Container-fabricating apparatus and a method for the cleaning thereof

A method for cleaning a container-fabricating apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• providing a container-fabricating apparatus comprising an injection head configured to establish fluid communication with a substantially tubular preform through a nozzle, a stretching rod disposed at least partially within said injection head, coaxial with said nozzle, and projecting at least partially from said injection head, and a cleaning chamber being at least partially defined by a hollow, elongate housing contiguous with said injection head and extending therefrom, a plurality of cleaning chamber ports being provided in a wall of said housing so as to establish fluid communication with said cleaning chamber, said stretching rod being at least partially disposed within said cleaning chamber;
• retracting said stretching rod into a substantially retracted position such that the portion of said stretching rod which previously projected from the injection head is substantially disposed within the cleaning chamber;
• and
• filling said cleaning chamber with a purified gas, said purified gas being introduced through at least one of said cleaning chamber ports and being retained in the cleaning chamber.

A method for cleaning a container-fabricating apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• providing a container-fabricating apparatus comprising an injection head configured to establish fluid communication between an injection fluid port and a mouth of a substantially tubular preform through a nozzle of said injection head, a stretching rod disposed at least partially within said injection head, coaxial with said nozzle, and projecting at least partially from said injection head, a cleaning chamber being at least partially defined by a hollow, elongate housing contiguous with said injection head and extending therefrom, a plurality of cleaning chamber ports, being provided in a wall of said housing so as to establish fluid communication with said cleaning chamber, said stretching rod being at least partially disposed within said cleaning chamber, and a substantially tubular displacement sleeve disposed coaxially about the stretching rod and translatably mobile relative thereto, said displacement sleeve having an interior diameter generally greater than the outside diameter of said stretching rod such that where said displacement sleeve is disposed about said stretching rod an interstitial space is defined between said displacement sleeve and said stretching rod;
• extending said stretching rod and said displacement sleeve through said nozzle into a substantially cup-shaped receiving device, said receiving device being disposed in fluid communication with said nozzle and comprising a redirection baffle configured to deflect a flow of liquid entering said receiving device;
• opening a cleaning chamber valve, thereby establishing fluid communication between said cleaning chamber and said nozzle;
• and
• injecting a volume of a first cleaning fluid into at least one port selected from the group including the cleaning chamber ports and the injection port, said volume of cleaning fluid flowing through said injection head and said cleaning chamber and said interstitial space via at least one circulation orifice disposed in said displacement sleeve, said volume of cleaning fluid being subsequently drained through at least one other port selected from the group including the cleaning chamber ports and the injection port;
• and
• filling said cleaning chamber and interstitial space with a purified gas, said purified gas being introduced through at least one port selected from the group including the cleaning chamber ports and the injection port.