Transfer star-wheel, in particular for flexible containers, and method for cooling said containers

A system for cooling a sealed portion of a flexible container, the system comprising:

• a transferring arrangement for transferring one or more containers;
• a platform constructed and arranged to revolve about a shaft and to receive one or more containers thereon;
• and
• a plurality of cooling arrangements comprising
• one or more gripping mechanisms for gripping the containers;
• wherein the cooling arrangements are constructed and arranged to cool the sealed portions of the containers while the containers are being transferred, wherein the cooling arrangements include:
• a pair of cooling components constructed and arranged to secure the sealed portion therebetween, the pair of cooling components including,
• a fixed cooling component and a displaceable cooling component, wherein the displaceable cooling component is selectively displaceable between an open position for receiving a container and a closed position for securing the container between the fixed cooling component and the displaceable cooling component,
• a supply mechanism for providing a cooling fluid to at least one cooling component,
• a removal mechanism for removing the cooling fluid from at least one cooling component,
• wherein the system further comprises an actuator constructed and arranged to move the displaceable cooling component away from the fixed cooling component,
• wherein the cooling arrangement further comprises an arm connected to the fixed cooling component;
• and
• the actuator comprises a plurality of cooling rods, each cooling rod connected to at least one other cooling rod,
• wherein at least two cooling rods are pivotally connected to the arm and at least one cooling rod is connected to the displaceable cooling component,
• wherein the removal mechanism removes the cooling fluid from the cooling component after the cooling fluid has thermally interacted with the cooling components.