ITMO20080272A1 - APPARATUS AND METHOD TO OBTAIN CONTAINERS - Google Patents

Description

Description

Apparatus and method for obtaining containers

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for forming plastic material to produce preforms which are subsequently expanded to obtain containers intended to be filled with a product.

An apparatus is known comprising a forming machine for compression molding of plastic material to obtain preforms, a thermal conditioning station for the preforms, arranged downstream of the forming machine, and a blowing machine arranged downstream of the thermal conditioning station and suitable for to blow the preforms so as to obtain containers from them.

The preforms are first compression molded, and then removed from the forming machine to be transferred to the conditioning station where they are heated to a temperature suitable for the blow molding phase. During the advancement from the forming machine to the conditioning station, the preforms are arranged sequentially one after the other and move along a predetermined advancement path.

The preforms, after being compression molded and before moving into the conditioning station, require an adequate cooling phase to stabilize their shape and such as to avoid crystallization phenomena that compromise the transparency of a bottle subsequently obtained from the preform and alter its characteristics. mechanical characteristics.

The duration of the cooling phase depends on the type and / or geometry of the preforms. Therefore, to a certain geometry and / or type of preform there corresponds a certain period of time required for the cooling phase. For certain types or geometries of preforms it is necessary to slow down the forming machine so as to support the preforms longer, thus allowing adequate cooling. This leads to an undesirable reduction in productivity, in all those cases in which it is not possible to modify the effectiveness of the cooling.

Before being positioned on the blowing machine, the preforms must be adequately heated, and for this purpose they remain in the conditioning station for a further determined period of time which is a function of the geometry and / or type of the preforms themselves.

A defect of the aforementioned apparatus is that the productivity is limited by the time necessary for the preforms to be thermally conditioned. In particular, productivity depends on the period of time that the preforms, arranged in sequence one after the other along the advancement path, require for the cooling phase following compression molding.

In other words, the operation of the upstream forming machine and of the downstream blowing machine is dependent on and bound to the period of time required to cool the preforms just printed, this time being dependent on the type / geometry of the preform.

An object of the invention is to improve known apparatuses and methods for producing containers.

Another object is to obtain an apparatus and a method for producing containers with high efficiency and productivity. A further object is to obtain an apparatus for producing very flexible containers, that is to say capable of adapting to different geometries / types of preforms while ensuring high levels of productivity.

In a first aspect of the invention, an apparatus as defined in claim 1 is provided.

In a second aspect of the invention, a method as defined in claim 17 is provided.

Thanks to the invention, it is possible to produce containers with high levels of efficiency and productivity.

The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate some exemplary and non-limiting forms of implementation, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic lay-out of an apparatus for producing containers;

Figure 2 shows a detail of Figure 1 in a first operating configuration;

Figure 3 shows the same detail of Figure 2 in a second operating configuration;

Figure 4 shows the same detail of Figure 2 in a third operating configuration;

Figure 5 is a schematic lay-out of a further version of the apparatus for producing containers;

Figure 6 is a schematic lay-out of a still further version of the apparatus for producing containers.

With reference to Figure 1, an apparatus 1 is shown for producing preforms which are subsequently expanded to obtain containers intended to be filled with a product.

The apparatus 1 is provided with a plasticizing device, for example an extruder 2, suitable for dispensing plastic material in a pasty state. The extruder 2 can be associated with cutting means, not shown, which divide the plastic material into doses.

The apparatus 1 is provided with a compression molding machine, in particular a compression molding carousel 3, positioned in a first operating area 9. The compression molding carousel 3 is provided with a plurality of molds of compression molding - for example positioned at constant angular intervals on a peripheral area of the compression molding carousel 3 - which form the doses by compression to obtain Z preforms.

Each compression mold comprises a female half-mold and a male half-mold, movable in reciprocal approach and distancing, the female half being provided with a cavity arranged to receive a dose and the male half being provided with a punch arranged to penetrate the inside the cavity to shape the dose.

The apparatus 1 also comprises a first transfer carousel 4, interposed between the extruder 2 and the compression molding carousel 3. The first transfer carousel 4 takes the doses from the extruder 2 and inserts the doses into the molds compression molding.

Furthermore, the first transfer carousel 4 removes the preforms Z obtained from the forming molds by compression and delivers the preforms Z to a second transfer carousel 5.

The apparatus 1 also comprises a blow molding machine, in particular a blow molding carousel 6, positioned in a second operating area 10. The blow molding carousel 6 is provided with a plurality of molding molds for blow molding 7 - for example positioned at constant angular intervals on a peripheral area of the blow molding carousel 6 - which expand the preforms Z to obtain containers.

A thermal conditioning station 8 is provided between the compression molding carousel 3 and the blow molding carousel 6 and configured to thermally condition the preforms Z so as to prepare them for blowing. The thermal conditioning station 8 is positioned in a third operating zone 11 interposed between the first operating zone 9 and the second operating zone 10. The thermal conditioning station 8 comprises a thermal conditioning tunnel. A conveyor 18 is provided for advancing the preforms Z along the tunnel of the conditioning station. The conveyor 18 moves along a trajectory, for example of the closed-loop type, in a direction of advance V.

In an alternative version, the conditioning station can include one or more thermal conditioning rides and / or one or more thermal conditioning tunnels.

Upstream of the thermal conditioning station 8, in a loading area C, there is a transfer wheel 15, which rotates discordant with the direction of advancement V of the conveyor 18. Upstream of the transfer wheel 15 is provided a third transfer carousel 14. The third transfer carousel 14 receives the preforms Z which have been obtained in the compression molding carousel 3 to transfer them to the transfer wheel 15 which, in turn, provides the preforms Z to the conditioning 8, so that the Z preforms can be thermally conditioned.

The apparatus 1 comprises handling means 12 for moving the preforms Z in an intermediate zone 21 between the compression molding carousel 3 and the thermal conditioning station 8.

Thanks to the handling means 12, it is possible to advance the preforms Z, between the compression molding phase and the conditioning phase, along advancement paths that can be chosen according to the type or geometry of the preform, i.e. according to of the time required by this type or geometry of preform to be adequately subjected to the cooling phase. In other words, it is not necessary to vary the operating speed of the compression molding carousel 3 and / or the blow molding carousel 6 to adapt the latter to the speed with which the Z preforms are cooled, since the zone intermediate 21 acts as a temporary accumulation zone in which the preforms Z rest for a shorter or longer time depending on the path of advancement chosen.

Thanks to the invention, it is thus possible to maintain a high number of containers produced per unit of time regardless of the type and / or geometry of preforms that are processed.

The movement means, in the version shown in Figure 1 and, in greater detail, in Figures 2 to 4, comprise a movement carousel 12 rotatable around a first rotation axis R1 in a first direction of rotation R1. The movement carousel 12 is located downstream of the second transfer carousel 5, and upstream of the third transfer carousel 14. The second transfer carousel 5 and the third transfer carousel 14 each rotate around a respective parallel rotation axis to the first axis of rotation A1 and in a direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation R1.

The movement carousel 12 is peripherally provided with a plurality of support carousels 16, which can be distributed angularly in a uniform manner. Each support carousel 16 can rotate around a respective second axis of rotation A2.

In the example described, the handling carousel 12 is equipped with twelve support carousels 16. In another version it is possible to provide a different number of support carousels 16 according to the required needs. Each support carousel 16 comprises a plurality of seats 17, each of which is shaped to receive a respective preform Z. In the example shown in Figures 2 to 4, each support carousel 16 is provided with four angularly distributed seats 17 equidistant from each other, but it is possible to provide for a different number of seats 17.

Each support carousel 16 is rotatably mounted on the movement carousel 12. Each support carousel 16, rotating with respect to the movement carousel 12, allows each of its seats 17 to interact with the second transfer carousel 5 and / or with the third transfer carousel 14 for respectively receiving and releasing a preform Z.

The support carousels 16, as well as the handling carousel 12, and / or other rotating components of the apparatus, can rotate continuously or in angular steps.

The handling carousel 12, and therefore the support carousels 16 configured in this way, are able to hold the Z preforms for considerable times, when this is necessary for certain types or geometries of preforms. This avoids having to slow down the operation and therefore the productivity of the compression molding carousel 8 to allow the Z preforms to cool.

The handling carousel 12 and the support carousels 16 act as accumulation means for the preforms Z. In other words, it is possible to operate each support carousel 16 so as to receive one or more preforms Z each in a respective seat 17 a depending on whether a shorter or longer period of time is required for the cooling phase. In this way, the preforms Z are advanced by the support carousels 16 along advancement paths having the desired length and selectively selected so as to vary the residence time on board the handling carousel 12.

The apparatus 1 thus configured defines a production line having a high productivity in the face of reduced overall dimensions. Each of the components of the apparatus 1 can be provided with dedicated drive means. Thanks to the movement carousel 12 which acts as an accumulation device, the speed of each component can, in a certain way, be made independent of the speed of the component arranged upstream. Furthermore, it is possible to keep a component in operation, for a certain time, even if the component arranged upstream, or downstream, has been stopped.

The support carousels 16 can be rotated with respect to the respective second rotation axes A2 in such a way as to make possible a thermal conditioning, in particular a cooling phase, only in certain and defined angular positions, or it is possible to foresee a phase cooling which is active for as long as the 16 support rides are rotating. This can be advantageous for improving the thermal uniformity of the preforms and, particularly of each of its parts, for example in the case where there are thicknesses of the Z preforms which are variable from area to area.

The support carousels 16 can be operated, i.e. put into continuous rotation or rotated by successive angular steps independently of each other.

The handling carousel 12 can be provided with a cooling system which allows to adequately perform the cooling of the preforms Z supported by it. The cooling system can comprise a plurality of cooling devices, each of which associated with a respective support carousel 16. In one version it is possible to provide a cooling device for each of the seats 17 of each support carousel 16.

The cooling device can provide suitable chambers inside which the Z preforms are received, the chambers being able to be closed at the top and bottom. The cooling device can be configured to send a cooling fluid both to the internal surfaces of the preforms and to the external surfaces of the preforms. In one version, it is possible to provide closing devices which delimit, on each support carousel 16, sectoral areas, in each of which a respective preform is received. The closing devices can comprise dividing wall elements distributed equidistant from the respective preforms.

It is possible to configure the cooling system in such a way as to act in a diversified way according to the position that the Z preforms assume while they are dragged by the handling carousel 12. The cooling can be performed for example by means of air flows and / or gases which are introduced into the aforementioned cooling chambers. The air and / or gas flows can be directed onto the preform in a coaxial manner or according to selected directions in order to localize the cooling in certain areas. For example, it is possible to act to cool the external surfaces and the internal surfaces of the Z preforms in a different way according to the different temperature values that occur in various areas of the preform. For example, the cooling device can take into account that the temperature of the external surfaces of the Z preforms, at the end of the compression molding, is lower than the temperature of the internal surfaces.

Some operating modes of the handling carousel 12 and of the support carousels 16 are described in more detail below in order to better explain their operation. Figure 2 shows a first operating mode of the handling carousel 12 and of the support carousels 16. In the first operating mode each support carousel 16 is not rotated with respect to the handling carousel 12, but is only dragged by this one. the latter which in turn rotates around the first axis of rotation A1. In other words, the support rides 16 do not rotate around the respective second axes of rotation A2. In this way, of each support carousel 16, only one seat 17 is used, in particular the seat 17 positioned closer to the peripheral area of the handling carousel 12. Each preform Z is therefore transferred from the second transfer carousel 5 to a seat 17 in a first position P1, and is driven by the rotation of the handling carousel 12 up to a second position P2, in which each preform is transferred to the third transfer carousel 14. In this way, each preform moves along a first path which corresponds to a substantially semi-circular trajectory.

This first path corresponds to a very short residence time of the preforms Z on the handling carousel. This is useful when the geometry and / or type of the Z preforms are such as to allow very rapid cooling phases.

Figure 3 shows a second operating mode in which the residence time of the preforms on the handling carousel 12 is increased with respect to the first operating mode just described. Of each support carousel 16 only two of the four seats 17 available are used. In particular, two seats 17 are used which are diametrically opposed to each other.

For each support carousel 16 which is in the first position P1, a first preform Z1 is received in a first seat 17a arranged more peripherally than the handling carousel 12 and closer to the second transfer carousel 5. Once the first is received preform Z1, the support carousel 16, which in the meantime is dragged by the moving carousel 12 in rotation, rotates around its second axis of rotation A2 by about 180 °. In this way, the first seat 17, containing the first preform Z1 just received, is moved to a position diametrically opposite to the previous position occupied (with respect to the second rotation axis A2). In other words, the first preform Z1 from a more peripheral position is approached towards a central area of the handling carousel 12. When the support carousel 16 is brought into position P2, meanwhile, a preform Z0 already received by the handling carousel 12 previously with respect to the first preform Z1, and which is therefore already adequately cooled, it is transferred to the third transfer carousel 14.

In the meantime, the handling carousel 12 continues to rotate and leads the support carousel 16 under examination again towards the second transfer carousel 5 in the first position P1, so that a second seat 17b, diametrically opposite to the first seat 17, can receive a second preform. At this point, the support carousel 16 is rotated around its second axis of rotation A2 by a further angle equal to about 180 ° in such a way as to bring the first seat 17 back to a more peripheral position on the handling carousel 12. In this way , the first seat 17 can interact, in the second position P2, with the third transfer carousel 14, yielding the first preform to the latter. At this point, the handling carousel 12 continues to rotate and the first seat 17, now free, is again brought closer to the second transfer carousel 5 to receive a third preform. Subsequently, the support carousel 16 is rotated by a still further angle of 180 ° so as to yield also the second preform to the third transfer carousel 14 in the second position P2 and so on.

What has just been described applies to each of the support carousels 16. Basically, in this operating mode, each preform is retained on the movement carousel 12 in such a way as to define a second path substantially corresponding to one and a half turns of the movement carousel 12. In this way, a residence time equal to three times the residence time associated with the first operating mode described above is used, in the hypothesis in which the second transfer carousel 5 and the third transfer carousel 14 are placed in positions between they are diametrically opposite with respect to the handling carousel 12.

Figure 4 shows a third operating mode that allows to exploit all four seats 17 of each support carousel 16. In this operating mode, the residence time of the preforms Z on the handling carousel 12 is maximum compared to the cases previously described. . Each support carousel 16, while being driven by the handling carousel 12 from the first position P1 to the second position P2, rotates around the respective second axis A2 by a quarter of a turn in such a way as to yield a preform Z by now cooled to the third transfer carousel 14. The free seat receives an additional Z preform from the second transfer carousel 5 and so on. In this case - in which there are four seats 17 for each support carousel 16 - each support carousel 16 rotates around the second axis of rotation A2 by successive angles equal to about 90 ° so that each seat 17, sequentially receives a preform Z and subsequently releases it after a certain number of revolutions of the handling carousel 12. In this case each preform Z moves along a path having a length corresponding to three and a half revolutions of the handling carousel 12.

The residence time in this operating mode is equal to seven times that of the first operating mode described above.

Obviously and in an operating mode similar to those seen so far, an operating mode is provided, not shown, in which three of the four seats 17 of each support carousel 16 are used.

A similar operation to that described above of the handling carousel 12 is provided if there is a different number of support carousels 17 and / or a different number of seats 17 on each support carousel 16.

In the various versions of the apparatus 1 described above, it is possible to provide on the handling carousel 12 heating means which act on the preforms Z, after the cooling phase, so as to carry out a slight heating phase on the latter. The heating means can act selectively on certain critical parts of each preform Z that need to be prepared for the subsequent and more consistent thermal conditioning phase which takes place in the thermal conditioning station 8. In this way it is possible to eliminate or substantially reduce any thermal imbalances in the Z preforms.

The heating means can act at certain angular positions of each support carousel 16 and / or of the movement carousel 12.

The Z preforms, after having stopped on board the handling carousel 12 for the time necessary for cooling, are transferred to the third transfer carousel 14 which in turn delivers the Z preforms to the transfer wheel 15. The transfer wheel 15 finally transfers the preforms Z to the conditioning station 8 where the preforms Z can receive an adequate heat treatment which has the purpose of preparing them for subsequent blow molding on the blow molding carousel 6.

Downstream of the conditioning station 8 there is a fourth transfer carousel 19, suitable for transferring the preforms Z leaving the conditioning station 8 towards the blow molding carousel 6. Downstream of the conditioning station 8 there is a fifth transfer carousel 20 which is used to remove the containers obtained from the preforms Z from the blow molding carousel 6 to send them to any operating stations further downstream. Such operating stations can comprise for example a filling station for filling the containers with a product, for example a liquid material, a powder or granular material, a paste material, and the like. The aforementioned product can be, for example, a food product or a cosmetic product. It is also possible to provide a closing or capping station to close any filled containers, and / or a labeling station for the containers.

With reference to Figure 1, the apparatus 1 comprises a storage station 22, positioned in a storage area (32) and provided for example with a hopper 23 suitable for containing preforms.

A by-pass device 28 is provided which allows the preforms to be directed towards the storage station 22. In this way it is possible to store the compression molded preforms which do not need to be immediately sent to the molding carousel by blow molding 6 but can be processed later. The storage station 22 can also receive preforms that have been produced elsewhere, such as injection molded preforms.

The by-pass device 28 comprises a by-pass conveyor 24 which connects the handling carousel 12 with the hopper 23. The by-pass conveyor 24 can be for example of the belt or chain type.

The by-pass device 28 comprises a pick-up wheel 31 suitable for picking up the preforms Z from the handling carousel 12 to position them on the bypass conveyor 24.

Thanks to the version of Figure 1 of apparatus 1, it is possible to produce Z preforms and keep them for any period of time desired, postponing the blow molding of them to a later time. In this operating mode, it may be necessary to perform a more consistent cooling of the Z preforms on the handling carousel 12, to prevent the Z preforms from being damaged in the subsequent transport and storage phases. For this purpose it is possible to increase the residence time of the Z preforms on board the handling carousel 12, by making the latter work, for example, in the second operating mode, described with reference to Figure 3, or in the third operating mode, described with reference to Figure 4. The operating mode of the handling carousel 12 can be varied by acting on a control unit and setting an operating program change.

The preforms Z are cooled on the handling carousel 12 in such a way as to have a temperature below a certain value in order to avoid crystallization. In one version, air and / or gas cooling means can be provided on the second transfer carousel 5 configured to thermally condition the preforms Z in a preliminary manner, i.e. in such a way as to anticipate the thermal conditioning which takes place subsequently. on the handling carousel 12. Also in this case, the cooling means can be configured to act selectively on certain areas of the preforms Z, and / or at certain angular positions of the second transfer carousel 5.

The apparatus 1 can be equipped with a reject device which discards the preforms having certain defects which can be found with special vision systems. The reject device can be provided on the pick-up wheel 31 and / or on the third transfer carousel 14.

A feeding system 26 is also provided, suitable for picking up the preforms stored in the storage station 22 to insert them into the production line defined by the apparatus 1.

The feeding system 26 comprises a feeding conveyor 25 adapted to convey the preforms from the storage station 22 to the conditioning station 8. Downstream of the feeding conveyor 25 there is a further transfer wheel 27, able to transfer the coming preforms from the storage station 22 to the conditioning station 8. In particular, the further transfer wheel 27 transfers the preforms from the feeding conveyor 25 to the conveyor 18 of the conditioning station 8 in a further loading area D, opposite the loading area load C, with respect to the conveyor 18. The further transfer wheel 27 is positioned in such a way as to be upstream of the transfer wheel 15 with respect to the direction of advancement V of the conveyor 18. In this way, the preforms arriving from storage station 22 and which therefore may require a more consistent thermal conditioning phase compared to The preforms coming from the compression molding carousel 3 can travel, through the conveyor 18, a longer trajectory inside the conditioning tunnel.

The feeding system 26 and / or the feeding conveyor 25 is configured to adequately orient the preforms taken from the storage station 22.

Figure 5 shows another version of apparatus 1 which differs from the version described with reference to Figure 1 in that the by-pass device 28 is not provided. In this case, apparatus 1 can process preforms as soon as obtained in the compression molding carousel 3 or preforms which are picked up from the storage station 22 and which have been previously obtained. The preforms coming from the storage station 22 can be of various kinds, for example they may have been produced by injection molding in a production plant separate from the apparatus 1.

With reference to Figure 6, a still further version of the apparatus 1 is shown which differs from the previous versions in that neither the bypass device 28 nor the storage station 22 and therefore the fuel system 26.

In this version, the apparatus 1 comprises a conditioning station 29 similar to that described in the versions of the apparatus 1 shown in Figures 1 and 5 but equipped with a conditioning tunnel of reduced length. A further conveyor 30 is provided which advances in a further direction of advance Vâ € ™. In this case, the transfer wheel 15 is positioned at one end of the tunnel closest to the fourth transfer carousel 19.

The preforms which are transferred by the transfer wheel 15 to the further conveyor 30 travel through the tunnel first in one direction, away from the fourth transfer carousel 19, and then in the opposite direction, approaching the fourth transfer carousel 19. Thanks to this configuration, it is possible to thermally condition the preforms effectively and at the same time the overall dimensions associated with the conditioning station 8 are considerably reduced.

Variations and / or additions to what is described above and illustrated in the attached drawings are possible.

In particular, any handling means can be used that defines advancement paths of variable length, so as to be able to obtain variable residence times of the preforms between the compression molding area and the thermal conditioning area of the preforms.

Claims (33)

CLAIMS 1. Apparatus comprising a compression molding machine (3), suitable for forming plastic material by compression to obtain preforms (Z, Z0, Z1), a blow molding machine (6), suitable for blowing said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) to obtain containers, a thermal conditioning station (8, 29) for said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1), interposed between said compression molding machine (3) and said blow molding machine (6) , handling means (12) for moving said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) in an intermediate area (21) between said compression forming machine (3) and said conditioning station (8, 29), characterized in that said handling means (12) are configured so as to advance said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) along advancement paths of variable length to vary the residence time of said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) in said intermediate zone ( 21). 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said handling means comprise handling carousel means (12). 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said handling means comprise support carousel means (16) rotatably supported by said handling carousel means (12). 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said support carousel means comprise a plurality of support carousels (16) peripherally distributed on said movement carousel means (12). 5. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein seats (17, 17a, 17b) suitable for receiving respective preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) are formed on said support carousel means (16). 6. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising thermal conditioning means for thermally treating said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) when they are supported by said handling means (12). 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said thermal conditioning means comprise cooling means for cooling said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1). 8. Apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said thermal conditioning means comprise wall closing means defining chambers each of which is adapted to receive a respective preform (Z, Z0, Z1). 9. Apparatus according to one of claims 6 to 8, wherein said thermal conditioning means comprise heating means adapted to pre-heat said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) before being sent to said conditioning station (8). 10. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a storage station (22) for said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) and / or for further preforms produced by injection molding. 11. Apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a feeding device (26) configured to pick up preforms from said storage station (22) to be sent to said conditioning station (8). Apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, further comprising a feed conveyor (25) for conveying preforms from said storage station (22) to said conditioning station (8). 13. Apparatus according to one of claims 10 to 12, further comprising a by-pass device (28) configured to take preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) from said handling means (12) and to send said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) to said storage station (22). 14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said by-pass device (28) comprises a pick-up wheel (31) configured to interact with said movement means (12). 15. Apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, wherein said by-pass device (28) comprises a by-pass conveyor (24) adapted to convey said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) from said handling means (12 ) to said storage station (22). 16. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 15, further comprising transfer carousel means (14) for transferring said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) from said handling means (12) to said thermal conditioning station (8) . 17. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 16, further comprising rejecting means suitable for rejecting the preforms having defects. 18. Apparatus according to claim 17, when dependent on claim 14, or on claim 15 when dependent on claim 14, in which said reject means are provided on said pick-up wheel (31). 19. Apparatus according to claim 17, when dependent on claim 16, wherein said reject means are provided on said transfer carousel means (14). 20. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 19, further comprising further transfer carousel means (5) for transferring said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) from said compression forming machine (3) to said handling means ( 12). 21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said further transfer carousel means (5) comprises further cooling means for cooling said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1). 22. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 21, further comprising a filling station adapted to fill said containers with a product. 23. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 22, further comprising a closing station suitable for closing said containers. 24. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 23, further comprising a labeling station for labeling said containers. 25. A method comprising forming by compression plastic material to obtain preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) in a first operating area (9), forming by blowing said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) to obtain containers in a second operating area (10 ), thermally conditioning said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) in a third operating area (11) interposed between said first area (9) and said second area (10), moving said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) in an area intermediate (21) interposed between said first operating area (9) and said second operating area (10), characterized in that said movement comprises advancing said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) along advancement paths of variable length to vary the time of residence of said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) in said intermediate zone (21). Method according to claim 25, wherein said advancement paths comprise at least part of substantially circular trajectories. A method according to claim 25 or 26, wherein said one or more travel paths comprise closed loop trajectories. Method according to one of claims 25 to 27, wherein said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) are cooled during said handling. 29. Method according to one of claims 25 to 28, wherein after said handling it is provided to store said preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) in a storage area (32). 30. Method according to claim 29, comprising taking from said storage area (32) preforms (Z, Z0, Z1) to be sent to said third operating area (11). A method according to one of claims 25 to 30, further comprising filling said containers with a product. Method according to one of claims 25 to 31, further comprising closing said containers. A method according to one of claims 25 to 32, further comprising labeling said containers.