Needle assembly for blow molding aseptic bottles

A blow needle assembly including one mold half of a blow molding machine, the mold half having a blow dome recess, a bore extending from the recess, a chamber at the end of the bore away from the recess, an exhaust line joining the bore adjacent the recess, a source of sterile air, a sterile air line extending between the source of sterile air and the chamber, a hollow blow needle having a tip in the bore and a free end extending outwardly of the chamber, a source of blow air connected to the free end of the needle, a flexible, impermeable seal extending between the needle and the wall of the chamber, a fluid cylinder drive having a piston located outwardly of the chamber, the blow needle extended through the cylinder and piston and joined to the piston so that actuation of the cylinder moves the needle between an extended position with the tip located in the recess and a retracted position with the tip withdrawn into the bore, said needle tip when retracted having a fit in the bore permitting sterile air to flow from the chamber around the exterior surface of the needle and out the exhaust line.

A blow needle assembly including one mold half of a blow molding machine, the mold half having a recess, a bore in the mold half opening into the recess, an exhaust line joining the bore adjacent the recess, a hollow blow needle mounted in the bore and having a tip facing the recess and a free end, a body mounted on the mold half at the end of the bore away from the recess, said body and mold half defining a chamber surrounding the needle, a flexible barrier joined to the needle and to the wall of the chamber for sealing the chamber against contamination, said chamber permitting flexing of the barrier upon extension and retraction of the needle, a fluid cylinder located adjacent the free end of the needle, for moving the needle between an extended position where the needle tip extends into the recess and a retracted position where the needle tip is withdrawn into the bore, said needle extending through the chamber and engaging the piston of the cylinder, a source of blow air connected to the free end of the needle, a source of sterile air, and an air line connecting the source of sterile air to the bore remote from the recess for flowing sterile air along the needle tip when retracted and then out the exhaust line.