The invention relates to a container produced from a plastic material in extrusion blow molds, comprising a container body, having a first end, and a second end substantially opposite the first end, a first and second sealing surface formed on the inner wall of the first end, wherein the first and second sealing surfaces surround a filling opening and can be connected to one another in a fluid-tight manner, and a container base having a standing surface formed at the second end. A pouring element is formed on the container at the first end below the first and second sealing surfaces.

The invention relates to a refillable plastic container (100) which comprises a neck (10) having a neck opening (11) and a container body enclosing a filling volume which are separated from one another by a substantially radially protruding support ring (30). The neck of the plastic container has an axial length (L) equal to or less than 17.25 mm, measured from a mouth rim (12) of the neck opening to an underside of the support ring.

A preform is made by mixing cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) and light shielding pigment(s) with PET. The preform is stretch-blow moulded to produce a bottle which may be white and opaque. Light may be restricted from entering the bottle to thereby restrict degradation of the bottle contents from certain wavelengths of visible light.

A bottle includes a base, neck that defines an aperture, and a body. The bottle has at least one indent in the body that projects into an interior of the bottle and extends around at least part of a circumference of the body. This at least one indent is configured to agitate a substance contained in the bottle. For example, the bottle may contain a powder, such as protein powder, and the at least one indent helps mix the powder with a liquid. In an example, two indents are used in the bottle.

An injection-molded preform is disclosed for production of a plastic container by a blow-molding method with an elongated, tube-like body, which is closed on its one longitudinal end and has a neck section that is provided with a pour opening on its other longitudinal end, which neck section includes an injection molded connection to an injection molded closure part, wherein the closure part includes: a flip-top closure and an annular section with an inner wall, which inner wall rests directly on an outer surface of the neck section and completely encloses an annular area of the outer surface of the neck section.

A container having a center portion and two side portions each situated at an angle to the center portion and extending in opposite directions such that the a left half of the container is substantially identical to a right half of the container. The container includes recesses and protrusions which enable the container to stack in two orientations generally perpendicular to each other.

A hollow body includes a wall which at least partially surrounds an interior volume of the hollow body. The wall includes a layer of glass and has a wall surface. The wall surface includes a surface region in which the layer of glass is at least partially superimposed by a plurality of particles. The plurality of particles is characterized by a particle size distribution having a D.sub.50 in a range from 1 to 100 μm. A hollow body having a wall surface including a surface region which is characterized by a coefficient of dry sliding friction of less than 0.15 is also provided.

Disclosed are preforms which incorporate improvements in the region of the neck and upper segment of the body to allow the production of lightweight containers, such as bottles suitable for containing water or other beverages. In accordance with certain embodiments, the improvements include a thinner neck finish area than conventional bottles, where the thinner area is extended into the upper segment of the body portion below the support ring. Reducing the thickness in these areas of the bottle allows for less resin to be used in forming the preform and bottle.

A pressure relief blow-out plug includes a body including an inboard end and an outboard end, and an inboard flange extending radially outwardly from the inboard end of the body. A package includes a container including a wall having interior and exterior surfaces, and a pressure relief passage extending along a longitudinal passage axis and having a circumferential passage surface extending through the wall between the interior and exterior surfaces, wherein the pressure relief blow-out plug is carried in the pressure relief passage.

This disclosure provides new containers, preforms, methods, and designs for small and light-weight carbonated beverage packaging that provide surprisingly improved carbonation retention and greater shelf life, while still achieving light weight. This disclosure is particularly drawn to small PET containers for carbonated beverages, for example less than or about 400 mL, and methods and designs for their fabrication that attain unexpectedly good carbonation retention and shelf life.