Patent ID: 7810527

Claim:
A machine ( 10 ) for the treatment of containers ( 12 ) by the depositing of a barrier-forming internal coating by means of a microwave plasma, said machine comprising: a treatment enclosure ( 34 ), at least one treatment station ( 11 ) for a container ( 12 ) provided with a neck ( 14 ), each said treatment station ( 11 ) comprising a nipple ( 22 ) which comprises gripping means ( 26 ) for seizing the container ( 12 ) externally by its neck ( 14 ) and connection means ( 28 ) for connecting the interior of the container ( 12 ) to a vacuum-pumping circuit ( 30 ) in a leaktight manner, the nipple ( 22 ) being mounted slideably along a substantially vertical axis (A 1 ) with respect to the treatment enclosure ( 34 ) between an axial transfer position and an axial treatment position, so as to allow the axial insertion of the container ( 12 ) into the treatment enclosure ( 34 ) via a corresponding aperture ( 38 ), the nipple ( 22 ) comprising an annular closing portion ( 40 ) which comes to bear axially against a corresponding portion ( 36 ) of the treatment enclosure ( 34 ) in a leaktight manner in order to close said aperture ( 38 ) of the latter, the gripping means ( 26 ) comprising a tubular supporting cuff ( 50 ) which is coaxial with respect to the neck ( 14 ) of the container ( 12 ) and is fixed in relation to the nipple ( 22 ) and which is provided with a series of open-ended radial drillholes ( 52 ) having balls ( 54 ) therein that are movable radially between an inner gripping position, in which the balls ( 54 ) cooperate with the neck ( 14 ) in order to seize the container ( 12 ), and an outer release position, the gripping means ( 26 ) comprising a tubular control cuff ( 56 ) which is coaxial and external with respect to the supporting cuff ( 50 ) and which is mounted axially slideably with respect to the supporting cuff ( 50 ) between a locked axial position, in which a frustoconical bearing surface ( 58 ) on a concave axial wall of the control cuff ( 56 ) cooperates with the balls ( 54 ) in order to stress them radially toward their gripping position, and an unlocked axial position, in which the balls ( 54 ) are free to be displaced toward their release position, and the nipple ( 22 ) comprising controlled drive means ( 62 ) for causing the axial sliding of the control cuff ( 56 ) toward at least one of its two specific axial positions.