A plastic container is provided that includes a hollow body portion including a lower supporting base portion; a sidewall portion extending upwardly from the base portion; and a neck portion extending upwardly from the sidewall portion. The neck portion includes a support flange having an upper and lower surface, a tamper-evident formation, and a dispensing opening at the top of the neck portion. In embodiments, a closure may be provided to form an assembly. In embodiments, the container is comprised of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a volume of the container is at least 500 ml, and/or the weight of the neck portion is 2.3 grams or less. A preform and method for making a container are also disclosed.

A blow moulding machine for blow moulding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow moulded from a previously injection moulded preform; said preform comprising a body portion and said integrally formed handle; said machine including a preform loading station at which said preform is oriented by a preform orienting apparatus.

An injection-molded preform for manufacturing plastic containers, for example plastic bottles, in a stretch blow molding process is disclosed. The preform can have an essentially elongated preform body, whose one longitudinal end is formed closed. On an opposite longitudinal end, the preform body is connected to a neck section that is provided with a pour opening and whose outer wall has a connector to make an interlocking connection with a closure that is equipped with corresponding engagement. The neck section has at least one constriction that extends all the way around and has a wall thickness of between 0.4 mm and 0.8 mm. The injection-molded plastic material exists at least on the at least one constriction in a state that is highly oriented and at least partially crystalline, due to an injection-molding process.

A process for the manufacturing and filling of plastic containers, the process comprising the steps of: positioning a preform with relation to a mold assembly of two or more components, the preform generally being fabricated from a plastic and being provided with a longitudinal axis and presenting a stretchable portion and a non-stretchable portion; stretching the preform along its longitudinal axis; injecting a fluid into the interior volume of the preform, the fluid being under such pressure as to cause the preform to plastically deform until achieving the desired size and shape; and releasing the container from the mold assembly and sealing the container, and in which at least a portion of the stretchable portion of the perform is at a temperature below its vitreous transition temperature (Tg) and, preferably, at ambient temperatures.

A method includes injection molding a preform using a two phase injection system having a first phase in which a material is injected into the preform and a second phase in which the material is injected into the preform. The preform is disposed in a mold. The preform is blow molded into an intermediate article. The intermediate article is trimmed to form a finished container. The first phase includes injecting a material into the preform to form a single layer of the preform and the second phase includes injecting the material to form inner and outer layers and an intermediate layer between the inner and outer layers. The inner and outer layers include the material and the intermediate layer includes at least one additive. Finished containers are disclosed.

The outer circumferential surface of a bottom 4 of a preform 1 and a lower site 3a of a trunk 3 continuous with the bottom 4 is mechanically brought into intimate contact with a cooling pot 16 to undergo reliable cooling. The trunk 3, excluding the lower site 3a of the trunk 3 continuous with the bottom 4, is heated to a predetermined temperature by a heating block 17. When blow-molded, the so treated preform 1 can provide a container having a bottom of a desired thickness and having a uniformly stretched thin-walled trunk.

A blow molding machine for blow molding a container having an integrally formed handle; said container blow molded from a previously injection molded preform; said preform comprising a body portion and said integrally formed handle; said machine including a preform loading station at which said preform is oriented by a preform orienting apparatus.

A device includes a first part having a co-molded first support, valve cover and elastic actuator, and a second part having an injection molded second support, valve seat, and variable-volume storage chamber pre-form. The pre-form is blow molded into a flexible pouch defining the variable-volume storage chamber. The one-way valve includes a semi-annular, curvilinear, relatively rigid valve seat defining axially-extending, opposing first marginal portions, and an axially-extending first mid-portion angularly extending between the opposing first marginal portions. A flexible valve member is superimposed on the valve seat and defines axially-extending, opposing second marginal portions fixedly secured on or adjacent to respective first marginal portions of the valve seat, and an axially-extending second mid-portion angularly extending between the opposing first marginal portions and superimposed onto the first mid-portion of the valve seat. The flexible valve cover and valve seat form a normally closed axially and angularly extending valve seam therebetween.

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.

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.