Molding Unit with Off-Center Neck Passage Opening

Molding unit (30) for the forming of containers made of thermoplastic material starting from preforms (63), in particular by blow molding or stretch blow molding, with the molding unit (30) comprising:

• Two mold supports (32A, 32B) that can move between an open position and a closed position;
• A mold (40) comprising at least two half-molds (44A, 44B), each designed to be mounted on one of the associated mold supports (32A, 32B), each half-mold (44A, 44B) being delimited by a front joint face (46) and by a rear assembly face (52), with the two half-molds (44A, 44B) being able to occupy a joined position by their joint face (46) when the mold supports (32A, 32B) occupy their closed position;
• A molding cavity (48) that is made of two parts in each joint face (46) and that is recreated when the mold (40) occupies its joined position, where the cavity (48) opens vertically upward via a passage opening (42) that is designed to allow a neck (12) of the preform (63) to pass;
• In the joined position, the assembly faces (52) of the mold (40) have:
• A first transverse vertical plane (P1) that extends along joint faces (46) and that passes through the center (C) of the passage opening (42), and
• A second vertical plane (P2) of symmetry that is orthogonal to the first plane (P1) of symmetry, with the two planes (P1, P2) of symmetry intersecting at a central vertical axis (O) of the mold (40);
• wherein the central axis (C) of the passage opening (42) is offset transversely in relation to the central axis (O) of the mold (40).