Apparatus and method of molding heat-resistant containers

A blow molding apparatus for forming a heat-resistant container, said apparatus comprising:

• a primary molding section for blow-molding a preform into a primary molding, said primary molding section including a primary blow mold having split molds with inner walls defining a cavity, said cavity having an axial length greater than an axial length of said heat-resistant container;
• a heat treatment section for heat treating of the primary molding to obtain an intermediate molding, said heat treatment section including a heat treatment mold having split molds with inner walls defining a cavity, means for heating the split molds and means for pressurizing an interior of the primary molding within the heat treatment mold in order to bring the primary molding into contact with the inner walls of the split molds while the split molds are heated, said heat treatment mold having a cavity configuration substantially equal to that of said primary blow mold and different from the outer surface of the heat-resistant container;
• a final molding section for blow-molding the heat treated intermediate molding into the heat-resistant container, said final molding section including a heated final blow mold having split molds with inner walls defining a cavity with an axial length which is less than the axial length of the primary blow mold and heat treatment mold;
• and
• a conveyor means for intermittently conveying said preform, said primary molding and said heat treated intermediate molding to said primary molding, heat treatment and final molding sections, respectively,
• wherein each of said primary molding, heat treatment and final molding sections includes a mold clamping mechanism for clamping the split molds, and wherein said primary molding, heat treatment and final molding sections are rectilinearly disposed in a transfer direction.