Patent ID: 9272457
Filing Date: 2016-03-01
CPC Classification: B29B,B29C,B29K,B29L

Claim Text:
1. A method for producing a preform, comprising: injecting a polymer melt into an injection mould having a first cavity shaped to mold a preform formed with a neck region and defined by an inner space having in a preform body region a radial extent which is not greater than a radial extent of the inner space in the neck region adjacent the preform body region; opening the injection mould after a first cooling step; removing the preform from the open mould with a removal gripper; introducing transfer pins of a transfer gripper into the inner space of the preform; removing the preform from the removal gripper by the transfer gripper for subsequent transfer to a cooling device; inflating the preform, which is a pre-inflating in the sense of a finished plastic product which is subsequently to be produced, in a second cavity of at least one member selected from the group consisting of the removal gripper and the post-cooling device, with the second cavity sized larger than a size of the first cavity radially and /or axially, by applying positive pressure kept at a range between 0.5 and 8 bar so as to urge a wall of the preform against a wall surface of the second cavity in the member and to produce an enlarged preform, which is an intermediate product for a finished plastic bottle or a finished plastic container; and cooling the enlarged preform in a post-cooling device and removing the enlarged preform from the post cooling device for a subsequent production of a finished plastic bottle or a finished plastic container.