 30 start moving after a preset time following the beginning of the movements of the further die means 5. As shown in Figure 29, in the fourth operating mode, in the fifth operating mode and in the sixth operating mode, after the further cavity means 5 has moved away from the neck forming means 10, the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30 are not in contact with the preform 8. In these operating configurations, thermal balancing of the preform 8 is by convection in the external wall 105 and by convection in the internal wall 104.

With reference to Figure 30, it is shown how, before the start of the blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step, the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30 have not moved in relation to the neck forming means 10 and have remained in the operating position OPl and the further operating position 0P2, respectively. The further die means 5 is separated from the neck forming means 10, after having moved from the further operating position OP3.

In particular, the body 100 has not moved in relation to the neck forming means 10, since the abutting surface 101 is in contact with the stop surface 102. As shown in Figure 30, the further cavity means 5 is spaced from the external wall 105 of the preform 8, which makes it possible to improve the uniformity of the temperature profile of the preform 8. With the help of Figure 30, it is possible to identify a seventh operating mode corresponding to a particular combination of the movements of the forming tools . In this seventh operating mode, the tubular element 53 remains in the operating configuration OPl and does not move in relation to the neck forming means 10, the forming element 30 remains in the further operating configuration 0P2 and does not move in relation to the neck forming means 10, and the further die means 5 moves away from the neck forming means 10 - with an own law of motion - starting from the still further operating position 0P3. As shown in Figure 30, in the seventh operating mode, after the further cavity means 5 has moved away from the neck forming means 10, the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30 are in contact with the preform 8. In this operating configuration, the temperature balancing of the preform 8 is by convection in the external wall 105 and by conduction in the internal wall 104.

Figures 31 and 32 reproduce two graphs which show two possible combinations of the movements of the tubular element 53 and/or of the forming element 30 and/or of the further cavity means 5. In Figures 31 and 32, movements greater than zero indicate rising of the tubular element 53 and/or of the forming element 30, while movements less than zero indicate a lowering of the further die means 5. Figures 31 and 32 presuppose an apparatus 1 positioned as shown in the Figures 1 to 26, i.e. positioned so that the longitudinal axis A is placed substantially vertically and the punch 7 is arranged above the further die means 5.

The moving speed of the ' tubular element 53, of the forming element 30 and of the further cavity means 5 may be different from one another and can be changed independently during the same working cycle.

Further, the trajectories of the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30 - and possibly of the further cavity means 5 - may comprise, subsequent to moving away from the neck forming means 10, a partial moving towards the neck forming means 10. In an embodiment that is not shown, the forming punch means 103 can be made as a single piece, i.e. the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30 can be joined together firmly. In this case, it is possible to define operating modes corresponding to particular combinations of the movements of the forming punch means 103 and the further cavity means 5. In particular, the forming punch means 103 can get detached from the preform before the blow-moulding or stretch-blow- moulding step. In a further embodiment, disclosed with reference to Figures 24 to 26, the forming element 30 may comprise a first forming body 82 and a second forming body 83.

In this case, it is possible to define a plurality of operating modes corresponding to particular combinations of the movements of the tubular element 53 and/or of the first forming body 82 and/or of the second forming body 83 and/or of the further cavity means 5.

Each of the aforementioned forming tools is movable in relation to the other forming tools and- independently of the other forming tools with an own law of motion. In particular., the speed of each forming tool and the movement of each forming tool may be selected appropriately in order to obtain optimum detachment of the preform from the forming tools before the blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step, and an adequate homogenisation of the temperature profile of the preform.

In order to facilitate detachment of the preform 8 from the forming tools, a fluid is insufflated between the forming punch means 103 and the internal surface 104 and/or between the further die means 5 and the external surface 105.

The aforementioned insufflation of fluid may be provided as an alternative, or more effectively, in addition to the relative movement of the forming tools, as disclosed above with reference to Figures 27 to 32. In particular, a flow of fluid may be introduced between the forming punch means 103 and the internal surface 104 through the passage 54 defined between the surface 51 of the forming element 30 and the further surface 52 of the tubular element

53.

As shown in Figure 33, the flow of fluid can be insufflated before the movement of the tubular element 53, of the forming element 30 and of the further cavity means 5, so that the flow of fluid exerts a detaching action even before the forming tools are moved away from the preform 8. As shown in Figure 34, the flow of fluid can be insufflated whilst the forming tools move away from the preform 8, in particular during movement of the tubular element 53 and/or of the forming element 30 to facilitate the detachment of the preform 8 from the tubular element and/or from the forming element 30. As shown in Figure 35, the flow of fluid may be insufflated after the tubular element 53, the forming element 30 and the

, further die means 5 have moved away from the preform 8. In this ^' case, the flow of fluid can carry out a preliminary stretching^' of the preform 8. If the forming punch means 103 is made as shown in Figures 24 to 26 - i.e. if the forming element 30 comprises a first forming body 82 and a second forming body 83 - in place of the flow of fluid mentioned above a first flow of fluid may be provided, which is delivered through the passage 88 defined between the tubular element 53a and the first forming body 82, and a second fluid flow may be provided, which is delivered through a further passage 188 (Figure 40) defined between the second forming body 83 and the first forming body 82, or through the conduit means 89 associated with the second forming body ■ 83.

As shown in Figure 36, a further flow of fluid may be introduced between the further die means 5 and the external surface 105, to facilitate detachment of the preform 8 from the further die means 5. The fluid flow and the further fluid flow may be insufflated in succession, or simultaneously, or alternatively. It is also possible to insufflate only the flow of fluid, or only the further flow of fluid.

The flow of fluid and the further flow of fluid may comprise an air flow and a further air flow, respectively. The flow of fluid . and the further flow of fluid can be adjusted independently of one another as regards pressure and flow rate.

The flow of fluid and the further flow of fluid make it possible to obtain a detachment of the preform from the forming tools that is uniform and homogeneous axially as well as radially.

In addition, in ^' the case that the- expansion of the preform may be difficult, for example, because of the properties of the plastics of which the preform is made, or for obtaining containers having particularly complex geometries, the flow of fluid and the further flow of fluid can provide for a first partial blow-moulding of the preform which facilitates the successive blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step. With reference to Figure 37, forming punch means 103 is schematically shown, which forming punch means is shaped .like the ones in Figures 11 to 13.

In these forming punch means 103 the contact zone between the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30, and therefore the passage 54, are located near a "high" portion of the preform, where the high portion in this description means a portion of the preform 8 between the neck portion 11 of preform 8 and half-way up the height of the body of the preform 8. During the blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step, the blow-moulding fluid comes from the passage 54.

The configuration of the forming punch means 103 shown in Figure 37 makes it possible to locate a portion of plastics intended for forming a bottom region of a container. This configuration may be used effectively to obtain the containers 110a_. and 110b shown in Figures 41 and 42, respectively.^■ In the configuration of the forming punch means 103 shown in Figure 37, the blow-moulding fluid is introduced at the high portion of the preform 8 and the stretching effect starts from the high portion of the preform 8. With reference to Figure 38, forming punch means 103 is shown schematically in which the contact zone between the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30, and thus the passage 54, are located near a "low" portion of the preform, where the low portion in this description means a portion of the preform 8 interposed between half-way up the height of the body of the preform 8 and the bottom zone 111. During the blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step, the blow-moulding fluid comes from the passage 54. The configuration of the forming punch means 103 shown in Figure 38 can be used effectively for obtaining a container 110c shown in Figure 43.

In the configuration of the forming punch means 103 shown in Figure 38 the blow-moulding fluid is introduced at the low portion of the preform 8 and the stretching effect starts from the low portion of the preform 8.

With reference to Figur.es 39 and 40 forming punch means 103 is shown schematically, which forming punch means is shaped like the ones in Figures 24 to 26. In these forming punch means 103 , the contact zone between the tubular element 53a and the first forming body 82, and thus the passage 88, are located at the high portion of the preform, while the contact zone between the first forming body 82 and the second forming body 83, and thus the further passage 188, are located in the low portion of the preform, the aforementioned high portion and the aforementioned low portion being defined as disclosed with reference to Figures 37 and 38.

In a first operating mode, shown in Figure 39, the blow- moulding fluid is insufflated only through the passage 88. In this operating mode, it is possible to control the width of the opening through which the blow-moulding fluid flows, i.e. the width of the passage 88, and the stroke of the second moulding body 83, independently.

In the first operating mode the blow-moulding fluid is introduced at the high portion of the preform 8, while the stretching effect starts from the low portion of the preform 8.

In a second operating mode, shown in Figure 40, the mould- blowing fluid is insufflated both through the passage 88 and through the further passage 188. In the second operating mode the blow-moulding fluid is introduced in the high portion as well as in the low portion of the preform 8 and the stretching effect starts from the low portion of the preform 8. It should be pointed out that the forming punch means shown in Figures 37 to 40 can function according to an operating mode in which the preform 8 is subjected substantially only to a blow-moulding action and not a stretching action. In this case, the length of the preform 8 may be substantially equal to that of the container to be obtained. In this operating mode, in the case of the forming punch means 103 shown in Figures 37 and 38, the forming element 30- and^' the tubular element 53 move to a very limited distance from one another, for example a few millimetres, so that between the forming element 30 and the tubular element 53 the passage 54 for blow-moulding the blow-moulding fluid is defined.

Similarly, in the case of the forming punch means 103 shown in Figures 39 and 40, the second forming body 83, the first forming body 82 and the tubular element 53a move to a very limited distance in relation to .one another, for example a few millimetres, so that the passage 88 is defined between the tubular element 53a and the first forming body 82 and the further passage 188 is defined between the first forming body 82 and the second forming body 83, for insufflating the blow- moulding fluid.

Depending on the. different types of forming punch means 103 shown with reference to Figures 37 to 40 - in particular depending on the position of the zone of the preform at which separation occurs between the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30 (or depending on the positions of the zone at which separation occurs between the tubular element 53a and the first forming body 82 and of the zone at which separation occurs between the first forming body 82 and the second forming body 83) , and therefore depending on the position of the zone (or zones) at which the forming fluid is insufflated - depending on the plastics processed and on the shapes of the containers to be produced, different types of preforms can be provided. The preforms may have the following features: the thickness of the preforms may show extremely small variations, or may be substantially constant to make it easier to obtain a uniform temperature profile (Figure 54) _; the thickness of the preforms may be greater near the separation zone between the tubular element 53 and the forming element 30, so as to compensate a localization of the stretching that is present near the aforementioned separation zone (Figure 46) ; the thickness of the bottom zone 111 of the preforms may be variable, and preferably thin in relation to the thickness of the side wall (Figures 46 and 47) ; the preforms may have draft angles which enable the forming element 30 to be detached from the preforms before the blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step, these draft angles, having, for example, sizes belonging to an interval 3° - 7° (the preforms shown in Figures 57, 58 and 59 have the same weight, but different geometries) ; the preforms may have axial localization of plastics depending on the shape of the container to be produced (Figure 47) ; - the preforms may have a cross section that is not circular, but, for example may be elliptical (Figure 48) or polygonal, for example quadrangular (Figure 49) , or triangular (Figure 50) - with perimeter thickness localizations depending on the shape of the container to be produced. A working cycle of the apparatus 1 also comprises a compression-moulding step of a dose of plastics to obtain a preform, a step of detaching the obtained preform from the forming tools, a step of temperature balancing and a step of blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding of the preform. The temperatures of the forming tools must therefore be adjusted accordingly to optimise the aforementioned steps. Further, the geometry of the preform may show various thicknesses or parts which, depending on the shape of the container to be obtained, require a different kind of cooling in comparison to the remaining parts of the preform.

The forming tools can, therefore, be thermally adjusted, for example, through the modes disclosed below: the forming tools pass from a temperature near the temperature of the polymeric melt during the dose- inserting step and the compression-moulding step to a temperature below 80 - 160 °C in the steps of detaching the obtained preform from the forming tools, the step of thermal balancing and the step of blow-moulding, or stretch-blow-moulding, the preform; - the temperature of the forming tools is differentiated by using different circuits along the external body of the further cavity means 5 and inside the forming punch means 103 and/or acting on the flow rate and pressure of the cooling fluids that flow through the aforementioned circuits. For example, parts of the preform intended for undergoing deformation to different extents can be brought to different temperatures , in particular parts of the preform intended for being deformed greatly during the blow-moulding or stretch-blow-moulding step, are brought to higher temperatures in comparison to parts of the preform intended for being deformed to a lesser extent; the forming tools are subjected to the action of thermal conditioning means arranged outside the forming tools (radiation generating means, air-jet generating means, etc.) or inside the forming tools (conditioning fluids, electric heating elements, etc.) so as to adjust only the surface temperature of the parts of the forming tools which come into contact with the plastics.

With reference to Figure 52, there is shown a machine 900 comprising a rotatable forming carousel 901 that supports a plurality of moulding units 902. In particular, the forming carousel 901 is rotated continuously around the rotation axis thereof .

The machine' 900 further comprises a rotatable supply carousel 903 that supports a plurality of handling elements, which are not shown, arranged for delivering doses 37 of plastics in a pasty state to the moulds 902-. The handling elements can be so shaped as to remove formed objects from the moulding units 902. Alternatively, the machine 900 may comprise, in addition to the supply carousel 903, a removing carousel provided with further handling elements that remove formed objects from the moulding units 902. The removing carousel is arranged upstream of the supply carousel 903 with respect to a rotation direction R of the forming- carousel 901. Each moulding unit 902 comprises ^' a female half-mould, provided with a cavity arranged for receiving a dose 37, and a male half-mould, provided with a forming element arranged for penetrating inside the ^"cavity to compression-mould the dose . The moulding units 902 may comprise compression-moulding mould means 3 and stretch-blow-moulding means 4, as disclosed with reference to Figures 1 to 50.

In this case, the further die means 5 - i.e. the receiving element 6 - and the neck-forming means 10 define the female half-mould and the punch 7 defines the male half-mould. The moulding units. 902 form by compression a dose 37 for obtaining a preform 8 that is retained on the male half- mould. Subsequently, the preform 8 is blow-moulded to obtain, a container .

Alternatively, the moulding units 902 may comprise usual moulds for compression-moulding arranged for forming objects, for example preforms of containers, or caps. In this case, the formed objects, in particular the preforms, are removed from the moulds after being formed. In other words, the preforms are not blow-moulded with the help of the male half- mould with which they were compression-moulded. According to the invention, heating means is provided that heats the female half-mould and/or the male half-mould in a manner that will be disclosed in greater detail below. The heating means can act only at preset moments of a compression-moulding cycle. In particular, the heating means can act before a dose of plastics is delivered to the cavity and/or whilst the dose is introduced into the cavity and/or when the plastics that form the dose, pressed between the female half-mould and the male half-mould, flow inside a forming chamber, defined between the female half-mould and the male half-mould, to fill the forming chamber. In this case,^' owing to the heating means, the plastics flow more easily inside the forming chamber than do known moulds. Further, as the wall that bounds the cavity is at a higher temperature than occurs in known moulds , deterioration of the dose is significantly limited and, consequently, the formed objects do not substantially have defects having the appearance of a stain.

Alternatively, the heating means can act substantially for the entire duration of a compression-moulding cycle. In this case, the heating means is shaped so as to enable different temperatures to be obtained in different zones of a mould and therefore different temperatures to be obtained in different regions of an object obtained with the aforesaid mould, as will be disclosed in greater detail subsequently. With reference to Figures 53 and 54, heating means is disclosed comprising an electromagnetic induction heating device provided with an electromagnetic generator and a heating element - with which the moulding unit is equipped - arranged for being heated when it interacts with the electromagnetic generator. The electromagnetic generator may be a reel traversed by high or medium-frequency alternating current.

When the heating element approaches the electromagnetic generator, in the heating element parasite currents are generated the intensity of which is controllable and modulatable. The heating element is thus heated and gives heat to the moulding unit. Heating occurs without contact between the electromagnetic generator and the heating element .

With reference to Figure 53, there is shown a moulding unit 902 provided with a female half-mould 905 comprising a heating element 908 that is heatable by electromagnetic induction.

The heating element 908 can be made of a metal material, for example iron, or brass . The female half-mould 905 further comprises a conduit 909 supplied with a cooling fluid, for example water, arranged for cooling plastics that have been formed inside a forming chamber defined between the female half-mould 905 and the male half-mould, when the female half-mould 905 and the male half-mould are in a closed configuration.

The female half-mould 905 is provided with an internal body 911, that comprises the cavity 906, and with an external body 912 between which there is defined the conduit 909. In the internal body there is obtained an inlet opening 913, through which the cooling fluid enters inside the conduit 909, and an outlet opening 914, through which the cooling fluid exits the conduit 909.

The heating element 908 envelops, at least partially, the internal body 911. The heating element 908 is received inside the conduit 909 so as to be in contact with the cooling fluid. In addition, or alternatively, to the heating element 908, a further heating element can be provided on the male half- mould.

As shown in Figure 52, the machine 900 comprises an electromagnetic generator 910, arranged in a fixed position with respect to the forming carousel 901, with which the moulding units 902 interact in succession, whilst the forming carousel 901 is. rotated. The electromagnetic generator 910 is positioned upstream of the supply carousel 903 with respect to the rotation direction R and heats the moulding units 901 before the handling elements deliver the doses to the moulding units 901.

With reference to Figure 54 there is shown a female half- mould 805 provided with an internal body 811, that comprises a cavity 806, and provided with an external body 812 between which there is defined a conduit 809.

The internal body 811 is made of a material that is heated when it interacts with the electromagnetic generator 910. The internal body 811 thus acts as a heating element 808. An insulating element 815 is further provided that at least partially envelops the internal body 811.

The insulating element 815 is received inside the conduit 809 so as to be in contact with the cooling fluid. The insulating element 815 is made of a material that contrasts the action of the cooling fluid. In other words, the insulating element 815 delays the effect of the cooling fluid on the internal body 811.

In addition, or alternatively, to the heating element 808, a further heating element can be provided on the male half- mould.

With reference to Figures 55 and 56 heating means is disclosed comprising dispensing means for dispensing a heating fluid - for example air - arranged for heating the moulding units 902. With reference to Figure 55, there is shown a dispensing element 216 that is insertible inside a cavity 206 of a female half-mould 205 for dispensing a heating fluid inside the cavity 206. The dispensing body 216 has the shape of a tubular element, or of a cannula. The dispensing element 216 may comprise a plurality of outlet openings for the heating fluid. In particular, the dispensing element 216 comprises a first opening 217, a second opening 218, a third opening 219 and a fourth opening 220 that face preset portions of the cavity 206 so as to heat the portions locally. In addition, the aforesaid openings may have different dimensions from one another, the quantity of heating fluid that exits each opening being the greater the greater is the dimension of the opening. In particular, the first opening 217 is larger than the second opening 218, the second opening is larger than the third^' opening 219 and the third opening is larger than the fourth opening 220. In this manner, the aforesaid portions may have temperatures that differ from one another. In other words, the female half- mould 205 may have portions having different temperatures. Consequently, also the objects obtained from the doses immediately after compression-moulding may have zones having different temperatures . This can contribute to improving significantly further steps of a working cycle to which the objects have to be subjected, for example in the case of the production of containers achieved by compression-moulding plastics to obtain preforms and, immediately afterwards, blow-moulding the preforms. In the latter case, the step of blow-moulding the preforms is optimised if the preforms have zones having different temperatures from one another, in particular if the zones of the preforms intended to be more deformed during blow-moulding have a greater temperature than the zones intended to be less deformed - or not deformed at all - during blow-moulding.

In an embodiment that is not shown, the dispensing element 216 can be arranged in a fixed position with respect to the forming carousel 901 and interact in succession with the moulding units 902, whilst the forming carousel 901 is rotated. In this case, the dispensing element 216 is positioned upstream of the supply carousel 903 with respect to the rotation direction R and heats the moulding units 902 before the handling elements deliver the doses to the moulding units 902.

Alternatively, the machine 900 may comprise a number of dispensing elements 216 equal to the number of moulding units, with each moulding unit there being operationally associated a corresponding dispensing element 216. In this case, the dispensing elements 216 are provided on the forming carousel 901.

In addition, or alternatively, to the dispensing element 216, there can be provided a further dispensing element - arranged in a fixed position with respect to the forming carousel 901, or mounted on the forming carousel 901 - intended for dispensing a heating fluid onto the male half-mould to heat the male half-mould.

With reference to_. Figure 56, there is shown a female half- mould 305 provided with an internal body 311, which comprises a cavity 306, and provided with an external body 312. Between the internal body 311 and the external body 312 there is defined a conduit 309 through which a cooling fluid, for example water, flows and a further conduit 321 through which a heating fluid, for example air, flows. The conduit 309 ^■ extends around the further conduit 321. The second conduit 321 extends around the internal body, i.e. around the cavity 306.

The further conduit 321 can be supplied with the heating fluid only in certain steps of a compression-moulding cycle, so as to heat the cavity 306 during the aforesaid steps. In particular, the heating fluid can be supplied inside the further conduit 321 during the insertion of the dose into the . cavity -306 and during filling of the forming chamber, i.e. when the plastics that form- the dose, pressed between the female half-mould 305 and the male half-mould, flow inside the forming chamber. Conduit means through which a heating fluid flows can also be provided in the male half-mould,, so as to heat the male half- mould.

With reference to Figure 57, heating means is disclosed comprising an electric resistance heating device.

The Figure 57 shows a female half-mould 405 provided with an internal body 411 that comprises a cavity 406, and provided with an external body 412 between which a conduit 409 is defined. There is further provided an electric resistance heating element 422 that envelops at least partially the internal body 411.

The electric resistance heating element 422 is received inside the conduit 409 so as^' to be in contact with the cooling fluid.

In addition, or alternatively, to the ^'electric resistance heating element 422, a further electric resistance heating element can be provided on the male half-mould. With reference to Figures 58 to 61 there is shown a moulding unit 902 comprising a female half-mould 505 and a male half- mould 523.

The female half-mould 505 comprises a base body 524 in which conduit means 525 is obtained in which a cooling fluid, for example water, flows. Similarly, also the male half-mould 523 is traversed by further conduit means 526 inside which the cooling fluid flows.

The female half-mould 505 comprises a containing body 527 in which there is defined a cavity 506 intended for receiving a dose 37.

The containing body 527 can be received - for example in a shapingly coupled manner - in a seat 528 of the ^' base body

524.

The containing body 527 is movable between a first operating position Xl, shown in Figures 58 to 60, in which an end zone 529 of the containing body 527 is spaced from a corresponding end portion 530 of the seat 528, and a second operating position Yl, shown in Figure 61, in which the end zone 529 is near or in contact with, the end portion 530. When the containing body 527 is in the first operating position Xl, between the end zone 529 and the end portion 530 there is interposed a thermal insulating chamber 534 that limits cooling of the dose 37 by the cooling fluid flowing in the conduit means 525. The thermal insulating chamber 534 has a variable volume, this volume progressively decreasing - until it is substantially eliminated - when the containing body 527 moves from the first operating position Xl to the second operating position Yl. Positioning means is provided, which is not shown, for example springs interposed between the containing portion 527 and the base body 524, that maintains the containing portion 527 in the first operating position Xl.

During operation, when the containing portion 527 is in the first operating position Xl, a dose 37 is inserted inside the cavity 506.

The weight of the dose 37 is not able to move the containing portion 527 from the first operating position Xl to the second operating position Yl. The end zone 529 - and the dose supported thereby - are thus spaced from the end portion 530 and from the conduit means 525 that passes through the end portion 530. In this manner, the end zone 530 cools the dose 37 to a lesser extent than is the case with known moulds. Subsequently, a forming element 531 of the male half-mould 523 penetrates inside the cavity 506 and interacts with the plastics that form the dose 37.

These plastics start to flow inside a forming chamber 532 defined between the female half-mould 505 and the male half- mould 523 before the containing body 527 passes from the first operating position Xl to the second operating position Yl, i.e. when the containing body 527, and thus the plastics, are distant from the end portion 530, which tends to cool them. This facilitates the flowing of the plasties in the forming chamber 532. Still subsequently, when the female half-mould 505 and the male half-mould 523 are brought mutually nearer, so as to overcome the resistance of the positioning means, the containing body 527 passes from the first operating position Xl to the second operating position Yl. When the containing body 527 is in the second operating position Yl, the plastics are effectively cooled to enable the shape of an object obtained from the dose 37 to be stabilised.

Figure 62 is a graph that shows the trend in function of the time of the temperature of an internal surface of the cavity 506 and of the internal surface of the cavity of a prior-art mould.

As can be deduced from the aforesaid graph, owing to the thermal conditioning chamber 534 the internal surface of the cavity 506 has a higher temperature than the temperature of the cavity of a prior-art mould at an insertion step of the dose 37 inside the cavity 506 and of a forming cavity 532 filling step. In this manner, the plastics that form the dose 37 are not cooled too drastically when they interact for the first time with the cavity 506, which enables it to be prevented that the moulded objects have defects that have the appearance of a stain. Further, the plastics that form the dose 37 may easily flow inside the forming chamber 532 and completely fill also zones of the forming chamber 532 having a cross section - i.e. a plastics passage zone - that is very small . With reference to Figures 63 to 6-6, there is shown a moulding unit 902 comprising a female half-mould 605 and a male half- mould 623.

The female half-mould 605 comprises a base body 624 in which conduit means 625 is obtained inside which a cooling fluid, for example water, flows.

Similarly, also the male half-mould 623 is traversed by further conduit means 626 inside which the cooling fluid flows .

In the base body 624 there is defined a cavity 606 intended for receiving a dose 37. The female half -mould 605 further comprises a supporting body 635 arranged for restingly receiving the dose 37. The supporting body 635 is shaped as a hollow body, shaped as an upturned "U", a resting element 636 - defining a base of the aforesaid "U" - being arranged for supporting. the dose 37. The supporting body 635 is movable between an extended position Hl, shown in Figures 63 to 65, in which the resting element 636 is spaced from a bottom wall 637 of the cavity 606, and a retracted position Kl, shown in Figure 66, in which resting element 636 is substantially coplanar with the bottom wall 637.

When the supporting body 635 is in the extended position Hl, between the resting element 636 and the base body 624 there is interposed a thermal insulating chamber 634 that limits cooling of the dose 37 by the conduit means 625. When the supporting body 635 is in the retracted position Kl, a protuberance 638 of the base body 624 traversed by the conduit means 625 is received in a gap 639 of the supporting body 635 bounded above by resting element 636. In the retracted position Kl₁ a top zone 640 of the protuberance 638 is near, or in contact with, the resting element 636. In this manner, the resting element is effectively cooled by the cooling fluid that flows in the cooling means 625 that traverses the protuberance 638. The thermal insulating chamber 634 has a variable volume, this volume progressively decreasing - . until it is substantially eliminated - when the supporting body 635 goes from the extended position Hl to the retracted position Kl. Positioning means is provided, which are not shown, for example springs interposed between the supporting body 635 and the base body 624, that maintain the supporting body 635 in the extended position Hl. During operation, when the supporting body 635 is in the extended position Hl, a dose 37 is inserted inside the cavity 606 and is supported by the resting element 636. The weight of the dose 37 is not able to move the supporting body 635 from the extended position Hl to the retracted position Kl.

The resting element 636 - and the dose 37 supported thereby - is, therefore, spaced from the base body 624, i.e. from the protuberance 638 and from the conduit means 525 that traverses the protuberance. In this manner, the base body 624 cools the dose 37 to a lesser extent than is the case with known moulds .

Subsequently, a forming element 631 of the male half-mould 623 penetrates inside the cavity 606 and interacts with theplastics that form the dose 37.

Still subsequently, when the female half-mould 605 and the male half-mould 623 are further moved towards one another so as to overcome the resistance of the positioning means, the supporting body 635 moves from the extended position Hl to the retracted position Kl. When the supporting body 635 is in the retracted position Kl, the plastics are effectively cooled to enable the shape of an object obtained from the dose 37 to be effectively cooled. With reference to Figure 67, there is shown a moulding unit 902 comprising a female half-mould 705 arranged ^' for cooperating with a male half-mould, not shown, for compression-moulding a dose of plastics to obtain an object, for example a preform 8. The preform 8 is subsequently expanded - for example by blow-moulding or stretch-blow- moulding - to form a container 888 shown in Figure 69.

The female half-mould 705 comprises a neck- forming part 750 that forms a neck zone Al of the preform 8 and a body forming part 751 that forms a body of the preform 8. If the moulding unit 902 is made according to what is disclosed with reference to Figures 1 to 50, the neck-forming means 10 defines the neck-forming part 750 and the further die means 5 defines the body forming part 751.

Figure 69 shows schematically the preform 8 and the container

888 obtained therefrom.

The neck Al of the preform 8 is not subsequently deformed when the preform 8 is blow-moulded to form the container 888. The neck zone Al thus forms a corresponding neck portion A2 of the container 888 without being subjected to further deformation. The body of the preform 8 is subsequently deformed when the preform 8 is blow-moulded for forming the container 888.

The body of the preform 8 comprises a first side zone Bl, nearer the neck Al, a second side zone Cl, further from the neck Al, and _.a bottom zone Dl, which, in the embodiment shown in Figure 69, has a thickness that is less than the thickness of the first side zone- Bl and of the second side zone Cl.

When the preform 8 is blow-moulded, the first side zone Bl forms a corresponding first side portion B2 of the container 888, the second side zone Cl forms a corresponding second side portion C2 of the container 888 and the bottom zone Dl forms a corresponding bottom portion D2 of the container 888. The female half-mould 705 is traversed by first conduits 752 in which flows a cooling fluid, for example cold water, and by second conduits 753 in which flows a heating fluid, for example hot water. In the female half-mould 705 there can be identified a plurality of parts: a first part Pl - i.e. the neck- forming part 750 - that forms the neck zone Al, a second part P2 that forms the first side zone Bl, a third part P3 that forms the second side zone Cl and a fourth part P4 that forms the bottom zone Dl .

The number of the first conduits 752 and of the second conduits 753 that traverse the aforesaid parts can be chosen so that each of the aforesaid parts - and thus each zone of the preform 8 - has a desired temperature. In addition, in order to confer on each of the aforesaid parts the desired temperature it is possible to choose suitably the diameters of the first conduits 752 and of the second conduits 753 that traverse the aforesaid parts and/or vary the flow rates of cooling fluid and of heating fluid that flows inside the first conduits 752 and the second conduits 753 that- traverse the aforesaid parts .

The possibility of having zones of the preform 8 having a desired temperature facilitates subsequent steps of a working cycle to which the preform has to be subjected, in particular a blow-moulding cycle that occurs - inside the moulding unit 902 in which forming occurred through compression-moulding, or in a blow-moulding mould, or in a stretch-blow-moulding mould arranged downstream of the moulding units 902 - without the preform 8 being cooled to ambient temperature and subsequently heated again. The temperature of each region of the preform 8 can in fact be chosen on the basis of the geometry - for example the thickness - of the region of the preform 8, of the geometry of the part of the container 888 that the region of the preform 8 is intended to shape after blow-moulding and on the basis of the size of the deformation to which the region of the preform 8 is subjected during blow-moulding. Advantageously, regions intended to be more deformed may have higher temperatures than the temperatures of regions not intended to be deformed. The graph in Figure 68 shows the trend in function of the time of the temperature of the first part Pl, of the second part P2 , of the third part P3 and of the fourth part P4. The graph in Figure 70 shows how, owing to the first conduits 752 and to the second conduits 753 it is possible to obtain zones of the preforms 8 with a thinner thickness - for example the bottom zone Dl - having a much greater temperature than occurs by using the prior-art moulds. This enables blow-moulding of the zones with a thinner thickness of the preforms 8 to be improved. In addition, or alternatively, to the first conduits 752 and to the second -conduits 753, there can be provided on the male half-mould further first conduits supplied with the cooling fluid and further second conduits supplied with the heating fluid, which enable desired temperatures to be obtained in preset portions of the male half-mould. With reference to Figure 71, there is shown a moulding unit 902 comprising a female half-mould 55 arranged for cooperating with a male half-mould, not shown, for compression-moulding a dose of plastics to obtain an object, for example a preform 8. The female half-mould is traversed by conduits 91 in which flows a cooling fluid, for example water.

There is further provided a flow rate-adjusting device that enables the flow rate of cooling fluid to be adjusted that flows in the conduits 91. During a working cycle, by varying the flow rate of water that flows in the conduits 91 it is possible to correspondingly vary in time the temperature of the female half-mould 55.

As shown in the graph in Figure 72, the flow rate-adjusting device enables temperatures of the female half-mould 55 to be obtained that are higher during working cycle steps in which the dose is inserted into the female half-mould 55 and the plastics that form the dose flow into the forming cavity to fill the forming cavity and temperatures of the female half- mould 55 to. be obtained that are lower during working cycle steps in which the shape of the formed object becomes stable and the formed object is extracted from the moulding units 902. This cannot be obtained in prior-art moulds, which are provided with cooling conduits in which flows a constant flow of cooling liquid. In addition, or alternatively, to the flow rate-adjusting device there can be provided a temperature-adjusting device that enables the temperature of the cooling fluid during a working cycle to be adjusted. It is therefore possible to use cooling fluid having a lower temperature - so as to have a female half-mould 55 having a greater temperature - when the dose is inserted into the female half-mould 55 and when the plastics that form the dose flow into the forming cavity to fill the forming cavity and a lower temperature when the form of the object becomes stable and when the object is extracted from the moulding units 902. In a prior-art machine, the moulds, before the machine is started up, have a preset temperature that depends on the constant flow rate of cooling fluid that traverses the cooling conduits. When the machine is started up, the moulds, by interacting with the plastics, are heated until they reach an operating temperature .

As shown in Figure 73, the flow rate-adjusting device and the temperature-adjusting device enable the moulding unit 902 to reach the operating temperature more quickly. Owing to the flow rate-adjusting device and/or the temper.ature-adjusting device, in fact, it is possible to cool the moulding unit 902 less effectively in a first step, that immediately follows the start-up of the machine 900, and cool the moulding unit 902 more effectively in a second step, which follows the aforesaid first step.

The flow rate-adjusting device and the temperature-adjusting device may respectively adjust also the flow rate and the temperature of. the cooling fluid that flows in the male half- mould. In the embodiments of moulding units that provide for the use of a heating fluid, there can be provided flow rate-adjusting means^" and/or temperature adjusting means for adjusting respectively the flow rate and the temperature of the heating fluid. As shown in Figure 74, owing to the first conduits 752 and to the second conduits 753 disclosed with reference to Figure 67 it is possible to obtain a preform 8 that has a temperature of the internal part, a temperature of the external wall and a temperature of the central zone that differ little from one another, unlike what occurs in prior-art moulds.

This enables the subsequent blow-moulding step to be optimised for which, as appears from Figure 74, a temperature distribution is optimal that is as uniform as possible throughout the thickness of the preform 8.

A temperature of the internal part, a temperature of the external wall and a temperature of the central zone of the preform 8 that do not significantly differ from optimal temperatures can also be obtained owing to the flow rate- adjusting device and/or to the pressure-adjusting device disclosed with reference to Figure 71 and owing to the heating means disclosed with reference to Figures 52 to 57.

Claims

1. Apparatus, comprising compression-moulding mould, means

(902) arranged for compression-moulding plastics in a -pasty state, characterised in that it further comprises heating means (10, 908; 10, 808; 216; 321; 422) arranged, for heating said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heating means (10, 908; 10, 808; 216; 321; 422) is so configured as to vary a temperature of said compression-moulding mould means (902) during a working cycle of said apparatus .

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said heating means (10, 908; 10, 808; 216; 321; 422) is configured so that said compression-moulding mould means (902) has a greater temperature when said plastics are inserted into said compression-moulding mould (902) and/or when said plastics flow inside a forming chamber of said compression-moulding mould means (902) to fill said forming chamber and have a lower temperature when an object (8) obtained from said plastics is maintained inside said compression-moulding mould means (902) to stabilise the shape thereof and/or when said object (8) is extracted from said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

4. Apparatus according .to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein said heating means (10, 908; 10, 808; 216; 321; 422) is so configured as to give heat in a differentiated manner to said compression-moulding mould means (902) so that distinct portions of said, compression-moulding mould means (902) have temperatures that are different from one another .

5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein said heating means (10, 908; 10, 808; 216; 321; 422) is so configured as to heat altogether said compression- moulding mould means (902) .

6. Apparatus according to any preceding^' claim, wherein said heating means comprises an electromagnetic induction heating device provided with an electromagnetic generator (10) that is distinct from said compression- moulding mould means (902) and a heating element (908; 811) provided in said compression-moulding mould means (902) and heatable by said electromagnetic generator (10) .

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said heating element (908) is received inside a conduit (909) provided in said compression-moulding mould means (902) and traversed by a cooling fluid. .,_S|

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said conduit

(909) is obtained in a female half-mould (905) of said compression-moulding mould means (902) , said heating element (908) enveloping at least partially a body (911) of said female half-mould (905) comprising a cavity (906) arranged for receiving said plastics.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said heating element (808) forms a body (811) of a female half-mould (805) of said compression-moulding mould means- (902) comprising a cavity (806) arranged for receiving said plastics.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said body (811) partially bounds a conduit (809) traversed by a cooling fluid.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9, or 10, and further comprising a insulating element (815) that envelopes at least partially said body (811) .

12. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said heating means comprises dispensing means (216) arranged for dispensing a heating fluid.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said heating fluid comprises hot air.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12, or 13, wherein said dispensing means comprises a dispensing element (216) arranged for heating a cavity (206) of a female half- mould (205) intended for receiving said plastics.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said dispensing element (216) is insertible into said female half-mould (205) .

16. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said dispensing element (216) is positioned outside said female half- mould (205) .

17. Apparatus according to any one of claims 14 to. 16, wherein said dispensing element (216) comprises a plurality of openings (217, 218, 219, 220) arranged for directing said heating fluid to preset zones of said cavity (206) .

18. Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said openings

(217, 218, 219, 220) have different dimensions from one another .

19. Apparatus according to any .preceding claim, wherein said heating means comprises conduit means (321) provided in said compression-moulding mould means (902) and traversed by a heating fluid.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said heating fluid comprises hot air.

21. Apparatus according to claim 19, or 20, wherein said conduit means (321) extends in a female half-mould (305) of said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

22. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said conduit means (321) envelopes at least partially a body (311) of said female half-mould (305) comprising a cavity (306) intended for receiving said plastics .

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, and further comprising further conduit means (309) provided in said female half-mould (305) and traversed by a cooling fluid, said further conduit means (309) enveloping at least partially said conduit means (321) .

24. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said heating means comprises an electric resistance heating device.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said electric resistance heating device comprises an electric resistance heating element (422) received inside a conduit (409) provided in said compression-moulding mould means (902) and traversed by a cooling fluid.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said conduit

(409) is obtained in a female half-mould (405) of said compression-moulding mould means (902) , said electric resistance heating element (408) enveloping at least partially a body (411) of said female half-mould (405) comprising a cavity (406) arranged for receiving said plastics.

27. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said compression-moulding mould means comprises a plurality of moulding units (902) supported by ^• a rotatable carousel (901) .

28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said carousel

(901) is rotatable continuously around a respective rotation axis.

29. Apparatus according to claim 27, or 28, as claim 27 is appended to any one of claims 6 to 11, or to any one of claims 12 to 26 as appended to any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein said electromagnetic generator (10) is arranged in a fixed position with respect to said carousel (901) .

30. Apparatus according to any one of claims 27 to 29, as claim 27 is appended to any one of claims 12 to 18, or to any one of claims 19 to 26 as appended to any one of claims 12 to 18, wherein said dispensing means comprises a single dispensing element (216) arranged in a fixed position with respect to said carousel (901) .

31. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said compression-moulding mould means (902) comprises conduit means through which a thermal conditioning fluid flows to thermally condition said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

32. Apparatus according to claim 31, and further comprising adjusting means arranged for varying a flow of said thermal conditioning fluid in said conduit means.

33. Apparatus according to claim 31, or 32, and further comprising controlling means for varying a temperature of said thermal conditioning fluid in said conduit . means .

34. Apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 33, wherein said thermal conditioning fluid is a cooling fluid arranged for cooling said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

35. Apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 34, wherein said thermal conditioning fluid is a heating fluid arranged for heating said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

36. Method, comprising supplying compression-moulding mould means (902) with plastics in a pasty state and compression-moulding said plastics to obtain an object, characterised in that it further comprises heating said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

37. Method according to claim 36, wherein said heating occurs before said supplying and/or during said supplying.

38. Method according to claim 36, or 37, wherein said heating occurs whilst said plastics flow through a forming chamber, defined between female half-mould means and male half-mould means of said compression-moulding mould means (902) , to fill said forming chamber.

39. Method according to any one of claims 36 to 38, wherein said heating comprises giving heat in a differentiated manner to said compression-moulding mould means (902) so that distinct portions of said compression-moulding mould means (902) have temperatures that are different from one another

40. Method according to any one of claims 36 to 38, wherein said heating comprises heating said compression-moulding mould means (902) altogether.

41. Method according to any one of claims 36 to 40, wherein said heating comprises heating by electromagnetic induction said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

42. Method according to claim 41, wherein said induction heating comprises heating a heating element (908; 811) provided in said compression-moulding mould means (902) by means of an electromagnetic generator (10) that is distinct from said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

43. Method according to any one of claims 36 to 42, wherein said heating comprises dispensing a heating fluid in contact with parts of said compression-moulding mould means (902) arranged for interacting with said plastics.

44. Method according to claim 43, wherein said heating fluid comprises hot air.

45. Method according to claim 43, or 44, wherein said dispensing comprises dispensing different quantities of said heating fluid on distinct zones of said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

46. Method according to any one of claims 36 to 45, wherein said heating comprises supplying with a heating fluid conduit means (321) provided in said compression- moulding mould means . (902) .

47.- Method according to claim 46, wherein said heating fluid comprises hot air.

48. Method according to any one of claims 36 to 47, wherein said heating comprises heating by means of an electric resistance heating device (422) said compression-^' moulding mould means (902) .

49. Method according to any one of claims 36 to 48, wherein said compression-moulding mould means (902) comprises conduit means through which a thermal conditioning fluid flows to thermally condition said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

• 50. Method according to claim 49, and further comprising varying a flow rate of said thermal conditioning fluid in said conduit means .

51. Method according to claim 49, or 50, and further comprising modifying a temperature of said thermal conditioning fluid in said conduit means.

52. Method according to any one of claims 49 to 51, wherein said thermal conditioning fluid is a cooling fluid arranged for cooling said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

53. Method according to any one of claims 49 to 52, wherein said thermal conditioning fluid is a heating fluid arranged for heating said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

54. Apparatus, comprising compression-moulding mould means (902) arranged for compression-moulding plastics in a pasty state and conduit means, provided in said compression-moulding mould means (902) , through which a thermal conditioning fluid flows, characterised in that it further comprises adjusting means arranged for varying a flow rate of said thermal conditioning fluid in said conduit means .

55. Apparatus according to claim 54, wherein said controlling means is so configured as to enable a temperature of said compression-moulding mould means (902) to be controlled during a working cycle of said apparatus .

56. Apparatus according to claim 55, wherein said controlling means is configured so that said compression-moulding mould means (902) has a greater temperature when said plastics are inserted into said compression-moulding mould (902) and/or when said plastics flow inside a forming chamber of said compression-moulding mould means (902) to fill said forming chamber and has a lower temperature when an object (8) obtained from said plastics is maintained inside said compression-moulding mould means (902) to stabilise the shape thereof and/or when said object (8) is extracted from said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

57. Apparatus according to any one of claims 54 to 56, wherein said controlling means is configured so that said thermal conditioning fluid gives heat in a differentiated manner to said compression-moulding mould means (902) so that distinct portions of said compression-moulding mould means (902) have temperatures that are different from one another.

58. Apparatus according to any one of claims 54 to 56, wherein said controlling means is configured so that said thermal conditioning fluid heats said compression- moulding mould means (902) altogether.

59. Apparatus according to any one of claims 54 to 58, and further comprising further controlling means arranged for varying a temperature of said thermal conditioning fluid.

60. Apparatus according to any one of claims 54 to 59, wherein said thermal conditioning fluid is a cooling fluid arranged for cooling said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

61. Apparatus according to any one of claims 54 to 60, wherein said thermal conditioning fluid is a heating fluid arranged for heating said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

62. Method, comprising supplying compression-moulding mould means with plastics in a pasty state (902) , compression- moulding said plastics and supplying with a thermal conditioning fluid conduit means provided in said compression-moulding mould means (902) , characterised in that it further comprises varying a flow rate of said thermal conditioning fluid in said conduit means.

63. Method according to claim 62, wherein said varying ■ comprises heating said compression-moulding mould means

(902) .

64. Method according to claim 63, wherein said heating occurs before said supplying and/or during said supplying.

65. Method according to claim 63, wherein said heating occurs whilst .said plastics flow through a forming chamber, defined between female half-mould means and male half-mould means of said compression-moulding mould means (902), to fill said forming chamber.

66. Method according to any one of claims 62 to 65, wherein said varying comprises giving heat in a differentiated manner to said compression-moulding mould means (902) so that distinct portions of said compression-moulding mould means (902) have temperatures that are different from one another.

67. Method according to any one of claims 62 to 65, wherein said varying comprises heating said compression-moulding mould means (902) altogether.

68. Method according to any one of claims 62 to 67, and further comprising modifying a temperature of said thermal conditioning fluid.

69. Method according to any one^' of claims 62 to 68', wherein said thermal conditioning fluid is a cooling fluid arranged for cooling said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

70. Method according to any one of claims 62 to 69, wherein said thermal conditioning fluid is a heating fluid arranged for heating said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

71. Apparatus, comprising compression-moulding mould means (902) arranged for compression-moulding plastics in a pasty state and conduit means, provided in said compression-moulding mould means (902) , through which a thermal conditioning fluid flows, characterised in that it further comprises adjusting means arranged for varying a temperature of said thermal conditioning fluid in said conduit means .

72. Apparatus according to claim 71, wherein said controlling means is so configured as to enable a temperature of said compression-moulding mould means (902) to be controlled during a working cycle of said apparatus .

73. Apparatus according to claim 72, wherein said controlling means is configured so that said compression-moulding mould means (902) has a greater temperature when said plastics are inserted into said compression-moulding mould (902) and/or when said plastics flow inside a forming chamber of said compression-moulding mould means (902) to fill said forming chamber and have a lower temperature when an object (8) obtained from said plastics is maintained inside said compression-moulding mould means (902) to stabilise the shape thereof and/or when said object (8) ' is extracted from said compression-moulding mould means (_.902) .

74. Apparatus according to any one of claims 71 to 73, wherein said controlling means is configured so that said thermal conditioning fluid gives heat in a differentiated manner to said compression-moulding mould means (902) so that distinct portions of said compression-moulding mould means (902) have temperatures that are different from one another.

75. Apparatus according to any one of claims 71 to 74, wherein said controlling means is configured so that said thermal conditioning fluid heats said compression- moulding mould means (902) altogether.

76. Apparatus according to any one of claims 71 to 75, wherein said thermal conditioning fluid is a cooling fluid arranged for cooling said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

77. Apparatus according to any one of claims 71 to 76, wherein said thermal conditioning fluid is a heating fluid arranged for heating said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

78. Method, comprising supplying compression-moulding mould means with plastics in a pasty state (902) , compression- moulding said . plastics, supplying with a thermal conditioning fluid conduit means provided in said compression-moulding mould means (902) , characterised in that it further comprises varying a temperature of said thermal conditioning fluid in said conduit means.

79. Method according to claim 78, wherein said varying comprises heating said compression-moulding mould means

(902) .

80. Method according to claim 79, wherein said heating occurs before said supplying and/or during said supplying.

81. Method according to claim _.79, wherein said heating occurs whilst said plastics flow through a forming chamber, defined between female half-mould means and male half-mould means of said compression-moulding mould means (902), to fill said forming chamber.

82. Method according to any one of claims 78 to 81, wherein said varying comprises giving heat in a differentiated manner to said compression-moulding mould means (902) so that distinct portions of said compression-moulding mould means (902) have temperatures that are different from one another

83. Method according to any one of claims 78 to 82, wherein said varying comprises heating said compression-moulding mould means (902) altogether.

84. Method according to any one of claims 78 to 83, wherein said - thermal conditioning fluid is a cooling fluid arranged for cooling said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

85. Method according to any one of claims 78 to 84^', wherein said thermal conditioning fluid is a heating fluid • arranged for heating said compression-moulding mould means (902) .

86. Apparatus, comprising a female half-mould (505; 605) and a male half-mould (523; 623) cooperating for compression-moulding a dose (37) of plastics in a pasty state and cooling conduit means (525; 625), provided in said female half-mould (505; 605), through which a cooling fluid flows, characterised in that it further comprises supporting means (527; 635) provided inside said female half-mould (505; 605) and arranged for supporting said dose (37) , between said cooling conduit means (525; 625) and said supporting means (527; 635) there being defined thermal insulating chamber means (534; 634) having a variable volume.

87. Apparatus according to claim 86, wherein said supporting means is shaped as a containing body (527) in which there is defined a cavity (506) intended for receiving said dose (37) .

88. Apparatus according to claim 87, wherein said containing body (527) is insertible into a seat (528) of a base body (524) of said female half-mould (505; 605) . ,

89. Apparatus according to claim 88, wherein said thermal insulating chamber means (534) is defined between said containing body (527) and said seat (528) .

90. Apparatus according to claim 88, or 89, wherein said containing body (527) is movable between a first operating position (Xl) , in which an end zone (529) of said containing body (527) is distanced from a corresponding end portion (530) of said seat (528) , and a second operating position (Yl) , in which said end zone (529) is near, or in contact with, said end portion ' (530) .

91. Apparatus according to claim 90, and further comprising positioning means interposed between said containing portion (527) and said base body (524) and arranged for maintaining said containing portion (527) in said first operating position (Xl) .

92. Apparatus according to claim 86, wherein said supporting means comprises a supporting body (635) provided with a resting element (636) arranged for receiving said dose (37) , said supporting body (635) being movable between an extended position (Hl) , in which said resting element (636) is spaced from bottom wall (637) of a cavity (606) of said female half-mould (605) , and a retracted position (Kl) , in which said resting element (636) is substantially coplanar with said bottom wall (637) .

93. Apparatus according to claim 92, and further comprising positioning means interposed between said supporting body (635) and said base body (624) and arranged for maintaining said containing portion (527) in said extended position (Hl) . .

94. Apparatus according to claim 92, or 93, wherein, when said supporting body (635) is in said retracted position

(Kl) , a protuberance (638) of said base body (624) traversed by said conduit means (625) is received in a gap (639) of said supporting body (635) .

95. Apparatus according to claim 94, wherein said insulating chamber means (634) is defined between said gap (639) and said protuberance (638) .

96. Apparatus according to claim 94, or 95, wherein said gap

(639) is bounded above by said resting element (636) .

97. Apparatus according to any one of claims 94 to 96, wherein, when said supporting body (635) is in said retracted position (Kl), a top zone (640) of said protuberance (638) is near, or in contact with, said resting element (636) .

98. Apparatus according to any one of claims 92 to 97, wherein said supporting body (635) is shaped as a hollow body.

99. Apparatus according to claim 98, wherein said supporting body (635) is shaped as an upturned "U", said resting element (635) defining a base of said "U".

100. Method, comprising compression-moulding a dose (37) of plastics for obtaining a preform (8) , blow-moulding said preform (8) to obtain a container (888) , characterised in that, before said blow-moulding, heat is given in a differentiated manner to distinct zones (Al, Bl, Cl, Dl) of said preform (8) so that said zones (Al, Bl, Cl, Dl) have temperatures that are different from one another.

101. Method according to claim 100, wherein said giving heat comprises bringing a first zone (Bl) of said preform (8) to a preset first temperature and bringing a second zone (Cl) of said preform to a preset second temperature that is greater than said preset first temperature, said second zone (Cl) being intended to be deformed more than said first zone (Bl) during said blow-moulding.

102. Method according to claim 100, or 101, wherein said giving heat comprises dispensing a heating fluid in contact with said zone (Al, Bl, Cl, Dl) .

103. Method according to claim 102, wherein said dispensing comprises dispensing a preset quantity of said heating fluid on a first zone of said preform (8) and further dispensing a preset second quantity of , said heating fluid, greater than said first quantity, on a second zone of said preform (8) so that said second zone has a temperature that is greater than the temperature of said first zone.

104. Method according to claim 102, or 103, wherein said heating fluid comprises hot air.

105. Method according to claim 100, or 101, wherein said compression-moulding occurs in compression-moulding mould means (902) traversed by conduits (752, 753) in which a thermal conditioning fluid flows.

106. Method according to claim 105, wherein said conduits comprise cooling conduits (752) in which flows a cooling fluid.

107. Method according to claim 105, or 106, wherein said conduits comprise heating conduits (753) in which, flows a heating fluid.

108. Method according to any one of claims 105 to 107, wherein said compression-moulding mould means (902) comprises a plurality of parts (Pl, P2, P3 , P4) , each part of said plurality of parts being arranged for forming a corresponding zone (Al, Bl, Cl, Dl) of said preform (8) .

109. Method according to claim 108, and further comprising determining the number and type of said conduits (752, 753) that traverse each of said parts (Pl, P2 , P3 , P4) .

110. Method according to claim 108, or 109, and further comprising determining the position of said conduits

(752, 753) with respect to each of said parts (Pl, P2, P3, P4) .

111. Method according to any one of claims 108 to 110, and further comprising determining the diameter of said conduits (752, 753) that traverse each of said parts (Pl, P2, P3, P4) .

112. Method according to any one of claims 107 to 111, wherein said giving heat comprises varying a flow of said thermal conditioning fluid that traverses said conduits (752, 753) .

113. Method according to any one of claims 107 to 111, wherein said giving heat comprises varying a temperature of said thermal conditioning fluid that traverses said conduits (752, 753) .

114. Method according to any one of claims 100 to 113, wherein, before said blow-moulding, there is provided maintaining said preform (8) on punch means (7) by means of which said dose (37) has been compression-moulded.

115. Method according to claim 114, wherein said punch means (-7) cooperates with die means (9) to blow-mould said preform (8) .

116. Method according to claim 115, wherein said punch means

(7) cooperates with further die means (5) , distinct from said die means (9) , for compression-moulding said dose (37) to obtain said preform (8) .